Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
The sky was very dark, and the gray clouds blocked the only ray of sunlight in the morning. Mist enveloped the entire sea, and the horizon disappeared in an instant. As the sea breeze hit them, the air was mixed with the damp smell of salt. It wasnât pungent, but it smelled bad.
The coldness hit her like an icicle. Qiao Qiao gathered her shawl around her, and her lips were slightly dark green. Seeing Qiao Qiaoâs state, the boss beside her reminded her kindly, âGo inside. Itâs too cold here.â
Qiao Qiao was indeed very cold. She was almost numb from head to toe. She shook her head and let out a shaky breath. â Iâm waiting for someone.â
The boss glanced at the cruise ship in the distance and asked, âThe man youâre waiting for is going out to sea today?â
The boss was a fisherman here. He knew very well what kind of environment could be out at sea and what kind of environment could not. In bad weather, it must be dangerous if he had said the chances of returning after going to the open sea were slim.
Qiao Qiao saw the bossâs worry and forced a faint smile. âThe friend Iâm waiting for is a foreigner. Heâs from the northwest and has never seen the sea. â
The boss smiled. âYouâre risking your life to accompany a gentleman. Then wait a moment. Iâll ask my wife to get you a thick shawl. Youâre wearing so little. If you stay a little longer, youâll definitely be hospitalized tomorrow.â Qiao Qiao didnât reject the bossâs kindness. She nodded and thanked him first.
âThank you.â
The boss waved his hand and turned to go inside. âYou paid for it. I should.â
Qiao Qiao looked at the bossâs back as he went in. A bitter smile appeared on her lips. There was a chair beside her. She pulled it over and sat down. She wrapped her shawl around her with both hands and sat there.
After a while, the lady boss came out wrapped in a thick down jacket. She even had a jacket in her hand. Without a word, she walked over and spread out the jacket to wrap it around Qiao Qiao. âThe sea is covered in fog now. Itâs too cold.
Why donât you follow me inside?â
Qiao Qiao turned around and saw the lady bossâs kind face. She raised her voice in the wind and replied, âIâm waiting for someone.â
âl know. My husband just told me that youâre unwilling to go in because youâre waiting for someone. Show me the photo. Iâll guard it for you. Go in and get warm.â
The lady boss was being kind. Especially since Qiao Qiao was too thin and looked lonely. Her lips were dark blue after being blown by the sea breeze for too long, making oneâs heart ache.
Qiao Qiao shook her head. âNo need to trouble you. Iâll wait by myself. Thank you for the coat. Iâm very warm now. Please donât worry.â
The lady boss knew that it was useless to say anything else. She took Qiao Qiao!s hand and rubbed it for her. When it was a little warmer, she covered her coat. âIf you canât stand the cold, come in quickly.â
Qiao Qiao replied, âOkay.â
After the lady boss went in, she said to her man, âSet a time and go out to take a look every ten minutes. Sheâs so thin. Iâm afraid sheâll faint from the cold outside.â
The boss agreed. âAlright, Iâll set a time first.â
After the first ten minutes, the lady boss went out to take a look. That young lady sat down properly in her chair.
Twenty minutes later, the lady boss went out to take another look with a cup of hot water. She was still sitting in the chair.
Thirty minutesâ¦
Forty minutesâ¦
An hour passed. The lady boss came out with another glass of hot water. When she got closer, she realized that the wind had eased a lot and most of the fog on the sea had dissipated.
Seeing that the fog had dissipated, the lady boss was in a good mood. She handed the hot water to Qiao Qiao and said, âMiss Qiao, the fog on the sea has dissipated.â
The hot water was held in midair. No one took it. The lady boss looked down and realized that her eyes were closed, as if she was asleep. The lady boss thought for a few seconds and felt that something was wrong. She leaned down and shouted, âMiss Qiaoâ¦? Miss Qiao, can you hear me? Miss Qiao?â No reaction.
The lady bossâs expression changed and she quickly shouted inside, âOld
Cheng, come out quickly. She fainted.â
The boss ran out when he heard the voice. When he saw Qiao Qiao with her eyes closed and her face pale, he sighed. âShe refused to come in no matter what. See what happens now.â
The lady boss stretched out her hand and pushed the boss. âAlright, sheâs already fainted. Donât make wise comments here. Take her to the hospital first.â
âIâll do it.â The boss stepped forward.
It was definitely impossible to help her up. He could only carry her out first. Just as the boss was about to carry Qiao Qiao, a voice said, âDonât touch her..â