That night—
Lian Hua didn't turn on the lights.
She sat by the window in the dark, watching the city glow softly in the distance.
Everything looked calm.
Peaceful.
But inside her—
There was nothing but noise.
An arranged marriage.
You will become a weakness.
It will cost him everything.
She closed her eyes.
"Why does it feel like this…" she whispered.
Because the truth was simple.
She loved him.
And that was exactly why this hurt so much.
Her phone lit up.
Zhen Wei.
She stared at his name for a long moment.
Her heart reacted immediately.
But her fingers didn't move.
It rang once.
Twice.
Then stopped.
A message came through.
"Where are you?"
Another.
"We need to talk."
Her chest tightened.
She knew what he wanted.
He had probably already heard.
Or maybe—
He just felt it.
Because he always did.
At the flower shop the next morning—
Lian Hua moved slowly.
Everything felt heavier.
Every action.
Every breath.
Chen Kai watched her carefully.
"You didn't sleep," he said.
She didn't deny it.
"I kept thinking," she admitted.
"And?"
She didn't answer immediately.
Because saying it out loud—
Would make it real.
Before she could respond—
The bell rang.
Zhen Wei.
He stepped inside quickly.
No calm.
No distance.
Just urgency.
"Why didn't you answer me?" he asked.
His voice wasn't loud.
But it carried tension.
Lian Hua looked at him.
"I needed time."
"I already gave you time."
"This is different."
He stepped closer.
"What happened?" he asked.
She hesitated.
Then—
"I met your father."
His expression darkened instantly.
"…alone?" he asked.
She nodded.
"I told you not to—"
"I had to."
Silence.
"What did he say?" Zhen Wei asked.
Lian Hua's hands tightened slightly.
"He told me about the arrangement."
A sharp pause.
Zhen Wei didn't speak.
Because now—
Everything was out in the open.
"He told you about that?" he said finally.
"Yes."
Another silence.
"And?" he asked.
The question was simple.
But it carried everything.
Lian Hua looked at him.
And for a moment—
She almost said nothing.
Almost pretended it didn't matter.
Almost chose the easier path.
But she didn't.
"…he's right," she said softly.
Zhen Wei froze.
"What?"
"This… isn't simple," she continued.
"I know that."
"No," she said.
"You ignore that."
His gaze sharpened.
"I choose what matters."
"And what if choosing me destroys something important in your life?"
"It won't."
"You don't know that."
"I do."
Her heart tightened.
Because that certainty—
That confidence—
It was exactly what made this harder.
"You're giving up too much," she said.
"I'm not giving up anything."
"Yes, you are," she whispered.
Silence.
Then—
The words came.
The ones she had been holding back.
"…maybe we shouldn't do this."
Everything stopped.
The air.
The moment.
Him.
Zhen Wei stared at her.
"…what did you just say?"
Her voice trembled slightly.
"Maybe this isn't right."
The words felt like breaking something fragile.
"Because of him?" he asked.
"No."
"Because of what he said?"
"…because it's true."
Silence.
Heavy.
Unbearable.
Zhen Wei's voice dropped.
"So you're leaving."
It wasn't a question.
It was a realization.
Lian Hua's eyes softened.
"I'm trying to protect you."
"I don't need protection."
"But I care about you."
"Then don't walk away."
Her chest tightened.
"This isn't easy for me."
"It's not easy for me either."
Silence.
For the first time—
He looked at her differently.
Not just intense.
Not just certain.
But hurt.
"…so that's it?" he asked quietly.
She didn't answer.
Because anything she said—
Would make it worse.
And that silence—
Was answer enough.