In the blink of an eye, we had been on this island for over twenty days.
The weather on the island was getting colder by the day, and frost had formed on the rocks.
Every day, we huddled together on bear skins just to manage a semblance of sleep.
When we ventured into the forest to search for food, we could barely spot a shadow of any animal. We could only gather some berries to bring back.
The weather on this island was becoming increasingly unbearable!
This cave was no longer suitable for us to live in. We had to find a way to move deeper into the island as soon as possible!
That day, I distributed weapons to everyone. Our goal today was not only to find food but also to locate a suitable place for us to reside.
The furs I had brought back earlier had been modified by Qu Xiangyun, making them barely wearable. They provided us with some ability to ward off the cold.
When it was Pan Lili's turn, she shook her head at me.
"Lu Ziye, I'm not feeling well today. I'll stay behind and guard the house."
I thought about it. Ever since Pan Lili learned of Li Degui's death, she seemed to have been sad for two days and then returned to normal.
She would still fuss over me affectionately when she had nothing else to do. I figured leaving her alone in the cave wouldn't cause any trouble, so I agreed.
We set off.
Guan Hai'er, having grown up in the south, was incredibly excited to see frost covering everything.
Seeing her bright smile, I realized she was only eighteen.
Yet she had to endure hardship on this deserted island.
I felt that I had to protect them!
Suddenly, Guan Hai'er grabbed my hand and pointed excitedly under a tree, saying, "Brother Ye, look there!"
I followed her gaze and saw many small yellow-green mushrooms growing under the trees.
Indeed, there was a type of mushroom that could survive in low temperatures, also known as winter mushroom. It was highly nutritious, a delicacy second only to the monkey head mushroom, and could be considered a "meaty" vegetarian delicacy!
Today was truly lucky. We had a harvest right after setting out.
I asked Guan Hai'er to gather the mushrooms while I went to check the traps I had set up earlier to see if there was anything to gain.
About halfway there, I suddenly felt as if I had tripped on something and almost fell to the ground.
Damn it, I'd walked this path at least ten times, how could I trip today!
I looked down at the ground and saw several green leaves sprouting from the earth.
A pleasant surprise!
Cassava was growing here!
I grabbed a plant and pulled hard. The leaves, along with a string of cassava, emerged from the ground.
I joyfully called everyone over.
Qu Xiangyun looked at the roots of the cassava and said excitedly, "This cassava looks ripe. There are at least seven or eight plants here. This will completely solve our food shortage!"
Luo Yaqin squatted down, reached out, and pulled hard at the leaves. It took her quite a while to pull out a single plant.
My spirits also lifted a bit. I told them, "You two, get all the cassava out of here and leave some roots behind. Shangguan Yao and I will go check the traps first. Maybe there's something good there!"
Shangguan Yao and I walked deeper into the forest. Not too far away, I suddenly heard a noise from one of the traps.
We had a catch!
Today was truly a bountiful harvest!
We quickened our pace and arrived at the trap. Looking into the pit, we saw a greyish-white puppy, no more than a few months old, whimpering softly at the bottom of the pit.
Just a puppy?
I was a little disappointed. Such a large pup, let alone for eating, was a drain on our energy just to get out of the pit.
But Shangguan Yao's eyes were practically shining with affection when she saw the puppy.
"This puppy is so adorable, Lu Ziye. Hurry and get it out. Let's take it back with us!"
Take it back to eat our food?
I refused and pondered, "How about we kill it for an extra meal? I've heard dog meat is very nourishing, and it's perfect for this weather."
Shangguan Yao immediately pleaded, "No, we can't kill it!"
She tried to persuade me, "Don't mind how small it is now, but it grows very fast. It will be an extra helper for you when you go out to find food in the future! It won't be a burden to us."
"Lu Ziye, please?"
Damn, why haven't I seen you treat me so well?
However, I was quite pleased that Shangguan Yao was begging me.
If it could really be trained, this thing would be much more useful than a person. After all, a hunting dog is very important for hunting.
"Alright, I promise you."
So I climbed down into the pit and held the puppy in my arms.
This dog was strange. It had been whimpering just now, but as soon as I held it, it became silent. It just looked at me curiously with its dark, shiny eyes.
Shangguan Yao was melting from the puppy's expression. She snatched the puppy from my arms.
"Lu Ziye, what do you think we should name it?"
I was also developing some interest in this dog at this point, so I casually said, "It has black and white patches on its body. Let's call it Pudding."
Shangguan Yao and I took Pudding to check the other traps, but it seemed our luck had run out, and we found nothing.
When we returned to the forest, Shangguan Yao showed Pudding to everyone, holding it in her arms.
Just as I was about to check how much cassava had been harvested, Qu Xiangyun grabbed me. She gave me a look, and the two of us quietly slipped into the bushes.
"Is something wrong?"
Seeing Qu Xiangyun's secretive demeanor, I thought she had something to tell me that others couldn't know.
"Can't I just have a private chat with you when there's nothing else?"
She tucked a strand of her short hair behind her ear, revealing her beautiful neck.
Qu Xiangyun wasn't usually very close to me, always maintaining a professional demeanor. Why had she suddenly changed her tune today?
I was a bit bewildered, secretly trying to figure out Qu Xiangyun's intentions. I cautiously said, "If you have something to say, say it. If not, there's still a lot of cassava waiting for us to carry back."
Hearing my words, Qu Xiangyun suddenly smiled sweetly and leaned close to me.
"Lu Ziye, do you think I'm pretty?"