Cold sweat soaks my inner robes as I jolt awake, my heart pounding against my ribs. I gasp for air, disoriented and confused. This isn't the afterlife I expected. Instead of darkness, I'm in my chamber—the familiar wooden furniture, the scent of sandalwood, the faint moonlight streaming through the windows.

I stare at my hands—no blood, no wounds. I'm alive. But that's impossible. I clearly remember driving the dagger into my chest after finding Yichen...

The memory hits me like a physical blow, fresh and agonizing. Yichen's lifeless body in my arms, his blood staining my hands, the coldness that seeped into my very bones as I held him for the last time.

I stumble out of bed, barely noticing the cold floor beneath my feet. I need to see him. Now.

My footsteps echo through the silent corridors as I rush toward Yichen's chamber. The mansion is quiet, peaceful—nothing like the scene of destruction I witnessed before my death.

I reach his door, my hand trembling as I push it open. There, in the dim moonlight, I see him—alive, breathing, sleeping peacefully beneath the covers.

I approach the bed, my heart threatening to burst from my chest. He looks so beautiful in the moonlight, his features soft in sleep. I fall to my knees beside the bed, unable to contain the overwhelming emotions.

"Yichen," I whisper, reaching out a hesitant hand to brush his cheek. He stirs, his eyes fluttering open.

Those beautiful brown eyes meet mine, filled with confusion and sleepiness. "Li Lun?" he asks, his voice rough with sleep.

I can't speak—what do I say? How do I explain? Instead, I just stare at him, drinking in the sight of him alive and well.

"Is it really you?" I finally manage to whisper, my voice breaking with emotion.