His figure was no longer that of the child who needed protection years ago; having weathered the trials of time, he had grown into a man capable of facing storms on his own.
The care that had been absent in the darkest of times, when mentioned now, was nothing more than a superfluous echo, and false sympathy seemed even cheaper and more unnecessary.
Jiang Xunzhong stood by the doorway for a long time, with his chest rising and falling, he let out a long breath, and the complex emotions in his eyes finally turned into an inaudible sigh, as he turned and silently left the place, leaving behind a ground full of unspoken regrets.
Inside the room, candlelight flickered, Su Yu gripped a glinting curved knife in her hand with an eagle-like sharp gaze, and commanded Ziling, who was cowering in the corner, "Stretch out your hand to me."
Her voice was clear, cold, and authoritative, brooking no refusal.
