Li Shen's fingers curled slowly into a fist at his side.
For a moment, no one spoke.
The silence stretched—tight, suffocating—like something on the verge of snapping.
Then—
he smiled.
It wasn't right.
Not the sharp sarcasm from before.
Not even anger.
This one was quieter.
More dangerous.
"Alright," Li Shen said softly, almost to himself. "So that's how it is."
My chest tightened.
Cheng Mo didn't move.
Didn't react.
But I felt it—the shift in him. Subtle. Tense. Like a blade drawn just beneath the surface.
Li Shen took a step back this time.
One step.
But his eyes never left me.
"You know," he continued, voice low, "I used to think you were just… blind."
A pause.
His gaze flickered over Cheng Mo briefly, then returned—sharper.
"But this?" he let out a quiet breath.
"This isn't blindness."
Another step back.
"This is a choice."
Something in the way he said it made my stomach twist.
Not accusing.
Not questioning.
Just… stating it.
And somehow, that made it heavier.
Cheng Mo's hand brushed against mine—brief, grounding—but Li Shen saw it.
Of course he did.
His expression cracked.
Just for a second.
Jealousy—raw and unfiltered—flashed across his face before it hardened again.
"…Fine," he said, nodding faintly. "Then don't regret it."
The words weren't loud.
But they carried weight.
A warning.
Or maybe a promise.
Then suddenly—
he stepped forward again.
Too fast.Too close.
Before I could react, his hand shot out—grabbing my wrist.
Firm.
Not enough to hurt.
But enough to stop me.
"Because next time," Li Shen said, his voice dropping to something almost unrecognizable, "I won't just stand here and watch."
Cheng Mo moved instantly.
Gripping Li Shen's arm, forcing the distance back between us.
Their eyes locked—
and this time, there was no restraint left.
Only collision.
Only fire waiting to explode.