Liu Ruyan's eyes were red-rimmed as she stared blankly at the snow-white bed curtains, her beautiful face etched with sorrow. "Promises made in spring bear fruit in autumn, yet who now bears the weight of past vows?" she murmured. Once a loving couple, they had ultimately succumbed to the relentless passage of time. Now, Prince Yan had found new affections, leaving her—the heartbroken one—to linger in place, nursing her sorrow alone. All for a few cakes, the prince had cast her aside.
"Xue Mei, throw away the baked cakes," Liu Ruyan muttered, burying herself deeper under the covers.
Silently, Xue Mei walked to the table, picked up the lonely plum blossom cakes, and carried them outside, where she devoured them hungrily. As she ate the fragrant cakes, she gazed at the snowflakes swirling in the sky, wiping away the tears that welled up despite her efforts.
In her heart, Xue Mei knew she had tried her best to create opportunities for Liu Ruyan and Prince Yan to reconcile.
