Chapter 300: Come And See This

Zhiyi watched the rope descend beside the ladder, its end brushing the surface before Hanchuan caught it.

Jingwei had come back down to the small platform above them. He crouched there with one hand on the railing, looking between her and the boat as it rose beneath him.

From below, the staircase seemed much steeper than it had at a distance. Water dripped from the metal steps, and the platform’s bent railing left a gap she didn’t want to look through.

Hanchuan drew her attention back by placing his hands at her waist.

"We’ll get you onto the ladder when the boat rises," he told her. "Jingwei will help from above. You only need to worry about the next place for your hands."

Zhiyi nodded while he and Shichen arranged the rope to support her if she slipped. She understood what they were doing, but watching Hanchuan check it gave her time to stop staring at the water.

His fingers were scraped across the knuckles. When he tightened the knot, she caught his hand and turned it far enough to see the raw skin.

He leaned down and kissed her before she could ask about it. "You can look at that when we’re up there, sweetheart. Right now, I need both your hands on the ladder."

She released him reluctantly and stepped onto the seat. Zeyu and Qinghe worked the paddles to hold the boat near the hanging rungs while Shichen steadied the lower end.

The wood was wet beneath her palms and she tested her grip before lifting her wrapped foot as Hanchuan supported her from behind.

The boat dropped before she was ready.

For a moment, all her weight hung from her arms. Her foot scraped against the rung, sending a sharp ache through her heel, but Hanchuan’s hand remained beneath her until she found somewhere to stand.

Zhiyi pressed close to the ladder and waited for her breathing to settle. She could hear Jingwei speaking above her, telling her where to reach, although it took her a moment to separate his voice from the water striking the hull.

"You’ve got room on your right," Jingwei said, leaning down as she lifted her head. "Bring that hand up first. I’m keeping the rope clear for you."

She climbed slowly, pausing whenever the ladder shifted. The distance wasn’t great, but her fingers felt stiff and unreliable.

By the time Jingwei could reach her, she had stopped thinking about the ship altogether. She wanted to get her knee onto the platform and let go without falling.

Jingwei caught the back of her life jacket and helped her over the edge. She landed on her hands and knees, breathing hard while he moved her away from the gap in the railing.

"There you are," Jingwei murmured, crouching beside her. He brushed her hair away from her mouth, then looked down toward Hanchuan. "She’s up. Give her a moment before you follow."

Zhiyi sat back against the steel wall. Nothing dropped beneath her.

The ship moved, but so slowly that she could barely feel it after the little boat. She kept one palm against the platform while Jingwei loosened the rope and checked her foot.

Hanchuan reached them before she had finished catching her breath. He crouched in front of her, and she leaned forward at once, pressing her face against his neck.

He held her without asking her to stand.

His hand moved over her back while she listened to him breathing, warm against her temple. She hadn’t realized how much effort she had been using to keep her balance until she no longer needed to do it.

"Can we stay here for a minute?" Zhiyi asked, her voice muffled against his shirt.

Hanchuan kissed the side of her head. "We’ll get you to the top first. Then you can sit somewhere that doesn’t have a ladder coming through it."

She looked past him and saw Qinghe waiting below. With a tired nod, she let Hanchuan help her up.

The stairs were easier than the rope ladder. Jingwei went ahead, and Hanchuan stayed immediately behind her, one hand resting at her waist whenever she paused. She kept hold of the railing all the way to the deck.

At the top, Zhiyi stopped to look around.

The space was larger than she had understood from below. Containers rose beyond the walkway, their metal sides stained with rust and streaks left by rain.

Heavy cables lay coiled near a crane, and farther along, a covered vehicle stood secured beneath straps. The building at the stern had doors, windows and stairs of its own.

She could walk until she was tired without ever reaching the other end.

Hanchuan guided her toward the wall beside a closed door and settled her on a low metal step. Jingwei remained nearby while Hanchuan returned to help the others bring their belongings aboard.

It took longer than Zhiyi expected.

Their few things came up in separate loads: the tools, the saucepan and drawer, the wet clothes bundled around the fishing line.

Shichen carried the capped bottle tucked inside his life jacket. They hauled the cracked box carefully, losing some of the collected water despite keeping it tilted.

Zeyu came up last.

He had left the motorboat tied below with room to rise and fall, and he looked back toward it several times before joining them.

Zhiyi understood why. It had been uncomfortable and frightening, but they knew what was inside it. They didn’t know this ship yet.

Jingwei tried the nearby door while Hanchuan stood beside him. It opened reluctantly, revealing a short passage and another closed door beyond it.

The air that came out smelled stale, with a dampness that reminded Zhiyi of rooms left shut too long.

Hanchuan glanced back at the group.

"We’ll check these rooms together before we carry anything inside," he said. "Leave the box here. We can come back for it once we know where we’re staying."

Zhiyi rose when he offered his hand. Her legs still felt as though the floor should move, and she leaned against him while Jingwei took the flashlight forward.

The passage opened into a narrow corridor.

Notices were fastened beside a staircase, some in English and others in a language she didn’t recognize. A pair of work boots stood beneath a hook with an empty hanger on it. She noticed them because both soles were intact.

Jingwei opened the first cabin while Hanchuan kept her behind his shoulder.

Inside, a chair lay on its side beside a small desk. Drawers had slid open, scattering papers across the floor, but the mattress remained on the narrow bed against the wall. A rumpled blanket covered one end.

They checked the washroom and wardrobe before moving to the next cabin. Zhiyi followed without speaking, looking at each bed as they passed.

In the third room, Qinghe crossed to a cupboard beside the sink. He opened it, paused, then reached inside and pulled out a towel.

Zhiyi stared at it while he unfolded it between his hands.

"Come here," Qinghe said, turning toward her with a tired smile. "Let’s get some of that water out of your hair."

Hanchuan brought her into the room and sat her on the edge of the bed. Qinghe laid the towel over her head, and she closed her eyes as he began pressing it gently around the wet strands. The fabric was dry against her ears.

Beyond the open door, Zeyu called Hanchuan’s name.

"I’ve found the galley," Zeyu said, his voice carrying down the corridor. "You need to come and see what’s still in here."