The Princess Who Divorced Her Husband - Chapter 4.1

Night had fallen. Yan Mei opened the window and looked out at the starry sky. The night felt unusually deep and still, making the stars seem especially bright and dazzling.

“Shengxing…” she murmured softly. Shengxing—a bright star. There were so many stars in the sky tonight, all shining so clearly. But where was that one bright star that had always filled her heart?

Just thinking of him made a dull ache rise in her chest. So this is what they meant by “a heart like being cut by knives.” That pain… it was real.

So this is what it feels like to love someone but not be able to love them freely. Yan Mei wondered how much longer she could endure this heartbreak. More than once, she had asked herself, Should I really give up?

Could she? Could she truly let go? Yan Mei didn’t know. She wasn’t sure. Reality was cruel, but a part of her still held on to a tiny bit of hope—that maybe this love could still blossom and bear fruit.

But right now, she didn’t dare to take any more steps forward. She didn’t have the courage. All she could do was wait. Wait for what? For her confidence to return? Or for Zuo Shengxing to come to her with love? Maybe… maybe both.

“Your Highness, be careful not to catch a cold.” Haitang gently approached and draped a coat over Yan Mei’s shoulders.

“Thank you.” Yan Mei looked at Haitang with sadness in her eyes. “Haitang, I really envy you.”

“Huh? I’m just a servant. What’s there for Your Highness to envy?”

“You’re still young. You don’t have the worries I do… Sigh, unrequited love hurts more than not loving at all.”

Haitang didn’t quite understand what Yan Mei meant by “unrequited” or “deep love”, but she knew this much—her mistress hadn’t visited the young master at Haoyan Pavilion for days. She locked herself in her room, often sighing and frowning, which made Haitang feel heavy-hearted too.

“Your Highness… are you really not going to see the young master again?” Haitang asked gently.

Yan Mei gave a bitter smile. “This isn’t about who goes to whom. Falling petals may long for the stream, but the water never cares for the flower. One hand alone can’t make a sound.”

“Yes…” Haitang replied, though she didn’t really understand the meaning.

“Forget it; let’s not talk about him anymore.” Yan Mei turned her gaze to Haitang. “Tell me, Haitang, how do you think I treat you?”

“Your Highness is very kind to me!” Haitang beamed. “To be honest, I was nervous at first—after all, you’re a noble lady. But it turned out so different from what I imagined. You’re so down-to-earth, not at all like those fancy guests I used to serve. You teach me to read; you talk with me sometimes… Meeting you has been the greatest blessing of my life!”

“Alright, alright—if you say any more, I’ll have to lift you up to the sky!” Yan Mei laughed softly, tilting her head. Then she murmured, “Strange. I’ve always thought I treated servants well. Back in the royal manor, I got along just fine with the staff. So why is it so different here?”

In the Governor’s residence, the truth was, aside from her old nurse and Haitang, Yan Mei hadn’t had much contact with the other servants. Still, she could sense they were keeping their distance.

Maybe it was because of her status as a princess. No one dared be rude to her—but no one dared be close either. Yan Mei couldn’t figure it out. Am I really that frightening? Zuo Shengxing was like that. The others were too. Maybe she truly didn’t belong in this place.

Yan Mei didn’t notice the slight change in Haitang’s expression after she said that.

“Your Highness, please don’t think too much. Actually… everyone here likes you, just like I do.” Haitang spoke slowly.

“Really?” Yan Mei understood that Haitang was trying to comfort her, so she smiled anyway, feeling touched.

“Haitang, you’re such a thoughtful girl.”

“I… Thank you, Your Highness.” Haitang felt a little guilty receiving that praise.

“Come, walk with me by the Moon-Fishing Pond.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Walking by the Moon-Fishing Pond with Yan Mei had become one of Haitang’s daily tasks.

******

Under the quiet and peaceful night sky, Zuo Shengxing and Xiao Xue were walking hand in hand around the edge of the Moon-Fishing Pond.

“Young Master, look—the moon’s reflection in the water is so round and beautiful!”

“Mm.” Zuo Shengxing responded absentmindedly. His eyes weren’t on the moon in the water, but on the plum trees around the pool.

“It’s a shame it’s not cold enough yet. If all the plum blossoms bloomed together, it’d be breathtaking. So beautiful,” he said with a touch of regret.

Xiao Xue stood silently beside him, watching him gaze at the plum trees. Hmph! What’s so great about plum blossoms anyway? She hated plum blossoms—because “Mei” in Yan Mei’s name meant plum.

Even if Yan Mei was no longer a threat, Xiao Xue couldn’t relax. As long as Yan Mei stayed here, she couldn’t feel at ease. She knew clearly—only if Yan Mei disappeared would Zuo Shengxing truly belong to her.

“Huh? She’s here too?” Xiao Xue looked up by chance and saw Yan Mei standing on the second floor of the Xiangyang Pavilion.

Zuo Shengxing felt his heart tighten as his eyes fixed on Yan Mei’s profile in a daze.

The evening breeze gently blew, lifting the white robe and dress she wore. Under the faint moonlight, she looked like a celestial maiden descending from the heavens—ethereal, dreamlike, and stunningly beautiful. To him now, Yan Mei felt utterly out of reach, like a flower in a mirror or the moon reflected in water, as if she might vanish before his eyes at any moment.

Suddenly, Yan Mei’s gaze swept downward and met his. She had spotted them.

Although there was still some distance, Zuo Shengxing saw her frown slightly. Without giving them a second glance, she walked out of his sight.

A wave of discomfort surged through his body. Zuo Shengxing opened his mouth slightly but couldn’t utter a sound.

“Young master, let’s go back,” Xiao Xue said, gently taking his hand.

He could only nod silently.