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Inside a peaceful and beautiful palace courtyard, Zi Yuanling sat in a daze.
Sunlight filtered gently through the swaying leaves of the trees, casting soft patterns across the white stone path and the quiet pond nearby.
The air was filled with the faint fragrance of blooming flowers, and the distant sound of flowing water added to the tranquil atmosphere.
Everything around her was calm, elegant, and almost dreamlike.
Yet her gaze remained distant and unfocused, as if her mind had drifted far away from the present moment.
Then—
"Mother! Mother!"
A clear, cute young girl's voice suddenly called out from nearby.
Zi Yuanling's body stiffened slightly.
And in the next instant, the dazed look in her eyes faded.
Clarity returned to her gaze as she slowly turned her head toward the source of the voice.
There...
Standing just a short distance away was a young girl with bright, lively eyes the color of warm crimson.
