Nakatira na ako sa Independent State simula pa noong nasa tiyan ako ng nanay ko

He carefully surveyed Ye Wanwan's flustered appearance and his eyes glinted, realization dawning on him. He lightly asked, "You… aren't from the Independent State, are you?"

Maingat niyang sinuri ang gulat na mukha ni Ye Wan Wan at doon lamang siya naliwanagan. Tinanong niya ang babaeng ito, "Hindi ka mula sa… Independent State, tama?" 

"Who said I'm not from the Independent State?" Ye Wanwan immediately retorted. "I've been in the Independent State since I was in my mom's womb…"

"Sinong nagsabi na hindi ako nanggaling sa Independent State?" Agad na sumabad si Ye Wan Wan. "Simula pa noong nasa tiyan ako ng nanay ko, dito na ako sa Independent State nakatira…"

"Then… do you have a permit… Which region are you from?" the man asked with a smile.

"Edi… may permit ka… saang rehiyon ka galing?" Nakangiti na tinanong ng lalaki.

Ye Wanwan was too lazy to argue with him. If the members of the Martial Arts Union caught up to her, it wouldn't be fun at all.

Hindi tinatamad si Ye Wan Wan na makipagtalo sa kanya. Kapag nahabol siya ng mga miyembro ng Martiak Arts Union, hindi magiging masaya ang buhay niya.

Seeing that Ye Wanwan wanted to keep running, the man instantly blocked Ye Wanwan and shook his head. "No outsiders have ever escaped from the hands of the Martial Arts Union's investigation team… Follow me."

Agad na hinarangan ng lalaki si Ye Wan Wan at umiling ito nang makita niya na gustong tumakbo ni Ye Wan Wan. "Walang kahit sinong dayo ang nakawala sa kamay ng mga imbestigador ng Martial Arts Union… Sundan mo ako."

Without giving Ye Wanwan time to think, the man led her to run forward.

Walang ano-ano'y pinangunahan ng lalaki na tumakbo si Ye Wan Wan.

The man was very familiar with this area, so a series of twists and turns later, they entered a manor and escaped from the investigation team.

Pamilyar ang lalaki sa lugar na ito, kaya pagkalipas ng ilang mga pasikot-sikot na mga daan, pumasok sila sa eskwelahan at natakasan nila ang mga imbestigador.

At the manor, the man asked Ye Wanwan, "Excuse me, what's your name… How should I address you?"

Sa loob ng manor, tinanong ng lalaki si Ye Wan Wan, "Excuse me, anong pangalan mo… anong itatawag ko sayo?"

"Ye Wanwan… Thank you for your help…" Ye Wanwan didn't know the rules and customs of the Independent State, so she cupped her fists, pretending like she knew what she was doing.

"Ye Wan Wan… salamat sa tulong mo…" hindi alam ni Ye Wan Wan ang patakaran at customs sa Independent State, kaya pinagsama niya ang kanyang mga kamay, sinara niya ito at nagkunwari siyang alam niya ang ginagawa niya.

The man chuckled. "Miss Ye, you're welcome. I'm Zhou Wu."

Tumawa ang lalaki. "You're welcome, Miss Ye. Ako si Zhou Wu."

After a conversation with Zhou Wu, Ye Wanwan learned that Zhou Wu was the heir of a martial arts patrician family and this was the Zhou residence.

Pagkatapos mag-usap nila Ye Wan Wan ay Zhou Wu, natutunan ni Ye Wan Wan na si Zhou Wu ay isang tigapamana ng isang martial arts patrician family at ito ay ang Zhou residence.

Ye Wanwan knew Zhou Wu didn't hold any malicious intentions toward her. If it wasn't for Zhou Wu stepping in today, her fate would've been inconceivable. It was quite unrealistic for her to successfully escape from the Martial Arts Union's investigation team based on their speed.

Alam ni Ye Wan Wan na walang malibig na intensyon sa kanya si Zhou Wu. Hindi malalaman ang kapalaran ni Ye Wan Wan kung hindi siya tinulungan ngayon ni Zhou Wu. Imposibke na matagumpay siyang makakatakas sa mga imbestigador ng Martial Arts Union base sa kanilang bilis.

"Miss Ye, I don't know whether you came to the Independent State to sightsee or for something else, but… you should prepare yourself. The Independent State is very xenophobic and many outsiders die in the Independent State," Zhou Wu said to Ye Wanwan.

"Miss Ye, hindi ko alam kung pumunta ka ba sa Independent State para mag sightsee o iba pa, pero… kailangan mong maghanda. Nakakatakot na lugar ang Independent State at maraming mga dayi ang pinapatay dito," sinabihan ni Zhou Wu si Ye Wan Wan.

"Then… you aren't xenophobic?" Ye Wanwan was curious.

"Eh… kinakatakutan ka rin ba?" Nagtataka si Ye Wan Wan.

Zhou Wu shook his head. "Don't be ridiculous, Miss Ye. My grandfather was also an outsider when he was young, but the Independent State's rules were more relaxed back then, so my grandfather managed to establish the Zhou family in the Independent State through hard work… Our Zhou family isn't xenophobic; we've been the same from the beginning."

Umiling si Zhou Wu. "Huwag kang magpatawa, Miss Ye. Dayo rin ang lolo ko noong bata pa siya, ngunit mas relaxed pa ang batas ng Independent State noon, kaya dahil sa mahusay na pagta-trabaho ng lolo ko, kinaya niyang itayo ang Zhou family sa Independent State… hindi kinakatakutan ang Zhou family namin; wala kaming pinagbago simula pa noong una."

"I see…" Ye Wanwan nodded. No wonder Zhou Wu was willing to help her.

"Ganoon ba…" tumango si Ye Wan Wan. Kaya pala tinulungan siya ni Zhou Wu.

"Since Miss Ye doesn't have a permit, it'll be hard for you to walk around the Independent State. If you don't mind, you can stay here for a few days, Miss Ye."

"Dahil walang permit si Miss Ye, mahihirapan kang mag-gala sa Independent State. Kung okay lang sayo, pwede kang manatili dito ng ilang araw, Mis Ye."

Ye Wanwan didn't decline. She just arrived at the Independent State and was unfamiliar with this place and didn't know many things. Additionally, she lost everything, so she didn't even have a place to stay that night.

Hindi tumanggi si Ye Wan Wan. Kararating niya lang ng Independent State at hindi siya pamilyar sa lugar na iyon kaya wala siyang masyadong kaalaman dito. At tsaka, nawala niya ang lahat ng gamit niya, kaya wala siyang lugar na matitirhan ng pansamantala.

"That's too troublesome, right…" Ye Wanwan said.

"Hindi ba't malaking abala na akong 'non…" sabi ni Ye Wan Wan.

"Don't be polite, Miss Ye. As compensation for living here, tell us about the outside world, like China… Us people from the Independent State are truly too far from our homeland, China. Except for the top four great clans of the Independent State, nearly no one is willing to expend a huge effort to return to China," Zhou Wu replied with a smile.

"Huwag ka masyadong mabait, Miss Ye. Bilang kabayaran sa pananatili mo dito, ikwento mo kami sa mundo, tulad ng sa China… kaming mga mamamayan mula sa Independent State ay may malaking pagkakaiba sa bayan namin sa China. Maliban na lang sa apat na dakilang mga clans ng Independent State, walang sino man ang handang gawin ang lahat para lang makabalik sa China," nakangiting sumagot si Zhou Wu sa kanya.

"…" Amazing! They don't even know any recent news about China…

"..." Ang galing! Hindi nga nila alam kung ano nang nangyayari sa China eh...

Shortly after, Ye Wanwan followed Zhou Wu into the living room.

Pagkatapos ay sinundan ni Ye Wan Wan si Zhou Wu sa salas.

The patriarch and madam of the Zhou family both arrived at the living room upon receiving news of their visitor.

Parehong dumating sa salas ang patriarch at madam ng Zhou family nang malaman nila na mag bisita sila.

The patriarch and madam were both very polite toward Ye Wanwan and kept asking about China.

Napakabait ng patriarch at madam kay Ye Wan Wan, parati nilang tinatanong ang tungkol sa China.

The patriarch of the Zhou family was born in the Independent State and never left, so he was very curious about his native country, China.

Pinanganak sa Independent State ang patriarch ng Zhou family, kaya interesado siya tungkol sa bayan na China.

Ye Wanwan didn't hold back and told them everything she knew.

Hindi pinigilan ni Ye Wan Wan ang bibiy niya at sinabi niya sa kanila ang lahat ng alam niya.

"China has television… Television is… there are people inside and such…" Ye Wanwan described to them as she ate the food prepared by Zhou Wu.

"May telebisyon ang China.. ang telebisyon ay isang bagay na may tao sa loob…" nilarawan ito ni Ye Wan Wan habang kinakain niya ang pagkain na hinanda sa kanya ni Zhou Wu.

Patriarch Zhou looked at Ye Wanwan with surprise. "Our Independent State… also has television…"

Gulat na tiningnan ni Patriarch Zhou si Ye Wan Wan. "Ang Independent State… ay may telebisyon rin…"

"Oh… Right, China has cars, like the ones that people sit in…"

"Ay… Oo nga pala, may kotse naman sa China, yung mga inuupuan ng mga tao…"

Patriarch Zhou was taken aback again. "The Independent State… also has cars… Big cars, little cars, sports cars, race cars, go-karts…"

Nagulat si Patriarch Zhou. "May… nga kotse rin sa Independent State… Malalaki, maliliit, pang-sport, pang-karera na kotse, may go-carts rin…"

Their Independent State wasn't some sealed-off fifth-world country, alright…

Hindi isang saradong fifth-world country ang Independent State nila, okay...