It was the look a seasoned warrior gave when faced with a squirming novice. Calm, steady, and unmovable.
Yuanying froze.
"…you…" she whispered. "Why are you looking at me like that…?"
"Because you're noisy," Huaijin replied simply. "Let me bandage you."
Yuanying swallowed, cheeks flushing from embarrassment and irritation.
But she didn't move away this time.
She let Huaijin gently clean her scraped palms with disinfectant. She winced once but didn't cry again.
Huaijin blew softly on the sting afterward, a small gesture that somehow made Yuanying blink rapidly.
This six-year-old was treating her like a child.
"…I don't need you to take care of me," Yuanying muttered stubbornly. "We're not even close."
"We're cousins," Huaijin replied.
"So what?!" Yuanying burst out. "You came out of nowhere! You suddenly appeared and started… started taking everything—!"
Her voice cracked.
Tears filled her eyes again.
