Chapter Fourteen: Fireflies

Help!
How could this happen?!
Did Bai hear everything?!
Why couldn’t I keep my mouth shut?!
Why did Bai discover me bullying this little thing?!
If being caught wasn’t bad enough, how did I manage to extinguish the little creature?
#What should you do if you accidentally upset the glowing creature at home and the parent catches you?#
#…Waiting online, it’s urgent.#
Li Le dug her toes into the floor, especially when she saw that hint of amusement in Bai’s eyes; she wished she could dig a hole and bury herself.
The room was pitch black and silent, and Li Le was nearly overwhelmed with embarrassment.
To break the awkwardness, she forced a relaxed smile and said,
“…Hey? Bai, you finished washing the dishes so quickly… That was fast…”
Li Le almost bit her tongue as she realized what she had just said!
What was that supposed to mean?
Was this the infamous method of using one awkward moment to break another?
The problem was, she felt twice as embarrassed—could someone tell her what to do?
Lost in countless thoughts, Li Le cradled the little creature, her expression stiff.
Fortunately, Bai couldn’t bear to watch any longer. He cleared his throat, glanced at Li Le, and said, “That little creature was born beside the Cloud Tower, called a Glowbug. It’s resilient and can shine like the Cloud Tower, but its moods are often unstable, and it’s very sensitive about its appearance…”
Especially concerned about the size of its eyes.
Bai didn’t finish his sentence, mindful of Li Le’s dignity, but his eyes still held a trace of unspoken amusement.
Li Le: “……”
Even without the full explanation, Li Le understood. Clearly, she had hit the little creature right where it hurt, and it had gone on strike out of anger…

Feeling guilty, Li Le rubbed her nose, glanced at the tiny creature wriggling in her palm and scratching her hand, and looked at Bai: “…Bai, how can I make this little thing shine again?”
Bai listened to her, glanced at her, and considered his words: “…At this moment, you need to lift its spirits…”
Li Le was stunned, unsure what Bai meant, and reflexively asked, “How do I cheer it up?”
Bai’s eyebrows furrowed slightly in the darkness: “…The little thing comes from the Cloud Tower. When they’re frightened, letting them be enveloped in the lighthouse’s light slowly restores them… Unless…”
Bai didn’t finish his sentence; he paused, clearly hesitating.
Li Le’s right eyelid twitched for no reason, and she intuitively felt Bai’s next words might not be pleasant. She was about to speak.
But Bai, after hesitating, decided to be honest: “…Unless it’s not frightened but angered; in that case, simply bathing it in the tower’s light won’t work. At the very least, it needs to stay away from whatever made it angry for a while…”
Li Le, who had angered the little creature: “……”
Well, her dignity was gone, as she suspected this would not be good news.
Li Le glanced at the little thing sprawled in her palm, grinning inwardly. She closed her left hand, kneading the Glowbug like dough in her palm.
Her touch was gentle, but even so, the Glowbug was left dizzy and confused, letting out a “squeak~”
As Li Le kneaded the Glowbug, she thought expressionlessly: To be honest, this little creature is quite soft—feels like a little hand warmer.
Bai looked away, pretending he hadn’t seen the child tormenting the Glowbug, but couldn’t help clearing his throat twice when he heard its cry.
“Pfft—”
The light came on.
Unexpectedly, the room was bathed in a brighter, pale golden glow than before.
Li Le stiffly turned her head, seeing the Glowbug in her palm, battered and abused, its tiny grain-sized eyes spinning in circles.
Case closed.
The little thing had been kneaded into delirium.
Li Le held the Glowbug, which now radiated a soft golden light, and let out a few dry laughs, saying to Bai: “…Bai, you see? It’s glowing again. It was just startled, and now it’s recovered…”
Once there was the story of pointing at a deer and calling it a horse; now Li Le points at the Glowbug and claims it was frightened.
Bai didn’t know the modern reference, but seeing the Glowbug dazed, eyes glittering, and shining in Li Le’s palm, he was indeed…

“…Yes, it was just startled…”
Bai Ye looked at Li Le, who called him “Bai” with her head tilted up, and could only avert his gaze, uttering the most insincere words of his life.
After all, he brought the Glowbug home specially for his little sister to play with. Its vitality and longevity are strong; at most, his sister’s antics would just leave the little thing dizzy for a while.
Let her be. After all, Glowbugs were meant to be the perfect companions for children…
Of course, Li Le had no idea Bai had brought back the little creature just to amuse her. Once she was sure Bai “didn’t know” about her actions, she forcibly ignored the irrational parts and focused intently on teasing the Glowbug in her palm.
Seeing how Li Le couldn’t put it down, Bai Ye spoke: “Lele, rest early.” Then he turned and headed towards the small house.
Li Le nodded while still playing, then looked up at Bai’s back: “Alright, Bai!”
The door closed.
Li Le, holding the now revitalized Glowbug, lifted it up and grinned.
One had to admit, her beautiful face paired with that smile was stunning, yet it also evoked a sense of being hunted by some fierce beast…
At the very least, the freshly recovered little creature, seeing Li Le’s smile, tensed its tiny ash-gray body, slowly curled into a ball, and covered its grain-sized eyes with its two little paws.
Even cuter now.
Ahem.
A person should not…
At least, one shouldn’t…
Li Le withdrew her eager fingers, cleared her throat, and coaxed the ash-gray little ball curled up in her palm:
“Little one, sorry… I just couldn’t help myself because you looked so wise and majestic, and your light was so gentle and beautiful… um… I accidentally touched you? Don’t take it to heart, alright? Hmm?”
Her lips curved into a gentle smile, her demeanor warm and approachable. The earlier mischief was gone, replaced by an air of genuine warmth, like a lighthouse bringing comfort to the world.
The little creature curled up in Li Le’s palm perked up its barely visible ears upon hearing “wise and majestic,” and one paw quietly parted, revealing a tiny sesame-black eye.