Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
The yacht's sleeper cabin had its curtains half-drawn, creating a play of light and shadow.
Song Jiu sat at the round table, his elbows resting on the surface, his fingertips rhythmically tapping. Across from him, on the single sleeper cabin's soft bed, Natalia leaned against the headboard, her chestnut hair cascading like willow branches, casually and messily spilling over her shoulders.
Half an hour earlier, Natalia had opened the door. After Song Jiu's dull opening line, she quickly stepped aside to let him in. Song Jiu wasn't quite sure if she had genuinely invited him in; the atmosphere had been somewhat awkward, with him standing at the threshold, neither entering nor retreating. Perhaps she had merely acted out of politeness.
The single sleeper cabin appeared refreshed, though the old marks on the walls remained. Outside the porthole, the sea and clear sky alternated views as the boat rocked slightly. The water jug on the table swayed gently, rippling the clear water inside and casting circles of reflection that mirrored the two silent figures sitting across from each other.
Fang Fei and Luci had both mentioned that Natalia was not in a good mood, but Song Jiu hadn’t noticed anything unusual. Perhaps women had a special way of communicating their feelings; in any case, Song Jiu was oblivious to any abnormalities.
Once inside, neither of them spoke. The language barrier was one aspect; mainly, Song Jiu simply didn’t know what to say. His understanding of this Barbie Doll was zero. He had brought her back to camp on a whim without any particular reason, leading to their current suffocating awkwardness. After a while in silence, they gradually relaxed, seemingly accustomed to this helpless yet tacit understanding of quietude. They exchanged indifferent glances and occasional smiles without realizing they had sat there for half an hour.
They say that eyes are the windows to the soul, but if there’s no light in those windows, no one can see what’s inside. Song Jiu felt that like him, perhaps this Barbie Doll also had something to say but was hindered by their inability to communicate. Thus, they resorted to this philosophical sitting arrangement for a spiritual exploration.
The awkward atmosphere faded away, replaced by a serene tranquility.
Song Jiu gazed at Natalia; her face was truly beautiful. The three-dimensional features of her Western visage were strikingly prominent—such different genes! How could her eyelashes be so thick and curled into such playful arcs? Especially her eyes; before this moment, Song Jiu had only been impressed by the bright blue eyes of another blonde woman. Now he found himself captivated by Natalia's brown irises, which shimmered with a hint of light through the misty air.
The more he looked, the stronger that strange feeling in his heart became. He shifted his gaze downwards from her delicate neck to her white collar and further down to her long legs exposed before him. It seemed that Natalia sensed his unabashed gaze; her cheeks flushed slightly as she curled up her legs and scooted back toward the headboard.
Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Song Jiu pondered whether he should take his leave. He glanced up at her only to find that she was tilting her head and studying him as well.
Suddenly sitting up straight, Natalia flashed him a bright smile and leaned forward, patting the bedspread in front of her while murmuring something in a language he couldn’t understand.
Song Jiu blinked in surprise and asked, “What?” But then he remembered she wouldn’t comprehend his words either. So he gestured with his hands, hoping she would understand.
Natalia gently shook her head with a playful smile curving at her lips. She got off the bed and walked barefoot over to him, taking his hand and leading him toward the bedside.
Song Jiu was taken aback—what did this mean? Was she asking him to join her on the bed? This was too direct! That wasn’t what he meant!
Natalia sat cross-legged on the bed; her slightly oversized shirt lifted at one corner revealing glimpses of lace from her underwear around her slim waist. Song Jiu found himself unable to look away as thoughts raced through his mind about how to respond or whether he should explain his intentions—useless! She wouldn’t understand anyway! Well then, perhaps it would be best to go along with what she wanted. Resolutely deciding this in his mind, he closed his eyes and braced himself to leap towards this Barbie Doll before him. However, suddenly feeling coolness around his hands made him look down only to see Natalia holding both of them tightly while parting her lips again to speak another string of incomprehensible words.
Song Jiu’s expression darkened as he stared blankly at her, feeling utterly ashamed of his earlier thoughts.
Natalia’s hands were soft and cold. She knew that Song Jiu couldn’t understand her language but continued speaking slowly with a cheerful tone as if telling a story while various emotions flickered in her eyes.
Song Jiu sat across from her listening to the difficult-to-understand language; initially confused but gradually regaining calmness. During pauses in her speech, he would say a few words himself. Whenever he spoke, Natalia would stop and tilt her head with an expression that seemed both understanding and puzzled yet listened intently.
The feeling was strange, and Song Jiu couldn't quite articulate it. He spoke a lot, so much that he was surprised by himself after leaving the cabin. He introduced himself to Natalia, introduced the crew, shared what his life was like before the disaster and how it changed afterward. He even told her about a girl named Dream Fan, regrettably, she was no longer alive.
Although he couldn't understand what Natalia was saying, Song Jiu felt that she might be sharing her own story just like he was.
Thus, a man and a woman, each speaking their native language, gently held hands and faced each other, conversing in a mix of words for an entire morning.
When Song Jiu left, Natalia walked him to the door and lightly kissed his cheek.
"This is just a polite kiss, right? Do I need to return it?" Song Jiu touched his cheek; her lips were soft and pleasant.
Natalia smiled back and softly said, "cпa6 спасибо." With that, she closed the cabin door.
Back on deck, Song Jiu took a deep breath of fresh air and exhaled a cloud of stale air, feeling invigorated and full of energy.
"Hey, look who’s here! Brother Jiu has arrived."
A light-hearted female voice broke through the atmosphere. "We can't force it."
"What’s going on?" Song Jiu felt a headache coming on. They had said they would arrive in two days, but looking at the situation now, it seemed far from easy.
Cao Zheng was still in the cockpit; he seemed almost glued to the helm. Initially complaining a bit, he gradually got into the zone. The lives of everyone on board depended on him; at this moment, he couldn't afford to relax.
Dai Wei leaned against the railing and pointed towards the distant sea where the sky met the water. He murmured, "You guys have no sailing experience; you don’t understand how dangerous the climate changes are on the Sea Surface. This morning was just foggy. Lao Cao and I thought it wouldn’t be a big deal. But after the fog lifted, the wind stopped. Didn’t you feel it?"
Song Jiu looked at Luo Yu and the others; they all wore blank expressions, completely clueless about Dai Wei's meaning.
Song Jiu reached out to feel the air and asked in confusion, "There is wind; it's blowing."
Dai Wei opened his mouth, hesitated for a moment, then explained, "I’m not sure how to explain it to you all. Just trust me; the weather is about to change. We might face a storm."
"What should we do?" Wu Wentao didn’t waste words. He didn’t understand but didn’t interrupt either. Since Dai Wei spoke with conviction, there must be a reason for it. Moreover, given how unpredictable the Sea Surface could be, caution was always wise.
"Fang Fei and Qianqian are checking the Sea Chart; there are no nearby islands for shelter. We don’t have satellite equipment either; we can only keep moving forward. If we’re lucky enough to find an island, we’ll dock there. If not..." Dai Wei clicked his tongue and glanced at everyone’s expressions with a sigh. "Then we can only pray."
"Come on, it can’t be that bad," Jin Bo exploded at once. Shouldn’t such talk come only when a storm was imminent? Why prepare for dire consequences now?
Dai Wei forced a smile and said helplessly, "When you're at sea, by the time you notice obvious changes, it’s already too late."
"What's the plan now? Are you sure there will be a storm?" Song Jiu also became serious. Dai Wei and Cao Zheng wouldn't joke about such matters. After boarding the ship, the group had hardly rested, all working tirelessly to ensure the vessel reached the island safely.
"Let me explain it this way," Dai Wei said, furrowing his brow as he thought for a moment. He changed his approach and continued, "It's midsummer right now. As temperatures rise, the moisture content in the air over the ocean increases. If the right air currents are present, storms can develop."
"So..."
"The issue for us is that we lack equipment to detect weather conditions. There was fog and wind this morning, but it has actually been quite muggy all day. By noon, the wind died down, and there were no clouds overhead. It's very likely that it's already raining in other areas. Jin Bo's island is situated in a windy zone, and given our course, there's a high chance we'll run into a storm." Dai Wei patiently explained the seriousness of the situation. In the pause of his speech, a line of seabirds skimmed low across the distant sky, vanishing quickly as they sped away.
Dai Wei grimaced and said dejectedly, "Did you see that? Swallows flying low and ants moving their nests—these little signs are common knowledge."
"What do we need to do?" Luo Yu couldn't help but feel a bit anxious. Swimming was her only weakness; facing the vast ocean made her feel incredibly small.
"Notify everyone. Those playing mahjong should move to the indoor hall. Unless there's an emergency, no one should go on deck. For now, there shouldn't be any major issues. Lao Cao is moving at full speed; if we reach an island, we'll stop; if not, we'll keep going. We'll report updates via broadcast so that everyone doesn't panic." Dai Wei clearly had experience handling similar situations; he spoke calmly and at length. "Qianqian went to check the lifeboat area; there are standard life jackets and swimming rings there for safety. Those who can't swim should take them and head indoors. If there's still no sign of trouble by evening, we should be in the clear."
"Understood. You all stay safe; call us if anything happens."
Comment 0 Comment Count