That morning, Luo Li woke to the enticing aroma of food.
It wasn't the greasy smell of takeout or the artificial flavoring of instant noodles, but something... more natural, with a faint sweetness and a toasted fragrance.
He sat up groggily on the couch, rubbed his eyes, and looked toward the kitchen.
A slender figure in his oversized T-shirt stood with her back to him, bustling somewhat clumsily at the stove.
She had loosely tied her long silver-purple hair behind her head with a hair tie she had found somewhere, revealing the graceful lines of her fair neck.
She seemed to be frying eggs. The pan sizzled, and the rice cooker beside it was giving off clouds of steam.
Luo Li froze, feeling a little dazed for a moment.
In all his time living alone, this was the first morning he had smelled food he hadn't made himself and seen someone preparing breakfast for him.
The feeling was... unfamiliar yet warm.
"You're... awake?"
Castorice seemed to notice the movement behind her. She turned off the stove and turned around.
The kitchen's heat had left a faint flush on her cheeks and fine beads of sweat at her temples. She held a plate with two fried eggs that weren't quite evenly shaped but looked golden and tempting.
"I saw these things in the kitchen... so I tried making something.
"Where I come from, we prepare simple meals in the morning as offerings to the roaming Titans... I hope you like it."
(Note: this part is purely my own headcanon.)
There was a trace of uncertainty in her voice as her purple eyes carefully watched Luo Li's reaction.
Luo Li promptly jumped off the couch and strode into the kitchen. "Y-you can cook, too?"
"Only basic preparation."
Castorice lowered her head slightly. "The way we prepare ingredients in Amphoreus may be different from here. I was only copying the appearance of that... 'takeout' you ordered yesterday."
Luo Li looked at the two fried eggs on the plate, which she had tried hard to make round but still had somewhat ragged edges. Something seemed to give his heart a gentle nudge.
He picked up his chopsticks, lifted an egg, and took a bite.
It was a little overcooked, the edges slightly burnt, and the salt unevenly scattered, leaving one side bland and the other salty.
But... it tasted wonderful.
It was the best fried egg he had ever eaten.
"How is it?" Castorice asked a little nervously.
"Great!" Luo Li gave her a thumbs-up, lavish with his praise. "It's delicious! Much better than mine!"
He wasn't just being polite. He genuinely thought it tasted good.
The corners of Castorice's lips lifted slightly in a faint, genuine smile, like the first thaw of ice and snow. "I'm glad you like it."
[Ding! Target 'Castorice' felt pleased by the host's sincere praise. Affection +3. Current affection: 31%.] [Ding! Hidden interaction 'Sharing the First Meal of the Morning' completed. Reward: 2,000 Longxia Currency in cash.]
The system notifications lifted Luo Li's spirits even further.
Looks like raising affection doesn't necessarily mean completing those ridiculous tasks!
After finishing this meaningful breakfast, Luo Li clapped his hands and got down to business. "All right, Castorice. Our main task today is to buy your daily necessities!"
He counted on his fingers. "A bed, a quilt, sheets, pillows... and changes of clothes. The ones we bought yesterday probably won't arrive until this afternoon, so we need a few more sets as spares today. And some... essentials for girls."
By the end, he turned his face away, a little embarrassed.
Castorice, however, was quite composed. She nodded. "Sorry for the trouble, Luo Li."
"But before we go out, we'll need to disguise you a little."
Luo Li studied her conspicuous long silver-purple hair and her pure purple eyes.
"Your hair and eyes are too unusual. They'll draw unnecessary attention around here."
Really, if the genuine, original Castorice strutted down the street, her head-turning rate would absolutely be 100%-anime fans or not, everyone would take a second look.
He rummaged through his things and found a black baseball cap he rarely wore and a pair of black-framed glasses with nonprescription lenses.
He had Castorice put on the cap to hold down her hair, then slip on the somewhat dowdy black-framed glasses.
Though they still couldn't conceal her exceptional presence and delicate features, at least she no longer looked as if she came with her own spotlight.
"Let's go!"
Luo Li looked at the newly disguised Castorice, nodded in satisfaction, and led her out of the apartment.
Morning in Jiangcheng lay beneath the dark red "Cloud of Blood Erosion." Most people hurrying along the streets wore the numbness and wariness peculiar to the apocalypse.
Occasionally, squads of uniformed ability users roared past in armored vehicles, drawing looks from passersby.
Castorice was curious about everything.
She looked at the buildings soaring into the clouds, their surfaces covered in fortifications and energy patterns; at the endless stream of vehicles of every shape on the streets; and at the dazzling array of merchandise in shop windows. Her purple eyes were wide behind her glasses.
"Those iron boxes... move so fast."
"There are people moving... on that big glowing board..."
"So many... colors..."
She let out soft exclamations from time to time, like a country girl visiting the city for the first time. She stayed close beside Luo Li, occasionally catching his hem instinctively as she dodged pedestrians.
Feeling that faint tug, Luo Li experienced a strange sense of satisfaction and patiently served as her guide.
Their first stop was a large home goods store.
Faced with shelves piled high with quilts, sheets, and pillows in all sorts of patterns and materials, Castorice seemed a little at a loss.
"Luo Li... how should I choose?"
"Just pick whatever material and color you like."
Luo Li picked up a pale purple velvet quilt. "Like this one. It feels very soft, and the color's a little like your hair."
Castorice cautiously reached out and stroked the quilt. As she felt its smooth warmth, a trace of fondness flashed through her eyes.
"Mm... this one is nice."
"Then we'll take it!"
Luo Li made the decision readily, then had her choose sheets and a duvet cover she liked. They all leaned toward cool shades such as pale purple and light blue, with very simple patterns.
Next, they picked out toiletries, towels, slippers, and other everyday essentials.
Luo Li pushed the shopping cart while Castorice followed beside him, watching him place one item after another inside. Her eyes were full of novelty, along with a barely perceptible trace of reliance.
The shopping went smoothly until they passed the women's underwear section.
Luo Li's face instantly turned bright red, and his steps grew hesitant.
"Um... Castorice, you'll need to choose the things in here yourself... ones that fit."
His gaze wandered, and he didn't dare look in that direction.
Castorice looked at the various styles of intimate apparel, then at Luo Li's embarrassed expression. Seemingly understanding something, she flushed as well, gave a soft "Mm," and went in alone.
As if granted a pardon, Luo Li hurriedly pushed the cart to a nearby rest area to wait, feeling more exhausted than if he had run a thousand meters.
Only when Castorice emerged with a delicate shopping bag, her cheeks slightly flushed, did Luo Li breathe a sigh of relief. He quickly took the bag and tucked it among their other purchases, trying to hide his embarrassment.
With all their shopping done, the cart was piled full.
Looking at the small mountain of supplies, Luo Li worried about how to get it home.
Even if they hired a car, this much stuff would probably take two trips.
Just then, Castorice looked at Luo Li and softly asked the question lingering in her heart:
"Luo Li... why are you so good to me?"
Her gaze was clear and direct, carrying genuine confusion. "You took me in, gave me food, lifted my curse, and now you've bought so many things for me... In this unfamiliar world, I have nothing to give you in return."
Luo Li paused.
Of course, he couldn't bluntly say, "Because I like you," "Because you're my wife in the game," or "Because the system gives generous mission rewards."
Looking into her purple eyes, still crystal clear through the lenses, he scratched his head and gave her a somewhat embarrassed but sufficiently sincere smile.
"Well... if I had to say, it's probably because... you suddenly appeared in front of me, looking so lost and so different."
He paused, gathering his words. "In this damned apocalyptic world, everyone has a hard time getting by. Isn't helping one another only natural?
"Besides, seeing how happy you were when you could touch things, and how curious you are about my world... I find it pretty interesting. And I feel... responsible for helping you live a good life here."
He avoided those overly personal and self-serving reasons, attributing his motives to "kindness" and "responsibility," which seemed particularly precious against the backdrop of the apocalypse, along with a little interest sparked by something new.
This answer seemed to touch Castorice more than any flowery words could.
She watched Luo Li quietly for a few seconds. Then her lips slowly curved into an exceedingly gentle smile. It dispelled the last trace of eeriness about her, leaving her warm and real.
"Thank you, Luo Li-I'm truly glad I met you."
[Ding! Target 'Castorice' was deeply moved by the host's sincerity and kindness. Affection +10. Current affection: 41%!] [Ding! Affection has exceeded 40%. Reward issued: one random B-rank ability awakening opportunity! Draw now?]
Here it is! Luo Li was ecstatic and immediately said silently, Draw!
[Drawing... Congratulations! The host has obtained the B-rank ability: Portable Space!] [Ability description: Opens an independent subspace attached to the host, with an initial volume of 1 cubic meter. It can store nonliving objects. Time flows extremely slowly within the space, providing excellent preservation. The space can gradually expand as the host's mental power grows. (Note: this space cannot store living things or be used for direct attacks.)]
A personal storage space?!
Though it wasn't a combat ability, it was practically a god-tier tool for daily life.
Especially for them, with so many supplies to carry right now.
Luo Li forcibly suppressed his excitement and gave Castorice a mysterious smile. "Castorice, let me show you a magic trick."
As he spoke, he lightly touched the mountain of shopping bags and willed it.
Whoosh!
An entire cartload of items vanished without a trace in an instant.
Castorice's lips parted slightly in surprise. She looked at the empty shopping cart, then at Luo Li's equally empty hands. "Where... did everything go?"
"In here."
Luo Li pointed at himself and explained proudly, "I just awakened a little ability. I can put things in a 'little storeroom' that other people can't see. Convenient, right?"
Castorice's eyes were full of wonder and admiration. "Luo Li, you're amazing..."
That look of pure adoration gave Luo Li's vanity immense satisfaction.
"Come on, let's go home! We'll set up your room!"
With Portable Space, carrying everything was no longer a problem.
The two left the store empty-handed and at ease.
On the way back, Luo Li looked at Castorice beside him. She was still curious about everything around her, but no longer so nervous. With that 41% affection in his mind and his newly acquired practical ability, his mood felt brighter than ever.
Even the perpetually dark red sky outside the window seemed a little easier on the eyes.