but the vegetables and meat were all gone now, so it was really over if they kept waiting for rescue that might never come soon enough. In the living room, the little girl sat watching for a while, then reached out and grabbed Bai Li's hand, shaking it affectionately. "Auntie, when your hand is better, can you hug me?" Bai Li's eyes curved slightly. The little one really was cute, and this kind of direct affection was hard to ignore. "Yes, then I can play with you properly." The little girl smiled so proudly at that answer that it was almost impossible to look away from her. "Okay, then Auntie needs to get better quickly." She pleaded it softly, with the kind of serious little child concern that made adults melt a bit if they had any heart at all. Bai Li was no exception. She sat there, quietly letting the child hold on, and the little girl had already completely accepted her presence as part of the room. That alone made the atmosphere feel more relaxed than before.
