Du Lai used the long branch as a walking stick, sweeping aside the grass and leaves ahead of him as he walked.

He’d traveled this route several times now. The marks left by their previous trips had gradually worn into the rough shape of a path.

The closer they drew to the bamboo grove, the more cautiously he moved, repeatedly tapping the surrounding undergrowth with the branch.

Fu Miaoxue followed his lead, picking up her own branch and swinging it back and forth behind him.

Du Lai glanced back at her and asked: “Do you know what I’m doing?”

Fu Miaoxue thought it over, then asked: “Looking for food?”

“All you think about is eating.” Du Lai said. “This is called beating the grass to startle the snake — you rouse the snakes first so they scatter, and then it’s safer for people to walk through.”

Fu Miaoxue couldn’t help asking: “Snakes are edible, right?”

Du Lai’s footstep faltered. He genuinely wondered if Fu Miaoxue had been scarred by hunger — how did she manage to tie everything back to food?

…Although, in a way, that wasn’t such a bad thing. When you were fixated on eating, fear didn’t take hold quite so strongly — and at least she wouldn’t shriek and wail the moment she laid eyes on a snake, deafening everyone within earshot.

Du Lai kept walking and explained: “Wild snakes tend to feed on rodents, which means they may carry plague-related pathogens. If not handled correctly, eating one could result in the person contracting the plague as well. So unless there is absolutely no other choice, snakes and rodents are best left uneaten.”

Fu Miaoxue gave a long, drawn-out “Oh,” heavy with disappointment.

“You go over there and help me sweep while I cut the bamboo,” Du Lai said. “If you see any snakes, drive them off.”

Fu Miaoxue nodded in agreement.

Having an extra pair of hands made things easier. Du Lai wouldn’t have to worry about a snake sneaking up and biting him mid-cut.

The bamboo grew very tall — he only cut three stalks.

Any more than that and he wouldn’t be able to haul them.

He lashed the bamboo poles together with vines, tied the knot into a loop, slung it over his body, and used the strength of his arms and shoulders to drag everything slowly back.

Fu Miaoxue walked ahead of him, using her branch to clear the way.

Looking at only her back, Du Lai could imagine clearly enough what her expression must be right now — crestfallen. They’d come all this way and not found a single thing to eat.

Foraging for wild fruit was a matter of luck — not every tree was willing to offer such generosity.

The sky suddenly darkened.

Both of them instinctively looked up.

An enormous flock of birds — black and dense — swept overhead.

Fu Miaoxue’s excitement surged: “Birds! Du Lai! Such a huge flock of birds!”

“I see them. Looks like birds heading back to roost,” Du Lai said, carefully tracking their direction. “Flying southeast.”

Fu Miaoxue chased after the flock for a few steps, and couldn’t stop herself from hurling the branch in her hand with all her might up into the air!

No matter how strong she was, she had no hope of hitting birds soaring high above. The branch flew upward, tumbled through the air, and came crashing back down into a nearby bush.

Fu Miaoxue watched the flock disappear from view and bit her lip, muttering under her breath: “Either they’re not edible, or they’re just out of reach.”

Du Lai shouldered the vine rope and kept walking at an unhurried pace. “Those are birds returning to their roost — not migratory birds. Looks like there’s a large nesting site on this island somewhere. Let’s go find it after this. If we’re lucky, tonight’s dinner could be roasted seabird.”

Fu Miaoxue’s eyes lit up immediately. She ran back to Du Lai’s side: “You know how to catch birds? How? We don’t have any tools — do we need to weave a net first? Or set a trap to lure them?”

Du Lai smiled. “I’ll teach you in a bit — you’ll see.”

Fu Miaoxue nearly bounced on the spot with excitement. She grabbed Du Lai’s face and planted a firm kiss on it, beaming: “Du Lai! How are you this capable?!”

Du Lai blinked, startled — then felt both amused and a little pleased with himself.

He assumed a worldly, seen-it-all expression and said: “Hey hey, be happy if you want — but keep your hands to yourself.”

Fu Miaoxue was still buzzing with excitement. She grabbed hold of the vine rope on the bamboo and said: “I’ll help you pull the bamboo!”

“Alright, alright — you’re pulling at the wrong angle, you’ll just make it harder for me!”

“No! I am going to pull! I’m too happy right now!”

“You… ugh…”

……

—