Jiayi honestly answered, "Not at the moment." After a pause, she added, "Can I go back to my room now? I'm tired."
He didn't tell her to leave, nor did he say she couldn't; his sharp, dark gaze swept over her.
She had not yet changed out of her clothes, still wearing the bright red party dress from the evening's banquet, which highlighted her fair skin and hugged her body like a svelte mermaid, its curves enchanting and enough to make a man's breath hitch.
His gaze made her feel uneasy, as if it were stripping the clothes off her body, and moreover, it seemed displeased.
"After you go back to your room, throw this dress away," he commanded, his tone not statement but order.
"What?" She hadn't quite reacted at first.
"I don't like you wearing clothes prepared by others for you." He tilted his chin up slightly, his answer so straightforward it left no room for objection.
