Chapter Two: A Fragile Light of love
Pain faded, time passes but the memory of kindness remains.
Days passed, yet Li Shen found himself noticing things he never had before. The way Beth moved quietly through the house, the way she avoided the young masters' gaze, the way she always made sure to leave something behind for him small things, barely noticeable.
A piece of bread.
A cup of water.
A glance.
At first, he didn't understand.
He wondered
Why would someone risk punishment for him?
Why would someone care?
Before he knew it, he had started waiting for her.
They spoke in whispers, in hidden corners, in moments stolen between chores. Their words were simple, their laughter soft, but in those brief exchanges, the world felt… different.
Less cruel and empty.
The world started feeling more beautiful and the harsh environment didn't matter anymore.
One night, they sat outside beneath the dim glow of the moon, hidden behind the old storage shed where no one ever came.
This was the same place the two of them meet every night, to showcase their love, talk about their frustration and imagine how bright their future would turn out
Li Shen looked up at the sky.
"…Do you think it gets better?" he asked.
Beth followed his gaze.
"I don't know," she admitted.
Silence.
Then continued
"It has to," she added quietly.
Li Shen looked at her.
"…Why?"
She smiled.
"Because if it doesn't… then what's the point?"
He didn't have an answer.
But for some reason he believed her.
Their hands brushed.
Then lingered.
Neither of them pulled away.
Then Beth came forward and kissed him on the face.
They looked at each other blushing
In a world that had given them nothing this was everything.
"I'll protect you," Li Shen said suddenly.
The words came out before he could stop them.
Beth blinked in surprise.
Then laughed softly.
"You can barely protect yourself."
He frowned.
"…I'm serious."
She looked at him for a moment, really looked at him.
Then nodded.
"Okay."
She didn't say it as a joke.
She said it like she believed him.
And that meant more than anything else.
For the first time Li Shen felt like he had something to lose.
He held her as she rested her head on his shoulder, enjoying his presence and slowly forgetting about her troubles.
"I love you" Beth whispered.
"I love you too" Li Shen repied with a smile.