Chapter 10: The Island’s Weather

Li Chenfeng nodded and said, “I also think that’s rather strange.”

“Maybe there are other survivors like us, perhaps on another island in this sea.”

“Right, Xinyao, I don’t think what you said is impossible.”

“Senior is right; there must be other survivors, and I hope the rescue team arrives soon because there are surely injured people waiting for help.”

While they talked, the food was almost ready and the sea fish had been grilled to a golden crisp, sizzling with oil.

Li Chenfeng placed all the food on banana leaves and said, “Finally we can have a proper meal.”

Ning Jingjing picked up a piece of fish and put it in her mouth, saying, “This fish isn’t fishy at all and has a nice chew; it tastes almost like chicken.”

“Mmm! Delicious,” Lu Xinyao said as she took a bite, repeatedly agreeing with Ning Jingjing.

As for Li Chenfeng, he wished, “If only we had chili, soy sauce, and other condiments; these mussels would be amazing with some dipping sauce.”

Although boiled seafood was very fresh and tasty, for people from inland the flavor was a bit plain, and some sauces would be just perfect.

“When we get back, I’ll treat you and Xinyao to a seafood feast so you can eat your fill.”

“No, no, I’d rather have hotpot, steak, and things like that.”

“That’s true; Xinyao, what do you want to eat?”

“I… I want fried chicken, hamburgers, fries, ice cream, beef offal soup, chuan chuan skewers, barbecue, hot-and-sour noodles, grilled meat, spicy rabbit head, braised pig’s trotter, oden, Juewei duck neck…”

Hearing Lu Xinyao list a menu like that, Li Chenfeng and Ning Jingjing couldn’t help but swallow loudly.

“Senior, stop! My mouth is literally watering!”

“Xinyao, stop talking; I suddenly don’t find the grilled fish in my hand appetizing anymore.”

Lu Xinyao nodded embarrassedly and said, “Don’t mention you two; I’m drooling myself.”

After they ate, Li Chenfeng reprepared the herbs… mint and an insect-repellent herb… and had Lu Xinyao help apply them to Ning Jingjing.

“Jingjing, the wound you scratched has already scabbed over and the swelling has gone down a lot; with two more applications it should be healed.”

Ning Jingjing put on her skirt and said, “I also feel less pain and itching; it’s thanks to the herbs Li Chenfeng found.”

At that moment Li Chenfeng was gathering dry wood by the beach and looked up to see the sky filling with dark clouds as the daylight dimmed.

『Please light a fire before sunset to ward off the cold: A storm is approaching; protect the fire.』

“What? A storm? A fireplace? How heavy does the rain have to be before we need to build a fireplace!”

With no time to think, Li Chenfeng decided to act immediately because he was confident he was right.

Carrying the dry wood back to camp, he said, “Senior, Jingjing, the weather is about to change; we need to move the fire inside the shelter.”

The two stepped out of the shelter into a sky that was ominously dark, and the sea wind turned the leaves pale.

“It looks like we’re going to get a heavy downpour.”

“Chenfeng, what should we do?”

Li Chenfeng looked serious and said, “Leave the fire to me; while the tide hasn’t risen yet, you two go to the reef area to gather some mussels, sea snails, and the like.”

“No problem.”

Li Chenfeng dug a roughly 40 cm square opening at the shelter entrance.

To improve ventilation, Li Chenfeng dug a round hole about 7 or 8 cm from the fire pit that connected to the lower hearth, and he fit a discarded aluminum can with its bottom removed into the round hole to serve as a chimney.

He found two large stone slabs to place over the fire pit, leaving an approximately 10 cm gap between them, and used mud to fill and conceal the outer seams.

Li Chenfeng patted the mud from his hands and said, “Done; now let’s check how well it vents the smoke.”

He moved the fire indoors, added the dry wood, and before long the chimney began to emit smoke.

『Please light a fire before sunset to ward off the cold: Task complete! Stamina +10! Talent +10!』

Li Chenfeng nodded in satisfaction and said, “Not bad; fortunately I used to cook on a rural clay stove when I was a child, so this makeshift fireplace is done.”

It wasn’t over yet; he then went around gathering more dry wood and banana leaves.

He reinforced the roof again and covered the firewood with banana leaves, saying, “That should do; hopefully it will withstand this storm.”

The wind howled as Lu Xinyao and Ning Jingjing returned, their long hair blown into a tangle and Ning Jingjing’s skirt almost refusing to stay put.

Lu Xinyao tidied her hair and said, “The wind outside is so strong; I don’t think I’ve ever experienced such strong winds in my life.”

“Yeah, maybe we’re really about to get a torrential downpour.”

Li Chenfeng had just finished putting away the food they had brought back when the heavy rain began to fall.

“This rain really comes down out of nowhere,” and the three of them hurried into the shelter to warm themselves around the fire.

Ning Jingjing looked at the rather neat fire pit and said, “Li Chenfeng, is there anything you can’t do?”

Lu Xinyao warmed her hands by the fire and said, “Yeah, I realize it’s all thanks to Chenfeng that we’ve held on this far.”

Once again flattered by the two girls’ compliments, Li Chenfeng said, “Hehe, being praised by two beauties at once makes me feel like I’m floating.”

Seeing the bad weather, Lu Xinyao grew melancholy and said, “Sigh, with this heavy rain I miss home even more.”

Emotions are contagious, and Ning Jingjing, who had been grinning a moment ago, also grew serious and said, “Me too; my parents were talking about having a second child, so now they won’t have any worries.”

“Relax; our parents will surely do everything they can to rescue us. By the way, I have something good for you.”

Li Chenfeng took the fruit out of his backpack and said, “Ta-da! Bet you didn’t expect this, did you?”

“Wow! A pomelo! My favorite.”

“Xinyao, and there’s the hairy lychee.”

“I say, Young Lady Ning, this is rambutan, not lychee.”

Ning Jingjing picked a rambutan, peeled it, and ate it, saying, “This clearly tastes like lychee.”

“Then Chenfeng, give us a little science lesson: what’s the difference between lychee and rambutan?”

“First of all, you can tell by their appearance; secondly, rambutan has a thin membrane inside that you can’t eat, and lychee trees are evergreen trees in the Sapindales order, Sapindaceae family, genus Litchi, while rambutan are evergreen trees in the same order and family but genus Nephelium.”

Ning Jingjing listened with her head buzzing and said, “What’s all that? This genus and that genus… whatever, as long as it tastes like lychee it’s fine.”

Lu Xinyao laughed and said, “I tell you to study more, but you insist on climbing soapberry trees instead.”

“Hahahaha, Ning Jingjing, just be a silly pretty girl and that’s enough.”

“Hehe…”

Outside the shelter it was pouring rain and everything outside was a white blur, while inside the shelter the three of them sat around the fire eating fruit and chatting cheerfully.

Li Chenfeng looked at the two of them happily and said, “So it turns out a girl’s happiness can be this simple.”

Ning Jingjing reached out to feel the rain and said, “It looks like this rain won’t stop anytime soon; does this mean Li Chenfeng will sleep with us tonight? I… I can reluctantly sleep in the middle.”

“No way, don’t you even think about coveting my looks.”