"But this is just a passing thought," Zhang Liu said, glancing at Anya, who was eyeing him warily, and Qin Ruoshuang, who looked surprised. He rubbed his hands together and continued, "You're both so beautiful, and with no laws to hold us back in this situation, I must be up to no good!"
He let out a couple of playful chuckles as he spoke.
"Zhang Liu... you... you..." Anya stammered, so frightened by his behavior that she was on the verge of tears. She pressed herself against Qin Ruoshuang, trembling, unable to form a complete sentence.
Anya had briefly seen Zhang Liu as her prince charming, but she never imagined he'd suddenly act so menacing.
"Zhang Liu, stop scaring Anya," Qin Ruoshuang said, studying the boy's expression closely, particularly the barely suppressed smirk tugging at his lips. She sighed helplessly. "Let's focus on the important stuff."
"Alright, let's set a serious tone," Zhang Liu said with a grin, though his face gradually grew solemn.
Anya, still shaken by his sudden shift, sat quietly next to Qin Ruoshuang, both of them listening intently.
"I'm not going to have any bad intentions toward you," Zhang Liu began, pointing at the hard ground beneath them. He took a deep breath and continued in a serious tone, "The fact that rescue hasn't arrived yet is undeniable. According to our earlier plan, we need to start actively saving ourselves. The best-case scenario is escaping this place. At the very least, we need to survive here."
He went on, "Right now, we don't have any tools—just our own hands. So, the first thing we need to do is face reality and stop thinking about romance or anything like that."
With those words, Zhang Liu firmly dispelled any lingering romantic notions in Qin Ruoshuang and Anya's minds.
There was one thing he didn't mention, though: in a place like this, if something were to happen—like a pregnancy—the consequences would be catastrophic.
Taking another deep breath to steady himself, Zhang Liu looked at the two girls, whose expressions had grown serious, and continued, "We currently have a stable water source, shelter, a fire, and the beach provides basic food. That covers the minimum survival requirements. But that's not enough to build a boat capable of safely sailing out of here, nor is it enough to survive long-term."
He glanced outside the cave. Night had fallen, and everything was shrouded in darkness. Still, he could make out the silhouette of the tallest peak among the mountains. That peak was his goal—a vantage point to assess their situation. Plus, the wood and vines in the surrounding forest and plains were essential for building a seaworthy vessel.
"I have two requests," Zhang Liu said.
"First, on this deserted island, we need to put aside distinctions between men and women and do everything we can to survive until we're free. Second, I'll do my best to protect and care for you both until we escape. But once we're out, I hope you'll help me in return."
Seeing the confused looks on their faces, he explained, "For you two, returning to civilization means going back to a comfortable life, thanks to your families' wealth. But for me, I'll be completely out of step with the world. Even if I make it back, my future looks bleak. My two younger sisters will likely face major upheaval next year because we can't afford their tuition. My return will only add more burden to my family."
He paused, his expression growing somber. "So, when the time comes, I'm just asking for a loan to help me get through the toughest part of readjusting."
For Zhang Liu, if it weren't for his responsibility to his sisters, he might not even want to leave this island after a few years. Returning to society after being cut off for so long would be like a slow death for someone like him, with no high school diploma and no prospects.
"What's your plan, Zhang Liu?" Qin Ruoshuang asked, her voice steady. His words had reassured her, making it clear he had no ill intentions toward her or Anya. She also agreed with his ultimate goal: escape. But she still wasn't sure what specific steps he had in mind.
Anya, meanwhile, sat up straight after his speech, her face radiating determination, as if saying, I'm dependable, so leave everything to me once we're out of here.
"The first step is finding resources," Zhang Liu said, tossing a thick piece of firewood into the flames and watching it catch fire. He then outlined the next day's tasks.
"Tomorrow, I'll head to the beach and the forest to look for food. You two will split up. Qin Ruoshuang, you'll stay here to tend the fire and fill the water tank. Anya, you'll come with me to the beach to collect giant clam shells and anything else we can use to store water."
"Got it," Qin Ruoshuang and Anya said in unison, nodding to show they understood.
"The goal is to prepare so I can head to the plane wreckage without worrying," Zhang Liu continued. "A single piece of rusty metal could be used to cut fish or slice meat. Imagine what we could salvage from an entire plane wreck—materials we can't find in these barren mountains!"
"Oh, why didn't I think of that?" Anya exclaimed, tapping her head as if a lightbulb had gone off. In that moment, she truly grasped Zhang Liu's importance to their group. His physical strength was secondary; what mattered most was his ability to plan and think ahead.
"Starting tonight, I suggest we keep a watch," Zhang Liu continued, taking a sip of boiled water and spitting out a few grains of sand. "You've probably heard the wolves howling at night. Before, it was too dark to do anything, but now we have a fire. We need to keep it burning and stay alert for any emergencies."
Anya nodded eagerly, her eyes wide with admiration for Zhang Liu's thorough planning. Gone was the subtle disdain she'd once felt due to their different backgrounds.
"I'll take the watch tonight," Qin Ruoshuang offered with a smile. "You've both been looking out for me these past few days. It's my turn to contribute."
"No, I think Anya and I should take turns," Zhang Liu said, shaking his head. Turning to Anya, he added, "You'll get your period eventually, and Qin Ruoshuang can cover for you then. For now, you can help her with the watch."
"What about you?" Anya asked, her delicate hands fidgeting nervously. She was beginning to genuinely care about the boy in front of her.
"Me? What about me?" Zhang Liu asked, puzzled by her question.
After a long hesitation, Anya looked at him with concern. "If we arrange it like that, won't you have to stay up every night for the watch? You won't get any proper sleep..."
Zhang Liu stared at her, his brows furrowing. Back at school, Anya had often treated him like a hired hand, paying him to run errands. He'd never imagined she'd see him as someone to exploit for something like night watch duty.
"Anya, once my period's over, you and I can take turns," Qin Ruoshuang interjected, noticing Anya's cheeks flush with embarrassment.
Anya realized she'd misunderstood the situation.
"Uh, yeah! Actually, I was thinking I could take ten days off a month," Zhang Liu said jokingly, misinterpreting Anya's concern as an attempt to push more work onto him. He smiled sincerely and added, "Anyway, it's getting late. Why don't you two get some sleep?"