Following the madam to the wooden pier by the sea, we gazed into the distance. All we could see was the moonlight reflecting slivers of silver on the vast ocean; everything else was shrouded in impenetrable darkness.

The sea, black and immense, was silent. The occasional sound of waves crashing against the shore was soothing.

Logically, with such fine weather, the fishing boats should have returned long ago, heavily laden. There shouldn't have been any storms or other dangers, so why was Mr. Rabinovich’s boat so delayed?

This truly baffled me.

Evidently, the few people around us were equally perplexed, simply staring blankly toward the distant horizon where the sea ended, each lost in their own thoughts.

After about ten minutes, the sea remained still, yet the sea breeze had grown noticeably colder.

Liang Qian grew bored waiting, so she simply sat down on the pier, swinging her feet over the edge, watching the stars above.

I glanced at her, then turned my attention to the stars as well.

Daxiong also felt restless and asked to borrow my phone.

When I asked what he needed it for, he said he wanted to play games; he hadn't had his own phone with him when it was “kidnapped.”

I shook my head helplessly and handed him mine.

Since the village settlement still had electricity, I wasn't worried about the battery dying, though even with power, calls wouldn't go through here anyway.

Daxiong took my phone, chuckled, and said, "The wind out here is too cold; I’m going over there to play!" He pointed behind an old boat resting on the sand.

Without waiting for my reply, he got up and walked over.

At that moment, * also remarked, "The beach looks nice; I’m going for a walk by myself, don't follow." With that, he too departed.

At first, I found it odd, but after a moment, I realized they were deliberately leaving Liang Qian and me alone.

Daxiong sat down behind the old boat and couldn't resist poking his head out to shout, "Xiao Chuan, don't just stand there like an idiot. Sit down and rest if you’re tired. Look how smart little Liang is."

I cursed under my breath, "Get lost!" and ignored him.

Mrs. Rabinovich stood at the very end of the pier, wrapped in a woolen shawl, her hands clasped in front of her chest, staring anxiously into the distance.

I figured that trying to comfort her now would be superfluous, so I just stood awkwardly next to Liang Qian.

With Daxiong and * gone, I felt a distinct awkwardness, especially when others are seated and you remain standing—it creates a peculiar tension, making you feel oddly conspicuous.

In truth, I desperately wanted to sit down beside Liang Qian, swinging my feet playfully, but my only flaw was that I became utterly tongue-tied and shy around any girl I found attractive.

After standing there helplessly for a short while, Liang Qian looked up at me and asked, "Aren't you going to sit?"

Her question caught me flat-footed; I didn't know what to say for a moment. After a pause, I stammered out, "Uh... it’s nothing. I wasn’t planning to stand here daydreaming anyway. I think I should walk on the beach; it really is quite nice there."

Liang Qian looked at me intently, her expression unreadable. After hearing my reply, she simply said, "Oh, then go ahead..." and then returned her gaze to the stars.

I instantly wanted to slap myself, thinking, What on earth am I babbling about?

Seeing that Liang Qian was no longer looking at me, I hesitated for a moment, lifting my foot several times as if to leave, yet feeling reluctant to go.

Finally, I steeled myself and sat down beside her.

Liang Qian was clearly surprised and asked, "Weren't you going for a walk on the beach?"

I thought for a second, my face flushing, and managed, "He... they said walking too much right after a meal can cause stomach prolapse."

Liang Qian let out a soft puff of air, covering her mouth with the back of her hand, nearly bursting into laughter.

I scratched my head and gave a sheepish grin. "Right? I think what you’re doing is perfect; sitting here aids digestion."

Liang Qian nodded. "It is quite nice... I think it’s a beautiful thing for the two of us to be sitting here."

When she said that so casually, my face instantly turned red, and I couldn't find a single word.

Seeing my reaction, Liang Qian smiled faintly again. "I mean, I haven't had a moment of leisure like this in years. Every day has been a nerve-wracking scramble. Although I was brought here against my will, finally having a period of quiet feels wonderful."

Hearing her say that, I smiled.

Liang Qian continued, "Oh, right. You saved my life back in that cavern in Lop Nur; I never properly thanked you."

I shook my head. "It was nothing. Even if it hadn't been you, I would have saved them. I couldn't just stand by and watch someone die."

As soon as I finished speaking, I wanted to slap myself again. Nie Chuan, Nie Chuan, can you ever say the right thing? Saying that makes Liang Qian feel she isn't special to you!

Feeling like I’d ruined everything, I anxiously looked at Liang Qian.

But she was still smiling, as if she could see every turmoil inside my mind.

I rushed to explain, "No, I meant..."

"No need to explain," Liang Qian interrupted, shaking her head with a gentle smile. "I understand everything."

Dejected, I fell silent, and the two of us lapsed back into quiet contemplation.

Liang Qian seemed unsure what to say next either, lowering her gaze to the silver reflections dancing on the sea, appearing utterly serene.

I had so much I wanted to tell her, but in this moment, I couldn't utter a single word, merely stealing glances at her every now and then.

I thought if this continued, the atmosphere would certainly become awkward, so I strained to think of something to say.

For a fleeting moment, I almost blurted out my feelings for her, but I held back; it felt too sudden.

Finally, it was Liang Qian who broke the silence.

She kept her eyes fixed on the water and murmured, her voice barely audible, "Nie Chuan, if I had to live here for the rest of my life, would you stay with me?"

Her question stunned me; I felt a sudden shortness of breath.

But I knew absolutely that if I didn’t answer within three seconds, the moment would be lost forever.

So, I nodded frantically, saying, "Yes... of course, I would. This place has beautiful scenery, clear water, and a vast grassland—what a perfect hidden paradise!"

Liang Qian smiled slightly, perhaps shyly, still looking out at the sea.

My heart hammered against my ribs, a rhythm too loud even for the crashing waves to drown out. I was so agitated I could barely control my breathing.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself, but ultimately, I was at a loss, having absolutely no experience in such matters.

I glanced at Liang Qian again. Her hand rested on the wooden planks of the pier, very close to mine.

I suddenly recalled a scene I’d seen on television once. Gathering my courage, I slowly moved my hand closer to hers.

At that precise moment, my heart felt like it was about to leap out of my throat.

My hand crept forward agonizingly slowly, causing time itself to seem to decelerate. Mrs. Rabinovich in the distance looked like an unmoving statue, making me completely forget her presence.

Just as my fingertip brushed against the edge of Liang Qian’s nail, a ship's whistle suddenly sounded from the far reaches of the ocean.

Liang Qian and I both whipped our heads around to look. An old motor fishing boat, identifiable by its two masts and three large lamps, emerged from beyond the horizon.

Daxiong leaped up from the sand, shouting loudly, "Look! Is that the village chief’s boat?"

Seeing Mrs. Rabinovich turn around and exclaim something to us with visible excitement, I knew it had to be the chief's vessel.

I was overjoyed that Mr. Rabinovich was returning safely, but I felt immense regret that I hadn't managed to touch Liang Qian's hand.

I cursed inwardly, "Why does something always interfere at the crucial moment!"

However, I didn't have time to dwell on my frustration. The fishing boat was already entering the harbor, slowly making its way toward us.

and Daxiong walked over and looked up at the dark silhouette, easily ten feet tall, as it finally stopped near us.

After the lights were extinguished and the anchor dropped, the boat settled. Then, Mr. Rabinovich called out something in Russian from the deck, his voice laced with urgency.

I asked Daxiong what he said. Daxiong translated, "The Chief says to call all the villagers over; something incredible has happened."