Chapter 15: Something dangerously close to happiness
Zhao Yan froze.
Hua Jing's voice, soft and tinged with childish displeasure, hung in the air. His sharp gaze locked onto her as if she had cast a spell, rooting him to the spot.
Her head peeked out from behind the crimson curtains, the red silk framing her delicate features. Her lower lip jutted out in an exaggerated pout, her eyes wide and glistening like a cat's, reflecting the flickering glow of the lanterns. The playful mischief in her expression made her look both innocent and utterly captivating.
Zhao Yan's world came to a standstill.
It was as though he was seeing her for the first time. The woman who had annoyed him endlessly at breakfast, frustrated him with her antics, and wrecked their bridal chamber now seemed almost unreal.
She was beautiful.
No, more than beautiful. Zhao Yan couldn't find the words to describe what he was feeling. Her beauty wasn't just in her features—it was in the way her pout tugged at something inside him, the way her wide eyes seemed to peer directly into his soul, and the way her playful spirit seemed to breathe warmth into the cold space around him.
For the first time in years, he felt something crack in the icy wall surrounding his heart.
"Come here," he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper.
Hua Jing blinked, her pout fading slightly as confusion flickered across her face. She tilted her head, studying him like a curious kitten.
"What?" she asked, her tone laced with suspicion.