Chapter 18

January 12, 2074, 19:20

"Gloria…" Hita watched the woman's busy back, words unspoken.

"What's wrong?" Gloria finely chopped the Synthetic Meat, unaware of Hita's hidden turmoil.

"... I was thinking… maybe you should change jobs…" she spoke haltingly, washing fresh corn leaves with her head bowed.

"Why suddenly say this?" Gloria took cornmeal and glutinous rice balls from a plastic bag at her feet, mixed them with the meat paste, and placed the mixture into a plastic basin before Hita.

"You're working too hard, Gloria… I'm worried about you…" Hita whispered as she wrapped the filling in corn leaves.

"It's fine—this job is tiring, but the pay is good enough to live on." Gloria wiped her hands clean, walked slowly behind Hita, and gently pulled the frail girl into her arms.

Just as she had embraced David as a child, hugs were the best medicine for a child starved of love.

"Don't worry so much about me, little Hita…"

"Mmm…" Hita placed the wrapped dumplings into the cooker, pressing her head against Gloria's chin and rubbing back and forth; warmth flowed from her scalp to her toes, and she closed her eyes in comfort.

"Hita…" she rubbed Hita's small head, "in Night City, being too kind isn't a good thing…"

"Gloria is my benefactor—it's different!" Hita turned, pressing her face against Gloria's, pouting.

"I just mean… don't let emotion become a chain binding you—whether it's gratitude, hatred, or even love—you must first be yourself, Hita." Gloria placed her hands on the girl's slender shoulders, gazing intently into those violet eyes clouded with confusion.

"Mmm…" the silver-haired girl lowered her head, "Gloria… promise me you'll come to my wedding, okay?"

"I promise you." She pinched Hita's cheek, softly agreeing.

January 12, 2074, 19:50

Outside, the cold wind howled, mixed with the patter of rain; the icy glass reflected four gentle smiles.

"When did Hita learn to cook like this?" Yahweh leaned close to Hita's ear, teasing softly.

"If it's good, just eat! If you can't speak, don't!" Hita devoured the fragrant glutinous rice dumplings, glancing sharply at the man beside her, wrinkling her delicate nose.

"David, eat more—Mom's cooking should taste better than school food, right?" Gloria smiled faintly, gently wiping a grain of rice from her son's lip.

"Mmm…" David squinted, burying his face in his food.

"Are you getting used to school? I remember you're in the preparatory class, right?" Hita wiped her mouth and took a sip of warm drink.

"It's fine…" David glanced at Yahweh across the table, "Just a small conflict with a classmate."

"Did he bully you?" Gloria asked urgently—she had little time to learn about her son amid her daily toil.

"It's not a big problem…" David scratched his head, words unspoken.

"It's fine, Gloria… Hita and I are here—no one can bully David." Hita gently clasped Gloria's cold hand, whispering reassurance.

"This child…" Gloria sighed, choosing not to press further.

She understood the gap between mother and son, forged by long-term silence, wouldn't vanish so easily.

"It's resolved, Sister Gloria," Yahweh smiled lightly, "You'll see when David goes to school tomorrow."

"Yahweh, Hita…" Gloria shook her head helplessly, gratitude too deep to voice.

"Sister Heda! Tell us how you and Brother-in-law met!" David, sensing his mother's low mood, quickly changed the subject.

"Brat, why are you prying?" Hita blushed, leaning forward and grabbing his cheek with her greasy hand.

"I'm curious too…"

"Yahweh!"

Yahweh watched the three play like a family, a smile quietly spreading across his lips.

"Yahweh, what are you smirking about?" Hita stealthily smeared grease on his face.

"I'm laughing because you act like a child." Yahweh seized her flailing left hand and lightly bit her pale finger, threateningly.

"Hmph… Yahweh always pretends to be mature…" Hita pouted, giving him a side-eye.

"I met her during a mission…" Yahweh stated simply, omitting his true identity.

"If you're this strong, Hita will have security…" Gloria crossed her arms, nodding slightly, "In the Mercenary line, having a powerful Hacker as a partner is essential—Hita is truly lucky."

"Foolish people get foolish luck." David always liked to oppose Hita, like bickering siblings.

"Hey!" Hita jumped from her seat, chasing after David, who had taunted her and run off.

"Hahaha…" Gloria chuckled softly, helping Yahweh clear the dishes.

"Thank you, Yahweh," she followed him toward the kitchen, "I don't know what you told David… but he seems to have resolved some inner knots."

"He… is a good boy. He'll grow up one day." Yahweh looked at the faint exhaustion in Gloria's eyes and spoke slowly, each word deliberate.

"Mmm…" Gloria rinsed the dishes, nodding gently.

January 12, 2074, 20:15

"Goodbye, Gloria, David!" Hita waved to the mother and son, leaving the Martinez Family with Yahweh.

"You did well, Yahweh," she teased, jabbing his abdomen with her elbow.

"Of course…" Yahweh crossed his arms, mimicking Hita's smug pose.

"Don't copy me!"

"But… both of them have health issues…" Yahweh paused, "Sister Gloria suffers from overwork-related illness, and David carries many old injuries."

"I have to go back to them! How could you hide something this important from me!" Hita gasped, turning to rush back, but Yahweh held her back.

"It's fine—I just sent a few Nanobots into their bodies. They'll be fine in a few days." Yahweh pulled the anxious girl tightly into his arms and pressed the elevator button.

"Nanobots?"

"Biotechnica's secret weapons have unique properties—especially effective in healing."

"Sigh…" Hita slumped lifelessly against Yahweh, "Why won't you just say it and let me help?" she murmured, eyes lost.

"Just as you don't want to always rely on me…" he gently wiped the tear from her corner, "They won't want to become your burden either…"

"Gloria is so kind, works all day yet barely makes ends meet; David gets bullied for no reason… why?" she sobbed.

"Because of this damn world…" Yahweh held Hita tightly, patting her back, "Don't worry, Hita—I'm here."

"Yahweh..." she whispered his name, her voice soft and fragile.

"What is it?"

"In a world like this, can we truly change it?"

"Believe in me, and believe in yourself."

"Alright..."