Chapter 288: The adult’s world.

The moment the hot water touched the ingredients, the steam rose up and filled the kitchen with a comforting smell. It was not the kind of grand breakfast someone would brag about, but after so many tense days, even this kind of meal felt like a small miracle.

Bai Li stood by the stove and watched the dumplings float and roll in the boiling water. The bubbles popped at the surface, the seaweed turned soft, and the scent from the shrimp paste slowly spread out. She took a spoon and stirred carefully so the dumplings would not stick together. Because there were so many, one pot was obviously not enough, so she had to keep another one going beside it. The kitchen looked busy in a very ordinary way, the kind of busy that made a home feel alive. If someone who did not know anything walked in right now, they would probably only think this was a normal family morning, with one person cooking while the others got ready in the next room. But that was exactly what made Bai Li feel a little strange sometimes. The world outside had already been twisted into something tense and dangerous, yet in here, a warm breakfast was still being made, the little girl was still yawning over her washbasin, and Yan Cijin was still quietly helping her tie up her clothes. It was such a small thing, but it made Bai Li want to keep it safe.

When Yan Cijin finally came out carrying the little dumpling, the child was still blinking hard, one hand clinging to Yan Cijin’s shoulder while the other rubbed at her own eyes. Her little cheeks were warm from the bath, and her face had that slightly flushed look children got when they were sleepy but also very content. She sniffed the air as soon as she reached the kitchen, and her eyes widened a little the moment she smelled the soup. Even though she was still drowsy, her interest woke up immediately. She pointed toward the stove in a tiny voice and asked what smelled so good. Bai Li looked back and smiled, then told her to wait a little longer because breakfast would be ready soon. The little dumpling nodded very seriously, as if she had been given an important task, then rested her head back on Yan Cijin’s shoulder again. Yan Cijin lowered her chin slightly and looked at the child with a faint smile. She then looked toward Bai Li for a brief moment, and Bai Li happened to catch that glance. It was just a normal look, nothing too obvious, but for some reason Bai Li felt her hand slow down for half a second.

Yan Cijin seemed to notice the kitchen was already too crowded for two adults and a child, so she carried the little girl away to the dining table and let her sit there first with a small spoon and a cup of warm water. The little dumpling sat very obediently, but her eyelids kept drooping as if she could fall asleep again at any second. Bai Li watched that little scene for a second before going back to the pot. She did not say anything, but the corner of her mouth lifted a little. Yan Cijin had always taken good care of the child, and that care was not loud or flashy. It was just there in the way she lifted her, in the way she lowered her voice, in the way she remembered small habits without needing to be told twice. Bai Li found herself looking at her a little longer than normal, then quickly turned back to the soup before the heat made her face feel too warm. She told herself it was only because the kitchen was hot. Nothing else. There was no reason to overthink it.

Breakfast came out faster than expected. Bai Li poured the seaweed dumpling soup into bowls, and the dumplings floated round and full in the broth, with bits of luncheon meat and soft seaweed drifting between them. She placed one bowl in front of Yan Cijin, one in front of Yan Laojin, and another smaller bowl in front of the little dumpling. The child looked very happy the moment the bowl was set down. She was still sleepy, but her face lit up because soup in the morning somehow made everything feel more serious and delicious at the same time. She held her spoon with both hands at first, then after a little coaching finally managed to scoop up a dumpling without dropping it back into the bowl. Yan Laojin looked at the soup and sighed with real emotion, saying that it had been a while since she had eaten something hot like this in the morning. Bai Li answered casually that there was still enough frozen food to keep them fed for a few days, but she also knew very well that this kind of comfort could not last forever. That was why every meal now felt more precious than before. Yan Cijin ate quietly at first, but after a few bites she looked up and said it tasted good. Her tone was still calm, but Bai Li heard the praise clearly enough to feel a tiny bit pleased. She did not show it on her face, but her hand that was holding the spoon tightened slightly before she relaxed again.

The little dumpling was the only one who had no idea what was going on around the adults. She was just completely focused on finishing her bowl, one spoonful at a time, occasionally making a soft little sound when she got a piece of luncheon meat. At one point, she dropped a tiny bit of soup on her chin, and Yan Cijin immediately took a tissue and wiped it for her before the child could even notice. Bai Li looked at them and felt that the scene was too familiar in a way she could not explain.

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TO BE CONTINUED.