Xu Jingli sighed, his gaze softening. "Have you forgotten what we agreed on when this all started?"
Chen Mumu frowned, confusion flickering across her face. "What do you mean?"
"At the hospital," Xu Jingli reminded her, his voice lowering to a gentle murmur. "When your mother was hospitalized, I told you we could be a team. You could use me whenever you needed to, and I could do the same. We promised to help each other."
Memories of that day flooded back, the desperation she'd felt when Xu Jingli had made his offer. Back then, she had thought it was a lifeline—a way to shield herself and her mother from the chaos surrounding their lives.
"I remember," she said softly, her voice barely audible.
Xu Jingli leaned closer, his eyes locking onto hers. "I meant every word of that promise. And I plan to keep it."
