Alex drove steadily, taking Sam to her destination.
Pushing open the apartment door, the space was indeed not large, a standard one-bedroom, one-living room layout, but as Sam had described earlier, the interior was clean and tidy, and the lighting was particularly surprising.
Bright sunlight streamed through the windows, illuminating the entire room, and outside the windows, lush green trees painted a vibrant, lively scene. Even better, it was only a ten-minute walk from here to the clinic where she would soon be working.
Almost the moment she stepped into the living room, Sam fell in love with the place.
The small space exuded a unique sense of warmth. She stood in the center of the living room, imagining the future days when sunlight would fill the entire room, and an eager anticipation for her new life bloomed uncontrollably on her face.
With hardly any hesitation, she decided on the spot and cheerfully secured the apartment.
"This is great! This place is really wonderful." Sam happily surveyed the still somewhat empty room, her eyes already full of expectation, as if she was quickly calculating in her mind how to arrange it into a warm little nest.
"Yes, the location and environment are both quite good; it's a nice place." Alex stood beside her, his gaze falling on the brilliant sparkle in her eyes. Her pure joy also infected him, and a long-lost sense of tranquility arose within him.
It was as if the brutal conflicts and endless slaughter of the distant 40k universe were temporarily isolated beyond the barriers of space and time.
At this moment, what occupied his senses was only this vibrant, hopeful person before him, and this tranquil city of the 3k era, perhaps ordinary in the long river of history, but deeply cherished by him.
Upon receiving the keys, Sam immediately couldn't contain her excitement to purchase necessities for her new home.
"Next up," she lightly jingled the brand-new set of keys in her hand, her smile as bright as sunshine, "it's big shopping time! Alex, you said you'd help move heavy things, so now it's time to make good on that promise, isn't it?"
"Of course, on call." Alex agreed with a smile, his tone firm, "Let's go, I know there's a pretty big supermarket nearby; they should have everything."
The supermarket was bustling, lively, and filled with a rich sense of everyday life.
Pushing the shopping cart through the aisles, Sam was in high spirits, carefully selecting and comparing everything from basic towels and toothbrushes to pots, pans, and bowls for the kitchen.
Alex automatically slipped into his role, serving as both a competent "laborer" and a reliable "advisor."
He naturally helped her retrieve items from high shelves. When she hesitated over choices, he offered timely, pertinent advice and quietly took the increasingly heavy shopping bags, placing them steadily into the cart.
When the two reached the fresh produce section, Sam's gaze was immediately drawn to a pile of plump, purplish-red fruits.
"Ah, mangosteens!" she exclaimed in surprise, quickly walking over to pick one up and examine it closely. "They look so fresh and plump."
"Do you like eating these?" Alex followed beside her with the cart, noticing her undisguised fondness in her eyes.
"Yes! I love them," Sam nodded vigorously, a satisfied smile blooming on her face. "They're sweet and juicy, but the shell is a bit hard to peel. When I was in Hainan, this season was peak harvest time."
As she spoke, she skillfully picked a few mangosteens with shiny skins and a heavy feel from the pile, placing them into the shopping bag, her movements light and childlike.
Alex quietly noted her small preference, and seeing her happy profile because she found her favorite fruit, the corners of his own mouth unconsciously curved upward.
"Looks like I'll know what fruit to buy when I visit you from now on," he said with a hint of teasing, yet his tone was serious.
Sam's face flushed slightly upon hearing this, and she gave him a chiding look, but the smile in her eyes deepened.
She didn't directly respond to his words, but with a touch of playful pride, she added two more mangosteens to the bag, as if silently acknowledging his spoken promise with this action.
The two pushed a shopping cart brimming with the essence of daily life, weaving through the bright lights and myriad shelves of the supermarket.
The air was filled not only with the scent of a new home but also with a subtle, unspoken sweetness quietly blossoming between them.
After finishing their shopping, Alex helped Sam carry all the large and small bags of household items to her new apartment building downstairs.
There was quite a lot of stuff, but the two worked together seamlessly, making the moving process quite efficient.
"Phew... finally got everything down." Sam looked at the small mountain of shopping bags at her feet. Although her body was a bit tired, she was mostly excited.
She looked up, her gaze fixed on the balcony of her small apartment, where the warm sunlight was now falling. Her tone was full of anticipation for the future: "It seems my new life is truly going to take root here."
"Yes, it's a very good start." Alex stood beside her, his gaze following hers. The sunlight gently outlined the soft curves of her profile, illuminating the sparkle in her eyes.
Watching all of this, his heart was filled with a soft tranquility.
It was as if the burden of billions of lives on his shoulders had been temporarily lifted, and this ordinary, mundane world of human life now seemed incredibly precious.
"Did you get the keys?" Alex's gaze fell on the new access card and keys in Sam's hand, and he asked softly.
"Yes!" Sam nodded, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the cool metal keys, her face a mix of anticipation for the future and the solid feeling of finally settling down. "Next, it's about slowly arranging everything, little by little, to turn this into a real home."
"Need any help?" Alex naturally interjected, his gaze gently resting on her face, inadvertently sweeping over the conspicuous bag of purplish-red mangosteens on the ground. "Like... carrying these things up? Or," he paused, his tone ordinary yet conveying undeniable thoughtfulness, "helping you wash the mangosteens first?"
Sam looked up at him.
The sunlight fell perfectly into his focused eyes, where she saw his familiar gentleness and reliability, and also that deepness that made her feel secure yet curious to explore.
Her heart fluttered slightly, and a warmth of meticulous care quietly spread.
She didn't answer immediately, but instead pursed her lips and smiled, with a hint of small dependence and a touch of testing: "Well... let me sort things out first? I might really need your help again. As for the mangosteens..." She winked playfully, "we can save them to enjoy together next time you come to 'inspect' my new home."
Alex also smiled, that smile completely dispelling any lingering solemnity on his brow, making him appear exceptionally bright and relaxed: "No problem, always on standby." He paused, his voice softening even more, with an undeniable concern, "Don't stay up too late tonight. You just got discharged and have been busy all day; getting good rest is most important."
This utterly normal reminder flowed into Sam's heart like a warm current.
She softly hummed "Mm," her cheeks flushed with a faint blush in the glow of the setting sun.
A brief silence fell between them, broken only by the rustling of leaves in the evening breeze and the unspoken, warm affection flowing between them.
"So... I'll head up now?" Sam gestured towards the building entrance, a hint of subtle reluctance in her eyes.
"Okay." Alex nodded, his gaze still warmly lingering on her. "If anything comes up, call anytime."
"Got it." Sam smiled and agreed, then turned to walk towards the building entrance. After a few steps, she looked back, the golden glow of the sunset outlining her bright silhouette, her smile warm and sincere: "Today... thank you so much, Alex. From picking me up from the hospital, to dinner and a movie, and then helping me settle in... you've worked hard."
"You're welcome." Alex returned her smile, watching her disappear into the stairwell entrance. He stood alone, feeling the gentle breeze of the late spring evening. The air seemed to still carry the faint scent of her hair, and that easy, pleasant warmth with the sweet aroma of mangosteens.
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