Lu Yanchen took Zhang Qiang back to the tent and gave him a lesson, ordering him to reflect on his actions and apologize to Gu Ling early tomorrow morning.
Soon, the island quieted down, with only the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves and the quiet movements of some small animals sneaking by.
Everyone fell into a deep sleep. The pain in Lu Yanchen's leg throbbed faintly, making it difficult for him to sleep as usual.
In a daze, he heard his father's stern reprimand, "Marriage is a significant matter arranged by parents. The girls we choose are all top-notch! What are you dissatisfied with?"
In the dream, he challenged his father with a stiff neck, "All top-notch? Is she a celestial being? Even if she is, I won't want her if I don't like her!"
As soon as the words fell, a girl lowered her head and walked out from behind his father. Lu Yanchen looked over indifferently, but when the girl lifted her head, he was stunned.
The girl was fair and lively, like an orchid in the snow. Her clear eyes were as transparent as a lake. Surprisingly, it was Gu Ling!
Beside him, his father snorted, "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"
Lu Yanchen was in a daze, his mouth seemingly sewn shut. In the next moment, he suddenly opened his eyes, drenched in sweat, realizing it was just a dream!
He slapped his own face a couple of times, exhaled deeply, and then closed his eyes again to continue sleeping.
***
In a distant small town, Gu Ya tossed and turned.
Her heart was disheartened, lying in bed, recalling the events of the past few days.
That day, in her dream, she altered the plot using moonstone. She thought about having a wild buffalo collide with Gu Ling. A buffalo raised in the woods – even if Gu Ling was a tough person, could she withstand such a collision?
The next day, upon waking up, she was extremely cautious, shielding her face, afraid of receiving another slap.
To her surprise, Gu Ling's best friend, Lin Huining, showed up at her doorstep!
Lin Huining's father and Gu Ya's mother-in-law were old classmates. Lin Huining first respectfully called her "Auntie" and then coldly questioned Gu Ya, "Gu Ling went to the remote island as an educated youth for you. Why did she go in your place? You know it in your heart! She is now working hard to build our country on a remote island, but I heard rumors in our small town, people are talking bad about Gu Ling. Some say she went to the island because she got pregnant from messing around with a guy, and couldn't survive if she didn't become an educated youth! This talk spread all over the place, I inquired everywhere, finally found the source, I really didn't expect, it's you, Gu Ya, this statue of Buddha spreading it, do you still have a conscience?!"
Thinking about how Gu Ling lost her mother at a young age and now has been schemed to go to the island by her step-sister. What kind of place is that island? Exposed to the wind and sun, Gu Ling has been gone for a month or two with no phone call or letter!
Several times, Lin Huining worried about Gu Ling, dreaming that she was suffering and getting thinner over there, and waking up, she couldn't help but want to cry!
When she heard someone slandering Gu Ling, she relentlessly questioned each person, and finally traced the rumors back to their source.
Gu Ya's face changed, quickly denying, "I didn't! When did I say that?"
But on the side, Yu Mingxin gritted his teeth and said, "It's the truth, can't people say it?"
Bringing up the time when Gu Ling rejected him and kicked him in a sensitive area, Yu Mingxin was furious! He wouldn't have done that if there was nobody else around Gu Ling!
Lin Huining gritted her teeth and said, "Alright! You two are quite a match! One confidently spreads slander, and the other dares not admit it. Today, either you go and clarify one by one, write apology letters, or I'll bring this matter to the neighborhood committee, to your workplaces! No decent girl can withstand such rumors!"
Yu Mingxin's mother watched from the side, knowing that Lin Huining was a strong-willed person. If this matter really went public, where would the face of the Yu family go?
She never liked Gu Ya in the first place. She slammed the table and said, "Living a peaceful life, and you create trouble for yourself! Gu Ya, don't drag my son into what you've done yourself! If it's true, provide evidence, present the facts. If you can't find evidence, then it's false. You deserve to apologize and clarify the situation!"
Gu Ya had no evidence, stuttering for a while. Suddenly, Yu Mingxin understood. Gu Ya was deceiving him!
Deceived into believing, he developed resentment towards Gu Ling and was willing to live with Gu Ya...
Yu Mingxin, furious and ashamed, turned and slapped Gu Ya twice!
He didn't know how he had been so foolish to believe Gu Ya before, but at this moment, he just wanted to smash Gu Ya's face!
After enduring her husband's beating, Gu Ya tearfully ran back to her parents' home. Unfortunately, no one from the Yu family came to pick her up. Lin Huining pursued the matter, and in the end, Gu Ya apologized in the newspaper before Lin Huining let her go.
Squatting at her parents' home, neither Sun Xiulan nor Gu Changjian welcomed Gu Ya. This was due to Gu Ya not bringing much dowry when she got married, and after marriage, she couldn't get any money from her in-laws. Sun Xiulan hated the iron not becoming steel and kept scolding, and the Gu family's situation plummeted even further because Gu Changjian lost his job. They had to be frugal even when it came to meals. In desperation, Gu Ya reluctantly returned to her in-laws' home.
However, life at her in-laws' was completely different from what she had imagined. Yu Mingxin became extremely impatient with her, venting his frustrations on her at night. During the day, he paid no attention to her grievances. Her mother-in-law and younger sister-in-law ridiculed her in various ways. Even Yu Mingchun deliberately closed the door, trapping her fingers, causing excruciating pain. Her bruised fingers turned black, yet no one showed any concern for her.
Gu Ya lay on the bed, feeling numb and exhausted. Suddenly, an idea crossed her mind – modifying the plot shouldn't be limited to just changing Gu Ling's storyline, right?
She could also alter her own part in the story, and make her days better.
Excited by this thought, Gu Ya regained her spirits, hurriedly forced herself to sleep, and entered the dream world, where she discovered that everything had changed.
Under her novel, it was crowded with comments praising Gu Ling.
This was because the system automatically replaced her previous plot with the real storyline.
The comments detailed how Gu Ling had cleverly dug a pit in advance, causing the wild buffalo to fall into it during the attack. Later, she unexpectedly harvested a wild boar because of Peng Xiaoyue, dug a well for freshwater, and even drew out poison from Lu Yanchen's body, and so on...
Not only the readers, but even Gu Ya herself thought she had read it wrong!
This Gu Ling, how was she so different from the Gu Ling she knew?
When they lived together before, Gu Ling, aside from being a bit prettier, didn't seem any different from others. But now, the current Gu Ling seems to shine in every aspect!
Readers, one by one, are expressing amazement!
『 Wow! The supporting female character is so impressive! I seriously doubt if the previous supporting character and the current one are the same person? 』
『 Incredible! I want to spend a few days on the island too! I'm craving the grilled fish, barbecue, and dumplings made by Gu Ling. Watching this in the middle of the night is making me so hungry! 』
『 Nest building! Digging a well! And these skills! Looking forward to the next update. What will Gu Ling do next? 』
『Can the author stop updating Gu Ya's storyline? She's supposed to be the main character, but the more I read, the more annoyed I get. I just want to see the part about Gu Ling! Why not change the female lead to Gu Ling? I want to see what she's going to do next and if there will be any developments with that Lu Yanchen?』
Gu Ya felt a stab in her eyes when she saw this comment!
This is my grassland, my horse. I'll do whatever I want! In my novel, can I still be overshadowed by Gu Ling?!
Furious, she clicked into the backend and deleted that comment directly!
Little did she know that, a dozen seconds later, that reader actually came back, reposted the same comment, and even gave it a negative rating: 『Why is the author scared? Deleting my comment? Daring to write but afraid of criticism? Well, I'll say it anyway. Don't like the female lead! I prefer the supporting female character!』
Now Gu Ya's breathing became rapid. She closed her eyes to rest for a while, and only after some time did she start feeling a bit better. However, as soon as she opened her eyes, she felt like she was on the verge of breaking down again!
Because that reader continued to give negative ratings consecutively, all with the exact same comment!
『I insist, don't like the female lead, I prefer the supporting female character! Author, go ahead and keep deleting, let's see how you delete!』
『I insist, don't like the female lead, I prefer the supporting female character! Author, go ahead and keep deleting, let's see how you delete!』
『I insist, don't like the female lead, I prefer the supporting female character! Author, go ahead and keep deleting, let's see how you delete!』
...
Gu Ya almost had a heart attack! Trembling hands, she barely managed to calm down after a long time. Struggling to think, since Gu Ling had come into contact with Lu Yanchen and Pang Xiaoyue would naturally develop hostility towards Gu Ling without her intervention, she decided to temporarily modify her own storyline. She would try to make her life better for now, and deal with the situation with Gu Ling later...
With this in mind, Gu Ya spent another two moonstones to modify the plot for the next day. After grappling for a while between achieving recognition in her work and gaining approval from the Yu family, Gu Ya ultimately chose the scenario where she accidentally saved her mother-in-law and gained recognition from her family.
After all, in her perception, work should be reliant on oneself. One stroke of luck wouldn't be sufficient, and the road ahead would be exhausting. It seemed better to maintain a good relationship with her in-laws, just like the previous life of Gu Ling. Without doing anything, the in-laws would continuously provide her with money to spend.
However, when she clicked the button that required deducting two moonstones, Gu Ya felt a twinge on her face. After a determined moment, she pressed it.
Then, Gu Ya closed her eyes, harboring resentment. Once she had settled things with her in-laws, she would take her time to teach Gu Ling and Lin Huining a lesson!
Weren't these two claiming to be good best friends? She wished for them to never see each other again during their lifetimes, with the only news they received being about each other's deaths!
***
At five in the morning, Lu Yanchen was once again awakened by the pain in his leg. However, even if he were not injured, he usually got up at five, exercising more than the group of soldiers under his command.
Lu Yanchen emerged from his tent, breathing in the fresh morning air on the island. He had no idea that at this time, some of the educated youths on the other side were also getting up!
Gu Ling took a basin of water and was cleaning a bunch of fresh wild onions. She planned to stew an egg for breakfast.
Breakfast was simple, and what others wanted to eat could be prepared when they woke up. Gu Ling planned to have a stewed egg alone. After eating, while it was still cool in the morning, she intended to pull out the grass from the vegetable garden. Later, when the other educated youths woke up, they could discuss something together.
Today, she didn't tie her hair into a bun. Instead, her black hair was simply gathered into a ponytail, looking sweet and charming. The freshly washed green onions were neatly placed in a basin. Gu Ling turned to reach for the eggs hanging in a basket under the eaves.
Little did she know that Zhou Cheng had hung the eggs too high yesterday. She stretched and strained on her tiptoes, but still couldn't reach them. She attempted to jump...
Even with the jump, she couldn't reach. Gu Ling gave up and decided to find a stool to stand on.
At that moment, a slender hand reached out and effortlessly took down the basket of eggs.
Gu Ling looked up and saw Lu Yanchen standing in front of her.
She was slightly surprised, "You... wake up so early?"
Lu Yanchen smiled, "Yes."
He handed her the basket of eggs. Gu Ling took it, wanting to ask if he wanted eggs, but felt it was inappropriate. She decided not to say anything, but when she lowered her head, she unexpectedly discovered that Lu Yanchen's feet were covered in blood!
She froze, and Lu Yanchen, seeing her reaction, also looked down, instantly losing his composed demeanor!
His earlier action of fetching eggs for her was so graceful and carefree, but in the span of a second, he turned into a helpless figure, a wounded chicken bleeding and staining her yard!
He felt awkward, "Sorry, I... I'll clean up the yard in a bit."
Gu Ling frowned, "Your wound is bleeding quite a lot. You should rest. If you don't take care of it and rest, it might lead to infection, even affecting the bones."
But she didn't intend to help him with the wound. There were many people on the island, and even if others weren't skilled, they could assist in cleaning it, followed by applying herbal powder and bandages. So after Gu Ling finished speaking, she casually added, "I'll sweep the yard. You better hurry and find someone to take care of your wound."
After saying that, she went to the kitchen with the eggs. Lu Yanchen watched her calm demeanor and thought about the phrase she mentioned last night about finding him more annoying. It made him feel a bit uneasy.
They had only known each other for two days; she shouldn't be annoyed just by seeing him, right?
Lu Yanchen, who even cut his own leg to avoid women, suddenly stumbled and sat on the ground. His brows furrowed, and he made a "hissing" sound through clenched teeth, tightly gripping his fist as if trying to endure pain!
Gu Ling, hearing the commotion, naturally turned around and was startled to see him in this state.
Her eyes flickered, and she couldn't help but ask, "What... happened to you?"
Lu Yanchen, sitting on the ground, looked at her with a somewhat innocent expression. Despite being a rough and sturdy man, at this moment, he displayed a vulnerable demeanor like a small animal, which felt quite a bit of a violation.
He sighed lightly, expressing some helplessness and frustration, "My leg has been hurting all night, so much that I couldn't sleep. That kid, Ding Shaoyang, did a sloppy job with the bandaging. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be bleeding again early in the morning! I was thinking of asking you, Educated Youth Gu, to help me rebandage it, but just now I reconsidered; it doesn't seem appropriate. Never mind, I won't bother you."
At this moment, Ding Shaoyang, who was snoring and contributing to the "Yellow River Cantata," would probably have a thousand question marks on his forehead if he heard this.
Gu Ling, having lived through another life, was more guarded against people, but she remained a kind and warm-hearted person.
Moreover, Lu Yanchen is a soldier stationed on the island, and Gu Ling admires all military personnel. Therefore, without much thought, she agreed to help Lu Yanchen rebandage his wound.
Lu Yanchen watched the girl bring clean gauze, a towel, a basin of water, and a bottle of herbal powder. His heartbeat was somewhat erratic.
He couldn't help but sigh inwardly, realizing that he had once vowed to live an upright and honest life, but now he didn't expect to hit himself in the face.
He couldn't explain why he did this to himself. After pondering for a while, he reluctantly tried to justify it to himself. After all, he was only human, and he also feared pain.
Yes, he was afraid of pain, and in a moment of desperation, he lied to Educated Youth Gu.
When Gu Ling saw Lu Yanchen's wound, she couldn't help but feel angry. She cleaned it with a towel and water, sprinkled herbal powder on it, and couldn't resist pressing on it. She looked up at Lu Yanchen and asked, "Does it hurt?"
Lu Yanchen: "Uh, it's okay..."
Gu Ling pressed again, "How about now?"
This time she really put some force into it, and Lu Yanchen genuinely felt the pain. His face contorted, "Ouch, it hurts, it hurts now!"
Gu Ling snorted, "So, you do feel pain, huh? I thought you were immune to pain! If I had known you were so dishonest, I wouldn't have helped you suck out the venom, wasting my herbal powder for bandaging! Carrying your wound around and running everywhere, it won't heal if you only bandage it once a day! My herbal powder is precious, and I can't let you waste it like this!"
Moreover, having sucked out the venom herself left her mouth numb for quite a while. Seeing Lu Yanchen's wound worsen like this, she couldn't help but feel furious.
Lu Yanchen had never seen a woman get angry like this, not that he had never seen an angry woman before, but he had never seen a young girl like Gu Ling scolding him like this. Most of the time, he encountered young girls who would timidly care for him, trying to get closer.
When he coldly rejected them, they would look so pitiful and wronged, seeming on the verge of tears.
However, no one dared to speak harshly to him. He always looked down on those men who were tightly controlled by their wives, obedient to every command.
But at this moment, Lu Yanchen unexpectedly discovered that being disciplined and scolded by a woman seemed... somewhat intriguing?
He pursed his lips, subconsciously suppressing his thoughts. However, to his surprise, Gu Ling misunderstood.
Looking at the man with deep and intense eyes, Gu Ling's first impression was that he was defiant!
Angry, she pressed on his wound again "Do you not submit?! Do you or don't you?!"
Lu Yanchen winced as he sucked in a breath of cold air. His fist really clenched in pain, and he pleaded, "I submit, I submit! I truly submit! Lady, my leg is still bleeding, you're too ruthless..."
Gu Ling secured the bandage on his leg, snorted, and then turned and walked away.
Lu Yanchen sat on the ground for a while to recover. He watched the faint figure of the girl bustling around in the kitchen, and a hint of a smile appeared on his lips.
Soon, one by one, the others woke up. Lu Yanchen had originally planned to continue patrolling the island today, but the memory of the intense pain from Gu Ling pressing on his wound made his scalp tingle!
In the end, Lu Yanchen gave the order for everyone to take a day off!
Early in the morning, Zhang Qiang went to apologize to Gu Ling. She lazily glanced at him, "Hmm, got it."
The other party didn't dare to disturb Gu Ling any further and scurried away with a swollen and bruised face.
The educated youths had breakfast and gathered to discuss today's tasks. Before Gu Ling could speak, Peng Xiaoyue, who had recovered from her fever, came out of the house.
She was very displeased, "If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have caught that wild boar, right? Why did you have to eat it when I was sick!"
Sun Pingfang quickly explained, "Peng Xiaoyue, there's still a lot of wild boar meat left. You can have some today. Yesterday, the patrol unit stationed near us, so we served them a portion as hospitality..."
Peng Xiaoyue was initially puzzled, then her eyes lit up with excitement, "The patrol unit came? Where's Lu Yanchen? Did he come?"
The educated youth exchanged glances, and among them, Niu Dawei had the most serious expression.
Throughout the journey, he had been threatened by Peng Xiaoyue to take advantage of him. Now that he knew Peng Xiaoyue had a connection with Lu Yanchen, he had to endure even more and could only hold his tongue!
Sun Pingfang whispered, "Lieutenant Lu is here too, they're all in that tent..."
Peng Xiaoyue was extremely excited. She didn't come all the way to the island to endure hardships; her purpose was to find Lu Yanchen, after all!
So, Peng Xiaoyue headed towards the tent with enthusiasm. After running a few steps, she turned back and exclaimed, "Didn't we catch sea cucumbers a few days ago? Also, bring out the eggs that belong to me. I want to cook breakfast for Lu Yanchen!"
She insisted on getting her share of eggs. Li Haixia had no choice but to agree.
For the first time, Peng Xiaoyue energetically entered the kitchen and prepared a breakfast with pork, sea cucumbers, and eggs. Excitedly carrying a tray, she rushed to Lu Yanchen's tent.
The educated youths looked at each other in disbelief.
At that moment, Lu Yanchen was inside the tent, writing patrol notes. When he heard the tent flap being lifted, he suddenly looked up and met Peng Xiaoyue's face.
Peng Xiaoyue, holding the tray, was momentarily captivated!
Before, she had seen Lu Yanchen from a distance and knew that he was a well-known handsome man in their circle. Even from afar, she thought he was handsome. However, after not seeing him for a long time, seeing him up close like this made her feel that he was so good-looking that it made her heart beat wildly—a glance and she was captivated!
The man exuded an exceptional temperament, with deep and inscrutable eyes displaying a chilly demeanor. His high nose, slightly pursed lips, and well-defined features seemed as if they were carved and depicted. Like a small poplar tree that could still stand tall despite the wind and rain in the wilderness. Peng Xiaoyue had high expectations for him, and with just one look, she was ready to name their grandchildren!
Stammering slightly, her face turned red, "Lu Yanchen, I'm Peng Xiaoyue. Uncle Lu should have mentioned me to you, right? I was worried that life on the island would be too hard for you, so I came as an educated youth. Besides, I can take care of you too."
Lu Yanchen scrutinized Peng Xiaoyue, surprised that the "prospective fiancée" from the parents' side had actually come all the way to the island to pursue him.
Seeing her determined attitude, it seemed like she was planning to persistently pursue him.
The man chuckled lightly, his voice somewhat magnetic, "Oh, you're Peng Xiaoyue?"
Peng Xiaoyue, nervous but joyful, replied, "Yes, we'll have many chances to meet in the future, and we can get to know each other better. This is breakfast I made for you. Try it and see if it suits your taste."
Lu Yanchen looked at the sea cucumber, pork, and eggs she brought, and just the smell seemed like a dark culinary creation.
Thinking about the dumplings he had yesterday, Lu Yanchen made a sound of disdain and asked, "How did you know I needed to eat sea cucumber?"
Peng Xiaoyue exclaimed, her joy spreading everywhere. She had a strong intuition that she and Lu Yanchen liked each other!
Otherwise, how did she happen to bring sea cucumber, which Lu Yanchen liked?
The next moment, Lu Yanchen's words made her blush, and she lowered her head, not knowing how to respond.
"Come inside the tent to talk," he said to her casually.
Peng Xiaoyue's ears turned crimson as she went in with the tray. Although Lu Yanchen's tent was spacious, it was still enclosed. Being a man and a woman alone in the same space, it inevitably created an ambiguous atmosphere!
At this moment, the educated youths looked from a distance, and one by one, they exclaimed!
So, Peng Xiaoyue was indeed Lu Yanchen's fiancee. Otherwise, why would the two of them go into the tent to talk? Aren't they afraid of being heard by others?
Peng Xiaoyue never expected things to go so smoothly. Considering her options, she planned to let Lu Yanchen finish his breakfast, have a chat for a while, and then seize the opportunity to ask him when he planned to return to the mainland. Life on this island was truly difficult!
However, Lu Yanchen didn't eat the breakfast. Instead, he looked at her with sincerity and said, "You're truly a good girl. I initially thought of not delaying you, so I rejected the arranged engagement with both families. But I didn't expect you to come to this island. Your heartfelt intentions have deeply moved me. I'm also grateful that you brought me sea cucumbers. It's a nourishing food, and I need nourishment. Unfortunately, even if I eat a thousand sea cucumbers, the doctor says I might not be able to function like a normal man. I'm sorry for this inherent flaw, but I sincerely shared my secret with you, hoping you can understand. After all, love is the purest and noblest thing. We shouldn't give up on each other because of illness or shortcomings. I believe you won't develop any bias against me because of these things, right?"
Peng Xiaoyue was stunned. What nourishment, what bodily shortcomings, what inability to function like a normal man?
Lu Yanchen continued to gaze at her affectionately, "To be honest, from the moment I first saw you, I thought you were a very likable girl. If you're willing, we can spend our whole lives on this island. That way, no one will ever mock me, and no one will mock you for marrying a man who isn't 'complete.' How about it?"
Peng Xiaoyue trembled, her lips quivering, "What are you saying? You... you mean you can't work in that area?"
Lu Yanchen nodded, saying with distress, "What? Can't you accept it? It's impossible, right? Aren't you genuinely fond of me?"
Peng Xiaoyue widened her eyes, even feeling a sense of nausea!
Just a minute ago, she thought this man in front of her was so handsome that it was unfair to both humans and gods. But now, she felt he was entirely distorted and pitiful.
No matter how outstanding a man is, if he's lacking in that aspect, isn't he just a waste!
Does she have to be a widow for the rest of her life? Will she never have her own children?!
How could that be!
Now, Peng Xiaoyue finally understood why Lu Yanchen gave up the good life in the city and came to this godforsaken deserted island. It's because he's incapable, he's useless, and he's afraid of being ridiculed!
Peng Xiaoyue took a deep breath, reluctantly stood up, and swiftly rushed to the entrance of the tent, intending to leave.
But to her surprise, Lu Yanchen stopped her, saying, "Hey, where are you going? Are you lying to me? Weren't you just saying you liked me? I think you're pretty good..."
Peng Xiaoyue turned around, looking at him with sorrow and anger. "What do you think is good about me?! Can't I change for the better?! As long as it's something you like, I'll change it! I can't possibly marry a useless person like you! You bastard!"
After saying that, she ran back to the wooden house of the educated youths, crying with a mixture of humiliation and anger.
Everyone was dumbfounded, completely unaware of what had happened, except for Peng Xiaoyue, who was crying loudly on the bed inside the wooden house.
While crying, Peng Xiaoyue cursed, "Useless! Worthless eunuch! Softy! Waaah!"
Heaven knows, she came to this island for Lu Yanchen, only to find out that she was chasing after a fake man!
But now, going back is not a simple matter. It would require writing a letter to ask her parents to arrange things. The time it takes for all of this to happen is unknown. Does that mean she can only endure hardship on the island?
The more Peng Xiaoyue thought about it, the more wronged she felt. Inside the tent, Lu Yanchen breathed a sigh of relief. Dealing with someone persistent requires unconventional methods. The more you show disinterest, the more she clings to you.
In any case, there aren't many people on the island, and Lu Yanchen has no intention of going back to the city. Even if Peng Xiaoyue spreads this matter everywhere, he is not afraid.
Meanwhile, Gu Ling cleared her throat and began discussing with the other educated youths. Today, their task was to find a way to tame and milk the wild buffalo.
It wasn't just for the sake of drinking milk; another reason was that the buffalo's udders were swollen, and if the milk wasn't squeezed out, the cow would get sick.
However, taming a wild buffalo posed a challenging problem!