Book 3, Chapter 95 - Loved and Being Loved

Love Code at the End of the World

Under the beautiful sunlight, on the pathway winding through the rye, we always saw Little Carl driving in the front while the three little birds stumbled along behind it. “Guchi. Guchi.” As though they were calling Little Carl dad. Their feathers had begun to grow and become fluffy; the three of them looked just like fluff balls.

Everyone who saw them would melt at their cuteness.

The three little birds began to recognize people too. Besides Raffles, Harry and I, no one else could touch them.

However, the children didn’t care much about such things and would always chase after them.

Hence, we would always see the three lucid birds running flusteredly in front while the children chased behind happily. Raffles’ warning that the lucid birds would become fierce when they grew up didn’t at all stop the children’s love for small animals.

Elder Alufa smiled happily at the sight of the children chasing after the lucid birds.

Because the children had never seen any living things other than themselves. The people who had grown up in Noah City had never other living things before, let alone the children.

Little Har, Little Raf and Little Bing became the most popular living things in Noah City, bringing to the city a different vigor and happiness. Humans needed animals as animals could awaken a different kind of love in humans’ hearts.

In the greenhouse, the sunflower seed and orange seed sprouted. Everywhere was full of life and prosperity. Everyone was hopeful about Noah City’s future.

In the blink of an eye, it was the twentieth of May, my birthday.

On the day before my birthday, I was anxious. I was worried that Arsenal had informed Elder Alufa and he would want to throw an adult ceremony for me and rush me into marriage again.

At the end of night training, I invited Arsenal to take a stroll together.

We walked leisurely under the bright moonlight. There was much more grass then when I’d first arrived back then, and the color was much greener too. The grass grew on the surface of Noah City, covering over the entire underground city with a natural disguise.

When the barbettes were lowered, no one would be able to tell that there was a mysterious underground city under the grassland.

Now, the barbettes were raised as ventilation openings, forming bumps in the soil. The bright moonlight painted a layer of blurry silver yarn over the landscape.

“Why haven’t you been hanging out with Harry and Raffles like before?” Arsenal asked with concern. She wrapped her arm around mine. “Is it because the others made fun of you?”

I nodded. I felt uncomfortable and upset.

Arsenal furrowed her eyebrows. I glanced at her. “You didn’t say anything, did you?”

“What?” She looked at me suspiciously.

I gazed at her anxiously. “About my birthday.”

“Pfft.” Arsenal smiled. “Are you that afraid?”

I sighed. “How could you stand Elder Alufa when he rushes you into marriage?” As I watched her side profile, she smiled faintly. “Getting married is just a matter of time. Besides, it really can get lonely sometimes, being by yourself.”

“Mm.” I stopped and smiled maliciously at Arsenal. “It seems that someone is failing to hold her position. You've been defeated by those couples who behave intimately all day?”

Arsenal was blushing faintly. Turning away, she hid a smile.

“Who?” I tilted my face towards her. She smiled but didn't reply, continuing to walk forward.

“Tell me. Who?” Judging by Arsenal’s face, she seemed like she’d already picked a fiance.

Arsenal stopped. We were already at the border of the underground city. There was once a cliff here but now there was a reservoir by the cliff. The snow that had fallen during winter had been stored here, and had by now melted into a pool of clear water. Now it formed a small manmade lake, reflecting the stars and crescent moon in the night sky,

The beautiful galaxy reflected on the surface of the lake beneath. The still water stretched out from towards the distance, just like a path of stars under our feet.

Arsenal took off her shoes and sat by the lake. She dipped her feet into the bright cool water. Gently she moved her feet in the water, the galaxy rippling along with her movements.

I sat down too and continued to look at her. She gazed at the crescent moon in the lake, carried away in her own thoughts.

I looked up. There are still three more months before Silver Moon City appears in the sky above us again.

“Are you still thinking about Xing Chuan?” I looked at her.

She took back her gaze and became calm once more. She slowly lifted her chin, her hair fluttering along with the breeze. “His Highness Xing Chuan is like the bright moon in the sky that will always be beyond reach. There are times when you should appreciate the people that really love you by your side, instead of a person who wouldn’t ever love you.” She looked at me. “Who could be sure about their feelings? Sometimes, after two people have been together for very long, they would naturally develop affections for each other and feel happy when they are together. Isn’t that also considered as mutually liking each other?”

I looked at her in silence. What she said seemed to make sense too.

My cousin had always said, “Instead of forcing someone who doesn’t like you to be with you, you might as well be with the person who likes you and try to nurture your feelings.”

The former situation would only wear you down, while you might develop new feelings in the latter. Plus, you would be happier when the other party loved you more.

If it was unsuitable, the other party would be able to tell that both parties weren’t compatible and wouldn’t be as stubborn about separating.

She said to appreciate every relationship that God had arranged for you. You might be lucky enough to be pleasantly surprised. Otherwise, once God got angry, you would only be able go on blind dates.

Of course, this wouldn’t apply if you were sure that you definitely wouldn’t like the other person or if the other person was faking their affections. Us girls would have to keep our eyes wide open to determine such things.

Hence, my cousin said that childhood sweethearts were great too. Growing up together, they would know the ins and outs of each other’s characters.

Girls should appreciate all the relationships that God had provided but they should also learn to protect themselves.

It sounded contradictory. So, should I accept the other person’s feelings or not? The most crucial part was that one couldn’t be willfully blind.

However, that was the hardest part to comprehend. God knew how many girls went through many mistakes before they finally managed to shed the wool from their eyes, only to discover that they had already missed out on countless happy possibilities.

“So, who do you plan to choose?”

Arsenal smiled. Then, she turned and started looking faraway. I followed her gaze and exclaimed, “Brother Qian Li!” Brother Qian Li was a good choice.

She smiled sweetly like a young girl in love. Turning, she continued to look afar. “Actually, I know that he has always been looking at me and looks forward to me heading out.”

I smiled faintly, my mind calling up the sight of Brother Qian Li quietly watching over Arsenal. It was such a heart-warming sight. His was a silent care, a silent safeguarding that was very touching. Arsenal was a lucky girl. She had Brother Qian Li, a faithful young man who would guard her by her side.

“I grew up with Qian Li and he has been protecting me. Before, he could still see me. However, as he grew older, his superpower grew stronger and he slowly couldn’t see me.” Arsenal sounded pitiful and melancholic.

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