Blood splattered into his eyes, a glittering red. Xia Jingshi’s vision was instantly clouded with a layer of crimson. He couldn’t help but raise his hand to rub his eyes, but the more he rubbed, the blurrier his vision became. The red liquid trickled down his cheeks, lingering briefly along his jawline before dripping onto his snow-white brocade robe. Like red plum blossoms in snow, they bloomed one by one, hauntingly beautiful and desolate.

The Emperor and Empress had left at some point. Xia Jingshi tossed away the dagger and calmly walked out. A gentle breeze brushed his clothes, scattering bright red petals. One by one, they floated – the shattered souls of fallen blossoms. What kind of lives had they lived? What kind of people had they seen? Why were they in such a hurry to die?

Sunlight burst from behind thick clouds, transforming into that blood-stained dagger, its sharp edge plunging straight toward him. His heart already bore the sting of poison. With this dagger added, would it be enough to bury everything at once?

He closed his eyes.

In less than a month, everyone in the imperial capital and even across the world knew that Prince Xia Jingshi of Jinxiu had announced his withdrawal from the succession struggle. They all felt that something had happened to him, changing him somehow. It was like a strand of deep blue thread woven into black fabric – not obvious, but undeniably present.

The pain of Rao Ran’s betrayal and deception was so real, so bone-deep. That feeling of sorrow was so vivid. From that moment on, he had hidden his heart away, using thick indifference as a disguise. He thought that if he didn’t allow his heart to be moved, he would never feel such pain again. He even believed he had become as his name suggested – still a rock. Yet, unknowingly, a hammer called Fu Yixiao had cracked open a fissure, nearly exposing the long-rotted corpse inside.

At the same time, the venomous fangs deeply embedded in his heart began to stir restlessly, coursing through his blood.

“The most enduring emotion in this world is the absence of emotion.”

“Love is a fetter, and also a shackle.”

“In one’s life, as long as you’ve felt emotion or harbored intentions, you already have a weakness. So, you are no longer perfect.”

Xia Jingshi smiled bitterly. Not only did he have weaknesses, he was far from perfect. Heaven had left no room for his happiness – he was no longer happy, so how could he bring happiness to others?

Although his love for Yixiao had never diminished for a single day.

As long as it wasn’t her, it didn’t matter who became the princess consort.

The sky was still dark when Fu Yixiao was awakened by maids to dress and groom herself. She closed her eyes slightly, allowing them to do as they pleased. In her half-asleep state, she sensed two different gazes upon her. She suddenly opened her eyes to find Feng Suige, full of spirit, crouching inelegantly nearby, staring at her intently. Seeing her sudden awakening, he was startled in return. “What are you doing?”

“What are you doing?” Yixiao mumbled in response, closing her eyes again. Yet she accurately swatted away the hand of a maid about to apply makeup to her face. Feng Suige couldn’t help but laugh, “That’s enough, you can all go out.”

Yixiao murmured an acknowledgment along with the maids, still groggy. After sitting for a moment longer, she suddenly jumped up. “That’s enough?” Feng Suige nodded with a smile. Yixiao’s drowsiness instantly vanished, and she gritted her teeth, “Why did you have people wake me up so early then?” “Come, I’ll take you to the morning market,” Feng Suige offered his hand to her.

The morning air carried a sweet scent. Due to the recent rain, the breeze was moist and cool. Feng Suige held her hand as they walked on the still-muddy streets. The entire city was still asleep, peaceful and serene.

“It’s been so long since I’ve felt this comfortable,” Yixiao was already beaming with joy.

Feng Suige led her down a winding street, and they quickly arrived at the morning market set up at the north gate. By the light spilling from nearby shops, some small vendors were busily setting up their stalls. As Yixiao walked, she looked around in all directions, finally unable to resist asking, “Are we going to eat something?” Feng Suige raised an eyebrow, “Of course, unless you’d prefer to sneak food from the kitchen?”

Before he finished speaking, Yixiao had already slipped her hand free and dashed towards a roadside vendor. Feng Suige stood frozen with his mouth half-open for a moment before resentfully following.

In Feng Suige’s view, the tea eggs, cooked for too short a time, were bland and tasteless like boiled water. The small fish, fried crisp, only smelled fragrant but tasted mediocre. However, Yixiao finished the tea eggs and held skewers of small fish in her hand, her eyes still darting toward the pot of simmering corn. He chuckled and pulled her away, “Don’t fill up at one stall. There are other things ahead.”

By the time the sun had fully risen, Feng Suige’s face had turned slightly pale. He had never known Yixiao could eat so much – she hadn’t stopped eating from start to finish, trying almost everything from every stall, while he could only follow behind and pay the bills.

When Fu Yixiao rushed towards yet another stall, Feng Suige’s last shred of patience finally wore out. He frowned, ready to forcibly drag her away.

Pushing through the slightly crowded throng, Feng Suige walked up behind Fu Yixiao but was surprised to find her looking at a simple jade ornament stall.

It was a white jade magnolia flower pendant – Yixiao’s fingers gently caressed the cold, smooth white petals.

The same as the one that had shattered…

The stall owner was an old woman. She smiled slightly and said, “Magnolias represent wealth and good fortune. The young lady has a good eye.” Yixiao paused for a moment, then suddenly looked up at Feng Suige.

Feng Suige’s heart trembled. The Fu Yixiao he knew had never shown such an expression – slightly pleading, full of hope, and even a bit timid. He heard her ask very softly, “Can I have this? If it’s not too expensive.”

As if punched in the chest, Feng Suige felt a pain in his heart that choked his throat. Perhaps his reaction was a bit strange; the light in Yixiao’s eyes began to dim. She pursed her lips and turned to smile at the old woman, “I was just looking…”

“No,” Feng Suige struggled to find his voice, somewhat flustered as he pulled out all the silver money from his pocket and placed it in the old woman’s hand. “Is this enough?”

Both Yixiao and the old woman stared at him blankly. Feng Suige’s face flushed red. He felt around his clothes again, seemingly finding nothing. Lowering his head, he suddenly yanked off the jade button inlaid on his belt, holding it up to the old woman’s eyes, and asked urgently, “Can we exchange it for this?”

Seeing the old woman’s expression grow even more confused, beads of sweat appeared on Feng Suige’s forehead. As he was about to speak again, Yixiao gently tugged at his sleeve. “It’s too much,” sunlight fell on her from the side, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth, though her eyes glistened with moisture. “Far too much.”

But Feng Suige’s gaze remained fixed on her face. He clumsily used his sleeve to wipe away the tears that had spilled over, stammering an explanation, “Don’t cry. I was just stunned for a moment earlier. It’s not that I’m unwilling to give it to you…”

Nearby came the sound of onlookers’ snickers and discussions. Yixiao suddenly came to her senses and stepped back half a pace. Feng Suige also awkwardly withdrew his hand. The old woman, smiling, cupped the pile of silver money and handed it to Feng Suige along with the pendant. “Take this pendant as a gift. Quickly put it on your wife to make her happy.” Someone else called out, “Remember to always cherish your wife like this!” The surrounding crowd immediately erupted in good-natured laughter.

Yixiao’s face also reddened, and she was at a loss for what to do. Feng Suige took the jade pendant from the old woman’s hand but pushed the silver money back, smiling as he said, “Madam, your kindness is truly appreciated, but today is my wife’s birthday, and the pendant is meant to be her gift. So please, accept this money.”

After a few rounds of polite refusals, the old woman finally accepted the silver equivalent of the pendant’s value and returned the rest to Feng Suige. The crowd of onlookers gradually dispersed. Feng Suige haphazardly stuffed the silver money and jade button into his pocket, holding up the pendant with a smile. “Come, let your husband put it on for you…”

Yixiao’s smiling face suddenly froze. A moment later, Feng Suige’s expression became even more distressed than hers.

And so, the entire marketplace heard Feng Suige’s roar, “How can you wear this pendant if your ears aren’t pierced?!”