```
Her movements were meticulous, marking the first time since they'd known each other that she initiated physical contact with him.
He could feel the warmth of her palm gradually seeping into his skin, gentle and warm, invoking an indescribable longing within him. His gaze softened in response.
But it wasn't long before Ji Yao withdrew her hand.
Lu Jincheng couldn't help but feel a sense of loss, knowing all too well that this warmth was temporary. It used to be his, but now it was not.
Unconsciously, his hand followed hers, his eyes betraying a melancholy he himself hadn't noticed.
Yet Ji Yao did notice.
When she looked up, she met his gaze, intense and fervent, impossible to ignore.
Embarrassed, she averted her eyes and couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze.
She understood his feelings but was subconsciously in a state of avoidance, unwilling to confront or respond to them.
The atmosphere between them grew awkward.
