Usually, he couldn’t get Shi Qingxuan to shut up when something was wrong. This was… weird. Different in a way that put He Xuan on edge, an unanticipated ripple in the familiarity of their comfortable current. He didn’t know how to tread in a situation like this, so he didn’t bother trying.
He stayed put. He waited. He let her come to him, confident that she would.
After some time, Shi Qingxuan set down her cup. She pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin there, her arms locked around her legs. She fiddled with the golden bracelet that danged from her left wrist, bullying the little leaf charm between her thumb and her forefinger. Her eyes downcast, she pursed her lips and sighed.
“Hey… am I too pushy, He-xiong?”
… what?
