Chapter 787
“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?
—
Nina had just finished eating when Carl came running over, out of breath. His head was bandaged, and his arm was in a sling.
“I almost forgot about you. Are you okay?”
“Are you okay?” Carl asked simultaneously.
Nina saw the concern in his eyes.
“I got a bit hurt, but I’ll live. What about you? Have you eaten?”
“I woke up and came looking for you. I’m glad you’re okay.”
Nina smiled, “Worried about me? That’s rare!”
Carl, feeling awkward, said, “I’m not worried about you. We’re partners, so of course, I need to know you’re alive.”
“Don’t be shy,” Nina said, knowing he still had some pride. “Have you eaten? I just finished, but they have some food left. You should eat to recover faster.” Carl nodded.
Nina asked a soldier for some food, and he brought over a dark, rough-looking cornbread. She handed it to Carl, who quickly took a few bites. They fell silent.
Carl finally broke the silence, “Who are these people? They don’t seem like they’re from here. Are they from your country?”
“Yes, they’re our soldiers,” Nina said proudly.
Carl had noticed. These soldiers were different from their local troops. They were protecting the villagers. Here, the local troops were just robbing and looting.
Their area wasn’t fully governed and each region had its own militia, leading to constant civil strife.
“You have great soldiers,” Carl said sincerely. “They really care about the people. Sometimes I envy you. Just looking at your skin, I can tell you were well taken care of. Your country must be great.” Nina felt proud talking about her country. Despite the good and bad in people, her country was safe.
“It’s pretty good,” Nina said. “Honestly, coming here has opened my eyes. I thought everywhere was as peaceful as my country. I feel for you.”
Carl looked up at the sky, wondering why there was such a disparity between people under the same sky.
Nina patted his back, “One day, you should visit.”
Carl shook his head, “Do you think there’s a chance for that?”
He looked at Nina, his eyes void of hope, “In a place like this, we don’t even have a chance to grow up.”