Ningning looked at him.
Really looked.
The way his brows were drawn together, the way he held her hand like it was something precious he was afraid to lose, the way his chest was slightly puffed out as if he were bracing himself for a blow.
Her lips curved slowly.
Then she smiled.
"Well.." she drawled, tilting her head as if deep in thought, her eyes tracking Ayres's retreating back. "Ayres is very... sturdy. And did you see the way he lifted Runa? It was like she was made of feathers. There's just something about that kind of raw, effortless strength. It's quite impressive, don't you think?"
Weijie's expression shifted instantly. The wounded puppy look vanished, replaced by a sheer, competitive determination that flickered like a blue flame in his pupils.
His grip on her hand tightened ever so slightly, not enough to hurt, but enough to remind her exactly whose territory she was standing in.
"Sturdy?" he echoed, his voice dropping an octave into a low, possessive growl.
