"Seriously, what am I going to do with you? You're the real kitchen menace. Who knows how many kitchens you'll destroy on your journey to learning how to cook..."
Kiana☆ looked puzzled and asked,
"What are you mumbling about, Fu Lin?"
As the black smoke continued to pour in, Fu Lin couldn't help but cover his forehead and said to Kiana☆,
"Nothing... the fire's getting worse. This wooden house is done for. Kiana☆, go out through the window over there—I'll go get Mr. Siegfried."
With that, Fu Lin hurried back to the bed and hoisted Siegfried onto his shoulders.
---------------------------------
On the open ground, Fu Lin looked at the wooden house engulfed in roaring flames. Kiana☆ silently walked to the side and gently tugged at the corner of Fu Lin's clothes.
Looking down, he saw Kiana☆ quietly standing next to him, her face covered in soot, her hair disheveled, looking very messy.
Fu Lin suppressed a smile and asked with concern,
"Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
"I'm... I'm fine."
Kiana☆ lowered her head a little embarrassed.
"I just wanted to make something to eat, didn't expect it to turn out like this."
The fire beside them blazed brightly, casting a radiant light that illuminated both their faces.
Fu Lin gave a helpless wry smile, gently wiped the soot off Kiana☆'s face, and softly reminded her,
"Be more careful next time, don't burn the house down again."
Kiana☆ obediently nodded, a playful smile appearing at the corner of her lips. Then a gust of cold wind blew by, making her shiver. She softly asked,
"Hey, Fu Lin, where are we going to stay next?"
Seeing this, Fu Lin took off his coat and draped it over Kiana☆'s shoulders. After thinking for a moment, he replied with slight hesitation,
"Well, I think I know a place we can stay. It's not too far from here."
"Great, great!"
Kiana☆ clapped her hands excitedly, her eyes sparkling with anticipation, urging,
"Then let's go quickly!"
Fu Lin smiled and shook his head, picked up Siegfried, and slowly walked into the distance with Kiana☆.
A few hours later...
Kiana☆ stopped, rubbed her sore legs, and shivered again. She subconsciously hugged the coat around her tighter to warm herself.
But looking at the coat that belonged to Fu Lin, she suddenly realized, and looked ahead at Fu Lin, who was dressed thinly, asking with concern,
"Fu Lin, aren't you cold?"
Hearing Kiana☆'s voice, Fu Lin turned his head, looked at her worried expression, smiled, and said,
"I'm not cold, my body is in great shape. This little cold is nothing."
That wasn't a lie. At this moment, Fu Lin was radiating warmth from inside out. This cold really didn't mean much to him.
After speaking, Fu Lin continued walking forward.
Kiana☆ didn't believe him. She ran up to Fu Lin, returned the coat to him, and said with her arms crossed,
"I'm not that cold either. Here, take your coat back."
Fu Lin looked at Kiana☆, paused for a moment, then slowly said, "I'm really not cold. Wear it."
"But..."
Fu Lin interrupted Kiana☆ firmly, "No buts."
"Alright then... thank you."
Kiana☆ hesitated for a moment, but still put the coat back on.
Seeing her wear the coat, Fu Lin's lips curled into a barely noticeable smile. But seeing her face still red from the cold, he stopped walking.
Fu Lin slowly walked up to Kiana☆ and gently picked her up in his arms.
Kiana☆ was startled by the sudden action and began to struggle, shouting,
"What are you doing!"
Her voice carried a hint of fear and shyness, but Fu Lin didn't let go. Instead, he held her tighter and softly said,
"Don't talk. It's warmer this way."
Hearing Fu Lin's words, Kiana☆ quieted down, stopped struggling, and stayed quietly in his embrace. She felt the warmth emanating from him, and that warmth gradually calmed her heart.
However, that same warmth also made her cheeks flush, as red as a ripe apple. She shyly lowered her head, not daring to look Fu Lin in the eyes, afraid he would notice her awkwardness and embarrassment.
As time passed, Kiana☆ realized she liked this feeling. Compared to hugging her dad, this experience felt completely different.
Gradually, Kiana☆ got used to Fu Lin's embrace, feeling his warmth. Her once-tense body began to relax.
But her heart started beating faster and faster, and a strange emotion welled up inside her.
As a young girl, she couldn't understand what this feeling truly meant, only that it was something special, something she buried deep in her heart.
Kiana☆ looked up and softly said, "Thank you..."
Fu Lin smiled, then carried Siegfried on one shoulder and held Kiana☆ with the other as they continued on their journey.
Time passed minute by minute. Who knew how long they walked until a small, shabby house finally appeared in front of them.
Fu Lin looked at the dilapidated little house, a deep emotion flashing through his eyes. He looked down at the girl in his arms and said,
"Kiana☆, we're here."
However, the girl in his arms didn't respond.
Fu Lin curiously lifted the coat covering her face, only to find that Kiana☆ had fallen asleep at some point. A happy smile graced her lips, and the corners of her mouth lifted slightly, as if she were having a beautiful dream.
Seeing this, Fu Lin couldn't help but smile.
He walked to the front of the cabin, gently pushed open the creaking door, and stepped inside. A wave of musty air hit him.
Looking around, Fu Lin frowned slightly. A wave of emotion surged in his heart—everything here was so familiar.
All the moments once shared with Sirin in this place flashed through his mind like yesterday, but now, it was empty—everyone gone, only dust left behind.
Fu Lin sighed softly, took a clean blanket from his backpack, carefully spread it over the worn-out bed, and gently laid Kiana☆ down, tucking her in.
As for Siegfried, he was casually tossed onto a chair nearby.
Fu Lin reached out and gently touched the old bed, as if he could still feel the times he spent with Sirin here.
Those not-so-happy days brought a faint, bitter smile to his lips.
Fu Lin stroked his chin and murmured,
"Fortunately, Sirin is still alive and well. Nothing to regret. But… did I forget something important..."
Unable to recall what it was he forgot, Fu Lin began to busy himself, finding an old broom in a corner and carefully cleaning every part of the house.
Even though this house had been abandoned for a long time, he still wanted to restore it as much as possible to its former state.
Finally, after all the cleaning was done, Fu Lin let out a long breath and quietly lay beside the bed.
As the sky began to brighten, Kiana☆ rubbed her eyes and curiously looked around. Her voice carried a hint of confusion and wonder.
"I think... I have seen this place in a dream before."