Chapter 61: Chapter Sixty-One

At night, Li Yuanxi sat by the stove outside. The fire crackled as the brittle wood popped in the air, a pleasant sound.

Wei Shu stood at the entrance of the cave, rubbing her eyes. She was sleepy. She raised her hand and let out a delicate yawn, her fair hand covering her open lips. The soft sound made Li Yuanxi turn her head.

Wei Shu raised her hand and waved. Li Yuanxi immediately got up and walked over. She wrapped her arms around Wei Shu’s soft, full waist. Wei Shu leaned against her, not wanting to move.

Li Yuanxi led Wei Shu towards the bed. Wei Shu sat on the edge, yawning continuously. She had slept all afternoon, yet she was still tired.

Li Yuanxi brought over a basin of hot water and placed it at Wei Shu’s feet. She crouched down, took off Wei Shu’s shoes, and let her soak her feet, gently massaging her ankles.

Wei Shu sat on the bed with her eyes closed, slowly drifting off to sleep. Her head lolled, and she kept leaning back, only to catch herself.

Li Yuanxi added hot water twice. She washed her hands and brought a hot towel to wipe Wei Shu’s face. Wei Shu opened her eyes, looked at Li Yuanxi, and then closed them again.

“I told you to soak your feet earlier, but you wouldn’t. Now you’re about to fall asleep the moment you get sleepy.” Li Yuanxi pinched Wei Shu’s earlobe and muttered softly. Wei Shu heard her. She opened her eyes and glared at Li Yuanxi.

Li Yuanxi just smiled and leaned over to kiss her earlobe. Wei Shu was satisfied, her ears flushed as she flopped onto the bed. Li Yuanxi bent down, dried Wei Shu’s feet, and put her to bed. Wei Shu rolled over to her own pillow.

She curled up on her side and was soon fast asleep. When Li Yuanxi finally got into bed, Wei Shu woke up again, drowsily got up to use the bathroom. Li Yuanxi put on her shoes and took her outside.

The campfire outside was still bright, illuminating the clearing. Li Yuanxi helped Wei Shu to a spot near a bucket of water she could use to flush. She turned her back to wait.

“Go further away,” Wei Shu said, sleepily pushing at Li Yuanxi’s back. Li Yuanxi helplessly took a few steps. “No. I can’t go any further. I have to be able to see you the moment I turn around,” she said seriously, a hint of shyness in her steady voice.

Wei Shu bit her lower lip, shooting a shy glare at Li Yuanxi’s back. She knew Li Yuanxi wouldn’t move back further, so she turned her back to her and slowly crouched down.

Two minutes later, Li Yuanxi led Wei Shu back into the cave. This time, they could finally get some sleep.

The spring sea breeze was gentle. There were almost no strong monsoon winds. The weather had warmed up to spring-summer temperatures. Everything was coming back to life. The island was filled with seagulls, chirping every day.

Wei Shu sat lazily under the coconut tree, enjoying the comfortable sea breeze. Her lower belly was just starting to show. The lines of her face had softened, giving her a gentle, maternal glow.

After her initial reaction, her body had adapted perfectly. She could eat, sleep, and wander around.

Her only problem was that she wanted to smell Li Yuanxi’s scent all the time. Wei Shu had a plan for that. Once she was past four months and her body was stable, she could let Li Yuanxi give her a permanent mark.

Li Yuanxi had no idea Wei Shu was planning this. She was still diligently providing her pheromones every day, calming the mother and, by extension, the baby inside her.

Li Yuanxi continued to build the signal fire on the beach, letting the smoke drift skyward. She looked at the dazzling sun, then at the distant horizon.

She and Wei Shu sat together, enjoying the warm sea breeze. Wei Shu rested her head on Li Yuanxi’s shoulder, her eyes half-closed, drowsy. Li Yuanxi took a nearby piece of clothing and draped it over her.

Wei Shu slept until the sun was about to set. The dark golden sunlight had an orange tint, casting a long tail across the sea, beautiful and colorful.

Her long, curled eyelashes fluttered as she opened her eyes. Her dark, unfocused pupils stared at the gorgeous sunset. She yawned softly and lazily stretched her arms.

Li Yuanxi held Wei Shu loosely around her waist, letting her stretch comfortably. “The sunset is so beautiful today. I want to come watch it again tomorrow,” Wei Shu said, twisting her neck to admire the view.

“Okay.” Li Yuanxi caught the yellow jacket that was slipping off onto the sand. She gently and carefully draped it back over Wei Shu’s shoulders, smoothing it down before carefully zipping it up. Wei Shu obediently raised her arms and let Li Yuanxi do it.

After watching the sunset, Li Yuanxi carried Wei Shu home on her back. The red glow of the setting sun stretched long into the forest. Neither of them spoke. The only sound was Li Yuanxi’s breathing in the quiet woods.

Time passed, and Wei Shu’s belly began to look like a small, slightly deflated balloon. Li Yuanxi would lie on her belly, listening for any movement inside.

There was no fetal movement yet. All she could hear was a faint heartbeat and the sounds of Wei Shu’s body.

In B City, Wei Shu’s second sister was sitting in her office on the top floor, drinking glass after glass of hard liquor. Her large desk was piled with stacks of documents waiting for her approval and signature.

She had big, wavy hair, red lips, fierce eyebrows, and a cold expression. Her eyes held only endless heartache, self-blame, and countless regrets.

This regret was shared by all four Wei siblings. They had been terrible people. When Little Shu was around, they kept her busy from dawn till dusk, never letting her enjoy life.

Bang!

A rapid clicking of high heels came from the hall. Wei Shu’s third sister appeared, carrying a huge stack of reports. She rushed in and asked urgently, “Second sister, how am I supposed to read all these financial reports?”

In the past, when Shu Shu was here, they never had to worry about these things. Now… Shu Shu was gone, and the Wei family was being held together by the second sister. The eldest brother had returned from the sea and fallen gravely ill. He couldn’t even get out of bed.

Wei Shu’s second sister rubbed her brow. She picked up the glass of spirits next to her and took a large gulp. “Just leave them there,” she said with a sigh, the heavy smell of alcohol wafting over her sister.

“Sis, stop drinking.” The third Wei sister couldn’t bear it. She reached out and took the glass, putting it aside. She looked at her sister, whose face was flushed but whose eyes were still sharp, and didn’t know what to say.

“The Ocean Group, a subsidiary, sent an email asking if their ships can start sailing again,” Wei Jing asked, her fists clenched, addressing the current head of the family.

Wei Zheng was stunned. After the plane crash, every ship in the Ocean Group that wasn’t transporting cargo had been mobilized for the rescue effort, halting all business.

“Pick a good day and start the voyages again,” Wei Zheng said, her body slumping in defeat. The look on her face would have melted anyone’s heart.

Wei Jing said nothing. She received the order and left. When the CEO of the Ocean Group received the reply from headquarters, he was dumbfounded.

Headquarters’ orders: All ships passing through that sea area must burn sacrificial paper every five hundred nautical miles to honor the former CEO. All paper money, ingots, and paper figures would be provided by headquarters.

Setting sail required good omens. After this order came down, the captains under the Ocean Group threatened to quit. Headquarters doubled everyone’s salary, and everyone calmed down, deciding the company was quite humane after all.

The power of money was always invincible… except with some people.

On the maiden voyage of the Ship Ocean, the first wave of paper money was burned in the Chris Sea area. A video was recorded and sent back to the company for the boss’s approval.

The person burning the paper was the first mate. She crouched on the ground, muttering, “President Wei, if you’re watching over us from heaven, please bless this cargo ship and keep it safe so we can earn lots of money for your family. Thank you for your blessings.”

It was a very down-to-earth wish. She burned over a dozen tall, mighty paper figures, including a chef and bodyguards—covering all the bases.

“The big boss is really worried her sister will be bullied. These bodyguards are top-notch,” the first mate remarked, picking up a paper figure taller than herself and tossing it into the iron barrel to burn.

Their cargo ship had only passed through the Chris waters before heading in the opposite direction of the island.

Meanwhile, Wei Shu and Li Yuanxi were still waiting on the beach for a ship to appear. Wei Shu’s back would ache sometimes, so she didn’t like staying in the cave. Li Yuanxi started building a small thatched hut on the beach to block the sun.

After setting up the frame, she began weaving the roof with coconut leaves. Wei Shu sat on a small stool, happily enjoying the sun, a coconut in her hand.

The signal fire was blazing, its warmth spreading everywhere. Today, they were having grilled pork here. They wouldn’t go back to the cave for lunch.

Li Yuanxi quickly wove a piece of coconut leaves and tied it to the roof. The roof was about chest-high, sloping down, secured to the coconut tree.

“Chuyi, have some water.” Wei Shu held out her half-finished coconut to Li Yuanxi’s lips. “Thanks, Shu Shu.” Li Yuanxi grinned at her, took a sip, and handed the rest back.

“Tired?” Wei Shu looked at Li Yuanxi’s sun-darkened face and rougher fingers. She frowned, taking Li Yuanxi’s sweaty face in her hands. “If you’re tired, you have to tell me. You don’t have to indulge all my whims.”

Wei Shu held Li Yuanxi’s face in her hands, pressing her forehead against Li Yuanxi’s cool one. It was sweaty, but not greasy, just damp.

Li Yuanxi shook her head. She didn’t reach out to hug Wei Shu. She just looked into her eyes, her amber gaze focused solely on her. “I’m not tired. This is nothing. I’ll be done soon.”

“Okay.” Wei Shu nodded. She kissed Li Yuanxi’s lips, her tongue easily hooking Li Yuanxi’s heart. Li Yuanxi’s breath hitched. Just as she was about to deepen the kiss, Wei Shu proudly pulled away.

Li Yuanxi was left standing there, replaying the kiss in her mind. She licked her lips and wanted to chase after her, but she held back. A flash of desire passed through her amber eyes before fading away.

After the little interlude, Li Yuanxi continued weaving the coconut leaves. She only stopped when Wei Shu’s stomach started to growl.

The newly built little hut only had five woven coconut leaves on the roof, barely enough to block the sun. Wei Shu pulled up a small stool and sat inside the shelter her lover had built just for her.

She habitually stroked the wooden ring hanging from her neck. It was her engagement ring from Chuyi. Wei Shu picked up the ring and brought it to her lips, a faint smile curving her lips, radiating happiness.

Li Yuanxi brushed a layer of diluted sand ginger water and chopped lemon leaves onto the pork before grilling it in the iron pot.

The aroma of grilled meat was everywhere. The baby inside Wei Shu seemed to smell it, constantly draining the mother’s energy.

Ten minutes later, the first plate of grilled pork, with simple seasonings and wild greens, was placed before Wei Shu. She picked up her chopsticks happily and started eating. The tender, juicy meat burst with flavor in her mouth.

The sweet and spicy sand ginger, the fragrant lemon leaves, and the fresh mint… the combination was incredible.

Wei Shu ate the grilled pork quickly. The greens beside her remained untouched.

Li Yuanxi grilled a second batch and set it down beside her. Wei Shu was just about to pick up a piece when Li Yuanxi stopped her. Wei Shu glared at her. “What are you doing? You want to starve your daughter?”

“It’s okay if the daughter goes hungry, but I can’t let my wife go hungry,” Li Yuanxi replied with a straight face.

Wei Shu was both satisfied and a little annoyed by the answer. She retracted her hand and waited for Li Yuanxi to speak. Li Yuanxi pushed the neglected greens to her and waited for her to eat.

Her tongue, which had just gotten used to the rich, delicious grilled pork, suddenly had to eat the plain, lightly salted greens. It didn’t want to. Wei Shu forced the greens down.

She ate the bowl of greens reluctantly. But as soon as she finished, Li Yuanxi immediately put the steaming hot grilled pork within her reach. Wei Shu was satisfied then.

Wei Shu ate three bowls of grilled pork and two bowls of greens before she finally felt full. Only then did Li Yuanxi have time to cook for herself.

Her own grilled pork was much simpler and more brutal. She threw all the seasonings into the pot at once, stir-frying the meat into a stir-fry.

It still smelled delicious, but it didn’t look as appetizing as Wei Shu’s.

Li Yuanxi still ate with gusto, wolfing down the meat and greens.

Wei Shu watched her eat, her mouth watering. She wanted some. She thought she was hungry again. Wei Shu tugged at Li Yuanxi, who stopped eating and turned her head. “What is it?”

Wei Shu pointed at her bowl. Li Yuanxi understood immediately. She picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks and fed it to Wei Shu’s mouth. Wei Shu opened her small cherry lips and bit down with her pink tongue. She chewed for a moment, then paused.

Wei Shu slowly looked up at Li Yuanxi, who was still devouring her meal. The pork in her mouth was clearly a different, poorer quality than what she had been eating.

“Want some more?” Li Yuanxi asked, seeing her staring, thinking she was still hungry. Wei Shu smiled and shook her head. She chewed the piece of pork slowly, watching Li Yuanxi eat.

Sometimes, in the most subtle, insignificant ways, Li Yuanxi could move her so deeply.

It seemed like, from the time they were little, Li Yuanxi had always put her first. She was always taking care of her, spoiling her.

Wei Shu thought of her eldest brother. Every time he saw Li Yuanxi, he would come back and complain to her, “That idiot of yours is badmouthing you again. When are you going to take care of her?”

“Hahaha.” Wei Shu thought about it and started laughing. Li Yuanxi finished her last bite of meat, seeing Wei Shu laughing to herself. She shook her head and didn’t interrupt, just got up to wash the dishes.