The bright yellow crystal lamp overhead silently rotated, casting a steady glow as various prepared dishes were spread out on the table below, the center of which featured a hot soup still bubbling with bits of winter melon and ribs, accompanied by stir-fried dishes and steamed pastries, among others.
Not only was Grandma He present that day, but Hexia, He Cheng, and the family of three including Lisha had also come, making a total of six people gathering around the dinner table, occasionally chatting while eating.
"It's been a long while since we've all gathered for a meal, it's rare for us to be together like this today," Grandma He began.
"All of you have your own things going on, and Li'an and the others live far away..." Li'an and the others Grandma He mentioned were her other children, who were not currently in Payin City and were quite old.
"It's fine, we are here to keep you company," said He Cheng and his sister, who were considered Grandma He's grandchildren. Their parents had passed away a long time ago.
"Hehe, as long as you are safe, I have nothing to worry about. I've lived long enough anyway," Grandma He was quite open-minded.
"Let's drop that topic. Come, come, let's eat. I prepared today's meal with care. You aren't allowed to leave any behind," laughter and cheerful voices filled the house.
After dinner, Hexia returned to her bedroom, where she finally had a moment to carefully recall what had happened earlier in the bathroom.
"Freezing," she murmured to herself, then looked at the glass of water on the table. After some thought, she poured out a little and held it in the palm of her hand.
The faint blue radiance surfaced again in her black eyes, and soon the droplets of water in her palm rapidly gathered and condensed into transparent ice beads of varying sizes. A chilling sensation also began to seep through her skin.
Letting the ice beads from her palm slide onto the table surface, Hexia picked up one of them, closed her eyes, and observed attentively. The ability from Withering Sequence 2: Dark Visit activated, meticulously projecting the details within the ice bead into her mind.
This sensation...
Hexia rose from her bed and went down to the kitchen on the first floor, then she opened the door of the refrigerator and pulled out the freezing compartment, knocking off a small piece of ice.
Back in her room, the young girl compared the differences between the two types of ice. The minuscule structures within them were highlighted as if under a magnifying glass, impressing themselves on her consciousness.
Compared to the ice bead with its perfectly orderly structure and no gaps, the freezer's ice had a haphazard internal structure dotted with many small crevices, which was why the ice was opaque and off-white in color.
After observing for a while, Hexia set the ice bead and the ice chunk aside.
Although she couldn't fully define it, she now knew the partial effect of her talent—freezing or rather, re-condensation. She could reorganize scattered molecules according to a certain pattern and gather them neatly together.
Was this ability only effective on water droplets, or could it also work on other substances? Hexia pondered this question.
She quickly gathered other items to experiment with, such as kitchen salts, granulated sugar, oils, etc.
Salt and sugar, once dissolved by heating and under the influence of her ability, recrystallized into pristine crystals that even expelled previous impurities, becoming exceptionally pure.
The fats behaved strangely, presenting a gradation of colors, as if arranged according to the length of the molecular chains.
After finishing her experiments, it was already very late. Considering she might disturb others and that she still had work the next day, Hexia stopped.
I'll ask at the store tomorrow, some of the maid sisters are very knowledgeable and should know more."
Time passed quickly, and soon it was the next day.
Because of last night's excitement, Hexia had actually suffered from insomnia for a long time before she fell asleep. It took a while after the alarm went off for her to crawl out of bed.
She splashed some cool water on her face to wake herself up a bit. After getting ready, Hexia started her commute to work.
She took the vertical elevator to the upper levels of Payin City, then hopped on a vertical rail car to the city center. Afterwards, she went through a security check at the base of Topstar Tower before entering.
It was just past 8 a.m., and most of the people getting on and off the elevator were employees: some in suits, some in durable work clothes, etc. Hexia stood among them, looking as inconspicuous as a small, grey duckling.
After patiently waiting for several minutes, the elevator continued upward, and passengers kept departing. When the floor count passed 35, there were only two people left inside, one of whom was Hexia, and the other, a woman dressed in a grey suit who looked at her curiously before speaking.
"You're going to Dream of Glazed Glass for work, aren't you?"
"Ah... yes," Hexia was surprised at the accurate guess.
"Hehe, there are only four more floors above, and the rooftop observation deck isn't open at this time. The only places would be Dream of Glazed Glass or Payin City's government institutions, and you're too young to be a government employee. So that leaves Dream of Glazed Glass, and since you're new, you must be one of its employees," the woman explained.
"I see," the young girl nodded in understanding.
"What's your code name? I'll drop by Dream of Glazed Glass in a few days to see you when I'm free," the woman inquired.
"The code name is 'Dantalion', but I'm still an intern," Hexia replied.
"'Dantalion', I'll remember that," the career woman said thoughtfully.
After leaving the elevator, Hexia arrived at the yet-to-open Dream of Glazed Glass. Since Belfeng had not arrived, she could only wait.
Maids began to trickle down in uniform, some Hexia recognized, and others were unfamiliar.
"'Dantalion', are you waiting for someone?" a blonde, full-figured maid stopped in front of her.
"Yes, 'Andusia' sister," the young girl nodded and greeted her.
"That bunny probably overslept again; she often plays video games late into the night. You come with me," Andusia invited Hexia to follow her upstairs to change.