In fact, Xiao Heye and Han Zhou have been deliberately concealing their identities for many years.

In this world, besides the two of them, the only person who knew that Xiao Heye was the late Crown Prince Zhou Yuheng was their adoptive father, Pei Fu.

But now, Pei Fu is also dead.

Before leaving the palace, Su Tiyue and Xiao Heye were practically inseparable. Perhaps if she were a little smarter, she would have discovered Xiao Heye's secret long ago.

However, she is still too inexperienced.

She only realized this now, belatedly.

Or rather, Xiao Heye didn't care about that identity, so even if Su Tiyue knew, it wouldn't affect him at all.

Xiao Heye is meticulous and has everything under his control. If he really wanted to hide it, Su Tiyue would probably never discover this shocking secret in her lifetime.

Thinking about it carefully, he has lived under the name Xiao Heye for so long, and this feeling is a thousand times more comfortable than that of the so-called former crown prince.

What's so good about a deposed prince?

He's not even as good as the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, not as good as the Director of the Eastern Depot, and not even as good as an ordinary citizen...

But then again, given the current situation in Northern Liang, the Rouran have extended their reach into Yong'an, all in an effort to protect their beloved.

A deposed prince taking back everything that belongs to him—this premise sounds pretty good.

...

Seeing her tears, Xiao Heye couldn't bear it and gently wiped away the tears from her cheeks with his fingers. "I thought Yue'er had become smarter and wouldn't cry so much..."

His gaze and his tone were indulgent and gentle, like a long, lingering thread.

Su Tiyue sniffed her slightly red nose, her voice trembling with tears: "But when I think about the hardships the Palm Seal suffered and the paths he walked... my heart aches, and I can't help it..."

“Those roads were indeed tough and difficult to walk. But... I also encountered warmth and kindness that I will never forget in the cold, bone-chilling darkness.”

"She was like a warm ray of light, shining brightly on me. I had fallen into a cold hell and almost died in the snow... She saved me and also saved Hanzhou."

“She…?” Su Tiyue blinked, her eyelashes still wet with tears, like dewdrops clinging to flower petals in the early morning.

Absolutely stunning...

Xiao Heye nodded, his gaze fixed on her clear and beautiful face: "Yes, there was once someone who reached out a hand to me from the abyss..."

As he spoke, he pulled Su Tiyue's fingers into his palm, casually kneading and playing with them.

Su Tiyue lowered her eyelids, watching her fair fingers being enveloped by his large hand...

She frowned and asked softly, "...Me?"

Xiao Heye lowered his head, paused in the movement of his fingers, and then slowly raised his head, looking at her without saying a word.

His deep eyes met hers.

"The person the palm print mentioned, is it me?" She looked surprised, even though his eyes had already given a very clear hint.

It's her.

But Su Tiyue still couldn't believe it.

It wasn't until Xiao Heye nodded and spoke definitively, "It's you."

“But I never saw the seal of office before I entered the palace. When did you say that happened?” Su Tiyue asked him, frowning.

"In Suzhou. Back then... you must have been this tall, right?"

As Xiao Heye spoke, he gestured with his hands.

That was ten years ago. Su Tiyue was only six or seven years old then. How tall could she have been?

Su Tiyue: "But I don't remember anything at all... Will the palm print blame me?"

He shook his head: "That memory isn't good, it's good that Yue'er doesn't remember it, so how could I blame you?"

“But the more you act like this, the more curious I become… The palm print, why don’t you tell me?” Her bright eyes were fixed on him. “How exactly did we meet in Suzhou? What exactly happened? I want to hear it all…”

"Whether it's good or bad, I want to know. Master, please tell me..."

She pestered Xiao Heye to tell her about the past.

In fact, the matter was not exactly honorable. Xiao Heye thought for a long time but didn't know how to bring it up.

A down-on-his-luck, miserable boy and a naive, kind-hearted little girl.

They met on a snowy night. To save his life, the boy betrayed the little girl's kindness, accepted the candy she offered, then snatched the bracelet from her wrist and even pushed her to the ground...

That night, Xiao Heye kept running and fleeing...

Even as I ran to the end of the alley, I could still hear her crying.

The soft, delicate voice was unforgettable for him...

Even if Xiao Heye, a clever and cunning man, did tell Su Tiyue what happened that night, he certainly wouldn't tell her the truth.

During the time he was thinking and hesitating, he had already quickly crafted another story in his mind...

Just as he was about to speak, Li Xun rushed in from outside, panting, and reported, "Master, General Su has arrived... He's in a menacing manner, saying he's here to see Miss Su."

“Su Lin?” Xiao Heye frowned.

"Yes," Li Xun replied.

Hearing that it was her elder brother who had personally come to Qiushui Residence to demand her return, Su Tiyue became somewhat nervous.

She stood up and said timidly, "I sneaked out this morning. It seems that my brother has already seen through Liu Wan and Qing Wu's lies."

"Master, I...I have to go back..." His face was full of reluctance, but he had no choice but to leave.

Her elder brother had served in the military for a long time and was known for his integrity and fair treatment of rewards and punishments. Just yesterday, her father had ordered Su Tiyue to break off her relationship with Xiao Heye, and now she'd been caught red-handed again…

Knowing my older brother's personality, he'll definitely get a lesson.

But if Su Tiyue continues to dawdle, Su Lin might take his anger out on Xiao Heye.

Both of them have bad tempers... and both of them dote on Su Tiyue.

She's caught in the middle, facing a dilemma.

"Okay, I'll see you out." Xiao Heye slowly stood up, without saying anything else, and silently led her out.

"Master, if I go back... I'll definitely be locked up by my father, and I don't know when I'll be able to see you again." She said with her head down, looking aggrieved.

Xiao Heye smiled and said, "I understand. This is a common tactic used by wealthy families like yours. If a daughter is disobedient and sneaks out to meet a man, she will be locked up when she is caught."

"But, Yue'er... be good when you get back, eat well, and sleep well. Your courtyard wall isn't very high, so even if it's a bit of a hassle for me, I can just climb over it a few more times. Don't miss me too much..."

"Pfft—" Su Tiyue couldn't help but laugh at his joke, and the sadness and reluctance she felt when they parted were dispelled.

The closer they got to the door, the slower their pace became.