Stranded on a Deserted Island—They All Started Plotting Against Me - Chapter 16 - Chapter 16

“No! Won’t eat it!” Zhang Liu stepped back, took the fruit from Anya’s hand, and shook his head firmly.

Seeing the sudden disappointment in her eyes, he quickly explained:

“First, I’m not entirely sure this is jaboticaba, though it looks very similar.”

“Second, if I remember correctly, jaboticaba belongs to a certain family—possibly the Apocynaceae. If that’s the case, there’s a risk of toxicity.”

He continued, “Some fruits are toxic when not fully ripe. Others have irritating sap when freshly picked. It’s safer not to eat freshly plucked fruit.

“Fruits that have fallen to the ground are likely fully ripe, and those nibbled by insects are safer than ones even insects avoid.”

“So today, we’ll only take the bug-nibbled ones back. I’ll eat a bit more later, and if I’m fine tomorrow, we can have them for breakfast and gather more. Step by step.”

“Who knows, maybe by then, rescue will have arrived!”

Hearing his detailed reasoning, Anya suddenly felt a pang of shame. While Zhang Liu was thinking everything through so carefully, she had been distracted by childish worries, like whether he disliked her and was rejecting her gesture of feeding him.

As Anya struggled with her embarrassment, Zhang Liu took off his shirt and said, “You gather fruit under this tree. I’ll collect the ones elsewhere. It’s getting late!”

“Okay!” Anya nodded firmly and bent down to focus on sorting through the fruit under the tree. Occasionally, she would encounter sticky bugs near the suitable fruits. A few days ago, she might have been terrified, but now she gritted her teeth and used a twig to flick them away.

“Can you stop flinging bugs my way, Anya?”

Shirtless and holding a handful of jaboticabas, Zhang Liu narrowly dodged a slimy yellow worm Anya had accidentally sent flying toward his face.

“Huh?” Anya, who was busy clearing away bugs and picking up fruit, had no idea she’d accidentally “friendly-fired” an ally.

But when she turned her head, she was met with the sight of Zhang Liu’s completely bare upper body. His slightly defined pectoral muscles and the faintly visible eight-pack abs below them were on full display.

Blinking rapidly, Anya quickly averted her gaze, her fair cheeks now flushed an intense red.

Her thoughts went wild: I’m tainted now, both in body and mind… Zhang Liu must take responsibility for me!

“Sorry, I didn’t have much of a choice but to go shirtless,” Zhang Liu took the initiative to apologize. Of course, he knew why Anya turned her head away. Then he added, “Let’s get you out to the beach for some rest.”

“No need! I can manage!” Anya hurriedly bent down and grabbed a handful of fruit, trying to prove she could work hard.

That’s when she felt a slimy sensation on her hand, completely unlike the texture of jaboticaba fruit flesh. Looking closer, she spotted half a worm wriggling near the base of her thumb.

“Ahhh!” A high-pitched scream echoed through the forest as Anya instinctively flung the handful of fruit and the innocent green caterpillar straight into Zhang Liu’s face.

Still flailing in panic, she lost her balance and toppled sideways toward the ground.

“Careful!” Zhang Liu darted forward in a few quick steps, catching the falling Anya in his arms. With a wry smile, he said, “What’s the rush?”

“I…” Panting heavily, Anya couldn’t even string together a coherent sentence.

Zhang Liu’s firm chest was now less than a hand’s breadth from her flushed face. She could even feel the warmth radiating from him.

Blushing furiously, she dared not look Zhang Liu in the eye.

“Why don’t you stick to picking fruit here under the tree? I’ll go gather more,” Zhang Liu said softly, noting her dazed expression. He offered her a reassuring smile and added, “It’s normal for girls to be afraid of bugs. I don’t like them much either.”

Anya didn’t reply, simply lowering her head to pick up fruit again, her face still beet red.

This time, however, she was much gentler in flicking away any insects.

Working together, their efficiency noticeably improved. After Zhang Liu made three trips back and forth, the black T-shirt they were using as a makeshift bag was filled with fruit.

“Hmm, this should just about last us through tomorrow,” Zhang Liu said, stroking his chin. “Hopefully, it’s not poisonous.”

Hearing this, Anya, who had been excited about the thought of eating fresh food tomorrow, suddenly fell silent.

Only then did she realize that Zhang Liu was effectively acting as the poison tester for her and Qin Ruoshuang.

“Let’s go!” Zhang Liu said, noticing her quiet expression but not knowing what she was thinking. He crouched down, his back to her. “I’ll carry you, but you’ll have to hold onto this bundle for me, okay?”

“Mm!” Anya nodded firmly, climbing onto Zhang Liu’s back again and securely catching the makeshift bundle he handed her.

The two resumed their journey back to the cave.

Anya remained silent for most of the walk, resting her cheek lightly against Zhang Liu’s shoulder. She breathed softly, taking in the faintly sweaty, masculine scent from his body.

Normally, she would find such a smell unpleasant. But now, it filled her with a sense of security.

Zhang Liu’s stamina was impressive, as he walked steadily until they neared the small rocky hill where he and Qin Ruoshuang had spent the previous night. Only then did his breathing become slightly labored—though Anya’s weight, barely under 90 pounds, played a significant role in making his load manageable.

“Are you tired?” Anya asked softly, hearing his heavy breaths. “Do you want to rest for a bit?”

“No need. It’s only about another half hour,” Zhang Liu replied, shaking his head. He adjusted his grip under her firm hips, giving her a slight lift to settle her more securely on his back.

Then, he continued walking toward the cave. The western sky was gradually painted red by the setting sun, and the fiery clouds stretched like threads, weaving a mesmerizing tapestry.

Focused on watching his step to avoid tripping, Zhang Liu didn’t notice the beautiful scene above. But Anya, lying on his back, had the perfect vantage point to take it all in.

The breathtaking view became etched in her memory.

“Zhang Liu, look at the sky over there—it’s so beautiful…” she murmured, her voice tinged with a sense of longing.

“Mm.” Zhang Liu glanced up in the direction she pointed, nodded briefly, and then continued trudging forward.

Compared to admiring the fiery clouds of the western sky, his mind was set on one thing: how much he craved an ice-cold bottle of mineral water.

“Zhang Liu, answer me,” But Anya was not ready to end the topic so quickly. After a moment’s hesitation, she pressed her chest more closely against Zhang Liu’s back and whispered, “Who’s prettier, me or Qin Ruoshuang?”

Zhang Liu didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he turned his head to glance at the girl behind him in surprise.

Anya’s eyes sparkled with anticipation as she awaited his reply.

After a few seconds of silence, Zhang Liu asked in confusion, “Anya, did you accidentally eat something you shouldn’t have?”