Winter had finally arrived, bringing a cold, snowy day that left people shivering.

Stepmother and her daughters were heading out when a little match girl ran up to them, asking if they wanted to buy matches.

The stepmother rudely shoved her aside, almost causing the frail girl to fall.

Cinderella was shocked to see the girl dressed so thinly and barefoot in such cold, snowy weather—it must be freezing!

She was about to ask more, but the stepmother angrily drove the girl away.

The image of the little match girl lingered in Cinderella’s mind all day. That night, after finishing her chores, she couldn’t resist going out to look for her.

To her surprise, she found the girl sitting between the wall of her house and the neighbor’s.

The girl struck a match, held her small hands above it, and said, “What a warm fireplace!”

Cinderella rushed over and held the girl’s icy hands, realizing they were as cold as ice—no wonder she was hallucinating.

She embraced the girl tightly; her tiny body was freezing cold, like an ice block.

The girl tilted her head to look at Cinderella and weakly said, “Oh, Grandma, only you truly love me. How did you become so young? It must be because you’ve gone to heaven. Grandma, take me with you! I couldn’t sell a single match today. If I go home, Father will beat me.”

Tears rolled down Cinderella’s cheeks as she cried out, “I’m not your grandma! Please wake up!”

No matter how hard Cinderella hugged her, the girl’s body kept growing colder.

To keep her warm, Cinderella waved her magic wand, and a fireplace appeared in front of them.

The girl stared at the fire, murmuring, “What a fragrant roast duck! I haven’t eaten in two days. I hope the roast duck won’t disappear.”

“It won’t disappear.”

With another wave of her magic wand, Cinderella conjured up a table full of delicious food, including roast duck.

She picked up a piece of roast duck and gave it to the girl, who ate it quickly, bite after bite.

“Slow down, slow down…” Cinderella gently reminded her.

But suddenly, the little girl’s head drooped, and she collapsed motionless in Cinderella’s arms.

Cinderella, terrified, desperately called for her to wake up.

At that moment, someone suddenly approached.

Cinderella looked up and saw it was the Prince.

It turned out that he had been passing by in a carriage when he heard the cry and rushed over.

The Prince looked at the little girl and said, “Don’t worry, she’s just asleep.”

Cinderella sighed in relief.

The Prince, amazed, noticed that Cinderella resembled the one who had saved him twice before.

He asked what had happened, and Cinderella told him the story.

The Prince said, “I have an idea…”

Cinderella also said, “I have an idea…”

“Send her to the Cedric Orphanage!”

They both spoke almost in unison.

The Prince smiled. “Looks like we’re really in sync,” but then he was surprised. “But the Cedric Orphanage hasn’t opened yet. How did you know about it?”

Cedric was the name Cinderella had used when disguised as a man, and the orphanage was named after him by the King. How could she not know? But she couldn’t tell the Prince she was Cedric.

Cinderella quickly responded, “Cedric saved the Prince and the kingdom, but he asked for no reward, only the orphanage. That’s been all over the country; everyone knows about it.”

The Prince was half convinced but replied, “It’s late now. I’ll take her back first and have a doctor check her tomorrow. Then I can take her to the orphanage. Tomorrow happens to be the first day it’s open.”

Cinderella, relieved, said, “That would be great, Your Highness. I’m really worried about her being so frail. A doctor’s checkup would be a good idea.”

But the Prince was even more surprised. “How did you know I’m the Prince?”

He was dressed as a commoner today.

“Well…”

As the Prince lifted the little girl into the carriage, he said, “Miss, you look very much like a young lady I know……”

The prince lifted the little girl onto the carriage, and when he turned around, Cinderella was gone.

It turned out that when Cinderella heard the Prince’s words, she realized he might have recognized her, so as soon as he turned around, she hurriedly left.