After the crowd dispersed, stillness settled in the tea room, pierced only by the sound of flowing water from the pool. Pei Zhen was still holding Xu Si's hand, but he had moved it from under the table to rest openly on top. His cool fingertips rested on her wrist bone; a little pressure made the skin flush slightly. Her skin was fine-textured and delicate, smooth as satin to the touch.
"It's so beautiful," he murmured, gazing down to admire it for a moment longer before releasing her arm. He was careful not to injure it and deliberately kept his distance, lips curving into a smile. "President Xu, everyone has left. What did you want to tell me? Is it something I'd like to hear?"
Transparent glass walls surrounded them, offering a view of the rockery and stream outside, where delicate grass and robust trees grew side by side.
