Chen Mumu barely had time to process what was happening. The world around her felt like it had slowed, the cacophony of voices from the crowd dulling to a distant hum. Her heart skipped a beat as Xu Jingli's tall frame closed the distance between them, his gaze locked unwaveringly on hers.
Before she could react, she felt it—a presence so close it overwhelmed her senses. Something warm enveloped her, firm yet gentle, like an anchor pulling her from the chaos and grounding her in a place she hadn't dared to imagine. Xu Jingli's shoulder brushed against her neck, and then his voice, low and trembling with emotion, whispered words that pierced straight through the defenses she had fought so hard to build.
"I am very sorry," he said, his breath warm against her ear, "and I missed you so much."
