Lixue sighed, shaking her head as she led the way to the dining room. "Rules like that are ridiculous. If you're going to work with me, you'll eat with me too. No exceptions."
Aster hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Understood, madam."
Lixue sat at the long dining table, which looked far too extravagant for just one person. It had been set with an elaborate breakfast, but the emptiness of the space made it feel uninviting. She gestured for Aster to sit across from her, and though the woman looked slightly unsure, she eventually complied.
As they began eating, Lixue glanced at her phone, she hadn't checked her phone before going to bed, and when she woke up, she was too preoccupied with Mo Ran's absence and the lingering exhaustion from the night before.
She also hadn't thought much about where he could have gone—after all, he was always busy with work, and it wasn't unusual for him to leave early for meetings.
