<p style="font-size:16px">Themoonhunghighinthesky，castingasilverglowovertheopulentgardenoftheHanfamilymansion.Lanternsswayedgentlyinthebreeze，castingflickeringshadowsontheground.Theairwasfilledwiththefragrantstofbloomingjasmine，minglingwiththedistantstrainsofapipabeingpyedbyaskilledmusi.ThegrandbahostedbytheHanfamilywasinfullswing，andthecourtyardwasfilledwiththechatterandughteroftheeliteofthecity.
Sukie，dressedinanexquisitesilkgownthatshimmeredinthemoonlight，stoodbyacherryblossomtree.Herheartwasastormofemotions.Shewatchedasguestsmilledabout，hereyesoccasionallydriftingtoherbrother，HanFenglialkingtoagroupofmen，hisexpressioncalmandposed，buteverysooften，hiseyeswouldseekherout，filledwithanunspokeion.
Astheeveningworeon，SukiefoundherselfincreasinglyawareofHanFengling，spresence.Shecouldfeelhisgazeonher，evenwhenshewasn，tlookingdirectlyathim.Theiriions，subtleahmeaning，hadnotgoneunnoticedbytheuests.Murmursandwhispersfollowedthemwherevertheywent，butSukiepaidthemnomind.Herheartwastoofull，tooflicted.
＂MissHan，youlookexquisitetonight，＂afamiliar，icyvoiterruptedherthoughts.Sukieturofindherselfface－to－facewithXieTiahepowerfundmalevolentbossoftheregion.Hiseyesweredarkandintense，apredatorysmilepyingonhislips.
Sukieforcedapolitesmile.＂Thankyou，LordXie.Yourpresencegracesourhumbleba.＂
XieTiaeppedcloser，hisgazeneverleavinghers.＂I，vebeenwatgyouallevening，MissHan.Youaretrulythemostbeautifulflowerinthisgarden.Itwouldbeashameifsuchaflowerweretowitherawayintheeoneunworthy.＂
Sukie，sheartpoundedinherchest.Shecouldsehedangerlurkingbehindhiswords.＂Iamftteredbyyourattention，LordXie，butIassureyou，mybrotherandmyfamilytakeexcellente.＂
XieTianxie，ssmilewidened，buthiseyesremainedcold.＂Ah，yes，yourbrother.Heseemsquite...protectiveofyou.Almostpossessive，onemightsay.＂
BeforeSukiecouldrespond，HanFenglingappearedatherside，hisexpressioncalmbuthiseyesfshingwithanger.＂LordXie，Ibelievemysisterhaseainedyoulongenough.Ifyouwouldexcuseus.＂
XieTianxie，sgazeshiftedtoHanFengling，hissmileneverwavering.＂Ofcourse，YoungMasterHan.Itwouldnotdotooverstaymywele.＂Hebowedslightly，buthiseyeslingeredonSukieamomentlongerbeforeheturnedandwalkedaway.
HanFenglilytookSukie，sarm，leadingherawayfromthecrowd.＂Areyht?＂heasked，hisvoicelowandfilledwith.
内容未完，下一页继续阅读 </p><p style="font-size:16px">Sukienodded，herheartstillrag.＂Yes，I，mfihankyou.＂
Theywalkedinsilehenightaircoogainsttheirskin.Thegardenwasquieternow，thesoundsofthebafadingintothebackground.
HanFenglingstoppedbyasmallpond，thewaterreflegthemoonlight.HeturofaceSukie，hiseyessearghers.＂Youshouldbecarefurouianxie.He，sdangerous.＂
Sukielookeddownatthewater，herreflerippling.＂Iknow.Butit，snotjusthimI，mworriedabout.＂
HanFenglingfrowned.＂Whatdoyoumean?＂
Shetookadeepbreath，strugglingtofindtherightwords.＂Fengling，I，vebeenfeeling...straely.Aboutus.Aboutyou.＂
Hisfrowndeepened，buthedidn，tinterrupther.
＂Iknowwe，resupposedtobesiblingsinthisworld，butsometimesIfeellikethere，ssomethingmorebetweenus，＂shetinued，hervoicetrembling.＂Idon，tknowifit，sjustmeorifyoufeelittoo，butI，tiganymore.＂
HanFengling，sexpressionsoftened，andhereachedouttogentlycupherfahishand.＂Sukie，I...Ifeelittoo.Butit，splicated.We，relivinginaworldthathasitsownrulesandexpectations.Andevenifwe，renottrulyreted，othersbelieveweare.＂
TearswelledupinSukie，seyes.＂Butwhataboutwhatwefeel?Shouldn，tthatmatter?＂
HanFenglingpulledherintoatightembrace，hisvoicebreaking.＂Itmatterstome，Sukie.Itmattersmorethananything.Butwehavetobecareful.Therearepeoplewhowoulduseourfeelingsagainstus.＂
内容未完，下一页继续阅读 </p><p style="font-size:16px">Shegtohim，herheartag.＂Idon，tcareeoplethink.Ijustwanttobewithyou.＂
Heheldherforalongmoment，thenpulledbackslightlytolookintohereyes.＂Iwantthattoo，Sukie.Butwehavetobesmartaboutthis.We，tletouremotionsent.＂
Beforeshecouldrespond，thesoundoffootstepsapproagmadethembothteheyturoseeaservantbowingdeeply.＂YoungMasterHan，MissHan，LordXierequestsyourpresence.＂
HanFengling，sjawtightened，buthenodded.＂We，llberightthere.＂
Astheywalkedbacktotheba，Sukie，smindraced.Shekheirfeelingsforeachotherwerereal，buttheobstaclestheyfacedseemedinsurmountable.XieTianxieowerfulenemy，andtheirretionshipwasboundtoattrawatention.
Backattheba，XieTiaoodattheterofthecourtyard，hiseyesgleamingwithmalice.＂Ah，thereyouare，＂hesaidsmoothly.＂Iwasjusttellishowfortuheyaretohavesuchabeautifundtalentedhostess.＂
Sukieforcedasmile，butherheartwasheavy.ShecouldfeelHanFengling，sprotectivepresencebesideher，astantremihattheywereinthistogether.
Therestoftheeveningpassedinablur.Sukieexgedpleasahtheguests，hermindonlyhalfontheversations.ShecouldfeelXieTianxie，seyesonher，hispreseant，ulingremihedaheyfaced.
Asthebadrewtoaclose，HanFenglingguidedhertoaquietererofthegardealk，＂hesaidsoftly.
Shenodded，herheartpounding.＂Iknow.＂
Hetookadeepbreath，hiseyesfilledwithdetermination.＂Sukie，I，tpretendthatourfeelingsdo.Butwehavetobecareful.XieTianxieiswatgus，andhe，snottheonlyone.Weofindarotectourselvesandourfamily.＂
内容未完，下一页继续阅读 </p><p style="font-size:16px">Shelookedupathim，hereyesfilledwithtears.＂Whatdowedo?＂
Hepulledherintoanotherembrace，hisvoicegefirm.＂Westaystroaytogether.Andwefightforwhatwebelievein.＂
Astheystoodthere，holdingeachotheruhemoonlight，Sukiefeasenseofhope.Itwouldn，tbeeasy，butshekheycouldfacewhateverchallengescametheirway，aslongastheyhadeachother.
Daysturoweeks，aensioweenSukieandHanFenglingonlygrewstroheyspentmoretimetogether，theirbonddeepeningwitheachpassingday.Theypracticedtheirmartiartstogether，trainedinstrategy，andstudiedthewsoftheirfamilybusiness.Everystolengnce，everybrushoftheirhands，everysharedsmilewasasilentpromiseoftheiritmenttoeachother.