In fact, aside from Wang Baihu, the other three all lived in rented places, so going home or not made no real difference. Under Wang Baihu's arrangements, Northern Heaven Institute set aside several staff dormitories for them, saving them the time they would have spent commuting.
By the time everything was settled, it was already close to ten at night.
Just as Chen Xuan was about to close the shop, he suddenly spotted Honglian pacing around the courtyard.
"Is there anything else?"
"Take a walk with me?" Honglian pointed toward the side courtyard's gate.
The invitation caught him slightly off guard, but considering it was Honglian, he nodded in agreement.
If not for the attack by the mechanisms, Northern Heaven Institute was actually quite scenic, even at night. Lawns, courtyards, and century-old trees stretched along both sides of the road. Ancient-style buildings stood in the distance, while a streetlamp appeared every hundred meters or so, its pale yellow glow just right, like moons hidden among the shadows of the trees.
Compared to Foothill Mountain, which was itself a tourist attraction, this place was quieter and more beautiful, with hardly anyone to disturb them.
"Mr. Chen, Miss Lin... she didn't truly die, did she?" Honglian asked as they reached Green Grass Hall.
Chen Xuan's steps paused slightly. "Why do you ask?"
"Because when you mentioned that she was gone, your brows furrowed slightly. You seemed worried, but you weren't overwhelmed by grief... And I remember you said before that she disappeared to save me, not that she passed away. So I was wondering, does that mean there's still a sliver of hope?"
So his expression had given him away... Was that why she had asked him out alone? Chen Xuan suddenly understood. He had not expected her to notice such details.