He gave her no reply, his gaze dropped to their entwined hands, the shadow in his eyes deepening.
The silence stretched, heavy yet intimate, until Tang Fei gently tugged his hand, coaxing him like she would a stubborn child.
"Come back inside with me," she said, her smile carrying warmth he couldn't turn away from. "The children are waiting, Uncle and Aunt are waiting… dinner is ready."
Huo Ting Cheng's lashes lowered. He didn't move at first, his tall frame taut as though resisting, but Tang Fei leaned closer, her voice lowering into a playful murmur, "If you keep sulking, I'll really get angry, you know. And then you'll have to coax me instead."
The corner of his lips suddenly twitched, not with a quiet smile, but a subtle crack in his icy composure. His eyes flickered toward her, brief and fleeting, but enough for Tang Fei's heart to skip a beat.
