Fu Miaoxue climbed with practiced, nimble ease — like a bright green gecko, scurrying up to the highest point in no time.

The only issue was that this particular gecko’s skin wasn’t quite secure. As she climbed upward, the fair, pale flesh beneath the green fabric became entirely visible, the wardrobe malfunction quite thorough.

“…” Du Lai stood below and watched in silence.

When Fu Miaoxue climbed back down and handed him two large pieces of sun-dried moss, Du Lai looked at her and couldn’t help asking:

“Are you really the young mistress of the Fu Family?”

Fu Miaoxue blinked, then stared at him in bewilderment. “What do you mean by that?”

Du Lai took the moss and crouched down to start the fire. “Nothing.”

In the center of the charred wood, embers glowed with flickering light. He carefully placed the moss on top, coaxing it bit by bit until the flame caught, then added a few thin branches. The fire quickly grew stronger.

Fu Miaoxue crouched down beside him and pressed: “Tell me. What did you mean by that question? Are you saying I’m not the real deal?”

Du Lai slowly fed more branches into the fire. “The average privileged young lady doesn’t have your kind of agility.”

Fu Miaoxue’s eyes curved into a smile. “My grandfather likes collecting unusual rocks. Our garden has several artificial rockeries. I used to climb them all the time for fun~”

“You’re a pampered young lady — why would you climb artificial rocks instead of playing the piano or dancing?” Du Lai asked, poking at the branches.

“It’s fun~” Fu Miaoxue said. “Especially when you reach the very top — that’s the best part!”

Du Lai didn’t understand this hobby of hers and said mildly: “Whatever. As long as you’re not afraid of heights.”

He saw the fire was strong enough and started adding thicker branches. But all the branches Fu Miaoxue had gathered were thin ones that would burn out quickly. He would have to go out himself.

Du Lai held out one hand to Fu Miaoxue. “Give me that chain.”

He had returned it to her during their earlier argument.

“What for?” Fu Miaoxue unclasped the steel wire chain from her wrist and handed it to Du Lai.

“I’m going to get more branches.” Du Lai stood up and added: “Don’t wrap it around your wrist next time. That thing isn’t a bracelet — it can be dangerous.”

He picked up the steel wire chain and walked toward a tree not far away.

Fu Miaoxue watched his retreating figure, then lowered her head thoughtfully and looked at her own wrist, murmuring: “He’s so concerned about me… does he like me?”

Du Lai sneezed on the other side.

Fu Miaoxue: “…”

……

Du Lai selected a large tree branch, sawed it off with considerable effort, then cut it into seven or eight sections of roughly equal length.

Because it had rained, the wood still held a faint dampness, though that wouldn’t stop it from working as fuel.

He arranged four pieces around the fire first, then stacked two more layers in a crisscross pattern. The remaining smaller twigs he tossed into the center of the arrangement.

The flames burned fiercely.

In truth, neither of them needed such a large bonfire. But they both felt uneasy inside, lacking any sense of security, so instinctively they wanted the fire as big and strong as possible — that way it was less likely to go out.

Fu Miaoxue looked at the flames before her, cheeks warmed by the heat, heart filling with a gentle, spreading warmth.

For the first time she realized that in the wilderness, a single fire could have this kind of power — settling a person’s heart in an instant, dispelling the panic.

“Will it stay lit like this?” she asked Du Lai beside her.

“Should be fine for two or three hours, unless we get another heavy rain.” Du Lai glanced up at the sky, now clear after the rain, then walked a few steps away and crouched down to dig up mud.

Fu Miaoxue saw this and followed, crouching down to dig beside him.

Du Lai asked her: “What are you digging for?”

“Hmm…” she replied in puzzlement. “I’m not sure… maybe… sweet potatoes, taro… plant roots? Isn’t that what you’re digging for?”

Du Lai: “…”

He scooped up a clump of muddy earth, returned to the campfire, and began packing the damp mud in a low ring around the fire’s perimeter.