Bian's hand hovered at the edge of the door for a second longer, his breath caught in his throat. The sound of children's laughter filtered through the sealed room like a ghostly echo. He felt a strange pull in his chest—something soft and distant that he immediately crushed down.
Then, with a jerk, he pushed the door open.
The room was simple, warm, and filled with scattered toys and cushions. Two children were playing on the floor with odd alien building blocks. One of them—smaller, younger, his nose running and cheeks flushed with excitement—saw Bian and immediately lit up.
"Brother Jian!!" the child shouted, running up to him with outstretched arms.
But Bian recoiled as if struck, twisting away sharply and stepping back with disgust in his eyes. "Why is this kid trying to touch me?" he snapped, glaring at the boy like he was something contagious. "Dican, get rid of him."
