Chapter 1430: Chapter 1430: Accompanying You Through Mountains, Rivers, Lakes, and Seas
"That was such a long time ago. How do you still remember it now?"
Even Charlotte Thompson herself couldn’t recall when exactly she had mentioned to Justin Battleson about her desire to return to the countryside and gaze at the galaxy of stars on a quiet night.
As a child, Charlotte had always lived in the countryside with Aunt Watson. To her, those days were the most beautiful Chapter of her life.
The bustling and chaotic city made everything seem distorted, but the countryside restored things to their simplest, truest form.
Charlotte remembered how, in those days, her favorite pastime was sitting on the edge of the fields, counting the brightest stars in the sky.
When the night deepened, Aunt Watson would light a lantern and come searching for her.
As soon as Charlotte turned her head, she could always spot that lantern, glowing as though it would burn forever, guiding her toward home—her home.
Recalling those serene memories, Charlotte felt a faint sting rise at the tip of her nose.
"Honestly, if I could, I’d want to stay there forever."
Charlotte chuckled softly and sighed. "If only... but it’s already out of reach."
At that moment, Justin lowered his head and gently pulled Charlotte into his embrace, though he didn’t dare use too much strength.
"It’s true, no one can return to the past."
Whispering near her ear, Justin said softly, "But in the future, no matter what, I will always stay by your side. If you wish for it, I’ll travel with you through the mountains and rivers, and together we’ll behold the misty waves across countless landscapes."
Charlotte pressed her cheek against Justin’s shoulder, blinking her slightly reddened eyes. In the end, she blinked back the tears that lingered there.
"Alright."
In the tranquil night breeze, the two held each other tightly, as the ever-gentle moonlight cast a faint glow around them.
Not long after, Charlotte was the first to let go of Justin. Just as she looked up, intending to continue stargazing, her expression grew puzzled while staring at the night sky ahead.
"Something feels... off," she murmured.
Charlotte blinked, confused. Just moments ago, wasn’t the sky filled with stars? Why could she now only see a few drifting clouds?
"Looks like it’s overcast?" Justin had also noticed the change in the weather.
The once-gentle breeze had turned sharp and chilly at some point, cutting through Charlotte’s thin clothing almost instantly.
Charlotte glanced at the moon, only to see its faint outline peeking hesitantly from behind the drifting clouds.
Her joy at seeing the moon lasted less than a second, vanishing completely at what followed.
A light plop sound broke the silence, and Charlotte felt something wet land on her forehead. It only took her a moment to understand what it was.
"Why did it suddenly... start raining?"
Before Charlotte could finish her sentence, the drizzle quickly turned into a downpour. She instinctively used her palms to shield her head, but Justin had already draped his jacket over her before she could react.
"Let’s get to the car."
Justin grabbed Charlotte’s hand and quickly led her toward the car.
By the time they got into the vehicle, the rain outside had already eased up a little.
Thankfully, neither of them ended up too disheveled.
"The weather these days really changes in the blink of an eye. Just a second ago, it was clear skies, and now it’s completely overcast."