She didn't immediately respond, her gaze still fixed on the pages of the book in her hands, as if she hadn't heard him.
He stood there for a moment, waiting, before deciding to sitting on the bench next to her, but sitll enough distance between them.
Jiang Xiu blinked, her attention snapping back to reality. She looked up at him, slightly startled, before offering a small, almost apologetic smile. "Oh, Gao Tian. I didn't hear you."
He studied her for a moment, noticing how distant her expression seemed. "You okay? You've been out here for a while."
Jiang Xiu gave a small shrug, her eyes flicking back to the book. "Just thinking. Needed a break from the noise, I guess."
Gao Tian nodded, still unsure of what to say.
The dimming light, the solitude, and the way she seemed so detached—it didn't sit well with him.
But rather than asking questions she might not want to answer, he quietly held out the small paper bag in his hand.
