Chapter 55: Wild Dodder (13)

Duan Jiaze fished out the bottle of medicine from Fu Jingyan’s pocket swiftly and discreetly, without arousing any suspicion. As soon as he had it in hand, he slipped it into his own clothes and subtly signaled to his brother.

In unspoken agreement, they finished applying medication to Fu Jingyan and Zhu Zhan, then cheerfully said, “All done with the spray! You two take care and recover well; today we’re responsible for searching for food.”

Fu Jingyan got dressed and thanked the twins.

The twins were usually playful, but unexpectedly reliable when it came to serious matters, saving him some effort.

“Thank you for your hard work today,” Fu Jingyan acknowledged, feeling severe pain throughout his body and refraining from forcing himself to go outside.

Zhu Zhan didn’t have many wounds, but he temporarily didn’t want to be alone in the same space with Fu Jingyan, fearing he might lose control and lash out. After Duan Jiayou sprayed the medicine on him, Zhu Zhan stood up and silently left the log cabin.

Watching Zhu Zhan’s departing figure, Duan Jiayou muttered meaningfully, “Zhu Zhan seems quite upset. Will he still come with us…?”

Fu Jingyan’s gaze darkened slightly. “Let him do as he pleases; most people can’t handle his temper anyway.”

“Oh right, I need to trouble you both with something,” Fu Jingyan said to the twins. “Please bring Little Ling inside; she’s very frail, and it would be better for her to rest indoors.”

Duan Jiaze deliberately remarked, “Why bother where she rests? She doesn’t have any work to do anyway, so it shouldn’t matter where she stays.”

Duan Jiayou echoed him, “Exactly, exactly—don’t worry about her.”

The twins’ disregard for Bai Ling, paradoxically, made Fu Jingyan lower his guard against them.

Upon careful thought, ever since Bai Ling began avoiding the twins, they too had become more indifferent towards her. The only exception was that rainy night when they eagerly offered their jackets to Bai Ling.

Perhaps due to their reverence for life, they were genuinely anxious during that stormy evening.

Considering this, Fu Jingyan felt slightly relieved. He didn’t wish for anyone else to take an interest in the young lady; dealing with Zhu Zhan alone was already troublesome enough.

As Duan Jiaze and Duan Jiayou exited the log cabin, they spotted Zhu Zhan crouched on the grass, speaking with Bai Ling.

At that moment, Zhu Zhan appeared significantly more agitated than before. His behavior, circling around Bai Ling, resembled that of a puppy craving its owner’s affection but unable to receive it.

The twins could sense Zhu Zhan’s intense gloominess, which couldn’t help but elicit a smug satisfaction from them.

“Zhu Zhan, what were you saying to Elder Sister Bai?” Duan Jiaze approached voluntarily and feigned curiosity, asking, “Your expression looks terrible—were you about to get angry with Elder Sister Bai?”

Duan Jiayou winked at Bai Ling, “Elder Sister Bai, isn’t it hot sitting here? Would you like to move somewhere cooler?”

As soon as Zhu Zhan saw the twins, his brows furrowed almost instantly. He knew their presence meant he couldn’t continue his conversation with Bai Ling.

Last night, Bai Ling had been intoxicated, preventing Zhu Zhan from clarifying many things. Today, unable to hold back any longer, he confronted her because he refused to accept that Bai Ling liked Fu Jingyan. So just moments ago, Zhu Zhan asked if she was only acting so…so obedient towards Fu Jingyan for food.

Bai Ling shook her head, denying this notion.

“Then do you genuinely like him?” Zhu Zhan found himself consumed by an unprecedented resentment. “Aren’t you afraid of all of us here? Except for Xuan Yiqing, you don’t want contact with any other men, right?”

Bai Ling lowered her head, her voice soft but tone resolute. “I can’t be without him.”

“Can’t be without?” This explanation was certainly better than saying she liked him. Without hesitation, Zhu Zhan declared, “Regardless of what he does, I’ll find ways to help you achieve it too.”

“With that…”

The young lady looked straight at him. “You couldn’t manage it.”

Her tone was so certain, as if convinced he could never match up to Fu Jingyan.

Zhu Zhan nearly lost control of his emotions, but he restrained himself—facing the young lady always demanded his utmost patience. He couldn’t get angry with her, so all his frustration was directed inward, vexed at not having earlier discerned Fu Jingyan’s sordid intentions.

What had Fu Jingyan done for the young lady to utter “I can’t be without him”? Just pondering this thought ignited an uncontrollable fury within Zhu Zhan.

The arrival of the twins only exacerbated Zhu Zhan’s irritation; if he felt displeased, then neither would they enjoy any ease.

Grasping one twin with each hand, Zhu Zhan forcefully pulled them away from Bai Ling. “Come with me.”

Duan Jiaze and Duan Jiayou’s smiles instantly froze on their faces. They squirmed and struggled, yelling, “Idiot Zhu Zhan, let go!”

When Zhu Zhan took action, few could effectively resist him. Despite being two against one, the twins couldn’t immediately break free from his grip.

Before taking them away, Zhu Zhan glanced back at Bai Ling. “Rest well for now; I’ll come find you later.”

After deciding to claim the young lady, Zhu Zhan’s attitude towards Bai Ling had somewhat shifted. He no longer felt guilty when approaching her. If not for the inappropriate setting and the twins’ interference, Zhu Zhan would have eagerly pursued further actions.

He intended to treat the young lady better—better than Fu Jingyan ever did. She would be his. With him around, he wouldn’t allow any suspicious men near her.

Zhu Zhan didn’t stop until he had dragged the twins quite far away. He released his hold on them, but before they could slip away, he asked, “When did you find out about Fu Jingyan and Bai Ling?”

The twins were taken aback. ”…What are you talking about?”

Zhu Zhan meticulously examined their clothing, and his gaze gradually settled on Duan Jiaze. “Last night, you deliberately woke me up so that I would discover Fu Jingyan secretly feeding Bai Ling. What was your purpose?”

Duan Jiaze never expected Zhu Zhan to ask such a question.

In his eyes, Zhu Zhan was just a brainless idiot; Duan Jiaze could effortlessly incite conflict between him and Fu Jingyan like dogs fighting over a bone. Dealing with Zhu Zhan required hardly any effort at all.

Yet…

“Whatever you know, he must know as well.” Zhu Zhan’s gaze shifted to Duan Jiayou. “Have your brotherly relations mended? Judging by your appearances, you both seem quite pleased?”

Duan Jiayou’s heart thumped. Had he and Xiao Zuo been too obvious? No, they were acting pretty much as usual…

Seeing the growing suspicion in Zhu Zhan’s eyes, Duan Jiaze hastily said, “Zhu Zhan, what are you talking about? What do you mean ‘deliberately waking you up’? Didn’t I go out searching with you? Did you see something?”

Zhu Zhan clicked his tongue. “Is it only through force that you’ll confess everything?”

He rubbed his wrist, watching them with icy eyes. “Before, I didn’t bother holding it against you for treating me like an idiot. After all, I don’t care about others’ opinions of me. But now…”

Zhu Zhan’s hand tightened forcefully on Duan Jiaze’s shoulder. “I don’t want any secrets happening behind my back; it makes me very uneasy.”

“Ow, ow, ow!” Just as Duan Jiaze was about to curse at Zhu Zhan, their eyes met, and he pragmatically apologized instead. “Okay, okay, I’m wrong, I apologize—Zhu Zhan, let go first. I promise to tell you everything I know without leaving anything out!”

Even Fu Jingyan ended up getting pummeled when facing off against Zhu Zhan, so Duan Jiaze didn’t think he or his brother should challenge Zhu Zhan physically. That would be blatantly setting themselves up for failure!

Duan Jiayou hastily chimed in, “I won’t insult you anymore, Zhu Zhan, quickly release me.”

Seeing that his intimidation tactic worked, Zhu Zhan let go and leaned against a tree trunk, signaling them to explain one by one. He wasn’t in a rush.

Duan Jiaze’s eyes shifted, already forming an idea in his mind. “Alright, since you’ve figured it out, I won’t hide it anymore,” he sighed. “It was me who first discovered they had a secret relationship. Initially, I thought only Fu Ge and Elder Sister Bai were romantically involved, so I didn’t pay much attention. But later…”

Duan Jiayou, relying on their twin bond, continued smoothly, “Later, we didn’t expect our food supplies to run out so quickly. Based on Xiao Zuo and my calculations, they should have lasted for several more days—how could they be depleted that fast?”

“I realized Fu Ge and Elder Sister Bai were going out every night,” Duan Jiaze said. “I suspected Fu Ge was saving food for Elder Sister Bai…”

“After confirming this, we felt Fu Ge had gone too far, but we didn’t know what to do…” Duan Jiayou added.

Zhu Zhan let out a derisive laugh. “So you used me to create trouble for Fu Jingyan?”

“Zhu Zhan, don’t you think there’s something wrong with Fu Ge’s actions?” both twins asked simultaneously. “That was everyone’s food!”

“The issue of food aside, Fu Jingyan is indeed quite repulsive,” Zhu Zhan said, his face filled with disgust.

“If you want to take action against Fu Ge, we can help,” the twins promptly responded.

However, Zhu Zhan had little trust in them. Or rather, ever since discovering Fu Jingyan’s deeds, he instinctively harbored hostility towards all male creatures on the island.

Zhu Zhan believed Bai Ling’s “premonition” was accurate; both he and Fu Jingyan harbored inappropriate thoughts towards her.

The twins might have issues as well. Zhu Zhan sensed something off about them, but it seemed he couldn’t extract any further information.

“I noticed you two were quite enthusiastic with Fu Jingyan. If you truly want to deal with him, do it yourselves.”

Before parting from the twins, Zhu Zhan warned them, “From now on, I’ll be keeping an eye on you too. Don’t try anything funny, and… stay away from Bai Ling!”

Unreservedly expressing his possessiveness over Bai Ling in front of them, Zhu Zhan declared, “She belongs to me.”

This assertive demeanor felt more akin to the rebellious Zhu Zhan of the past.

Once Zhu Zhan had walked far enough, Duan Jiaze angrily kicked a tree trunk first, exclaiming, “Damn! What kind of attitude is that?”

“Not even Fu Jingyan suspected us, yet Zhu Zhan is already watching us closely…” Duan Jiayou’s expression darkened as well. “Now it won’t be easy for us to approach the young lady…”

“We have control over the medicine, so it’s not a problem.” Duan Jiaze took out the bottle from his pocket, shaking it slightly. “With this, the young lady no longer needs to be controlled by Fu Jingyan.”

“This medicine is crucial for the young lady. Won’t it get lost if you keep it, Gege?” Duan Jiayou wore an apprehensive expression. “How about placing it with me? I’ll take good care of it.”

Duan Jiaze paused, gripping the bottle tightly. “I’ll ensure its safety; don’t worry.”

Seeing Duan Jiaze’s reaction, Duan Jiayou’s mood instantly became complicated. “Xiao Zuo… surely you’re not still thinking of monopolizing…”

Duan Jiaze hastily shook his head. “No, Little You, don’t overthink it. I won’t leave you behind.”

Duan Jiayou didn’t press further, knowing that insisting on taking the medicine would only strain their recently mended relationship. With other opponents present, there was no need to quarrel over such trivial matters.

Although he thought this way, Duan Jiayou fell silent, feeling somewhat uneasy.

Next, they headed to the beach and, following Fu Jingyan’s markings, unearthed all the food he had hidden.

The twins relocated the food to another location. Surveying their abundant haul, they finally let out relieved laughter.

“Do you think… what will be Fu Jingyan’s expression?” asked Duan Jiaze.

Duan Jiayou chuckled softly, “Won’t we find out tonight?”

With their arms slung over each other’s shoulders, they once again assumed an intimate stance and ventured deeper into the forest. They needed to figure out how to follow Xuan Yiqing foraging for food; they couldn’t afford to waste time.

Taking advantage of being alone, Xuan Yiqing wandered around the woods for a long while. She wasn’t sure what mindset she had, but indeed she went searching for those poisonous plants.

In truth, there were many toxic things on the deserted island—unfamiliar vegetation, unknown wild fruits hanging from trees, brightly colored items that immediately signaled trouble. Xuan Yiqing dared not touch any of them.

Anything too conspicuous would also be difficult to bring back. Water hemlock… this plant, resembling common greens, could be casually gathered without arousing suspicion.

Xuan Yiqing didn’t dare collect much, just pinching a small amount and stuffing it into her pocket before focusing on finding Daphne flowers and edible wild vegetables.

The current Xuan Yiqing had honed her skills at foraging for food. She knew which areas were more likely to yield sustenance, and soon enough, she dug up a patch of wild greens.

Every time she ventured deep into the woods, Xuan Yiqing marked various spots on the ground and trees, making it easier for others to locate her.

As she finished gathering the wild vegetables, the twins arrived just in time. Xuan Yiqing handed them the task of carrying the produce while she walked behind, clutching the Daphne flowers she had picked for Fu Jingyan.

Watching the playful banter between the twins, Xuan Yiqing couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy. She admired their carefree attitude and unwavering optimism even amidst this predicament, unlike herself who struggled to find peace…

While cleaning the wild vegetables, Xuan Yiqing couldn’t resist taking out the water hemlock from her pocket to examine it once more. Even now, she couldn’t understand why she had picked such a plant; was there something wrong with her mind at that moment…?

“What kind of wild vegetables did you find today?” Fu Jingyan, who had rested inside the log cabin all day, approached Xuan Yiqing and reached out to help her wash the greens.

Xuan Yiqing shuddered and hastily tossed the water hemlock aside, “I-I made a mistake, this isn’t edible.”

Noticing Xuan Yiqing’s unusual behavior, Fu Jingyan gently asked, “If not edible, then what is it?”

“In short… I simply made a mistake.” Feeling like a fool, Xuan Yiqing wondered how she could have brought back such a thing. If Fu Jingyan discovered her intentions, she would be doomed.

“Is this not celery?” Fu Jingyan picked up the plant and examined it closely. “It seems fine to me.”

Fearing that Fu Jingyan might mistake it for food, Xuan Yiqing hastily responded, “No, no, I initially thought it was celery too. But just now, I realized it’s different from regular celery—it’s poisonous!”

“Poisonous?” Fu Jingyan’s eyes flickered slightly. “What kind of poison?”

Xuan Yiqing repeated the information Bai Ling had shared with her to Fu Jingyan and then solemnly warned, “These toxic plants must never be eaten!”

Fu Jingyan nodded, indicating his understanding. “I’ll go dispose of this right away, so it doesn’t accidentally get mixed with the edible greens and consumed by someone.”

“Good.” Relieved, Xuan Yiqing dismissed all her previous concerns.

The rescue team took two whole weeks to arrive; during such a prolonged period, even without any specific hardships, some individuals would struggle to endure.

As before, Xuan Yiqing received the largest share of the gathered wild vegetables.

The rest was quickly distributed among the growing teenagers, leaving nothing leftover.

Fu Jingyan didn’t request any portion, saying, “Since I didn’t venture out today, you guys eat it all—don’t worry about me.”

Zhu Zhan let out a soft scoff, rolling his eyes at Fu Jingyan’s pretense.

Of course, Fu Jingyan didn’t need any food; he secretly hoarded plenty and certainly didn’t require these meager wild vegetables.

The young lady lay quietly to one side, showing no interest in their affairs.

Xuan Yiqing crushed some Daphne flowers and addressed Fu Jingyan and Zhu Zhan, “Apply this herbal paste on your wounds; it helps reduce swelling and dissipate bruising.”

Zhu Zhan declined, leaving all the herbs for Fu Jingyan. This prompted Fu Jingyan to express his gratitude once again to Xuan Yiqing.

As night fell, it was time for everyone to sleep.

This time, not only did Bai Ling and Fu Jingyan venture out, but Zhu Zhan followed them as well.

“You said you’d leave all the food for her. I want to personally witness Miss Bai finish eating—no problem with that?” Zhu Zhan asked.

After resting for an entire day, Fu Jingyan had regained much of his strength. He ignored Zhu Zhan trailing behind him and Bai Ling, gently taking her hand as they headed towards the beach.

Zhu Zhan gritted his teeth, restraining himself from separating the pair until Fu Jingyan produced the food for Bai Ling. Just wait, Zhu Zhan thought, once she finishes eating, he would take her away.

Fu Jingyan couldn’t stop him; the only person allowed by the young lady’s side would be him.

However, when Fu Jingyan dug several spots without finding any food, both men’s expressions turned grim.

“What, now you can’t find food with me around?” Zhu Zhan’s gaze towards Fu Jingyan was akin to looking at trash. “Trying to force me away using this tactic?”

“The food has been completely taken,” Fu Jingyan said coldly, lifting his eyes. “Zhu Zhan, aside from you, no one else knew I hid supplies here.”

“Little Ling is very hungry; if you’re seeking revenge on me, there was no need for such a method to assert your superiority.”

Taken aback, Zhu Zhan asked, “What do you mean by that?”

“You were the one who dug up the food. What do you think it means?” Fu Jingyan’s hatred for Zhu Zhan had reached its breaking point. “If you wanted control over providing sustenance, I could have entrusted it to you. There was no reason to resort to this.”

“I didn’t do it! If I had taken the food, why would I still be with you all? I could’ve simply taken Bai Ling and left!” How could Zhu Zhan admit to something he hadn’t done?

As Fu Jingyan’s expression grew colder, the young lady also stared anxiously at him.

Panicking, Zhu Zhan blurted out, “It really wasn’t me! I…I know what happened!”

“It’s the twins!” Zhu Zhan suddenly realized the crucial point and exclaimed to both of them, “The twins knew you hid food, Fu Jingyan! They must have stolen it!”

Despite the suspicions surrounding the twins, Zhu Zhan himself appeared more deserving of Fu Jingyan’s doubt.

As Fu Jingyan pondered, the young lady tugged at his arm.

“Jingyan.” Bai Ling pressed her hand against her chest, frowning slightly as she said, “I didn’t take my medicine yesterday, and now my heart is starting to hurt again. Could you please give me the medication?”

“Yes,” Fu Jingyan agreed without hesitation. Unable to provide even food for her, he couldn’t delay administering her medication.

However, when he reached into his pocket, his face drained of color instantly.

Where did it go? Where could it be? Fu Jingyan searched every pocket frantically. It had been a whole day; when did it disappear? How could he have failed to safeguard such an important item?

“Jingyan?” The young lady continued urging him, tears welling up in her eyes once more. Her fragile and pained expression caused Fu Jingyan’s heart to ache intensely.

“Hurry and give me the medicine.”

Fu Jingyan glared furiously at Zhu Zhan. “Was it you? Zhu Zhan, not only did you steal the food, but the medication too?”

“What medicine?” Seeing the young lady’s distress, Zhu Zhan grew anxious as well. “I don’t know… I really don’t know…”

“Jingyan, do you have any more medication?” The young lady released Fu Jingyan’s hand and glanced between the two men before her. “Neither of you has anything?”

Observing their expressions, she took a few steps back, turned around, and left without sparing them another glance.