PNB Chapter 95 You Peeked at Me
Chapter 95 You Peeked at Me
I received a call saying I could volunteer.
Song Che didn't delay and decided to go and see that very day.
He knew in his heart that this opportunity would not wait for anyone. The fact that the welfare home agreed to let student volunteers in was probably because they were indeed short-handed recently, or because they needed to make a show of themselves for some inspection activity.
Regardless of the type, the window of opportunity will not be long.
……
The bus engine hummed, and the view outside the window gradually changed from dense buildings to open fields in the suburbs, a gray and yellow expanse in winter.
Song Che leaned back in his chair, his eyelids heavy, but his mind was unusually clear.
It's that same feeling of exhaustion again, like you haven't slept at all.
A scene of twilight flashed in his dream, and the shadow of a knife flickered. He subconsciously frowned and banished it from his mind.
Don't think about it; the more you think about it, the more energetic you'll become.
Xia Li sat by the window, her back ramrod straight, looking down at her phone screen.
She seemed to maintain this upright posture no matter where she was. Song Che sometimes thought that this was probably a habit she developed in that otherworldly castle.
Before setting off, Song Che asked her to choose a movie to watch on the way.
She scrolled through the video app for a while before finally clicking on an animated film called "WALL-E".
"Why did you choose this one?" he asked at the time.
Xia Li looked at the rusty little robot on the poster and thought for a moment: "It doesn't look like it can talk."
"Um?"
"If it doesn't speak, there's no need to guess what it's thinking." She paused, "It's easier to understand."
Song Che glanced at the robot named WALL-E, then looked at Xia Li's expressionless profile.
That reason... is quite typical of her.
Sometimes he felt that Xia Li's straightforward way of speaking, although it often left people speechless, at least didn't require guessing. "Okay, let's look at this one."
The movie has been playing for more than twenty minutes.
On the screen, a small robot was carefully rummaging through and collecting trash. Xia Li was so focused on watching that she didn't even notice Song Che glancing over.
Song Che turned his head and looked out the window at the telephone poles rushing past.
The road to Taixi was longer than he had imagined. He hadn't slept well again last night; every night in his dreams something bad would happen, and he could never escape the word "death." He woke up covered in cold sweat and stared at the ceiling for a long time before he realized he was awake.
Having too many of these dreams makes everything seem shrouded in dust during the day.
"...Why did it leave that plant behind?"
A sound suddenly came from the side.
Song Che turned his head and found that Xia Li had pressed pause at some point. The scene was frozen on the moment when the little robot carefully placed a tender green plant into the old boot.
"Um?"
"This," Xia Li tapped the plant on the screen with her fingertip, "its job is to compress garbage. Plants are garbage too. Keeping it is unreasonable."
Her tone was very serious.
At times like these, her otherworldly way of thinking becomes particularly apparent. Song Che sometimes finds it amusing, and sometimes he thinks it's for the best—at least her way of thinking is pure, unlike his own, who always thinks in roundabout ways.
"Because it felt that plant was special," Song Che said. "Look how many things it searched through the garbage dump, but it was so careful only of the plant. Because... it was life."
"Even small robots have lives." Xia Li had just learned about the concept of robots and disagreed with his statement.
"That's true." Song Che smiled. "But it knows how to cherish this plant."
Xia Li stared at the screen in silence.
After a few seconds, she asked, "Like when you buy a broom?"
Song Che was taken aback: "What?"
"That day at the supermarket, you bought that broom not for cleaning," Xia Li turned to look at him. "You knew it wasn't practical, it was expensive, and it wasn't the best choice. But you still bought it."
Song Che was stumped by her question. That broom... indeed, he remembered that Xia Li was about to pout and look unhappy, so he bought it.
"...That's different." He looked at the headrest of the seat in front of him. "The broom is what you wanted."
"You don't have to buy it."
If I don't buy it, you'll just start hitting me!
"If I refuse, you'll keep thinking about it. It's too dangerous to fly on a broomstick."
"So..." Xia Li looked back at the little robot on the screen, "it left the plant because it 'thought' about it?"
"Almost." Song Che put the earphones back in his ears. "Let's keep watching, there are other robots coming up."
Xia Li didn't ask any more questions and pressed play.
The little robot, holding the plant, continued working in the city ruins under the setting sun.
Song Che closed his eyes, trying to doze off for a while, but the twilight from his dream kept replaying in his mind. He frowned, then opened his eyes again. Lately, these dreams had been becoming more and more frequent, like some kind of bad omen.
But he didn't want to think about it too much; the thought made his chest feel tight.
The bus stopped at a rest stop for ten minutes.
Song Che went downstairs to buy a bottle of water. When he came back, he saw Xia Li still sitting in the same spot, looking out the window at the people coming and going at the rest stop.
She watched intently, her gaze following a little girl being led by her mother from the convenience store entrance to the bus. The little girl held a rainbow lollipop in her hand, her eyes crinkling with laughter.
"Want some candy?" Song Che sat back down, unscrewed the bottle cap, and took a sip of water.
He thought that if Xia Li said she wanted one, he would go and buy one.
Xia Li shook her head: "She's smiling."
"Kids are all like that, they're happy with anything sweet," Song Che said casually. He was like that when he was a kid, a lollipop could make him happy for half a day. But not anymore, candy is too sweet, and it hurts his teeth if he eats it.
"It wasn't because of the candy." Xia Li's gaze was still following the little girl who had already boarded the bus. "She stepped in a puddle and her shoes got wet. Her mother knelt down to wipe them off for her and said a few words to her. But she was still smiling."
Song Che followed her gaze.
The mother and daughter in the front row: the mother was taking spare socks out of her bag, and the little girl was obediently holding up her feet, her lollipop held high, as if afraid of being touched.
That scene... was indeed quite heartwarming.
He suddenly wondered what it would be like if Xia Li had a mother.
He suppressed the thought as soon as it popped into his head.
Thinking about these things is useless.
"Quite cute." Song Che thought the little girl's smile was a bit like Tao Xiang's, both of them sharing a carefree and joyful expression.
"Hmm." Xia Li turned her head back. "Humans sometimes have opposite emotional reactions."
Song Che thought to himself, "You're quite observant."
The car restarted.
Xia Li continued watching the movie, while Song Che took out his phone and checked the information about Taixi Welfare Home.
There was very little information available online, only an address and a few old photos. He took a few screenshots, pondering how to start the conversation when he arrived.
His volunteer status was obtained using Nan Hui's certificate, and whether he could actually sneak in was another matter. He was actually a little uneasy, after all, it was an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people. But he couldn't show it on his face, especially in front of Xia Li—she already lacked a sense of security in this world, and if he seemed uncertain, she would become even more nervous.
Song Che mentally reviewed the possible questions and answers several times, like memorizing key points before an exam.
Just as I was thinking this, my shoulder suddenly felt heavy.
Xia Li had fallen asleep sometime earlier, her head tilted to the side, resting on his shoulder. A few strands of her silvery-white hair were scattered on his arm, cool to the touch. Her breathing was light; the movie was still playing, and half of the earphone cord had slipped out of her ear, allowing her to hear the dialogue.
Song Che sat motionless, even his breathing became soft.
This feeling... is a little unfamiliar.
Xia Li rarely has moments of complete relaxation and dependence on others. Most of the time, she is like a taut string, vigilant about everything around her.
The bus swayed slightly, and her head bobbed with it, her hair brushing against his neck.
It's a little itchy.
Song Che stared at the fabric of the seat in front of him, his mind blank.
After a few seconds, he slowly realized that Xia Li trusted him.
At least on this bumpy train, in this unfamiliar world, she was willing to fall asleep leaning against him.
This realization softened his heart, yet also left him with a heavy feeling.
Being relied upon by others is a burden, but... it's not bad.
That's how Xia Li is in my dreams.
In his dreams, she always smiled, looked at him with gentle eyes, and said things that he couldn't understand, just like now—unguarded and even a little clumsy, she leaned against him and fell asleep.
But the feeling in the dream was floating, while now it's real weight and temperature.
Song Che slowly relaxed, carefully adjusted her posture to make her lean more steadily, and then gently put the earphone that had slipped out back into her ear.
I moved very gently, afraid of waking her.
The scenery outside the window continued to flow backward.
Song Che remained in this position and gradually began to feel sleepy.
The nightmares that haunted him seemed to have temporarily receded, leaving only a calm weariness. The weight on his shoulders made him feel grounded, as if he had an anchor point, preventing him from drifting too far away in his dreams.
He closed his eyes and fell asleep quickly this time.
……
When the car arrived at the station, Song Che was gently woken up by Xia Li.
"We're here." She had already sat up straight and was bending down to adjust her coat, which had slipped down to her knees—it was Song Che's coat, which had been draped over her at some point.
Song Che blinked blankly and looked out the window.
It was getting dark, and the station lights were already on. He actually fell asleep, and slept the whole way without even dreaming.
This was probably the deepest sleep I've had recently.
"Finished watching the movie?" He rubbed his neck, which was a little sore.
"Mm." Xia Li handed the coat back to him. "The robot has found a new home."
"That's good." Song Che took the coat and put it on, then got up and took the backpack off the luggage rack.
They found a new home... a good ending.
"Let's go, we still need to change buses."
After exiting the station, Song Che hailed a taxi.
The orphanage was quite a distance away. The driver, a talkative local man, started grumbling as soon as they heard they were going there: "That place is so remote, what are you going there for? To visit relatives?"
"I'm doing volunteer work," Song Che replied briefly, not wanting to talk more. Especially when his motives weren't pure, saying too much would easily give him away.
The older man glanced at him and Xia Li in the rearview mirror, his eyes filled with curiosity, but he didn't ask any more questions.
Song Che breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back in his chair, looking out the window.
The streetscape is becoming increasingly remote, with fewer buildings and more fields.
The car drove for more than twenty minutes before finally stopping in front of an iron gate. A faded sign hung on the wall next to the gate: Taixi Social Welfare Institute.
Song Che paid the fare and got off the bus with Xia Li.
The building in front of me is older than in the photos. It's a three-story building with some mottled walls, but the yard is clean and there are children's play facilities in the corner.
It was more like a proper organization than he had imagined.
This put his mind at ease a little.
"You wait here," Song Che said to Xia Li. "I'll go in and check, and come out as soon as possible."
He didn't want her to wait outside for too long, especially since it was cold in winter.
Xia Li nodded.
Song Che forced a smile, trying to appear relaxed.
I walked to the guardhouse and knocked on the window. An old man sitting inside, listening to the radio, slowly opened the window.
"What is it?"
"Hello, I'm a student from Nanhui No.1 Middle School. I'd like to learn about the welfare home for social practice." Song Che tried his best to appear sincere, reciting his prepared remarks fluently. "Could I go inside for a visit? Or perhaps I could talk to the person in charge?"
The old man sized him up a few times, his eyes scrutinizing him: "Do you have a letter of introduction?"
"...Yes." Song Che took out a file folder from his backpack, pulled out a letter of introduction, and handed it over.
My palms are a little damp.
The old man took it and squinted at it.
"Nanhui No.1 Middle School... it's missing a stamp, it won't do." He handed the letter back, waved his hand, and said, "We have regulations here that only relatives can enter. If you really want to put this into practice, contact the civil affairs department."
Well... this doesn't make sense, we agreed on this beforehand.
He wanted to say something more, but the old man had already closed the window, and the radio started playing again.
He walked back to Xia Li's side, shrugged, and tried to keep his tone light: "We can't get in."
Actually, I felt quite frustrated.
Despite all the preparations, we couldn't even get through the door.
The main problem is that I was stood up!
Xia Li showed no surprise. She glanced inside the orphanage and suddenly asked, "What do you want to know?"
"It's mainly about the operating model, the containment standards, and... I told you I found a lost child, and how to replace Tao Yao with you." Song Che paused, his voice lowering, "In your case, if you're discovered, it'll be quite troublesome."
Xia Li remained silent for a while.
Song Che looked at her, feeling a pang of sadness. She should have been living her own world as the Witch Princess, but now she was here worrying about an identity document.
"Will I be sent in and locked up?" she asked calmly, but Song Che sensed uncertainty in her voice.
"No, not at all." Song Che smiled, trying to ease the tension. "You look at least eighteen or nineteen years old. You'd usually be sent to a shelter, or stay with the police for a while."
"I don't want to be sent in."
Xia Li gazed at the buildings of the orphanage, her profile appearing somewhat fragile in the afternoon light.
This is not like her.
She always stands tall with a straight back and clear eyes, as if she can face anything.
"No," he said. "I won't let that happen."
Xia Li turned her head back, her blue eyes looking at him.
"This clause wasn't written in the contract."
"I'm writing now." Song Che took out a water bottle from his backpack, unscrewed it, and took a sip.
The water was cold, and as it went down his throat, it calmed him down a bit.
"Additional clause: You cannot be sent to a shelter. Satisfied?"
Xia Li didn't speak, but Song Che saw her lips twitch—as if she wanted to laugh.
Finally, Xia Li revealed a smile that made everyone cringe, a smile even sillier than a silly grin.
"What do we do now?" she asked.
Song Che checked the time; it was a little past two in the afternoon.
The sunlight shone on the wall, casting long shadows.
We can't just give up like this; we've already come all this way.
"I'll make another call and ask; maybe the old man just doesn't understand."
He pulled Xia Li around the perimeter of the welfare home, found a sheltered corner, took out his phone, and found the phone number of the "social worker in charge" that he had previously noted down.
My finger hovered over the dial key for a moment before I pressed it.
"Try again," he said to Xia Li.
The phone rang a few times before being answered. It was a younger woman's voice, who sounded more approachable than the old security guard.
Song Che explained the situation again, speaking a little faster than usual, but trying to remain clear.
He emphasized that he had all the necessary documents, including the school's letter of introduction, health certificate, and certificate of no criminal record. He had come all the way from Nanhui just to see the place in person and do what he could, even if it was just helping to organize books or clean.
Towards the end, he himself felt that his reasoning was somewhat weak.
But there's nothing we can do; these are the only cards we have.
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.
Then the female voice said, "Wait a minute, let me ask the director. It seems that Song Che is volunteering."
The conversation came through the receiver in a muffled voice; the content was unclear.
After a while, the female voice spoke again: "Student, our director said it's true. It's almost Chinese New Year, so everyone's quite busy. If you could help look after the children in the activity room and play with them for a while, that would be great. But the security guard said your classmate..."
Song Che immediately said, "She's my sister, and she wanted to help too. She's quiet and won't cause any trouble."
There was another pause on the other end.
"...Alright. You can all come in together. When you get there, just tell the security guard you're looking for social worker Liu."
After hanging up the phone, Song Che breathed a sigh of relief, only then realizing that he had been holding his breath the whole time.
He raised an eyebrow at Xia Li, trying to sound relaxed: "It's done. Let's go."
When the old man knocked on the window of the guardhouse again, his attitude changed upon hearing the name of social worker Liu. He muttered, "Why didn't you say so earlier?" and pressed the button to open the small iron gate on the side.
The iron gate creaked open.
A young woman who looked to be in her late twenties, with a ponytail and wearing a light blue down jacket, was waiting inside the door.
She was social worker Liu, a very kind person with a smile on her face. The moment Song Che saw her smile, the tension in his heart eased a little.
At least, he seems like an easy person to talk to.
"Song Che, right? And this is your sister?" She looked at Xia Li.
"Yes, Xia Li." Song Che nodded and stepped aside to let Xia Li step forward a little. He noticed a hint of surprise flash in Liu social worker's eyes when she saw Xia Li's hair, but it quickly returned to normal.
"Hello, welcome." Social worker Liu led them towards the main building while giving a brief introduction, "The facility is a bit busy today. A few children have colds and are resting. There are also four or five younger children in the activity room, being looked after by a caregiver alone. You can go over and help look after them, play games with them, or read them books. Please be careful and make sure the children don't bump into anything."
She spoke so naturally, as if she frequently hosted volunteers.
Song Che listened and nodded, quickly noting down the information in his mind: Child, activity room, be careful.
It doesn't sound difficult.
The activity room is on the first floor. It's a fairly large room with colorful foam mats, cartoon patterns painted on the walls, and toys and picture books piled up in the corners.
Three little boys and two little girls were chattering and making noise around a childcare worker. The worker looked a little tired, and she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw social worker Liu bring people in.
"Xiao Liu, are these the students who came to help?"
"Yes, Aunt Li, this is Song Che and his sister Xia Li. Song Che, Xia Li, this is Aunt Li. Please keep an eye on the children for me, I have to go take care of something else."
Social worker Liu gave a few instructions and then left in a hurry.
Aunt Li briefly told Song Che and Xia Li the names of the children and their general situation before leaving, probably to attend to other matters.
Suddenly, only Song Che, Xia Li, and the five children remained in the activity room.
The children stared curiously at the two newcomers, especially Xia Li with her silver hair.
A little girl, about five or six years old, with pigtails, was quite bold. She approached Xia Li, looked up, and asked, "Sister, your hair is...like snow!"
Xia Li looked down at her and gently touched the ends of her hair that were hanging over her shoulder.
Another little boy with a runny nose tugged at Song Che's trouser leg: "Brother, are you here to play with us? I want to play with building blocks!"
"Okay, let's play with building blocks." Song Che squatted down, his eye level with the little boy's, and took a bucket of colorful building blocks from the toy basket. "What do you want to build?"
"castle!"
"Rocket!"
"A big car!"
"Ultraman!"
"Idiot, Ultraman is fake, I want Armor Hero!"
"Armor Heroes is fake, I want to fight Magical Girl!"
The children immediately cheered and started chattering away.
Surrounded by children, Song Che frantically tried to find the building blocks. He hadn't interacted with such young children in a long time, and his movements were a bit clumsy, but the children didn't mind; they were happy as long as they could play.
Xia Li was pulled to the side by the little girl with pigtails to the side of the picture book shelf.
"Sister, can you tell me a story?" The little girl picked up a copy of "The Three Little Pigs".
Xia Li took the book and opened it.
She read very slowly, checking each word carefully.
The little girl sat down next to her, waiting expectantly.
While helping the children build their crooked rockets, Song Che kept an eye on Xia Li out of the corner of his eye.
She sat upright, holding the picture book as if she were studying a magic tome.
The scene was a little funny, and also... indescribable.
She took a children's picture book so seriously.
"...The mother pig has three piglets," Xia Li began to read, her voice flat and monotone. "The eldest is called..."
"Lazy!" the little girl answered quickly.
"Hmm. The eldest brother is lazy, so he built a thatched hut..." Xia Li continued reading, though her reading was rather dry.
Song Che almost burst out laughing when he heard this.
But he didn't laugh; he just thought to himself...it was kind of cute.
Xia Li's meticulous and earnest nature is surprisingly fitting here.
The little girl listened intently, occasionally interrupting to ask, "Why couldn't the big bad wolf blow down the brick house?" Xia Li would stop, look at her book, and then answer methodically, "Because bricks are more solid, the wind can't blow them down."
The little girl gave a half-understanding "Oh" and continued listening.
The rocket was already tilted and about to fall over when the blocks were only half-assembled.
Song Che decided to give up on the rescue and instead started chatting with a boy who looked about seven or eight years old and was relatively quiet. The boy hadn't said much, just watched quietly.
"Are there usually many children here?" Song Che asked casually. "Are there any new kids?"
The boy thought for a moment: "Yes, there are many. But it seems like no new ones have come recently." He tilted his head. "Aunt Wang said that a little sister and a little sister came and left a while ago."
Song Che's heart skipped a beat, but his face remained impassive: "Sister... little sister, when did this happen?"
"Hmm...it seems...it was Sister Tao Yao and...several months ago?" The boy wasn't sure, counting on his fingers, "I don't remember. Sister Liu might know."
Song Che noted it down; it seems Tao Yao is indeed Tao Yao.
This is good news, meaning that the "identity" has been entered into the system and its status is fluid. As for why Tao Yao has always been a black cat, we can starve her for two days and then give her a treat; we're sure we can get the answer out of her.
However, he still needs to find an opportunity to confirm with social worker Liu.
After playing with the children for almost an hour, Song Che felt like he was about to go deaf from the noise.
Children have endless energy.
He glanced at Xia Li; she was still sitting there, having already finished reading one book, and the little girl had taken a second one. Surprisingly, she didn't show any impatience and continued reading meticulously.
Social worker Liu returned, carrying a plastic bag containing several packets of biscuits and several cartons of milk.
"Thank you for your hard work. Come on, kids, have some snacks."
The children cheered and gathered around.
Social worker Liu distributed snacks to each child and also gave Song Che and Xia Li each a carton of milk.
"Thank you for your help. These little guys are usually so mischievous... and they didn't even pull Xia Li's hair." She even slapped a little boy's bottom angrily. "Why did you only pull my hair before?"
"Because I like this older sister."
Song Che took the milk and took the opportunity to ask, "Teacher Liu, I heard the children say that a little sister and a little sister came here a while ago?"
He made his tone sound like a casual question.
Social worker Liu nodded: "Yes, there was a girl named Tao Yao with her younger sister, sixteen years old. Their parents are gone, and they came to stay with relatives but couldn't find them, so the police station sent them here. They stayed here for a while, and then... they contacted a distant cousin and took her away."
Song Che feigned realization and sympathy: "That's good."
However, there's a discrepancy between what Tao Xiang said about her identity. She was clearly taken away, but Tao Xiang said she ran away on her own. We should ask her about it when we get back.
"How often do we have situations like this in our facility where staff are temporarily taken in but then find other places to stay?"
"It depends. Some children will be contacted for adoption or foster care soon, while others may have to stay here longer," said social worker Liu. She glanced at Xia Li, who was quietly drinking milk beside her, and suddenly smiled, "Your sister is so quiet. Her hair color is so unique; is it natural?"
"Yes, it's genetic." Song Che said without changing his expression.
It actually glows.
He told so many lies that he almost started to believe them himself.
"It looks really good," Liu, the social worker, complimented, then turned to Song Che. "We don't really have anything to thank you for your help today. How about this, since it's almost Chinese New Year, if you'd like, you can come again tomorrow. We've prepared some small gifts for the children; could you help distribute them? It's just a small token of our appreciation."
Song Che was eager to spend more time with her, so he readily agreed: "Okay, no problem."
He quickly made a mental calculation.
If we come again tomorrow, we'll have another chance to connect, and maybe we can have a more in-depth conversation.
Leaving the orphanage, the winter sunset was not very warm, casting long shadows of the two of them.
The wind was colder than when he arrived, so Song Che zipped his coat all the way up.
"That Tao Yao is Tao Yao." As they reached the bus stop, Song Che whispered, making sure only Xia Li could hear him. "The records show both of them, and they've 'left.' This move was alright; it would have been worse if Tao Yao and Tao Xiang had run away from home on their own."
He was actually a little scared. What if something went wrong at any point, like Tao Yao letting something slip, or the orphanage scrutinizing it? That would be very dangerous. But risks and rewards go hand in hand, and this step had to be taken eventually.
If we get caught, just have Tao Yao use illusion magic.
But it seems to be going smoothly so far.
Xia Li hummed in agreement.
She was still holding the unfinished carton of milk in her hand. She could feel that Song Che's mood had improved a lot, and her mood improved as well.
"Come again tomorrow, don't go back today, find a hotel to stay in." Song Che continued, "Delivering things is a good excuse to talk more with social worker Liu and see if there is a chance to access more specific file information... or at least get acquainted with her."
He didn't expect to get any key information in one go, but if he went a few more times, he would eventually find an opportunity.
The bus arrived, swaying and rattling.
It's a bus going to the nearby city center.
"Are you tired?" he asked.
Playing with children is indeed exhausting, especially for someone like her who isn't used to being close to people.
Xia Li shook her head.
As she looked at the streetlights gradually coming on outside the window, she suddenly said, "That little girl who wants to hear a story."
"Um?"
"She later asked me why the big bad wolf always eats the little pig." Xia Li turned her head, her blue eyes filled with confusion. "I said, because wolves are carnivores and need to hunt for energy."
But she didn't seem satisfied with that answer.
Song Che chuckled. "Then why does she think so?"
"She said that the big bad wolf was probably too lonely and wanted to find someone to play with, but he was doing it the wrong way." Xia Li repeated the little girl's innocent yet somewhat reasonable words, with a hint of confusion in her tone. "She also said that if the little pig invited the big bad wolf to eat cookies together, maybe he wouldn't have to build a house... I think the big bad wolf would eat the cookies with the little pig."
"What was your answer?"
"I said, based on the story's setting and the habits of the creatures, your assumption is invalid," Xia Li said truthfully, her tone unusually tinged with... grievance.
"Then she ignored me and went to play with other children."
Song Che: "..."
He was helpless.
"Next time you can say, 'You have a point, we can try making up a new story,' like if I said Ultraman doesn't exist, they'll definitely ignore me."
Xia Li nodded thoughtfully.
After a few seconds, she whispered, "But biological habits don't really apply."
Song Che wanted to laugh, but he held it back.
Sometimes, the logic isn't important; what matters is making the listener happy.
After he finished speaking, he realized that what he said was a bit complicated, and Xia Li might not understand it. But looking at her serious expression, it seemed that she was trying hard to understand.
As the car entered the city, the streetlights came on.
This world has its cold, hard rules—like the security guard at the orphanage, like the layers of approval required for procedures. But there are also kind-hearted people like social worker Liu, willing to make things easier, and there are the children's innocent imaginations. What he needs to do is find a safe haven for Xia Li between these two worlds. It's difficult, but… it's not entirely hopeless.
Suddenly, my shoulder felt heavy again.
Song Che turned his head to the side.
Xia Li fell asleep again, her head resting on his shoulder, her breathing even. This time she didn't watch a movie; she was probably really tired. She had talked quite a bit today, mostly reading picture books, but that was still a significant amount of socializing for her.
He adjusted his position to make her more comfortable, then closed his eyes as well. The car was well-heated, and combined with the day's journey, drowsiness quickly overcame her.
This time, there was no dusk, no knife, and no desolate gaze in the dream. There was only a quiet darkness and a real, warm weight on my shoulders.
This feels...good.
Xia Li woke up on her own when the car arrived at the station.
She sat up straight, rubbed her eyes, and looked a little dazed, as if she had just woken up.
"Have we arrived?" she asked, her voice slightly nasal and soft.
"Hmm, we're here. This place is quite far from Taixi city." Song Che picked up his backpack and stood up, only to find that his legs were a little numb.
Staying in one position for too long.
"Tomorrow... let's go buy some toys and snacks, and find a hotel tonight," he planned.
"Okay." Xia Li followed him out of the car and stepped into the slightly chilly winter night air.
She shrank her neck and buried her face in her collar.
The shops along the street were lit with warm lights, and the aroma of food wafted out. Song Che suddenly felt that taking this step by step, although slow and difficult, didn't seem so bad after all.
At least I should be able to get a good night's sleep tonight.
I definitely can't go back today; I'll have to stay in Taixi for the night.
By the way... does today count as booking a room?
He paused for a moment, glancing out of the corner of his eye at Xia Li, who was walking quietly beside him.
Oh no, Xia Li doesn't have an ID card.
If you stay at a hotel, once you register at the front desk, or if the police happen to check your room—although the probability is extremely low, but what if it does happen—wouldn't that be the end of you?
Then the police officer will say: "Hmm, go on, I'm listening. Oh, a new version, I've got it... Oh, why do you think I want to laugh when I hear it? We usually don't laugh."
Song Che stopped his random thoughts.
He cleared his throat: "Xia Li, when it comes to accommodations later, do you want one room or two rooms?"
Xia Li turned her head. "Is there a difference?"
"One is cheaper, two are more... safer." Song Che paused, not mentioning the police check, since it was unlikely to happen under normal circumstances. "For example..." He got stuck, unable to come up with a more specific reason.
"For example, what?" Xia Li pressed.
Song Che's mind raced for a moment: "For example... the issue of identity. You need two ID cards to book two rooms."
That's the truth.
Xia Li nodded understandingly: "Then let's get a room."
"Okay." Song Che agreed readily, but in his mind he began to plan the details. Even booking a room required registration, and Xia Li couldn't access the system.
We need to think of a solution.
He recalled his past experiences staying in hotels with his parents. The front desk staff usually don't keep an eye on the door, especially at night; as long as you act naturally... maybe that'll work.
"Listen—" Song Che slowed his pace and lowered his voice, "I'll go book a room and get the room key first. You wait for me outside, don't go in. After I go up, take some things with you—like a takeout bag, pretend you're a delivery person or a guest who just came back from shopping, and go straight upstairs."
The receptionist usually won't stop them, especially if she happens to be busy.
Xia Li listened attentively and nodded: "Understood. Play the role of a 'normal guest'."
"Yes, keep a natural expression and don't look around." Song Che added, then felt that it was a bit redundant to say this to Xia Li—her expression was usually quite "natural," so natural that she didn't show much expression at all.
They found a hotel on the street that looked fairly clean. Song Che told Xia Li to wait in front of the convenience store diagonally across the street, and then he pushed open the glass door of the hotel.
The receptionist was a slightly chubby middle-aged woman who was looking down at her phone.
Seeing Song Che enter, he raised his eyelids slightly: "Accommodation?"
"Yes, a standard room, one night." Song Che handed over his ID card, trying his best to look like a student who goes out often.
The woman took the ID card, registered it in the system, and then looked him up and down: "Alone?"
"Yes, alone." Song Che replied without changing his expression.
The aunt didn't ask any more questions, quickly completed the formalities, collected the deposit, and handed over a room key: "306, the elevator is over there. Check out before noon tomorrow."
"Thank you." Song Che took the room key and ID card, turned and walked towards the elevator, trying to keep his steps steady. Upon reaching the elevator doors, he took the first step: passing through security.
He went up to the third floor, found room 306, and swiped his card to enter.
The room wasn't big; it had two beds, a table, a TV, and the bathroom had a glass partition.
It's fairly tidy.
He walked to the window, pulled back the curtains a little, and looked down.
Xia Li was still standing at the convenience store entrance when she suddenly found herself holding a white plastic bag, which was bulging inside, probably because she had bought a bottle of water or something else.
She stood straight, like a small tree, looking somewhat out of place on the bustling street.
Song Che took out his phone and sent her a message: "You can come up now, third floor, 306. Be natural."
He saw Xia Li glance down at her phone, then look up towards the hotel. She assessed the location of the entrance, then, carrying her bag, steadily crossed the street, pushed open the hotel door, and went inside.
Song Che leaned against the window, his eyes fixed on the direction of the hotel entrance downstairs, silently counting the time. One, two, three... After about two minutes, he heard light footsteps coming from the corridor, steady and unhurried.
Then, there was a gentle knock on the door three times.
Song Che immediately went to open the door.
Xia Li stood outside the door, holding the plastic bag in her hand.
"Smoothly?" Song Che stepped aside to let her in and closed the door.
"Hmm." Xia Li walked into the room, her gaze sweeping over the furnishings before finally settling on the two beds. "The receptionist was on the phone and wasn't looking at me."
Song Che completely relaxed and smiled: "Well done."
He took the bag from her and looked inside; it contained two bottles of mineral water and a pack of biscuits.
"You actually bought something."
"Um."
Xia Li walked to the bedside and sat down, reaching out to press the mattress.
Song Che took off his coat and hung it on the back of the chair. He glanced at the bed and then at Xia Li sitting on the edge of it.
"Um...why don't you wash up first?" Song Che broke the silence. "I have to get up early to go back tomorrow."
Xia Li nodded, got up, and headed towards the bathroom.
She stopped at the door, turned around, and asked, "Is the washing-up routine the same as at home?"
"Same here. I use disposable towels and toothbrushes, which are in the bag." Song Che pointed to the amenity kit provided by the hotel on the table.
"it is good."
The sound of running water came from the bathroom.
Song Che sat in a chair.
A lot happened today. I met with social worker Liu, interacted with the children at the welfare home, confirmed that Tao Yao's "identity" had left traces, and now she has successfully checked into a hotel...
He rubbed his temples, a sense of exhaustion belatedly washing over him.
The sound of water stopped.
After a while, Xia Li came out, her hair wrapped in a towel, her face flushed slightly from the heat, and she was wearing a white bathrobe provided by the hotel—it was a bit too big, making her look even thinner.
Xia Li suddenly spoke.
"Did you peek through the glass?"