Qin Zhao returned to the camp and found Sheng Xi engrossed in writing and sketching in her notebook.
There was a pile of supplies outside the tent.
Sheng Xi looked up at the sound of footsteps and said, "The production team has distributed the supplies to everyone. Now we have to prepare ourselves for the difficult days ahead."
Qin Zhao sat down beside her and asked, "Why don't you seem to feel any sense of urgency?"
Sheng Xi paused for a moment and replied, "Maybe because I have you by my side."
Qin Zhao had become immune to Sheng Xi's casual romantic words. Whenever she saw her face, she would be reminded of the experiences Qin Zhao had gone through in the past.
The gentle Sheng Xi at this moment made her feel a sense of disconnection.
Sheng Xi added, "By the way, I forgot to congratulate you on winning the survival challenge."
Qin Zhao chuckled, "I have to thank you for that."
Sheng Xi: "..."
·
Starlight Entertainment Company issued a statement to inform the public about the damaged interstellar jump track leading from Barren Ancient Star to Blue Star.
The next day, Sheng Xi, Qin Zhao, An Hongyu's fans, and reporters crowded around them, making it impossible to move!
In the CEO's office, Guo Qi reported this to An Xin.
"An CEO, please go out and appease them for a few words. If they get too agitated, it might affect the company."
An Xin put down her work, rubbed her temples, and got up to leave.
Escorted by six security guards, An Xin walked out of the company's gate.
She was immediately surrounded by a crowd of people.
The flashes of cameras were blinding, making it impossible for her to open her eyes.
Guo Qi timely handed her a pair of sunglasses.
An Xin took them and put them on.
Reporters bombarded her with questions.
"Miss An, when will the track be repaired?"
"Miss An, with such a major accident on 'Barren Ancient Survival,' will you take responsibility for it? Have you considered compensating for the losses suffered by stars like Sheng Xi?"
"What do you have to say about the sharp drop in Starlight Entertainment's stock price?"
...
After the reporters finished their questions, An Xin spoke up, "Our engineers have been working tirelessly to repair the interstellar jump track. Contrary to the rumors, it will not take more than ten years to fix. With sufficient financial support, we expect to restore it within five years."
An Xin nodded slightly, "We apologize to the public on behalf of Starlight Entertainment for the inconvenience caused."
After speaking, An Xin paid no further attention to the reporters' questions and turned back to the company.
Guo Qi followed her and asked, "Can we really fix it within five years, CEO An?"
"Of course, it's not enough time, but the public's attention is limited. They won't keep focusing on Barren Ancient Star. Sheng Xi and Qin Zhao won't stay in the entertainment circle for long and will soon be forgotten."
·
Four months later, the supplies of everyone on Barren Ancient Star were almost exhausted.
Sheng Xi's foot had healed.
Meanwhile, An Hongyu had lost a limb and was being taken care of by Xu Lianggong, Zhao Yan, Li Ming, and others.
They all lived in the same area and could hear the noises coming from An Hongyu's tent almost every day.
Sometimes it was crying, and other times it was him throwing things in anger.
Qin Zhao and Sheng Xi decided to leave the camp and find a quiet place to live.
After investigating near the forest, Sheng Xi discovered a more habitable riverbank.
After bidding farewell to Xu Lianggong, they moved to the riverbank.
They set up their tent on the riverbank, using branches and vines to weave a small table and two chairs. They even built a clothesline. It looked quite functional.
The two of them tried to live in a civilized manner, using chopsticks to eat and regularly cutting their hair.
But after four years, they still looked like wild people!
Each of them had three sets of clothes, which saw them through two springs, summers, autumns, and winters. However, the untreated water in the wild had a damaging effect on their clothes.
Therefore, in the third spring, they stored away the clothes that had turned white, wrinkled, and tattered. They replaced them with garments made from the gifts of nature—skirts woven from vines and leaves.
Their chests were covered with just two leaves.
Occasionally, as they walked, the leaves would fall.
But they no longer cared about shame or embarrassment.
"Qin Zhao, look! The sunset today is so beautiful!" Sheng Xi stood up and exclaimed excitedly.
But then, there was a loud smack!
Sheng Xi protected her bottom and turned around in alarm. "Why did you slap my butt?!"
Qin Zhao looked at her helplessly and said, "Can you not use your butt towards my face?"
Because Sheng Xi's grass skirt was short and had a slit, any slightly bigger movements would leave nothing covered.
Sheng Xi's gaze stopped at Qin Zhao's chest as she questioned, "Are you really going to talk about me?"
Her swinging motion had been too big, causing the two leaves to fall off.
Qin Zhao: "..."
Covering her chest, she said, "At least I didn't aim it at you."
Sheng Xi laughed, "I don't mind."
"But I do."
Sheng Xi sat down next to her, gently stroking Qin Zhao's hair that resembled seaweed, and said, "Spending the rest of my life with you like this would be nice."
Qin Zhao scooted to the side and said, "Sheng, my dear star, I have to admire your adaptability. But I still want to return to the civilized world. If I don't go back soon, I might devolve into a cave dweller."
Sheng Xi turned her face and observed Qin Zhao's appearance.
Her hair, like weeds, wrapped around her delicate face, creating a peculiar combination.
Sheng Xi poked Qin Zhao's cheek and said, "Looking like that, you really resemble a wild person."
Qin Zhao smiled wryly and replied, "Pot calling the kettle black."
Boom!
The sky thundered.
The two quickly gathered the table and chairs and stored them in the grass shed they had built.
Then they both crawled into the tent.
Sheng Xi skillfully hugged Qin Zhao, trembling.
Qin Zhao rolled her eyes, thinking, Sheng Xi's trembling technique is getting better and better. It's even more realistic than the real thing!
Their skins touched, and Qin Zhao could clearly feel Sheng Xi's embrace growing tighter, and their body temperature rising.
She asked, "What's wrong?"
After a moment of silence, Sheng Xi spoke, "I want you."
For the 108th time, Qin Zhao rejected her, "Stop thinking about it. The more you think, the more excited you'll get, and it'll be uncomfortable when we try to sleep at night."
"I'm already feeling uncomfortable."
"You can take care of yourself. It's the most direct and effective method. You don't need anyone else's cooperation or to cater to someone else. It's self-sufficient, how good is that?"
"When you're not with me, I can use that method. But when you are, I can only long for what I can't have or be consumed by desire."
"If it weren't for that incident in our childhood, even as ordinary friends, I would still be willing to have you by my side.
But now that it has happened, there will always be a chasm between you and me."
Sheng Xi froze.
After a moment, she released Qin Zhao's hand from her embrace and sat up straight.
Looking into Qin Zhao's eyes, she said, "I want to tell you a story."
