Tang Zhixi held Pei Xingcheng tightly.
She felt his body shaking, a clear sign of how scared he'd been. His heart was pounding, and she could feel the strength in his arms as he held her close. They both desperately needed this moment. They needed to comfort each other after whatever ordeal they had just been through.
They kissed a slow, gentle kiss that seemed to ease their fear. Finally, when Pei Xingcheng pulled back for air, he looked into her eyes. "Where were you?" he asked, almost at the same time she asked, "What happened to you?"
"You first," he insisted.
"No, you first," she replied.
They looked at each other and then burst into a small laugh. Tang Zhixi's eyes scanned his face, then dropped to his blood-stained shirt and coat. Her smile faded. "You have blood on your clothes!" she exclaimed, her eyes darkening with worry. "Is that Lu Sisi's?"
Pei Xingcheng nodded, confirming her fear. "Yes."