Chapter 52: Wild Dodder (10)

The first to act was Fu Jingyan.

With his advantageous position and resources, he could accomplish much more than others. He had food and the medication the young lady required, making her dependent on him.

However, the challenge lay not in convincing Bai Ling to stay with him, but rather in persuading Zhu Zhan and the rest to abandon her.

Fu Jingyan had observed Zhu Zhan’s behavior towards Bai Ling that stormy night all too clearly. For the entire evening, Zhu Zhan held her without letting go, even as his body shivered uncontrollably from the cold.

Zhu Zhan wasn’t someone who would willingly relinquish her, but Fu Jingyan intended to force his hand.

Fu Jingyan began rationing everyone’s food secretly. When Zhu Zhan approached him for provisions, he claimed they had run out entirely. This deception went unnoticed, as he always collected the daily rations in front of everyone, making it apparent when supplies were truly depleted.

When hunger strikes, survival becomes the sole focus; there is little room to worry about anyone else. Fu Jingyan aimed to ensure Zhu Zhan would be too preoccupied to concern himself with Bai Ling.

As for how the group would fare without their allocated food, they simply needed to follow Xuan Yiqing diligently in search of sustenance. Fu Jingyan firmly believed in Xuan Yiqing’s ability to provide new sources of nourishment for everyone.

When Fu Jingyan declared there was no more food, Duan Jiaze nearly burst out laughing. He knew Fu Jingyan was lying; to feed Bai Ling, who knows how much he had secretly hoarded? But should he expose Fu Jingyan?

Duan Jiaze remained silent before the group.

Publicly revealing this would bring him no benefits. Moreover, his actions weren’t fundamentally different from Fu Jingyan’s—he too had hidden and saved food for the young lady. Precious sustenance ought to be reserved for precious people; sharing itself held no meaning.

Duan Jiayou even less cared about voicing any objections.

He possessed the best food among everyone, so if others didn’t have anything to eat, wouldn’t it just make things easier for him? The young lady and his brother would realize that he was the most important person.

Only Zhu Zhan, who hadn’t covertly stashed any food and faithfully followed the rules, was genuinely taken aback upon hearing they’d run out. Upon learning this, he stood frozen on the spot.

His initial reaction was surprise, but then he immediately worried: what would happen to the young lady without food? They had almost entirely picked the fruits from the trees, leaving very few edible ones behind. The remaining ones were bitter and astringent; Zhu Zhan didn’t even consider letting Bai Ling taste them.

He himself, being strong and robust, could endure going hungry for several days with little issue. However, Bai Ling’s frail body might not hold up—especially since she had only recently recovered from illness, her health still fragile and in need of nourishment.

Food… Where could he find food…

Zhu Zhan’s gaze involuntarily turned towards Xuan Yiqing; he knew she must have some way.

Xuan Yiqing wasn’t just pestered by Zhu Zhan alone. Apparently due to her finding the fruit tree, everyone believed she had access to more sustenance, and indeed, she did possess crucial information.

Watching these men who had meticulously cared for Bai Ling during the rainy night now circling around her in search of nourishment, Xuan Yiqing felt a mix of subtle emotions yet also satisfaction.

It turns out, controlling someone is quite simple—in this deserted island, a bit of food can easily alter their behavior and thoughts.

This feeling was even more pronounced when they were at the camp, as not a single person shared their food with Bai Ling.

Bai Ling was very obedient; whenever Xuan Yiqing instructed her to keep secrets, she truly said nothing.

Seeing how reliant Bai Ling was on her, Xuan Yiqing occasionally experienced a twinge of guilt and unease. However, upon remembering that no one else contributed any food, that discomfort swiftly vanished.

Everyone was starving—so, what’s wrong with prioritizing your own hunger first? She was merely making the choice anyone would likely make.

m577 was greatly taken aback by the situation at the camp; during the rainy night, it had even worried that with the host receiving such care, the original plot might easily unravel.

In the initial storyline, under conditions of food scarcity and worsening survival environment, the parasitic vine-like female character quickly became disfavored and tacitly abandoned by everyone.

Given how valued the current host clearly is, how could she end up following that path?

Trusting its host, m577 refrained from questioning her further. Unexpectedly, the plot took a dramatic turn and began aligning with the original narrative once more.

“Why?” m577, filled with mounting confusion, directly asked Tong Ling.

“Because I can’t remain in this group any longer.” A faint mocking smile played on Tong Ling’s lips. “When individuals secretly provided me with food, they didn’t intend to change the status quo. However, once they realized there were others also wanting to take care of me, their possessiveness would drive them to find ways to isolate me from the rest.”

“They’ll make others abandon me, forcing me to naturally choose ‘him’ instead,” Tong Ling said languidly as she sat inside the tree-built shelter, chin resting on her hand. “The one with the most resources holds the greatest influence.”

“Away from the complexities of modern society, here, even our modes of thinking become much simpler.”

“Fu Jingyan and the twins have food; why would they still follow Xuan Yiqing?” m577 pondered, feeling that the most dedicated pawn in this world was undoubtedly the protagonist, Xuan Yiqing. She practically embodied the epitome of resourceful survivors in its mind.

“On this deserted island, who wouldn’t want more to eat?” Tong Ling found the system’s question utterly foolish. “Besides, given how valuable the female lead is, who wouldn’t like her?”

Tong Ling emphasized, “I absolutely adore Qingqing!”

[…]

Alright then, only heaven knows what sins the protagonist committed to catch the host’s attention.

When Zhu Zhan secretly approached Bai Ling, he felt quite guilty. Over the past few days, relying on information from Xuan Yiqing, their group had managed to dig up some wild vegetables deep within the forest.

Zhu Zhan initially planned to bring the wild vegetables back to the camp, but unexpectedly, the others immediately used pots to cook them on the spot. Zhu Zhan received only a small portion, and being extremely hungry, he reluctantly ate his share under everyone’s watchful eyes.

Xuan Yiqing received the largest share of wild vegetables, as she was the one responsible for finding the sustenance. Both Fu Jingyan and the twins held her in high regard, making it awkward for even Zhu Zhan to ask her for additional food.

However, whenever Zhu Zhan thought about the young lady having nothing to eat, the meager amount of wild vegetables in his stomach caused him immense discomfort.

He never imagined himself to be so helpless; forget taking care of the young lady, he was barely managing with charity from others. After days of hardship, Zhu Zhan’s pride and sense of superiority had dwindled significantly.

Although unable to provide food for the young lady, Zhu Zhan still remembered her request. Through meticulous searching, he finally found some wild mint. He carefully dug up one plant, intending to give it to her as a gift.

Once the log cabin was built, Tong Ling no longer sought shade under trees. Instead, she opted to lounge inside, where it was not only cooler but also better ventilated. Most importantly, it offered greater privacy.

Seeing Zhu Zhan approach, Tong Ling pointed to the space beside her, gesturing for him to sit down.

However, Zhu Zhan, clutching the wild mint tightly, hesitated, afraid to move.

“Didn’t you want mint? I brought some for you.” Zhu Zhan dared not meet the young lady’s gaze, his words tinged with nervousness. “Choose where you’d like to plant it, and I’ll do it for you.”

“Plant it right next to me,” Tong Ling replied. Inside the log cabin, each person had their designated resting spot, and where Tong Ling lay was where she slept every night.

She brushed aside the leaves beneath her, creating a small patch for the mint to grow. “Right here, so I can see it every day.”

Zhu Zhan’s heart skipped a beat, unable to resist pondering the meaning behind Bai Ling’s words. Did she truly wish to see the mint he gifted her every day? He couldn’t even provide her with food; would she still want any association with him?

As soon as this thought surfaced, Zhu Zhan forcefully suppressed it. He was well aware of how absurd his feelings were. The relationship between him and Bai Ling had been coercively imposed by his own twisted desires. How could he dare hope for any genuine affection from the young lady?

Pushing aside his discomfort, Zhu Zhan dug into the soil with his hands and carefully planted the mint.

While planting, he casually asked, “Xuan Yiqing knows a lot about the deserted island and has found some food. Were you aware of these things?”

Tong Ling nodded, “I knew.”

“She doesn’t share her food with you, yet you’re not upset?” Zhu Zhan furrowed his brows, visibly annoyed at the young lady’s indifference.

Rolling her eyes at Zhu Zhan, Tong Ling replied, “I haven’t contributed any labor, so why should Qingqing give me food?”

Tong Ling subtly jabbed him again, “Aren’t you the same, not sharing your food either? Both you and Qingqing act alike, so why single her out with me?”

Zhu Zhan felt a dull ache in his heart and couldn’t speak for quite some time.

“If you have any information to share, I can help you find food,” Zhu Zhan murmured after composing himself briefly. “Everything I find will be yours.”

Tong Ling remained unmoved, replying, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

As soon as he finished planting mint, Tong Ling plucked a leaf, washed it, and tossed it into her water bottle. Watching the vibrant green mint leaf swirl in the water, she sipped from the bottle and remarked, “Did you know that drinking mint water can reduce the risk of heart disease?”

The change in topic lifted Zhu Zhan’s gloomy mood considerably. He shook his head honestly, responding, “No, I didn’t.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Zhu Zhan glimpsed Bai Ling placing a hand over her chest with a soft sigh, reigniting within him the desire to hold her close. Before, he had merely seen the young lady as overly delicate, believing her to be full of trivial complaints. Now, witnessing Bai Ling’s suffering due to her heart condition, his own heart seemed to clench painfully.

His hands involuntarily yearned to touch Bai Ling, but the dirt on them restrained his impulse.

“Of course, the primary benefit of peppermint water isn’t just that.” Tong Ling turned her head slightly, pursing her lips briefly. “Peppermint leaves really freshen the breath; I can feel my mouth tasting pleasantly minty.”

Involuntarily, Zhu Zhan’s gaze shifted to the young lady’s red and plump lips.

Realizing he was once again entertaining inappropriate thoughts, Zhu Zhan firmly pinched his thigh and hastily stepped back two paces, saying, “I’ll go attend to my tasks now. You continue resting.”

He hadn’t even brought any food, just a handful of wild mint—what more could she expect from him? Feeling ashamed for having such shameless thoughts on an empty stomach, he thought, I’m truly being despicable.

Watching Zhu Zhan hurriedly depart, Tong Ling rested her chin in her hand, her eyes revealing a hint of boredom. “Useless fool.”

Among everyone here, Zhu Zhan was the most single-minded, still blissfully unaware of what was going on. It was anyone’s guess when he would finally notice something amiss.

As Zhu Zhan left the log cabin, he bumped into one of the twins acting somewhat furtively. The doll-like youth kept glancing behind him with a hesitant expression, as if deep in thought about something. Upon seeing Zhu Zhan emerge from the cabin, his eyes immediately widened, exclaiming, “Zhu Zhan, what are you doing here!”

“I haven’t even asked what you’re doing here yet.” Zhu Zhan patted away the dried mud on his hands and grabbed the youth by the collar. “Don’t stay here; come with me to the seaside to see if we can find something edible.”

“No way, no way! If you want to go, do it yourself!” Duan Jiaze tried to bat away Zhu Zhan’s hand, but Zhu Zhan held him firmly, giving him no chance to escape.

“The young lady inside needs rest—don’t disturb her,” Zhu Zhan said as he dragged the boy along. Clearly, he was determined not to let Duan Jiaze encounter Bai Ling.

Duan Jiaze clenched his teeth angrily. “Stupid Zhu Zhan, can’t you just get lost?”

“Hah, have you forgotten how you and your twin brother treated me before?” As the strongest among them, Zhu Zhan paid no heed to Duan Jiaze’s resistance and simply hauled him away.

Once both Zhu Zhan and Duan Jiaze had disappeared from sight, Duan Jiayou, who had been trailing behind his brother, emerged with a smile.

In contrast to the sneaky Duan Jiaze, Duan Jiayou confidently straightened up and strode into the log cabin.

He walked briskly over to the young lady’s side and sat down cross-legged.

Seeing the mint plant beside Bai Ling, he scoffed lightly, “Is this what Zhu Zhan brought to curry favor with you?”

Tong Ling looked up at Duan Jiayou.

She then saw the youth take a nougat candy from his pocket. He and his brother seemed like carbon copies of each other, even sharing a similar manner of offering treats.

“What’s the point of that cheap stuff compared to my candies?” Licking his lips, Duan Jiayou tore open the wrapper. “Let’s try it together.”

Young boys always have such strong curiosity. Duan Jiayou broke off a small piece of candy and brought it to the young lady’s mouth. The moment Bai Ling bit down on the candy, he leaned forward for a kiss.

He was much more impatient than Duan Jiaze; at least Jiaze would wait until the young lady finished eating before tasting her himself. In contrast, Jiayou wasted no time, fully immersing himself in the experience.

The crunchy almonds, sweet honey, combined with the faint minty aroma from the young lady’s breath, created an unprecedentedly delightful confection. Duan Jiayou’s eyes sparkled brightly as he held Bai Ling’s soft body close, delightedly pressing kisses multiple times on the young lady’s face.

“Absolutely delicious!” As memories of all the missed flavors flooded back, Duan Jiayou once again resented Duan Jiaze internally, thinking, “Why didn’t I get to know this sooner? Frustrating!”

Initially intending to give her just a small piece, Duan Jiayou couldn’t resist temptation and broke off another fragment to feed her.

After he had fed her the entire nougat candy, whether due to emptiness or dissatisfaction, his whole being fell into a restless mood.

“No wonder Renjie’s chocolate disappeared so quickly,” Duan Jiayou murmured dejectedly as he gently rested his head on the girl’s fair shoulder. “At this rate, how long can I keep eating… It’s not enough, it’s completely not enough!”

Tong Ling slightly furrowed her brow at Duan Jiayou’s clingy behavior. “Loosen up a bit; aren’t you feeling hot like this?”

“Elder Sister Bai, your body is cool and so comfortable.” Duan Jiayou acted coyly. “Elder Sister Bai, why don’t you let me be your only feeder from now on? Unless my brother apologizes to me, ignore him.”

“Your food is indeed excellent, but there’s something even more important for me,” Tong Ling said.

Duan Jiayou immediately became intrigued. “What, what is it? Here, what could possibly surpass what I offer?”

Tong Ling leaned close to Duan Jiayou’s ear and whispered softly, “It’s about medicine, Little You.”

“Without food, I would be hungry, but without my medicine, I could very well die.”

Duan Jiayou’s expression instantly shifted, his arms tightening further around her. “Elder Sister Bai, your medicine…”

“Fu Jingyan has control over my medication,” Tong Ling said calmly to the young man. “So being your sole feeder is simply not possible.”

She gently disentangled herself from Duan Jiayou’s embrace. “Our arrangement will soon come to an end.”

“If Jingyan finds out, it might end even quicker.” Duan Jiayou’s eyes darkened slightly.

“What do you mean by ‘soon’? We’ve just begun! My food is the best!” he protested.

“I have no choice in the matter,” Tong Ling replied with a hint of resignation in her voice. “Whenever he needs me, I must obediently go to him.”

“On this issue, Little Zuo is aware,” Tong Ling looked at Duan Jiayou and suggested, “Why don’t you ask Little Zuo how our relationship began?”

“The first person to care for me was never him,” she emphasized.