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

Su Yaoyao stroked the warm, smooth sandalwood beads, her smile not yet fully blooming, when a series of hurried and chaotic footsteps came from outside the Sutra Repository.

"Yaoyao! Su Yaoyao!"

That sound...

Su Yaoyao frowned slightly and turned to look at the door.

Xiao Qiming practically crashed in, his jade crown askew, his eyes red-rimmed, clearly showing he was still hungover.

Two flustered guards followed behind him, wanting to stop him but not daring to.

"Your Highness, this is a sacred Buddhist site..." the guard whispered, trying to dissuade him.

"Get out of my way!" Xiao Qiming shoved the guards aside and saw Su Yaoyao.

His eyes lit up, and he staggered over.

"Yaoyao! I went to the Marquis's residence to look for you, and they said you were here! I rushed over! Did you come to pray for me? Yaoyao... you still have feelings for me, don't you?"

Su Yaoyao took a step back, avoiding his outstretched hand, and said calmly, "Your Highness, please have some self-respect."

"Self-respect?" Xiao Qiming asked as if he had heard a joke.

"Su Yaoyao, we're engaged! You're my future wife, what's wrong with me touching you?"

"A marriage contract?" Su Yaoyao looked up at him, her eyes cold. "Has Your Highness forgotten that the marriage contract was nullified three days ago in the palace?"

"That was just something you said in anger!"

Xiao Qiming said urgently, "I know you're angry because of Su Yun'er, but that was an accident! I... I was drugged and didn't understand what was happening..."

He reached out to grab Su Yaoyao's wrist, but she avoided him again.

"Your Highness, there's no need to explain," Su Yaoyao said coldly.

"I have already made myself clear, and I will grant Your Highness's wish to marry my sister. From now on, we will be separate individuals."

"I don't believe it!"

Xiao Qiming's voice suddenly rose, "Yaoyao, you used to like me so much, always following me around, how could you change so easily? Your annulment of the engagement must be a lie, you're just testing me, aren't you?"

He stared at Su Yaoyao, his eyes burning with a morbid obsession:

"Don't worry, even if Yun'er enters the household, she'll only be a concubine. No one can shake your position..."

He stepped forward, his breathing heavy: "You are still my principal wife. Yaoyao, once I marry you, I will treat you well, I swear!"

Looking at his appearance, Su Yaoyao suddenly found it laughable.

In both her past and present lives, she had seen far too many men like this—disdainful when they had something, only to regret it deeply when they lost it. But how much of their regret was genuine, and how much was merely a result of resentment and possessiveness?

"Your Highness."

She spoke slowly, her voice exceptionally clear in the empty pavilion, "You said I used to like you, do you remember when was the last time I brought you some snacks?"

Xiao Qiming was taken aback.

"It was the seventh day of the twelfth lunar month last year," Su Yaoyao answered for him. "It snowed heavily that day. I waited outside your study for two hours, and my hands were frozen. When you came out, you didn't even glance at me. You just said, 'How dare you bring such shoddy pastries? It's an embarrassment.'"

She paused, then continued:

"You say that I follow you around every day, but do you remember what you said when I wanted to watch the lanterns with you at the Lantern Festival this year? You said, 'Don't follow me, it's embarrassing.'"

"And then there was that spring hunt, when I fell off my horse, and you walked right by without even stopping your horse."

With each sentence he spoke, Xiao Qiming's face paled a little more.

"Your Highness, I did indeed once have feelings for you." Su Yaoyao looked at him, her eyes calm and unwavering. "But those feelings have long been worn away by you, little by little."

"No... I... I was wrong! I was young and ignorant back then..." Xiao Qiming explained in a panic, "Yes! It was Su Yun'er, she always spoke ill of you in front of me..."

"So?" Su Yaoyao laughed, a laugh full of sarcasm. "How old is Your Highness this year? Twenty, right? A twenty-year-old prince, and he has to let a woman dictate right and wrong?"

She shook her head, her eyes filled with pity:

"You say you're wrong. But your mistake isn't in believing anyone else, but in never truly respecting me as a person."

"What you like is the Su Yaoyao of yesteryear, who was completely obedient to you, summoned at your beck and call. And now, it's me—the one who rebels, who says no, who turns and walks away..."

She paused, her voice as soft as a sigh:

"You don't like it, and you're not good enough for it."

She raised her wrist, revealing the string of sandalwood prayer beads.

"This humble woman has a new idea."

She gently stroked the prayer beads, a smile playing on her lips. "These beads were a gift from His Highness the Crown Prince to me."

Xiao Qiming's gaze was fixed on the string of Buddhist beads.

The prince's prayer beads...

He recognized him. Everyone in the capital knew about Xiao Chenyuan's sandalwood prayer beads, which he never parted with.

Now, it's actually on Su Yaoyao's hand?!

"impossible……"

Xiao Qiming murmured, then, as if provoked, he suddenly looked up.

"Su Yaoyao! Are you getting revenge on me? Because of what happened between me and Su Yun'er, you deliberately got close to my brother to spite me!"

He became increasingly agitated as he spoke: "Who is my imperial brother? He has been a Buddhist for many years and has never been close to women. How could he possibly be interested in you? Don't dream! He's just taking pity on you, or... or the Empress forced him!"

Su Yaoyao listened quietly, and only after he had finished venting did she ask softly:

"Are you done talking?"

Xiao Qiming was speechless at her calm attitude.

"Having said all, Your Highness may now leave."

Su Yaoyao turned around and walked deeper into the scripture pavilion. "The Buddhist temple is a pure place and should not be disturbed by these worldly affairs."

"Su Yaoyao!"

Xiao Qiming roared behind her, "You'll regret this! Your brother will never marry you! He'll never fall for a woman! Just you wait, don't come crying back to me begging for your life when he abandons you!"

Su Yaoyao did not stop walking.

She only stopped when she reached a row of bookshelves and was sure Xiao Qiming was out of sight.

Leaning against the cool bookshelf, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

It would be a lie to say I'm not upset.

The lingering emotions of the original owner would still cause a subtle pang of pain when Xiao Qiming mentioned those past events.

That silly girl once truly loved this person.

But her sincerity was trampled into nothingness.

"Now you know what sadness is?"

A clear, cool voice suddenly rang out beside me.

Su Yaoyao suddenly opened her eyes and turned her head to look—

Xiao Chenyuan was standing on the other side of the bookshelf at some point.

He held a scroll of scripture in his hand and was quietly watching her.