Alex turned his head and looked carefully.
The girl in front of him appeared to be around eighteen or nineteen, thin and lovely.
Her eyebrows were elegant.
Her nose bridge was dainty.
Her lips were tiny and pink.
Her looks were certainly one in a thousand, probably even one in ten thousand.
But presently, she was out of breath, obviously a bit tired.
Her chest rose and fell with every breath, and with the way her clothing hugged her figure... The picture was breathtaking.
Even a professional model might have thought twice before posing or standing beside her.
Just as Alex looked at Lucy.
Lucy was also watching the young man standing before her too.
This fellow was odd, dressed in odd clothes but beyond doubt, handsome.
For the last few days, she had been running around the city in search of clean water for her father, but it was all in vain.
Just as she was ready to give up, thinking there was no hope left...
She was shocked to spot Alex washing his face with water!
But before she could even shout out to him, he glanced around and took off running.
What on earth?!
It had taken her almost ages to catch up with him!
The guy was quick. Ridiculously quick.
She pursued him along over a dozen streets, gasping, legs shaking, her protesting stomach rumbling.
She had not eaten for several hours, but she pushed all remaining energy into running past him.
"You are...?"
Alex's expression changed as he looked around in confusion. Since no one else was present, the "Sir" the girl must mean could only be him.
Being called so formally made him feel embarrassed.
This sort of old honorific? It crawled under his skin.
Still, he could not deny it. This girl was something special.
To be able to catch up to him, even after a long sprint through the streets... that was not normal at all.
After all, Alex jogged every morning, took part in university athletics, and among his college peers, he was well known as a top runner. He had competed in regional tournaments and won medals for his speed and endurance. His stamina was not something to underestimate.
He was even called and nicknamed as the Little Cheetah by some of his friends back in college.
"Yes!" the girl said, her eyes steady but her breathing erratic.
"I noticed that you were holding water just now. So I was interested in purchasing that water from you."
"My father," she said, pausing to take a deep breath as though to regain her composure before disclosing something particularly private.
"He is quite sick. To eliminate his illness, he requires pure water."
Alex blinked.
"So... merely to buy the half bottle of mineral water I was carrying, you chased me over ten blocks?"
After giving her a long look, Alex silently gave her the thumbs up. You know, this was called the epitome of filial piety!
For the sake of her father's health, she could chase someone through a hot, dry city only to get half a bottle of water?
He felt moved.
He nearly started crying.
How filial, how sincere!
She continued with unflinching determination despite the difficulties. Her perseverance spoke volumes about her character and the depth of her devotion to her family.
A 500 ml bottle of mineral water only costs $0.50 these days, which is completely negligible.
But it was worth as much as gold here, in a country that was suffering from drought.
There was no use in keeping the water from them.
It would be better to sell it to a sincere person, like this girl, who practically radiated loyalty and courage.
He gave her a thumbs up also.
"Sir, that salute with your thumb up, does it have some secret significance in your homeland?"
Lucy cocked her head to one side, curiosity playing in her eyes. "Also... your clothes appear unlike anyone I have ever seen. Are you... not from around here?"
Alex rubbed the back of his neck and smiled self-consciously. "Yeah. You might say that. I am from... somewhere else."
"I thought so," she murmured, her voice carrying a trace of wonder.
Then he got straight to the point. "So, what are you offering in exchange for this bottle of water?"
From his pocket, he pulled out the half-empty mineral water and gave it a little shake.
"Are you serious, sir?" She gasped, her pretty face alight with disbelief, her voice rising a few notes in surprise. She had not imagined it would be that easy.
In a place like this, where drought had persisted for three brutal years, water had become more valuable than silver and certainly more guarded than food. For someone to willingly sell even a drop of it, was that not practically a miracle?
"I am serious," he said, a small smile tugging at his lips. Life in this world might be tough for them, but it was moments like these that made it strangely beautiful.
"I do not have much on me," Lucy admitted, her voice softening. "But I brought a few small things. I hope they will suffice."
She reached into her sleeve and gently unfolded a handkerchief.
Inside were six or seven silver coins and a gold coin the size of a thumbnail, all glinting faintly in the sunlight. Small, yet unmistakably real.
Alex's eyes widened.
"You say you do not have much on you?" Alex blinked, his eyes fixed on the neatly bundled little fortune in her hands.
He was not a gold expert, but even by today's standards, that tiny ingot had to be worth thousands of dollars.
That could buy a hundred crates of water.
"I also have this bracelet!" Lucy added quickly, noticing his silence. She started to unclasp it from her wrist, clearly misunderstanding his hesitation as reluctance.
Alex raised both hands in a hurry. "No, no! That is already plenty for me!"
If he did not stop her now, she might just toss in her shoes, her hairpin, and who knows what else.
He thrust the half-empty bottle of mineral water into her hand with exaggerated urgency.
"Here. Take it."
Lucy's eyes widened, and her face lit up with joy. She grabbed the bottle as if it were made of crystal. "Thank you, sir. Thank you! You are truly a gentleman."
To her, this was not just drinking water. It was a lifeline for her father.
This young man had willingly given up such precious water for practically nothing. To her, it felt like delivering coal in a snowstorm, a kindness she would always remember.
"This is not charity," Alex replied, smiling modestly. "You asked sincerely, and I gave. That is all there is to it."
Inside, though, he was celebrating like a man who had just struck gold. Half a bottle of mineral water for a few silver coins? Total win!
"Sir..." Lucy hesitated, glancing down at the strange plastic object in her hands. "I... I do not really know how to open this."
A blush crept onto her cheeks as she shyly looked at him, puzzled and embarrassed.
Alex nearly laughed but caught himself from laughing in time.
Of course... If someone had never seen a plastic bottle before, they would not know how to twist the cap. In fact, in his world, a bottle cap that could not twist open was probably a fake.
But seeing Lucy, who had chased him like a warrior across ten blocks, now stuck on something so simple was both amusing and entertaining.
That was surprisingly cute.
"Okay, pay attention," he said.
He lifted the bottle and showed her, carefully twisting the cap until it popped open with a gentle click.
"Wow!" Lucy exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement. "So that is how it works!"
She gave the bottle a gentle shake, amazed that not a single drop came out. "It seals water so perfectly... No wonder it is so valuable."
Lucy held the bottle in her hands, her eyes sparkling with excitement. But then, a flicker of doubt crossed her face.
"By the way..." she murmured, "I am not even sure if this water is clean."
She hesitated, gazing at the mysterious liquid as if it might suddenly take flight. But after a moment, her determination kicked in. Carefully, she brought the bottle to her lips and took a tentative sip.
As soon as it touched her tongue, her eyes widened in surprise.
So sweet!
It had been years since she tasted anything like it. Not just clean. It was crisp, cool, and oddly comforting.
After three long years of drought, her tongue had nearly forgotten what real water was like.
"This..." she whispered. "This water is incredible!"
Alex smiled faintly, his hands tucked into his pockets. "If you want more, I have got plenty."
He glanced up at the sky, gauging the time. "Same place, same time tomorrow. Bring something to trade."
Lucy's face lit up like a lantern. "Deal! I will be right here, sir!"
She clutched the bottle like it was a treasure. "The doctor said the cleaner the water, the faster my father will get better. Thank you, truly."
Alex nodded slightly. "Happy to help."
He turned, already scanning the streets for a quiet spot to disappear. He could feel it. Less than a minute before the time-travel system would pull him back.
He needed to vanish somewhere out of sight. The last thing he wanted was to scare a village girl into thinking she had seen a ghost.
"I have to go for now," he called over his shoulder. "See you tomorrow."
Lucy stepped forward, urgency in her voice. "Wait!"
She quickly removed her bracelet and pressed it into his palm.
"This is a deposit," she said firmly. "You have to come back tomorrow. My father needs that water."
Alex looked at the bracelet, then back at her determined expression, and smiled.
"Alright. I will be back."
With that, he turned and walked away, slipping into the shadows.
The moment he was certain no one was around, he took a quick look down at the bracelet.
I can bring modern things here... but what if I could do the opposite?
If I could take this back... that would be something else entirely.
Just then, the digital countdown flashed before his eyes.
[Return Countdown: 3...]
[2...]
[1...]
With a silent flash, Alex disappeared from the ancient world, leaving only his footprints behind.