Just as Chambers settled down, the fishing line in his hand suddenly jolted. He opened his eyes, a glint of shrewdness flashing across them. "Could my luck be this bad? Usually, it takes ages to catch anything. Damn it, it's not a fish! My poor fishing net!" When his gaze fell on the river, all he saw was a piece of wood, about a meter long and as thick as a human leg, tangled in his not-so-sturdy fishing net. He knew without looking that the net was probably ruined.
Before Chambers could even lament his bad luck, he noticed a pair of slender arms on the wood. There was someone in the river. Without hesitation, he quickly wrapped the fishing line around his leg and strode towards the bank, using his leg strength to pull the wood, along with the person, to the shore.
"No—" Ronnie sat up abruptly, gasping for breath. His eyes were filled with shock and uncertainty.
The clear chirping of birds reached his ears, and soft light bathed him, bringing a touch of warmth. He shook his head vigorously, his mind calming slightly. The warmth told him he wasn't dead. His heartbeat gradually stabilized as he surveyed his surroundings. It seemed to be a small wooden cabin. Aside from his bed, there were few other furnishings. The cabin was dusty, clearly not regularly cleaned.
"You're awake," a weary voice said. The wooden door opened with a sickening thud, and someone entered.
Ronnie instinctively curled up. "You...who are you?"
"Your savior." Chambers sat down beside the bed, placing the bowl she was carrying on the wooden table. She smiled at Ronnie, thinking to herself: What a handsome young man.
Recalling everything that had happened in the past few days, Ronnie shuddered slightly. He subconsciously touched his chest, and the hard object was still there, which relieved him. He tentatively asked, "Did you save me?" As he spoke, he looked at the old man in front of him. He looked to be in his sixties, with black hair that had turned gray and wrinkles that showed the hardships of life. He had a kind smile on his face and a very ordinary appearance.
Chambers replied matter-of-factly, "Of course it was me. Who else did you think it would be? You're lucky you managed to hold onto that piece of wood. Do you know how much effort it took to get you back? It was exhausting! Little one, eat something. That piece of wood you were carrying ruined my fishing net. Now all we have is vegetable porridge."
In the midst of his shock, Ronnie hadn't really felt his body. Only now, hearing Chambers tell him to eat, did he realize his stomach was practically touching his back. When he jumped into the Azure River, the slapping pain from the water nearly made him faint. He frantically grabbed at the water, and miraculously, after being swept hundreds of meters, he managed to grab onto a piece of wood. His strong will to survive kept him clinging to it. He was lucky; the Azure River was very wide and had no prominent rocks, which is how he was saved after hitting Chambers' fishing net.
He glanced at Chambers cautiously before picking up the bowl of porridge, which emitted no aroma. When he saw the contents of the bowl, he was momentarily stunned. The white porridge looked extremely thick, seemingly shimmering with a faint, crystalline sheen. Pieces of green vegetables, though uneven in size, were scattered throughout, seemingly imbued with a life-giving vitality. Up close, the entire bowl emitted a delicate fragrance, making Ronnie's mouth water. Little did he know that this seemingly ordinary vegetable porridge was once known in the mainland culinary world as "Jade Porridge," a delicacy not for ordinary people. Its key lay not in the ingredients, but in the cooking method.
The sweetness of the white porridge, combined with the freshness of the vegetables, created a perfect harmony. After finishing the bowl, Ronnie felt as if his strength had returned, and even his spirits had improved. The ordinary vegetable porridge left a lingering fragrance on his lips and teeth, a profound satisfaction that increased his fondness for Chambers.
"Grandpa, thank you. This porridge is so delicious! Did you make it?" Ronnie asked curiously.
A flicker of sadness crossed Chambers' eyes. "Now, all I can do is make this kind of ordinary food."
"Ordinary? How can that be? This vegetable porridge is the most delicious thing I've ever eaten. It tastes absolutely amazing. Even, even the food my mother used to make could never compare." Mentioning his mother, Ronnie's eyes reddened, a strong hatred emanating from him, which made Chambers secretly shudder.
"Little boy, I still don't know your name. And why did you fall into the water? Where are your parents?"
Ronnie froze. Although he was only ten years old, he had spent the past few years traveling with his father, making him much more mature than other children his age. His father had once told him the importance of only revealing a third of what he knew to others, a lesson he had deeply understood after inadvertently letting slip two years ago, leading to a month-long manhunt for him and his father. He lowered his head and said, "My name seems to be Ronnie, but I can't remember anything else."
Ronnie was only ten years old. How could anyone believe such a story from the experienced Chambers? However, Chambers didn't press further, smiling slightly, and said, "My name is Chambers. You can call me Grandpa Chambers. You said you've forgotten everything, so where are you going?"
Ronnie fought back tears and shook his head. "I... I don't know where to go."
Seeing his sorrowful appearance, Chambers felt a pang of pity. "Alright, child, I know you must have some secret you don't want to tell. Grandpa won't force you. If you'd like, stay here for now. Anyway, I'm the only one in this peach grove."
Ronnie's eyes widened suddenly, and he said firmly, "No, thank you, Grandpa Chambers, but I have to leave. You saved me; I can't be a burden to you." Chambers frowned slightly. "So, someone's been hunting you. Who could be so cruel as to target a child as young as you? You kept calling for your father and mother in your sleep. Have your parents already perished?"
Tears streamed down Ronnie's face uncontrollably. He cried out, and Chambers quickly pulled him into a hug, comforting him. "It's alright, it's all over now. You must have been terrified. This place is very secret, a so-called forbidden area. Ordinary people don't come here. Just stay here and relax. At least until you're healthy before you think about leaving. Sleep a little longer; Grandpa will make you something nice to eat tonight." With Chambers' soothing words, Ronnie drifted off to sleep again.