One Piece: The sky is azure, I just time-traveled today.

Page 70

"Captain...Captain, where are you? Quick, think of something!"

"Stop shouting! The captain just died! Dive and escape!"

Moo Moo seemed still not satisfied. With a sweep of its huge tail, it smashed several larger pieces of the ship's hull into dust. Only then did it snort contentedly and dive back into the water, leaving behind a huge whirlpool and a messy sea.

It swam back to the boat, swaying its big head, and rubbed its wet nose against the side of the boat in a friendly manner, making a soft "moo" sound, as if to say, "All done, let's get going!"

It took no more than three minutes in total.

A seemingly perilous pirate raid ended in this crushing, almost absurd way.

Nuoqi stared wide-eyed at the sea surface dotted with scattered planks and struggling figures, then looked at Moo Moo, who had returned to its docile state, and finally cast an incredulous gaze at Liu Jiu, who remained sitting as still as a mountain.

Bellemere also let out a long sigh of relief, her tense shoulders relaxing. She looked at Liu Jiu with a complex expression, a mixture of relief, reassurance, and something deeper.

This man didn't even need to take action himself.

With just a word or a command, he commanded a terrifying sea monster to clear all obstacles for him.

The power contained beneath this calm is more terrifying and more reassuring than any blatant force.

Liu Jiu, as if nothing had happened, closed his eyes again and simply said:

"Just keep on your way."

The manatee mooed merrily, pulled the rope again, and the boat continued smoothly toward Cocoyasi Village.

The sea breeze was still gentle, and the sunshine was still warm, as if the brief, devastating episode just now was merely an illusion.

Nojiko patted his little chest and whispered, "Bellmere, the manatee... is amazing!"

Bellemere ruffled her hair: "Right? So we've always been lucky."

As the familiar outline of the island appeared on the horizon, Nojiko couldn't help but stand at the bow of the ship and wave excitedly, even though there was no one on the shore.

"We're back!"

Her shouts drifted towards the village on the sea breeze.

The boat slowly approached the shore, and Bellemere was the first to nimbly jump off, securing the mooring rope firmly to the post. She took a deep breath of the fresh air from home, feeling much more at ease.

"Finally back!"

Liu Jiu helped Nuoqi Gao off the boat, while the manatee Moo Moo let out a long moo in the nearshore waters as a greeting before going off to play in the familiar waters on its own.

Before they even reached their homes, villagers noticed the commotion and gathered around in twos and threes.

Anticipation, curiosity, and a hint of barely perceptible tension.

"Belmel! You're finally back!"

"Did the journey go smoothly?"

"How are the oranges selling?"

Bellemere looked at the villagers who had gathered around her, but did not answer immediately. Instead, she turned and unloaded the heavy wooden crate containing Bailey from the boat. She placed the crate on the flat stone slab of the dock, and with a click, opened the lid under everyone's watchful eyes.

A dazzling light shot into the sky, almost blinding everyone, because what did they all see?!

In an instant, the surroundings fell silent.

Under the sunlight, the box full of peleys shimmered with an alluring luster; the thickness and quantity far exceeded their most optimistic expectations!

Indeed, poverty limits everyone's level of wealth.

After a brief silence, a deafening cheer erupted!

"Sold! All sold!"

"My God! So much money!"

"Belmel! You guys are amazing!"

"This was really obtained by exchanging oranges that had no market?! That's incredible! You are all heroes! Truly amazing!"

The villagers were so excited their faces turned red, and some even wept with joy. Another huge weight had been lifted from their hearts this year!

Bellemere pulled out a ledger that had been prepared beforehand, and said in a loud voice, with a sense of relief and joy, "Everyone, quiet down! As agreed before, collect your money according to the number of oranges each family contributed!"

She began calling out names one by one and distributing payments. Each payment was met with a sincere thank you; at least the money felt real when received on the spot.

"Old John, this is your house!"

"Thank you! Thank you Bellemere! And... thank you to your husband!"

"Aunt Maggie, this is for you!"

"That's great! Now the child's tuition is covered! We're so grateful to you all!"

Nojiko was also helping out, and he kept hearing people mistakenly think that his uncle was Bellemere's husband. His little face was beaming with joy.

These fellow villagers are very eloquent and their words are truly pleasant to hear; I really wish they could say more.

At this moment, all the hardships of the long journey were worthwhile.

Liu Jiu stood quietly on the periphery of the crowd, watching the bustling scene with a calm expression. When some villagers received their money and came over to bow and thank him, he simply nodded slightly without saying a word.

But everyone knows that this silent man played a crucial role in their miraculous survival. He was the one who tamed the manatee, solving the transportation problem, and he was the one who found a market and sold it at an astonishing price.

This gratitude is deeply buried in the hearts of every villager.

The scene of distributing the money was as lively as a festival.

This scene, for a moment, seemed somewhat similar to the villagers' ecstatic joy at regaining their freedom when the Arlong Pirates were defeated by Kuina and her group.

They all broke free from despair and brought a glimmer of hope.

However, last time it broke the shackles, this time it brought abundance.

After the last payment was made, Bellemere closed the empty wooden crate, wiped the sweat from his brow, and wore a satisfied yet tired expression.

The village chief stepped forward, grasped Bellemere's hand with emotion, and said in a choked voice, "Bellemere, and your husband... you are truly benefactors of Cocoyasi Village! On behalf of the entire village, thank you!"

“Village chief, you’re too kind,” Bellemere laughed heartily. “We’re all fellow villagers, it’s only right that we help each other out.”

As she spoke, her gaze unconsciously drifted towards Liu Jiu's position.

Nojiko had already run up to Liu Jiu's side, looking up at him excitedly and saying something, while Liu Jiu listened with his head slightly lowered. His calm profile seemed to soften a bit in the afterglow of the setting sun.

Bellemere's smile deepened.

She looked up in the direction of her family's orange grove, where, although all the fruit on the branches had been picked, there was still new hope for next year.

Home, it's still this home.

The village is still the same village.

But life is different now.

It has become...better.

Chapter 80 Bellemere's Tenderness

Bellemere woke up and, as usual, got up to check on Nochiko. The little girl was sleeping soundly, a sweet smile on her lips, as if she were having a wonderful dream.

Bellemere gently tucked the blanket around her, her gaze inadvertently sweeping over the other side of the bed—it was empty. The bed where Liu Jiu should have been sleeping was empty.

A thought crossed her mind. She put on her coat and tiptoed out.

Sure enough, in the moonlit courtyard, they saw that familiar figure. Liu Jiu stood there quietly, facing the dark and vast sea, his shadow stretched long in the moonlight, as if he were being blown by the wind.

The sea breeze ruffled the black hair on his forehead, yet he stood like a frozen statue, seemingly blending into the tranquil night, as if he might ride the wind at any moment and disappear into the boundless天地 (heaven and earth).

In reality, Liu Jiu's strength has inexplicably increased again!

Belmer's heart tightened for no apparent reason.

She walked slowly over to him, gently hugged him from behind, and pressed her cheek against his broad but slightly cool back.

"What's wrong?" Her voice was hoarse from just waking up, with a hint of barely perceptible worry. "Do you... want to go out to sea?"

She could feel his muscles tense slightly for a moment, then relax. He didn't turn around, nor did he break free from her embrace; he simply continued gazing at the sea that had swallowed countless secrets and dreams.

After a long time, so long that Bellemere thought he wouldn't answer, she heard his deep and clear response:

"Nami and the others haven't come back yet, I'm just a little worried."

A simple response made Bellemere's heart sink, yet also feel a sense of relief. What was destined to happen would happen. This man never truly belonged to this small orange grove.

She tightened her arms, buried her face even deeper, and spoke in a muffled voice, yet with understanding and relief:

"I miss Nami too," she said softly. "That troublesome little brat, I wonder where she is now, if she's doing well... if she's hungry, if anyone's bullying her..."

She paused, as if making up her mind, then looked up at his profile, which appeared somewhat hard in the moonlight:

"You came to this island because of her, didn't you? From the first time I saw you, from the way you looked at her... I had a vague idea."

That wasn't the look you give a stranger; it carried a deep, complex emotion that seemed to transcend time and space—concern, scrutiny, and perhaps... even a hint of barely perceptible care.

Bellemere couldn't explain it, but she could sense that this man wanted Nami to grow up safely and happily.

Liu Jiu remained silent, neither admitting nor denying. But this silence itself was an answer.

The initial idea was that leaving behind a bag of gold coins would allow Nami's life to take a different turn.

Bellemere released her grip on him, walked around to face him, and looked up at him. In the moonlight, her eyes were clear and firm, carrying the unique resilience and tenderness of a mother.

“Go find her,” she said, her tone leaving no room for doubt. “I’m worried about her too. Nami ran away from home before, and we finally waited for her to return, but then… she and her two friends completely overthrew the Arlong Pirates’ rule. I probably shouldn’t have let the three girls continue to go to sea and roam around outside. Although Kuina and Robin are both very strong, Nami… that girl is the most stubborn and the one I worry about the most.”

She reached out and straightened his collar, which was slightly disheveled by the sea breeze, her movements natural and practiced.

"I'm here, Nokigo is here, and Moomoo the manatee is here to watch over things, so you don't need to worry."

She tried to make her voice sound lighter, "Find her, see if she's doing well. If... if she still wants to continue sailing, then let her be. As long as she's safe and happy."

Liu Jiu looked down at the red-haired woman in front of him. Her eyes held worry and reluctance, but even more so, a magnanimous understanding and support.

He reached out and gently took her hand as she straightened his collar. His palm was cool with the night breeze, while her fingertips were warm.

"No, I will find Nami. She's not old enough to go to sea yet, so she has to stay on this island. Keep an eye on her and don't let her go on the Grand Line before she's 18."

Bellemere was taken aback for a moment, and then a bright light suddenly burst forth in his eyes, which always carried a hint of dashingness and tenacity.

The worry and reluctance on her face vanished instantly, replaced by a bright smile that belonged to "Belmel," a smile that carried a touch of domineering and hearty.

"Haha! Well said!"