0162 - Flames of the Heart

"It's been a while," Lu Zheng said, pouring tea for both of them. "I trust you've been well?"

The woman's eyes flashed dangerously. "Well enough to come here and settle our unfinished business."

Lu Zheng sipped his tea, unperturbed by her hostility. "And what business might that be? Last I checked, we parted ways long ago."

"Parted ways?" she hissed, her fingers tightening around her cup. "Is that what you call abandoning everything we built together?"

"We had different paths," Lu Zheng replied evenly. "Different dreams." A melancholy tone escaped with a sigh. He paused, studying her for a moment. "Are you still... practicing that method?"

Her eyes narrowed, but she didn't respond directly. The glow of her skin and the vitality in her movements were the answer enough.

"I see," Lu Zheng said softly, disgust creeping into his voice. "So you found a way."

"Unlike you," she spat, "I'm not a coward. I do what needs to be done."