He painted the box with the memory of her first smile. He tied it with a ribbon made of her tiny, grasping fingers. And then, he locked it.
He knew that if he ever opened that box, he wouldn't be able to stay. He would quit his job, follow Yuanfeng to that dusty apartment, and spend his life sweeping the floors and making tea just to be near her.
But he couldn't do that. He was the Butler of the Chi Manor. He was the one who held the keys to the information, the secrets, and the resources that she might one day need.
So, he controlled himself. He stayed by Grandpa Chi's side, a perfect, cold instrument of the family's will. For years, he watched from a distance.
He read the reports Yuanfeng sent. He looked at the rare photos. He kept his emotions in that box, never daring to peek inside, lest the flood break the dam.
And then, a week ago, she had returned.
