Ling Er glanced at Su Xiaobai from the corner of her eye but said nothing.
The playful spark that usually lit her face was gone. Her steps slowed, her grip on his hand loosening as she absorbed his words. She had never considered where he came from—or what kind of life had shaped him.
Crunch. Crunch.
The sound of their footsteps on the uneven forest floor echoed softly, filling the silence.
Su Xiaobai noticed the shift but didn't comment, adjusting his pace to match hers.
As they moved, his fingers brushed against the pills hidden in his robes. Rare and irreplaceable, they were his last line of defense. He wouldn't waste them unless it was life or death—and certainly not on a girl who'd caused more trouble than she was worth.
But Wei Zhong would kill him if something happened to her. With a sigh, he stayed close, his sharp gaze sweeping the forest for any sign of danger.
