Chapter 289: Yan Laojin.

A family morning like this, with a child being looked after and adults quietly moving around the house, had a strange stability to it. Maybe that was why she liked it. Maybe that was why her own mood softened a little every time she saw Yan Cijin and the little girl together. Bai Li lowered her gaze and took another spoonful of soup. The warmth spread down her throat and into her stomach, and for a moment she felt like the whole room had settled down with her.

After breakfast, they did not waste time. The plan for the day had already been set, and everyone knew what needed to be done. Yan Cijin’s house still had a lot of things that had to be moved over, mostly clothes, daily items, bedding, and anything else they could still use easily. Since Bai Li’s place had now become the more secure base, it made sense to transfer as much as they could. Yan Laojin was the first one to start picking things up. She had already packed a few small bags, and she was still carrying one when they arrived at the doorway. The little dumpling, after eating her fill, had gone back to sitting on the floor with her toys. She was completely absorbed in lining up a few blocks and did not even look up when the adults began moving around again. Bai Li glanced at the room and saw that there were still quite a few things left. Some were practical, some were not, and some were the kind of things people could not bear to throw away even when they knew they should travel light. Yan Laojin looked a little tired from running back and forth, so Bai Li walked over and said she would take care of it herself.

Bai Li’s expression was calm when she said it, almost too calm for what happened next. She raised her hand, and the things they had packed and stacked nearby simply disappeared from sight. One second they were there, piled in a corner by the wall, and the next second they were gone so cleanly that the whole room felt like it had been emptied by magic. Yan Laojin froze in place. Her eyes went wide, and for a second she forgot to even breathe. The little dumpling still did not notice anything because she was busy trying to fit a small toy car between two blocks and had no idea the adults were looking at each other in shock. Yan Laojin stared at the empty spot for a long while before finally turning to Bai Li with a voice that had gone a little lower than before. She asked what that was. Bai Li had already expected this reaction, so she answered quickly and told her it was one of her abilities. She also asked Yan Laojin to keep it a secret. It was not that she did not trust her. It was just that the fewer people knew about this kind of thing, the better. Yan Laojin listened, then slowly nodded. Her face still looked dazed, and her eyes were full of disbelief, but she clearly understood what Bai Li meant. In this world now, abilities were not something to joke about. They were safety, they were power, and sometimes they were the only thing standing between life and death.

Still, even after hearing that, Yan Laojin could not stop looking at Bai Li with a kind of stunned expression, as if she had just seen something impossible happen right in front of her. Bai Li could understand that. Before all this, if someone had told her she could move things into a space with a thought, she would have thought they were delirious. She gave Yan Laojin a small reassuring smile, then said she would make several trips and take the items back herself. There was no need for the older woman to keep carrying everything and making herself tired. Yan Laojin wanted to help, but Bai Li insisted, so in the end Yan Laojin could only stand there and watch while Bai Li came and went. The first trip was the easiest because the things were already sorted. The second and third trips carried the heavier stuff, including blankets and stacked clothes. On the fourth trip, Bai Li brought over the small appliance that everyone had been careful with, and on the fifth trip she finally moved the double door refrigerator. That one was awkward to handle even with her ability, not because it was too hard, but because everyone kept looking at it like it might suddenly fall apart if they stared too hard. Bai Li made sure it was handled properly and then brought it over to her own place with the others.

The room on Bai Li’s side was a little more crowded now, but in a good way. At least it looked like a place people were actually living in instead of a temporary shelter. Once the refrigerator was brought in, Bai Li found a spot by the wall in the living room and carefully placed it there. She plugged it in, listened for the faint hum that told her it was working, and then looked around to make sure the space was still fine. The fridge was huge, and it immediately made the living room feel more settled, almost like the house had gained one more piece of proper furniture instead of just survival supplies. Yan Cijin stood nearby for a moment, watching Bai Li move with her usual quiet efficiency. She did not say much, but her eyes followed Bai Li more than once, and Bai Li could feel that attention even without turning around. It was not heavy or uncomfortable. It was just there, soft and steady. Bai Li pretended not to notice, though her ears did feel a little warm for no reason at all.

After the refrigerator was in place, the three of them began sorting everything else. The work itself was not hard, but it took patience. Bai Li opened boxes, took out clothing and folded them more neatly, then grouped the daily necessities together so they could be found easily later.

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TO BE CONTINUED.