By Her Side, Always

"Does my wife know?" Xi Yuan asked, his voice low and filled with unspoken worry, as a million thoughts raced through his mind. His gaze was intense, searching Ching Tong's face for any hint of an answer.

When his girl's sister-in-law shook her head, he exhaled slowly, the weight lifting from his chest as he released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

"Yuan, do you want to talk about it?" Feng Mian asked softly after a long pause. The quiet from the Six Tigers, and especially from Xi Yuan, was more unsettling than witnessing their breakdowns. At least then, their emotions were clear, raw, and easily conceivable.

But this silence? It was like an oppressive fog filling the room, making it impossible to gauge their thoughts or emotions.