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

Chapter 98 You look good wearing it.

The next day, Su Yaoyao took Chuntao to the Treasure Pavilion.

With her wedding just around the corner, although someone was helping to arrange her dowry, she still wanted to choose some jewelry that she wore close to her body herself.

Zhenbaoge is the largest jewelry shop in the capital, adorned with dazzling jewels.

As soon as I stepped into the pavilion, I heard a clear, crisp voice:

"Miss Su."

Su Yaoyao turned around and saw Chu Qingzi coming in through the door.

Today she wore a moon-white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with only a white jade hairpin in her hair. Her whole look was cool and simple, which made her temperament even more refined.

"Miss Chu." Su Yaoyao smiled and nodded.

She had a very good impression of the prime minister's daughter—she was calm, intelligent, and had even secretly helped her.

But the aloofness Chu Qingzi exuded always reminded her of Xiao Chenyuan from before; both were aloof and cold people, like snow on a mountain peak or the moon in the clouds.

However… she secretly wondered, if such a woman fell in love, would she also be like His Highness the Crown Prince, outwardly reserved and restrained, but inwardly… cough cough.

"What are you laughing at, Miss Su?" Chu Qingzi had already walked up to her and her gaze fell on her face.

Su Yaoyao quickly composed herself: "It's nothing, I just didn't expect to run into Miss Chu here."

Chu Qingzi nodded slightly, her gaze sweeping over the woman's bare earlobes. Suddenly, she turned and took a pair of earrings from the shopkeeper's hand: "These suit you."

Those were a pair of earrings inlaid with kingfisher feathers and gold, with the pendants shaped like tiny epiphyllum flowers... which suited Su Yaoyao's taste perfectly.

Su Yaoyao's eyes lit up: "It's so beautiful."

"Want to try them on?" Chu Qingzi handed over the earrings.

Just as Su Yaoyao was about to ask Chuntao to help her put it on, Chu Qingzi raised her hand and said, "Let me do it."

She stood very close, her body almost touching hers.

Chu Qingzi's movements were very light and slow.

She carefully threaded the crochet hook for the earring through the ear piercing, her fingertips lightly brushing against Su Yaoyao's earlobe, and then gently kneading the soft earlobe.

Chu Qingzi was already more than half a head taller than Su Yaoyao, so this action... was a bit too intimate. Besides, why did Chu Qingzi seem different today...?

Chu Qingzi seemed oblivious and went to put on the other one.

Su Yaoyao could feel the warmth of her fingertips and smell the faint scent of ink and books emanating from her. The two were very close, close enough to clearly see Qingzi's long, slender eyelashes and a fleeting...smile? in those cool, clear eyes.

They're all women, so... it shouldn't be a problem, right?

As Su Yaoyao thought this, the strange feeling in her heart lingered.

"Alright." Chu Qingzi took a half step back, her gaze lingering on her ear for a moment, the corners of her lips curving into an almost imperceptible smile. "Very beautiful."

Su Yaoyao took the bronze mirror and looked at herself—the pair of epiphyllum earrings swayed gently beside her ears, making her skin appear even whiter and her eyes even more beautiful.

It really looks good.

"They're so beautiful," Su Yaoyao exclaimed sincerely, then turned to the shopkeeper and said, "I'll take these earrings. Wrap them up..."

"I've already paid," Chu Qingzi said calmly. "Here you go."

Su Yaoyao was taken aback: "How can this be..."

"Consider this... a congratulatory message for your wedding." Chu Qingzi looked at her, her eyes as deep as unfathomable ink. "Miss Su deserves the best."

"I rarely go out, and I don't have many... same-sex friends. If Miss Su has some free time today, would you be willing to accompany me for a stroll?"

Looking into her clear, gentle eyes, Su Yaoyao's heart softened, and she nodded in agreement: "Okay."

The two strolled slowly side by side through the Treasure Pavilion.

Chu Qingzi didn't talk much; most of the time she just watched quietly.

However, Su Yaoyao noticed that whenever her gaze lingered on a piece of jewelry for even a moment longer, Chu Qingzi would signal the shopkeeper to wrap it up.

In less than a quarter of an hour, Chun Tao was already holding several brocade boxes in her hands.

Su Yaoyao was a little embarrassed: "Miss Chu, this is too much of a waste..."

"It's no expense," Chu Qingzi said calmly, her gaze falling on her hair. "You look good in these."

As she spoke, she suddenly raised her hand and gently brushed a stray strand of hair from Su Yaoyao's temple, her fingertips lightly brushing against her cheek.

The movement was so natural that Su Yaoyao didn't react for a moment. By the time she came to her senses, Chu Qingzi had already withdrawn her hand and was looking at the next piece of jewelry with a normal expression.

Su Yaoyao blinked.

In her past life, she had many close girlfriends, and it was common for them to walk arm in arm and be very intimate when they went shopping.

But Chu Qingzi gave her a feeling that was... a little different.

She couldn't quite put her finger on what was different.

I just felt that Miss Chu's closeness seemed to carry a certain restrained and cautious probing.

"Miss Chu," Su Yaoyao couldn't help but ask, "why... are you so good to me?"

Chu Qingzi was looking at a white jade hairpin when she heard this and paused.

She didn't answer immediately, but put down the hairpin and turned to look at Su Yaoyao.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting a soft glow on her cool, aloof features.

"What do you think, Miss Su?"

Su Yaoyao opened her mouth, but didn't know how to answer.

Chu Qingzi had already moved closer, her gaze fixed on Su Yaoyao's bright face, her voice as soft as a sigh:

"Miss Su, there are many things in this world that don't necessarily need a reason."

She paused, a faint smile curving her lips. "Perhaps...because," she said softly.

People with similar personalities are probably drawn to flowers in full bloom.

Su Yaoyao's heart stirred slightly.

Looking at Chu Qingzi's calm profile, she suddenly felt that this seemingly aloof daughter of the prime minister might not be as distant as she appeared.

At least, she was willing to show this rare softness to herself.

"Miss Chu is very good too," Su Yaoyao said with a smile, "like snow in the mountains, clean and pure."

Chu Qingzi looked up at her, a faint smile flashing in her eyes: "The snow will melt."

"Even if it turns into water, it will still nourish all things." Su Yaoyao tilted her head. "Unlike me, I'm just a ball of fire. Once I'm burned out, all that's left is ashes."

"No," Chu Qingzi suddenly said.

"Um?"

"You won't be nothing but ashes." Chu Qingzi looked at her, her voice soft but earnest. "You will keep burning, illuminating many people."

Su Yaoyao was taken aback, and a warmth inexplicably warmed her heart.

The two strolled around for a while longer before Chu Qingzi said it was time to return home. Before parting, she slipped a brocade box into Su Yaoyao's hand:

"I'll wear this on my wedding day."

When Su Yaoyao opened it, she found a phoenix hairpin made of pure gold and inlaid with rubies. The craftsmanship was exquisite, and it was clear at a glance that it was very valuable.

"This is too expensive..." she tried to refuse.

Chu Qingzi pressed her hand down: "Keep it. Consider it... a small token of my appreciation."

After she finished speaking, she nodded slightly, turned around, and got into the carriage.

Su Yaoyao stood at the entrance of the Treasure Pavilion, watching the Prime Minister's carriage gradually disappear into the distance. She then looked down at the brocade box in her hand, and the indescribable feeling in her heart grew stronger.

"Miss," Chun Tao asked softly, "Isn't Miss Chu being a little too kind to you?"

Su Yaoyao didn't say anything.

She remembered Chu Qingzi's cool fingertips as she put the earrings on her, the gentle touch as she brushed her hair, and the faint, almost tender light in her eyes when she said, "You are like a ball of fire."

Indeed...it's unusually good.

But she couldn't figure out what was unusual about it.

Forget it.

Su Yaoyao shook her head and put the brocade box away.

Anyway, this Miss Chu meant her no harm. That's enough.

She turned to get into the carriage, but caught a glimpse of a familiar figure at the street corner out of the corner of her eye—

He was dressed in a dark blue brocade robe, waving a folding fan, and his peach blossom eyes behind the mask were smiling at her.

Heqing.

Seeing Su Yaoyao looking over, he mouthed something from afar:

"Master, be careful."

Then, he turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Su Yaoyao felt a chill run down her spine.