Yang Lingyun's shoulders, tense for so long, finally sagged a little. He turned his head slightly, his eyes meeting hers. The storm in them hadn't passed, but it had found an anchor.
"Why is it," he muttered, half to himself, "that every time I start to lose control, you show up?"
She smiled faintly, her usual sharpness replaced with something softer. "Because someone has to keep the great Yang Lingyun from doing something stupid."
He gave a short, dry laugh.
"My little bird…" he murmured, his fingers brushing against hers lightly. "Can you… make me forget for a while? Just… kiss my thoughts away."
Xia Lihua blinked at him, momentarily stunned. She wasn't used to seeing him like this — unguarded, without the confident edge he usually carried. For once, he wasn't the untouchable Yang Lingyun the world saw.
Without waiting for her to move, he gently reached out, grasping her by the waist and pulling her closer until she was straddling his lap.
