Hua Jing's chest tightened.
I stayed too long.
The realization struck her suddenly, and her heart pounded in panic. She had lost track of time—lost herself in memories, in grief, and, most unsettlingly, in the presence of this man.
And now, she had to go.
Chen Li would return from the capital soon. If she found out that Hua Jing had left the estate, it wouldn't just be another punishment—it would be a flogging.
A heavy one.
The last time she had disobeyed, she had been locked in a room with no food or water for two days. She had barely survived it. But this time, it would be worse.
She needed to leave now.
Her gaze darted to the stranger before her, this absurdly beautiful man who had appeared in her life like a ghost.
Who is he?
She didn't know.
But there was no time to wonder.
She turned sharply on her heel, her tattered skirts whipping around her as she bolted.
She ran.
Or at least—she tried to.
Because just as she made her first step, a firm hand caught her wrist.
