As the morning bell of the Grand Minister’s Temple tolled, Su Yaoyao’s carriage arrived at the mountain gate.
Chun Tao helped her down, stealing another glance at her mistress’s outfit for the day—a pale purple Yun brocade ruqun, overlaid with moon-white gauze, cinched at the waist with a matching sash that made her slender waist almost unreal.
Her hair was simply styled, adorned only with a jade hairpin… and the hair ornament entwined with rosewood prayer beads.
“Miss, isn’t today’s outfit a bit too plain?” Chun Tao whispered. “I hear the Crown Prince visits here on the first day of each month to listen to sutras. Many young ladies try to ‘coincidentally’ appear—dressed like blooming flowers…”
Su Yaoyao chuckled lightly. “What’s so beautiful about flowers?”
She stepped toward the temple, her hem brushing the stone slabs, each step graceful as if the earth itself bloomed beneath her.
“If I must be present, I’d rather be the one plucking the flowers.”
Chun Tao followed, half-understanding.
In front of the Main Hall, incense smoke swirled, and indeed, many had come to pay respects.
As Su Yaoyao entered the courtyard, a cluster of giggling voices reached her.
A few well-dressed young ladies had gathered, the leader in goose-yellow robes—Li Yan, daughter of the Minister of Rites and a friend of Su Yun’er.
“Well, isn’t this Miss Su from the Yongning House?”
Li Yan’s sharp eyes immediately caught Su Yaoyao, her tone laced with mockery. “What, rejected by the Second Prince, and now you aim to climb the Crown Prince’s ladder?”
The girls around her stifled giggles.
Su Yaoyao’s steps never faltered; she cast them a calm glance.
“Miss Li, be careful with your words. This is a place of Buddha; do not speak recklessly.”
“Reckless?” Li Yan stepped forward to block her path.
“Su Yaoyao, don’t think that your act at the palace yesterday can wash away your fox-like charms! The Crown Prince is not someone you can dream of having!”
Her eyes landed on the hair ornament in Su Yaoyao’s hair, envy flickering.
“That prayer bead… where did you get it? Did you steal it?”
More people gathered, curious to watch.
Su Yaoyao looked at her, then smiled brightly.
The radiance of her smile, open and confident, made Li Yan pause.
“You jest, Miss Li,” Su Yaoyao said, lifting a hand to gently touch the beads. “These beads were personally gifted by the Crown Prince himself. How could they be stolen?”
“Impossible!” Li Yan blurted. “The Crown Prince never approaches women, much less gives them such intimate gifts!”
“Is that so?” Su Yaoyao tilted her head, her eyes wide with innocence. “Perhaps… the Prince saw my deep Buddhist affinity and wished to establish a good connection?”
Her gaze moved past Li Yan to the figure behind her.
“Your Highness, do you agree?”
Li Yan stiffened, spinning around—
There, in the corridor of the Main Hall, stood a figure cold and composed, almost like snow.
Xiao Chenyan wore plain white robes, his black hair half-bound, a new string of rosewood prayer beads twisting around his fingers.
Sunlight filtered through ancient cypress branches, casting mottled shadows at his feet.
He stood silently, as if one with the centuries-old temple.
But those deep, fathomless eyes were fixed on her.
Li Yan’s face drained of color. She hurriedly bowed.
“Y-Your Highness…”
Xiao Chenyan ignored her.
His gaze fell on Su Yaoyao.
More specifically, on the hair ornament she wore.
The rosewood beads glimmered in the morning light, entwined with the jade hairpin, forming a strange harmony.
Just like her—meant to be the proper and reserved daughter of a noble house, yet endowed with eyes that could ensnare hearts and a presence that stole attention.
Conflicting, yet irresistible.
“Miss Su.”
His voice was cold, crystal-clear like striking jade.
“Are you here to offer incense today?”
“Yes… and no.” Su Yaoyao stepped forward a few paces, bending in a formal bow.
“Your Highness, I am here to return something.”
From Chun Tao’s hands, she received a parcel and offered it respectfully.
Xiao Chenyan did not take it immediately.
“What is it?”
“Your outer robe.”
Su Yaoyao looked up at him, her eyes clear.
“The other day at the palace… Your Highness kindly lent it. I have washed it and perfumed it, and now return it.”
She spoke plainly, as if it were merely an item of clothing.
But Xiao Chenyan could hear the unspoken undertones.
Washed? Perfumed?
A man’s outer robe, treated with such care…
He reached out and took it.
The instant his fingers touched it, a faint, sweet yet subtle fragrance wafted out.
Her scent…
“Miss Su, you’ve troubled yourself,” he said evenly. “It is but an old robe, not worth such care.”
“To Your Highness it may be old, but to me, it was a gift in need,” she said in a voice only they could hear, lowering her lashes. “If not for Your Highness that day… I might have…”
Her posture was respectful, tinged with a trace of fear.
Yet Xiao Chenyan saw the clever glint in her lowered eyes.
Like a little fox who had succeeded in her schemes.
“That string of beads,” he suddenly said, eyes on her hair. “Miss Su seems fond of them?”
She raised a hand to the ornament, smiling faintly.
“Gifted by Your Highness, how could I not cherish it?”
“When did I gift them to you?” Xiao Chenyan’s gaze flickered, a faint glimmer in his eyes.
That day, he had hurriedly removed his robe, and the beads had come along…
Yet… for some reason, he had not sought them out in the following days.
“But they’re entwined in my hair ornament, and I can’t separate them,” she said, tilting her head, eyes wide with innocence.
“Buddhists speak of fate—perhaps this is my fate with these beads.”
The surrounding girls paled.
Li Yan ground her teeth in fury—this shameless woman! How dare she speak this way before the Crown Prince!
Xiao Chenyan observed her feigned innocence, a nearly imperceptible curve tugging at his lips.
“Miss Su,” he said softly, “do you know that these beads were given to me by my master when I entered the monastery as a child? They have accompanied me… for over ten years.”
Su Yaoyao’s heart skipped a beat.
Over ten years… so he had been practicing Buddhism since childhood.
“Then…” she blinked. “Truly precious… Perhaps I should return them to Your Highness…”
She carefully removed the hair ornament, pretending to disentangle the beads from the pin…
“Oh dear, can’t untangle them… then I suppose… I must return them together…”
“Thank you, Miss Su.” He took them into his palm. The beads still carried her warmth, and a faint trace of her feminine scent.
“You are welcome, Your Highness,” she said, lifting her eyes, clear and bright.
“Returning what belongs to its owner is only proper. Yet…”
She paused, voice softening.
“These days, holding these beads gave me comfort. Now that I return them… I feel a little reluctant.”
Her words, subtle as they were, carried a hint of suggestion.
Xiao Chenyan paused almost imperceptibly, twisting the beads in his hand.
He looked at Su Yaoyao, noting the perfect mix of affection and reluctance in her eyes, then spoke:
“If you are reluctant, why return them?”