Jian Ci turned back to Yu Xi, his expression smoothing into something softer. He was practically glowing with pride, his chest puffed out like he had just won the entire Imperial Games.
He bumped his shoulder against Yu Xi's with a smug little grin, clearly basking in his earlier verbal takedown of the instructor. Yu Xi shook his head, lips twitching. He's so easy to please, he thought.
Honestly, who in the entire Imperial Academy didn't know by now that Yu Xi was technically spoken for? If anyone dared approach him with some nonsense, and Jian Ci was within earshot, he would intercept like a territorial hawk. And the stoic and unreadable Yu Xi never stopped him. Not once.
