Yuheng arched a brow. "That direct?"
"I'm being kind," Yanchen said simply. His gaze, still fixed on the empty road, carried a quiet weight. "You've been gone abroad for years. Now that you're back, you need to focus on stabilizing your footing here. This isn't the time to get distracted."
"I didn't say I was distracted..." Yuheng said, though his smirk betrayed him. "Just… interested."
Yanchen turned to him, the faintest of smiles curving his lips but it didn't reach his eyes. "Interests come and go. Power stays. Pick which one you want to lose first."
Yuheng met his gaze, the air between them sharpening for a brief second, before he sighed and pushed off the railing.
"Alright, alright. No need to get territorial." He shrugged his jacket on and flashed a grin. "But if you're this defensive already, I'd say you're not as calm as you're pretending to be, Yanchen."
