As his lips brushed against the softness, realization struck, and Yu Lei instinctively tried to push her away. Yet, his hands encountered two even softer forms, leaving him in a perplexing dilemma of whether to let go or hold on.
In that fleeting moment of distraction, a sweet and enticing flavor wafted from their lips, as Lin Bansha pushed a piece of chocolate toward him with her tongue. The rich taste penetrated his senses, threading through his nose and between his lips, the unique magic of chocolate rapidly enveloping his nerves, enticing his bewildered mind. It felt as though invisible threads bound him to her tightly.
What did it matter?
Yu Lei cast aside all rational thought, letting the world around him dissolve into nothingness. He instinctively followed the sweet trail of chocolate, chasing it between their lips. Lin Bansha had initially intended to share half of the chocolate with him, merely to steal a moment of intimacy, but she soon realized that the situation had spiraled beyond her control.
Both of them had survived a harrowing ordeal, a lingering fear rooted deep within their hearts. Yet, nestled in each other's warmth, they sought solace, clinging to one another as if grasping at a lifeline.
The chocolate whirled between their mouths, gradually diminishing in size. Her gentle kiss mirrored the chocolate's velvety texture—smooth and silky, weaving through Yu Lei's limited senses like an irresistible, tender caress.
Unbeknownst to him, his hands had wrapped around her slender waist, caught between the instinct to push her away and the desire to draw her closer. Yet, before he could wrestle with his conflicting emotions, Lin Bansha blushingly pushed him away.
Seeing her flushed cheeks, Yu Lei knew she was affected by their earlier kiss. He forced a smile, saying, "The chocolate was exquisite." His voice, lower than usual, possessed an unusual magnetism, and he held his hands as if still embracing her, reminiscing about the sweet warmth of their kiss and the slippery sensation of holding her.
Just by looking at his expression, Lin Bansha understood his thoughts. She stood up, blushing, and playfully tapped Yu Lei's shoulder, "This is your Christmas gift."
Yu Lei inhaled deeply, utterly perplexed by Lin Bansha's thoughts. However, after replenishing his energy with the sugar, he felt invigorated, realizing that sugar was indeed a necessary stimulant for the human body.
Lin Bansha poured two cups of water for them, yet neither of them drank, wishing to prolong the delightful taste of chocolate on their lips. They sat in silence, lost in their thoughts, gazing at the flickering candlelight surrounding them.
"Is your health better now?" After a prolonged silence, Lin Bansha finally broke the awkward quiet.
"Yes, I'm feeling much better," Yu Lei moved his arms, "though I'm still a bit weak."
"Are you going to dive again?" Lin Bansha clearly grew upset, "If you fall ill again, wouldn't my efforts in caring for you be in vain?"
Yu Lei forced a bitter smile, shaking his head to dispel the whimsical thoughts swirling in his mind. He pointed to the sea below, "By noon, the steps had descended to the twenty-fourth level. But just before you woke up, around seven in the evening, they were at twenty-four and a half. This indicates that the water level is dropping more slowly."
Lin Bansha was taken aback, "Even though the rate has slowed down, it's still descending…"
Yu Lei sighed and continued, "We have enough water and provisions to last a month, but my illness has sounded the alarm. We lack medicine. And beneath us lie over a thousand corpses. If bacteria arise…"
Lin Bansha fell silent. She had submerged herself underwater before, knowing full well the horrifying sight of floating bodies. Although she understood that their current situation was relatively safe, she realized it could be as fragile as the flickering candlelight in front of her—easily extinguished by the slightest breeze.
Sitting on the ground, Yu Lei joined her in contemplation, having thought of these things since awakening from his illness. What is the greatest fear after a disaster? It is plague. Thus, escaping this place as quickly as possible is essential. Even if they manage to flee, it might not guarantee safety, but the Taihang Mountains are remote, and the concerns about human presence would vanish.
"Can we escape?" Lin Bansha began to ponder the feasibility of his words.
"It should be possible. This afternoon, I dove to ascertain the route. Although I didn't dare swim far, with some trial and error using balloons, we can likely find a way out," Yu Lei nodded. "Honestly, I could have scouted alone, but I wanted to wait for you to wake up so we could discuss it together."
"It's safer for us to act together in case something happens underwater; we can assist one another." Lin Bansha frowned, "But what dangers will we face if we escape?"
Yu Lei took a sip of water, organizing his thoughts before responding, "The worst-case scenario is discovering that we're still submerged beneath the ocean. If that happens, we can always return the way we came, as long as we bring the air pump and balloons; we should be fine. The best outcome would be finding land that supports life. Even if we don't find fresh water and food, we can return here to retrieve our supplies. However, we must accomplish this within a few days. Unless we clear out all the corpses, we shouldn't return here."
Lin Bansha listened quietly, only raising an eyebrow in surprise when he finished, "You don't plan on giving up this place?"
Yu Lei was taken aback by her question. Deep down, he unconsciously resisted abandoning this place, primarily due to the mysteriously missing nuclear warhead. He felt something was amiss, and his mind wouldn't rest until he figured it out.
To be honest, if they gave up this place, it might indeed be easier for them—finding a place to settle, building a wooden house, and beginning to cultivate the land. This base had become a massive grave. Cleaning it would likely take several months.
"After all, there are resources here. If the water recedes, we can find many useful things in the living quarters." Yu Lei snapped back to reality and provided a somewhat plausible justification, "You must know that many items cannot simply be crafted by hand. For instance, that piece of chocolate." The moment his words escaped, he regretted it, having just regained a sense of ease in their interaction, only to bury himself again.
To his surprise, Lin Bansha smiled slightly, "Silly, do you know what it means when a man gives chocolate to a woman? Especially DOVE chocolate?"
"I don't know…" Yu Lei shook his head dumbly, staring at her smile. Even though Lin Bansha now wore no makeup and appeared somewhat disheveled, the soft candlelight cast a dreamlike glow upon her, making her breathtakingly beautiful. He feared that if he raised his voice too much, she would be blown away like a fragile flame.
In his daze, Yu Lei heard Lin Bansha say:
"Silly, DOVE stands for DO.YOU.LOVE.ME?"