Arin felt utterly humiliated by the accusations. The villagers quickly realized who was in the wrong, and they began to criticize Arin while apologizing to Nina."We're sorry. We didn't understand the situation and almost harmed you.""Don't take it to heart. You can stay here as long as you like.""Arin, if you make a mistake, you need to own up to it. Apologize to this lady."Though they spoke in the Yaren language, Nina could understand most of it. Arin, however, was not willing to back down. She liked Mr. Micah but had never dared to express her feelings. Now that everything was out in the open, she couldn't imagine how to face him. Being scolded by so many people made her want to disappear. Apologizing to Nina was the last thing she wanted to do.Mr. Micah's voice was firm, "Arin, apologize to Nina."Shaken by his authoritative tone, Arin had no choice but to walk over to Nina with her head down. "I'm sorry. It was my fault. I apologize and hope you can forgive me.""I
Nina nodded. "Alright."She returned to her room, clutching her phone, her mind filled with various faces. Frustrated, she tossed and turned until she eventually fell asleep. When she woke up, it was already the next day.Remembering her promise to Mr. Micah to teach the children, she quickly got ready. The man's mother had prepared some oat porridge for breakfast. Nina drank half a bowl and then set off for the school with the man.Thinking of the students' mistakes from the previous day, she decided to start with teaching them the alphabet. The classroom was very basic, with a wall painted in black to serve as the chalkboard and short pieces of chalk.Nina wrote the alphabet on the makeshift blackboard and introduced herself in the Yaren language, "Hello, everyone. My name is Nina. Since Mr. Micah is away, I will be your substitute teacher."Regardless of Mr. Micah's true nature, these children were innocent. She aimed to help them and, at the same time, build a positive image i
Nina used the key to open Micah's room at the school. It was a small but neatly arranged space. On the windowsill, she spotted some red ointment for swelling.Carefully, she applied the ointment to the red mark on the little girl's back. "I'll put some on you now, but take this ointment home and tell your parents what happened. Next time, if something like this happens, you need to tell a teacher or an adult. Don’t just cry or be afraid of Sean, okay?" Nina's heart ached for the teary-eyed girl.The girl shook her head. "I’m scared Sean will hit me...""Don't be afraid, I’m here."Nina gently patted the girl’s head, comforting her for a long time before leading her out of Micah's room. Before they reached the classroom, a group of villagers surrounded them.Nina recognized the villagers from the previous day. One man stepped forward, "Yesterday was Arin's fault, but today, it can't be Sean's fault again!"Nina realized that Arin and Sean were siblings. Sean’s actions today were l
"There's a situation!""Quickly, defend!""Protect the villagers!"Chaos erupted as the battle began, filling the area with the sound of gunfire and the smell of blood. Intense firefights broke out immediately.Some villagers, unable to escape in time, found themselves caught in the crossfire, desperately covering their heads and trying to flee. Bullets flew mercilessly, and innocent villagers were struck down, falling lifeless to the ground. The sound of artillery and smoke filled the air, mingling with the stench of blood."Waaah—"Children, barely two or three years old, stood helplessly in the midst of the chaos, crying out for their mothers in fear."Protect the children!"Special forces quickly scooped up the children, shielding them with their bodies and rushing them to safety.The Allied forces were well-prepared but encountered unexpected resistance from the Birkham peacekeeping troops. Realizing they were outmatched in both weaponry and combat skill, the Allied tro
Nina could see everything clearly now. The blankets and cups, along with other items, were all adorned with yellow stars.Could it be..."Teacher! You're finally awake!" Sean shouted excitedly as he ran into her arms.Nina was momentarily stunned but then instinctively patted his head."You’re awake!" Another voice said.A soldier in uniform stepped inside, lifting the curtain."Miss, how are you feeling?" the soldier asked, approaching Nina.Hearing familiar English, Nina immediately felt a surge of safety, almost like being home. "I'm okay. Are you... Are you from the Birkham army?""Yes," the soldier replied, a hint of excitement in his voice. "It's so chaotic here. I didn’t expect to meet someone from our country."Nina's first thought was whether she might meet Nash. But seeing the soldier in front of her, she realized he probably didn’t know her or Nash. She decided to ask cautiously, "Do you know Nash York?”To her surprise, the soldier's eyes lit up. "Ah, you know our
Their eyes met, and it felt like an eternity. Despite spending so much time together in the past, this first glance after their long separation felt particularly precious. Tears welled up in Nina's eyes. Seeing him safe and sound mattered more than any words.She didn't step forward, trying hard to control her emotions. Before coming here, she had often wondered if they would ever see each other again. Just seeing him was already a blessing. Compared to his safety, her grievances seemed insignificant.They didn't approach each other. From a distance, their eyes conveyed all the longing they felt. "Captain York," a soldier called out, breaking the moment. "Everyone's waiting for you inside."Nash turned back. "Right," he replied and walked inside without hesitation.Nina stayed where she was, watching until his figure disappeared. A sense of loss filled her heart, but she reminded herself that they were divorced. No disappointment could surpass the heartbreak of receiving the di
The rice looked coarse and not particularly appetizing."Here you go."Suddenly, Nina caught a whiff of fragrant rice. She looked up to see Nash standing in front of her, gazing at her with a serious expression. In his hand was a bowl of clean white rice.Nina was momentarily stunned. Seeing her hesitation, Nash placed the bowl next to her, setting a spoon on top. "Eat."He then took the bowl of slightly blackened rice and began to eat. Nina watched him intently, then asked, "Is this all you eat?"Nash sat on a stone beside her. "Yes."Nina pressed her lips together, noticing how much he had changed. The once dignified Nash, who used to have everything at the highest standard, was now eating this coarse rice in such harsh conditions. She glanced at the bowl of white rice and said, "I'm not that delicate. I've gotten used to the life here in Yaren. You didn't have to go out of your way to get white rice for me."Nash glanced at her. "There's not much white rice left. Don't wast
"Got it, James!""You were all talking so animatedly; I want to see who this person is..." James didn't believe Nash would be interested in any young girl, especially since he had someone back home. He was curious and peeked over, only to see a familiar-looking figure from behind. He also noticed Nash's gaze, which was indeed as affectionate as the others had described.He silently remarked, "This is bad! There's going to be trouble back home!"James grew anxious. If Nash found a girlfriend here, what about the wife back home?Curious, one of the soldiers nudged him, "What do you think, James?"James pushed them back, "Stop gossiping! Captain isn't like that!""Okay, okay!"They listened to James and quieted down. But inside, James was nervous. He was more anxious than anyone else. He knew how deeply Nash felt for Nina, so it didn't seem likely he had feelings for someone else. But that back view looked a lot like Nina's.Oh no!Could Captain have found a substitute?---