But her reaction reminded him that he was still an outsider, someone who could not breach the walls she had built around her heart.
Jiho kept her gaze steady on Chu, her eyes cold and unyielding.
"If there is nothing important, I suggest you leave," she said, her voice cutting through the silence like a knife.
She could see the hurt in his eyes, but she remain detached. She couldn't afford to show weakness, not now, not ever.
Chu's face tightened for a moment, then he nodded, accepting her dismissal with a grace that belied the sting of her words.
He said in a calm and polite tone, "Grandpa Gu said that you and I have to go to the Ancestor Temple to pray."
"Ancestor Temple?",Jiho questioned, her brows knitting together in a deep frown. The corners of her mouth turned down, and her eyes narrowed slightly, reflecting her confusion and resistance.
"Why should I need to go there?",Her voice carried a hint of defiance.
