By the time Liora returned from the river, her skin was flushed from the cold water, and her damp hair clung to her cheeks like ribbons of dark silk. She wore the borrowed clothes—a soft shirt and loose trousers that hung slightly over her frame. The fabric smelled faintly of pine and smoke… and something else, his scent.
She walked barefoot through the grass, cheeks still pink from the bath, her presence glowing beneath the golden sunlight. And for a moment, Xu Kai—who had been silently organizing tools near the tent looked up.
His gaze caught on her like a spark to dry wood.
For the briefest second, the man known for his unshakable calm stood frozen. His cold, indifferent eyes flickered—not with anger, but something far deeper. It was possessive and primal.
He stared at her like she was the only thing in existence, like he had spent a lifetime in shadow just to see her lit by the sun.
And then—just as quickly—he looked away.
