For a brief moment, a trace of sadness crossed Mei's face. Yet, it vanished almost as quickly as it appeared, replaced once more by her usual gentle smile.
Still, Gou Feng noticed.
He lowered his gaze to the cocoa in his hands.
Temporary things...
Somehow, those words felt heavier than they should have.
Outside, the distant laughter of children drifted through the warm afternoon air.
Inside Elder Memu's house, Gou Feng sat quietly, a framed photograph now resting in his hands. His eyes still lingered on the smiling man in the picture. A man he had never met, yet for reasons he couldn't explain, the sight of Bai Lianhua's smile filled his heart with a strange mixture of warmth and sorrow.
Before he could dwell on that feeling any longer, a sharp beep of a car horn outside shattered the peaceful silence in the living room.
Mei nearly choked on the cookie she had just bitten into.
She quickly reached for her mug and took a sip of cocoa before catching her breath.
