A crash? [1]

For a long moment, none of them spoke as they simply held him.

Shi Yixian's hug was the tightest as her fingers dug into his back.

Fei Lingxi's cool hands traced the fresh scars on his chest.

"You…" Xia Shenyi muttered as her fingers tightened on his waist.

She tilted her head up adn Zhao Tian saw her eyes red-rimmed and filled with the weight of sleepless nights. "Do you have any idea… how worried we were?"

Zhao Tian let out a slow exhale as he looked at them one by one.

"I know," 

His hand gently cupped Xia Shenyi's face as his thumb brushed away the tears that threatened to fall. "I'm sorry."

Shi Yixian suddenly buried her face into his chest and her shoulders shook as she clenched onto him. "My Liege...."

Fei Lingxi let out a soft sigh, but her grip on him didn't loosen. "We thought we lost you."

Zhao Tian's heart clenched in pain seeing them like this.

He hated the idea of them suffering because of him.