As the banquet continued to roar with a cacophony of laughter, clinking crystal, and booming music inside the grand palace, Haoran took the chance to silently sneak out from the high tier.
He moved like a ghost passing through a crowd, leaving Huo Yue to deal with the flock of clinging noblewomen surrounding his previous seat—a task she was currently performing with an icy aura and sharp words.
He walked completely outside the palace doors, stepping into the crisp, cool night air of the upper terraces.
The overwhelming scent of alcohol and heavy perfumes was instantly replaced by the gentle fragrance of night-blooming spiritual lotuses.
Haoran strolled down the stone steps, wandering the labyrinthine imperial garden until he arrived at a small, secluded kiosk standing quietly in the middle of a tranquil pond.
He looked up to the night sky, "...you can come out now."
