ce，hisvoicebreaking.＂Itmatterstome，Sukie.Itmattersmorethananything.Butwehavetobecareful.Therearepeoplewhowoulduseourfeelingsagainstus.＂

Shegtohim，herheartag.＂Idon，tcareeoplethink.Ijustwanttobewithyou.＂

Heheldherforalongmoment，thenpulledbackslightlytolookintohereyes.＂Iwantthattoo，Sukie.Butwehavetobesmartaboutthis.We，tletouremotionscloudment.＂

Beforeshecouldrespond，thesoundoffootstepsapproagmadethembothteheyturoseeaservantbowingdeeply.＂YoungMasterHan，MissHan，LordXierequestsyourpresence.＂

HanFengling，sjawtightened，buthenodded.＂We，llberightthere.＂

Astheywalkedbacktotheba，Sukie，smindraced.Shekheirfeelingsforeachotherwerereal，buttheobstaclestheyfacedseemedinsurmountable.XieTianxieowerfulenemy，andtheirretionshipwasboundtoattrawatention.

Backattheba，XieTiaoodattheterofthecourtyard，hiseyesgleamingwithmalice.＂Ah，thereyouare，＂hesaidsmoothly.＂Iwasjusttellishowfortuheyaretohavesuchabeautifulandtalentedhostess.＂

Sukieforcedasmile，butherheartwasheavy.ShecouldfeelHanFengling，sprotectivepresencebesideher，astantremihattheywereinthistogether.

Therestoftheeveningpassedinablur.Sukieexgedpleasahtheguests，hermindonlyhalfontheversations.ShecouldfeelXieTianxie，seyesonher，hispreseant，ulingremihedaheyfaced.

Asthebadrewtoaclose，HanFenglingguidedhertoaquietererofthegardealk，＂hesaidsoftly.