Qin Ruoshuang stirred, intending to take over Zhang Liu's night watch. She had always been a light sleeper, and the howling of wolves had jolted her awake, making it impossible to fall back asleep. When she noticed Anya wasn't on her shift, she decided to get up.
Tomorrow's tasks were simple: fetch water and tend to the fire nearby, with a chance to rest in between. But as she sat up, she spotted Zhang Liu cautiously positioned at the cave entrance, as if guarding against something.
Moving forward quietly, Qin Ruoshuang watched Zhang Liu's bold actions unfold. She was struck by his bravery, utterly amazed.
But in the next moment, something awkward happened. His mouth accidentally grazed her chest, and her body reacted instinctively. A mix of complex emotions—shyness, fear, and confusion—washed over her.
Zhang Liu, unable to hold his breath any longer, lifted his head and struggled to free himself from Qin Ruoshuang's embrace. One hand remained gently behind her head, while the other supported his weight. He ended up lying on top of her, breathing heavily.
His movement snapped Qin Ruoshuang out of her daze. She quickly sat up, covering the spot where his tongue had touched, her hands trembling. She glanced at Zhang Liu but said nothing, her body still shaking from the unexpected closeness.
"I'm sorry…" Zhang Liu muttered, his voice low. He rolled off her, moved to a spot by the fire, and sat down, his gaze fixed on the sea outside.
As he apologized, he felt a pang of helplessness. I'm the one who got startled, yet I'm the one apologizing? he thought.
Qin Ruoshuang didn't respond to his apology. Instead, her hand subconsciously brushed the inside of her thigh, where something firm had pressed against her moments ago. Was that… him? Her mind swirled with chaotic thoughts, her heart racing with unease.
After a long pause, she stood and walked over to Zhang Liu. Leaning against the rock wall, warmed slightly by the campfire, she looked down at the boy in front of her, lost in thought.
She hadn't sorted out the jumble of emotions from the incident, but one thing was clear: Zhang Liu shouldn't have to apologize. Even as he fell, he had instinctively used his hands to protect her head.
Hearing her movement behind him, Zhang Liu's heart pounded faster. He could still feel the lingering sensation on his tongue and the soft, overwhelming feeling of pressing against Qin Ruoshuang. Guilt gnawed at him.
Before they went to sleep, he had promised not to do anything. Yet here he was, caught up in what felt like a midnight ambush. What a bizarre situation, he thought.
"Zhang Liu, I'm feeling a bit cold and too worried to sleep. Can I sit next to you and talk?" Qin Ruoshuang's voice was soft and pleasant, deliberately hushed to avoid waking Anya, who was snoring loudly nearby.
"Sure, no problem!" Zhang Liu shifted to the side, subtly covering his lap with his arms to avoid any potential embarrassment if she noticed anything.
"You shouldn't have apologized for what happened," Qin Ruoshuang said quietly after sitting beside him. "I should be thanking you for protecting my head with your hands."
Her words brought Zhang Liu a wave of relief. It seemed she wasn't going to dwell on the awkward moment.
"Well, I'm still sorry," he said, turning to her with a small smile. "What's got you so worried?"
"I'm just… really frustrated," Qin Ruoshuang admitted, resting her chin on her left hand, her elbow propped on her thigh. She picked up a thin stick from the firewood pile with her right hand and absentmindedly poked at the fire. Tilting her head toward Zhang Liu, she continued, "I don't know what to do about the future."
"The future?" Zhang Liu echoed, momentarily at a loss for words.
She's a rich heiress who'll inherit her family's fortune if she makes it back home. And she's asking me—a guy who'd probably have to borrow money from her to get by—what to do about the future?
He couldn't help but find it absurd.
"Yeah, there's so much to think about," she went on. "You talked about building a ship to escape, but how do we even do that? The fruit we've been eating is almost gone—what are we supposed to do next? Our clothes will wear out eventually, and what happens when winter comes? And water…"
As Qin Ruoshuang listed her worries, Zhang Liu's lips curved into a faint smile.
"What's so funny?" she asked, her tone tinged with embarrassment and a hint of annoyance. "Is what I'm saying that ridiculous?"
"No, not at all!" Zhang Liu shook his head, tossing another piece of wood into the fire. "It's like this fire. Before I managed to start it by rubbing sticks together, I didn't believe it was possible. We just have to try things first. Only then will we see the results."
Qin Ruoshuang nodded slightly. She wasn't clueless—she'd already considered this perspective. But as a young woman, she craved the reassurance of hearing it from someone else. It made her feel grounded.
A brief silence settled between them. After a moment's hesitation, she spoke again. "Can we talk about something else?"
"Something else?" Zhang Liu asked, puzzled. He wasn't sure what she wanted to discuss.
"Like… your sister?" Qin Ruoshuang suggested, glancing back at Anya, who was still fast asleep.
She realized she knew very little about Zhang Liu compared to his classmate, Anya. Though she wasn't sure why it mattered, she wanted to understand him better. His sister, whom he often mentioned, seemed like the perfect starting point.
Anya probably doesn't know much about his sister, does she? The thought flitted through her mind.
"My sisters…" Zhang Liu's voice trailed off, his gaze softening as he stared at the starry sky. "I wonder how they're doing now…"
"Don't you have any other family?" Qin Ruoshuang asked, frowning. She was surprised that Zhang Liu had been caring for his sister alone. Surely a relative could help ease the burden, right?
"No," Zhang Liu replied, shaking his head. "I've never had other relatives. And…" He paused, licking his lips as he recalled his mother's words before she passed. "My parents cut ties with their families over twenty years ago after a big fight. They went off on their own, and we haven't had contact since. Forget relatives—my biological parents are probably gone by now."
Qin Ruoshuang nodded, understanding why Zhang Liu had to shoulder the responsibility of caring for his sister alone.
Then she shifted the conversation. "Actually, my sister takes good care of me too…"
"Your sister?" Zhang Liu looked at her, startled, before quickly remembering they were twins. "Her name was… something like Swallow, right?"
He wasn't great at remembering classmates' names, and the guess made him sound a bit clumsy.
"Swallow? Her name's Qin Ruoyan!" Qin Ruoshuang laughed at his dazed expression. Turning her gaze to the sea, she added, "Maybe she's here too, and we just haven't found her yet."
"Then I hope she's already been rescued," Zhang Liu said, unable to resist teasing her whimsical idea.
"Uh…" Qin Ruoshuang hesitated, then smiled and nodded. "Yeah, she must've been rescued!"
They continued chatting casually, the distant wolf howls fading into the night. The moon slipped deeper into the darkness.
As Zhang Liu's eyelids grew heavy and he prepared to keep talking to stay awake, he felt a weight on his shoulder. Turning his head, he saw Qin Ruoshuang had fallen asleep, her head resting against him.
As he shifted, she slumped further, her head now on his chest. Instinctively, he reached out to steady her, catching her gently.
Holding her soft arm, Zhang Liu gazed at her sleeping face, so close to his own. Her delicate breaths brushed against his cheek, and for a moment, he was lost in thought.