My Heart, Lost in the Distance

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[Blurb]

A Yao grew up at the Mingjing Terrace. She was born with a face both innocent and alluring, captivating everyone who saw her. Her madam cherished her like a precious treasure, and she spent her days practicing songs and dances without rest.

On the day she was to leave the brothel, she glimpsed through layers of gauze the much-talked-about wealthy merchant who had recently risen to prominence in the city. He had the appearance of an immortal, sat at the head of the table, and seemed to inspire fear in everyone around him.

A Yao wanted to survive. She did not want to become the second wife of a county magistrate past fifty, so she set her sights on this "merchant."

After she began serving the "merchant," A Yao was very sensible. She never asked about things she should not, and was attentive and considerate, fulfilling all the duties expected of a concubine. Just like that, she was brought back to the Eastern Palace.

Everyone around her envied A Yao, saying she was lucky. Being chosen by His Highness the Crown Prince was a blessing others could only dream of.

But A Yao did not see it that way. She was so worried she could not sleep at night, because she had a secret. If the Crown Prince discovered it, she would surely die.

One day, as she brought the Crown Prince some cloud-slice pastries, A Yao casually asked what he would do if she made a very serious mistake someday.

The taciturn Crown Prince merely stroked her head and said coldly that he never kept anyone with disloyal intentions by his side.

The cloud-slice pastry fell to the floor and shattered, just like A Yao's heart.

A Yao valued her life and did not want to die, so she had no choice but to run.

While investigating a salt-smuggling case, Crown Prince Ying Xu disguised himself as a wealthy merchant and traveled to Su Shui City. By chance, he took A Yao as his concubine.

On the eve of his return to the capital, he gazed at the woman sleeping peacefully beside him. The Crown Prince, who had always acted decisively, fell silent for a long time.

Ying Xu knew his little concubine was terribly timid. She needed someone beside her even to sleep, clung to him all day, and said outright that she loved him desperately and could not live a single day without him.

If that was the case, then... he might as well take her with him.

They would be together forever, loving and trusting one another.

Ying Xu thought they would go on like that forever, until one day, in the dead of night, he saw with his own eyes his wife's vibrant life taken by a merciless, cruel fire.

Three years later, in a remote village a thousand li from the capital, a laugh drifted over the mountain road on the breeze. The man on horseback instantly turned red-eyed.

Gazing at the figure beneath a tree, the one he had longed for day and night, Ying Xu rushed toward her like a madman. But when the young woman took half a step back as he reached for her, he froze.

"Is there anything you want, A Yao?"

"Being able to stay by Your Highness the Crown Prince's side is A Yao's greatest wish in this life."

Ying Xu still remembered how the young woman had shaken her head then, her eyes shining brightly as she looked at him. She was nothing like the woman who now hid behind a man and avoided him as if he were a venomous snake.

Upcoming story blurb

Sweet girl × favored son of Heaven

Tang Jinyang, the youngest daughter of the Tang household, had peach-blossom cheeks, almond-shaped eyes, and a slender waist like a willow. Thanks to her frank and carefree nature, she lived a carefree life in the household until she was seventeen.

But one day, an arranged marriage abruptly disrupted her peaceful, stable life.

When she learned she was to marry a spoiled playboy with a violent temper who had beaten someone to death, Tang Jinyang panicked.

How could this be? She was still so young and beautiful, with so many good days ahead of her. How could she bury the rest of her life like this, without even knowing what was happening?

Tang Jinyang was at her wits' end when her maid lifted the curtain and came in, grumbling about an exciting piece of news: the emperor and the imperial heir would soon be arriving in Yuzhou City.

Tang Jinyang froze, suddenly remembering someone who might be able to save her from this predicament.

It was the winter of the sixteenth year of Yongning, when she had accompanied her elder half-sister to the palace as a study companion.

The most famous and illustrious Imperial Grandson of the Yongning dynasty, a thoroughly stingy miser.

When the haughty Imperial Grandson first saw the youngest Tang daughter, he had only two words to describe her: spoiled. Later, he added a third: forgetful.

On the Wanquan Festival, Xie Wang saw his calculating fifth imperial brother say only a few words, and the Tang girl immediately gave him the jade disc she had promised to Xie Wang.

Only afterward did she try to make it up to him.

Too late. He had no interest in handouts!

At the summer palace, the handwriting on the letter was as crooked and unreadable as ever.

His gaze shifted to the peony tucked beside it, its meaning unclear. Xie Wang narrowed his long eyes and raised an eyebrow.

"His Highness the Imperial Grandson is so distinguished. Might Sui Sui be fortunate enough to make up with you?"

It was her.

Reading Guide: Both leads are virgins. One-on-one romance. The male lead has to grovel to win her back.

Theme: Love yourself before loving someone else