Tang Ran's delicate face revealed a sharp, unfamiliar coldness.
She looked at Xiao Xi beside her, whose pillow was soaked with tears, her clear eyes showing a hint of worry. She leaned to the side, extending her arms to hold him.
During the day, she was too slow to notice Xiao Xi's suppressed sadness.
Losing his parents must have been incredibly painful for him, someone who had lived a life of blissful indulgence.
Tang Ran gently held Xiao Xi, a touch of sorrow in her own eyes.
She had known about her dual personality since last year. During the day, her intellect was that of a four-year-old child, while at night, she was precocious and prone to loneliness and world-weariness.
The torment and suffering she had endured over the years had made her far more mature than children her age.
“Mama…”
In his sleep, Jin Xiao Xi let out a sorrowful whimper.
Tang Ran gently patted his shoulder, also worried about this younger brother, who was younger than her yet bore his own responsibilities.
She also liked his mother, Aunt Su Ding.
Aunt Su Ding was sincere, gentle, and generous; in Tang Ran's eyes, she was virtually perfect, but alas...
The incident at sea was definitely linked to Tang Yiyi.
This half-sister, the woman who had abused and bullied her for years, possessed a truly wicked heart yet excelled at playing the role of a kind and delicate person.
Tang Ran prayed that Aunt Su Ding would be safe.
...
The next day, Su Ding woke up in the arms of a man.
She instinctively struggled, pushing the sleeping man aside, and woke up.
“What time is it?” Jin Ye asked, his voice hoarse as he half-opened his eyes.
Su Ding quickly realized she was still on the deserted island.
“I don’t know.”
As she spoke, she stood up from the ground and stretched. “The weather outside is nice. I’ll see if I can find any stranded fish.”
Jin Ye was also awake now, his arms feeling quite sore.
He got up and followed her out, his tall figure trailing behind the woman like a mountain.
“Aren’t you scared we’ll be stuck here forever?”
Su Ding looked back at the man, a playful glint in her bright features.
Jin Ye raised an eyebrow. “If it’s with you, what does it matter?”
Tsk.
Su Ding’s old face suddenly flushed. She had miscalculated; the Jin Ye of today was no longer the pure man he once was.
She quickened her pace towards the beach.
Indeed, there were fish stranded on the beach. She picked out two plump ones and threw the rest back into the sea.
Skewering the fish, she began to roast them over the fire, the sizzle filling the air as they sat facing each other.
“Tell me, why did you get on the yacht?” Jin Ye finally found a suitable opportunity to ask the question that had been bothering him.
Su Ding’s expression turned somber upon hearing his question.
She had never expected Devil to stand her up, and she couldn’t get anyone to answer her calls after more than a dozen attempts.
Now her phone was lost at sea.
She couldn’t understand it. This person had contacted her so many times, even giving her the other jade pendant, yet would abandon her at this crucial moment.
“Curiosity, I wanted to see,” she said dryly.
Jin Ye frowned, knowing she was being evasive without even thinking. “The truth.”
Su Ding lowered her head, flipping the fish. “Privacy.”
“Privacy?” Jin Ye scoffed. “You talk to me about privacy? Don’t forget who gave you the invitation.”
Su Ding glanced up at him, feeling a bit guilty.
Thinking about it, Jin Ye had truly been good to her. Even after she escaped on her own before the truth was revealed, he had still secretly given her the invitation.
At that time, he must have been experiencing complicated emotions.
“It’s really inconvenient to talk about this,”
Su Ding said earnestly. “I’ll tell you later…”
As she spoke, she sighed inwardly, wondering if they would ever be rescued.
This life of surviving on a deserted island was far from wonderful.
She gestured to the grilled fish. “Taste it, is it cooked?”
A hint of displeasure appeared on Jin Ye’s face, but he didn’t press further, instead obediently tasting the fish. Instantly, an uncomfortable expression surfaced on his face.
“It’s so fishy,” he said deeply.
Su Ding subtly lifted her lips. “Did you think this was a vacation? There are no seasonings, so make do with it.”
Jin Ye pursed his lips. “I’ll eat fruit. The fish is for you.”
“Really?” Su Ding asked with raised eyebrows. This young master was indeed having another bout of aristocratic airs.
“Yes,” Jin Ye nodded without hesitation.
Su Ding gave a slight smile. “If you don’t eat, you’ll be hungry tonight. Isn’t eating meat more filling than eating fruit?”
Jin Ye recalled the fishy taste from before and still wanted to refuse.
Unexpectedly, Su Ding held up another fish and offered it to him. “Eat.”