Chapter 675: Jerusalem: Five

Jerusalem: Five

Li Ya, at the moment her mother called out her name, buried her face in Mary's skirt, only revealing a small patch of dark hair.

Mary gently patted her head, tone helpless: "She...... is a bit shy, please don't mind."

"No." Yu Lin smiled and shook his head, his gaze falling on that small figure,

"Li Ya, hello."

Li Ya furtively peeked out one eye from the seam of the skirt, glanced quickly at Yu Lin, then withdrew again.

Yu Lin did not press further, nor did he make any move that would alert the child, and turned his gaze back to Mary.

"How long have you lived here?"

"More than three years." Mary replied, her gaze unintentionally sweeping over the stone house behind Yu Lin, "The previous occupants here............ were rug weavers, very skilled."

"They moved to Bo Li Heng last winter, and this house has been empty ever since."

She paused, as if wanting to say something, then swallowed it back.

Yu Lin noticed this detail.

"Mary." He spoke casually, "I've just arrived in Jerusalem, I'm not too familiar with the area. Where nearby is convenient to buy things? Where is the water clean? What should I watch out for—"

He spread his hands:

"To be frank, I'm completely at a loss."

Mary tilted her head slightly, as if considering where to begin.

"For buying things............" She raised her hand, pointing toward the east side of the alley, "Go that way, pass two alleys, there's a small market; meat is best bought in the morning, vegetables can be bought in the afternoon, and it'll be cheaper."

She then pointed west: "For water, there's spring water at the Siloam Pool, but it's crowded and you have to queue; if you find that troublesome, there's a public well at the alley entrance, the water is slightly salty but fine to drink."

She spoke at a moderate pace, as if accustomed to explaining these things to strangers.

Yu Lin listened attentively, nodding occasionally.

"As for things to watch out for............" Mary's voice suddenly lowered, her gaze sweeping toward the alley entrance, "At night, it's best not to walk around alone outside."

"Especially from the direction of the Romans!"

She didn't specify why, but Yu Lin understood.

"Stationed soldiers getting drunk, or lone foreigners encountering robbery—such things happen in any era!"

"Thanks for the reminder." Yu Lin sincerely thanked her.

Mary shook her head, as if feeling this small matter didn't warrant thanks.

Behind her, Li Ya furtively revealed a bit more of her face from behind the skirt, the wariness in her dark, glossy eyes fading a bit, turning into pure curiosity.

"Right." Mary suddenly remembered, "Yu Lin, have you had dinner yet?"

Yu Lin hesitated, then answered:

"I have."

As soon as he spoke, his stomach let out an untimely growl.

The air fell silent for a moment.

Mary's mouth corner twitched slightly, as if she were trying to hold back laughter.

Li Ya poked out half her head from behind her mother, her dark eyes curling into crescents, she let out a clear, short laugh, then hid her face again.

Yu Lin: ".........."

It's also quite embarrassing.

It's okay,

he can hold it in.

"I still have some lentil soup in my kitchen."

Mary's voice carried amusement, but it wasn't irritating, "No trouble, I made extra anyway; Li Ya can't finish it all by herself."

"Mom!" Li Ya protested from behind the skirt, "Don't underestimate me!"

Mary lowered her head and glanced at her.

Li Ya immediately shut up.

The cute little girl.

Yu Lin watched this scene, the corners of his mouth involuntarily lifting.

"Well then........... sorry to trouble you."

Mary smiled, turned, and walked toward her own house.

Li Ya followed behind her mother, took two steps, then suddenly turned her head and gave Yu Lin a quick glance.

Only now did the sense of distance become less obvious.

Yu Lin winked at her.

Li Ya, like a startled rabbit, darted into the house.

Yu Lin stood on his own threshold, gazing at the lights lit next door.

Light leaked from the half-open door crack, painting a narrow golden band on the twilight stone path.

As for what followed, Yu Lin neither refused nor stood on ceremony.

Mary brought over the lentil soup and a few barley cakes.

The soup was brought over in a clay pot, still steaming, the beans stewed soft and mushy, with onion and some unknown spice, the taste unexpectedly good.

The barley cakes were a bit hard, but broken up and soaked in the soup, they were passable.

Yu Lin sat on the threshold of his own house, holding a clay bowl and sipping the soup slowly.

He drank very slowly.

Because his gastric mucosa was already damaged, eating too fast would make him vomit.

Mary did not eat with him.

She brought the food, then returned to her own room, only occasionally sticking half a figure out of the doorway to check that he was still eating, and left without placing the bowl on the threshold.

Li Ya was rather bold, moved a Small Stool to sit at her own doorway, her two little feet swinging back and forth, occasionally glancing at Yu Lin.

That gaze changed from initial wariness to curiosity, and from curiosity to a kind of puzzled—appraisal.

Yu Lin noticed her gaze, broke off a small piece of barley flatbread, waved it toward her: "Do you want some?"

Li Ya shook her head vigorously, nudged the Small Stool further into the house.

But she did not run away.

Yu Lin smiled, shoved the flatbread into his mouth, and continued drinking the soup.

The sky gradually darkened.

In the twilight, the distant Temple Mount was reduced to a deep silhouette, the orange‑red at the horizon faded to gray‑purple, then from gray‑purple to a heavy indigo.

The first star appeared on the heavens.

Mary stepped out of the house, holding a tiny oil lamp.

The lamp's glow was small, illuminating only a three‑foot square area at her feet, yet it bathed the entire narrow alley in a warm orange hue.

She walked to Yu Lin, slightly bowed, and reached out to take the empty bowl from his hand.

"Are you full?" she asked.

"I'm full," Yu Lin handed over the bowl, "The soup was delicious, thank you, Mary."

"No need to thank me," Mary took the bowl, paused, then said, "If there's any place you need help…"

"Having just moved in alone, many things are inconvenient; although I'm not very strong, I can still lend a hand with some tasks."

What a good person…

Yu Lin looked at her, sincerely thanked, "Thank you."

"Just right."

"I plan to go to that small market tomorrow to look around and buy some things, but I'm unfamiliar with the area and fear being overcharged; if it's convenient for you…"

"Could you show me the way? Or if you're also going, just guide me around."

"Tomorrow I'll cook and treat you all; my cooking is decent."

Mary's eyes lit up slightly: "Is that so?"

"Alright, if you can get up, we'll meet at the alley entrance."

"Good." Yu Lin nodded, "Thank you, Mary."

"No need to thank me," Mary said again, then carried the empty bowl, turned and went back inside.

Li Ya still looked at him curiously and asked:

"Yu Lin, did you come from the East? Exactly where?"

"Why do you look different from us?"

"Do you have any good food over there?"

Perhaps she went back to her own home.

The little girl's words kept flowing.

Yu Lin smiled and said, "In the East, there's a country called the Han Empire."

"There..............."

Mary didn't interrupt them, just stood at the doorway watching and listening.

The novel things Yu Lin spoke of grew more intriguing the longer they listened.

But it was really getting late.

Yu Lin saw the sky turn completely dark, and he rose to bid them farewell.

He returned home.

Yu Lin went straight to lie on the bed.

He closed his eyes.

Drowsiness attacked.

His eyelids grew heavier.

In the final instant before consciousness fell into darkness, he thought:

He must find Jesus.

He must survive in Jerusalem—

Whether long or short.

He will survive.

The last thought faded, and he fell into a deep sleep.