"You only know how to speak for her!" Ethan was truly puzzled, "Did I say something wrong? My sister kindly went to deliver food, but they never appreciate it."
If it were him, he would have exploded long ago, unlike his sister who had a good temperament.
Pei Ji seemed to know what he was thinking. "What do you plan to do? Rush over and question them about why they don't want your food?"
"I..."
Ethan really wanted to do just that, but hearing it from Pei Ji's mouth made it feel awkward.
It seemed like such an action was a bit strange...
Pei Ji's expression turned serious, and he lowered his voice. "Have you forgotten Mrs. Fu's methods? It's her magnanimity that she doesn't hold it against you; she's not someone to be bullied. You can offer food, and they have the right to choose whether to accept it. You can't force them."
"That's not what I meant."
Ethan was just heartbroken that his sister was always being rejected.
Pei Ji patted his shoulder. "In short, you behave yourself and are forbidden from speaking ill of others from now on, or I'll tell your father that you were the one who broke that antique vase last time."
His father was a connoisseur of porcelain. When Ethan came home drunk, he broke an antique vase and, fearing a beating from his father, sought Pei Ji's help.
Pei Ji found an even better one overnight, resolving his crisis.
"Got it."
Mentioning this matter, Ethan was completely under Pei Ji's control.
As darkness fell, a cold wind swept around, and the campfire couldn't last much longer. Everyone was rubbing their arms and shivering from the cold.
Mr. Z had no choice but to get up and walk towards Shen Qingqing.
"What?" Shen Qingqing had just woken up and was now full of energy. Compared to everyone else shivering from the cold, she was nestled in her man's arms, feeling as warm as if she were by a furnace.
Not only was she not cold, but she was even a little hot.
Mr. Z said gently, "The cave behind you can provide shelter for everyone."
"Then let's go."
Shen Qingqing didn't stop them. After speaking, she suddenly glanced at her own man. No, even though her man had a built-in furnace attribute, enduring such a cold night...
She truly cared about her man.
"We'll go in too."
She woke up the old man and led King and the others into the cave. The cave was dark and damp, but fortunately, there were no venomous creatures.
She found a relatively dry spot. Without being told, King and the old man busied themselves preparing the area.
Dry, soft straw insulated them from the dampness below.
The old man then took out an insect repellent spray from his backpack and sprayed a circle around the area. "There, no insects will dare to come near now."
Those who entered later looked enviously at the small spray bottle in his hand.
They just didn't dare to ask for it.
Ethan nudged Pei Ji. "Little Prince, you go and ask. You have noble status; if you ask, they'll definitely agree!"
Pei Ji said annoyed, "If you want it, ask yourself."
"I'm just a bit embarrassed..."
Ethan chuckled.
Pei Ji wasn't falling for it. It wasn't embarrassment; it was fear. Given his past grievances with Shen Qingqing, if he were to speak up, he'd likely be rejected immediately.
Their conversation drew the attention of many, who all looked at him expectantly.
Under the pressure of so many gazes, Pei Ji had no choice but to brace himself and approach. "Mrs. Fu, Uncle, that thing you used earlier..."
The old man held up the spray. "This?"
"Yes, I wanted to ask if I could..."
Before he could finish, a small bottle drew a perfect arc in the air and landed precisely in Pei Ji's arms.
He looked at the old man in surprise.
The old man waved his hand at him, with his back turned. "Take it and use it. I see you're a good young man; otherwise, I wouldn't bother with you."
Pei Ji was inexplicably touched.
This old man was always critical of everyone and everything, except for Shen Qingqing and her group. It was rare for him to take a liking to someone!
He even felt a bit proud!
With the insect repellent spray, everyone felt safe to settle down in the cave.
However, before sleeping, Shen Qingqing made a suggestion. "Let someone stay on watch."
Mr. Z nodded. "I was having the same thought."
While this place appeared calm on the surface, who knew if unknown beasts might appear at night? It would be dangerous if they were all asleep.
However, everyone was exhausted from the day's ordeal and the near-death experience. By night, they were all incredibly sleepy.
No one was willing to stay on watch.
Finally, Shen Qingqing proposed that they take turns, with each person standing guard for one hour, allowing them to sleep for the rest of the time.
Everyone agreed.
The night finally passed peacefully.
The next morning, Shen Qingqing woke up in her man's arms and her first action was to check the wound on her leg.
It no longer hurt, and there were signs of healing.
The old man's medicine was indeed effective.
Others also woke up one by one, preparing to go to the beach to wash their faces. Shen Qingqing turned her head and saw that Fu Jingshu had also woken up, his usually stern eyes now filled with gentleness.
"Awake."
She asked a rhetorical question, but he answered seriously, "Yes, how's the wound?"
"Much better."
Shen Qingqing took his hand, and they got up together, preparing to tidy up and walk out of the cave. She said, "Today, we'll probably need to focus on finding a water source. We can't drink seawater, and we can't always rely on fruit for thirst."
"Alright, I'll go look in a moment."
Shen Qingqing glanced at him, sensing from his words that he didn't intend to take her along...
She remained silent. Ultimately, it would be up to her to decide whether to go or not; he could never truly refuse her.
Thinking of his helpless, mischievous expression, she couldn't help but smile.
Suddenly, a startled cry sounded from outside.
They exchanged a look and immediately strode out, only to see a tall, burly man lying in a bush.
Someone turned him over. "Harry!"
The old man stepped forward to examine him and, after a moment, stood up. "He's not dead, just hit on the back of the head. There's a large bump."
However, these words were enough to cause panic.
Everyone looked at each other, feeling that anyone could be a suspect. Trust instantly shattered, and people even began to distance themselves from one another.
"Who did this?"
"Who has a grudge against Harry? He's a bit rough with his words, but he's actually a decent person. Did the attacker intend to kill him?"
While they were guessing, the old man had re-examined Harry and soon noticed something unusual.
"This person didn't go for a kill; they just wanted to knock him unconscious."
"But why would someone do that?"
"Could it be for revenge?"
Harry had a bad temper and a sharp tongue; many people in the group disliked him.
Revenge was a plausible motive.
Just then, Harry woke up, groaning in pain and clutching the back of his head. "Who is it? They almost killed me!"
"Take a look in your backpack."
Shen Qingqing reminded him.
Harry froze, opened his backpack, and was stunned. "My food is gone!"
Everyone's expression changed.
At this critical juncture, taking someone's food was tantamount to taking their life!