Chapter 46: Wild Dodder (4)

Among Bai Ling’s companions, Fu Jingyan was the eldest, but he himself wasn’t much older either. He had just graduated from university last year and started interning at his family’s company this year. If not for his parents’ insistence on him accompanying Bai Ling, he would have been diligently working at the company instead of being burdened with taking care of these privileged youngsters.

Rather than being her playmate, he essentially served as Bai Ling’s nanny. While the twins focused solely on their games and Zhu Zhan preferred solitude, Fu Jingyan had to constantly watch over Bai Ling, ensuring her well-being and occasionally soothing her sensitive nerves. Despite appearing attentive, he knew deep down that they were not truly close.

Bai Ling held no significant affection towards him, and he merely viewed caring for her as a duty and obligation.

The closest moment between them occurred when Bai Ling abruptly changed her demeanor aboard the private jet. To prevent the young lady’s reckless actions, he had firmly grasped her delicate wrists, and after she fainted, securely cradled her in his arms.

In that dire situation, Fu Jingyan’s sole focus was on escaping with her safely. Amidst their desperate struggle for survival, how could he have paid attention to the softness of the girl’s body or her delicate grace? It wasn’t until now, as he held this fragile form close, that he suddenly realized why the Bai family cherished and protected her so deeply.

She resembled a flower - delicate, exquisite, carrying the sweet fragrance akin to petals adorned with crystalline dewdrops. Although she might possess slight thorns, they were never prickly but rather teasingly gentle, stirring a desire to softly caress the stem and gradually touch the tender blossoms.

Fu Jingyan suppressed this impulse.

He knew Bai Ling’s behavior was not normal. Why would she seek him out? Why embrace him? And why… kiss him?

Everything felt extraordinarily surreal. Under the moonlit beach, even her presence seemed almost illusory.

With a peculiar mix of emotions, Fu Jingyan gently placed his hands on Bai Ling’s shoulders and struggled to push the young lady away. His expression stern, filled with confusion and bewilderment, he asked coldly, almost reprimanding, “Do you know what you’re doing?”

As if fearing his rejection, after being pushed aside, the girl forcefully threw herself back into his arms once more.

Her force, though strong for her, was negligible to Fu Jingyan. He could have easily evaded, but he allowed this flower to collide into his embrace.

“Sob…sob…” Bai Ling’s weeping reached his ears, even her cries sounding melodious and enchanting. How had he never noticed this before?

The girl gently clutched at his shirt, her fingers delicate and fair, nails rounded with a soft sheen. Fu Jingyan wasn’t sure why he observed her so closely; it just felt as if there was a peculiar allure about Bai Ling that made it difficult for him to look away.

“I was wrong…” The young woman lifted her head to gaze at him, her eyes misty yet filled with intense fervor. Fu Jingyan suddenly recalled where he had seen such a gaze before-it was the same expression Bai Ling wore when looking at Xuan Yiqing.

As an observer back then, he had already sensed the fragile beauty in that emotion, but facing it directly now, the impact was more profound than he imagined…

“I was wrong, it wasn’t voluntary, he forced me.” The girl uttered strange words, seemingly trapped in self-loathing, continuously apologizing to him, “Jingyan, please forgive me?”

Fu Jingyan frowned slightly, “What are you saying?”

“I feel so distressed, Jingyan.” Bai Ling took his hand and gently placed it over her heart. “My heart is hurting.”

Under Fu Jingyan’s palm lay the soft contours of the girl’s body, accompanied by faint yet undeniable heartbeats. As if burned, he hastily withdrew his hand, face flushed.

“H-How could you let someone—!” Touch such intimate places without consent! His emotions, already barely suppressed, now completely unraveled.

“Little Ling, wake up!” Fu Jingyan gripped Bai Ling’s hands, afraid to exert any force. With utmost patience, he called out her name repeatedly, “This isn’t right…”

“I’m wrong, I truly know I’m wrong,” Bai Ling pleaded. “Jingyan, can you… Can you give me my medicine?” She gazed at him with intense, beseeching eyes. “You haven’t given me my medication all day; I know you must be angry.”

“Please, administer today’s dose. I won’t be with anyone else, I belong only to you.” As she spoke, the young woman leaned forward to kiss his lips again.

“Give it to me, please?”

A sudden realization struck Fu Jingyan’s mind—Zhu Zhan’s words echoed, suggesting that Bai Ling’s claims might indeed be true.

True? What could be true?

Were her prophecies accurate? Were her statements genuine?

They had harmed her, or rather, their future selves had hurt her, which must explain her current behavior.

What would he have done to her? Controlled her obedience through medication? Forced her to comply with his every command without resistance?

Fu Jingyan found this speculation utterly insane! How could he possibly resort to such actions?!

“Jingyan…” The young girl continued calling out to him, like a kitten pleading for its caretaker, “Why won’t you give it to me?”

Seeing no response from him, the girl reached into his embrace and began searching frantically, “Where’s the medicine? Jingyan, where did you put it?”

Heat surged through Fu Jingyan’s body. He knew he should promptly hand over the bottle she needed, but his body acted against his thoughts. Turning away, he evaded the girl’s search, grasped her wrist firmly, and said sternly, “Don’t touch me randomly.”

Crystal-like tears rolled down from the girl’s eyes as she sobbed and complained, “You won’t give it to me!”

Fu Jingyan gently embraced the girl, unable to resist lowering his head and tenderly kissing her forehead.

“I’ll give it to you,” Fu Jingyan murmured, unsure of what he was doing. Yet, he continued caring for this young lady with an even softer demeanor than before, tenfold or perhaps hundredfold gentler.

“I’ll fetch some water for you, and then I’ll help you take your medicine. Please wait here obediently.” Fu Jingyan straightened the young lady’s coat, feeling an unprecedented sense of satisfaction seeing her clad in his clothing.

“Will you stay put and not wander off?” Fu Jingyan asked.

The girl hastily shook her head. “I’ll wait right here.”

“You’re such a good Little Ling,” Fu Jingyan couldn’t help but praise her again.

Giving her several more lingering glances, he finally turned hurriedly towards their campsite to retrieve the water.

He needed to bring it back swiftly to feed his young lady.

As soon as Fu Jingyan left, Tong Ling remained frozen in place, clutching the coat tightly with both hands and anxiously gazing in the direction he had departed.

m577, growing increasingly exasperated by the host’s act, couldn’t help but chime in: [Everyone’s gone; who are you still pretending for…]

“You don’t understand. It’s about maintaining the perfect image at all times,” Tong Ling hummed dismissively. “There might be night owls awake, secretly watching.”

[How could…?] m577 was about to counter when it suddenly detected a fleeting human heat signature near the woods. By the time it tried to recheck, the signal had vanished. [There really is someone there!]

“Usually, you immediately alert me whenever anyone is around. Why so slow today?” Tong Ling criticized.

m577 displayed a pained expression: [I was simply captivated by your performance, damn it! I can’t believe how engrossed I became. Oh no, my programming must be malfunctioning!]

“Have you added swear words to your vocabulary?” Tong Ling asked. “That’s not acceptable; it’s unhealthy.”

m577’s mental state cracked further: [Unhealthy for whom, exactly?]

“And whose fault would it be if I become unhealthy?” Tong Ling countered.

m577 instantly cowered: [Bell Sister, oh dear sister, can we stop hurting each other?]

Tong Ling rolled her eyes internally and responded, “Get lost!”

M577 obediently rolled away, its spherical form disappearing into the distance.

Fu Jingyan swiftly returned with Bai Ling’s small bottle of mineral water. Tong Ling noticed that the water level inside the bottle had significantly risen; evidently, Fu Jingyan had secretly refilled it for her.

“Did you wait long? Are you cold?” Under the moonlight, the girl’s face appeared almost translucently pale. Fu Jingyan gently touched her cheek, feeling its icy chill, and promptly pulled her into his embrace.

Tong Ling leaned affectionately against Fu Jingyan and softly whispered, “Jingyan, feed me quickly.”

She then opened her mouth, adopting a waiting posture to be fed.

Fu Jingyan’s gaze involuntarily fell upon the girl’s swollen red lips and her delicate tongue, his eyes flickering slightly. As he retrieved a medicine bottle from his pocket, he gently asked, “You mentioned someone forced you. Was it Zhu Zhan?”

Tong Ling shivered slightly and nodded softly.

“What did he do to you?” Fu Jingyan queried.

“In a hushed voice, Tong Ling replied, “I can’t say it; Jingyan will get angry.”

“I’m already getting angry because you won’t tell me,” Fu Jingyan said sternly. “I don’t want anyone to hurt you. If such incidents happen, you must let me know.”

Fu Jingyan found justification for his unusual behavior; he didn’t genuinely intend to do anything inappropriate with the young lady. Instead, he simply pitied her. Her mental state was disturbed, causing her to believe experiences that had never occurred were real. As someone entrusted with her care, how could Fu Jingyan stand idly by while she was bullied by those harboring malicious intent? He was merely looking after her, without any ulterior motives.

“He kissed me,” Tong Ling said softly, her gaze downcast. “He pushed me against a tree trunk, and it hurt so much.”

Fu Jingyan’s brows furrowed deeply. “Didn’t you try to resist him?”

“I didn’t have the strength…” Tong Ling looked at Fu Jingyan with a sense of grievance. “I told him to let go, but he didn’t listen. After kissing me, he just ran away.”

Fu Jingyan vividly imagined the scene unfolding as described. No wonder…no wonder Zhu Zhan would say such things—he truly did develop feelings for Bai Ling!

“Stay away from him from now on!” Fu Jingyan’s expression turned cold. “Except for me, anyone else might harm you, understand?”

Tong Ling obediently nodded and urged, “Jingyan, please feed me quickly.”

However, Fu Jingyan didn’t rush to comply, as there were many more questions he wanted to ask. “Where else are you injured?”

“On my back,” Tong Ling replied. “The tree bark caused a lot of pain.”

“Do you still have the ointment I gave you?” asked Fu Jingyan.

Tong Ling retrieved a tube of ointment from her jacket pocket. “It’s right here.”

“Let me apply the ointment first, and then I’ll give you your medicine,” Fu Jingyan said. As if seeking her consent, he added, “Is that okay?”

Tong Ling hesitated for a moment before replying, ”…I can have Qingqing apply the ointment instead.”

“She’s asleep now. Once I finish applying it, you won’t be in too much pain tomorrow.” Fu Jingyan picked up the ointment, gesturing for her to turn around. “Don’t worry, I won’t do anything inappropriate.”

With some reluctance, Tong Ling slowly turned away. Her dress had a hidden zipper at the back, making the application process considerably easier.

Fu Jingyan took a deep breath, reminding himself that his intentions were purely caring for Bai Ling; there was nothing improper about it.

Prepared mentally, Fu Jingyan removed the girl’s jacket, gently parted her smooth long hair, and carefully unzipped the dress. Upon seeing the numerous red abrasions covering her pale back, his anger flared instantly.

That bastard Zhu Zhan! Doesn’t he know how delicate Bai Ling’s body is? If Xuan Yiqing hadn’t brought her back, who knows what would have happened to his precious young lady…

“It might sting a bit, bear with it,” Fu Jingyan squeezed out some ointment and, using the gentlest touch, began applying it meticulously onto the girl’s tender skin.

“Hissss—” Tong Ling clutched at her slipping dress, letting out a soft gasp.

Fu Jingyan’s heart felt wrapped in a fluffy cloud, and his movements became even gentler. By the time he finished applying the ointment to the young lady, a light sheen of sweat had formed on his own body.

The ointment quickly formed a protective film over the wound. Ensuring everything was properly taken care of, Fu Jingyan zipped up Bai Ling’s jacket, carefully draped her coat back on, and once again cradled her in his arms.

She felt as delicate as a cloud; Fu Jingyan always feared that if he didn’t hold her tightly enough, Bai Ling might be swept away by the wind…

Tong Ling continued staring intently at the bottle of medication, silently expressing her need for it.

Initially, Fu Jingyan wanted to inquire about what Bai Ling knew, but ultimately, he decided against it. He poured out a single pill. Before he could feed it to her, the girl lowered her head, using her soft tongue to swiftly scoop the pill into her mouth. Then, she glanced towards the nearby bottle of mineral water.

Momentarily speechless, Fu Jingyan’s eyes darkened significantly. The sensation of her moist touch lingered on his palms, and his gaze once again fell upon the young lady’s small, pink tongue.

Confused, the girl tilted her head, not understanding why he hesitated so much without giving her water.

Fu Jingyan opened the bottle cap and, under the girl’s eager gaze, took a mouthful of the clear water.

He silently looked at Bai Ling, just as he had imagined it would happen. The young lady wrapped her arms around his neck, leaned up, and pressed her lips against his.

She desperately drew from the water source, the faint bitterness of the pill lingering, yet he felt an indescribable sweetness.

Fu Jingyan remained perfectly still, as if this way, he hadn’t done anything inappropriate towards the young lady.

After repeating this several times, the young lady contentedly lay back in his arms and soon drifted off to sleep, exhausted.

Striving to calm his racing heart, Fu Jingyan carefully put away the medicine bottle and water bottle, then carried Bai Ling back to their resting spot.

He glanced at the sleeping group; the twins were huddled closely together, Zhu Zhan sprawled awkwardly, and Xuan Yiqing, like before, hadn’t moved an inch. He placed the young lady next to Xuan Yiqing, sat down by the nearly extinguished fire pit, and added more branches to keep it alive.

Facing the flickering flames, Fu Jingyan let out a deep, drawn-out sigh, not having closed his eyes all night.

M577 struggled to comprehend this turn of events; it never expected Fu Jingyan to act in such a manner: [“He shouldn’t have… How could the male lead…”]

In the original plot, on the deserted island, the male lead did care for Bai Ling for some time. This care was pure and selfless, only gradually diminishing once food scarcity became severe. From the storyline, the male lead’s sense of justice seemed stronger than most others’, so how could he…

“He is a natural-born leader, inherently possessing a strong desire for control,” Tong Ling said with her eyes closed. “If even I couldn’t resist his dominance, how could he suppress it?”

M577 continued mumbling: [“This isn’t how it should be…”]

“Enough, shut up and go to sleep,” Tong Ling insisted. Her body needed ample rest, and soon she drifted off into deep slumber.

The next morning, Fu Jingyan woke everyone up, first distributing food before assigning tasks for the day: “The nights are too cold, and if we continue sleeping exposed like this, sooner or later, someone will fall ill. We need to find ways to build shelter. First, let’s create tools for cutting down trees. Check the wreckage of the plane for any usable sharp instruments. Men, figure out how to chop wood, while women…”

Fu Jingyan directly looked at Xuan Yiqing. “Miss Xuan, would you search the woods for edible food? Any issues with that?”

Xuan Yiqing swiftly responded, “No issues!”

Fu Jingyan anticipated this reaction from her; since she could find Mosquito-repelling Grass, naturally she could locate food as well. With Xuan Yiqing having access to such information, Fu Jingyan intended to make practical use of her abilities.

Everyone received their tasks except Tong Ling, who was left out.

Duan Jiaze, who had previously been most affectionate towards Bai Ling, suddenly spoke up, “Why doesn’t Elder Sister Bai have anything to do…?” He glanced at Fu Jingyan, his finely chiseled face bearing an odd smile. “Could it be that Fu Ge wants to keep Elder Sister Bai alone here?”

Initially surprised, Duan Jiayou looked at his brother but quickly agreed due to their twin bond, “Yeah, yeah, why didn’t Fu Ge assign something to Elder Sister Bai?”

“Didn’t this woman say herself yesterday that she can’t help much?” Zhu Zhan, hands shoved in his pockets, stole a casual glance at Bai Ling and loudly remarked, “Let her stay by herself then, so her clumsiness doesn’t hinder us.”

Xuan Yiqing assumed a concerned expression and said, “Lingling’s body… isn’t suited for much work.”

Fu Jingyan addressed the twins, “If Little Ling doesn’t fall ill, that already lightens our burden. As for her share of tasks…”

Before Fu Jingyan could finish, Zhu Zhan swiftly interjected, “How much can she handle? I’ll cover her portion!”

Xuan Yiqing hurriedly added, “As I mentioned last night, I will take care of Lingling’s part.”

Fu Jingyan nodded. “I’ll assist as well.”

Duan Jiaze gazed at Bai Ling with envy written all over his face, saying, “Ah… Elder Sister Bai is so lucky, with so many people vying to help her. Why don’t I have such good fortune?”

“Little You,” Duan Jiaze blinked, asking, “Is it because I’m not pretty enough?”

Duan Jiayou responded with a playful expression, “Not as pretty as me.”

“Oh no, we’re both pitiful souls without anyone’s assistance.” Duan Jiaze drooped his head and shuffled closer to Bai Ling. Before he could get nearer, though, she darted like a rabbit to Xuan Yiqing’s side and clung tightly to her arm.

Although Bai Ling didn’t say anything, her resistance was unmistakably clear.

Duan Jiaze’s expression immediately darkened, but he hastily feigned tears and whimpered, “Wah… Little You, Elder Sister Bai still won’t acknowledge me.”

Duan Jiayou also put on a pitiful face towards Bai Ling.

Xuan Yiqing patted the young lady’s hand, signaling her to relax.

Tong Ling managed a forced smile, saying, “You got too close all of a sudden… I’m not quite comfortable with it.”

“It was fine before, so why has it changed now?” Duan Jiaze remained somewhat unhappy.

“Seriously, enough already! It’s so annoying!” Zhu Zhan stepped forward with his long legs, positioning himself protectively in front of Tong Ling. He exclaimed, “If she doesn’t like people getting close, just keep your distance! You’re not a child anymore; constantly clinging to others—have you not outgrown that stage?!”

As Zhu Zhan moved closer, Tong Ling’s entire body tensed even more.

Fu Jingyan furrowed his brow and urged, “Alright, everyone should get back to their tasks. Don’t waste time here!”

Zhu Zhan shot a warning glance at the twins, only allowing his anger to subside once they had walked far away. Then, he turned to look at Bai Ling.

However, Bai Ling didn’t spare him a single glance, showing no reaction whatsoever to his attempt at protection. This left Zhu Zhan feeling awkward again.

Human self-esteem is indeed peculiar; when someone goes out of their way to make amends and please another person, only to be completely ignored throughout, they often feel frustrated and aggrieved.

This was Zhu Zhan’s first time treating a woman with such meticulous care. He knew he had done wrong and scared her. He apologized and suppressed his unsavory thoughts—so why…why couldn’t she show him just a bit of lenience? His request wasn’t high—he merely wanted her to spare him a glance…

Seeing Zhu Zhan remain rooted in place, Fu Jingyan coldly asked, “Are you trying to shirk your duties?”

Zhu Zhan, holding back his anger, took a few steps forward but couldn’t resist turning back again. Still, he didn’t receive that gaze he yearned for.

Finally, once everyone else had left, Fu Jingyan’s expression softened. Just as he was about to speak to Bai Ling, the girl turned away from him, walking into the woods as if she hadn’t seen him at all.

Fu Jingyan suddenly realized that since waking up this morning, Bai Ling had reverted to her previous indifference towards him.

The events of last night… seemed like nothing more than his own delusion or dream. If not for the fact that he hadn’t slept all night, he might have thought it truly was a dream.

Feeling as though a bucket of icy water had been dumped on him, Fu Jingyan experienced a mix of complicated emotions and frustration.

Tong Ling, carrying her bottle of water, leisurely strolled into the woods. After using her jacket as a makeshift cushion, she found a cool spot under the shade of trees and settled down.

The temperature difference between day and night on the deserted island was significant. With the daytime sun scorching and blinding, Tong Ling had no intention of wandering aimlessly. Instead, she planned to comfortably lounge around like a laid-back fish all day.

“Looking at it this way, being a parasitic vine female supporting character isn’t so bad—food, drink, and the freedom to sleep whenever,” Tong Ling cheerfully remarked to the system.

m577, never having encountered someone who could be so relaxed during wilderness survival, begrudgingly responded, [”…As long as you’re happy.”]

However, not everyone appreciated her ease. While Tong Ling dozed off, someone approached her discontentedly.

“Elder Sister Bai.” The doll-like youth squatted beside Tong Ling, leaning close to whisper softly in her ear, “Don’t you despise all of us equally? Why treat Fu Jingyan differently? Even that fool Zhu Zhan seems to have shared some connection with you. So why won’t you give me a chance?”