Xia Yuqing and Lu Jinchen walked down the stairs together, their hands still loosely intertwined. The sound of their footsteps echoed softly through the grand hallway.
In the living room, Lu Junhan and Fei Ruyan were already waiting. Fei Ruyan looked up first, her eyes immediately falling on the single suitcase Xia Yuqing was pulling behind her. Her face creased with worry. "You're really going alone?" she asked, glancing from the suitcase to her son. "Jinchen isn't going with you?"
Before Xia Yuqing could reply, Lu Jinchen gave a small shake of his head. "I can take care of myself," Xia Yuqing said with a calm smile. "There's no need to worry, Mom."
But just then, Lu Junhan spoke up from where he sat. His voice was firm, carrying a trace of disapproval. "You're a girl. Going so far all by yourself? That's not right. Jinchen should go with you."
