Xiao Chengjing nodded in satisfaction and rose gracefully. His gaze lingered, almost imperceptibly, on the frail figure huddled behind his mother and brother, like a frightened animal. That pale, fragile form, so easily broken, that intense, unyielding fear in her eyes, eerily overlapped, tore apart, and overlapped again with the image of the woman in his dream, clutching a dead infant, consumed by hatred…

This stark contrast and shock, instead of dispelling his doubts, stirred up even more turbulent and dangerous undercurrents, like a boulder thrown into a deep pool.

He withdrew his gaze, the gentle smile on his lips still flawless, and took the lead in walking outside. Shen Wenbai dared not delay and immediately followed.

Only after that pale figure completely disappeared outside the hanging flower gate did the invisible, suffocating pressure slowly recede like a tide.

With a "thud," Shen Yuewei could no longer hold on. Her legs buckled, and she collapsed completely into Madam Shen's arms, as if all her bones had been removed. Cold sweat had soaked through her clothes, making them icy and sticky. She gasped for breath, like a fish out of water, her body still trembling uncontrollably. Her teeth were clenched, making a soft clicking sound, and her eyes were empty and unfocused, as if she had just crawled back from the edge of hell.

Madam Shen held her daughter's cold body tightly, tears streaming down her face, and cried out repeatedly, "Wei'er! My Wei'er! Don't be afraid, His Highness is gone! Gone!"

Minister Shen looked at his wife and daughter, his brows furrowed into a knot, his eyes filled with lingering fear and deep worry. The Crown Prince's sudden visit today, and Wei'er's unusually extreme fear... were like a huge, ominous cloud, heavily shrouding the Shen residence.

---

Inside the green-curtained carriage, the incense burner emitted a refreshing aroma of styrax.

Xiao Chengjing leaned back on the soft brocade cushion, closing his eyes to rest. The hustle and bustle of the city outside the carriage window was blocked by the heavy carriage curtains, leaving only the rumbling sound of the wheels rolling over the bluestone slabs.

He opened his palm, his fingertips still seemingly retaining the cold touch of the jade pendant. However, what lingered in his mind was Shen Yuewei's pale face, filled with extreme fear, and her fingers, which had turned white from gripping Shen Wenbai's clothes so tightly.

That fear... was too real, too profound, too... illogical.

Why would a pampered young woman, who had never met him before and lived a secluded life in her chambers, show him the same terror she felt when facing a demon? Was it merely because of his status as the crown prince? This explanation is laughably weak and feeble.

“Shen Wenbai…” Xiao Chengjing’s thin lips moved slightly, silently uttering the name. Just now in the hall, the young man’s subconscious action of shielding his sister, the undisguised worry and protectiveness in his eyes… all were clearly reflected in his eyes. He protected her as if she were a rare treasure, a treasure that… seemed to know her fragility and the need for extra care.

This care doesn't just stem from sibling affection. It's a kind of...a posture of knowing danger exists and instinctively building a barrier.

Xiao Chengjing slowly opened his eyes. Deep within his eyes, all the chaos brought by the nightmare and the shock caused by Shen Yuewei's fear had settled, leaving only a bottomless, cold blackness, like the calmest sea before a storm.

He stroked the warm jade pendant at his waist, a slow, deliberate curve appearing at the corner of his lips. That smile was no longer gentle; instead, it carried a chilling interest born from knowing the prey's movements and a possessive, determined desire for control.

Shen Yuewei... What secret lies hidden behind that intense fear? What intricate connections does it have with his nightmares and the poison from his past life?

This unexpected "visit" not only failed to answer his questions, but instead acted like a key, unlocking the entrance to a deeper and more dangerous labyrinth. And that pale, fragile girl, her eyes filled with fear, was the most alluring, yet most deadly, mystery at the heart of this labyrinth.

The carriage drove smoothly toward the palace. The air inside, however, was even more stagnant than on the way there, with undercurrents swirling beneath the surface.