哈哈漫画

When the storm cleared, the island residents were overjoyed, having survived three days of brutal weather. However, Zhou Heng, Xiao Changning, Jiang Chong, and the others felt no happiness at all.

Three days had passed, and Li Xia was nowhere to be found, dead or alive.

"What should we do?" Xiao Changning looked at the others helplessly. If Lu XuanNing found out, the entire Crescent Moon Island would likely pay the price for Li Xia's disappearance.

"The little witch won't die so easily," Zhou Heng said, standing up to leave. He was going to search for her. If he had survived, how could Li Xia not?

Jiang Chong rose and led a group to search for Li Xia. They wouldn't return until they found her.

Where was Li Xia at this moment?

Li Xia opened her eyes, her head pounding, to see a large hole in the roof above her. What a dilapidated house, she thought.

"You're awake," an elderly voice said. Li Xia turned her head to see an old woman with gray hair and patched clothes standing in the doorway.

"Elder, did you save me? Where am I?" Li Xia sat up, secretly testing her supernatural abilities. Thankfully, they were still intact and usable.

"This is a small fishing village at the foot of Homecoming Mountain. My family name is Yu, and it was my granddaughter who saved you," Grandma Yu said, walking to the bedside with her cane and offering a bowl of porridge.

"You've been asleep for two days. Have some porridge."

Li Xia was indeed hungry. "Thank you," she said, accepting the bowl and drinking it down. The thick porridge eased her hunger.

"Grandma Yu, is Homecoming Mountain far from Hai City?" Li Xia asked, now having the strength to chat.

"It takes a day and a night by mountain path, but only half a day by boat from the foot of the cliff," Grandma Yu explained the two routes.

Li Xia was surprised to find herself in a small fishing village at the foot of Homecoming Mountain, having traveled from Crescent Moon Island thousands of miles away. There was no way to find Zhou Heng and the others now. The only person she could see was Lu XuanNing, to have him notify Zhou Heng and the others to return.

Li Xia spent five days lying in the leaky house before she could finally go outside. During these days, she learned from Grandma Yu and her granddaughter Yu Yu that the small fishing village was not far from the military camp, about a three-day journey.

Looking at the sparkling sea in the distance and then at the run-down fishing village beside her, Li Xia saw a stark contrast. She began to plan how to reach the military camp.

"Grandma Yu, is that the young lady Yu Yu rescued? She's truly beautiful," said a woman mending fishing nets with Grandma Yu, glancing at Li Xia.

"Indeed," Grandma Yu replied, her eyes full of sympathy and pity as she looked at Li Xia.

Yu Yu woke up early and took Li Xia to the beach to collect seafood left behind by the receding tide.

This was Yu Yu's main harvest. She would dry the fish she collected and sell them in Hai City, then buy rice, flour, oil, and salt to bring back. Yu Yu was quick, accurate, and efficient in her collecting. Li Xia, relying on her supernatural abilities, was not slow either. She even dove into the sea to catch some rare fish.

"Sister Xia, come with me," Yu Yu said on the way back, leading Li Xia onto a small path. Li Xia followed Yu Yu to a cliff where she saw a group of women in tight-fitting clothes jump into the sea. After a while, they resurfaced with oysters, which they placed in boats. People on the boats cracked them open to extract pearls.

The pearl divers rested for a moment, took deep breaths, and dove back in. In this era, without breathing apparatus, they relied solely on holding their breath. These people were truly impressive, Li Xia marveled.

"These are the Zhang Family's pearl divers," Yu Yu whispered to Li Xia. "This area is rich in pearls. I've heard they've even found black pearls here."

Yu Yu looked at them with a mix of envy for the job that could support a family and resentment for its dangerous nature.

After watching, Yu Yu took Li Xia back. Grandma Yu was already cooking, and Yu Yu went to dry the fish. Li Xia sat in the kitchen to boil water, being very careful not to burn down the kitchen.

Her cautious manner made Grandma Yu smile affectionately.

"Grandma Yu, where are Yu Yu's parents?" Li Xia inquired.

"Yu Yu's father went out fishing and never returned after encountering a storm. Her mother became a pearl diver to support the family. She often dove into the sea, and in one accident, she remained in the sea forever," Grandma Yu explained Yu Yu's parents' situation.

"I'm sorry," Li Xia quickly apologized for bringing up such a sad topic.

"It's all in the past," Grandma Yu said. Life and death were unpredictable, and she had come to terms with it. She only worried about her young granddaughter. If she were to pass away one day, she didn't know how Yu Yu would survive.

Li Xia saw that Yu Yu was a hardworking young girl and believed that heaven wouldn't mistreat diligent people.

Late at night, Yu Yu came to Li Xia's bedside. "Sister Xia, are you asleep?"

"What's wrong?" Li Xia opened her eyes.

"Sister Xia, let's go collect pearls."

Grandma Yu had been ill for a while. But due to lack of money, she had been enduring it and hiding it from her granddaughter. However, how could the observant Yu Yu not notice?

Yu Yu had no money to treat Grandma Yu. But when Grandma Yu didn't even eat half a bowl of rice that evening, Yu Yu feared she might be dying soon. She had already lost her parents; she couldn't lose Grandma Yu too.

Diving for pearls at night was the most dangerous. The Zhang Family usually arranged for diving during the day and rarely at night.

Yu Yu decided to secretly dive for pearls while the Zhang Family wasn't around at night. Although it was dangerous, Yu Yu didn't care as long as she could save her grandmother.

Li Xia followed Yu Yu to the cliff. On the way, Li Xia smelled a strong scent of blood and heard sounds of fighting.

"Yu Yu, wait here. I'll go ahead and check the situation," Li Xia told Yu Yu to hide while she went to investigate.

Yu Yu refused, fearing for Li Xia's safety and insisting on going together. Li Xia brought Yu Yu closer, where they saw Lu XuanNing leading a group in combat.

"Hide here, I'll go help," Li Xia said, not waiting for Yu Yu's response before rushing forward and quickly subduing one group of fighters.

"Xia Xia, why are you here?" Lu XuanNing exclaimed with surprise and joy upon seeing Li Xia suddenly appear, stepping forward to embrace her.

"It's a long story, I'll tell you later. Are you hurt?" Li Xia examined Lu XuanNing.

"Sister Xia, your husband isn't dead?" Yu Yu emerged from hiding after one side was defeated, surprised to see Li Xia being embraced.

Her words startled everyone present. Some looked at the sky, some at the ground, all avoiding their general's face.

"Xia Xia, how could I be dead?" Lu XuanNing's voice was gentle, but it made Li Xia's hair stand on end.

"That's also a long story, I'll explain later. It's quite cold here, let's leave first," Li Xia said, sneezing.

Lu XuanNing asked no more questions, taking off his outer robe to drape over Li Xia and pulling her into his embrace. "How did you come out dressed like this? You'll catch a cold."

"I had an accident and got separated from Zhou Heng and the others. These are the only clothes I have," Li Xia explained, leaning into Lu XuanNing's embrace.

"As long as you're safe, that's all that matters," Lu XuanNing said. His earlier anger had completely dissipated; all he cared about now was that Li Xia was safe and sound.