"Go.." Mianmian waved him toward the staircase. "I'll lock up here."
He nodded and trudged upstairs, his feet dragging slightly. She listened to the creak of the floorboards overhead as she checked the latch on the front door, sliding it into place.
The window shutters were already drawn; tomorrow morning she'd open them again to let in the fresh air before the breakfast rush.
By the time she made her way upstairs, she could hear the faint splash of water from the bathroom.
Steam drifted through the gap under the door, carrying the scent of soap.
Mianmian went to her own room, pulling out the folded blanket from the small wooden chest by the wall.
She shook it out and spread it neatly across the simple floor mat that Cheongsam preferred to sleep on, then she layered so he wouldn't feel to much of the hard floor.
As she tucked in the edges, her fingers brushed against something in the pocket of her apron.
She froze for a moment, then slowly reached inside.
