Chapter Ten
Ping hesitated, her feet refusing to move. Walk with him? She had spent her whole life fearing this man, believing the rumors that painted him as a monster.
And yet, here he was, waiting for her. Not forcing her. Not threatening her.
Still, her instincts screamed at her to be careful.
"I don't see the point," she finally said, keeping her distance.
Ling arched a brow. "The point is simple—you wish to know what kind of man I am. This is your chance."
Ping bit her lip. Was he reading her mind?
Ling turned, walking slowly along the stone path without looking back. "Stay if you wish. Or come."
Ping exhaled sharply. She didn't like this. But at the same time, she hated being left in the dark even more.
After a brief moment of hesitation, she followed.
The garden stretched far beyond what she expected, leading to a quiet pavilion overlooking a vast lake. The water shimmered under the afternoon sun, a view so breathtaking that for a moment, Ping forgot where she was.
"This doesn't look like the home of a monster," she murmured before she could stop herself.
Ling chuckled softly. "No, it does not."
Ping tensed, realizing she had spoken aloud. But Ling didn't seem offended. Instead, he studied the lake with a distant look in his golden eyes.
"I imagine you've heard many things about me," he said. "Some of them may even be true."
Ping stiffened. "So you admit it?"
Ling turned to face her, his expression unreadable. "I admit that people fear what they do not understand."
She frowned. "Then explain it to me."
Ling smirked slightly. "That depends. Are you willing to listen?"
Ping crossed her arms. "That depends. Are you willing to tell the truth?"
A flicker of something—amusement, perhaps—passed through his gaze.
For the first time, Ping realized something.
This wasn't just a battle of words.
It was a battle of trust. And neither of them was willing to lose.