Like being struck by lightning, Zhang Liu shuddered at the sight, his face flushing as Qin Ruoshuang’s embarrassed expression deepened. He quickly averted his gaze, grabbing a coconut from the ground and darting behind the rocky outcrop.
After taking a few deep breaths to calm himself, he called out, “Ruoshuang, you should get yourself sorted out. I’ll crack open a few coconuts for breakfast.”
Learning from yesterday’s failed attempts, Zhang Liu was smart enough not to smash the coconuts directly with rocks this time. Instead, he used the sharp edge of the rocky outcrop to pierce the thick fiber shell. Juice trickled out, which he collected into empty coconut shells he had prepared beforehand.
In just over ten minutes, Zhang Liu had prepared a simple breakfast: two large servings of coconut water and a meager portion of coconut meat. Without proper tools, carving out the meat with a makeshift stone tool resulted in significant waste. At least 40% of the flesh remained stuck to the shell.
When he had finished, Zhang Liu hesitated before calling out loudly, “Qin Ruoshuang, are you ready?”
“Mm… I’m ready,” came a soft response.
Though the pain in her lower abdomen remained, Zhang Liu’s gentlemanly behavior warmed her heart. The best she could do was flip the blood-stained foam board over to sit on the clean side and bury the sandy patches mixed with blood. Her white underwear and black stockings, which had been laid on the rock, remained untouched—she had no intention of wearing them for now. The former would only get dirty, while the latter felt restrictive.
“Have some coconut water first,” Zhang Liu said, bringing over two coconut shell bowls. His tone carried a hint of helplessness.
“Mm.” Qin Ruoshuang took the oversized coconut shell and sipped from it. Her gaze inadvertently met Zhang Liu’s, who was also looking at her. She immediately felt a wave of nervousness. Her sips became erratic.
“Cough, cough, cough…” She choked, hastily putting the shell down and wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Looking at Zhang Liu, who was still staring, she asked shyly, “Why are you looking at me?”
“I wasn’t staring. I was just thinking about how we’ll need to find a new place to spend the night if rescue doesn’t come today,” Zhang Liu replied, shaking his head as if to dismiss her concerns.
Unaware of the awkward expression on Qin Ruoshuang’s face, he continued, “This place isn’t safe.”
“But didn’t you say this spot prevents wolf attacks?” Qin Ruoshuang asked, still feeling uneasy.
“Oh, I made that up.” Zhang Liu confessed with a sheepish smile.
“Hmm…” Qin Ruoshuang puffed her cheeks, unsure whether to laugh or cry. So, his confident reasoning last night had been a complete fabrication?
“Don’t sweat the details. Eat something first. Tonight, we’ll find a place sheltered from the wind to sleep,” Zhang Liu said, stretching to shake off the chill. The little rocky outcrop that had kept Qin Ruoshuang warm last night had done the opposite for him, turning into a natural “refrigerator” as the night wore on.
Taking a large gulp of coconut water, Zhang Liu paired it with a bite of coconut meat. Though the fruit lacked flavor, combining the juice with the flesh made it marginally more palatable.
Qin Ruoshuang imitated his actions, and soon, their stomachs were no longer empty. When only a single piece of coconut meat remained, they looked at each other.
“You’re on your period; you eat it,” Zhang Liu said.
“You’re the one doing all the hard work; you should have it,” Qin Ruoshuang countered.
“You eat it!” Zhang Liu insisted. “I can always crack open another coconut later.”
With that, Qin Ruoshuang stopped arguing. She ate the last piece of coconut meat, chewing it slowly despite disliking the slimy texture. The sense of fullness in her stomach gave her a small sense of security.
Sigh…
The morning sea breeze swept in, and Zhang Liu stood still, feeling only a slight coolness.
However, Qin Ruoshuang, sensitive to the chill in the air, couldn’t help but shiver.
Turning to look at the inexplicably trembling Qin Ruoshuang, Zhang Liu hesitated for a moment before cautiously suggesting, “Should I… take off my pants and let you wear them?”
“Huh?” Qin Ruoshuang froze, her mind instinctively focusing on the part about him taking off his pants. It took her a moment to realize what he meant.
“No, that’s not necessary! I…” Her face flushed red as she softly replied, “There will be… blood.”
“Even just covering yourself is fine,” Zhang Liu said earnestly, his fingers already resting on the waistband. “Getting a chill in this place could lead to serious problems.”
“You should keep wearing them. I really don’t need them!” Qin Ruoshuang quickly shook her head, pressing her hands against her pale thighs. “If you get hurt from walking around without pants, that would be a bigger problem!”
After a round of polite refusals, Zhang Liu kept his pants on and walked toward the other side of the beach. In his mind, he began organizing the day’s tasks.
First, time. The optimal rescue window is seventy-two hours, so the most likely chance for them to be saved would be within these three days.
Second, shelter. At the very least, they needed a place to avoid the midday sun.
Third, water. Zhang Liu clearly remembered that drinking too much coconut water could cause diarrhea.
Fourth, fire. This required finding suitable materials for starting a fire, such as tinder or a sturdy stick. Shaving some sawdust from that bamboo nearby might work.
Fifth, food. Since rescue efforts weren’t guaranteed, they needed to secure sustenance that would help them survive beyond seventy-two hours. Ideally, it should include protein, as relying solely on the carbohydrates from coconuts wasn’t sustainable.
Zhang Liu wracked his brain, recalling every survival video he had ever watched, piecing together the key elements.