The crowd slowly dispersed, but the silence that followed felt heavier than the confrontation itself.
Lin Yue stood where he was, unable to move, his heart still pounding as if it hadn't caught up with what had just happened. The echo of Feng Lihan's words repeated in his mind.
As long as I stand here, no one gets to decide your worth.
He lowered his head, fingers trembling slightly. For a moment, he felt small again—like he had in his previous world, standing alone under judgment that never belonged to him.
"Lin Yue."
Feng Lihan's voice was softer now, stripped of command and authority. Just his name—spoken like it mattered.
Lin Yue looked up.
Feng Lihan had stepped closer, close enough that Lin Yue could feel the warmth of him, the faint scent of wind and metal and something steady. Protective. Real.
"You don't have to stay here," Feng Lihan said. "If you want to leave, I'll walk you back."
Lin Yue shook his head before he realized it. "No… I'm fine."
Night fell over the clan like a held breath.
The confrontation from earlier had ended, yet its echoes lingered—especially for Layla, who stood at the edge of the training grounds, watching two figures in the distance. Feng Lihan and Lin Yue walked side by side beneath the pale glow of spirit lanterns. They weren't touching, yet the space between them felt intimate, charged with something unspoken.
Layla's nails dug into her palm.
So it's true, she thought bitterly. He didn't just defend him out of duty.
The wind shifted, brushing past her as if mocking her frustration.
Lin Yue slowed his steps when they reached the quiet path near the outer ridge. The clan lights dimmed behind them, replaced by the soft hum of nocturnal beasts and rustling leaves. His heart still hadn't settled since earlier. Feng Lihan's presence beside him felt both comforting and dangerous—dangerous because Lin Yue knew his own heart had already crossed a line.
"About today…" Lin Yue began, then stopped. The words felt too small.
Feng Lihan halted and turned toward him. "You don't owe me thanks."
"That's not what I was going to say." Lin Yue took a breath, steadying himself. "I'm afraid."
The honesty surprised even him.
Feng Lihan's expression softened. "Of what?"
"That I'll become your weakness," Lin Yue said quietly. "People already think I'm the reason trouble follows you. If this continues, they'll use me against you."
For a long moment, Feng Lihan said nothing. Then he reached out—not to touch, but to stand closer, so their shoulders almost brushed.
"A warrior chooses what he protects," Feng Lihan said. "And a chief chooses what he bears."
Lin Yue looked up at him. "And if the burden is too heavy?"
"Then I carry it," Feng Lihan replied without hesitation.
Those words sent a sharp ache through Lin Yue's chest. He clenched his fists, fighting the urge to say something reckless—something that could never be taken back.
Hidden among the trees, Layla watched their silhouettes overlap in the lantern light. Her jealousy twisted into resolve.
If words wouldn't separate them, then reality would.
She turned away, already planning
Later that night, Lin Yue lay awake in his quarters, staring at the ceiling. His mind replayed Feng Lihan's voice, his presence, the way he never once made Lin Yue feel like he needed to earn his place.
I've already fallen in love with him, Lin Yue admitted silently. And that's exactly why this terrifies me.