Xia Yuqing almost ran out of the office.
Her heels clicked sharply against the marble floor as if trying to escape the suffocating air that still clung to her skin. Tears blurred her vision, spilling freely down her cheeks no matter how hard she tried to stop them.
The cool air outside hit her like a slap. She walked straight to the black car parked by the curb and slipped into the backseat, closing the door behind her with trembling hands.
For a moment, she just sat there—silent, breath uneven, trying to steady herself. Just then, a hand reached forward and brushed the tears from her face.
"Since when did you become so weak, Qingqing?"
The mocking voice was low, almost amused. "You cry at every little thing now. Where did my strong, proud empress go?"
Xia Yuqing didn't answer. Her eyes stayed on the road ahead, blank and distant.
