Du Juan smiled softly, the faint curve of her lips never faltering.
"Alright then. It's going to be our little secre—" Her words stopped mid-breath.
For a moment, she simply stared, her eyes unfocused as an odd stillness washed over her face.
The hum of conversation in the hall faded into a distant blur.
Fang Yuan noticed the hesitation, tilting his head slightly, calm but puzzled.
Du Juan blinked once, then twice, as if trying to recall what she had just said. There was no real reason her tongue had formed those words, no calculation behind them.
Yet the moment they left her mouth, she felt as if she was being herself and at the same time, not.
She turned toward Fang Yuan, a flicker of quiet confusion clouding her gaze.
Without saying a word, Fang Yuan met her eyes and then he gave a small, deliberate nod.
Her confusion deepened. Why did he nod to her? Is that a secret message?
