"Protects me."
The little girl's plea echoed in Xu Le's ears. It was an unexpected request that seemed somewhat unreasonably tender, but when spoken in the voice of a young girl, it carried an incomparable trust and childlike innocence. The girl stood before him, wearing delicate white pajamas that shimmered under the starlight. Xu Le found himself inexplicably moved by her presence, his heart softening for reasons he couldn't explain. He clenched his fist, slowly approaching the metal bulkhead, his movements cautious as if afraid of acting too forcefully and scaring away this frightened young girl, much like a small bird taking flight from a place of fear.
The little girl lowered her head, seemingly unable to meet Xu Le's gaze. Two teardrops fell from beneath her long eyelashes, evoking a sense of pity. Her pale, tender lips trembled as she spoke in a barely audible voice, "Please protect me."
Xu Le squatted down cautiously, his eyes fixed on the girl's beautifully carved face, her black ink-like eyes that couldn't hide her innocence, and her delicate, petal-like lips. He felt a strange familiarity with the girl, as if they had a close bond. Unaware of the girl's second request, he blinked subconsciously, pursing his lips to avoid giving her any unfavorable impression with his absent-mindedness. Finally, his gaze shifted away from the girl's cheek and settled on her distinctive hairstyle—straight, black hair neatly cut in a straight line just above her eyebrows, resembling... a watermelon rind?
"I... I'm called Zhong... Yanhua," the girl stammered, still clutching her doll tightly against her chest. She mustered the courage to raise her head and look at Xu Le. Perhaps it was his honest and upright face that gave her the confidence, or maybe his sharply arched eyebrows. She hesitated as she struggled to speak her own name.
"This name... seems a bit crude," Xu Le muttered to himself. He wondered what kind of parents would give their child a name that could be easily misunderstood. Scratching his head, he said with difficulty, "Let's just call you Xiaogua (Little Watermelon)."
Zhong Yanhua, now Xiaogua, widened her eyes, filled with curiosity. She tilted her head and asked in her endearing manner, "Uncle, why Xiaogua?"
Xu Le reached out his index finger and gently tapped Xiaogua's forehead, smiling. "Because your hair looks like a cute... watermelon rind?"
...
...
Although Xu Le was unaware that this commercial spaceship belonged to the Ancient Bell Company, he deduced from the presence of the Fourth Military Region of Westwood that it must be under their jurisdiction. Considering the tight security measures on the spaceship and its location far from the borders of the empire, under the brilliance of the first charter, it was unlikely that there was any immediate threat to this adorable little girl. Xu Le couldn't fathom why a girl named Zhong Yanhua, or Xiaogua, would need protection on a spaceship. Surely, there must be a family member accompanying her.
No matter how much he asked, Xiaogua refused to disclose any details or reveal the whereabouts of her family member. Xu Le pondered anxiously, deciding to seek assistance from the staff on the spaceship. After all, Xiaogua was a living person, and he didn't dare to shoulder the responsibility alone.
Xu Le's room was located in Area 32, the most remote and backward part of the spaceship, but also the quietest region. Apart from occasional noise from the trash transportation in the pipelines behind the walls, during their conversation, nobody came near. Xu Le held Xiaogua's hand as they made their way towards the outside, reassuring her, "Xiaogua, we'll find your family member. You don't need to be afraid."
"Uncle, I'm scared," Xiaogua confessed softly. She was a sensible child who understood that her presence had caused worry for this kind stranger. As Xu Le led her by the hand, she didn't resist or create any trouble. Clutching her doll tightly, she lowered her head and said, "There are... bad people... who want Xiaogua to go somewhere else, where she won't be able to see Father and Mother again."
Xu Le halted his steps, turning his body to face Xiaogua, carefully studying her profile. He wanted to determine whether this terrifying story was a mere excuse concocted by a child or if there was something more sinister behind it. In doing so, he noticed dirt on the back of Xiaogua's pristine white dress and stains on her doll...
No one had visited the clean areas of Section 32, and on such a spacious spaceship, how did this little girl manage to make her way here alone? Were these the people responsible for her safety? Had she crawled through these dark pipelines? Was that how she became so dirty? Xu Le could only imagine the fear she must have experienced, a 5 or 6-year-old girl sneaking through those pitch-black passages.
After observing for a while, Xu Le, known for his astute ability to read people, failed to detect any signs of deceit from the young girl. Without dwelling on it for too long, he turned around, leading Xiaogua back to his room. He believed it was safer for her to stay with him for the time being. He would gather information and make a decision about what to do next.
Xiaogua blinked, slightly puzzled. But she quickly understood the meaning of Xu Le's action and hurriedly followed him, taking small steps to keep up with his pace. Her movements were endearing, and her tear-streaked face transformed into a bright smile. Her large, black eyes narrowed like crescent moons in the night sky, reminiscent of a beautiful scene in a Westwood starlit park.
"Thank you, Uncle."
"From now on, call me Elder Brother... Xiaogua." Xu Le was always a man of his word, committed to seeing things through. Holding the hand of the adorable young girl, he felt an unusual sense of happiness. The trusting gaze in his eyes narrowed, mirroring the tranquil half-moon lake in Eastwood's natural conservation green space.
...
...
The Ancient Bell spaceship was in the final stage of its logistical energy supply before departing from the Eastwood Grand District star territory at 6 o'clock standard time the following day. During this period, Xu Le stayed in his room with Xiaogua. Perhaps due to the stingy budget of the Ministry of Defense, his assigned living quarters were in a forgotten corner, lacking even the most basic surveillance equipment.
Nevertheless, Xu Le remained vigilant, attentively listening for any sounds outside his door. Through their conversations over the past few days, he gradually gained Xiaogua's trust and learned some information. She was from Westwood and had been brought onto the Ancient Bell spaceship for reasons unknown, only to be returned to the capital star on the journey back. She would turn six years old in two months, and her greatest talent was playing the piano while also despising it, and she loved playing with clay but disliked it at the same time.
Perhaps due to the rare opportunity to have such a relaxed conversation, the six-year-old Xiaogua chirped like a little bird, often speaking so quickly that she stumbled over her words and blushed with embarrassment. Xu Le listened with a forced smile, realizing that the content of their conversations was mostly trivial and lacked the information he sought. The more he listened, the more he found it strange, wondering if Xiaogua had misunderstood something, causing him to misunderstand as well. However, since he had made a promise to Xiaogua, he felt obligated to keep her hidden in his room until he gathered the necessary information.
At mealtime, Xu Le reminded Xiaogua not to wander around and brought her to the spaceship's restaurant. They ordered a set meal, without engaging in much conversation with the staff. Nonetheless, Xu Le remained attentive and noticed that the officials from various delegations had not reported any missing children on the spaceship. This heightened his vigilance, especially considering the serious expressions on the soldiers' faces, suggesting that something was amiss.
Was it because of Xiaogua? Xu Le discreetly left the restaurant. Being inconspicuous was second nature to him, and no one noticed as he discreetly carried the meal out. Most people on the spaceship were unaware that he had arranged for a sailboat in Section 32's clean areas to serve as his resting place.
...
...
Xiaogua lowered her head and diligently forked the beef, trying her best to chew and swallow it. However, her facial expression revealed that she didn't particularly enjoy the taste of beef and rice. Nonetheless, she didn't want to make Xu Le feel awkward, so she continued eating earnestly. Xu Le glanced at her expression and couldn't help but smile as he remarked, "If you don't like it, you don't have to eat it. You'll waste away if you force yourself."
"I haven't had beef for a month and a half," Xiaogua sighed like an adult. "Elder Brother Xu Le, next time, no beef."
Xu Le paused, a spoonful of plain rice suspended in front of him. He then used his chopsticks to pick at the remaining food on Xiaogua's plate. Upon hearing her words, he stiffened. Educated for so many years by his boss, he had developed a discerning palate, and he couldn't help but express his pain, saying, "To turn synthetic beef into something edible... You've been eating it for a month and a half? That's truly impressive."
After sighing, Xu Le returned his attention to his meal, refusing to waste any grain of rice. With his mouth full of beef, he muttered, "When we have the chance, Elder Brother will slaughter a buffalo to give you a taste of real beef."
Xiaogua's black hair formed curls, and she smiled at Xu Le, nodding earnestly. Though her adoptive father in Westwood had once eaten food pilfered from the empire, she still felt grateful for Elder Brother Xu Le's words. She thought he was truly a good person.