Chapter 153: Carrying the Flame
As we walked in silence toward Elder Ming’s house, Tianyi’s gaze lingered on me. Her presence, usually a quiet comfort, felt unusually intent. Finally, she spoke, her voice soft but firm. “You’re hurt.”
I stiffened, shaking my head without looking at her. “I’m fine.”
“You are not,” she said, stepping in front of me and stopping my stride. Her sharp eyes scanned me, seeing through the façade I’d worked so hard to maintain. “Why do you ignore it?”
“There’s too much to do,” I replied, sidestepping her. “The village needs me right now.”
“The village needs you whole.”
Before I could argue, she stepped behind me, her arms wrapping gently around my torso. I froze, startled by the gesture. Warmth bloomed where her hands rested, spreading through my chest and ribs in a soothing wave. The lingering ache in my side eased, and the tightness in my throat relaxed. It wasn’t a complete cure, but the relief was enough to steal my breath.
“Tianyi…”
She leaned her chin lightly on my shoulder. It seemed the act had taken a lot out of her. “You don’t need to do everything alone, Kai. Let us help.”
I nodded, my voice caught in my throat. “Thank you,” I managed after a moment.