Lixue nodded, carefully placing the jewelry boxes back on the dresser. She traced her fingers over the velvet lid, her thoughts were mixed with gratitude and uncertainty.
Mo Ran always had a way of leaving her both comforted and unsettled, as if he could see right through her walls without ever demanding they be torn down.
She turned back to him, watching as he loosened his tie and sat on the edge of the bed. "You really don't have to do all this, you know," she said softly. "These gifts, your understanding… it feels like more than I deserve."
Mo Ran glanced up, his expression softening. "You're worth more than this."
Her chest tightened at his words, but she pushed the emotion aside, focusing instead on the present. She walked over and sat beside him, her fingers toying with the hem of her sleeve.
"Mo Ran," she began hesitantly, "you've been so patient with me. But sometimes I wonder… why?"
