"We can plan that..." Lili said, a cruel smile forming on her lips.
Yet, Xin didn't answer immediately. His eyes were distant, unfocused, as though he was looking right past her and into something buried deep in his own memory.
The noise of the night around them faded, leaving only the faint hum of the air conditioner and the soft ticking of the clock.
When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet, reflective, carrying a weight that had little to do with Lili's earlier suggestion.
"You know... this is just how we started," Xin said at last.
"What do you mean?" Lili asked, frowning slightly as she tried to read his tone. Her curiosity surfaced instantly, bright and alert, but there was confusion in her expression too. She tilted her head slightly, as if to draw him back into focus, trying to understand what exactly he was referring to.
