Ensure her transition is seamless

Nangong Jiantao sat in his study long after Butler Chao left, the weight of his own words pressing down on him. Memories surfaced unbidden, bringing with them the sharp sting of regret he had spent years trying to ignore.

He had always thought he was protecting Leili, guarding her against a world that would tear her apart if she wasn't careful. Yet in the process, he had only pushed her further away.

She had been so vibrant back then—her laughter ringing through the halls, her stubborn streak was both infuriating and endearing. And then, Yu Zhengwei came along. Jiantao hadn't disliked him because of his lack of wealth or standing; the Yu family wasn't insignificant. But something about Zhengwei had unsettled him. Perhaps it was the younger man's audacity, the way he had looked Jiantao in the eye as if they were equals. Or maybe it was the fear, buried deep in Jiantao's chest, that he couldn't control this choice his daughter was making.