The jaboticaba berries tasted just okay after eating too many of them. Figuring they were probably a staple food here, Zhang Liu didn't overdo it. He stopped after about ten or so.
Then he started dividing the oyster meat and coconut flesh into three equal portions, scooping them into coconut shells.
Girls can sometimes be more attentive to details than boys. Zhang Liu didn't want Anya and Qin Ruoshuang to start nitpicking about who got more or less the next day.
"Coconut meat is really gross." During the day, when Anya had her first lunch of coconut flesh, she could still tolerate the bland taste. But now, on her second meal, she was already complaining.
Zhang Liu and Qin Ruoshuang could only sigh inwardly in response.
"Let's figure it out tomorrow. We'll try to start a fire then," Zhang Liu said, chewing the rubbery coconut flesh with effort. "At least we'll have something hot to eat."
"You mean drilling wood to make fire?" Even as she griped about the taste, Anya's hunger drove her to finish all her coconut meat. And she didn't mind the sliminess of the oyster meat at all. After the coconut, she grabbed a few pieces and shoved them into her mouth, swallowing decisively—more boldly than Qin Ruoshuang or Zhang Liu.
"We'll give it a shot tomorrow. Not sure if it'll work," Zhang Liu shook his head. The first method that came to mind was rubbing sticks together to create friction and heat. But... it seemed unrealistic. He understood the principle, sure—friction generates heat. But could he really get the wood hot enough with just his hands? Zhang Liu wasn't confident.
Qin Ruoshuang ate in silence. As the air grew colder, the discomfort in her lower abdomen intensified.
After forcing down the last oyster, she turned to Zhang Liu in the fading light and said, "I'm full. Can you finish the rest of my coconut meat?"
"Sure!" Zhang Liu nodded, took the remaining pieces from her, and stuffed them all into his mouth.
The last sliver of sunlight sank below the horizon, and the lingering blush in the sky faded from the clouds. Darkness claimed the entire space, and the world fell suddenly quiet.
"It's dark now," Anya murmured, curling up beside Qin Ruoshuang. Feeling the support from her classmate, she let out a relieved breath. "It was the same last night. So scary."
"It's okay—at least there are stars," Zhang Liu lay not far from the two girls, hands pillowed behind his head. He gazed at the starry sky through the cave entrance and spoke to reassure them. "It's the new moon phase, so the moon isn't very visible. But around the full moon, it'll be huge."
"Yeah... I remember the last activity on our school trip was moon-watching," Qin Ruoshuang chimed in, agreeing with Zhang Liu while pressing closer to Anya. Her lower abdomen felt icy cold now, and her whole body ached. She desperately needed any warmth she could get.
Anya noticed Qin Ruoshuang's movement. She paused for a moment, then realized her friend was on her period.
Groping for Qin Ruoshuang's hand in the dark, Anya held it gently and whispered almost inaudibly, "Your hand is freezing. How are you feeling?"
"It's nighttime, so it's worse," Qin Ruoshuang replied in a faint voice, embarrassed that Zhang Liu might overhear. "My pants might be ruined too."
"Better than going without," Anya heard the guilt in her voice and quickly comforted her. "Why don't you hug me while we sleep?"
"Huh?" Qin Ruoshuang was slow to process, but Anya was already selling the idea in a hushed tone: "My mom always says I'm like a little heater. Hugging me warms you right up!"
With that, she shifted closer, ready to nestle into Qin Ruoshuang's arms to provide heat.
But Qin Ruoshuang stopped her firmly.
"My stomach hurts... I can't have pressure on it," she explained quickly, sensing Anya's confusion. "Just holding my hand like this helps a lot."
"Okay." Anya nodded, then removed the skirt from her waist and draped it over their lower abdomens, offering a bit of insulation.
Zhang Liu had been overhearing the whispers and rustling sounds from the two beside him, but he stayed out of it—it was girl stuff, after all.
Soon, the three fell quiet and drifted off to sleep.
With shelter around them, their sense of security improved immensely.
"Owooo..."
The steady howling of wolves echoed through the night, waking Qin Ruoshuang first.
Anya, whose head was resting on her chest, stirred awake from the movement. Then the wolf howls startled her too—she'd been terrified by them last night as well.
Zhang Liu, meanwhile, remained fast asleep.
"It's okay..." Feeling Anya's slight trembling, Qin Ruoshuang—nervous herself—pretended to be calm, gripping her hand in return and whispering reassurance. "Zhang Liu said wolves won't attack large, unfamiliar animals without reason."
"Oh." Anya nodded faintly, not saying more. She could feel Qin Ruoshuang's palms sweating; clearly, she was either lying or just as scared.
After a moment's thought, Anya whispered Zhang Liu's name. Having a guy awake right now would make her feel safer.
But Zhang Liu slept like the dead—nothing short of thunder could wake him.
Last night, Qin Ruoshuang had called out for half an hour before rousing him. Anya's fearful whisper stood no chance.
"Do you like him?" Just as Anya gave up calling and started to crawl over to shake him awake, Qin Ruoshuang's question caught her off guard.
"..." Anya froze mid-movement.
She hadn't expected Qin Ruoshuang to be so blunt.
"You... what are you talking about? How could I possibly..." Anya flopped back down like a thief caught in the act, her eyes darting to the boy sleeping soundly nearby.
But she couldn't bring herself to finish the denial.
Anya was worried about one thing: What if Zhang Liu was pretending to be asleep? Saying something like that would be mortifying.
"Don't worry, he sleeps like a rock. Last night with the howling, I called forever before he woke up," Qin Ruoshuang sensed her hesitation and continued. "There's a huge gap between you and Zhang Liu."
"Yeah... there is," Anya nodded. She knew the differences all too well.
Since arriving here, Zhang Liu had been proactive, problem-solving, and pulling his weight. She, on the other hand, had been in a daze the whole time.
After thinking it over, Anya gritted her teeth and said, "I'll try harder to help out."
"That's not what I mean. I'm talking about the status gap. You're the heir to the An family—a super-wealthy Japanese dynasty—while Zhang Liu's just an ordinary poor student. Here on this deserted island, that wealth difference doesn't matter. But if we get rescued?" Qin Ruoshuang gently pulled the silent Anya into a hug and added, "That's all I'll say. Think about it."
Qin Ruoshuang's words threw Anya's thoughts into chaos.
After a long pause, she finally whispered, "What if we have to stay here forever?"
Qin Ruoshuang was stunned. She hadn't expected that response.