Yichen's expression flickered, regret flashing briefly in his eyes. "Of course I would.." he admitted quietly. "But wanting something doesn't make it right. If Feng Yizhou is the one who can do it, then all we can do is hope he succeeds. If you stand in the way of that, then what you feel for Qingran… maybe it isn't love at all. Maybe it's just pride."
The words hung heavy in the air. Ruihuang's jaw tightened, but he couldn't deny them. His chest burned with a mix of anger, shame, and helplessness.
For the first time since Qingran had been taken away, Ruihuang lowered his head. He didn't argue, didn't push back. He only whispered under his breath, so soft Yichen barely caught it.
"I just… wanted to be her shield."
The room felt unbearably quiet after Qingran was taken. Ruihuang sat rigidly, fists clenched, still struggling to accept what had happened.
