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Ning Qingyan’s compliment seemed to miss the mark. Wen Shijin’s warm phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, his thin lips pressed into a tight line, making him appear restrained and patient.
Looking at Ning Qingyan seriously, his gentle voice carried an unyielding firmness:
“We are not related by blood.”
Ning Qingyan: “…”
Facing Wen Shijin’s rare persistence, Ning Qingyan nodded in agreement with a coaxing tone:
“Alright, alright, not a real brother, not a real brother…”
Hearing the answer he wanted, Wen Shijin’s lips curved slightly. He glanced at her soft chestnut-colored hair, his fingers curling as he resisted the urge to reach out.
The lunch prepared by Ning Qingyan and Wen Shijin was abundant, leaving enough leftovers for the afternoon. Though the weather was hot, the shade of the forest kept the food fresh until evening.
Because Ning Qingyan and Wen Shijin had cooked together, the others automatically cleaned up afterward, letting them rest. After all, cooking outdoors with makeshift stoves, chopping wood, and building fire pits was a lot of work. By the time the meal was ready, it was already late afternoon.
Once the cleanup was done, the female participants couldn’t resist heading to the beach, where they amused themselves by trying out the simple fishing spears Ning Qingyan and Huo Qi had made. Some collected fish, shrimp, and clams along the shore.
Ning Qingyan noticed a nearby coconut tree and her eyes lit up. Licking her dry lips, she turned to Wen Shijin and asked brightly:
“Brother, let’s go pick some coconuts!”
Wen Shijin nodded softly, replying with a low “Mm,” and followed her to the tree.
Standing beneath it, Ning Qingyan realized the tree, which hadn’t seemed very tall from afar, was actually about 10 meters high—even the shortest one.
Without hesitation, Ning Qingyan began climbing. Light and agile, she quickly ascended the tree. Wen Shijin frowned at the sight of the thin tree trunk swaying as she climbed. His usually gentle tone became serious:
“A stick would be easier for knocking them down. Climbing is dangerous—come down, and I’ll find a pole.”
But Ning Qingyan, already halfway up, looked down at him and said:
“Brother, you should’ve said that earlier! I’m almost there. If we use a pole to knock the coconuts down, they might hit someone. It’s safer if I pick them directly. Just stay there and catch the coconuts!”
With that, she resumed her climb. Wen Shijin pressed his lips into a thin line and steadied the swaying trunk with both hands to make her ascent easier.
Before long, Ning Qingyan reached the top. After a brief sigh of relief, she pulled out the utility knife at her waist and began cutting down coconuts, tossing them a short distance away.
“Brother, start picking them up!”
While she called out, she quickly tossed more coconuts down. Soon, a decent pile had accumulated on the ground.
Wen Shijin didn’t move to collect them but continued steadying the tree, replying in a calm voice:
“I’ll gather them when you’re safely down.”
However, as more coconuts were removed, the balance of the tree shifted. The 10-meter tree, already slimmer than average, swayed more under her weight as she continued her work.
“Stop now. Come down.”
His usually composed voice carried a hint of urgency. Ning Qingyan put away her knife and began descending. But climbing down proved harder than going up. The smooth trunk and swaying motion made her slip, scraping her palms raw and eliciting a sharp “hiss” of pain.
“Let go and jump—I’ll catch you.”
By now, she was only about 5 meters off the ground. With Wen Shijin’s height of 1.85 meters, he could catch her easily.
“Alright, be ready!”
The next moment, she let go and leapt. Wen Shijin caught her in his arms, the impact forcing him to stagger back several steps before sitting down with her still cradled against him.
His embrace smelled of mint and sunshine, a warm, comforting scent that wrapped around Ning Qingyan like a shield of safety.
Wen Shijin’s ears reddened slightly as he supported her waist with one arm, using the other to help her stand. Then, he took her hand to examine the scrape.
Her fair palm was red and raw, with a few spots where the skin had broken and begun to bleed.
Without hesitation, Wen Shijin grabbed her wrist and headed quickly toward the tent, where the emergency medical kit was stored.
Meanwhile, Gu Si, who had finished tidying up, couldn’t help but glance over at Ning Qingyan now and then. Each time he looked up, his gaze instinctively sought her out. When he saw her jump from the coconut tree, he immediately bolted toward her.
But before he could reach her, Wen Shijin had already grabbed her wrist and was leading her away. Gu Si’s hand, raised to stop them, froze midair before dropping back to his side.
Knowing Wen Shijin’s personality, Gu Si reasoned there must be a good reason for the urgency. Besides, Ning Qingyan clearly favored Wen Shijin as her “brother.” What right did he have to intervene?
The once self-centered and impulsive Gu Si now found himself practicing restraint. After a deep breath, he resumed his usual nonchalant demeanor, following behind them with a lazy drawl:
“What’s the rush?”
Ning Qingyan glanced back, motioning toward the pile of coconuts.
“Brother, can you pick those up? I scraped my hand and need to treat the wound.”
Gu Si’s heart tightened at the mention of her injury, but he maintained an air of indifference:
“It’s just picking coconuts, and you still managed to hurt yourself? Next time, leave it to me.”
Ning Qingyan grinned. “Alright, but about those coconuts…”
Gu Si sighed in mock annoyance, turning to collect them.
“Fine, fine, I’ll get your precious coconuts. Happy?”
Satisfied, Ning Qingyan smiled before continuing with Wen Shijin toward the tent.
Watching them disappear, Gu Si’s phoenix-like eyes narrowed. Only after Ning Qingyan was out of sight did he turn back to gather the coconuts.
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As evening fell and the tide rose, Gu Si made several trips to retrieve the scattered coconuts, even wading into shallow water to save a few.
Chuckling to himself as he looked at the pile, he thought, What a little glutton.
After preparing a coconut with a straw, he strode back to the tent with a confident, almost arrogant air—contrasted by the delicate care with which he carried the coconut.