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

The bed was not wide, and the two were very close, so close that she could smell the cool sandalwood scent on him, which mingled with the warm scent of the red gauze that lingered on her own body.

He had his back to her, and his voice was muffled:

"Go to sleep."

Su Yaoyao looked at his stiff back and suddenly smiled.

She turned over to face him, gently wrapped her arms around his waist, and pressed her face against his broad back.

Xiao Chenyuan's body visibly stiffened.

"Your Highness," she whispered behind him, her breath brushing against his skin through his thin undergarment, "Your Highness is nervous?"

"...No." Xiao Chenyuan said calmly, his eyes closed.

"Then why isn't Your Highness looking at me?"

"...Don't speak."

"oh."

There was a moment of silence.

Su Yaoyao's fingers began to wander, slowly tracing upwards along the firm muscle lines of his waist.

Xiao Chenyuan turned around abruptly, grabbed her hand, and said in a hoarse voice, "Su Yaoyao, you said you wouldn't do anything."

"I'm taking measurements," Su Yaoyao said matter-of-factly, "to see Your Highness's waist size so I can make clothes for you later."

Xiao Chenyuan: "..."

Moonlight streamed through the window curtains, softly illuminating her face. Her long hair lay loose on the pillow, her eyes reflecting the dappled light as she looked at him with a smile.

Clean, soft, and... incredibly alluring.

Xiao Chenyuan's Adam's apple bobbed, and he suddenly reached out and pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly.

"Go to sleep." He rested his chin on the top of her head, his voice carrying a warning, "If you move again, I really won't be able to hold back."

Su Yaoyao stayed quiet in his arms for a while, then suddenly asked softly:

"Your Highness..."

"Um?"

"Is Your Highness still feeling unwell?"

Xiao Chenyuan chuckled softly, a laugh tinged with helplessness and indulgence:

"It hurts."

He gripped her hand tightly, pressing her palm against his burning chest:

"It hurts here."

Going down again,

"It hurts here too."

Su Yaoyao's fingertips trembled.

He released her hand, lay back down, closed his eyes, and spoke in a muffled voice:

"But I am willing."

Su Yaoyao smiled silently.

She reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist, buried her face in his chest, listened to his gradually steady heartbeat, and whispered:

"Then Your Highness, please marry me quickly."

Xiao Chenyuan looked down at her, but she had already closed her eyes. Her eyelashes cast two faint shadows in the moonlight, and a smile lingered on her lips.

"Okay," he replied in a hoarse voice, lowering his head to place a very light kiss on her hair.

"soon."

The night is deep.

Su Yaoyao gradually fell asleep in his arms, her breathing even and long.

Xiao Chenyuan stared at her with his eyes open for a long time.

Under the moonlight, her sleeping face was serene, a stark contrast to the bewitching figure she had been in the Buddhist hall. But he knew that no matter which side he saw, he couldn't escape her.

He gently tightened his arms, holding her even closer in his embrace, as if he were holding a lost treasure that had been found again.

Outside the window, bamboo shadows sway.

On the top of the highest pavilion in the East Palace, a dark figure stood silently, gazing into the direction of Jingyu Pavilion.

The night wind ruffled the hem of his black robe, and a complex emotion flashed in his peach blossom eyes beneath the mask.

There was interest, amusement, and a hint of... jealousy that even he himself didn't realize.

"Master..." he murmured to himself, his voice carried away by the wind.

"You really went all out this time."

but……

A smile played on his lips as he turned and disappeared silently into the night.

The game has only just begun.

The next morning, when Su Yaoyao woke up, there was no one beside her.

The quilt still carried the faint scent of sandalwood, and there were shallow marks on the pillow—proof that last night was not a dream, and that person had indeed slept here all night.

She sat up, clutching the blanket, her long hair cascading over her shoulder, remembering how tense and careful he had been when he held her as she fell asleep last night.

The corners of his lips unconsciously turned up.

So cute.

They desperately want it, but they insist on pretending otherwise.

When Chun Tao brought in the warm water, this was the scene that greeted her young mistress – sitting in the morning light, wrapped in a blanket, with a lazy and contented smile on her face, like a cat that had been carefully fed.

"Miss is awake?" Chun Tao put down the copper basin, her eyes lighting up instantly, her gaze filled with adoration that seemed to sparkle with stars.

"His Highness went to court before dawn. Before leaving, he specifically told us not to disturb him, saying that he was tired last night... cough."

Su Yaoyao sat up and rubbed her slightly sore waist—she hadn't actually done anything, but someone was holding her so tightly that she couldn't even turn over in the middle of the night.

Su Yaoyao raised an eyebrow: "What were his exact words?"

Chun Tao blushed and stammered, "His Highness said... 'Let her sleep a little longer, she was up late last night.'"

Su Yaoyao burst out laughing.

This person didn't do anything, but their words were quite ambiguous.

"Anything else?" She threw back the covers and got out of bed.

"Before His Highness left, he went to the small kitchen and specifically instructed the cook to make your favorite almond milk, with less sugar and more milk. He also mentioned that you don't like greasy food in the morning, so he asked that some light side dishes be prepared..."

As Chun Tao spoke, a dreamy expression appeared on her face: "His Highness really cares about you, even remembering such small things."

Su Yaoyao combed her hair in front of the bronze mirror, the corners of her lips unconsciously curving upwards.

The woman in the mirror had a spring-like look in her eyes, and the red marks from last night were still visible on her neck and collarbone in the morning light.

She reached out and touched it; her fingertips were slightly hot.

Indeed... they really put their heart into it.

While combing her hair, Chun Tao chattered on and on: "Miss, you don't know, when Uncle Fu came to deliver the clothes this morning, he was smiling so much his eyes couldn't see. He said that this is the first time in all these years that His Highness has been so considerate..."

He mimicked the old steward's relieved tone, saying, "Your Highness has finally come to your senses. This old servant would be content to close my eyes now..."

Su Yaoyao burst out laughing.

As the master and servant were talking, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside.

"Miss! Miss!"

Jingzhe practically rushed in, forgetting all formalities, her voice trembling with excitement:

"Young Master...Young Master is awake!"

Su Yaoyao suddenly stood up, ignoring the pain of her knee hitting the corner of the table: "What did you say?!"

"He's awake! The young master is awake!" Jingzhe nodded vigorously, her eyes red-rimmed. "Uncle Fu came to report personally just now, saying that the young master woke up half an hour ago. The imperial physician has already examined him and said his pulse is stable, but his body is still weak and he needs to rest slowly. As soon as the young master woke up, he asked... where was the young lady..."

Su Yaoyao could no longer hear what was said after that.

Woke up?

Brother... is awake!

Su Yaoyao turned around and ran outside.

"Miss! Shoes! Put on your shoes!" Chun Tao called out anxiously from behind.

Su Yaoyao couldn't hear anything anymore.

She ran through the corridor and across the courtyard, the morning breeze lifting her long hair and the hem of her clothes.

Barefoot on the cold flagstones, she felt no cold, only that her heart was about to jump out of her throat.