"I seek not vows of eternal love, but only to share with you the passing of spring, summer, autumn, and winter."
Shen Xihe felt a faint stirring in her heart. She had to admit Xiao Huayong was truly skilled at understanding human nature. From his initial intense directness to his current gentle warmth, he had adapted to her preferences, knowing she disliked and distrusted grand vows of eternal devotion.
"Your Highness's thoughtfulness touches me," Shen Xihe did not evade, her pale, soft hand picking up the golden hairpin. She removed a floral hair ornament from her chignon and prepared to replace it with the golden pin.
Just as she raised her wrist, a broad hand intercepted, casting fragmented shadows through the candlelight.
Shen Xihe paused, then withdrew her hand, passing the golden pin to Xiao Huayong. His lips curved into a gentle smile, his eyes tender and affectionate as he carefully yet firmly secured the golden pin into her dark, cloud-like tresses.
The flickering candlelight cast their silhouettes against the wall—her seated figure and his standing form behind her, their shadows merging in an intimate, loving embrace.
After securing the pin, Xiao Huayong knelt beside her, taking her lightly resting hand in his. "Youyou, thank you for agreeing to marry me."
His heart surged with an intensity he hadn't experienced in all his twenty years of memory, causing his grip on her hand to tighten slightly.
Shen Xihe instinctively tried to withdraw her hand, but neither broke free nor continued to resist. She knew she must adapt. "Your Highness, I will fulfill my duties as your wife and as Crown Princess. But I must confess, I still hold no romantic feelings for you."
Though she witnessed Xiao Huayong's evident excitement and joy, she felt compelled to speak plainly. She had no intention of dampening his spirits, but some truths needed clarification. Allowing misunderstandings to foster—making him believe she reciprocated his affection—would only lead to future resentment when he realized her feelings didn't match his expectations.
The relationship between Gu Qingzhi and Xiao Changqing served as a cautionary tale. Gu Qingzhi had assumed her composed aloofness would convey her lack of romantic interest, but her unwillingness to verbalize this clearly allowed Xiao Changqing to cling to self-deceptive hopes. As long as she never explicitly refused, he convinced himself she cared, growing increasingly deluded and obsessive until he could no longer distinguish reality, descending into tormented madness.
Though her honesty might disappoint Xiao Huayong and disrupt the pleasant atmosphere, affection couldn't be fabricated. No matter how exceptional he was, she couldn't bear to mislead him with ambiguity, ultimately causing greater pain.
Xiao Huayong would be lying if he claimed no disappointment, but it vanished as quickly as it came. His joy remained undiminished as he tightened his hold on her hand. "Youyou, thank you for your honesty. In the future, please continue speaking to me this clearly—including the day you eventually develop feelings for me. I hope you'll share that with me openly too."
After a moment of silence, Shen Xihe nodded. "I will."
Perhaps Shen Xihe would never forget Xiao Huayong's radiant joy in that moment—like spring breezes blooming flowers across the city, like fireworks illuminating the sky with brilliant light, like stars cascading in dazzling splendor.
That captivating smile warmed even Shen Xihe's heart, lifting the corners of her lips unconsciously.
Her gentle smile mirrored her elegant composure, nearly breaking Xiao Huayong's restraint as he fought the urge to embrace her. His fingers twitched slightly before his formidable self-control prevailed.It's not yet time; we must not act too hastily. What is meant to be ours will one day be ours.
He took Shen Xihe's hand and led her to the window. Looking out, they saw a brilliant expanse of lights, clusters of candle flames illuminating the night with snowy brightness.
Shen Xihe tried to pull her hand away, but just then, exclamations of astonishment rose one after another outside the tower. Xiao Huayong pointed beyond the window: "Look."
A massive lantern tree soared upward, instantly illuminated. The radiance of the lanterns spread, dimming the bright moon. The enormous lantern tree stood like a lighthouse, towering above all from afar.
At the top of the lantern tree was a shadow lantern. Inside the shadow lantern, a candle burned, causing the lantern's surface to rotate. Painted on it were a man and a woman, who seemed to come alive like shadow puppets as the lantern turned. The man met the woman, the man fell for the woman, the man gifted the woman a golden hairpin, the man married the woman, and they lived in harmony after marriage.
From a young couple to a joyful family of three in middle age,
then to mutual support in their middle years, and finally holding hands in their twilight years. In fewer than ten scenes, it depicted a lifetime of mutual devotion and reliance.
During the Lantern Festival, it was customary for people to express their affections to one another. This novel approach, using a shadow lantern to convey the beauty of a lifelong partnership between two people, captured the attention of the entire city. Everyone was left wanting more, discussing which young man had gone to such lengths for his beloved.
Some sentimental young women watched with tears in their eyes, while middle-aged women who had experienced the vicissitudes of life looked on with envy and melancholy.
"Your Highness," Shen Xihe turned her head to look at Xiao Huayong.
"This is my plan and hope for our life together. I have called upon the entire city's people as witnesses. After we are married, I will release the news, letting them know that I did this for you. As the Crown Prince, I am a model for the people and must keep my promises."
Xiao Huayong tightened his grip on Shen Xihe's hand. His ink-black pupils gazed deeply at her: "I make my vow to you before the world as witness, so they may see whether their Crown Prince is a man of his word, one who honors his commitments."
If they had already been betrothed, he would have let everyone know then and there that this was his doing for her, making her the most envied woman in the world. He wanted to give her everything any woman could ever imagine.
Unfortunately, they had not yet been officially betrothed in the open. If he were to make such a grand display, it would harm her reputation.
He could only wait until after their wedding to release this news.
The patterns on the shadow lantern were drawn by his own hand. With just a few strokes, they captured their essence. However, few had seen them up close, and from a distance, only the silhouettes of a man and a woman were visible.
Faced with such wholehearted devotion and deep affection from Xiao Huayong, Shen Xihe found herself at a loss for words.
Was she moved?
Of course.
She was flesh and blood, a living person—how could she not feel a moment of joy and emotion?
Yet this feeling was as fleeting as a shooting star, streaking across the night sky, leaving behind a brilliant memory in the vast twilight, never to be found again.
"Youyou, there is no need to say anything. I only hope that what I have done does not become a burden to you," Xiao Huayong whispered softly.
"If I said I do not feel burdened, would that sound too heartless?" Shen Xihe laughed wryly.
She truly did not feel burdened. She had made everything clear, and if Xiao Huayong still chose to persist, she had no right to interfere or stop him.
"That is the you I know," Xiao Huayong shook his head gently. After a moment of silence, he asked softly, "Were you even a little bit happy?"Amidst the rising clamor of songs, the brilliant light illuminated his face, making it appear even more peerlessly handsome.
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