Li Ling washed the dishes a little slower than usual today. By the time Liu Ruoxi and the other girl finished washing up and left, Li Ling was still not finished. Wang Lun could only wait patiently until she was done before they went back together.
Just then, Li Ling suddenly spoke up, "Wang Lun, I want to go back." Hearing this, Wang Lun's eyes widened in surprise as he stared at Li Ling and shouted, "Are you crazy? We've persevered for half a year, and there's only half a year left. And now you're telling me you want to give up?"
Li Ling kept her head down and remained silent, constantly wiping the already washed dishes with her hands.
Seeing her like this, Wang Lun felt a surge of pity and helplessness. He knew that the pressure Li Ling had been under lately had been immense. So, he tried to comfort her, saying, "Alright, let's be patient a little longer. After these few days, I'll take you out for a walk to help you relax. After all, staying in the camp for so long must be very depressing."
However, Li Ling kept her head down and didn't say a word.
Seeing this, Wang Lun couldn't help but feel annoyed. He raised his voice and said with a hint of dissatisfaction, "If you think this won't work, then just quit as you said before. Anyway, there's no better way now."
Hearing this, Li Ling finally raised her head, stared firmly at Wang Lun, and said, word by word, "Only the two of us will go together."
Wang Lun sensed her determination and persistence in her tone, and he nodded involuntarily in agreement. At this moment, a smile finally appeared on Li Ling's face, but it quickly returned to its calm as she continued washing the dishes.
Although Wang Lun found Li Ling's change puzzling, he didn't think much of it. He assumed she was just angry about what happened today and would be fine in a couple of days. After all, frankly, today's incident was a continuation of what happened last time. Wang Lun didn't want to say anything more.
Soon, Li Ling washed the pots and pans, called out to Wang Lun, and went back home together.
The next morning, as sunlight streamed into the camp, the four men rose early and began their work. Working together, they meticulously organized and categorized the various supplies scattered throughout the camp, arranging them in an orderly fashion. Meanwhile, some plump male rabbits were selected to become a delicious meal for the day.
For the entire day, a harmonious and congenial atmosphere permeated the four of them, as if everything had returned to those carefree days of the past. However, only Wang Lun knew in his heart that his state of mind had undergone a subtle shift; and Li Ling was equally aware that she had already made up her mind to leave, and even if she chose to stay, she was no longer willing to live with everyone. After all, if they could no longer survive together, then their true departure was probably not far off.
Liu Ruoxi was fully aware of the changes in her own heart. Now she realized that although there were certain things she could do, she could never mention them or let anyone know the secrets behind them.
Of the four, only Liu Ruoling retained her innocence and purity. She spent the entire day immersed in the busy work of slaughtering chickens and rabbits, thoroughly enjoying herself. Although she was usually somewhat carefree and unconcerned with details, even someone as thick-skinned as her could vaguely sense that the atmosphere around her seemed unusual, as if an indescribable tension was quietly spreading.
After a long day's work, as night falls, people always crave a delicious meal to reward their tired bodies, especially after a bountiful harvest of plenty of fresh meat. Of the rabbits caught, Wang Lun kept only four skins; the rest were handled by Li Ling and Liu Ruoxi. They were responsible for boiling water to scald the rabbits, making it easier to pluck the fur. It's worth noting that this time, the rabbit meat wasn't skinned; it was roasted with the fur intact.
Looking back, all the wild rabbits they caught had to be skinned first. Since rabbits weren't very large to begin with, once their fur was removed, the edible meat became even scarcer. It's no exaggeration to say that whenever Wang Lun and his men enjoyed fresh meat, they would suck even the smallest bones clean. If the bones were easy to chew and digest, they would undoubtedly have chewed them up and swallowed them without hesitation.
That very evening, Wang Lun and his companions enjoyed an exceptionally lavish dinner. Two rabbits, still covered in fur, were roasted directly over a fire. As their skins gradually turned golden brown and crispy, they were sprinkled with a touch of sea salt to enhance their savory flavor. Then, a light layer of glistening honey was brushed on, releasing an enticingly sweet aroma. The rabbits, so meticulously roasted, were visually appealing and mouthwatering.
It's worth mentioning that this small jar of honey wasn't easy to obtain! He stumbled upon a beehive while searching for food. The next morning, Wang Lun resolutely set off alone to the hive, determined to bring back the sweet honey. However, when he returned, he looked like a complete "pig's head." It turned out that during the honey collection process, he had accidentally angered the bees and suffered their relentless attack and stings.
This terrified Li Ling and the other two, filling them with worry and unease. From that moment on, they refused to let Wang Lun go out alone again. Actually, when Wang Lun suggested going to find some food nearby that morning, Li Ling and the others had intended to go with him, but Wang Lun firmly refused, saying that the food he had found the day before hadn't been properly processed and that their slow pace would slow him down. Who could have imagined that when he returned in the afternoon, Wang Lun's once handsome face would be swollen like a fat, bloated pig's head?
What's even more absurd is that, despite his disheveled state, Wang Lun still grinned foolishly and muttered, "Finally, I can eat honey!" Seeing this, how could Li Ling and the other two not be both surprised and annoyed? On one hand, they felt heartbroken for Wang Lun's injury; on the other hand, they were somewhat annoyed by his behavior of disregarding his own safety and only thinking about satisfying his appetite. But ultimately, what they felt most was concern and care for each other!
It was precisely because of this experience that Wang Lun and his companions were able to enjoy a cup of sweet and delicious honey water every now and then. Although each time it was just a pot of water with a tiny spoonful of precious honey added, the subtle sweetness was enough to satisfy all four of them. You see, being on this desolate and lonely island, being able to taste anything was already a rare treat. Moreover, now they not only had sea salt, a fine seasoning, but also the fortunate harvest of honey, a sweet treat—how could they not feel extremely content?
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