Suzy slipped into a pair of house slippers with practiced ease, only then letting her gaze settle on Noah.

"You look pretty handsome today," she said with a smile.

Yesterday, he had been wearing a casual T-shirt with a cartoon print. Simple, comfortable, and very much like a child.

Today was different.

A color-blocked T-shirt paired with denim shorts, his hair neatly combed, every detail carefully put together. He looked far more spirited, almost stylish.

"Really?" Noah scratched his cheek shyly.

Knowing Suzy would be coming today, he had woken up early just to pick out his outfit.

It had taken him forever. He had even dragged Liam in to help him choose, going back and forth until he finally settled on what he was wearing now.

To hear Suzy praise him like this... he felt like he could float.

Suzy glanced around. "Where’s your brother? I don’t see him."

"He’s still in his room. He’ll be out soon," Noah replied.

Suzy nodded thoughtfully, then lifted the small basket in her hand. "Have you eaten yet? I brought you some food."

At the mention of food, Noah’s eyes lit up instantly. "What kind of food?"

Suzy gestured toward the dining table. "Come take a look."

Noah hurried over and opened the basket himself.

Inside was a treasure trove of things children loved. Snacks, candies, even unopened blind boxes and a small Star Wars Lego set.

There were also two insulated containers holding preserved egg and lean pork soup, still sealed, so Noah had no idea what they were.

But his attention was already completely captured by the snacks and toys. He was still a child after all. Faced with things like this, he couldn’t possibly resist.

Suzy couldn’t help but smile at his reaction.

"Go ahead," she said.

Noah nodded eagerly, his eyes shining with excitement. He hadn’t been this happy since the apocalypse began.

Snacks, toys... Suzy really was like an angel.

Then it was settled. He would definitely marry her in the future.

Noah made the decision silently in his heart.

Suzy stood beside him, helping sort through the snacks and toys one by one.

Just then, a familiar male voice sounded from behind.

"You’re here."

"Hi!" Suzy responded and turned around... And froze for a moment.

The dim room seemed to brighten simply because of Liam’s presence.

He looked completely different from yesterday.

He wore a light gray cotton shirt, the sleeves casually rolled up to his elbows, revealing a clean line of forearm. The fabric fit neatly over his lean yet upright frame, the top button undone to reveal a glimpse of his collarbone.

His hair had clearly been styled, no longer messy, with some strands falling softly over his forehead, making his features appear even sharper.

Under the warm flicker of candlelight, his eyes seemed deeper, his nose sharp and defined, his lips lightly pressed together.

There was something about him now. Clean, composed, almost refined.

Suzy felt her eyes light up.

Liam had clearly taken the time to clean himself up today. The exhaustion and pallor from yesterday were completely gone.

Without thinking, she looked at him a moment longer.

And then their eyes met. He had been looking at her too.

For a brief instant, their gazes collided. Liam’s lashes trembled slightly before he looked away.

"Liam!" Noah’s voice broke the quiet tension.

The little boy ran over, tugging on Liam’s sleeve as he looked up at him. "Suzy brought me so many snacks! And toys too!"

Liam lowered his gaze, his expression softening. "Did you say thank you?"

Noah froze, then looked embarrassed. He quickly turned to Suzy. "Thank you, Suzy!"

Suzy smiled and ruffled his hair. "No need to be so polite."

Liam walked over to the table, stopping beside her. His eyes moved slowly over everything she had brought, something in his gaze shifting.

"You brought all this?"

"Is it that much? It’s fine." Suzy shrugged lightly. "These are things kids like. I don’t really need them at home, so I brought them for Noah."

The snacks were all things children loved but adults rarely cared for. The same went for the toys.

She had said it deliberately, hoping to ease any burden he might feel.

Liam seemed like he wanted to say something, but in the end, it turned into a simple, quiet, "Thank you."

Then his gaze shifted to the insulated containers set off to the side. "And these?"

Suzy followed his line of sight. "Oh, those are light soups. I thought you might not have eaten yet, so I brought some. They will be good for Noah, too."

She paused, then added, "He is still recovering. Warm soup is easier on his stomach. Snacks are fine, but they can’t replace proper meals."

Liam didn’t respond.

He simply looked at the two containers, his throat tightening slightly as his Adam’s apple bobbed.

"I’ll go apply the medicine for Noah first."

With that, Suzy took Noah’s hand and led him back into his room.

The door closed softly, but in the quiet living room, the sound seemed unusually clear.

Liam remained where he was, his gaze lingering on the closed door for a few seconds before slowly dropping.

He looked down at the insulated containers on the table.

Plain white plastic. Nothing special at all.

He reached out and gently touched one of them.

They were warm. Even through the thin plastic, Liam could feel the heat seeping into his fingertips.

He hesitated for a moment, then lifted the lid.

Steam rose instantly, carrying with it the rich aroma of tender pork, filling the air.

Liam’s pupils trembled. This... was no different from the homemade food he had before the apocalypse.

The scent alone made his mouth water uncontrollably. He couldn’t even remember how long it had been since he last ate something like this.

Since the world fell apart, proper meals had vanished from his life entirely. And now, a simple bowl of soup like this felt like a rare delicacy.

He quickly closed the container again, resisting the urge to eat it immediately, and instead headed toward Noah’s room.

When he pushed the door open, he froze.

Inside, Suzy sat at the edge of the bed. Noah leaned comfortably against her, one small arm stretched out obediently as she applied medicine.

The boy tilted his head back slightly, eyes half-closed in contentment, a smile tugging at his lips that he couldn’t suppress.

That expression...

Liam found it strangely familiar.

Then it hit him.

When Noah was little, every time he tried to act cute to get candy, he would look exactly like this. As he grew older, he became more self-conscious, and that expression rarely appeared anymore.

But now... it was back.

This kid...

"Liam?" Noah was the first to notice him. He peeked out from Suzy’s arms. "Why are you here?" 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Suzy turned as well, a cotton swab still in her hand. "What is it?"