The flickering candlelight in the quiet little house illuminated the room. Sam and Lily Eastwood sat at a simple table, sharing a meal. Sam served Lily a small bowl of rice. Seeing it was just a small bowl, Lily puffed up her cheeks quietly. With her big appetite, this was certainly not enough.
However, she kept her thoughts to herself. It wasn't until Sam served her more than half of the steamed egg that her face lit up with a smile.
"Silly boy, how do you make this kind of steamed egg?" Lily asked curiously, taking small bites. The warm, smooth, and richly fragrant steamed egg melted in her mouth, making her eyes narrow in enjoyment.
To Lily, the idea of eggs prepared this way was unbelievable, especially by the silly boy before her. "I never thought this silly boy had such a skill," she mused, stealing glances at him. Though he wasn't as handsome as Jack Phoenix, there was something more appealing about him.
"The recipe is simple," Sam explained as he ate. "Just water, crack the eggs, stir well, and then..." In his world, steamed eggs were common, but here, the recipe seemed unheard of.
Lily listened intently, intrigued by this unusual method. Soon, she had devoured half the steamed egg he'd given her, her tongue licking her lips unconsciously, eyes fixed on the remaining egg. Amused by her eager gaze, Sam poured the rest into her bowl.
"How embarrassing!" Lily said shyly, though a silly smile spread across her face. Her small hand instinctively moved the bowl closer, afraid Sam might change his mind.
"Eat," Sam smiled, lowering his head to quietly finish his meal. Without the steamed egg as a side dish, the rice was a bit hard to swallow. Yet, after a tiring day, he was hungry enough to eat it all, despite a hint of resentment. But seeing Lily, as adorable as a greedy little fox, his resentment faded considerably.
He genuinely liked Lily. After all, she was a lovely girl. But thinking of her tragic future stirred sympathy within him. Who could have foreseen the hardships awaiting this innocent girl? After her father's sudden death and the fall of Foxfire Mountain Lodge, she would lose her family's protection and face a heavy burden of family hatred. Forced to separate from her sister Daisy, Lily's life became one of displacement, losing freedom and happiness. Although she'd find happiness on the run, eventually, she would be hunted by formidable foes. To protect her son, she would make the ultimate sacrifice.
Reflecting on this, Sam looked at Lily with pity.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Lily asked, smoothing her hair uneasily.
"Nothing," Sam smiled. "Jack Phoenix will be back soon. If that brat dares to bully you again, tell me, and I'll help you out."
Puffing out her chest, Lily declared, "With me here, no one can bully you."
"Okay, then I'll leave you in Miss Lily's care," Sam replied with a smile.
"Of course, with me around, no one can harm you," Lily said proudly. As the second daughter of the Eastwood Clan, there was no one she couldn't confront at the lodge. Even Jack Phoenix had to concede to her.
Night gradually deepened. In the quiet room, Sam chatted briefly with the playful, endearing Lily. Though she had the temper of an aristocratic young lady, she was generally quite nice. Initially awkward, their conversation soon flowed freely.
Lily recounted interesting experiences and shared her troubles, like her sister's strict control and her father's neglect due to lodge affairs. Sam listened quietly. Her worries were simple, her perspective naive, full of fantasies about the future.
He sensed Lily's curiosity about the outside world. She had a particular disdain for monsters. "Monsters are all bad. They bully humans, and they all deserve to die," she declared, puffing up at the mention of monsters.
As the supreme divine fire in the world, the demon-slaying divine fire posed the greatest threat to monsters. Foxfire Mountain Lodge had always been their nemesis. Countless monsters had turned to ash at the hands of the lodge's disciples. Similarly, many disciples had perished at the hands of monsters.
"Monsters may not all be bad," Sam whispered, looking at Lily.
Her immediate discontent surprised him. In the past, she would have been furious to hear him say such things, but now, she was more curious about his thoughts. Unconsciously, her attitude toward Sam was changing. Instead of anger and annoyance, she now sought to understand him.