My hotel is full of emperors throughout history.

Early morning at the Time Hotel.

The cool morning light replaced the warm afternoon sun, casting pale golden, clear spots of light through the inn's rustic windows onto the wooden floors and the somewhat empty hall.

"Brother, Sizi, breakfast is ready."

Li Lizhi came out carrying several steaming bowls.

Her long hair was simply tied up, and a plain apron was tied around her waist.

Breakfast was a simple noodle soup, with snow-white noodles, a clear broth, and a few pieces of green vegetables and a fried egg with slightly charred edges floating on top.

It looks... quite normal, even refreshing and delicious.

Little Sizi was already sitting obediently at the table. She sniffed the air and smelled the normal aroma of food. A relieved expression immediately appeared on her face as she picked up her chopsticks.

"Thank you, sister!"

After saying that, she took a bite, and then her little brows furrowed.

It's a bit salty!!!

Li Chengqian also wheeled himself over, glanced at the noodles in the bowl, and felt somewhat relieved.

But... before he had even taken a few bites, he quietly picked up the water glass next to him and took a sip.

Fortunately, compared to yesterday's legendary dish, this saltiness is negligible.

The two tacitly refrained from expressing any opinions, simply finishing their noodles in silence and drinking plenty of water.

"I'm done eating."

Li Chengqian put down his chopsticks, smiled, and nodded to Li Lizhi.

"It tastes great, Lizhi, you must be tired from getting up early."

"Mmm! Big sister's noodles are delicious!"

Little Sizi quickly chimed in, nodding his head like a chick pecking at rice.

A satisfied yet slightly embarrassed smile spread across Li Lizhi's face as she began to clear the dishes.

"Sister... are you cooking lunch again today?"

While they were tidying up, Xiao Sizi's tentative voice rang out.

Li Chengqian, who was drinking water nearby, froze and also pricked up his ears.

Li Lizhi stacked the bowls and chopsticks together, put her hands on her hips, and smiled slightly.

"Of course! I went to the market to buy the vegetables this morning, they're all very fresh!"

"I'll make you some more for lunch. Yesterday's sweet and sour pork ribs... I didn't get the heat right. Today I looked at the recipe carefully and will try two different dishes; they'll definitely be better than yesterday!"

"..."

Little Sizi froze as she was about to slide off the chair. The relaxed expression on her face, which had just been relieved from eating a "safe" breakfast, instantly solidified and then slowly collapsed, as a cloud of fear quickly gathered in her big eyes.

The gentle smile on Li Chengqian's face seemed to be blown by an invisible cold wind, and a slight crack appeared.

His hand holding the teacup froze in mid-air, his fingertips slightly cold.

Noon... Continue?

How about...we try two different dishes?

The complex taste from yesterday—a mixture of burnt, cloyingly sweet, and unbearably salty—uncontrollably flooded my mind again.

My stomach seems to be starting to cramp slightly.

Li Lizhi seemed completely oblivious to the two men's instantly frozen expressions. She walked briskly towards the kitchen with her bowl and chopsticks, humming an off-key tune.

"Brother..."

Little Sizi floated over, her voice trembling with a sob.

She sidled up to Li Chengqian's wheelchair, her small hands gripping his sleeve tightly, her upturned face filled with despair.

"Sizi...Sizi isn't hungry at noon...really! Not even a little bit!"

Li Chengqian looked down at his younger sister's tearful face, then glanced towards the kitchen, where the sounds of washing dishes and running water could be heard.

He slowly put down his teacup, raised his hand, and pressed heavily on his forehead.

"兕子,"

His voice was kept very low.

"Brother... he might not be too hungry either."

The little ox pouted, and tears were about to fall from its eyes.

Suddenly, as if she had thought of something, she looked towards the door with an expectant expression.

"Little cyst, when are you coming back?"

"I miss you so much!!!"

"If you don't come back soon, you might never see Sizi again!!!"

"I want to too."

Li Chengqian raised his hand and ruffled Xiao Sizi's hair, then sighed as he watched Li Lizhi busy herself in the kitchen.

My gaze swept over the small table next to me, where there were a few oranges.

Li Chengqian reached out and took one.

"Come on, Sizi, have a segment of orange."

Li Chengqian handed a peeled orange segment to Xiao Sizi.

The oranges were a gift from Chen Mo; eating them might slightly ease my longing for him.

Little Sizi raised her face, looked at the tempting orange segment in her brother's hand, sniffed the sweet aroma, and her eyes lit up for a moment.

"Awoo!"

The sweet juice bursts in your mouth instantly, the flesh is delicate and without any residue, the sweetness is just right, with a slight tartness unique to oranges, perfectly harmonizing the flavors, leaving only a mouthful of fragrance and sweetness.

Little Sizi squinted her eyes, savoring the sweetness, the slight disappointment from before seemingly diluted by the taste.

Li Chengqian also peeled a petal and put it in his mouth; the same sweetness immediately permeated his taste buds.

These oranges are indeed excellent, sweet but not cloying, and very juicy; they were clearly carefully selected.

It seems Brother Chen has indeed put his heart into it.

but……

He is not here now.

Only the oranges he gave me still exude that nostalgic sweet fragrance.

Little Si swallowed the orange pulp in his mouth, the sweetness still lingering on his tongue.

But her little mouth slowly pursed up, and her big eyes welled up with even more moisture than before.

"So sweet..."

She spoke softly, her voice choked with sobs.

"The oranges that Xiaonangjun bought... are so sweet... ah..."

She looked up at Li Chengqian, and tears finally streamed down her face.

"But brother... the sweeter the oranges, the more Sizi misses Xiaonangjun... Waaah... He misses her so much... Sizi feels so sad..."

"When is he finally coming back?! Sizi doesn't want to eat her older sister's cooking anymore!!!"

"My brother misses him too!"

Li Chengqian felt the same way.

The two looked at each other, and the more they looked, the more heartbroken they felt.

"Brother!!!"

"Sizi!"

The two hugged each other and cried.

When will this ever end?!