Within the soul barrier, Tang Xiaoli stood before Bi Fan, a blush unique to a young maiden rising on her cheeks. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, but the words she had rehearsed suddenly wouldn't come out.
Bi Fan sighed softly. He had already guessed what was coming. He lowered his head, hesitating over whether to interrupt her, when she suddenly said, a little urgently, "Don't say anything! You—you just listen to me..."
Bi Fan smiled helplessly and let go of the thought he'd just had. He raised his head and looked at her with a sigh.
Tang Xiaoli's heart sank a little. Though she hadn't said a word yet, a young woman was always most sensitive when it came to matters of the heart. Seeing the look in his eyes, she knew it wasn't a good sign.
But she had summoned all her courage to come here today, and had already prepared for the worst. What she wanted was to face him openly and honestly from now on. The outcome wasn't what mattered most.
"I know you've already guessed some of it." She lowered her eyes, her voice calm, though touched with a hint of hidden melancholy. "You were just about to stop me because you didn't want me to embarrass myself, right?"
Bi Fan gave a bitter smile. Her blunt question left him at a loss for how to respond.
At first, he'd only suspected it. After all, most people wouldn't pay much attention to this sort of thing. It wasn't until Ling Xiaoxiao dropped hints, seemingly on purpose, that he vaguely realized it might really be true.
But the more it seemed so, the less he knew how to face it.
Tang Xiaoli lifted her head slightly. Her eyes were faintly red, but her voice remained