Mianmian looked up from where she was rinsing the last dish. Her sleeves were rolled past her elbows, strands of hair clinging to her temple from the steam.
"You'll allow me?" she echoed with a chuckle. "Thank you for your blessing, dear brother."
Cheongsam snorted and grabbed a clean towel to help dry. "Don't push it."
She laughed again, a low, tired sound, and handed him a bowl. "Let's go upstairs and get ready for bed. It's been a long day."
They finished the cleanup in comfortable silence. Upstairs, their small living space was already dimly lit by the orange glow of a single desk lamp. The fan whirred softly in the corner, barely cutting through the muggy night air.
"Go bathe first.." Mianmian said, pulling out her sleep clothes and laying them on the bed.
Cheongsam didn't argue. He grabbed his things and shuffled off to the bathroom, the floorboards creaking faintly under his feet.
