Silence stretched between them, heavy and unresolved.
"I just wish you'd tell me." Liuxian's voice came out quiet now, all the earlier fire drained from it, leaving something closer to plain, tired want.
"And I wish you'd wait." Guiying's own voice softened to match. "Just a little. Until I'm ready."
Neither of them said anything more after that.
The words sat between them, not fixing anything, not undoing anything either.
Guiying turned toward the door. "I'm heading home. I'm tired."
Liuxian didn't stop him this time.
The walk back through the building passed in a blur. Guiying barely registered the security stationed along the corridors, barely registered Haiyan falling into step beside him the moment he reached the entrance.
"Home, please." His voice came out flat, worn thin.
Haiyan didn't ask questions, simply opening the car door and pulling away from the property the moment Guiying settled into the back seat.
