"Master… you knew everything?"
Zoe's voice trembled. Realizing it hadn't been a hearing mistake, he confronted Yuzhen directly.
Yuzhen gently took Zoe's hand and slipped the ring off his finger. "Is this disguise truly necessary between us?"
"Yuzhen…" Zoe tried to speak, but Yuzhen pressed a finger lightly to his lips, silencing him. He studied Zoe's face for a long moment, eyes softening.
"To see this face again… I waited five years." His fingertips brushed Zoe's cheek with aching tenderness. "Let me look at you a little longer."
He cupped Zoe's face, savoring the moment he had longed for through countless lonely days.
