"Chen-ge, didn't I tell you to wait for me?" little Xiaolei cried as she stood by the door looking at the opened window. She thought that the boy had left but the moment she stepped into her room and closed the door, she froze in surprise.
Chen was right there, standing by the wall, looking at her with wide, worried eyes. It appeared that he was hiding behind the door when she pushed it open.
"Chen-ge!"
Immediately, she jumped on him and hugged him tightly. "I thought you left." She sobbed and the boy reluctantly raised his hand.
"Didn't I promise to wait here?" he replied, he sounded a little anxious as he gently caressed her back.
They stayed like that for a long while until little Xiaolei calmed down.
"What's wrong? Why are you crying?" asked the boy but the girl didn't answer and just embraced him even tighter.
When she finally stopped crying, she pulled away from him. "Where are they?" she asked, looking at the opened window.
"They left. They had to go back because Mr. Han might found out that I wasn't there. They will come get me later."
"I see… ah, I forgot the cookies. I'll go get it first, okay?"
"Mm."
Little Xiaolei was back in her room holding a tray of food. She put the tray on the floor and asked the boy to sit across her and then, they both quietly ate dinner as it began raining again.
"They really jumped out the window?" Little Xiaolei's big clear eyes were looking at him with astonishment. She had seen how fast and agile Nine and Ten were before. She also saw them climb and then jump down like monkeys on the trees, but her young mind could only think that their seemingly inhuman ability might be the result of some training so she didn't pry about it anymore. But now, imagining them jumping from this height was just something unbelievable to her.
"Mm. Don't worry, that height is nothing to them."
"Nine and Ten are awesome. It's unbelievable! I wish I could be like them, too."
Time ticked by and the two were already lying across the bed. They were staring at the ceiling.
It was already nine in the evening but there was still no sign of Nine and Ten coming to get him.
"Could it be that they forgot about you and they fell asleep?" Xiaolei asked as she roll and face him.
The boy just smiled. "I don't think so. Maybe, they're still dealing with something." He said. He didn't look worried at all but he was glancing at the window more often as time went by.
"Something?" she echoed when a loud thunder startled her. The rain was still heavy and there was no sign of it stopping anytime soon.
"Are you scared of thunder?"
"No,"
"You looked like you are…" he grinned and little Xiaolei moved closer to him.
"Xiaolei, why were you crying? Did your grandparents scold you?" Chen's gaze at her were now serious as he waited for her to answer him.
But then, again, Xiaolei didn't give him an immediate response. She instead stretched out her hand and held his before she nodded.
"Grandpa… found out that I have been going to the woods. That's why, tomorrow, I think I should skip meeting you for a day or two to make him believe that I stopped going there. What do you think?" she sounded extremely sad as she said it.
Chen fell silent for a moment. "I think that's the right thing for you to do. It's been dangerous lately so I would prefer it if you stay home for now."
Upon hearing the word 'dangerous', little Xiaolei couldn't help but feel somewhat uneasy. She'd been hearing her grandfather and the folks in the village talking about the remains of dead people being found in the woods lately but she never asked Chen about it. It wasn't like she didn't care, she just believed that those killings had nothing to do with him.
"Grandpa said there are dead people in the woods." She uttered, blinking at him. "I'm worried."
The boy lifted his hand and landed his hand on her head. "You don't have to worry. I have Nine and Ten. I also have my pets to protect me." He assured, smiling at her.
Little Xiaolei smiled back, looking satisfied and then, her lashes began to fall. She's been fighting to not fall asleep for a while now and Chen found her futile struggle adorable.
When she finally succumbed to dreamland, Chen's smile slowly faded, his gaze never left her face. The girl's tiny hand was on top of his chest, clenching his shirt so he didn't dare move and just stayed still like that.
After a couple of hours, the signal he was waiting for finally came. The girl, who was embracing him, tightened her grip on him when he moved, so Chen slowly touched her hands and carefully pulled it away.
Minutes passed, Chen was still unsuccessful in getting away until the drenched Nine popped up like a cat by the window. Gladly, Chen was quick to signal him to hush so Nine froze on the window and waited quietly like that as he watched Chen carefully pulling away from her.
When Chen finally managed to leave the bed, he quietly walked towards Nine and told him to wait outside. Nine was quick to nod and then, like a cat, he jumped down again.
Chen tucked little Xiaolei under the blanket. Stared at her face for another long while before he went and closed the window.
He walked towards her again and then before he knew it, he kissed her cheek. He looked flustered and extremely surprised when he pulled back. His face was red like tomato as he hastily left her bed.
When he opened the back door, Nine and Ten were standing there. Both of them were drenched. Nine gave him a black rain coat and as soon as Chen was ready, they began walking away.
Chen turned and looked at the window in the attic one last time before the three of disappeared into the forest.