The rich aromas of the finished courses still lingered faintly in the air—savory broth, roasted duck, and spiced goose—but the atmosphere between Su Wanyan and Mo Xingxue had shifted into something heavier, more fragile.
The two sat in silence for a while, each busy with their own thoughts. Su Wanyan looked at Mo Xingxue, her expression full of complexity, her heart mirroring the turmoil. Mo Xingxue felt her chest thump heavily, her breath growing ragged as she saw the look on Su Wanyan's face.
A wave of fear washed over her—this moment felt dangerously close to the painful memory from the amusement park, when harsh words had driven a wedge between them and Su Wanyan had walked away.
