Sang Yao quickly stood up and said, “Then I’ll go now.”

      
She just wanted to get rid of those two as soon as possible. They were so lawless, treating her as if she were nothing.

Apologies to His Highness the Prince.

Sang Yao quickly walked out of the door, closing it behind her. The sky had darkened by this time.

Ahead of her stretched an irregular path of gravel. All the other rooms were brightly lit, with their doors tightly closed.

Sang Yao didn’t dare to linger here. She randomly chose a direction and fled.

A cool breeze blew in the summer night. A round moon hung high in the branches, and in the distance, there were faint voices.

Sang Yao rubbed her arms. She had been hungry just now, only eating one piece of sticky rice cake. She hadn’t even finished eating when she was driven out.

She walked aimlessly. She probably wouldn’t be able to go back tonight. She didn’t know if there were any spare meditation rooms in the temple. Otherwise, she would really have to go chant sutras.

After walking for about half an hour, Sang Yao heard a low conversation. Xie Yun’s voice was among them.

Sang Yao stopped in her tracks and looked towards the source of the sound.

In the moonlight, the dark green branches overlapped each other, and the yellow rose blossoms were blooming brightly. Through the gaps in the leaves, Sang Yao saw Xie Yun’s face.

He stood in front of the eaves, wearing a black robe with golden dark patterns, making him look extremely noble. He was slightly bowing his head, facing a minister whose face couldn’t be seen clearly.

The two seemed to be discussing something.

Sang Yao hid her figure behind the lush foliage and silently watched him.

In fact, during this period of time, she had become quite familiar with Xie Yun. Yet, she still didn’t know what kind of person he really was.

The impression he gave her seemed to never change.

Even though she had found evidence of his admiration for her several times, he still remained aloof and distant in her heart.

So even if she was angry with him, she didn’t have much confidence, because often, Xie Yun made her feel like whatever she thought was acceptable to him.

It seemed like the conversation between the two had ended.

The minister turned and left, and Xie Yun straightened his posture.

Sang Yao’s heart tightened. She assumed Xie Yun wouldn’t be able to see her hiding here.

She crouched down and slowly turned around, trying not to touch the branches. But as soon as she turned around, a cold voice came from behind her:

“Stop.”

Sang Yao paused. Was he talking to her?

Ignoring him, she continued to take a few steps forward.

“Sang Yao.”

The voice was cold, flowing in the moonlight, devoid of any emotion.

It seemed like the first time Xie Yun had called her name seriously, which felt a bit strange.

Sang Yao stopped and then slowly turned around.

The roses behind her covered most of her figure, their yellow-pink blossoms becoming even more vibrant in the moonlight, unable to match the beauty of a young girl.

Her gaze toward Xie Yun still held a hint of resentment.

Xie Yun said, “Come here.”

Sang Yao bit her lip, reluctant.

But after a moment, she obediently moved closer.

Standing in front of Xie Yun, she lowered her head and asked, “What do you want?”

Xie Yun lowered his gaze at her and said, “Who allowed you to peek at me?”

Caught peeking, Sang Yao felt embarrassed, but she retorted stubbornly, “Who said I was peeking at you?”

Xie Yun asked, “So were you peeking at Minister Chen just now?”

Sang Yao knew Xie Yun was close with the Grand Academician Chen Ke. She didn’t expect the person just now to be him. She replied, “What’s wrong with that? Can’t I?”

“I heard Minister Chen is erudite and knowledgeable, a contemporary Confucian sage. I just passed by and wanted to admire Minister Chen’s demeanor, not to look at you.”

Xie Yun nodded.

Then he added, “However, that person just now is actually my father.”

Sang Yao: “…”

See, she told you this man is annoying!

Sang Yao was so angry she couldn’t speak. She stared at Xie Yun with wide eyes, unable to articulate her frustration.

Sang Yao had naturally beautiful eyes, especially now, with a hint of mistiness, staring straight at someone, it seemed like she could enchant anyone.

Her seemingly harmless anger was easily broken, even when she was angry, she still appeared very obedient.

Xie Yun looked at her, his gaze unmasked.

He wanted to touch her.

Sang Yao was so angry that she turned her face away, feeling resigned. “Forget it, think whatever you want.”

Then she said, “If there’s nothing else, I’m leaving.”

The girl’s pure face seemed covered in frost in the moonlight.

She wasn’t very happy today.

She didn’t want to attend such events in the first place.

After a long journey by boat and carriage today, she had hoped to get a good night’s sleep, only to be inexplicably driven out.

She had only eaten two pieces of pastry all day, and now she was really hungry.

She didn’t even know if she could sleep tonight. Did she really have to stay up all night chanting sutras? But if she had to chant, she needed to find the main hall first. She had no prior experience with this and didn’t know if there were any rules, or if anyone would suspect her.

There were so many mosquitoes in the summer, it was really annoying.

Just now, as she passed by, she took a peek at Xie Yun, and he actually caught her.

But she hadn’t actually been thinking about anything, she just heard his voice, so she was curious to see what was going on.

“Where are you going?”

He brought up Sang Yao’s sad affairs. She didn’t want to answer, so she said, “Can you tell me which direction the main hall is?”

Xie Yun remained silent.

In the silence, Sang Yao’s stomach growled twice.

She silently covered it and avoided Xie Yun’s gaze, feeling embarrassed and wishing she could find a hole to hide in.

“Are you going to the main hall to find something to eat?”

Sang Yao didn’t want to talk to him anymore.

She was already unhappy, and talking to him would only make her more upset.

She turned around in anger and said, “Why do you care what I do?”

But as soon as she took a step, her shoulder was pressed by the man’s broad hand. Xie Yun held onto her shoulder and easily turned her back around.

Sang Yao felt like a doll in his hands. She pushed his arm away and said, “Let go, you’re so annoying…”

But Xie Yun’s hand took the opportunity to grasp her wrist. He glanced at Sang Yao’s wrinkled little face and said, “Are you hungry?”

Sang Yao really didn’t want to admit it.

But she was really hungry, and his tone sounded a bit gentle.

Sang Yao didn’t know why, but suddenly she felt overwhelmed with grievances. She held back her tears and just nodded.

…Oh no, was she crying because she was hungry?

She would never be able to raise her head in front of Xie Yun again in this lifetime.