He was caught off guard by the worry etched in her face.
For a moment, he didn't know what to make of it.
Her eyes held a sincerity that struck something deep within him, a feeling he couldn't quite place.
But there was no time to dwell on it.
Before he could think further, he turned and rushed toward the flames, the wet cloth shielding him from the worst of the heat.
Hua Jing was left alone, the sound of the fire roaring louder than ever.
She stared after him, her heart pounding for reasons she didn't fully understand.
"Please find her," she whispered, her voice trembling.
Hua Jing's gaze was fixed on the direction Zhao Yan had gone, her heart pounding with an unfamiliar urgency.
She didn't hear the first creak.
The sound was faint, almost swallowed by the roaring fire, but then it came again, louder this time.
A sharp, splintering noise followed, and her eyes widened as she looked up instinctively.
