Against the Algorithm

Chapter 12: Sanctuary

Sicheng, who had been leaning against the armrest of the couch, had gone completely still the second Yao stepped into the room. He wasn't gawking. Wasn't staring outright. But he was absolutely taking it in. The way his clothing engulfed her, making her seem even smaller, even softer, even more painfully unaware of the effect she had on the room. The way she fidgeted, her fingers curling into the long sleeves, her body shifting slightly as if she wasn't sure she was allowed to be standing there. The way she was clearly more withdrawn than usual, her posture just a little more defensive, as if she wasn't sure where she belonged.

And that?

That made something click in him.

Sicheng let out a slow, deep exhale, rubbing the back of his neck before finally pushing himself up from where he was sitting. "Come with me."

Yao's head snapped up, blinking at him. "Huh?"

He didn't elaborate. Didn't offer an explanation. He just turned, moving toward the far end of the hallway without looking back, fully expecting her to follow.

And after a second—she did.

With Da Bing trotting after them, she shuffled behind him, still fidgeting with the long sleeves of the hoodie as she tried to keep up with his pace, the warmth of the fabric engulfing her like a protective barrier as she trailed slightly behind him, uncertain but obedient.

Sicheng didn't take her toward the usual set of stairs. Didn't take her toward the rooms that everyone else used. Instead, he led her toward a separate staircase, one she had never noticed before, one that was tucked away near the far end of the hallway, a route that wasn't commonly used by the others.

"...Where are we going?" Yao hesitated slightly, her steps slowing.

Sicheng, still ahead of her, didn't turn around. Didn't answer right away. Instead, he reached the top of the stairs, pushed open the door leading to the newly renovated space he had prepared just for her, and then— Without any sort of grand reveal, without any dramatic explanation, without even looking at her— He simply stepped aside, letting her take in the sight for herself. Her new home. The space he had meticulously prepared, personally overseen, carefully designed just for her. A place that was hers and hers alone. A place where she would never have to feel like she didn't belong.

Yao stepped forward hesitantly, her hazel eyes wide and filled with quiet wonder as she took in the space before her, her fingers instinctively clutching at the long sleeves of Sicheng's oversized hoodie as she slowly scanned the room, trying to process everything at once.

The first thing that caught her attention was the sheer size of the space, far more expansive than she had expected, with warm lighting, high ceilings, and an open layout that somehow felt both grand and intimate at the same time. But what truly left her breathless were the large, floor-to-ceiling windows that stretched along the far wall, offering a breathtaking panoramic view of the city below, the distant skyline glowing against the night, the flickering lights of Shenzhen painting the world outside in a way that made it look almost surreal.

For a long moment, she simply stood there, transfixed, her breath catching slightly as the realization slowly sank in—this wasn't just some empty space in the base. This was a home. A home that had been designed for her.

Da Bing, clearly having already decided he belonged here, made an immediate beeline for the massive plush cat tree positioned near one of the windows, his large paws gripping the edge as he effortlessly leapt to the highest perch, his long tail flicking in contentment as he surveyed his new domain like a king settling into his throne.