Chapter 10 The Wooden Crate

Pan Mengyan only now noticed that it was almost dark and said to Jiang Ruoxi, “I’ll go check the fish trap. You continue building a nest for Gouzi.” After speaking, he headed toward the pond.

Arriving at the pond side, Pan Mengyan lifted the fish trap out of the water and found over twenty fish of varying sizes inside. It seemed luck was on their side today!

By the pond, Pan Mengyan emptied all the fish from the trap and began processing them. With practiced skill, he used his knife to clean the internal organs and scales, then wrapped the prepared fish in leaves.

Meanwhile, Jiang Ruoxi was working hard to build a comfortable nest for Gouzi. She gathered branches and leaves, carefully constructing the shelter. After considerable effort, a simple yet cozy nest was finally completed.

After processing the fish, Pan Mengyan went to the bonfire and started preparing their evening meal. He slowly roasted the fish over the flames, and soon the air was filled with an enticing aroma.

Around this time, Jiang Ruoxi had nearly finished her tasks. She came over and sat by the bonfire, watching Pan Mengyan cook. The two chatted while waiting for their meal to be ready.

When the fish were fully cooked, Pan Mengyan distributed portions to Jiang Ruoxi and Gouzi. The three sat around the bonfire, enjoying the delicious dinner together.

After finishing their meal, Pan Mengyan and Jiang Ruoxi tidied up the campsite before preparing for sleep. Having been busy all day, both felt thoroughly exhausted and soon fell into deep slumber.

The night passed uneventfully.

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the cave entrance, and Pan Mengyan and Jiang Ruoxi woke up almost simultaneously. Rubbing their eyes and stretching, they began preparing for the day’s journey.

For breakfast, they ate some plantains they had gathered the previous day. After the meal, Pan Mengyan and Jiang Ruoxi left the cave with Gouzi to continue exploring the deserted island, hoping to find more resources to improve their living conditions.

Today they decided to head for the seaside. When they reached the shore, they immediately spotted a wooden crate being washed by the waves not far away. The trio approached the crate to examine it.

Pan Mengyan asked curiously, “Why would there be a wooden crate here?”

Jiang Ruoxi speculated, “Could it be from the ship we were on?”

Thinking this made sense, Pan Mengyan nodded and said, “Possibly. Let’s just drag it ashore first. We’ll take it back with us and open it later to see what’s inside.” He then moved the crate to the beach. The box wasn’t large or heavy, making it easy to carry.

Afterward, the trio continued walking along the shore, hoping to gather some seafood to supplement their meals. While walking, they discovered a coconut tree with several coconuts hanging from it, but the tree was too tall to climb. Pan Mengyan said helplessly, “We’ll figure out how to get these coconuts tomorrow. For now, let’s look for other things.”

So, they continued following the coastline, hoping to find more useful items and food.

After walking some distance, they suddenly noticed numerous sand crabs scuttling across the beach. These little creatures moved extremely fast, making them difficult to catch. Pan Mengyan and Jiang Ruoxi attempted to catch them but soon found themselves panting and exhausted.

Panting heavily, Pan Mengyan said, “These are too hard to catch. Tomorrow we’ll bring a pottery jar to make a trap, otherwise we won’t catch many this way.” She wiped the sweat from her forehead, her gaze firm as she watched the clever little crabs.

Jiang Ruoxi nodded in agreement: “Alright, let’s go look for other things then.” She brushed the sand off her clothes and followed Pan Mengyan forward.

They released the sand crabs they had just caught because there was no suitable container to carry them back. Moreover, they had only brought a stone axe when they set out, nothing else, making it impossible to take more of their harvest with them.

Continuing further along the path, they came across a stretch of reef. The rocks were littered with debris, likely discarded items that had drifted ashore from the sea. The two decided to check if they could scavenge anything useful to bring back.

💝 Support the Team

Zephyr Yizelle

✍️ Translator

🍵 Ko-fi