The night air still lingered heavy after Hei Long's words, leaving Qingxue, Yuran, and Yexin to stew in silence. The moment he left, none of them moved for a long while. The tension in the Jade Hall felt alive, like the walls themselves were listening.
Finally, Qingxue was the first to break.
"…He always does this." Her voice was quiet, but sharp as a blade. "Pushes us toward the edge, then disappears."
Yexin's laugh was soft, mocking. "And you keep running after him, don't you? The proud ice queen, willing to melt for a man."
Yuran, however, did not rise to the provocation. She stood gracefully, smoothing her sleeves. "It doesn't matter what either of you say. His words weren't for you. They were for all of us. He's telling us the same thing in different ways."
"What's that?" Qingxue snapped.
"That he won't choose," Yuran replied calmly. "Not yet. Not unless we make him."
