Chapter 127: Settling In

Life on the island was both abundant and lonely. At night, gazing up at the stars, one could not help being filled with countless emotions.

While Jiang Huan was immersed in the illustrated compendium of sea beasts, wishing she could pickle herself into it and absorb every last detail, Jiang Xi had already been informed that he would soon be transferred to the safe zone.

The letter he received said that his sister had passed the examination successfully. However, for certain special reasons, they would have to wait a little longer before meeting. She had already applied for a video call and had enclosed a Polaroid photograph for Jiang Xi.

Looking at Jiang Huan’s broad, toothy smile in the picture, the restlessness in his heart eased considerably.

He had not packed much. Most of what he took consisted of the notes and illustrated books he had organized himself, along with a few things his sister had specifically told him not to let anyone see. In the end, he packed a snakeskin bag full of books and notebooks, plus a backpack of daily necessities. As for everything else, he did not take it out for distribution. He simply asked Liu Ling to move in.

“Big Sister, barring any accidents, we probably won’t be coming back here. Use whatever you can, but don’t divide it equally, because this is a gift from me to you.”

Liu Ling covered her mouth.

How had it suddenly come time for them to part?

She had known all along that Jiang Huan could never fail the examination, and that Jiang Xi would certainly go to the safe zone and live a good life. But now that the day had truly arrived, now that they were about to go their separate ways, her heart was still heavy and hollow.

She had watched these two children for more than a year and lived alongside them for more than a year. At first, she had given to them with the foolish generosity of an older sister. In the end, she had survived by relying on Jiang Huan’s kindness and companionship. The thought that, from this point onward, they might never see each other again left Liu Ling feeling utterly miserable.

“Xiao Xi, your sister is wonderful, and so are you. Your lives will only get better from here.”

Liu Ling did not say anything like, “Come back and visit me sometime.” People naturally sought higher ground; why should she insist on pulling them back?

Instead, Jiang Xi spoke up himself. “We’ll see each other again. I believe that.”

He truly believed it. Liu Ling nodded, choking back tears as she packed another backpack full of food, along with another backpack containing the gold they had stored away.

“I remember everything your sister told me. And I believe we’ll meet again too.”

Unlike the letter Jiang Xi had received merely to assure him of her safety, the one Jiang Huan had written to Liu Ling carried an element of trade.

She would find a way to return for the rest of the gold. In exchange, each time she took some gold away, she would give Liu Ling a certain amount of compensation. As for the things Jiang Xi could not take with him, Liu Ling was free to use them.

What kind of quality were the things Jiang Huan and Jiang Xi used? The quality of the wealthy—at least, that was how it was in the bomb shelter. All their supplies and equipment were first-rate.

Liu Ling had only taken one look around after moving in, and she had been delighted. Still, she had never expected any compensation.

It was not that she did not trust Jiang Huan. She simply felt that this place had been established by Jiang Huan and sustained by her own efforts. It would be wrong to use Jiang Huan’s original possessions to strike a bargain with her.

Wouldn’t that make her worse than an animal?

Liu Ling also wrote a reply to Jiang Huan and handed it to Jiang Xi.

“If you meet your sister, or if you manage to communicate with each other, give her this letter. Of course, you can read it too.”

Jiang Xi nodded, indicating that he would do so.

Once he had finished packing, they waited through the night. The next morning, several people arrived outside the bomb shelter. The helicopter could not land there, so they first had to go down to the foot of the mountain.

Jiang Xi carried his backpack. Several men took the rest of his belongings and escorted him and Old Man Xie down the mountain.

Liu Ling and the others followed behind the entire way, repeatedly saying their goodbyes.

Suddenly, Jiang Xi turned around and made a sleeping gesture toward Liu Ling.

Liu Ling stared at him in confusion. What was that supposed to mean?

After seeing Jiang Xi off and watching the helicopter whir into the sky, Liu Ling returned to the room. Only when she saw the comfortable bed did she suddenly understand.

Xiao Xi had been telling her to take a look at the bed.

Liu Ling hurried over.

Could that child have given her a farewell gift?

At last, Liu Ling found it.

Beneath the pillow lay a pistol, with a cloth bag containing several bullets beside it.

Liu Ling was speechless.

She did not dare touch that gift!

Xiao Xi, come back and take it away!

Unfortunately, Jiang Xi could no longer hear her anguished cries.

He had a slingshot and a wrist crossbow of his own. His slingshot was even unerringly accurate. Compared to those, a pistol with only a few bullets that required careful aiming was rather ordinary to him.

As for why he had given it to her, that had been his sister’s arrangement.

People who were sincere, genuine, and kind at heart deserved to be rewarded.

He thought so too.

The helicopter stopped at a transit station for the entire afternoon before continuing its journey. After roughly two days of travel, it finally arrived in the capital.

No matter how fiercely disaster had ravaged the world, most of the buildings in the old imperial city had astonishingly remained intact. After being reinforced and protected with a new type of material, the place had become the capital’s largest protected zone.

There were tens of thousands of rooms. From the outside, they seemed numerous and chaotic, but once inside, one discovered that the place operated under a complete administrative system. Artificial intelligence had even been put to work providing services, making the whole area resemble a city of the future.

After Jiang Xi disembarked, a staff member checked his identity.

“Jiang Huan, outstanding trainee, reserve member of the elite team. Family member: Jiang Xi. Male.”

Once the verification was complete, Jiang Xi was allowed through.

But Old Man Xie’s identification process came to a halt.

After its information systems had been repaired, the computer administrator discovered that Old Man Xie and Xie Congzhou were not actually grandfather and grandson.

There also seemed to have been some kind of problem when the information was first entered.

As a result, Old Man Xie was stopped outside the gate and required to undergo a review.

By the time they managed to get Xie Congzhou on the phone, three hours had passed.

He confirmed that the person he wished to vouch for was indeed his grandfather. The surname was Xie, his appearance matched, and Jiang Xi could serve as a witness. After the several of them exchanged bewildered looks, they applied for a video connection.

Xie Congzhou was following an information officer toward the electronic communications room when he caught sight of Jiang Huan doing stretching exercises nearby. He suddenly called out to her.

“Jiang Huan, come over here. Video-call Grandpa.”

Under the strange looks of everyone around her, Jiang Huan approached in confusion.

“Grandpa? Your grandpa?”

“Yes. There was a slight problem when the household registration was entered. They contacted me, so come and meet him too.”

Jiang Huan knew he would not have done this without reason, and a suspicion arose in her mind.

“Xiao Xi is there too?”

“Mm. Clever.”

Xie Congzhou was in an excellent mood.

It was not merely because she had been perceptive enough to figure that much out. More importantly, his kindness had been immediately understood by her.

There was a subtle pleasure in that.

Xie Congzhou took two steps, Jiang Huan three, and both quickened their pace to keep up.

The moment the video connected, Old Man Xie’s sorrowful, weathered face appeared before them.

Jiang Huan shifted her gaze to the young man standing several steps behind him.

It had been less than a month—only two days short—but Jiang Xi seemed to have grown considerably.

It was not a matter of height or weight. It was a feeling—no, more precisely, an intuition that could only come from being a sister who had lived alongside him day and night.

Jiang Xi seemed to notice his sister as well. A trace of anxiety and an unmistakable eagerness flashed across his face.

But seeing the old man sobbing pitifully, he still did not step forward. He merely raised his hands toward the camera and signed:

I’m doing well. How are you?

Jiang Xi also made an okay sign.

(End of Chapter)