She looked like the picture of innocence, curled up in a blanket, hugging a stuffed bunny as she watched cartoons. But behind those large, glimmering eyes, her mind was far from idle.
Her thoughts drifted to the "big brother" she had met earlier, the calm boy with the mature eyes who had quietly shielded her when she needed him to.
He wasn't loud like Song Jue, nor arrogant like the others she'd seen.
There was a serene steadiness in him, a kind of quiet strength that reminded her of her father, though younger and unpolished.
"Big brother…" she murmured softly, pressing her cheek against her bunny. "Next time, I'll give you more candies. The good ones."
It wasn't a promise born of romantic affection or childish crushes; it was a vow of repayment, made by a girl who remembered all kindness, no matter how small the help was.
When Yuanfeng came to tuck her into bed, Huaijin blinked up at him with sleepy eyes. "Daddy, can we go to the park again someday?"
