He knew he had gone too far.
Far beyond the boundaries she could accept at this moment.
The hum of the air conditioner in the room became audible once more, but it no longer brought a trace of warmth, leaving only a suffocating silence and the deep, lingering regret in Shen Yuan's eyes.
He watched Li Zhi, his breathing shallow, as he waited for her judgment, or… for her to flee.
Li Zhi was curled up in the indentation his body had left, her fingertips digging deep into the plush blanket beneath her as if to draw some small measure of strength from it.
The moment she uttered the word "afraid," the air seemed to freeze.
She could feel Shen Yuan's sudden panic, his heavy breathing. The dull thud of him hitting the headboard was like a hammer blow to her frayed nerves.
He had pulled away, and the oppressive feeling was gone, but the terror and helplessness still clung to her.
The unconcealed regret and helplessness in Shen Yuan's eyes pricked her heart like needles.
