Number of line is as any metrics, it gives you a quick idea of some amount, and that's it. To start having a sense of what it means, you need to be more acquainted with the topic at end.

It's not that uncommon to have an implementation with code that is lengthier but with an obvious pattern, while the smarter compressed implementation whose understanding is not necessary trivial to grab even for people seasoned to metaprogramming, reflexivity and so on.

Not to say that is what happen here, the point here was to recall that number of lines is not an absolute linear metrics.