In Nan Qi's impression, she had never seen her like this before.

  She is always smiling, or perhaps cold and detached.

  She is polite and well-behaved, even her facial expressions seem to be carefully planned angles, never losing her composure.

  But now this dispirited and listless Xia Tian Meng, for some reason, makes people feel heartbroken when they look at him.

  "Miss Xia."

  Nan Qi called out to stop her, if she was seen by others in the outer court like this and it got out, who knows what would happen.

  In the summer, Meng was startled and suddenly raised her head to see a handsome man like the moon under the crystal lamp, and suddenly stopped in his tracks.

  His face is not blurry under the bright lamp, and his smiling appearance is like a warm spring breeze.

  He was as handsome and gentle as she remembered, yet somehow it all felt so fake.

  Even if her heart was in agony, her rationality remained calm and analyzed Nan Qi's hypocrisy.

  Not even a smile can make one feel the warmth of this fake kindness.

  Actually, he doesn't treat himself and others differently.

  She suppressed the discomfort in her heart, step by step approaching him. In the long corridor, she walked towards him wearing a white dress like a blooming flower. Wrapped in moonlight, her footsteps were like smoke, each step seeming to tread on the softest part of her heart.

  Nan Qi's lips were slightly pursed, and the smile on her face gradually faded.

  He didn't understand why he suddenly felt tense in his heart.

  Perhaps... they didn't have much contact with each other either. Even though they've known each other for many years, they haven't exchanged more than a few words.

  Strangers think of Langcai as a 'beauty', but she is just a stranger.

  Xia Tian Meng walked up to him, three steps away, and looked at him.

  Wang Xi and Chen Yu Yan both retreated outside the long corridor, as it was not suitable for them to listen in on their master's conversation.

  "Your Highness, I wish you good health." Her voice was soft and melodious, with a gentle and lively tone.

  The carp outside felt inexplicably uncomfortable, even the foolish Ye San and the Second Prince's engagement didn't make them feel any different, only their own young lady was like a stranger every time she met with the Crown Prince, as if it were the first time they had ever met.

  Nan Qi slightly nodded: "Miss Xia, no need to be so polite." Seeing Xia Tianmeng stand up, he continued, "Miss Xia being out so late without returning to the manor, I'm sure Master Xia must be worried." He remembered how much Master Xia doted on this 'daughter' of his, practically wanting to give her all the best things.

  In the summer, Mo Wen heard that he just smiled lightly: "The minister 'girl' came out when her father knew." He had never been to the general's mansion, one was that he and she had not seen each other for more than a month, and he was avoiding her. If it weren't for his previous order to still give her the best, I'm afraid the slaves in the Taishi Mansion would think she wasn't liked anymore. Second, he should know that Wei Chui Emperor came... She knew how long they hadn't talked.

  Nan Qi didn't know the reason behind it and simply thought that Xia Ying Shen hadn't come due to some official taboo, so he didn't press for an explanation, merely nodding.

  They looked at each other without saying a word.

  Nan Qi never knew that facing someone who couldn't understand his emotions would be so embarrassing, even a single sentence had to be thought over several times in his mind.

  He didn't dislike her, at most he just didn't have a loving affection for her.

  But he also knew that she was his future wife, the future empress of Dixia. He had thought about it before, if he couldn't give her love, then he would give her the dignity and power she deserved as an empress. He wouldn't be infatuated with any woman, so there wouldn't be any disputes between them, he knew that he could safely entrust the harem to her management.

  But what he didn't expect was this variable of Xiao Jiu.

  Xiao Jiu's infatuation with her had reached a point of desperation that even he found astonishing.

  Apart from martial arts and battles, he hadn't seen Xiaojiao so obsessed with something in a long time.

  He likes to see Xiao Jiu like this, but what makes Xiao Jiu happy is his future wife.

  Besides, she and Xiao Jiu were not in love with each other.

  Following Xiaojiao's true feelings, I'm afraid she will have to suffer a lot.

  "Miss Xia, I don't know how you feel about Xiao Jiu..." He had already asked the question and felt that it was not quite suitable to ask a girl such things, but since he had already spoken, he might as well get a clear answer. "You must also be aware of Xiao Jiu's feelings for you." If he didn't truly care for her, why would he die for her?

  Xiatian Meng raised her eyes to look at him, seeing that his gaze didn't waver or avoid, but instead gave a faint smile: "Your Highness the Crown Prince may not know, but as early as when I was 13 years old, the Emperor had already promised me that I could marry freely."

  This means that she doesn't have to go to the palace for selection at the age of fifteen, and doesn't have to worry about being bestowed in marriage by the emperor like other 'daughters'.

  Nan Qi slightly furrowed her brow, even though she knew that the Emperor's favor towards her was great, but she had not expected to be given such special privileges. After all, since the ancestors established this rule, no dynasty has ever allowed an official's daughter to avoid the selection of imperial consorts.

  He felt flustered by the inexplicable joy that had suddenly appeared in his heart, and he chased away the unexplained emotions, looking at her.

  Xia Tian Miao smiled slightly and looked straight into his eyes: "Your Majesty said that I can marry the person who pleases my heart."

  Nan Qi heard this and furrowed her brow slightly, thinking to herself that she must be unwilling to marry Xiao Jiu.

  But she didn't expect her to look at him and say, "I used to think that as long as two people knew each other's hearts, it would be enough. Even if he didn't have feelings for me, after such a long time, I wouldn't spend my whole life without getting his heart." She smiled slightly, looking into his somewhat surprised eyes, continuing, "Later on, as I grew up, I gradually understood that many things can't be forced, whether it's emotions or anything else."

  "When you don't have a liking for someone, no matter how much emotion is invested, it's all just futile effort." Xia Tian Meng's bright eyes were filled with his image, handsome and elegant. "Perhaps when one understands, they realize that what can be obtained isn't necessarily the best. Sometimes what can be held in the palm of your hand is truly worth cherishing. For example, my past infatuation with you, for example, Nan Que's efforts for me."

  Nan Qi gazed at her with a daze, the night wind swept across her beautiful hair, and her lovely face wore a relieved smile.

  But it made him feel sad for no reason.

  He felt that even though her face was smiling, her heart was like crying.

  Xiatian Meng looked at him seriously, the giant beast in her heart was tearing and howling, suffocating. But on her face, there wasn't a hint of 'leakage', she smiled as she looked at him: "I don't want to call you Crown Prince, I've always wanted to call out your name, Nan Qi."

  He felt a sudden jolt in his heart, he had never been called by name before, and when she said his own name from her mouth, he even thought it sounded good that his heart was trembling.

  "I really like you." She smiled at him with her head tilted, her bright eyes filled with tears. "I do, I like you. But I won't force it anymore."

  She took a slight step back, her hands clenched into fists as she suppressed the pain in her heart, and smiled at him: "I'm giving up on you."

  Yes, even if she knew how much she liked him, she didn't want to love someone so humbly anymore.

  Moreover, she felt that her love was still separated from him by a layer of something.

  Nan Qi didn't know that one sentence could make his heart tremble, he looked at Xia Tianmeng who was smiling but had tears streaming down her face, and said in a dry voice: "Good."

  Isn't this exactly what he has been trying to get rid of?

  Why is it that when something is really lost, one feels empty?

  Xia Tian Mo smiled and walked away with a carefree air, as if she had discarded her past love.

  Tears were blown dry by the night wind, coldly telling her that she had really given up.

  The heart suddenly ached, as if it had been grasped tightly by a hand!

  "Miss!"

  The sudden cry of "drowned fish and fallen wild goose" made Nan Qi turn around abruptly, only to see Xia Tianmeng suddenly falling down.