Chapter 5 – The Fool's Hug
The morning after the hotel incident, the mansion was strangely quiet.Xun Lanyue had locked herself away, her screams and sobs muffled behind gilded doors. Servants whispered, afraid to even pass the hallway.
In another wing, Qiao Xueran sat by a tall window, legs tucked under her white dress. Sunlight streamed across her face, making her look almost angelic. She rocked slightly, humming a broken tune, gazing at the gardens below.
Han Zixuan entered silently, his shadow falling across the floor. His usual sharp presence carried a heaviness — he was a man who trusted no one, not even the ground beneath his feet.
Xueran turned slowly. Her eyes widened in mock innocence. She stretched her arms toward him like a child and murmured,
"Hug."
Zixuan froze.No woman had ever dared ask him for such a thing, let alone in that simple, unguarded way.
"You don't know what you're asking," he muttered, voice tight.
But she tilted her head, lips curling into that silly smile she wore so well.
"Hug."
Something in him broke. Against every instinct, Han Zixuan crossed the room. His arms wrapped around her, stiff at first, then tightening as though he didn't realize how much he needed it.
Xueran rested her head against his chest, hiding the spark in her eyes.He thought she was a fool begging for warmth.But inside, she whispered to herself:
This is the first step. Closer, closer… until the knife can find his heart.
Han Zixuan exhaled, a sound almost like relief.And in the shadows of the corridor, Xun Lanyue stood watching, nails digging into her palms until they bled.