Meanwhile, Jian Ci finally turned his communicator back on. The first thing that flashed across the screen was the imperial palace invite. He ignored it. His eyes were red, his face haggard, exhaustion etched into every line. He was about to call Yu Xi and let him know they need to talk when Jian Rui's name appeared instead.
Jian Ci answered, his voice hoarse, frayed at the edges.
"Are you alright?" Jian Rui asked immediately but only slence came from the other side.
Jian Ci didn't reply. Jian Rui called his name again, and then a third time, his tone sharper and more urgent.
Finally, Jian Ci spoke, his voice low and defeated. "Why didn't you tell me?"
Jian Rui froze. "Tell you… what?"
Jian Ci's words came out like a broken confession. "Why didn't you tell me it was Yu Xi guiding me all these years?"
The line went quiet. Jian Rui's throat tightened. He didn't know how to respond or where to start. "I—"
