Song Luli followed the smell of the food. She descended the stairs slowly, observing the areas around her.
The halls were empty, to her surprise, so she continued to walk down the steps. The house was bigger than she thought. The ceilings were high, unable to reach even with tall ladders.
The floorboards beneath her consisted of dark polished wood, silent against her feet. The air had a lavender scent, one of her favourites. She stepped further, around the corridor, until she stepped into the kitchen.
It was early for dinner, but Long Jie was eating nonetheless, alone. She then took a seat across him where a hot steaming plate rested in front of her. But when she settled, he rose, taking his near-empty plate with him.
He put the dish in the dishwasher, and afterward, he washed his hands and dried them, walking away.
