Cui Lingyao nodded again. "Exactly."
That was her assessment as well.
The corners of Shen Tingyu's eyes curved as he smiled.
"In that case, when you go to the Zhao Family tomorrow, no matter who you see, just act as if you're meeting them for the first time. Whatever happens, remain composed."
At this, he looked at her steadily and added in a soft voice, "I will be by your side the entire time."
"..."
The light in his eyes was a little dazzling. Cui Lingyao avoided his gaze, lowering her eyes to take a sip from her teacup before saying, "Alright, I'll remember."
Shen Tingyu continued to watch the young woman across from him.
With his mother gravely ill, she was dressed in simple, plain clothes—an apricot-colored ruqun, with only a jade hairpin in her hair. Her slender fingers held the white porcelain teacup, her nails a clean, healthy pink, unpainted with the dye favored by noble ladies.
It was the same face, yet in the past, he had done everything to avoid Pei Shuyao.
