Night had fallen, and starlight scattered across the sky like shattered diamonds. Li Wei sat alone at his desk, gently caressing an ancient and mysterious jade pendant with his fingertips. Moonlight streamed through the lattice window, coating the surface of the jade with a silvery glow, as if it held some ancient and indescribable secret. The pendant's design was intricate and archaic, its texture warm yet subdued, like it had carried the weight of centuries. What had first drawn Li Wei to it was this aura of mystery. He had an unshakable feeling that it was no ordinary object—that it concealed a history long forgotten.
When he finally connected with the soul within the pendant—Ying Yue—that initial curiosity rippled outward like a stone dropped into a lake, slowly giving way to deeper emotions.
Ying Yue, a princess from the distant Qin dynasty, was initially just a faint name from yellowed history books to Li Wei—like an artifact behind museum glass: exquisite, yet distant and out of place in the modern world. But the moment her voice echoed through the pendant into his ears, everything changed. It was low and carried a barely noticeable tremble, as if it had traveled across a thousand years, weighted with the dust of history and the weariness of time. With every conversation, her voice pierced his heart like a needle, stirring the most tender parts of his soul.
Li Wei began to envision her in his mind: dressed in ornate court robes, wearing a finely crafted jade crown, standing atop a grand palace terrace—aloof and cold like the moon on a winter's night, exuding an unapproachable chill. Yet beneath that pride, he sensed a hidden fragility—like a flickering candle in the wind, bearing a thousand years of unknown loneliness and sorrow. Though he had never seen her eyes, he was certain they carried infinite sadness, silently telling tales of forgotten pain and the helplessness of fate.
As their communication deepened, Li Wei realized Ying Yue wasn't a cold, abstract figure. She was a soul with emotions—joy, anger, sorrow, desire, helplessness, glory, and grief. No longer just a character from a story, she existed in his life in a real and special way. Her presence was like spring rain on parched earth, awakening in him a long-dormant sense of compassion and care.
In the quiet of night, bathed in moonlight, Li Wei sat at the edge of his bed, tightly holding the jade pendant, his fingers tracing its cold surface. He felt as though he could sense Ying Yue's warmth through it—the solitude and sadness she had carried through the ages. Softly, he murmured, "Ying Yue, you must be so lonely." His voice trembled, gentle as if afraid to disturb the soul within. "Trapped in this pendant, watching time pass and the world change, yet unable to touch any of it... I can't imagine what that must feel like."
His voice choked with emotion, eyes brimming with unshed tears. His heart clenched for her plight as he tried to imagine the despair of being confined to such a small space. But what he felt wasn't romantic love—it was a pure and profound empathy, the birth of a responsibility to understand her, to help her, to set her free from this thousand-year imprisonment.
The jade pendant grew faintly warm. Ying Yue's voice came through, soft but resilient—like a faint yet unwavering starlight in the dark. "Yes, Li Wei. I was once a princess of the Qin dynasty, daughter of the Ying clan, bathed in endless glory, with palace halls echoing songs of praise. But one upheaval... changed everything." Her tone carried a mix of bitterness and calm. "They locked me in the royal manor and delivered a cup of poison. I was trapped inside, guards stationed at every door. I stared at that cup, knowing there was no escape. In that moment, I felt despair and injustice. I drank the poison, my body grew cold, my mind hazy—but because of intense resentment and unwillingness, my soul could not leave."
She went on: "My spirit roamed the manor, its bitterness growing heavier. Palace dwellers became uneasy—some heard my cries, others saw me wandering the corridors. Fearing I might threaten his rule, Hu Hai summoned the shaman Wu Xian to subdue my spirit. Wu Xian said my soul was too powerful, and if left unchecked, would bring disaster. He took the jade pendant gifted to me by my father, engraved with my likeness, lit incense, and chanted spells. My soul was torn from its wandering, sucked into the jade. After sealing it, he placed the pendant in a box inscribed with runes, buried it deep underground, and warned all to stay away."
"The pendant remained buried for a thousand years?" Li Wei asked softly."Yes," Ying Yue said wistfully. "Until the manor was destroyed and the pendant eventually ended up in your hands. Perhaps... it was fate."
Her honesty struck like a gentle blade, piercing Li Wei's emotional defenses. Her voice held longing for freedom, yearning for home, grief for lost time. In his mind, he could see her standing on a palace balcony, the night wind rustling her robes, tears sliding silently down her face with no one to wipe them away. Her sorrow surged like a flood against Li Wei's heart. He gripped the pendant tightly, knuckles whitening, eyes resolute. "Ying Yue, I'll help you fulfill your wish. I'll find the truth, break the seal, and set you free." It was a vow born not from romance, but deep concern and a sense of duty.
Each night, Li Wei fell asleep with the pendant in hand, his dreams becoming a bridge to communicate with Ying Yue. One night, he found himself in the Qin palace garden. Moonlight filtered through the trees, reflected in the rippling lake, floral scents in the air. Ying Yue sat by the lake in a simple white dress, her silhouette calm and lonely. Hearing his footsteps, she turned with a warm smile. "Li Wei, you came." Her voice was surprised, her eyes twinkling like stars.
Li Wei sat beside her, the dream vividly real. "Is this your memory?""Yes," Ying Yue nodded, gazing softly at the lake. "This was my favorite place as a child—far from court politics, a rare haven of peace. Here, I could forget I was a princess and just be myself." She lightly brushed the water's surface, creating gentle ripples.
They spoke of the past. Ying Yue shared her childhood joys—playing in the garden, practicing the zither, reading in the study. A faint smile played on her lips, but couldn't mask her yearning for freedom. Li Wei opened up about his loneliness—the emptiness of modern life that left him adrift. For the first time, he felt such deep kinship with someone from another time—their souls connecting and comforting each other.
He looked at her earnestly. "Ying Yue, at first I just wanted to uncover the pendant's secrets. But now, I truly care. I want to help you escape this prison." His voice was sincere, filled with friendship and support, without the slightest hint of romance.
Ying Yue gazed at him gently and held his hand, her touch warm and steady. "Li Wei, thank you. You've made me feel less alone. I haven't had a heartfelt conversation with anyone for a thousand years. These dreams... they're my only hope." Their souls intertwined in these dreams—built on understanding and support, not infatuation. To Li Wei, she was a friend worth protecting, a soul worth fighting for.