Behind the door, Long smiled softly. A sense of triumph crept in after successfully teasing that mischievous 'big sister'. The laughter was light, dissolving immediately into the air, not strong enough to pass through the thin wall to Lia's ears.
How long had it been? Since the day his grandfather left, his face had finally relaxed so peacefully. It wasn't a forced smile anymore, but a gentleness coming from the bottom of his heart. He used to be besieged by depression, letting himself sink into the swamp of uncertainty. But now, a ray of light had ignited in the middle of the dark night. He had a reason to move forward.
The glaring electric light flooded the bathroom space, reflecting the image of a slender teenager in the large mirror. Long stared at the black T-shirt that was durable enough that goblin teeth couldn't pierce it, but still left behind patchy dark stains of slime and blood.
He reached his long hands to grab the hem of the shirt, decisively pulling it over his head and throwing it into the laundry basket along with the makeshift bandage on his arm. Long cast a scrutinizing glance at the mirror reflecting his naked torso. Strangely, the scratches and bruises on his arms and shoulders from the previous battle had healed at some point, leaving not a single scar.
Long only paused to check for a split second, then calmly turned on the shower. The water poured down, washing away the grime of that godforsaken dungeon.
The bathroom door opened, and Long stepped out with his hair still damp. He slowly walked toward the window frame, dazedly realizing the sun had set long ago, leaving a quiet night covering the garden.
Heading into the living room, his gaze was immediately drawn to the petite girl sitting swinging her legs on the sofa. Lia was still struggling with the hair dryer. It seemed that after all that time, she hadn't improved much, clumsily letting the hot air blow straight into her face, making her big round eyes squeeze shut, her face showing an amusingly confused expression.
Lia frowned, staring at the hair dryer in her hand and pouting sulkily:
"Ummm, that hateful brat, just leaving me to suffer here for so long..."
"Are you badmouthing me?"
The voice rang out right next to her ear, making Lia jump. Long had been standing behind her for who knows how long. She hurriedly turned her head to look up, accidentally creating a moment where their gazes met.
At this angle, when Long's bangs were swept back to reveal his high forehead, Lia could clearly see all the sharp features on his face. Defined jawline, high straight nose bridge, and a pair of thick, masculine eyebrows. Most special were his long, uniquely curled eyelashes that made his eyes look much deeper than usual.
Lia suddenly felt her heart skip a beat. She hurriedly averted her eyes to avoid his gaze, her cheeks blushing while her left hand uncontrollably crumpled the hem of her shirt.
Not giving Lia a break to regain her composure, Long gently reached out to lightly touch the back of her right wrist. A very light touch, but enough for the warmth from his fingertips to transmit straight to her skin. He slowly pulled Lia's hand toward him, his voice low and soothing like a lullaby:
"Let me help you."
The decisive yet gentle action made Lia completely lose her usual mischievous demeanor. Her knees touched slightly, her legs which were always active suddenly became stiff and superfluous. She dared not resist, silently handing the hair dryer to Long and then lowering her head, trying to hide the embarrassment spreading across her face.
After a while, Lia's body gradually relaxed, enjoying the boy's care. Her eyes wandered around and stopped at the portrait on the altar, she curiously asked:
"Hey Long, is the person in that photo Alex?"
He replied softly: "Yes, that's my grandfather."
"Oh... He got this old? Where is he? I want to see him right now."
Long's hands paused for a beat amidst the steam. He looked down at the top of her head, his gaze lowering, carrying an unconcealable loss. He spoke quietly, his voice choking up:
"My grandfather passed away, miss. Perhaps in your world there is no custom of worship... that picture is the portrait of the deceased."
Every line on Lia's face suddenly contracted. Her already small figure seemed to shrink even more, her whole body tensed like a guitar string about to snap. Her breathing became chaotic, interrupted; her eyes, usually glittering, now squeezed shut due to the stinging sensation rushing up her nose.
She didn't dare look up at Long, only knowing to stare blankly at the floor to hide the brokenness in her eyes. Not giving Long time to react, Lia hurriedly stood up, rushing into the bathroom. She only managed to leave behind a sentence with a trembling voice, lost due to suppression:
"I... I'm going to the restroom for a bit."
Long reached out intending to pull her back but stopped in mid-air. He withdrew his hand, staring thoughtfully at the slammed bathroom door, then silently turned on his heel into the kitchen.
Nearly ten minutes later, an exhausted figure walked out. Lia's face was pale, her eyes red and swollen from crying too much. Seeing that scene, Long's guts twisted. He clenched his fists until they were white but still tried to keep a warm smile, speaking gently:
"I finished cooking, let's eat together, miss."
Suddenly, Lia rushed over to hug Long tight. The unexpected impact made him lose balance, having to take a step back to stand firm. Long stammered:
"Miss... what's wrong?"
Lia whimpered, her voice lost in sobs: "I'm sorry... I didn't know your grandpa passed away... I reopened your wound, made you sad, didn't I?"
Long was stunned, then a feeling of pity rose up. He gently placed his hand on her head, slowly soothing her like comforting a child:
"You're really silly. My grandpa passed away a long time ago, I've gradually gotten used to it. But you... you just found out the news, you are the one who needs comforting, not me. If there's anything I can do to make you feel better, just tell me."
Honestly, hugging Lia in his arms, Long didn't want to let go at all. The warmth, the softness, and the pure herbal scent radiating from her had a strangely enchanting power. At this close distance, Long could clearly feel every beat of the little girl's racing heart and then... the growling "gurgle gurgle" from her stomach protesting violently due to hunger.
Not having the heart to let the "big sister" starve any longer, Long suddenly swept Lia up into his arms, striding straight toward the dining table. Lia startled and squirmed, her small hands quickly clinging to his neck for fear of falling, her voice trembling with panic:
"What... what are you doing?"
Long didn't answer immediately, only responding with a kind smile. He gently placed her on the chair, not forgetting to pat her head once as if to reassure her:
"Let's eat!"