The bright and warm living room was wrapped in soft light, and Charles was leaning quietly on the leather sofa at this moment, with other Narwhal crew members standing at the door. Time seemed to stand still at this moment.
Suddenly seeing the disappeared captain appear in front of them, the crew members were a little overwhelmed for a moment, but not everyone has such patience.
"Ahhh! Mr. Charles!" Lily shouted excitedly. She opened her arms and jumped on Charles.
Being tormented by her like this, Charles was forced to open his eyes. He looked at the girl in front of him with a trace of confusion in his eyes. After thinking for a long time, he slowly said: "Lily. Lily?"
"It's me! It's me!" Lily lay down with joy, rubbing her little head against Charles' neck. After being a mouse for so many years, she couldn't change her habit for a while.
Charles looked blankly at the crew members who came to him, "How did you find this place?"
"I sent you here. They insisted on seeing you. They said they were afraid you might be in danger. I felt that if I didn't let them see you, they would probably keep pestering me." Shanshan explained while sitting next to Charles.
Dipper walked up to him with a hint of excitement, "Captain, you disappeared without saying anything before. We were really worried that something might have happened to you."
"Didn't I explain? I remember I explained." Charles scratched his head in confusion.
Dipper's heart skipped a beat when he saw this scene. The captain in front of him was really abnormal. What Nico had said to him before instantly rang in his mind, which made him alert.
"Captain, are you really okay?" Dipper confirmed carefully.
"It's okay, I'm fine, I feel fine now." Charles smiled at him.
"Have you finished reading it? My father is safe now. If there is nothing wrong, go back. If he really has any trouble, it is not something you can help solve."
Shanshan, who was standing next to him, reached out and pushed Lily, who was clinging to Charles, away, and then helped him up.
Charles, who should have been agile, now looked like a centenarian. Even with the support of Shan Shan, his legs were trembling slightly. His inherent sharpness had disappeared without a trace.
Charles didn't look good at all. The crew members were distressed by this scene. No one knew why he became like this.
"Don't leave in a hurry. We've been drifting on the sea for so long, and we must be tired of canned food. Shanshan, go get some food for everyone and treat everyone to a good meal." Charles said after being helped by Shanshan to sit down at the main seat at the long table.
"Mr. Charles, what happened to you? How did you become like this?" Lily pulled the other's sleeve with her hand in pain.
"It's okay, I'm fine. I'm just a little uncomfortable right now. Don't worry about me. I'm really fine."
"Everyone, stop standing and go sit at the long table over there. We've known each other for such a long time, are you still being polite to me?"
Lily grabbed the other's arm and said with urgency in her eyes: "Mr. Charles, since you are fine, let's go home, okay? Let's go back to Hope Island, and you don't have to stay here alone. Didn't you say before that we are your family? Let's all accompany you."
Hearing this, the smile on Charles' face froze slightly, "Sorry, I can't go back. I'm in some trouble now."
"Captain, what happened that day? Why did you suddenly disappear?" Dipper asked again.
“He gives me the strength to accept the things I cannot change.
He gives me the courage to change the things I can change.
He gave me the wisdom to see the difference between the two.”
Not only did Dipper not understand these confusing words, but everyone else present also didn't understand them.
"This has nothing to do with you. You just need to know that I'm fine now. Now that we've finally gathered together, let's not think about the troubles that have already passed. Everyone, sit down."
Although everyone still had doubts on their faces, they sat down again. As crew members, they had no right to pry into the captain's privacy.
When the long table was filled with them, exquisite delicacies continued to appear on the table. When all the food was served, Shanshan's figure appeared on Charles' side. She raised her knife and fork and began to serve Charles.
Dinner started in a somewhat weird atmosphere. Dipper looked at the steak on the table and was about to use his hands when he suddenly stopped and said, "Captain, do you remember the cargo ship you drove before the Narwhal?"
"Oh? You're talking about the Mouse? I still remember it. What's wrong?" Charles asked puzzledly.
"Nothing. I found the boat and bought it again. After all, it has been with us for several years."
Then Dipper couldn't help but ask a few more questions, but Charles answered them one by one.
Dipper's probing made Lily feel a little unhappy. She ran to Charles and put her arm around him.
"He must be Mr. Charles. He smells exactly the same. There's no doubt about it. Besides, Winky is right next to us. What is there to worry about?"
"It's okay. We should be careful at sea. He did a good job as a captain, but he was a little too straightforward. It's better to be more secretive next time." Charles said this, making Dipper anxious. "Captain, it's not that I don't trust you, I just--"
"Okay, stop talking. Now that you've tested my identity, just enjoy your dinner." Charles didn't seem to want him to explain anything.
Charles then began to talk to the crew about his strange experiences at sea in those years, and the strange atmosphere in the room gradually dissipated. This was both a statement and a means of proving his innocence.
As he spoke, the strange atmosphere in the room gradually disappeared. The crew members no longer acted politely and began to eat according to their own habits. They enjoyed the meal very much.
The mission was successfully completed and they found the captain.
Under the influence of alcohol, Dipper spoke out what he wanted to say. "Captain, don't stay in this godforsaken place. Come home with us. We are all waiting for you."
Lily, with a blush on her face, also nodded, "Yes, Mr. Charles, have you forgotten our previous agreement?"
Charles glanced at them one by one, and said with some emotion: "Guys, let me say this, I also want to go back, but I can't go back for the time being. Some things have to be done by someone."
(End of this chapter)