"There," she said, surveying them both again. "Much better."
Yuyan's hair gleamed. Chen Xiao's hair was fluffy and dry, framing his small face.
They looked... cared for. Clean. Like children who had someone looking after them.
Even if that someone didn't quite know what she was doing.
From the bathroom, the sound of water stopped. A few moments later, Lu Yuze emerged, dressed in the dark gray pants and a black shirt, his hair damp but combed back neatly. He looked refreshed, less battered, more like the dangerous businessman he was known to be.
His gaze swept over the children, taking in their dried hair, their clean pajamas, their quiet waiting.
Then his eyes moved to Shuyin, kneeling on the floor beside the discarded blow-dryer, her bandaged hands still resting on Chen Xiao's shoulders.
Something in his expression softened, just slightly, just for a moment.
"Good," he said simply.
