The abstinent prince, practicing Buddhism, is seduced by a voluptuous beauty into breaking his vows.

Just as the morning bell rang at Daxiangguo Temple, Su Yaoyao's carriage stopped outside the temple gate.

Chun Tao helped her out of the carriage and couldn't help but take another look at her young mistress's outfit today—a light purple brocade dress with a moon-white gauze overlay, and a matching silk sash tied around her waist, making her waist look incredibly slender.

Her hair was styled simply, adorned only with a jade hairpin and... a hair ornament wrapped with sandalwood prayer beads.

"Miss, isn't your outfit a bit too plain today?"

Chun Tao whispered, "I heard that His Highness the Crown Prince comes to listen to the sutras on the first day of every month, and many young ladies from noble families 'accidentally' run into him, all dressed up like flowers..."

Su Yaoyao chuckled lightly: "What's so interesting about flowers?"

She stepped into the temple, her skirt brushing against the bluestone slabs, each step like a lotus blooming.

"If you're going to be someone, be the one who picks the flower."

Chuntao followed along, seemingly understanding but not quite.

Incense smoke curled in front of the main hall, indicating that there were indeed many people coming to offer incense today.

As soon as Su Yaoyao stepped into the courtyard, she heard a burst of giggles.

Several young women in brocade robes were talking together. The one in the lead, wearing a pale yellow dress, was Li Yan, the daughter of the Minister of Rites who was on good terms with Su Yun'er.

"Oh, isn't this Miss Su from the Yongning Marquis's residence?"

Li Yan, with her sharp eyes, spotted Su Yaoyao immediately. Her tone was mocking. "What, the Second Prince doesn't want you anymore, so you want to climb the social ladder by clinging to the Crown Prince?"

The girls around her covered their mouths and chuckled.

Su Yaoyao didn't stop walking, only glancing at them indifferently: "Miss Li, be careful what you say. This is a pure Buddhist place; do not utter falsehoods."

"I spoke nonsense?" Li Yan stepped forward, blocking her path.

"Su Yaoyao, don't think that your pretentious act in the palace yesterday will wash away your vixen-like nature! Who is His Highness the Crown Prince? Does he think he's someone you can even dream of?"

As she spoke, her gaze fell on the hairpin dangling from Su Yaoyao's hair, a hint of jealousy flashing in her eyes: "These Buddhist beads...where did you get them? You didn't steal them, did you?"

People gradually gathered around to watch the spectacle.

Su Yaoyao looked at her quietly, then suddenly smiled.

That bright and open smile surprised Li Yan.

"Miss Li is too kind." Su Yaoyao raised her hand and gently stroked the Buddhist beads on the hairpin. "These Buddhist beads were a gift from His Highness the Crown Prince himself. How could they have been stolen?"

"Impossible!" Li Yan blurted out, "His Highness the Crown Prince never gets close to women, much less gives them personal items!"

"Really?" Su Yaoyao tilted her head, her eyes completely innocent. "Then perhaps... His Highness feels I have a deep affinity with Buddhism and wants to form a good connection with me?"

As she spoke, her gaze passed over Li Yan and looked behind her.

"Your Highness, don't you agree?"

Li Yan froze, then abruptly turned around—

Under the eaves of the main hall, a figure as cold and aloof as snow stood there, seemingly out of nowhere.

Xiao Chenyuan was dressed in plain white clothes today, his black hair was half tied up, and he was holding a new string of sandalwood prayer beads in his hand.

Sunlight filtered through the branches of the ancient cypress trees, casting dappled shadows at his feet.

He stood there quietly, as if he had become one with this ancient temple.

But those deep, pool-like eyes were looking right this way.

Li Yan's face turned pale instantly, and she hurriedly bowed, "Your Highness..."

Xiao Chenyuan did not look at her.

His gaze fell on Su Yaoyao.

To be precise, it landed on that hairpin.

The sandalwood beads gleamed with a warm luster in the morning light, winding around the jade hairpin, creating a strange harmony.

Just like her—she should have been a dignified and proper legitimate daughter of a marquis's family, but she was born with a pair of captivating eyes and a breathtaking charm.

Contradictory, yet perplexing.

"Miss Su."

Xiao Chenyuan spoke, his voice clear and cold like the clinking of jade stones, "Have you come to offer incense today?"

"Yes and no..." Su Yaoyao stepped forward and curtsied, "Your Highness, I have come to return something."

She took the package from Chuntao's hands and presented it with both hands.

Xiao Chenyuan did not answer: "What is it?"

"Your Highness's outer robe."

Su Yaoyao looked up at him, her eyes clear. "That day in the palace... Your Highness lent me your belongings. I have washed and perfumed myself, and have come to return them."

She spoke frankly, as if she really had only come to return a piece of clothing.

But Xiao Chenyuan understood the hidden meaning in the words.

Washing? Scenting?

A man's outer robe, treated with such meticulous care by her...

He reached out and took it.

The moment my fingertips touched it, a very faint, sweet but not cloying fragrance wafted out.

It was her fragrance...

"Miss Su, you've gone to so much trouble." His tone remained indifferent. "It's just an old garment; it's not worth all this effort."

"What Your Highness calls old clothes is a lifesaver for me."

Su Yaoyao spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear, her eyelashes slightly lowered, "If it weren't for Your Highness that day... I'm afraid..."

His expression was respectful, yet tinged with lingering fear.

But Xiao Chenyuan saw a fleeting glint of cunning in her lowered eyes.

Like a little fox who has successfully plotted.

"That string of Buddhist prayer beads," Xiao Chenyuan suddenly spoke, his gaze falling on her hair, "Miss Su seems to like it very much?"

Su Yaoyao raised her hand and gently stroked the hairpin, smiling gently: "It was bestowed by Your Highness, so of course I like it."

"When did I bestow this upon you?" Xiao Chenyuan raised his eyes, a glint of light flashing in them.

That day, he hurriedly took off his outer robe, and the Buddhist prayer beads slipped out with it.

However... for some reason, he hasn't gone looking for it these past few days...

"But it's tangled in my hair ornament, and I can't untangle it." Su Yaoyao tilted her head, her eyes completely innocent.

"Buddhists often talk about predestined relationships; perhaps this is my destiny with these prayer beads."

The expressions of the girls around them all changed.

Li Yan gritted her teeth in anger—this vile woman! How dare she say such things in front of the Crown Prince!

Xiao Chenyuan looked at her feigned innocence and the corners of his lips curved almost imperceptibly.

"Miss Su, do you know," he said calmly, "that string of Buddhist beads was a gift from my master when I entered the Buddhist order as a child. It has been with me for over ten years."

Su Yaoyao's heart skipped a beat.

More than ten years... Does that mean he has been practicing Buddhism since childhood?

"Well..." she blinked, "it is truly priceless... I should return it to Your Highness..."

As she spoke, she took off her hair ornament and pretended to untangle the two tightly intertwined objects...

"Oh dear, it can't be untied... then... we'll just have to give it all to Your Highness..."

"Thank you for your trouble, Miss Su." He withdrew his hand and held the prayer beads in his palm. Her body heat and a faint, lingering fragrance remained on the prayer beads.

"Your Highness is too kind." Su Yaoyao raised her eyes, her gaze clear. "Returning things to their rightful owner is only right. But..."

She paused, her voice softening, "These prayer beads have been with me for the past few days, and I've felt at peace with them. Now that I'm returning them, I feel a little reluctant."

This statement was said subtly, yet it carried a certain implication.

Xiao Chen's movement of turning the prayer beads paused almost imperceptibly.

He looked at Su Yaoyao, noticing the perfect blend of longing and reluctance in her eyes, and suddenly spoke:

"If you're reluctant to part with it, why return it?"