Hope (Part 1)

On January 5, the blizzard that had raged all day finally stopped, and the skies cleared. The servants had all gone to sleep.

The banquet hall had long since been cleaned up. Three consecutive days of wild celebration had left everyone in Viscount Teta Xiao's residence exhausted. Once the hall had been put in order, everyone went to rest. No one knew that the viscount, who should have been asleep long ago, had put on some clothes and stepped out of his room.

Unable to sleep, he simply threw on some clothes and came outside to catch the breeze.

His wife Eileen was already sound asleep. Ever since becoming pregnant, the amount of time she slept each day had noticeably increased. He had heard that this was a normal reaction for pregnant women, which put Romon somewhat at ease. At that moment, Eileen lay peacefully upon the soft bed, moonlight streaming in through the nearby window and falling across her beautiful face. She looked very serene.

Romon had intended to leave, but the sight before him held him fast. He bent down and gently kissed his wife on the forehead, then quietly rose and slipped out of the room on light feet.

The moon had long since climbed high into the night sky. In the vast, curtain-like expanse overhead, the stars blinked their eyes, looking mischievous and adorable.

A cool breeze swept past, clearing Romon's slightly muddled head. He looked up at the sky, wanting to find somewhere quiet to sit alone for a while.

Behind the villa was a place of leisure Romon had built for his wife. With the night so still and deep, he considered for a moment before heading that way.

Gentle breezes drifted in waves, and his mind gradually cleared. The fumes of the day's