CHAPTER 516: CHAPTER 377: THE NIGHT IS THICK

The night was as dark as ink, enveloping the tent in a dim haze. Only a few rays of weak moonlight seeped through the tent’s seams, sketching mottled light and shadow on the ground.

The surroundings were silent, and the distant bird calls and the gentle sound of waves caressing the beach, which had been drowned out by the daytime hustle, were now especially clear, like a rhythm for the tranquility.

Their gentle breaths intertwined, quietly echoing within this small space, immersing the entire world in a state of extreme peace.

In this silence, time slipped away quietly. A good ten minutes passed without either of them making a sound.

Finally, Sophie couldn’t hold back and broke the silence first, softly calling out, "Hey, Li Jing, are you asleep?"

Her voice gently reverberated in the dim tent, carrying a thread of unnoticed anxiety.

In the darkness, Li Jing turned over, his voice emerging from the sleeping bag, "What’s up?"

Sophie paused, as if organizing her thoughts, then spoke softly, "Have you ever slept in a tent before?"

"No."

"Aren’t you worried? In this wilderness, aren’t you afraid of wild animals suddenly appearing?"

Li Jing, hearing this, smiled slightly at her worry, finding it a bit cute. "Don’t worry, I’m sleeping near the entrance. Even if a wild animal comes, it will eat me first. Once it’s full, it surely won’t have the appetite to think about you."

Sophie, who had been a bit anxious, couldn’t help but let out a chuckle upon hearing this, then asked, "Can you sleep well though?"

"Why wouldn’t I sleep well?" Li Jing retorted.

This response left Sophie momentarily speechless. After a brief silence, she said with some hesitation, "How about... you move a bit closer."

"For what?" Li Jing asked, puzzled.

Sophie hesitated for a long time before blushing and quietly admitting, "I’m a little scared."

Upon hearing this, a smile crept onto Li Jing’s lips.

He then slowly moved his sleeping bag closer to Sophie’s until the two sleeping bags were pressed tightly together. "Is this better? Don’t worry, as long as I’m here, there’s nothing to fear."

Sophie suddenly recalled something and quickly said, "Oh, right, you trained in martial arts, didn’t you? You’re quite skilled.

I noticed your prowess back in Hai City. If anything really happens, you have to protect me. Don’t even think about running away alone."

Li Jing found this amusing and replied, "Rest assured, I won’t leave you behind. Though I might be a ’jerk,’ I’m a responsible ’jerk.’"

"I don’t believe it. How can someone be responsible and still be a jerk?" Sophie pouted, full of disbelief.

Li Jing didn’t bother to explain further. The two fell silent once again, but this time, the silence was tinged with reassurance.

Before long, Sophie’s voice echoed again in the quiet tent, "Li Jing."

Li Jing responded, "What is it now?"

Sophie thought for a moment before asking, "How much longer are you staying in Hai Province?"

"No more than half a month," Li Jing answered without hesitation.

"After leaving Hai Province, are you going back to Tianhai?" Sophie continued to ask.

Li Jing shook his head; although she couldn’t see the gesture in the dark. "No, I might go abroad."

"Abroad?" Sophie’s voice clearly carried surprise.

Li Jing nodded gently, his tone calm, "Yes, I want to travel around the world."

Upon hearing this, Sophie couldn’t help but reveal a touch of envy in her words, "That’s nice. I wish I could travel freely too, but I have to work and don’t have that much money."

Li Jing smiled and teased, "How about becoming my sidekick? I’ll cover your expenses."

Sophie snorted, rolled her eyes, and retorted, "Sidekick? I think you’re up to no good. I don’t believe you for a second!

Besides, you can’t take care of me for life. How could I possibly quit my job? If you break up with me someday, I’d have nowhere to cry."

Li Jing didn’t argue upon hearing this.

In truth, Sophie was right. He couldn’t take care of her for life, and he also felt she shouldn’t easily quit her job to follow him, so he chose to remain silent.

Seeing Li Jing not responding, Sophie felt a trace of unexplained disappointment, but she continued,

"This time, I’ve taken the longest leave I could. Having taken such a long leave, I doubt I’ll get such a long break again this year."

Then Sophie continued, "If, after you leave Hai Province and I come to find you, you won’t intentionally avoid me, will you?"

Li Jing, hearing this, let a small smile form on his lips as he softly laughed, "Such a beautiful girl coming to see me, how could I bear not to meet you?

But you have to be able to find me in the first place. Once I leave Hai Province, even I won’t know where I’ll end up."

Upon hearing this, Sophie fell silent for a moment, her voice tinged with a hint of inescapable melancholy:

"So, you’re saying it might be hard for us to meet again, right?"

Faced with this question, Li Jing found himself at a loss for words and lapsed into silence.

He understood well that, given his spontaneous travel plans, it was indeed possible that he and Sophie would part ways here, making a future meeting difficult.

But his ambition lay in traversing the mountains and indulging in a life of freedom; he couldn’t stop or bind himself for anyone.

Yet thinking about the possibility of never seeing Sophie again stirred an inexplicable sense of regret within him.

Seeing Li Jing fall silent again, Sophie couldn’t help but bite her lip, reproachfully saying with some hesitation:

"Hey, I want to ask you a question, and you have to answer me honestly."

Li Jing, curious, replied, "Alright, go ahead. What’s the question?"