The veins at the man's temple, which had been taut near his rugged sideburns, began to fade slightly. His voice was soft, gentler than ever, as though even the slightest increase in volume might frighten the petite woman before him.
"Qikan, I… I'm scared."
She thought she could still express what she wanted to say completely, but the moment she heard Xie Qikan's low, warm voice, Yuan Xiaoxiao's tears instantly burst forth like a broken dam. Crystalline teardrops streamed down in torrents, and she choked back sobs, unable to utter another word for a long time.
She wanted to suppress it, even biting down on her slender, ivory-like fingers to stifle it, but her heart's overwhelming vulnerability inevitably erupted beyond her control.
"Mm, I know. I promise nothing will happen to you."
Xie Qikan's voice carried an unshakable resolve.
