The originally vast blue sea turned pitch black under the night sky, especially terrifying amid the storm.
A boy around eleven clung to a piece of driftwood, preparing to cry for help, but then he saw a small figure fall from the ship above.
He quickly dove into the water, and after she fell, he steadied and embraced her. “Don’t move!” He noticed the little girl struggling wildly. If she continued, they would both be doomed.
He brought her up to the surface in one breath. “Mommy, Daddy, help me!” Aurora cried with her nose running and tears streaming.
“Don’t move, or we’ll both die. Hold onto my neck and relax. They will help you!” The boy’s calm voice reached her.
Aurora sniffled, realizing that even in such peril, the boy by her side, who was only a few years older than her, remained composed and calm.
It seemed he was the one who had just pulled her from the water. In the darkness, she couldn’t see his face, only cling to his neck as he instructed.
“Ease up. Are you trying to choke me?” Coughing, the boy was struggling to breathe.
Aurora, having never faced danger, didn’t know her own strength. It was merely her survival instinct kicking in.
She felt like this boy was her only lifeline, wrapping her entire body around him like an octopus.
“Relax. You won’t sink if you do as I say.” The boy caught his breath and soothed her by her ear.
Aurora slowly followed his guidance, finding that her body indeed did not sink. She gently hugged his neck, afraid to let go.
The boy swam her back to the driftwood he had found earlier, which could only support her small body. “Get on it.”
With his help, Aurora climbed onto the driftwood, but he could only hang onto a corner of it.
“Why did you jump in?” This was a tremendous storm. Parents would normally keep their children safe. How could she end up in such a dangerous place?
“Because Daddy said it was dangerous, he refused to help everyone. I panicked and said if he didn’t help, I’d jump too. I didn’t expect…”
Her pouty face, illuminated by the lightning, looked somewhat adorable. Then thunder roared.
“Mommy, I’m scared.” She jumped off the driftwood in fright, quickly finding refuge in the boy’s arms.
Earlier, inside the cabin, she could only hear the thunder, and with the warm and harmonious atmosphere, she wasn’t scared at all.
But seeing such a terrifying scene over the boundless sea, not just a child, even adults would be overwhelmed.
Aurora clung tightly to the boy, who, with one hand on the driftwood and the other around her waist, corrected her, “I’m not your mommy. I’m Julian.”
“Julian, I’m scared…” At that moment, the little girl’s intense fear erupted.
“Silly, what’s there to be scared of? Look, they’ve put down the rescue ladder. You’ll be fine soon. I’m here with you, and I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Despite being strangers, his steady voice helped calm her gradually.
In times of crisis, if everyone panicked, it only made things worse.
If there was one person who remained calm, he could soothe everyone else’s nerves.
“But I’m still scared.” Aurora, terrified, dared not open her eyes, as if lightning might strike her at any moment.
“If you’re scared, don’t open your eyes. I will make sure you are safely handed over to your parents.”
“Miss, give me your hand.” A lifeboat appeared before them, and Aurora opened her eyes.
“Then you have to save him too, or I won’t get on.”
Despite her body trembling from fear and her fingers clutching her own garment tightly, she still worried about her new friend not being saved.
Such a stubborn girl. Her eyes had already reddened from crying. A smile appeared on the young boy’s lips.
“Your father said he would save everyone. Miss, please come over.” The crew member, somewhat helpless, wondered if all the kids were this difficult nowadays.
“You promise, or I won’t believe you.”
She actually demanded a promise even in such a situation?
The world of adults and the world of children are poles apart. If it were up to the adults, they’d only think about escaping as far as possible.
Yet the child, unaware of the danger, still demanded his promise, turning a perilous situation into an almost laughable one.
“Alright, I promise. Now reach out your hand.” The crew member grabbed Aurora’s hand and pulled her towards the boat.
“You liar!” Aurora hadn’t finished crying when the young boy had already climbed aboard.
“Silly, stop crying.”
“Julian, you’re here too! That’s great. Sir, please go and save the others now.” Aurora quickly switched from tears to laughter.
“Sure, miss. You go with them onto the boat, and I’ll go get the other people aboard right away.”
A crew member carried her towards the ladder, Aurora still anxiously watching the boy below.
“Julian, you have to come back safe!”
“I promise.” The boy mimicked her earlier gesture, extending his little finger towards her.
Their fingers linked, and Aurora felt reassured. No sooner had she reached the deck than she was embraced by her mother.
“Rory, you silly girl, don’t scare me like that.” The woman’s eyes were already red from crying.
“You had your mother worried sick just now. Thank God you’re okay. Now go change into some dry clothes.” Magnus was relieved to see his daughter safe.
“Daddy, Julian saved me when I fell into the sea. If it weren’t for him, I would have been eaten by a big shark. I needed to wait for him.”
Aurora earnestly explained, then wiped her mother’s tears. “Mommy, don’t cry. I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt at all.”
“Oh, my sweetheart!”
They had seen what the boy had done on the ship. If it weren’t for his timely rescue of Aurora, fighting for time to save her, Aurora might not have survived.
“Julian, you’re alright!” Aurora saw the boy agilely climb onto the deck, his body still dripping with seawater, his wet hair sticking to his face.
Magnus observed the calm boy, dressed only in an unbuttoned white shirt, his trousers and demeanor hinting he was from a wealthy family.
“Thank you, sir, for the rescue.” The boy’s voice was not as soft as it had been in the water, but rather distant.
“Julian, your clothes are soaked through. Hurry and take a hot shower, or you’ll catch a cold.” Aurora looked at him anxiously.
The boy looked at the soaking wet little girl. She was truly a unique child.
“I guess we will have to trouble you for a while. Our ship was wrecked, and we temporarily have nowhere to stay,” the boy politely inquired.
“It’s no trouble. You just saved my daughter, and we should be thanking you.” Magnus was much more polite.