She hated being underground the most, really, really hated it.
Liang Xiao had lost the energy to complain; all that was left was a bitter smile. In this collapsed mine, the chances of finding an exit were one in a million. In a normal world, one could pray for rescue, but what about now? Pain, exhaustion, hunger—it all led to one inevitable outcome: death.
Facing death, there was a tinge of fear, a sense of unwillingness, and a feeling of defeat.
He always thought he would die from enemy bullets, but fate played a cruel joke on him. His fate might be the cruelest form of being buried alive.
Death was irrational and would not change its approach based on personal consciousness.
Next to him, Hai Baihe pulled at her hair in frustration and finally gave up on the arduous task. She decided not to dwell on her appearance since Liang Xiao couldn't see her anyway. Liang Xiao? She turned her head and saw Liang Xiao leaning tiredly against the wall, looking like he was about to fall asleep.
She squatted beside him and waved her hand in front of his eyes. " Hey, where did this handsome guy come from? Open your eyes and look at me."
Liang Xiao opened his eyes and said helplessly, "My ribs are fractured, not sure where else I'm injured." There were no doctors here, no way to determine the severity of his fractures. He could only vaguely judge that they were fractured and luckily hadn't punctured his lung. Otherwise, he wouldn't be in such good condition now. But even so, it only meant the difference between dying quickly and dying a little later.
"A fracture..." Hai Baihe pondered for a moment. "Shall I stabilize your chest?"
Liang Xiao rallied a bit and said, "Okay, thank you."
"You're welcome!"
Given the primitive environment they were in, the only thing they could use for stabilization was strips of fabric from their clothes. Hai Baihe hesitated for a moment, then took off her own short-sleeved shirt and attempted to tear it open with her teeth.
Liang Xiao said, "I have a folding knife on my keychain."
Hai Baihe unfastened a small folding knife from his belt. Although it was a bit short, it unexpectedly proved to be sharp. She cut the shirt into strips and felt it wasn't enough.
Naturally, she took off Liang Xiao's shirt, which wasn't a wise choice because she had to exert a great deal of willpower to stop her gaze from lingering on his well-built body, akin to that of a supermodel.
The fabric strips were soft enough, but they were too flimsy for stabilization. Hai Baihe contemplated for a while, then took off her bra under her camisole.
Liang Xiao turned his face away. "What are you doing?"
"Oh, caught in the act," Hai Baihe teased as she touched his chest. "I'm about to do something naughty."
Liang Xiao: "..."
She burst into laughter. "Just kidding! There are wires in women's bras." She removed the underwire from her bra, straightened it, and wrapped it in the fabric strips. "This is expensive. You should thank me for the sacrifice I'm making for you."
"Thank you very much," he expressed his gratitude without much emotion.
Hai Baihe used the makeshift bandage to secure his wound. During the process, she openly admired his physique, just as she had when she touched him earlier. He had a well-proportioned muscular build, a perfect figure. His body fat percentage must be ideal, the kind that doesn't show much when wearing clothes but reveals surprises when
undressed.
And the V-line on his waist was a bonus point. She really wanted to trace it with her fingers, fitting her little quirk.
Great, 101 points! Hai Baihe fixed him while indulging in some flirtation openly and shamelessly.
Liang Xiao coughed.
"Did I hurt you?" Hai Baihe put her bra back on under her camisole, feeling that her innocent question had taken on a sensual tone.
"Not at all," he answered briefly.
Hai Baihe blinked. "Then why did you cough? Are you choking?"
Liang Xiao thought for a moment and found an excuse. "I'm just feeling a bit... emotionally low."
"It's common for people to experience that. Nobody can maintain a high spirit all the time. When I have my period, I feel like the world is ending." She sat down next to him. "Let's take a break. You can lean on my shoulder."
Liang Xiao chuckled softly. "Thanks, but it's not necessary."
Hai Baihe didn't insist. She sat beside him, shoulder to shoulder, providing him with support. The presence of another person's breath brought comfort and dispelled the deep despair that this underground world brought.
Time passed, and Hai Baihe shifted positions, starting a conversation to fill the silence. "Feeling hopeless?"
"Isn't that obvious?" Liang Xiao propped his head up. "You don't really expect those two girls to come and save us, do you?"
"I'm trying not to think about them now," Hai Baihe said. "Because I know they might not be doing well either. But thinking about it won't help. It just strains the mind and adds to the frustration. Let's not dwell on it."
Liang Xiao found it strange. "I'm surprised you're saying that." Hai Baihe's interest in him was evident even to a blind person. He didn't dislike her, but he hadn't expected her to say such things at this moment.
"Human beings possess both reason and desire. Clearly, even though I feel a bit dizzy, I'm still a good, kind-hearted girl~" Hai Baihe said without hiding her interest in him.
Liang Xiao admitted that, and he didn't know how many times his opinion of this girl had changed. After thinking for a while, he finally said, "Actually, it was my first attempt at maintaining a stable and faithful relationship with a woman."
Due to his unusual family background and his tendency to be attracted to girls who were attracted to him, his relationships with the opposite sex were not chaotic, but they had no connection to long-lasting love.
In his past life, love affairs were merely entertainment, like drinking, a way to relax. Girls were like desserts after a meal—varied and diverse.
His love with Delia started with a reckless act of saving each other. She sacrificed her life to come back and save him, which shook him to the core.
"Everlasting love, I realized for the first time that it might be true," Liang Xiao said. "If someone is willing to sacrifice their life to accompany you to the underworld, you would be moved by such love."