The night was gentle on the small building of the theater.
The stove burned quietly, warming the whole room.
Bai You was woken up by hunger.
She slept for several hours, and the drowsiness dissipated, her consciousness gradually returning.
Before she even opened her eyes, she felt herself being tightly encircled in a warm embrace.
Behind her was Varesa's warm chest, a hand resting lightly on her waist, her even breathing gently stroking the top of her head.
She was so relaxed from sleeping that she couldn't help but shift slightly, wanting to change her position.
The slightest noise woke the person behind him almost instantly.
"What's wrong?" Varesa's voice was hoarse and urgent, still a little groggy from just waking up, but filled with barely concealed tension.
She propped herself up, first touching Bai You's face, then feeling her forehead.
"Does it hurt somewhere? Are you thirsty? Or are you cold? Tell me where you feel uncomfortable."
"It's alright, it's alright." Bai You's heart softened at her outburst, and she reached out to stop her wandering hand, her voice soft and sweet.
"I'm just... a little hungry."
Varesa paused for a moment, then let out a long, relieved sigh, her whole body went limp, and she raised her hand to lightly tap the tip of her nose in an annoyed manner.
"Little glutton, you woke up hungry. Wait here."
She put on her robe, got out of bed, and tiptoed to the small stove by the bedside.
Odette's pot of porridge, which had been kept warm on the stove, was now being opened.
The sweet aroma of dried fruit and honey simmered into the rice immediately filled the air, making the taste exceptionally enticing.
Varesa ladled out a small half-bowl, took a small bite to test the temperature, and then brought it back to her bedside.
"Come on, sit up a bit, put some cushion behind you." She stacked the pillows high and helped Bai You slowly sit up.
He wrapped her up tightly in the blanket, leaving only her little face exposed, then scooped up a spoonful of porridge, gently blew on it before handing it to her, "Ah--"
Bai You looked at the spoonful of porridge, then at Varesa, and her ears felt a little hot.
"I can handle it myself..." she whispered, but as soon as she raised her hand, a wave of weakness made her pull it back.
"The patient should behave herself." Varesa held a spoonful steadily to her lips, her eyes full of laughter.
"With your hands like that, you can barely hold a spoon, what are you trying to prove? Open your mouth."
Bai You had no choice but to obediently open her mouth.
The moment the soft, sticky rice porridge enters your mouth, the sweet and sour taste of dried fruit and the warm sweetness of honey melt on your tongue, warming you all the way down your throat to your stomach.
She was just a little hungry, but after that bite, she felt as if her whole body was brightened by the warmth, and her eyes squinted like a cute little kitten.
She obediently opened her mouth and took the second spoonful of porridge.
"Isn't it delicious? I should have made it for you; mine is even better than Odette's."
Seeing her taking small bites of porridge, Varesa couldn't help but smile and say something.
Bai You blinked, "Okay, then I'll cook the porridge you make from now on."
Varesa fed him spoonful by spoonful, and soon the bowl of porridge was empty.
She used a handkerchief to wipe Bai You's mouth, then handed her a glass of warm water to soothe her throat. "Do you want more?"
"That's enough, you'll be stuffed if you eat any more."
Varesa put down the bowl, lay back in bed, and naturally reached out to scoop the Bai You into her arms again.
Bai You looked up and saw Varesa's eyes clearly—her eyelids were still swollen, and the base of her eyelashes was red, traces left from crying for too long.
Bai You reached out and gently placed her small palm on the swollen eyelid, speaking very softly.
Are you still feeling unwell?
Varesa was taken aback.
"I mean..." Bai You's fingertips gently brushed against the corner of her eye.
"When I was asleep, did you cry for a very long time?"
Varesa didn't speak. She grasped the hand that Bai You was pressing against her face, gently buried her face in that small palm, and closed her eyes.
After a long while, she finally spoke in a muffled voice, her tone still carrying a hint of lingering fear from the aftermath.
"You don't know what you were like back then."
"When I brought you back, you were completely cold. I called you, but you didn't respond. I talked to you, but you ignored me."
Her fingers unconsciously tightened, gripping Bai You's other small hand in her own palm.
"I've never been so afraid before."
Bai You felt a tightness in her chest as she listened.
She turned around in Varesa's arms, facing her, and stretched out her still weak arms to wrap around Varesa's waist, pressing her face against her heart.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, "I'm sorry for scaring you so much."
"It won't happen again."
Varesa felt a lump in her throat again, but couldn't help smiling.
She raised her hand and ruffled Bai You's hair, then pressed her back against her chest, her chin gently resting on the top of her head.
Bai You then spoke for a long time, explaining how she became Harbinger and the reason for Columbina's arrival.
The general reason why the " The Doctor " launched the attack was also explained.
The room was quiet for a while.
Varesa didn't say a word, but held Bai You's arm, tightening it little by little, very tightly, yet afraid of hurting her, she finally loosened her grip a little.
It turns out that this little guy, who seems to cling to her every day, acting spoiled, greedy, and wanting to stay in bed late, has been secretly doing all this all by himself.
"Such a big thing," she said after a long silence, her voice a little strained, "You actually kept it from me all this time."
"I didn't mean to..." Bai You snuggled closer to her.
"I didn't have time to tell you at first, and later I was afraid you'd worry."
"I'm not worried anymore?" Varesa lowered her head and flicked her forehead lightly, her eyes red-rimmed.
"You..."
She simply pressed him back against her heart, her chin resting on the soft top of his head.
"Whether you're the Harbinger or the Twelfth Seat, to me, you're just my Little Bai You, the Little Bai You I have to watch over every day, because if I don't keep an eye on you for a moment, you'll cause trouble."
She spoke very softly, but each word was spoken with utmost seriousness.
"Even if the sky falls down in the future, you'll have to consult me first, do you hear me?"
"I heard you." Bai You closed her eyes and obediently rubbed against Varesa, "I'll do whatever you say."
"Come on, keep drinking your porridge."
After finishing the bowl of sweet porridge, Bai You's pale face, which had been pale all day, seemed to regain some color.
Varesa wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and was about to put the bowl down when a soft hand gently grabbed her wrist.
"What's wrong? Are you still hungry?" she asked, looking down at her.
Bai You shook her head, her gaze drifting towards the closed door:
"Odette and Columbina... they're still outside. Let's go out and see."
"No." Varesa refused without even thinking, and reached out to push her into the blankets.
"You just woke up, and you're so weak. Just stay in bed, I'll go get them."
"No!" Bai You clung to the edge of the blanket, revealing half her face.
Bai You looked at Varesa with teary eyes and said coquettishly.
"I've been lying down all day, my bones are aching."
Varesa couldn't stand her look the most. She stared at her for two seconds, then finally gave in and poked her forehead in annoyance.
"Just for a little while. If you dare to feel dizzy or sleepy without making a sound, I'll carry you back right away."
She rummaged through the closet and pulled out the thickest fleece sweater for Bai You to put on.
They wrapped the person up from head to toe in a blanket, leaving only their small face exposed, before half-carrying, half-lifting them out of bed.
Bai You was carefully held by Varesa and moved step by step towards the door.
Then Varesa, with her arm around Bai You, slowly walked downstairs.
In the small living room, Odette and Columbina were indeed still awake.
The fireplace was burning brightly, and the two sat under the lamp. Columbina held a cup of floral tea and was whispering something to Odette.
Hearing the noise on the stairs, the two of them looked up at the same time.
I was taken aback at first.
"Why did you come down?" Odette stood up abruptly and rushed over to greet him, her brows furrowed and her tone both urgent and soft.
"You're so weak, why are you running around instead of lying in bed?"
"It was my own idea to get down." Bai You, being held in someone's arms, smiled at her with her eyes crinkled, her voice soft.
"Odette, Columbina, I'm alright, don't worry."
Columbina also got up and walked over, her light purple eyes taking a closer look at Bai You's face.
Her expression softened. "It's good to sit down for a while; staying cooped up in the room all the time is making me feel stifled."
"Come, sit by the fireplace, it's the warmest place."
The four of them worked together to pile thick blankets and cushions on the sofa next to the fireplace.
Varesa sat down first, then scooped the Bai You, wrapped in a small ball of fluff, into her arms and held it close.
Bai You relaxed completely as she leaned against him comfortably.
"Have something hot to drink." Odette turned and went into the kitchen, returning shortly with four cups of hot drinks.
He handed a cup of honey milk to Bai You, a cup of herbal tea to Columbina, poured a cup of hot cocoa for Varesa, took a cup of herbal tea for himself, and finally sat down.
She took out a small plate of freshly warmed bread rolls and a few cookies from the cupboard and placed it within Bai You's reach.
Bai You was a little glutton; the moment she smelled the aroma of wheat, her eyes lit up, and she reached out to grab it, not caring that she had just finished a bowl of porridge.
"She had just finished her porridge." Varesa, quick as a flash, moved the plate half an inch away.
"Just one bite." Bai You looked at her expectantly.
"... half a piece."
"One piece."
"Okay, eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you."
Varesa gave up, picked up a small piece of bread, tore it into small pieces, and fed it to her mouth one small piece at a time.
Bai You ate small bites from her hand, her cheeks puffing out, which made Odette and Columbina, who were standing next to her, unable to help but smile.
The fireplace crackled and popped, warming the small space cozy. Outside the window, the wind and snow raged in Snezhnaya City late at night, but inside, the lamplight shone brightly and people felt at peace.
"Oh, right, about the performance—" Varesa remembered something and looked at Odette a little guiltily.
"It's postponed. I'll talk to the theater while you're sleeping."
Odette knew exactly what she wanted to ask, and spoke before Odette could feel guilty, her tone as crisp as ever.
"We haven't set a new date yet; we'll talk about it after you've recovered."
"But you've rehearsed for so long..." Bai You couldn't help but say.
"Rehearsals are never wasted; all the hard work is there, and it's never too late to go on stage."
Odette interrupted her, looking at her with her icy blue eyes, her tone unusually soft.
"It's just a performance, so it's postponed."
"If you really feel bad about it, just get well soon and sit in the front row to watch me and Varesa perform. That will make up for it, okay?"
"Okay!" Bai You nodded emphatically, her eyes crinkling into two crescent moons. "I'll definitely be there, and I'll bring you flowers too."
"Then we'll be waiting," Odette laughed.
Bai You nestled in Varesa's warm embrace, holding a cup of warm milk in her hands, watching Odette, Columbina, and Varesa discuss the matter.
The firelight from the fireplace danced on the three people's faces, warm and comforting.
We sat around the fire and talked for a while about Bai You.
Not long after, a surge of heat and fullness rose up, and Bai You's eyelids began to droop little by little.
The little head was nodding off, and the cup in its hands was almost too loose to hold.
"Are you sleepy?" Varesa asked softly.
"... Hmm..." she mumbled in response, forcing herself to keep her eyes open.
Varesa and the other two exchanged a glance, and both nodded slightly.
She gently took the cup from Bai You's hand and handed it to Odette, then wrapped her in a blanket again.
With one hand supporting the back and the other slipping under the knees, he steadily lifted the person into his arms.
Bai You instinctively wrapped her arms around her neck, rested her head on her shoulder, and inhaled that familiar, comforting scent, her last bit of consciousness dissipated.
"We'll go up first," Varesa said softly.
"Go ahead, I'll take care of the rest," Odette waved her hand, adding a final instruction.
"If she does anything wrong at night, she'll call us immediately."
"Okay, okay."
Varesa carried Bai You slowly upstairs, with Columbina turning off the lights for them behind them.
Bai You rested on her shoulder, half-asleep, and let out a very soft and contented sigh.