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墨書 Inktalez
In broad daylight, the dark Gorge felt cold and desolate, with a chilling wind swirling around. At night, the Gorge remained unchanged, only amplifying an eerie atmosphere that words could not describe. Surrounding them was an expanse of darkness, stark and silent.
Nighttime was the most challenging period for Xiao Qiang and his companions, especially now that Chixia had joined them, forcing him to split his focus in two. One half had to carefully look after the young Lin Yu, while the other half remained vigilant against any intruders that might invade their cave.
Fortunately, Xiao Qiang had kept the valuable items left by Gui Ye close at hand. In such a unique environment, they couldn't afford to be picky; even the stinky animal skin blanket was precious.
Jianjian was just a child and often sleepy. With Chixia's attentive care, it was better than relying on Xiao Qiang's careless nature.
The cave Stratum was uneven, with the Ground covered in jagged stones. There were no extra materials to cushion their resting place; everything that could provide warmth was piled on Little Pick-Up. Even so, perhaps due to the stones poking at her small frame, the little one couldn't settle down for long.
Watching Jianjian, who had finally quieted down and drifted into a deep sleep after much tossing and turning, Chixia could only hug her elbows. Even when she curled up tightly, she still felt cold! Despite putting on a nonchalant facade, she couldn't stop shivering.
Xiao Qiang dreaded the arrival of night. Recently, he had sensed strange changes in his bones. Especially late at night, he felt an intense heat coursing through him, akin to having a high fever.
His gaze fell upon Chixia crouched beside Jianjian, her body curled up and trembling incessantly. They exchanged awkward glances; feeling sympathetic, he quickly stood up and said to her, "Be careful; I'm going out to take a look."
As he crawled out of the cave, the cold wind stung his face painfully. The static rocks around him appeared ghostly in this moment, their jagged edges seeming ready to pounce at any time.
Leaning against the icy stone wall, Xiao Qiang tightened his collar and used his abilities to search for dry grass within a limited area that could provide warmth.
If this era were not post-Nuclear War but rather a time of peace and prosperity, how wonderful it would be. The scene here should not be so barren; those creatures living in the crevices of the stones would own the night.
At this moment, it should have been a cacophony of insects buzzing and chirping. Yet now, it was eerily quiet—a silence so profound that it invited unwarranted thoughts.
Xiao Qiang couldn't stray far from the cave; he managed to find some dry grass nearby and also gathered several twigs about the thickness of his thumb. He collected a small pile of them.
Chixia brought the dry branches into the cave, throwing Xiao Qiang a shy smile. Grateful, she helped him ignite the twigs, and after a puff of smoke, the flames roared to life.
As the flames danced, the firelight illuminated Chixia's almost pale face. It was the first time she was so close to Xiao Qiang, making her feel a bit bashful and timid.
Xiao Qiang, carefree and oblivious, didn’t notice the girl’s feelings. He sat by the fire casually, paying little attention to her.
The dry branches crackled, and with a soft pop, a spark jumped onto Chixia's clothes. Out of kindness, Xiao Qiang reached out to flick it away, unaware that the spark bounced directly onto her chest. His hand was already out—smack! A loud slap rang out, startling Xiao Qiang and igniting his anger.
Fuming, he questioned Chixia, “What the hell was that for?”
Chixia stole a glance at his handsome face marked by five finger-shaped prints. Her heart raced inexplicably as she stammered, “You were being inappropriate just now.”
“Ha! Are you crazy? Who was being inappropriate?” Xiao Qiang didn’t want to explain himself. He shouted loudly enough to wake Jianjian from her slumber. Lowering his voice quickly, he pointed at Chixia’s nose and pressed on aggressively, “I say you’re asking for it; who’s being inappropriate?”
Chixia felt cornered and wanted to leave but couldn’t bear to part with the warmth of the fire. Reflecting on what had just happened, she realized she had acted too rashly… hitting someone without evidence.
Her face flushed red; she couldn’t bring herself to admit her unfounded action. Feeling awkward and embarrassed, she lowered her head and pondered how to break this deadlock. Moreover, since she was under someone else's roof, what would happen if things soured? For now, what else could she do but keep the peace?
So, Chixia kept her head down in silence while Xiao Qiang vented his frustration.
Could a man really keep this up? Seeing that she remained silent despite being in the wrong, Xiao Qiang also fell quiet. After checking that the firewood was nearly burnt out, he stood up again and casually touched his still sore cheek before saying to Chixia, “Keep an eye on things; I’ll go get more firewood.”
Chixia watched his departing figure with mixed emotions as tears silently fell from her eyes. He was a good person; it was just that she had been overly sensitive.
After this misunderstanding, the distance between Chixia and Xiao Qiang had lessened considerably. As he continued to go in and out looking for firewood, he eventually leaned against Chixia’s side, too tired to move anymore.
The two of them leaned against each other in perfect harmony. The flickering flames danced in their line of sight, casting a warm glow that painted their cheeks a rosy red.
Gazing deeply, countless times, time slipped away quietly like a serene river, silently and gently flowing past them. Yet a warmth took root in Chixia's lonely heart.
Xiao Qiang's restraint, his meticulous protection, his unwavering persistence, and his fearless dedication—these moments that stirred both sorrow and emotion within Chixia made her embrace him without hesitation as he whispered another person's name.
Under the glow of the fire, the love that sprouted between Chixia and Xiao Qiang blazed brightly. Even though he mistakenly took her for the lover from his dreams.
A sudden scream jolted both of them awake from their slumber. They exchanged startled glances; Xiao Qiang was taken aback—hadn't he been with Lin Yu last night? But the scene before him left no room for doubt: Jianjian was missing.
On the ground of the cave lay a chaotic pile of clothes and animal fur blankets meant to keep her warm, but she was nowhere to be found.
Chixia's face flushed with embarrassment as she hurriedly asked, "Where's Jianjian?"
Xiao Qiang rushed to the cave entrance and coldly replied, "You ask me? Who should I ask?" Stepping outside, he was shocked to see Jianjian being taken away by several men in black, already far off.
Who were these people? Xiao Qiang had no idea, but they shouldn't have taken Jianjian. Enraged, he shot forward like an arrow, racing after them… Jianjian couldn't be in danger. He felt frantic and regretful for having slept so soundly. And what had just happened when he woke up? What had transpired between him and Chixia? His mind was spinning! He couldn't afford to be distracted by guesses and wild thoughts; he needed to quicken his pace and retrieve Jianjian.
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