Chapter 400: Daily life 10.

Lili shook her head. "No."

Yan Cijin called from the kitchen, "Don’t encourage her."

Bai Li stood. "Too late."

She moved the chair three centimeters to the left.

Lili smiled. "Better."

Yan Cijin walked in. "You actually moved it."

"She was unhappy."

"You realize you’re teaching her that every problem can be solved by

making me move furniture."

Bai Li nodded. "Useful lesson."

Yan Cijin gave her a look. "You are terrible."

Bai Li smiled. "You still like me."

The words slipped out naturally.

Both women stopped.

Lili looked up.

Mother Yan, fortunately, was not in the room.

Yan Cijin blinked. "Who said that?"

Bai Li pointed at herself. "Me."

"You cannot just say things like that."

"Why?"

Yan Cijin had no answer she could safely give.

Bai Li smiled at her for another second. Then she turned toward the

balcony. "The mint needs water."

Yan Cijin watched her leave.

"She does that on purpose," she whispered.

Lili looked at her. "Does what?"

Yan Cijin sighed. "Nothing."

The days also included small moments when the two women cared for each

other without making a big deal of it.

When Yan Cijin’s hands became dry from cleaning and repairing things,

Bai Li quietly left a small jar of cream beside her sewing box. Yan

Cijin stared at it.

"What’s this?"

"For your hands."

"Why?"

"They look sore."

"You noticed?"

"Obviously."

Yan Cijin smiled faintly. "Thank you."

Bai Li shrugged. "Don’t thank me until you use it."

"Bossy."

"Responsible."

Yan Cijin used it.

A day later, she quietly bought a better pair of work gloves from the

building’s shared supply box and left them on Bai Li’s toolbox.

Bai Li found them.

She carried them into the living room.

"What’s this?"

Yan Cijin did not look up from her notebook. "Gloves."

"I know."

"Then why are you asking?"

Bai Li smiled. "These are mine."

"Yes."

"You got them for me."

Yan Cijin finally looked up. "Your hands get dirty all the time."

"And?"

"And you complain when you get a cut."

"I don’t complain."

Yan Cijin smiled. "You said that too many times to be believable."

Bai Li put the gloves on. They fit perfectly.

"Good."

Yan Cijin looked back at the notebook. "Good."

Bai Li stayed there for another second.

"Thank you."

Yan Cijin smiled without looking up. "You’re welcome."

That was their flirting sometimes.

Not declarations.

Not dramatic moments.

Just small gifts.

Lingering looks.

A hand briefly on a shoulder.

A little teasing.

A compliment disguised as an observation.

A reason invented to stand too close.

Neither woman knew whether the other understood.

Both suspected.

Neither was willing to test that suspicion.

There was also the matter of food.

Mother Yan had gradually turned meal preparation into a small system.

Breakfast was usually rice, porridge, eggs, or vegetables. Lunch was

whatever needed to be used first. Dinner was usually the more filling

meal, especially on days when Bai Li had gone downstairs or outside.

Everything was portioned. Nothing was wasted.

Lili was assigned simple jobs. She washed small vegetables. She counted

eggs. She carried empty containers. She folded napkins. She was not

allowed near knives or the stove. She complained about that restriction

regularly.

"I’m big."

Mother Yan would answer, "You’re still little."

"Bai Li lets me help."

Bai Li would immediately say, "With safe things."

Lili would think. "I can do safe things with knives."

Yan Cijin would laugh. "No."

The answer was always no.

One rainy afternoon, Mother Yan made vegetable pancakes from flour and a

small amount of preserved vegetables. The kitchen smelled warm and good.

Rain tapped against the reinforced window. The river below was gray. The

whole city seemed quieter because of the weather.

Lili sat at the table watching the pancakes cook.

"How long?"

Mother Yan said, "A little longer."

"How little?"

"A few minutes."

Lili turned to Bai Li. "How many minutes is a few?"

Bai Li thought about it seriously. "Three."

Mother Yan looked at her. "That’s not always true."

Bai Li corrected herself. "Between two and five."

Lili nodded. "Okay."

Yan Cijin walked in carrying dry towels. "What are you all discussing?"

"Pancake minutes," Lili said.

Yan Cijin paused. "I don’t want to know."

Bai Li smiled. "Too late."

Yan Cijin looked at the rain. "We haven’t had this kind of weather since

the first week."

Mother Yan nodded. "The river will rise."

Bai Li glanced toward the window. "Not enough to matter to us."

"Still, check the lower entrance later," Mother Yan said.

"I will."

Yan Cijin looked at her. "You were planning to go downstairs anyway,

weren’t you?"

"Maybe."

"You enjoy finding excuses to leave the apartment."

"I enjoy making sure things work."

"Same difference."

Bai Li smiled. "Maybe."

When the rain stopped, Bai Li went downstairs with Yan Cijin. They

checked the ground-floor drains, the side gate, the generator housing,

and the storage areas. The building’s residents had done a good job

keeping the lower floors organized, but rain had exposed one weak point.

Water was collecting near the service entrance.

Bai Li rolled up her sleeves.

Yan Cijin sighed. "I knew it."

"What?"

"You are going to fix it."

"Obviously."

"We are just supposed to inspect it."

"Inspection revealed a problem."

"Which means?"

"Fix it."

Yan Cijin shook her head. "Old mother."

Bai Li looked over. "You like that nickname."

"Maybe."

"Good."

They cleared the blocked drain together. Bai Li used a long metal rod to

remove debris while Yan Cijin pulled the wet leaves away. When the water

finally began flowing properly, Yan Cijin raised both hands.

"Done."

Bai Li nodded. "Good job."

Yan Cijin smiled. "Was that praise?"

"Maybe."

"You are copying me."

"Maybe."

They both laughed.

On the way back upstairs, they passed several residents who thanked them

for checking the entrance. Bai Li kept waving them off.

"We live here too," she said.

One older resident smiled. "That’s why people trust you."

Bai Li did not answer.

Yan Cijin did not either.

They simply continued upstairs.

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TO BE CONTINUED.