Gu Weiqing gave a slow nod, something weary behind his eyes. "She's talking to anyone who'll listen. The Lin family still holds a lot of sway, and Bai Shi is trying to rebuild what she thinks she's lost. She's telling people that you owe them. That you owe her."
Mianmian gave a sharp laugh. "Of course she is. That woman wouldn't spit unless it bought her leverage."
Weiqing looked at her then, really looked, as if trying to recognize his daughter through a lens he hadn't bothered to focus before.
She looked tired, but not defeated. Hardened, but not bitter. There was pride in her stance—even as she stood in a modest apron in a restaurant she ran with her own hands.
"Do you regret it?" he asked suddenly. "Walking away from everything?"
She stared at him for a long moment. "No. I regret not doing it sooner."
Weiqing lowered his gaze. "I see."
The silence between them wasn't strained, just complicated. Like two people circling something heavy, unsure who should lift it first.
