Faced with Anya's sharp, almost accusatory tone, Zhang Liu hung his head, too embarrassed to respond. Every time he looked at her now, his mind flashed back to the glimpse of her pale, soft skin he'd caught by the seaside. That moment had been overwhelming for a teenage boy like him.
"Qin Ruoshuang! You promised me!" Anya's voice softened as she noticed Zhang Liu's guilty expression, and she decided to let him off the hook. Turning to Qin Ruoshuang, she continued, "That kind of thing is absolutely not okay…"
Qin Ruoshuang, caught off guard by Anya's sudden outburst, frowned. "Anya, you've got it all wrong."
"Wrong?" Anya shot back, her stubborn gaze fixed on Qin Ruoshuang. "What's there to misunderstand?"
Qin Ruoshuang was genuinely puzzled by Anya's hostile attitude. After a moment of thought, she turned to Zhang Liu and started, "Why don't you—"
"I'm heading to the rocky beach to look for food," Zhang Liu interrupted, sensing the tension. Not waiting for Qin Ruoshuang to finish, he bolted from the cave, calling back, "Come join me later when you're done!"
Women are terrifying, he thought as he glanced back at the cave, grumbling to himself.
With Zhang Liu gone, Anya's fiery momentum fizzled out. Under Qin Ruoshuang's calm scrutiny, her expression grew uneasy, but she pressed on. "You said I misunderstood. So, what did I get wrong?"
"I wasn't planning to bathe with Zhang Liu," Qin Ruoshuang explained calmly. "I found a deep stone pit near the cave that'd make a perfect natural bathtub. I just wanted to check it out with him."
Her explanation was short and clear. Halfway through, Anya lowered her head, avoiding eye contact.
Qin Ruoshuang leaned closer, studying Anya's condition. Noticing her soaked clothes, she said, "Warm up by the fire first."
More than figuring out why Anya was upset, Qin Ruoshuang was worried she might catch a cold—a serious risk in a place like this.
"Oh…" Anya mumbled, shuffling over to the fire and sitting down.
As Qin Ruoshuang tossed a few thick logs into the flames, Anya felt a wave of shame wash over her. Now that she'd calmed down, she started to piece together why she'd been so angry.
It must've been because she'd failed to convince Zhang Liu to bathe together. And then, overhearing Qin Ruoshuang invite him to do just that—and him agreeing so quickly? That had set her off.
But it was all a misunderstanding that could've been cleared up with a single sentence. Instead, she'd jumped to conclusions, interrogating them like a fool without giving anyone a chance to explain.
The real trigger, though, was probably seeing Qin Ruoshuang and Zhang Liu sitting close and chatting last night, with Qin Ruoshuang glancing over to check if she was asleep.
Biting her lip, Anya wondered if she should just ask Qin Ruoshuang about what happened last night.
"Take off your wet clothes," Qin Ruoshuang said, interrupting her thoughts. "They won't dry properly like that. Zhang Liu said catching a cold here is the worst thing that could happen. If one of us gets sick, it'll affect all three of us."
As she spoke, Qin Ruoshuang dropped several red-hot pebbles into a giant clam shell filled with water. The pebbles sizzled, releasing a burst of heat as the water bubbled violently.
Anya, obediently peeling off her clothes, glanced curiously at the clam shell. Why is she heating so much water? she wondered. The shell was at least a meter wide, holding two-thirds of their morning's freshwater supply.
"The temperature's just right," Qin Ruoshuang said after checking the water with her hand. She nodded, satisfied, and turned to Anya. "Use this to wipe the salt water off your body. Soak your clothes in it too before putting them back on."
Seeing Anya's surprised look, she added with a smile, "Next time, don't put your clothes on right after coming out of the sea. The salt will dry and leave stains."
After a moment's thought, Qin Ruoshuang continued, "I'm going to find Zhang Liu so he doesn't come back and make things awkward. Don't pour out the water—I'll use it later to fill the stone pit for my bath."
With that, she gave Anya's head a gentle pat and crawled out of the cave.
Anya, now naked and crouched by the fire, sat frozen. She couldn't wrap her head around it. Why had Qin Ruoshuang, after being questioned so harshly, gone out of her way to boil water for her?
The shame hit harder. That gentle head pat had felt warm, like being cared for.
Ugh, I'm the sole heir to the Yasukuni family! Anya thought, indignant. I'm destined to return to Japan with billions and make history! How could a pat on the head and some hot water win me over?
Using a sponge soaked in warm water, she scrubbed her body and then her clothes, silently vowing: I'll boil water in two giant clam shells later—one for Zhang Liu, one for Qin Ruoshuang. And I'll make sure there's more water than this! I'll show them!
Poor Anya didn't realize her plan was already doomed to fall flat.
Meanwhile, Qin Ruoshuang caught up with Zhang Liu at the beach, where he stood in just his underwear, half-hidden behind a reef.
"Uh… Qin Ruoshuang, is it okay if I'm like this in front of you?" Zhang Liu asked awkwardly, his voice tinged with worry as she smiled and looked him over.
What if she said she minded? He'd either have to get his clothes wet in the sea, letting them dry stiff with salt, or abandon gathering food altogether, which would delay their plans to explore the wreckage and slow their rescue.
"Don't worry, I don't mind," Qin Ruoshuang said, stepping forward to collect the shells Zhang Liu had pried from the rocks. She sorted them into two coconut shells—one for shells with meat, one for empties, with broken shells on the left and intact ones on the right.
She was in a great mood, a smile playing on her lips. Though she didn't know why Anya had been so upset, Qin Ruoshuang was skilled at handling people. Her gentle, generous response earlier was sure to calm Anya down. And if Anya's temper flared again, well, getting upset after being shown kindness was a great way to teach her a lesson.
"Phew… I'm exhausted," Zhang Liu said, placing two possible mussels next to Qin Ruoshuang before slumping against a smooth reef to catch his breath.
After a moment, he walked to the shore, letting the sun dry his skin so he could put his clothes back on. He tapped his lower back lightly with his fist.
He'd spent the afternoon bent over, prying shells without a break, and now his muscles ached.
"Is your back sore?" Qin Ruoshuang asked, noticing his discomfort as she packed away the shells. "Want me to give you a massage?"