Bai You felt her face flush from what she said and was about to retort when something suddenly seemed to pop into her head.
She paused for a moment, then focused her mind on searching through her storage space.
Sure enough, in the corner lay two props she had almost forgotten about.
[ Cat Transformation Candy: Transforms you into a cat for one hour. Movement speed is increased by 50% in cat form. You cannot use Elemental Power or human language in this form.]
I won it through a system lottery, and then I forgot about it.
"Oh right..." Bai You remembered, and her eyes gradually brightened.
"[What, you finally remembered you had this thing?]" the system said, as if yawning.
[I thought you planned to leave it in the storage bag forever.]
"Transform into a kitten..." Bai You thought to herself, her fingertips still resting on the kitten-shaped blanket. "When we get to the cave, should I try using one?"
She could already picture the scene—she transformed into a soft, fluffy white kitten, jumped into Varesa's arms, and saw what kind of expression Voyanisa would have.
"Whatever you like," the system said slowly.
[Just a reminder, this is a time-limited event. Make sure you find a secluded spot before you transform; don't transform on the street, or I won't be responsible if you scare someone.]
"Okay, okay."
"What are you daydreaming about? If you want it, just buy it. I'm quite wealthy." Varesa's voice rang out from above.
"No, no!" Bai You snapped back to reality, pointing at the kitten-patterned blanket, her words flying, "That's it! Buy this one!"
Varesa looked at her suspiciously for two seconds, then smiled, took the blanket off the shelf, folded it neatly, and put it on the top shelf of the trolley.
"Okay, I'll buy this." She paused, her voice softening.
"Anyway, we'll be sharing a bed from now on. Your preference is more important than anything else."
Bai You secretly glanced at Varesa's profile as she pushed the stroller, then at the blanket covered in kitten prints.
In his mind, he elevated the idea of "transforming in the cave" to an even higher level.
After buying the quilt, the two of them relaxed and shopped around freely.
Below the home furnishings section is a row of shops selling a wide variety of general merchandise and small decorative items.
Bai You wandered around the shop, looking at everything and touching it, finding each item new and interesting.
She first stopped in front of a lighting store, unable to move. She picked out two warm yellow lamps for the windproof lamps to be hung in the room near the cave entrance.
Then he took a fancy to a string of small star-shaped lights and insisted on buying it, saying he wanted to wrap it around the stone wall of the cave.
"As soon as the night light came on, it was like stars had fallen in." Varesa imagined the scene and couldn't help but nod in agreement.
Next, a thick, plush blanket that you could sink into when you stepped on was laid under the soft couch.
Bai You hugged several round, Bai You cushions tightly, reluctant to put any of them down. In the end, Varesa made the decision and took one of each color.
They also bought tableware, daily necessities, and a small wooden bookshelf— Varesa said that she could put some sheet music in the cave and flip through it when she got tired of singing.
"I want this one too." Bai You pulled out a small snowman figurine, no bigger than the palm of her hand, from a corner. The snowman was wearing a red scarf and looked rather silly.
"You are so cute." Varesa smiled as she took the bag and put it in the car for her.
Halfway through their walk, Bai You's legs started to ache, so Varesa pulled her to sit down on a bench in the courtyard and went to a food stall in the adjacent area to buy a bag of hot, roasted chestnuts.
She peeled one, blew on it to cool it down, and fed it to the Bai You; then she peeled another and ate it herself.
The Bai You were so soft and sweet that Bai You was panting from the heat, but she couldn't bear to spit them out. She held them in both hands, one after another.
"Slow down, no one's going to take it from you," Varesa said, wiping the chestnut crumbs from the corner of her mouth with her finger.
Bai You puffed out her cheeks and leaned against her arm.
After a while.
After they had rested enough, they continued walking. When they passed a flower shop on the corner of the first floor, Bai You suddenly stopped.
Snezhnaya brings ice and snow, the flower shop feels like another season, with its glass-enclosed space bursting with spring colors and blooming flowers of all kinds.
The most eye-catching thing is a pot of lilies. The buds are pure white, the petals are fully open, and several stems have already bloomed, revealing tender yellow stamens. A delicate fragrance can be smelled even through the door.
"It smells so good..." Bai You leaned closer to the bucket, tilting her head back to look.
"Do you like lilies?" Varesa asked.
"... Hmm..." Bai You nodded.
"The lilies are pure white," Bai You reached out and very gently touched a petal.
It looks quiet and peaceful, but when you open it, it's especially beautiful, and the fragrance is very gentle.
Varesa stood there, watching her earnestly gesturing. She squatted down, gently rested her chin on her shoulder from behind, and spoke in a voice so soft it could melt water.
"You're so good with words," she whispered in Bai You's ear. "Buy, buy several more, and take them back to the cave to grow."
Finally, they chose two lilies with roots. The shop owner carefully planted them in terracotta pots, wrapped the pots with kraft paper, and instructed them to water them every few days.
Bai You held the pot of lilies in both hands as if it were a precious treasure, handling it carefully the whole way.
Once we'd picked out most of the things we needed for the renovation, a problem arose.
The trolley was piled high like a small mountain: blankets, string lights, curtains, plush blankets, cushions, bookshelves, snacks, the pot of lilies, and a bunch of other odds and ends I couldn't name, all crammed together and teetering on the edge.
Varesa, holding onto the stroller, looked at the "small hill" and, unusually, seemed troubled.
"Oh no!" she counted the bags; she had bought too many.
There's so much stuff, even with four hands we can't carry it all. We can't possibly push the cart to the train station... I should have been more restrained earlier.
As she was considering whether to make two trips or call some people to pick her up, Bai You gently patted her arm, looking completely calm.
"No need for that." Bai You cleared her throat. "You just watch."
Before Varesa could react, she saw Bai You reach out her small hand, lightly cover the pile of things, and close her eyes.
The next instant, a pale blue light rippled from her fingertips, like ripples spreading across the surface of water.
The kitten blanket, along with the nearest few cushions, silently "sank" right under Varesa's nose, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.
Varesa:...
Varesa's eyes widened, she subconsciously rubbed them, and when she opened them again, the pile of things was gone.
"Huh?!" Her voice rose a half-octave, "Where... where is it?!"
"I've put it away." Bai You seriously, placing her hand over the remaining items one by one until they faded and disappeared.
With each item she collected, Varesa's eyes widened a little more.
Finally, she even "packed" the potted lilies and a large bag of snacks into the cart, leaving it instantly empty.
A huge "small hill" vanished just like that.
Throughout the entire process, only Varesa stood there blankly.
He looked at the empty shopping cart, then at the Bai You, and couldn't close his mouth for a long time.
"You, what are you doing...?" She crouched down, leaned close to Bai You, and lowered her voice, but her eyes shone with an astonishing light.
Where did the things go?
"A place for storage." Bai You thought for a moment and chose the easiest way to explain it.
"I discovered that my spatial abilities also have this function, just like the teleportation function of that pendant."
To prove it, she flipped her little hand over, and the bag of fruit candies appeared in her palm; she flipped it again, and it was gone.
Varesa watched in amazement, circling around her halfway as if she were meeting her for the first time.
"How big is it? How much can it hold?" she asked in rapid succession. "Are you hiding a lot from me?"
"It's quite big; it's more than enough to hold all of this." Bai You, caught off guard by her question, mumbled, "I haven't been hiding much from you. I just... I only have this much ability."
She responded half-heartedly, keeping the Harbinger's intentions firmly in her heart.
It's not time to tell Varesa these things yet.
Varesa stared at her for a few seconds, then suddenly reached out, pulled her into her arms, and hugged her tightly.
"Wow, my Little Bai You is amazing!" Her voice was filled with undisguised pride.
"Will we be able to empty as many stores as we want when we buy things in the future?"
"Why are you focusing on this?"
"Just kidding." Varesa laughed, letting go of her and taking her free hand.
She felt that the small hand in her palm was becoming increasingly unfathomable. She didn't ask about its origin, but simply tightened her grip.
Deep down, I wish Bai You could be more ordinary, because the ordinary are less likely to be lost.
"Let's go, now we're traveling light, let's head to the train station."
"Hmm!"