A person had lived for eight days, facing loneliness and fear, and really wanted someone to talk to!
Now there is!
And there are even five cute college students full of youthful spirit.
She really didn't want to conceal anything.
"So it turns out it's not just the flight attendant, but also... a policewoman!" Ning Shu said in surprise.
"Anyway, the mission is over, and I'm already dead."
Jiang Yao looked her up and down: "Miss, you look very much alive to me."
"I guess memorial services have already been held for me and my colleagues from this mission in mainland China. I don't really care, I just wonder if my colleagues can be recognized as martyrs..."
Yes, the plane had crashed, lost in the ocean, and still not found after ten days. Who would think there were still survivors among the passengers and crew?
When thinking rationally, certainly not.
Shen Bing pursed her lips and let out a long breath: "Sorry, after being alone for days, I felt too oppressed and felt better saying some things out loud. Hope you don't mind."
Lin Qianqian said sweetly: "Of course not!"
Tang Xiaoguo nodded: "I feel the same way!"
Jiang Yao said lazily: "Guo Er, since being stranded on this island, I haven't noticed you feeling particularly oppressed. In fact, you seem more excited than usual."
Guo Er pouted: "Who said that? When I first got stranded on the island, I cried several times!"
From Lu Zhe and Ning Shu, Shen Bing also learned that all the people on the plane were confirmed dead and lost at sea!
Including her colleagues who had been in disguise as ordinary passengers!
Each of them was an elite member of the police force.
She sniffled: "I knew it..."
Then she let out a long breath: "But in a way, it's reassuring not to keep worrying."
After the meal, the girls were all exhausted and went into the shelter to take a nap.
Lin Qianqian carefully pulled Shen Bing's arm: "Sister Bing, do you want to sleep more?"
"I've slept enough."
Ning Shu said with a yawn: "I'll wait a while too."
"Alright then..." Lin Qianqian said, slightly disappointed as she entered the shelter.
"Lu Zhe, what are you going to do today? I'll keep you company!"
Lu Zhe looked at her dark eye circles and pinched her cheeks: "You look exhausted, go get some sleep!"
"I said I'm fine."
Ning Shu patted Lu Zhe's arm, grinning: "So what's the plan for today?"
As Shen Bing observed the handsome young man and beautiful young woman before her, seemingly a match made in heaven, she felt a twinge of envy and an inexplicable sense of loss.
"What, are you two a couple?"
Lu Zhe smiled: "We're just joking around."
Ning Shu nodded: "That's right! We pretend to be a couple as a joke, but actually we're just best buddies."
"I see!"
Shen Bing nodded: "I understand! Stranded on an island, you need some entertainment or you'd go crazy."
Ning Shu shook her head: "You said it!"
Shen Bing smiled: "By the way, any plans for today? Let me know if I can help!"
Yes!
After saving them, she should think about the next steps.
Lu Zhe pondered:
"For now we have food and coconut water, as well as shelter and a campfire! Next we may need to explore the jungle to look for sustainable sources of fresh water and farmland! But to enter the jungle means facing unknown dangers, so we should upgrade our tools first!"
Ning Shu asked: "Where do we start?"
Lu Zhe handed her the steak knife: "Captain, please sharpen this knife, be careful, the goal is to make a sharp point and blade!"
Ning Shu took it and looked it over: "Piece of cake, leave it to me!"
"What about me?"
Lu Zhe handed her the stone axe: "Please help sharpen this if you can, the sharper the better."
Shen Bing weighed it in her hand, exclaiming: "My god, this axe, how did you make it?"
"I can teach you step-by-step later, but there's no time for that now. I have things to do too."
His next step was to make a stone mortar!
What is that used for?
Considering the abundance of mosquitoes and possible botfly infections in the jungle, Lu Zhe needed to look for some insect-repelling herbs to mash together and apply on their skin. This stone mortar would be used to grind and mash the herbs!
First he found an oval 20cm diameter boulder.
He drew a bowl-sized circle on one side with a pencil.
Then he hammered small pits within the circle with a nail, cracked it with a blow, leaving a relatively flat surface on one half.
Next, he polished that half of the rock to make it even smoother. Then he had to hollow out a hole in this semi-oval stone to serve as the mortar bowl.
This was quite laborious!
He had to fix the semi-circular rock between some stones, and grind at the circle using another rough piece of rock, back and forth. As he ground, he rinsed away the stone dust with sea water. Gradually, a shallow depression formed on the flat surface.
Just then, Shen Bing walked over: "Hey!"
"What's up?"
"Your little girlfriend fell asleep."
"Huh?"
Lu Zhe looked back and saw Ning Shu napping on a rock, drooling on the half-sharpened steak knife.
No wonder, she must have been exhausted after working through the night.
Seeing Ning Shu like this, Lu Zhe felt a little distressed.
He realized the girls' position in his heart had become increasingly important.
Putting the knife aside, he carried her into the shelter, gently laying her next to Jiang Yao.
Sleeping girls looked especially cute.
Seeing them snoozing peacefully put a faint smile on Lu Zhe's lips.
Suddenly he had a thought!
Perhaps...living like this here wouldn't be so bad at all.
He returned to continue making tools!
Shen Bing sidled up to him: "Mind if I join?"
"No problem."
Lu Zhe smiled, clearly detecting Shen Bing wanted to chat about something.
"I can tell all four girls are quite interested in you."
As Lu Zhe polished, seemingly nonchalantly, he said: "We're just dependent on and helping each other in adversity. Bickering would only make things worse."
"Who's the girlfriend?"
Lu Zhe shook his head: "None."
"Have you ever..." Shen Bing hesitantly asked: "Done what we did last night?"
"What do you mean?"
Shen Bing carefully chose her words: "I mean the act between us last night."
Lu Zhe's work paused briefly and he shook his head: "Actually our relationship is quite innocent."
"So it was your first time?"
"Yeah..."
"Heh, the twists of fate..."
Shen Bing patted his shoulder as she looked at this slightly bashful young man: "At least you didn't lose out, it was also my first time."
Lu Zhe knew she was likely still affected by the yellow bamboo mushrooms, otherwise a rational woman would never do something so inappropriate.
But about this matter, how should it be resolved?
"What do you want to do now?"
"Of course you have to take responsibility! Let me tell you, after this I won't find a husband when I go back!"
"Ah?"
Shen Bing chuckled: "Just kidding! Actually, I should apologize. "
"Why's that?"
"I must have eaten a poisonous mushroom. You have to believe me, I'm not that kind of girl!"
Lu Zhe nodded: "Okay!"
"So, can you forgive me?"
This time, Lu Zhe didn't stop his work: "It wasn't entirely your fault."
Shen Bing nodded, really feeling this young man before her was quite decent! She believed he didn't mean for it to happen either.
"Then...let's agree to bury this incident, and not bring it up again. Deal?"
Lu Zhe still had a rather wounded look. But no one knew, he was actually quite happy inside!
Why? He was afraid this matter would cause unwanted consequences, whether being pestered or the girls finding out, it would be troublesome. And for a man to just shrug it off seemed too callous!
But taking the initiative to suggest not mentioning it again was really considerate!
Nonetheless, Lu Zhe continued feigning a brooding, depressed manner.
He nodded, letting out a subdued "Okay."
This made Shen Bing feel rather guilty!
Oh...looks like he still can't accept the reality for now!
If there's a chance, she would need to counsel him properly.