Lu Wei exhaled a slow, measured breath before stepping forward, closing the distance between himself and his angel. The moment she sensed his presence beside her, the girl instinctively loosened her grip on Xi Yuan's hand, turning toward her eldest brother.
A faint sigh escaped the man as he shook his head, his voice low but steady. "Princess, don't rush," he murmured, his tone a delicate blend of authority and tenderness.
Reaching out, he placed a warm, reassuring hand atop her head, his fingers brushing against her hair with the gentlest affection. "Take all the time you need. No one has the right to demand anything from you—not now, not ever," he assured her, his head tilting slightly as he gestured subtly toward her in-laws.
His dark eyes softened as he pleaded, "Please, Angel… try to hold onto hope, hmm?"
