[One-on-one romance + both devoted only to each other + sweet first, then angst + regretful pursuit + love at first sight without realizing it]
"Golden-branch princess vs. beautiful, seemingly gentle but secretly dark courtesan"
Shen Shuyun was the emperor’s most beloved princess. Her greatest pleasure in life was riding through the streets with a crowd of spoiled young nobles, listening to music from the balustrades, and living as freely as she pleased. Yet at Zuifeng Tower, she fell for one particular beauty.
The courtesan was named Song Huaixing. He was elegant and refined, with the bearing of a crane and the grace of a pine. His ethereal, otherworldly beauty left Shen Shuyun utterly smitten at first sight.
For the first time, the princess blushed as she confessed her feelings to him, shyly asking, “I’ll have your servant status revoked. Will you come back to the princess’s residence with me?”
Song Huaixing smiled softly, his voice warm and his eyes lowered demurely. “How could Huaixing dare refuse the princess’s request?”
At the time, Shen Shuyun was simply overjoyed that the man she loved had agreed. Only now did she realize what she had missed: the look in Song Huaixing’s eyes when he accepted had been so cold and chilling.
When the empire teetered on the brink of collapse and a coup seized power, Shen Shuyun finally understood how laughable her position as princess had been and how miserably she had misplaced her sincere affection. She was tired. She wanted to forget everything here. Perhaps a quiet life in the countryside was what suited her best. But that man was unwilling to let her go.
After using every last bit of his influence, Song Huaixing finally saw Shen Shuyun again. Even coarse clothes could not hide her beauty. She carried a basket on her back, led a toddler by the hand, and looked at peace with her life. The sight pierced his eyes.
The man stumbled and fell to his knees, his face full of anguish as he begged like a dog: “A Yun, please come back with me, all right?”
Shen Shuyun looked at him in confusion. “Have we met before?”
