My wife is a witch princess

Chapter 29 How many steps are 4 hours?

Xia Li had a large bowl, and Song Che had a porcelain bowl.

Two bowls of hot noodles steamed on the table, their rich aroma drawing Xia Li's gaze. The boiled noodles with eggs in winter, the soup glistening with red oil, were far more sophisticated than simply boiling instant noodles together.

"Slurp—"

Song Che skillfully picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth.

Xia Li imitated her, slightly pursing her lips and tentatively sucking, "Slurp—slurp—ah!"

"Don't try to imitate me. Do whatever makes you comfortable." Song Che suppressed a laugh and pointed to her bowl with his chopsticks. "Try the noodles first, then have a sip of the soup. Take your time. If you like it, I'll cook noodles for you again next time."

"……good!"

Xia Li picked up a bowl of instant noodles with her chopsticks, took a small bite, and the chewy noodles and rich broth danced on her taste buds. She had never experienced this feeling before. The taste was not salty, not spicy, but an indescribable flavor.

Song Che's cooking is always delicious!

Xia Li quickened her pace, going from carefully tasting to focusing on enjoying the soup, even finishing the soup completely, the shiny bottom of the bowl reflecting her still-satisfied face.

Song Che watched her quietly until she put down her bowl and looked up at him with her blue eyes. Only then did he realize that he had been watching her eat so intently.

"Want more? There's still some in the pot, I'll go get some."

"I'll go myself." Xia Li stood up, glanced at Song Che's bowl which was still half full, and said, "Aren't you hungry? I'll really finish it all later."

"I don't eat much, so you can eat as much as you want, don't save any for me."

"it is good."

When the last bit of noodle soup in the pot was gone, Xia Li stacked the two bowls on her own and carried them into the kitchen. She turned on the tap, squeezed on some dish soap, picked up a sponge, and although her movements were still a little clumsy, she was already quite skilled.

Song Che didn't say anything more. As usual, he felt sleepy after dinner, so he turned around and went back to his bedroom.

Xia Li didn't have the habit of taking a nap. She nestled on the small sofa, arms wrapped around her knees, staring at the chandelier on the ceiling, her gaze gradually becoming vacant.

She was awakened when Song Che woke up and made a sound as he slung his backpack over his shoulder and went out.

"I'm leaving."

"……Um."

The door closed gently.

Xia Li got up, walked to the door, and stared at the door panel for a long time.

...another four hours to wait.

Xia Li walked from the door to the window, her fingertips touching the glass. She stood on tiptoe, trying to see the iron gate. Song Che, carrying his schoolbag, disappeared into the alley corner, leaving only a string of lonely footprints on the road.

She stood by the window for a while before returning to the living room and beginning to pace aimlessly. She had no hourglass, no clock, and couldn't tell how much time had passed; she could only count her steps. One step was one second, sixty steps were one minute, three thousand six hundred steps were one hour, and it would take four hours to walk…

Xia Li counted on her fingers and quickly realized she didn't have enough.

After walking a few hundred steps, Xia Li stopped, feeling somewhat discouraged, because her injured ankle was sore.

Picking up Bruce, who had snuggled up to her feet, she walked to the door and sat down against the wall to wait. After a while, her calves started to go numb. She rubbed her calves, stood up again, went to the kitchen, picked up the bottle of dish soap, and carefully read the small print on it several times, reviewing the steps of washing dishes in her mind.

After doing all that, she looked out the window again.

The sun hung brightly in the sky, and dusk seemed far away.

Xia Li walked to the sink and looked at herself in the mirror.

The girl's skin was as white as jade, her features exquisite, and her silver hair added to her ethereal, aloof air. But what was flawed was the absence of any smile on her face, only a serene expression.

The girl in the mirror stretched out her hands, pressed her fingers to the corners of her mouth, and gently pushed them up, curving her lips into a stiff arc. But as soon as she let go, she still had that annoyingly indifferent look.

She tried to move the muscles in her cheeks and think of things that might make her happy—like hot instant noodles, a warm bed, or Song Che saying he could take her out to see the world tomorrow.

Xia Li kept trying, her lips aching, but she still couldn't manage a smile. The best she managed was... without using her hands, she managed to force a smile for a second.

...Why can't I laugh anymore?

Xia Litao's lips curved downwards, making her aura even colder. She could never learn magic in more than an hour, nor potion-making in more than half an hour, but she couldn't learn the 'smile'.

...Even more difficult than forbidden magic and alchemical potions!

The snow outside the window had thickened, and the familiar chirping of insects filled the winter air. In the mirror of the washbasin, the girl's face gradually blurred.

Xia Li moved her somewhat stiff legs. First, a cool, sore sensation shot up her calves, followed by a tingling numbness, and finally a heavy, aching pain. She had been standing and walking too much today, and her injured legs were protesting, making her a little unsteady on her feet.

Xia Li finally gave up smiling, turned around and went to the bedroom, her gaze unconsciously falling on the small book under the mattress. She quickly and feigned looking away, sat on the bed, and picked up another magazine to flip through.

"...Safety tips for electricity use: Do not touch with wet hands, disconnect power immediately if there is a leakage. All electrical appliances must be connected to the power source through a plug before use."

"Heating is precious, but safety is even more valuable..."

"Save water, turn off the tap when not in use. Below is the switch control... It seems that many appliances here have 'switches'."

She muttered to herself, summarizing the patterns.

"...This science is definitely not magic at all!"

"...Frequently taking out the trash and keeping the environment clean can effectively inhibit the growth of bacteria and viruses..."

"Bacteria and viruses... what exactly are they?" she pondered. Were they some kind of harmful spirits? Or an unseen curse?

Song Che should know the answer, know how to prevent it, and how to eliminate it...

But when will he come back?

She picked up a different magazine and randomly flipped to a page.

"The hit series 'The Burial of Frillian' has resonated with viewers... The once-heroic companion has grown old, from a tall, upright youth to a short, hunched old man..."

She turned another page.

"The Controversy and Banning of the Final Season of 'Retreating Titans'..."

She was drawn to these unfamiliar stories.

So this world is surrounded by a huge wall?

Are there terrifying giants outside?

An elf named Frilian is collecting magic on a long journey within the walls.

There's another wall outside the wall?

What lies on the other side of that vast ocean...?

Song Che should know all of this.

When he comes back, she must ask him. Where are those walls? She wants to go out and see; are those giants like monsters?

She picked up another magazine, then relaxed and lay down on the bed, dangling her legs over the edge and holding the book high in the air to read.

"ah--"

Her arm, which had been holding it up for so long, ached, and the magazine slipped from her grasp, hitting her squarely in the face. She gasped softly, rubbing her nose where it had hit her.

Xia Li simply covered her face with the book, closed her eyes, and everything around her quieted down. The only sounds in the room were her breathing and her heartbeat.

The light gradually faded into darkness, the girl's face remained serene and peaceful, and outside the window, the snow had stopped...

"Xia Li, please open the door!"

"..."

"Xia Li, are you asleep?"

"..."

"Xia Li, I'm back. I don't have hands to open the door."

"I am coming!"