Chapter 55: As if you could leave me behind
Hua Jing stirred awake, her eyelids fluttering open slowly. A warm comfort enveloped her, and for a brief, blissful moment, she forgot everything.
Her gaze wandered around the room, and it wasn’t until she realized the bed beside her was empty that her senses sharpened.
Zhao Yan was gone.
She sat up groggily, rubbing her eyes, and spotted him standing by the other side of the room. He was already dressed in fresh robes—a light greenish hue that seemed to glow in the morning light. It softened the sharpness of his features, and the faint glimpse of his face behind the mask made him look... regal.
Hua Jing blinked twice, trying to clear her sleep-heavy thoughts. She instinctively looked around, scanning for anything out of place. Her brows furrowed as she tugged at the quilt and peeked under it dramatically. Her hands checked her robes with exaggerated urgency.
Zhao Yan clicked his tongue, his sharp gaze catching her mid-act. "Nothing happened," he said flatly.
Hua Jing froze, caught red-handed.
"I don’t know what you think of me," he continued, his tone clipped yet tinged with amusement, "but you can stop being so dramatic. I don’t need to explain myself, but I assure you—nothing."
Hua Jing’s lips twitched as a mischievous grin spread across her face. "Oh?" she drawled, cocking her head. "A little defensive, aren’t we? Did someone get a little flustered last night?"
Zhao Yan’s eyes narrowed, though there was no sharpness in his expression. "Flustered? You’re dreaming."
"Am I?" Hua Jing leaned back against the bedframe, stretching leisurely. "Then why is your face all... tight? Oh wait, I can’t really tell with that mask of yours."