Chapter 175 Li Xiao's Companionship

It was five in the morning, and the horizon was just beginning to show a hint of white.

Lin Mo sat by the bed, staring blankly out the window. The images in his mind kept flashing back, refusing to stop. He knew he needed rest, even if it was just for an hour, but he simply couldn't sleep.

A knock on the door suddenly sounded.

It was light, carrying a hint of cautious hesitation.

Lin Mo paused. It was so late... No, it was so early. Who would come?

He walked over and pulled the door open to see Li Xiao standing outside.

She was carrying a tray with a steaming bowl of noodles and a pair of chopsticks on it. Her hair was a bit messy, and there were dark circles under her eyes, but she was smiling.

"Senior Brother," she said, using the title she hadn't used in a long time, "eat something."

Lin Mo looked at her, suddenly not knowing what to say.

Li Xiao had already shoved the tray into his hands and walked into the room on her own, sitting down on a chair: "Eat quickly, it won't taste good if it gets soggy."

Lin Mo held the bowl of noodles, stunned for a few seconds, then sat down opposite her.

The noodles were hand-pulled, the broth clear, with a poached egg and a few green vegetables on top. It was steaming, carrying a home-cooked aroma.

He picked up the chopsticks and took a mouthful.

Hot, fragrant, a little salty, but just right.

"Is it good?" Li Xiao asked, looking at him with anticipation in her eyes.

Lin Mo nodded and took another bite.

Li Xiao smiled, a look of deep satisfaction on her face.

The two of them sat like that, one eating noodles, the other watching. The room was very quiet, with only the faint sound of chopsticks hitting the bowl.

Halfway through, Lin Mo suddenly put down his chopsticks and looked at her: "How did you know I couldn't sleep?"

Li Xiao blinked: "Because I couldn't sleep, so I guessed you couldn't either."

Lin Mo paused, then smiled.

Li Xiao continued: "Besides, I went to the control room just now and saw that Teacher Chen couldn't sleep either, looking over the data again and again. Brother Zhao is patrolling outside too, walking around even more diligently than usual. The light in Director Fang's room is on too..."

She paused, her voice softening: "Tonight, I don't think many people can sleep."

Lin Mo looked at her, suddenly realizing that this junior sister who once only knew how to run errands was now capable of saying such things.

"What about you?" he asked. "Are you nervous?"

Li Xiao thought for a moment and nodded: "Nervous. But not scared."

Lin Mo looked at her.

Li Xiao said: "Because no matter what happens tomorrow, we will all be here. You, Teacher Chen, Brother Zhao, Director Fang, and so many others... we will all face it together."

She smiled, looking very calm: "So I'm not afraid."

Lin Mo stared at her for a long time.

Then he lowered his head and continued eating the noodles.

But somewhere in his heart, he suddenly felt a warmth.

After finishing the noodles, Li Xiao cleared the bowl and chopsticks away but didn't rush to leave.

She sat there, looking at Lin Mo, and suddenly said: "Senior Brother, do you remember when I first came to the base?"

Lin Mo thought for a moment and nodded: "I remember. You had just graduated from school then, didn't understand anything, and came with Teacher Wang."

Li Xiao laughed: "Right, I didn't even know what tritium was back then. Teacher Wang said I should learn from you, and I muttered to myself—this guy doesn't look much older than me, what could he possibly teach me?"

Lin Mo also laughed: "And then?"

Li Xiao looked at him, her eyes becoming serious: "Later, I discovered that you not only understand technology but also people. You can make someone as arrogant as Teacher Chen submit. You can make someone as stubborn as Brother Zhao listen. And Director Fang, who is so busy, always arrives first whenever something happens."

She paused and said softly: "I thought back then that one day, I wanted to be that kind of person too."

Lin Mo was silent for a few seconds, then said: "You have already reached that point."

Li Xiao paused.

Lin Mo looked at her and said seriously: "You independently discovered the Ghost's intrusion, designed the trap system, and stayed up so many nights staring at the data. This time, when Teacher Chen broke down, it was you who proposed using machine learning to solve the problem. You are no longer that little girl from back then who didn't understand anything."

Li Xiao's eyes turned a bit red, but she held back, not letting the tears fall.

"Senior Brother..." her voice trembled slightly.

Lin Mo smiled: "Tomorrow, during the ignition, you stand by my side."

Li Xiao nodded vigorously.

The sky outside the window was getting brighter.

Lin Mo stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the massive device in the distance. The morning light dyed it golden red, like a fire about to burn.

Li Xiao walked to his side and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with him.

"Senior Brother," she suddenly asked, "do you think that after tomorrow, we will still be like this?"

Lin Mo turned to look at her: "Like what?"

Li Xiao thought for a moment: "I mean... staying up late together, eating noodles together, facing things together."

Lin Mo was silent for a few seconds, then said: "Yes. The ignition is not the end; it is the beginning. There is a longer road ahead to walk."

Li Xiao nodded and didn't ask again.

The two of them stood like that, watching the sky outside getting brighter.

In the distance, the base began to wake up. There was the sound of people walking, the roar of vehicles starting, and the clatter of pots and pans in the Canteen. A new day had truly begun.

Li Xiao suddenly said: "Senior Brother, you should rest for a while. Even if it's just for half an hour."

Lin Mo shook his head: "I can't sleep."

Li Xiao laughed: "Then don't sleep. But you need to be energetic; you are the main character tomorrow."

Lin Mo looked at her and suddenly asked: "Xiao Xiao, when did you learn how to take care of people?"

Li Xiao blinked: "Learned it from you."

Lin Mo paused, then laughed. He laughed loudly and relaxedly.

When Li Xiao left with the bowl and chopsticks, Lin Mo walked her to the door.

She looked back at him: "Senior Brother, see you tomorrow."

Lin Mo nodded: "See you tomorrow."

The door closed.

Lin Mo walked back to the window, looking at the massive device outside. The chaotic images in his mind had calmed down, he didn't know when.

He remembered what Li Xiao said just now: "No matter what happens tomorrow, we will all be here."

Yes. They were all there.

He took a deep breath and turned to walk toward the bed. Maybe he couldn't sleep, but he could lie down for a while.

Outside the window, the sun had finally risen.