The door was pushed open. A round-faced maid walked in holding an invitation card. When she saw Su Yaoyao sitting up, her face lit up with joy.
“Miss, you’re awake! That’s wonderful—”
But her gaze quickly fell on Su Yaoyao.
Her young lady was simply draped in an outer robe as she sat before the dressing table. Her figure’s curves were breathtaking—her waist unbelievably slender.
And the fullness that had been bound for so many years now stood proudly, white and dazzling, making Spring Peach’s eyes almost unable to stay open…
“M-Miss!” The invitation nearly slipped from Chun Tao’s hands. Her face flushed bright red. “H-how did you… remove the chest bindings…?”
“They were squeezing the breath out of me. Should I let them strangle me to death?” Su Yaoyao lazily lifted the thick bundle of cloth with obvious disdain.
Chun Tao stomped anxiously. “If Madam finds out, she’ll scold you again… say you have no sense of propriety…”
“No sense of propriety?” Su Yaoyao smiled gently at her.
The smile stunned Chun Tao.
Her young lady’s face was the same, but her eyes… were different.
In the past, Miss always avoided people’s gazes, afraid she might say the wrong thing.
But now those almond-shaped eyes were shining—bright and lively, even carrying a kind of charm Chun Tao couldn’t quite describe.
“Chun Tao,”
Su Yaoyao suddenly called, her voice softening slightly.
“You were left behind by my mother, right?”
Chun Tao’s eyes immediately reddened. “Yes… this servant was brought from Madam’s natal family. Before Madam passed away, she told me to take good care of Miss…”
“Then listen carefully.”
Su Yaoyao looked at her seriously.
“From today onward, I’m not binding my chest anymore. I won’t skip meals either. My figure is none of anyone else’s business.”
“But Miss… the Second Prince… he doesn’t like this…”
“The Second Prince?” Su Yaoyao stood up, her expression carrying an indescribable blend of charm and mockery.
“What does he count for?”
Chun Tao was completely stunned. In the past, wasn’t Miss the one who cared most about the Second Prince’s opinion?
But then she recalled the way the Second Prince and Su Yuner had behaved after Miss fainted yesterday, and thought of all the grievances Miss had endured over the years.
A surge of anger rose in her chest. Chun Tao nodded firmly.
“This servant will listen to Miss!”
“Good girl.” Su Yaoyao smiled, the brightness of that smile making Chun Tao freeze again.
“You said just now that a message came from the palace?”
Su Yaoyao picked up a comb and slowly began combing her somewhat dry hair.
“Ah… yes!” Chun Tao snapped out of her daze and handed over the invitation.
“It says that three days from now, the Empress will host a banquet in the palace to welcome the Crown Prince back. All the young ladies of suitable age from the various households… must attend.”
She hesitated before quietly adding,
“In previous years, Madam always declined on the excuse that you were unwell. But this time the Empress personally named you…”
Su Yaoyao took the invitation. Her fingertips brushed across the words “Crown Prince Xiao Chenyuan.”
Memories belonging to the original owner surfaced in her mind.
There was very little information about that Crown Prince. She only knew that he was the legitimate son of the late Empress. After her death, he was raised by the current Empress—who also happened to be Su Yaoyao’s aunt.
He was devoted to Buddhism and spent most of his time cultivating outside the palace. His temperament was cold and aloof, and he avoided women. Even though he was already over twenty, he still hadn’t taken a Crown Princess.
It seemed her Empress aunt was getting anxious and intended to use this welcome banquet as a disguised bride selection.
“Prepare a bath for me,” Su Yaoyao said as she set down the invitation and walked toward the wardrobe.
Chun Tao hurried to respond but hesitated.
“Miss… you really plan to go? Your health hasn’t fully recovered yet, and…”
She looked at Su Yaoyao’s alluring figure that couldn’t be hidden even under the robe. Her face flushed again.
“And if you go like this… wouldn’t it be…”
“Wouldn’t it be too eye-catching?” Su Yaoyao finished for her and pulled open the wardrobe.
Then she fell silent.
Inside, everything was dull gray.
The fabric quality was decent, but the styles… were unbearably old-fashioned.
“These were all chosen by Madam…” Chun Tao explained quietly. “She said with your figure… wearing these would make you look dignified and not attract attention…”
“Dignified?” Su Yaoyao picked up a ruqun dress and sneered. “She really knows how to choose.”
That concubine had mastered the art of hiding needles in cotton—using the ugliest clothes to ruin a naturally beautiful girl.
“Throw all of these away. Not a single one stays.”
“Th-throw them away?” Chun Tao’s eyes widened.
Su Yaoyao turned around and sat before the dressing table, examining her slightly yellow complexion in the bronze mirror.
“Chun Tao, tell me honestly—did you think I was beautiful before?”
Chun Tao opened her mouth, and suddenly her eyes turned red.
She dropped to her knees with a thud.
“Miss… you were never meant to live like that! Madam was the number one beauty in the capital back then. When you were little, you were like a jade doll—everyone praised you. But after Madam passed away and Madam took charge of the household, she kept saying there was something wrong with you…”
“Get up.” Su Yaoyao helped her to her feet.
“Since you know it shouldn’t have been that way, then from now on, listen to me.”
“Yes!” Chun Tao wiped her tears. “But Miss, you still have to attend the palace banquet. Without clothes, how will that work…?”
“Then we’ll make them now.”
Su Yaoyao sat at the desk and picked up a brush and paper.
She quickly sketched a dress design.
The lines were simple and clean with no unnecessary decoration, yet the design at the chest and waist was subtly adjusted—perfect for outlining curves without appearing vulgar.
“Take this to the best tailor.”
Chun Tao stared at the drawing with wide eyes. “Th-this style… I’ve never seen anything like it…”
“Just follow the design.”
Of course, Su Yaoyao wasn’t about to explain that in her previous life she had learned clothing design just to flirt with a famous fashion designer.
She pulled out another sheet of paper and began writing a list.
“Also prepare these things.”
Chun Tao leaned over to look.
On the paper were written:
Rose water, milk, pearl powder, honey…
More than a dozen items in total.
“Miss, what are these for…?”
“For facial masks.” Su Yaoyao touched her still slightly sallow cheek.
This body had an excellent foundation, but long-term malnutrition had made her skin dull and dry, and her hair brittle.
But that didn’t matter.
She had spent years surviving in the entertainment industry. What beauty treatments hadn’t she tried? In three days she could restore this body to glowing health.
As for her figure…
Su Yaoyao lowered her gaze to the full curves at her chest and smiled slightly.
The original owner had truly been foolish.
A body like this was born to shine. Why should it be hidden?
“Oh, right.” She finished writing and looked up.
“Where is the list of the dowry my mother left me?”
Chun Tao’s face changed. “It’s… with Madam. Why are you asking?”
“I’ve already come of age. It’s time to take it back.”
Chun Tao’s palms grew sweaty. “But Madam… probably won’t…”
“That’s not up to her.” Su Yaoyao’s eyes flashed. “Has there been any news from my grandfather’s family—the Grand Tutor’s residence?”
Chun Tao paused. “They sent someone two days ago with supplements, but Madam stopped them…”
“Heh.” Su Yaoyao sneered.
“Next time someone from the Grand Tutor’s residence comes, bring them directly to me,” she said calmly.
“And I’ll write a letter to my grandfather later.”
The original owner had actually cut off contact with the Grand Tutor’s powerful family for years just because that concubine told her to?
She wasn’t that soft and easily manipulated girl. When you had such a towering tree backing you, of course you held onto it tightly.
After a pause, she added,
“Oh, and go ask around about where the Crown Prince usually goes after returning to the palace.”
Chun Tao blinked. “The Crown Prince? Why do you want to know that?”
Su Yaoyao tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she gazed into the bronze mirror. Her eyes shimmered with seductive charm.
“Obviously… to run into him by chance.”
“But Miss… you still have a marriage agreement with the Second Prince…”
“A marriage agreement?” Su Yaoyao snorted.
“It won’t exist for much longer.”
Chun Tao stared at her young lady’s back and suddenly felt that Miss seemed to be glowing.
It was a kind of vibrant, fearless radiance she had never seen on any noble lady in the capital.
“Why are you still standing there?” Su Yaoyao turned back to look at her. “Go.”
“Yes—yes!”
Chun Tao rushed out carrying the list, her mind still in shock.
The room fell quiet.
Su Yaoyao’s fingers brushed over the words “Eastern Palace” on the invitation.
Crown Prince Xiao Chenyuan…
“A cold and abstinent Buddha’s disciple…”
She curled her lips, her fingertip slowly tracing the characters.
“My favorite.”
Looking at the voluptuous figure reflected in the mirror, she smiled faintly.
The more abstinent a man seemed…
…the more indulgent he could become.
Just as she was thinking this, footsteps suddenly sounded outside the door.
Then a sweet, delicate voice rang out:
“Sister, are you awake? I specially brewed ginseng soup to visit you—”