I waited for seventy years for my mother to come for me. I spent a hundred years proving I was worthy of love. I lost everything, and everyone I loved or who loved me left.
In the end, I realized that the person I had been waiting for, the person I had been trying to prove myself to, the person I needed to love, had always been me.
I am Xiao Yao, and Wen Xiao Liu. I am the Princess of Haoling and Doctor Jiu. From running away in Qingshui Town, to seeking approval in Xiyan City, to breaking apart after losing everything, I learned about boundaries through my symbiotic bond with Cang Xuan, saw my own weakness in Tu Shan Jing’s tenderness, recognized myself in Xiang Liu’s understanding, searched for approval in the Haoling King’s severity, understood longing through A Nian’s jealousy, found closure in my mother’s absence, and put down roots with Ye Shiqi by my side.
Seven relationships, seven mirrors, reflecting a woman in her entirety.
At last, I stopped waiting. I stopped waiting for someone to love me, to approve of me, to save me. Here I am, carrying all my scars and regrets, and becoming my own home.
Longing for You, without regret.
This is a story of spiritual growth for all the women who struggle in their relationships and feel lost as they grow. May you, like Xiao Yao, find peace with yourself after all you’ve been through.
