"Overthinking is useless."
The first thing the little girl learned upon arriving here was to do her best and accept her fate.
Du Jun wasn't good at comforting people, but seeing the little girl's furrowed brows, he couldn't help but say softly, "When things come to a head, just do your best."
The logic is sound, but how could a child possibly understand it? Du Jun remained calm, but his peach blossom eyes held a hint of inner turmoil as he looked at Cheng Shuang.
He wasn't good at getting close to people, and Cheng Shuang probably noticed that too. While trusting him, she always sensibly avoided causing trouble for anyone.
Du Jun told herself that she was different, that she was a very good companion.
Cheng Shuang didn't notice anything unusual about the young man. Her delicate eyebrows slowly relaxed. It would be a lie to say she wasn't afraid, but the phrase "youthful fearlessness" suited Cheng Shuang quite well.
The little girl's worry isn't about the shipwreck, but about the fact that she can't swim at all.
Because of her heart condition, Cheng Shuang is exempt from swimming, and even the most ordinary physical education classes are skipped.
It seems I need to learn to swim quickly, even if it's just to float on the surface, so as not to be a burden to my brothers.
Cheng Shuang made up her mind, and as soon as she looked up, she saw the young man in front of her stretch out his arm, his palm stiffly hovering above her head.
Upon noticing her gaze, Du Jun's exquisite face immediately showed embarrassment, and his fingertips trembled almost imperceptibly.
As if guided by a divine inspiration, Cheng Shuang grabbed that long, slender hand and covered her head, looking up at the boy with her big eyes, "Big brother, comfort me, and I won't be afraid anymore!"
The texture under his hand was soft and fluffy. Du Jun coughed lightly and withdrew his hand as his ear tips burned.
He seemed to be doing this for the first time, and became a little flustered. Seeing that it was almost time, he hurriedly said goodbye.
The little girl covered her mouth and giggled secretly. She never expected that the aloof young man could be shy!
The banquet was about to begin.
Cheng Shuang has a habit of taking a nap at noon. Although her physical condition has improved and she has the opportunity to rest, she still habitually took a nap.
There was no alarm clock in the room, so the little girl cleverly set a timer for the electric curtains. When the curtains slowly opened with a ding, she got up on her own, rubbed her eyes sleepily, washed her face, changed her dress, and when she saw her schoolbag on the luggage rack, she put her teddy bear inside, slung the bag over her shoulder, and went straight out the door.
The group met outside the banquet hall on the first floor. When Cheng Shuang arrived, a young man dressed in a black shirt and black trousers was already standing next to a large vase, with red plum blossoms behind him. The young man's fair and cold face was very striking.
Although Cheng Shuang was young, her appreciation for beauty knew no age. She straightened her two little pigtails, not wanting to embarrass the handsome older boys, before running over, asking, "Am I late? Where are the two older boys?"
“I’m not late, I didn’t see them.” Du Jun looked down at her. For most twelve-year-old girls, Cheng Shuang was far too short. The little girl wore a rather plain blue tutu, but her youth made the low-quality dress look more elegant. Her fair skin, which had regained its color, paired with her dark eyes and long eyelashes, made her look like a walking SD doll, yet she was also incredibly lively, sweet, and charming.
No wonder his college roommates loved to show off their girls; these grown men especially loved spoiling their delicate little sisters like princesses. Especially after the two-child policy was implemented, the presence of these "little sisters" transformed all the nerdy guys in the dorm into incredibly gentle and affectionate individuals.
Du Jun's heart softened, but his face remained expressionless.
"There wasn't much people in the elevator." Cheng Shuang breathed a sigh of relief and patted her chest reassuringly. "I was worried I'd be late!"
Du Jun glanced at the watch on his wrist, and after some hesitation, he didn't take it off. This watch held a special meaning for him, and even though he was being kind to Cheng Shuang, he was unwilling to give it away casually. He only subtly reminded her, "You should collect some digital watches with timekeeping functions in the future."
"Hmm! My phone will do too, right? Just remember to bring a charger." Cheng Shuang scratched her face, remembering the phone in her storage compartment. The battery level had dropped after she left the convenience store, which was why she was reluctant to use it.
“I’ll call your room at the agreed time later,” Du Jun said, “if nothing unexpected happens.” After all, no one can predict whether danger or tomorrow will come first, so no amount of assurance is as effective as immediate action.
Seeing a group of guests coming down the elevator, Du Jun didn't wait for Cheng Shuang to thank him. He grabbed the cutely dressed young girl and strode into the banquet hall.
The banquet hall was brightly lit, like daytime. The style was predominantly luxurious, with plenty of gold and red accents, followed by black and purple, giving it a retro Western European feel.
Incongruous with the overall decor, a simple yet striking banner was hung high at the head of the ship, reading "Welcome all distinguished guests to the Tissoponian."
The hall was larger than the buffet restaurant. Since it was not yet time to go, a few people dressed in formal attire were walking around the hall, making the number of people seem even smaller.
Hei Zishan mingled among them, holding a drink and looking around. When his gaze swept toward the entrance, his eyes lit up, and he stepped forward to greet Cheng Shuang and Du Jun.
“Time is almost up,” he said. “Hunter’s team went to the guest desk to ask them to call the group tour rooms to inform them about the dinner. The desk has free formal wear for rent, so if they want to attend, at least they won’t be excluded because of their attire.”
Whether the service department will comply is uncertain.
After weighing the pros and cons, Hei Zishan and Lie Fu decided to temporarily partner with Du Juncheng. Naturally, they couldn't let the two of them think they were meddling and spreading goodwill for no reason. Hei Zishan explained, "The more people who survive, the more the crisis and risk will be spread."
This means using newcomers to test the waters!
Cheng Shuang didn't speak. She followed silently behind, and suddenly remembered that when everyone was unwilling to associate with a child, Hei Zishan was the first person to take the initiative to approach her and get to know her.
The little girl pursed her lips, her expression serious as she was about to speak, when her fist clenched.
She looked up at the young man who was holding her hand, and her eyes met his captivating gaze.
Du Jun glanced at her lightly, shook his head almost imperceptibly, and continued to ask Hei Zishan if he had made any new discoveries.
Cheng Shuang puffed out her cheeks and exhaled. The Gate of Reincarnation doesn't accept naivety, which is no big deal. She should have expected it.
The post-apocalyptic girl's experience taught her that everything she had encountered was nothing compared to what she had gone through.
Human nature is deceitful, with both good and bad aspects; it cannot be generalized, nor should one be easily swayed or careless.
They were complete strangers!
Moreover, the fact that Hei Zi Shan would tell the truth was a way of showing goodwill. Cheng Shuang sensibly swallowed her small, embarrassing grievances and silently gathered useful information while the two were talking.
There were no signs or notices in the lobby, only a sign at the entrance indicating that the lobby was open 24 hours a day, and half a wall displaying the names of the staff on duty and their identical headshots, arranged in an orderly fashion. When people looked at them, the fake smiles seemed to become even more hollow and eager.
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