Liang Lai was troubled, and so was Dolosa.
At this very moment, Dolosa sat alone on the windowsill of her room, watching Motifiel and Morgana frolicking and playing in the backyard.
Nearby, Illucy was cautiously planting mushrooms, occasionally glancing up at Motifiel and Morgana. Dolosa felt as if the world had gone mad.
“Why.”
She counted on her fingers.
“One, two, three, four…”
“With me included, there are already seven children now. Will Liang Lai keep picking up more kids and bringing them home? This kind of thing, this kind of thing absolutely can’t keep happening…”
Lately, she’d been quite exasperated.
Who would’ve thought that Liang Lai, even when out on missions, would always bring back a new girl—this time, an especially noisy one.
Well, between a chatterbox like Morgana and Dexilensi, who’s always plotting to assassinate her, she’d still pick Morgana.
But thankfully… Dexilensi had been unusually quiet lately. Who knows what strange wind blew her way.
Of course, it wasn’t some strange wind—Dexilensi simply wasn’t interested in assassinating others anymore.
Perhaps Saintess’s gentle care had softened her sharp edges…
Besides, she knew if she messed up one more time, she’d probably be kicked out of this “Family Group.”
Dolosa was about to turn eighteen soon.
She felt that she was already at the age of a grown child, able to shoulder more of Liang Lai’s burdens.
For example, she no longer needed to coax Liangcai to sleep—now, what she needed to do was…
“You said you’re going to tell me a story and put me to sleep???”
Liang Lai couldn’t believe her ears, even digging at them with her pinky.
“Mm.”
Dolosa nodded, looking down at the Saintess from above—she was now half a head taller than Liang Lai.
Liang Lai looked blankly at the first daughter she had picked up, feeling as if she had been transported to another world.
How did she grow up so quickly in just the blink of an eye? A little over a year ago, she’d still been a tiny bean… It was hard to get used to having to look up at her own daughter like this.
“I could’ve sworn I was just telling you stories and coaxing you to sleep a few days ago,” Liang Lai muttered.
Dolosa’s face instantly turned red.
She turned her head away, “How could that be? You must remember wrong. I… I haven’t listened to your stories in ages. I’m already so grown up, how could I possibly still need someone to tell me a story to fall asleep?!”
Seeing the awkward little expression on her face, Liang Lai immediately understood, nodding in sudden realization, a mischievous smile curling on her lips.
Oh~ so it’s because she wants to act all grown up~ The child really is almost eighteen now, wanting to protect her mom—it’s perfectly normal.
Since that’s her wish, why not play along? After all, her intentions are good~
“Alright~ Then you tell me a story~”
Saying that, Liang Lai sprawled on the bed without hesitation, even patting the spot next to her.
“Come, come, come, you tell Mommy a story. Mommy’s going to listen carefully and see if your stories are as good as mine~”
“Ahem~” Dolosa gave a little cough and awkwardly climbed onto the bed.
In fact, just a month ago, together with Asterys, Delucia, and Illucy, she had witnessed the sacredness of Liangcai—but only after Liang Lai had fallen asleep. Now, lying together in the same bed with Liang Lai awake, Dolosa couldn’t help but feel a little nervous.
“All right~”
Liang Lai looked at this nervous child and couldn’t help but laugh out loud, utterly delighted. Kids really are still kids, always shy no matter what~ See, the moment she tries to act tough, she gets all bashful… Liang Lai didn’t realize at all that Dolosa’s embarrassment came from sharing a bed with her.
Dolosa obediently lay down beside Liangcai, clasped both hands together, and placed them on her belly.
Saintess saw Dolosa’s bare hands and feet exposed, and immediately lifted the blanket to cover her feet.
“Oh dear, how could you not use the blanket? You’ll catch a draft that way,” she nagged in a motherly way, fussing over her, “Let me tell you, apart from your belly button, it’s your feet… those are the easiest places for cold air to get in! Especially your belly button, you must protect it well!”
Dolosa: “
It felt like the romantic mood had vanished, replaced by her mom’s endless nagging.
Oh well, isn’t this a kind of intimacy too? Liang Lai was fussing over her…
Thinking that way, Dolosa’s heart warmed and she felt happy, even touched…
Dolosa decided she had to be bold this once, so when Liang Lai reached over to tuck the blanket around her again, she caught her little hand.
“All right, I know what I’m supposed to do!”
She looked at Liang Lai with those big, watery blue eyes.
She tried to let Liang Lai see the different emotions in her gaze, but how could Liang Lai possibly read those feelings?
“Oh, do you want to hold my hand to sleep? Of course you can~”
A perfect misunderstanding.
She even ruffled Dolosa’s hair with a gentle smile.
“Just as I thought, still a little kid at heart, likes to fall asleep holding someone’s arm~”
Dolosa: “.”
She felt like she was batting her lashes at a blind person.
Forget it.
She wasn’t expecting Liang Lai to understand her feelings today anyway.
Today was just the beginning—she would slowly let Liang Lai realize she was more than just a picked-up girl needing care; she… could protect Liang Lai, let her become… a real woman!
Oh, right…
Speaking of a real woman, Dolosa’s cheeks flushed.
Come to think of it, if Liang Lai could become the Saintess, she must be pure, which means… Liang Lai is still… Mm! Very satisfying! So happy! Of course, even if Saintess wasn’t, she’d still like her!
“All right, Liangcai,” Dolosa once again gripped the Saintess’s wrist, “Stop moving around, I’m going to tell you a story. You’ll drift off as I tell it.”
Seeing the serious little look on Dolosa’s face, Liang Lai couldn’t help but snicker again, but afraid her laughter would ruin the child’s enthusiasm, she puffed up her cheeks like a frog.
“Mm-hmm!”
She nodded vigorously, not daring to speak for fear she’d burst out laughing.
Dolosa took a deep breath and finally mustered the courage to roll over, facing Liang Lai, lying on her side so they were face to face.
“Liang Lai, I’m going to start telling you a story now,” her voice was a little hoarse.
Liang Lai was startled by Dolosa suddenly turning to face her.
She hadn’t looked so closely at Dolosa’s face in so long. Back then, she’d had baby fat and a childish look…
Now, most of that baby fat was gone, and so was the childishness.
She looked like a real young woman.
“Liang Lai.”
Dolosa softly called her name again.
“Mm?” Liang Lai looked at her in confusion.
She didn’t notice Dolosa swallowing twice, an emotion that could no longer be suppressed.
“Why haven’t you started the story yet?” Liang Lai asked.
“Uh! Uh…” Dolosa finally snapped back, forcing an awkward smile, “Ah, I’ll start right now… I was just… thinking about the plot.”
“Oh, oh!” Liang Lai believed her again.
Dolosa took a deep breath, signaling that she was really about to start.
“Once upon a time, there was a little girl who was abandoned by her biological parents, left alone in a forest. That forest was full of dangers, wild beasts and bad people everywhere, and the little girl had no idea how to survive.” Dolosa stared at the Saintess, not looking away, not even blinking.
“She didn’t know how she grew up. She just suffered a lot. Sometimes she thought… everyone grew up that way, but later she found out it wasn’t true. Many people lived in happiness, but happiness… had nothing to do with that little girl.”
Liangcai listened in a daze, the story feeling strangely familiar.
Dolosa’s lips curved slightly.
“One day, while the little girl was hunting, she accidentally got hurt. At that moment, a golden light appeared in front of her, and then, an Angel descended and reached out a hand to her.”
Liangcai’s mouth had opened slightly, because she could already tell—
Wasn’t the little girl in Dolosa’s story her? And wasn’t the Angel herself? Good grief, so the story was about the two of them.
Thinking back, it really was.
But… why was she suddenly telling this story?
Hmm, why did she feel a bit touched? Why were her eyes starting to feel sore?
Liang Lai had always known she was a sensitive person, especially after becoming a girl—maybe it was all those female hormones, but she’d just become even more emotional.
Now, hearing her first adopted child describe her as an Angel, she couldn’t help but feel that her child had grown up.
The emotion in her chest was about to overflow.
When Dolosa reached this part, she could no longer hold back. She gently raised her hand.
“That Angel was really kind, she said she would take the little girl to Heaven. But the little girl didn’t know what Heaven was, so she was wary and afraid. But the Angel still brought her to Heaven… The Angel told the little girl that Heaven was the most wonderful place….”
Dolosa’s hand softly fell on Liang Lai’s face, her thumb delicately caressing Liang Lai’s cheek, so gentle, so tender, as if she were wiping a priceless treasure.
“Whew~”
Warm breath brushed her skin.
At last, in this moment, Liang Lai realized something was off. It wasn’t just because Dolosa’s hand was on her face—it was that Dolosa’s face was getting closer and closer… soon, it would be right next to hers, their noses almost touching.
This development… didn’t seem quite right?
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