blogombal Page 18
Page 18
She looked at Liu Jiu, her eyes still wary, but now tinged with a complex, indescribable emotion. He was from Roger's ship…that man's former comrade…
"What do you want to do?" she asked in a hoarse voice, her hands still protecting her stomach.
“The navy is searching very closely; it’s not safe here,” Liu Jiu said, his gaze sweeping over her protruding belly. “I’ve dug a place where I can hide for a while.”
He paused, looked into Rouge's eyes, and stated his opinion without any coercion:
"You can stay there until the baby is born."
"The decision is yours."
After saying that, he said no more and just stood there quietly, waiting for her reply.
The setting sun lengthened their shadows.
Rouge looked at the unfamiliar man in front of her, who claimed to be from the Oro Jackson, and gazed at his calm and expressionless face while feeling the baby's movements in her womb.
Trusting a stranger carries enormous risks.
But staying here increased the risk of exposure as her delivery date approached (despite her desperate attempts to delay). The Navy wouldn't give up easily.
She had to fight for any chance of survival for the child in her womb.
Rouge took a deep breath, raised her hand, and forcefully wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes.
Her gaze hardened again.
"Where?" she asked, her voice still hoarse, but no longer trembling.
Liu Jiu nodded.
"follow me."
Chapter 17 Shelter
Lu Jiu followed Liu Jiu, her steps a little unsteady, but she walked steadily. One hand was always protecting her stomach, while the other hand tightly gripped the hem of her clothes, vigilantly watching her surroundings.
Liu Jiu walked ahead at a slow pace, making sure she could keep up. He had chosen an extremely secluded route, weaving through dense forests and among rocks, avoiding all paths that might be visible to others.
The further you go, the more remote you become.
Finally, he stopped in front of the entrance, which was completely obscured by dense vines and bushes.
He pulled back the camouflage, revealing a downward-facing opening, just wide enough for one person to pass through. It was dark inside, with a faint, earthy breeze blowing out.
"Next." Liu Jiu stepped aside, gesturing for her to go in.
Looking at the deep, dark entrance, Rouge's heart pounded involuntarily. This was a high-stakes gamble. She gritted her teeth, didn't hesitate, and bent down to crawl inside.
Liu Jiu followed closely behind and carefully covered the entrance again.
The cave was dark at first, but after walking a few steps down and turning a corner, a faint light appeared ahead.
It was a relatively spacious underground space.
When Rouge saw what was inside, she froze and instinctively stopped in her tracks.
It was completely different from the dark, damp, and rudimentary shelter she had imagined.
The walls and floor had been carefully leveled, and although they were still earthen walls, they looked very sturdy. In the corner, a simple but sturdy wooden bed was covered with thick, clean hay, and even had a faded coarse cloth sheet on top.
Beside the bed was a small platform made of stones, on which sat an earthenware water jug and several wooden cups.
On the other side, there was even a table-like surface made of larger stones, with two tree stumps next to it serving as stools.
The ventilation openings cleverly let in a few rays of natural light, which, while not enough to illuminate the entire space, dispelled most of the darkness and oppressive feeling. The air wasn't stale either, carrying the fresh scent of earth and vegetation.
This place... is just like an ordinary family's house, except that it's built underground.
Simple and rough, but full of traces of life, even carrying a bit of... a rare sense of security.
Lu Jiu stared blankly at all of this, her hands that were protecting her stomach unconsciously relaxing a little.
She hadn't expected that this taciturn man, who seemed indifferent to everything, would be so... thoughtful in his preparations.
Liu Jiu didn't explain, but simply walked to the "table," picked up a water bag from it, and handed it to her.
Rouge took the water pouch, her fingertips touching the cool walls. She didn't drink immediately, but held it in her hand, her gaze sweeping over the underground shelter once more.
"When...did you prepare this?" she couldn't help but ask, her voice sounding somewhat ethereal in the relatively enclosed space.
"A few days ago," Liu Jiu replied simply.
He walked to the bedside and checked whether the hay spread out on it was flat.
"I'll stay here for now. I'll keep an eye on things outside."
His tone remained calm, as if doing all this was just a matter of course and nothing to be surprised about.
As Lu Jiu watched his busy and silent back, and then looked at this simple yet sheltering "home" that provided shelter from the wind and rain and allowed her to hide her whereabouts, her tense heartstrings finally relaxed a little.
A sense of exhaustion, like surviving a disaster, mixed with indescribable complex emotions, welled up inside me.
She walked to the bedside and sat down carefully. The hay rustled slightly, and although the sheets were rough, they were clean.
She placed the water sac aside, gently placed her hands on her swollen belly, and felt the movement of the little life inside.
It's safe here for now.
For Roger, and for this child.
She looked up at Liu Jiu, who was standing not far away, and said softly, her voice trembling with a barely perceptible sob:
"……Thanks."
Liu Jiu paused for a moment, but without turning around, he simply gave a faint "hmm".
Then, he walked to the area below the vent, sat down against the wall, and closed his eyes.
It's as if it has entered a state of rest or alertness.
The basement fell silent, save for the soft breathing of the two people and the distant, indistinct sound of wind coming from the ventilation vents.
In the following days, Liu Jiu went out more frequently.
He always left in the early morning and returned in the evening. Each time he came back, he would bring something with him.
Sometimes, a few softer, more comfortable cushions replace part of the hard, dry straw mattress on the bed.
Sometimes it's a few pieces of plain-colored but thick fabric that can be used as a blanket or partition.
He even brought back a small, slightly worn but very clean wardrobe. Although it was simple in design, it was enough to store his clothes.
Lu Jiu watched silently as he added things to the underground space, little by little. She didn't ask where these things came from, whether they were bought, or... obtained in some other way. She simply whispered "thank you" as he put things down.
Liu Jiu remained silent and continued with his work.
Until one day, he brought back several things that completely stunned Rouge.
It was a low coffee table and two matching cushions. The wood and style of the coffee table were surprisingly similar to the one she used in her previous house!
Then he brought in several earthenware jars, bowls and plates, and even a small clay stove for boiling water. The style and design of these items were very similar to the everyday utensils she had used before.
He even brought back a simple lamp made of shellfish and grease with adjustable brightness, so that the basement at night would no longer be only dimly lit by natural light.
Liu Jiu silently arranged these items one by one.
A low coffee table is placed next to the "table," with cushions on either side. Earthenware pots and dishes are neatly stacked in one corner of the stone platform. A small clay stove is placed below the vent to ensure that the smoke can escape smoothly.
When he did these things, his movements were precise and efficient, without any unnecessary words, as if he were simply completing a pre-set task.
But Rouge stood aside, watching as this underground space, which was originally just a shelter, gradually became...familiar under his arrangement.
The familiar low coffee table, the familiar cushions, the familiar style of bowls and plates...
The layout here is almost exactly the same as the simple but cozy home she used to live in.
An indescribable mix of bittersweet emotions surged through her heart.
He noticed.
He noticed what her previous place looked like, and he noticed those insignificant details.
Then, he silently moved this "familiarity" to this dark underground place.
Was it to help her adapt more quickly? Or to reduce her anxiety caused by the drastic change in environment?
All she knew was that this seemingly indifferent man was carefully protecting her and the child in her womb with his insignificant "habits" and "thoughts" in his almost clumsy silence.
Tears welled up unexpectedly, blurring my vision.
She quickly lowered her head and vigorously wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
Liu Jiu arranged the last piece of pottery, straightened up, and looked around.
The underground shelter had been completely transformed. Although it was still underground and still rudimentary, it was filled with a sense of life and was almost a replica of her previous residence.
He seemed satisfied and walked to the wall, preparing to sit down as usual.
“Um…” Rouge’s voice was slightly nasal from crying as she called out to him.
Liu Jiu stopped what he was doing and turned to look at her.
Rouge walked to the low coffee table, her fingers lightly tracing its surface. Then she looked up at him, forcing a smile, though her eyes still glistened with tears.
"This place... is very nice."
"It really... feels like...home."
Liu Jiu looked at her, his gaze lingering for a moment on her tear-streaked face as she tried to smile.
Then, he looked away and gave a faint reply:
Without saying anything more, he walked to his usual spot, sat down against the wall, and closed his eyes.
In the basement, the only sound was the faint crackling of the grease lamp burning.
Rouge sat on the familiar cushion, stroked the familiar coffee table, and looked around at this carefully "replicated" "home" hidden underground.
The search and danger from the outside world seem to have been temporarily kept at bay.
Here, she felt a long-lost, fragile, yet real peace.
This peace was brought about by the man who was as silent as a stone.