Chapter 53

Chapter 53

The orca happily leaped above the sea surface.

In an instant, the scene descended into chaos.

Lin Qianyu held onto the zebra’s neck with one arm, waving the other to greet Little Wolf.

The prairie wolf pack, led by Little Wolf, accelerated in a sprint, clearly aiming to intercept.

The zebra, in a panic, charged forward blindly without even daring to glance back—if it did, it’d see a whole pack of wolves pouncing right in front of it.

【Help——I think Lin-jie is having way too much fun.】

【Zebra: Sure, laugh it up—my life’s the price of that fun.】

【Hahahaha this must be the first time in its life this zebra's been chased by so many wolves.】

No one knew how long it ran. Just as the livestream comments began betting on whether the zebra would collapse first or Little Wolf would catch it first, the zebra gave out and gave up.

It really couldn’t run anymore.

That pack of wolves could outrun cheetahs—what kind of nonsense was that?

If the zebra had any strength left at the start to tangle with the wolves, it had long run itself to death by now.

It panted heavily, head hanging low, its legs trembling so badly it couldn’t even stand steady—barely able to shuffle around just to keep from collapsing.

After such an intense chase, if it fell over now and its heart gave out, the whole pack would definitely swarm in and divide it up.

But this chase had the wolves running all-out, too. Normally, they wouldn’t keep pursuing a target that hadn’t been instantly taken down.

Not to mention, Little Wolf had already caught one zebra earlier—there was no need to keep chasing.

But the problem was… Lin Qianyu was on this zebra’s back.

To the prairie wolves, that was no different than Lin Qianyu being taken hostage. Naturally, they couldn’t let the zebra take her away—they had to catch up and rescue her.

Which only made the zebra run even harder for its life as the wolves closed in.

The wolf pack chased relentlessly, while the zebra ran and cursed in its heart.

Now that it had finally stopped, the prairie wolves slowly approached step by step. The pack spread out silently, surrounding the zebra in the center.

Lin Qianyu swung her leg over and sat sideways on the zebra’s back, patting it and saying, “Pretty good stamina, and a steady run too.”

The zebra snorted. If it had the ability to roll its eyes, it probably would’ve rolled them into the sky by now.

It panted heavily, and if it weren’t for its usually bad temper, it would’ve bitten already.

But now, it hesitated for a long time and didn’t dare open its mouth, afraid the prairie wolves would misunderstand and bite it instead.

Exhausted beyond belief and surrounded by wolves, the zebra gave up completely. If it had to be eaten, so be it—better than being chased like this.

So when a prairie wolf approached, the zebra only flicked its tail in irritation but didn’t try to run.

“Hmm…” Lin Qianyu looked at the unfamiliar prairie wolf and gently said, “Let’s not eat it, okay? There’s still other meat at home. I’ll trade that meat with you guys, alright?”

The unfamiliar prairie wolf’s eyes lit up. Who knows what it was thinking—maybe it was just happy it could understand human speech—but it no longer cared about the zebra right in front of it and bounced around joyfully in place.

After calming the wolf pack, Lin Qianyu looked thoughtfully at the zebra."Do you want to stay by my side?" Lin Qianyu turned her head and negotiated with the zebra. "The grassland is so vast, and I’m short a ride. If you follow me, you won’t have to worry about predators attacking you anymore."

"I can also provide you with a safe and peaceful environment to eat. If you're worried about your zebra herd, I can look after them too."

A zebra herd allied with prairie wolves— even a pride of lions wouldn’t dare recklessly hunt them.

Though zebras are herd animals, most of the time they act independently and don’t elect a leader among themselves.

What Lin Qianyu said was quite comprehensive—just in case this zebra happened to be a responsible one.

"So? Am I not being very thoughtful?" Lin Qianyu smiled as she met the zebra’s eyes. "Touched?"

The zebra glanced around at the prairie wolves eyeing it hungrily, tongue sticking out: "……"

How dare I move?

Still, being alive is always better.

The zebra let out a cry—considered a deal with Lin Qianyu.

Lin Qianyu nodded and said, "Alright, from now on your name is… Chasing Wind."

Normally, zebras wouldn’t run that fast or for that long.

But judging by the speed it ran just now, it could absolutely rival an Akhal-Teke horse.

【I declare Chasing Wind the winner.】

【The most meaningful, most cultured, and most profound name was just born—let us remember this moment.】

【This is big. Has anyone notified the UN? What did they say?】

【The UN responded—with laughter.】

Lin Qianyu didn’t even have to look at the comments to know—when it came to naming animals, her fans were definitely teasing her again.

"As long as they like the names I give, that’s what matters." Lin Qianyu raised her chin slightly. "Right, Little Wolf?"

The prairie wolf helplessly licked its nose, "Woo!"

The zebra, having saved its own life, finally lay down on the spot.

It had been running in a panic and had no idea where it ended up. But since there was no longer any danger, the zebra decided to settle here. If Lin Qianyu wasn’t still on its back, it would’ve fallen asleep already.

Lin Qianyu jumped down from the zebra’s back. "Little Wolf, take the others back and eat that one over there, along with the other zebra."

Leaving prey behind would attract vultures and hyenas.

Better to get dinner sorted for the wolf pack before those scavengers showed up.

The prairie wolf glanced into the distance, then looked back at Lin Qianyu—clearly reluctant to leave.

Lin Qianyu ruffled its ears. "I’ll look around here a bit. Come find me once you’re done. Leaving that zebra there uneaten would be a waste."

"Roar..." Little Wolf stood up, shook out its fur, glanced at the zebra pretending to nap with its eyes closed, then nuzzled Lin Qianyu’s cheek before calling on the rest of the pack to leave together.

Lin Qianyu’s backpack was still over by the half-eaten zebra from earlier.

When she went out hunting, she only remembered to put out the fire—she hadn’t taken anything with her."Are we almost at the seaside?" Lin Qianyu bit on a mint leaf. The palm leaf she’d been using for shade had gone missing somewhere, so she had to break off a new one.

Walking around this area, even the wind seemed to carry moisture.

Though Grassland Island looked vast, it was still just an island—surrounded by ocean on all sides.

Lin Qianyu rubbed the rest of the mint leaf, tore it apart and pressed it to her forehead. With the wind blowing on it, the coolness was very refreshing.

She mused, "Since we’re already here, might as well gather some scallops and coconuts to bring back."

No pot, no bowl.

And the trees here weren’t like those in the rainforest—thick-trunked.

Not suitable for making bowls.

But if you cut coconuts in half and smooth out the edges, they could serve as bowls. Scallop shells could work as plates or even be used for heating food.

Everything in the shelter had been accumulated bit by bit. Since she was already out here, walking a little further to bring things back wouldn’t be a problem.

Lin Qianyu planned to go check it out. Just as she was about to turn back and ask if the zebra wanted to go with her, she saw it had already stood up on its own.

It was probably still not fully recovered and walked slowly.

Lin Qianyu stood beside it, smiling as she tilted the palm leaf in her hand toward the zebra for shade.

---The feel of stepping on beach sand was very different from walking on grass.

As soon as Lin Qianyu reached the beach, she spotted light green coconuts hanging on the trees. Some trees had so many that the weight was making them lean.

Coconuts, banana leaves, and palm fronds were all great materials for building shelter.

Lin Qianyu climbed the nearest coconut tree and picked the coconuts one by one. "We can get a lot of these. Coconut water is drinkable, the flesh is edible, and the shells can be used as bowls. If you run into coconuts in the wild, always gather as many as you can."

You don’t shear all the wool off one sheep—likewise, don’t pick coconuts from just one tree.

She moved from tree to tree, ignoring the smaller ones, choosing only the big coconuts. Just by hefting them, she could tell they were full of water.

"That should be enough." Lin Qianyu jumped down and placed the two in her arms with the pile she’d already gathered.

Thirteen in total.

She used a sharp stone to cut through the outer husk, tearing and peeling it off. Then, using a bigger stone, she smashed the hard inner shell—strike after strike—until she broke an opening.

Coconut water splashed out from the blow. Lin Qianyu picked out the broken bits of shell and tilted her head back to drink from it.

It wasn’t chilled, but fresh coconut water was still refreshing.

"Chasing Wind." Lin Qianyu waved to the zebra. "Want a sip?"

The zebra pulled its neck back slightly, clearly not understanding what she was doing.

Lin Qianyu tilted the coconut directly into its mouth.

She said “a sip,” but with that tilt, the remaining water all poured into the zebra’s mouth.

Surprised by the splash of water, the zebra froze for a second. "Whinny—!"

It neighed while smacking its lips.Lin Qianyu raised her eyebrows. "Don’t whine, it’s really good."

Coconut water had a very mild taste, but still quite different from regular freshwater. There was a slight astringency, but a subtle sweetness emerged upon savoring it.

The zebra stood there dazed for a while, licking its lips before it slowly reacted.

"Tasty, right?" Lin Qianyu cracked open another coconut.

Since she didn’t have proper tools, smashing them with stones made it hard to control the shape. Most of what she smashed ended up in unusable shards.

She wasn’t counting on this one being a bowl either—she smashed it all open to eat the flesh inside.

The coconut flesh was just a thin white layer clinging to the inside of the shell.

She broke off a complete piece, avoided the thin brown layer from the coconut shell stuck to it, and bit into the flesh.

"It’s soft," Lin Qianyu said, chewing the coconut. The soft kind didn’t taste as good as the firmer one, but it was still fragrant and pleasant to eat.

Scooping out more coconut meat, Lin Qianyu called, "Come on, Chasing Wind, try the coconut meat."

Having just tasted coconut water, this was the zebra’s first time eating coconut. Usually, wild animals were wary of unfamiliar things.

But the zebra had watched Lin Qianyu go from a water-filled round ball to pouring something out of it and eating it, and without hesitation, it opened its mouth.

With a handful of coconut meat, the zebra chewed for quite a while.

【Damn, even I’ve never eaten coconut meat!】

【Same… I’ve bought coconuts from the store, but never bothered to open them. I always tossed them after drinking the water.】

【Why does it sound crunchy? Is it crispy? Looks delicious.】

Lin Qianyu didn’t think it tasted particularly special, but seeing the zebra eat like it was delicious, maybe this new flavor really was a delicacy to it.

Thinking that, she pulled over two more coconuts and smashed them open.

There were plenty of coconuts here anyway—if it liked them, it could eat as much as it wanted. They could head back once they were full.

She opened several in a row and gathered all the coconut meat into one pile.

Lin Qianyu rolled up her sleeves. "Alright, eat on your own now. I’m going to get something else."

"Whinny!"

The zebra, chewing with a mouthful, couldn’t swallow in time and mumbled at her.

She had no idea what it was trying to say.

Lin Qianyu patted its head and walked off.

There were quite a few palm trees nearby.

Rather than going to the sea for scallops right away, she started by gathering palm leaves. "Let me teach everyone how to make a completely plant-based wild shoulder bag."

As she spoke, she had already picked a large handful, then turned to pluck banana leaves as well.

Planning to make two bags to carry more things, Lin Qianyu deliberately picked enough to fill her arms. By the time she stacked the two types of leaves together, they were almost blocking her view. Only then did she head back.

She laid two leaves on the ground and sat down.Lin Qianyu picked a banana leaf and began tearing it. “If you can’t find any bags to carry things in while out in the wild, you can use these kinds of palm leaves and tree bark to weave a pouch. Make two, twist the middle rope longer and hang it over the zebra—this way you can carry things on both sides.”

There weren’t proper materials here to weave baskets, but palm and banana leaves were quite handy.

Palm leaves were mainly used to make the rope. The banana leaves were just torn into the right size and strung in for decoration.

To make the shoulder bag, she first formed the basic shape, then threaded the twisted palm-leaf rope through. Some fuzzy bits and frayed edges stuck out—it wasn’t scratchy, just looked a little messy.

You couldn’t fit tiny things in it, but larger ones, like coconuts, wouldn’t fall out.

Once back, she could clean it up with a kitchen knife.

With the remaining rope, Lin Qianyu made a single pouch—this one was reserved for scallops.

“Alright, Chasing Wind.” Lin Qianyu lifted the strap in the middle, with the two shoulder bags hanging down on either side.

Just a simple pouch—not too big.

The zebra had already finished eating coconuts and was pacing around. When it caught the scent of what Lin Qianyu was holding, it leaned in to sniff and bumped its mouth right into her clenched fist.

“……”

The zebra silently pulled its mouth back.

Lin Qianyu slung the strap over its back, the pouches hanging evenly on either side. The length was just right, almost level with its belly.

“Alright, I’m counting on you for the coconuts.” Lin Qianyu picked up the coconuts from the ground and distributed them into the two bags. With the added weight, the pouches sagged slightly.

Just about right—the remaining coconuts filled them up perfectly.

“You go back on your own. If you run into the little wolf on the way, let it guide you to the shelter.” Lin Qianyu patted the zebra’s back. With the coconuts packed so full, there was no room left to sit. Even squeezing on with her feet up would be uncomfortable.

Zebras were animals with a good sense of direction.

Even without Lin Qianyu pointing the way, it could make its way back on its own.

The zebra turned and left. Lin Qianyu called out, “Watch the coconuts—don’t drop them.”

The only response was the zebra flicking its tail.

Around five or six in the afternoon, the island was still a bit stuffy and hot.

Lin Qianyu hung her jacket on a tree to avoid it being taken by the rising tide—if the wind blew it away, it’d be a hassle to find.

She walked into the sea, and when she dove underwater, her goal was clear.

She was looking for scallops—the bigger, the better.

Even dead ones were worth picking up.

In the deep sea, scallops larger than a human face were common, but in shallow waters, it all depended on luck how big a scallop you could find.

Without professional equipment, Lin Qianyu couldn’t hold her breath and dive into deep water, so she searched along the edges.

She did spot several abalones stuck to the rocks. Since she was already here, she figured she might as well take them too.

Even a strongman couldn’t pull them off by force while underwater.

Lin Qianyu pried at the edges and only picked them up once the seawater had seeped in and loosened them.Fortunately, wedged between the rocks was a large scallop—more precisely, a scallop shell... The scallop was open, and the meat inside was already gone, most likely eaten by a passing fish.

The large scallop shell was intact. Lin Qianyu’s breath was nearly exhausted, so she surfaced with her full haul.

These few scallops were enough.

She dumped them all into the pouch.

Seawater from the scallops and abalones dripped steadily through the gaps in the woven bag.

Lin Qianyu wrung out her clothes and walked back with her things. “What a good haul—we can have grilled scallops and grilled abalone tonight.”

【I know you’re hungry but don’t think about food right now—go look at the orca aaahhh——!】

【It’s huge, looks like it’s been stranded on the shore for a while now.】

【Help, Lin-jie!】

...

“Orca?” Her dripping hair was getting on her nerves, so Lin Qianyu tied it up in a bun. “Where?”

After checking the viewers’ directions in the livestream, Lin Qianyu grabbed her jacket and headed that way.

“Do we know how it got stranded? Who else is there?”

While hurrying over, she kept asking the viewers for updates.

【The rescue station staff, Hang Sisi, the island owner, and the director are all there!】

Once word got out that an orca was stranded, everyone had rushed over.

When she was diving for scallops earlier, Lin Qianyu had left her watch and jacket on shore, so naturally she hadn’t seen the barrage of frantic comments flooding the livestream.

By the time Lin Qianyu arrived, the rescue staff and guests were standing not far from the orca, watching with worry.

The orca was lying on the beach, and the sand around it was a different color from the rest—probably moistened when the orca was washed ashore. With the sun drying it out, the contrast between wet and dry sand had created two shades.

The ocean’s mighty black-and-white ruler, lying under the sunlight, looked almost pitiful.

The orca kept making soft, short cries like “ying, ying.”

Hearing the tone of the orca’s sounds, Lin Qianyu raised an eyebrow and couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

“Qianyu-jie.” Hang Sisi’s face was completely sunburnt—she must’ve been standing there for quite a while. “You came to see the orca too?”

“The temperature’s not too high right now. The orca’s condition seems alright.” Lin Qianyu walked closer and asked, “How long has it been stranded?”

Hang Sisi thought for a moment, then shook her head—she didn’t know.

Bai Zhao said, “Almost two hours now.”

He stood with his hands on his hips, frowning deeply as he looked at the orca. “If it doesn’t return to the water soon, we’ll have to start pouring water on it to prevent dehydration.”

Lin Qianyu nodded. Orcas breathe through their lungs, and when they strand, dehydration is the main cause of death. Continuously splashing water on them can help keep them going until the tide rises in the evening. After thinking for a moment, she asked, “Do orca strandings happen often around here?”

“Recently, yes. No idea where this one swam from—it was washed ashore a few days ago, and now it’s the second time.”

Orcas are extremely intelligent marine animals, and they’re very friendly toward humans.Some say that when an orca sees a human, it’s like a human seeing a kitten.

Sometimes, they even deliberately beach themselves on crowded shores so that humans will come and save them.

But no one knew whether this orca had that intention, or if it had come ashore with the desire to end its own life.

If it was the former, then saving it was straightforward. If it was the latter, even when the tide came in, it might not return to the sea.

“The tide won’t be in for a while yet.” Lin Qianyu put on her jacket, walked forward, and bent down in front of the orca to take a look.

Her action startled one of the staff nearby. “Hey! Who is this person? Why is she getting so close? Brother Zhao, hurry up and pull her back!”

Bai Zhao didn’t move but started to explain, “She’s—”

“I don’t care who she is, just get her away from there.” The staff member assumed she was some clueless minor celebrity trying to get up close to the orca and reached out to pull her away.

But before he could touch Lin Qianyu, Bai Zhao stepped in quickly, pulled him back, and tapped on his phone screen.

“What the hell?” The staffer was confused. “What are you doing? If she gets hurt by the orca, you’ll be the one getting the complaint, you know? Say goodbye to being employee of the year.”

Bai Zhao switched his phone to a stream—footage from Lin Qianyu’s previous broadcast on Rainforest Island, the same video the higher-ups had shared in their work group chat.

Seeing it, the staffer froze. “Why are you showing me this?”

He paused, as if confirming something, glancing from the phone to Lin Qianyu, who was not far away.

The staffer’s eyes widened in shock—his focus had been entirely on the orca just now, and he hadn’t even recognized who she was!

At that moment, Lin Qianyu had moved positions and was now squatting beside the orca, softly asking, “Are you alright?”

The orca, which had been lying still for a long time without even twitching its tail, suddenly lifted its head at the sound of her voice. It looked pleasantly surprised, swinging its head side to side in search of something. “Ying?!”

Lin Qianyu raised her hand and waved it in front of its eyes. “I’m right here.”

On either side of the orca’s face was a white patch. Just ahead of that white “eye ring” was the orca’s actual eye. The contrast with the white patch made the eye barely visible.

“Ying——”

“Yes, it’s me talking to you.” Lin Qianyu dipped her hand into the sea to cool it before gently touching the orca. “Everyone’s really worried about you. Why don’t you head back into the sea?”

【Huh? Lin Qianyu, what are you saying? If the orca could go back, it would’ve already! It’s stuck there for a reason!】

【Here we go again, putting on a show. Can you stop acting? Play the role long enough and you really think you can talk to animals now?】

【Um, Lin-jie, stranded orcas can’t return on their own. You have to wait for the tide to rise.】

...

As soon as Lin Qianyu said that, the livestream bullet comments paused for a moment—just long enough for the sarcastic ones to seize the opportunity and flood in with criticism.

But Lin Qianyu, fully focused on talking to the orca, wasn’t reading the comments at all.

She continued speaking to it, “Aren’t you going to find your companions?”

The orca slapped its tail against the sand. This time, its “ying” sounded a bit aggrieved.

“Got separated?”

Orcas rarely become isolated. A lone orca usually means it’s either injured or lost.

“Go back into the sea first. I’ll have someone help you find your pod.”

After a pause, Lin Qianyu asked again, “Are you injured?”

The orca shifted slightly, and Lin Qianyu spotted a wound on the pectoral fin that was pinned beneath its body."Bai—" Lin Qianyu turned her head, wanting to ask the rescue station staff for help, only to find that everyone was staring at her, eyes fixed and unmoving.

They had formed a semicircle around the beach, using the shoreline as a dividing line. Within this area, every single person wore a dumbfounded expression.

Even Su Yuxing hadn’t reacted yet. When he saw Lin Qianyu speaking, he gave Bai Zhao a push.

Bai Zhao snapped out of it. “Doctor, come with me.”

That shout jolted most people back to their senses—they’d all unknowingly been pulled into Lin Qianyu’s rhythm.

A mix of astonishment and curiosity.

Astonished that she could actually communicate with an orca. Curious about what the orca had said to her.

Watching through a livestream screen was one thing, and the rescue station staff were seasoned professionals who had seen all sorts of wild situations. They had encountered intelligent animals before and sometimes could “communicate” too, though never through direct language.

But right now, seeing Lin Qianyu chatting with the orca like they were old friends having a casual talk—

It was simply… unbelievable!

Bai Zhao led the doctor over, with Su Yuxing following along. He couldn’t help but ask, “So… you can even communicate with sea creatures?”

That was some very wide-ranging expertise.

If she took an interpreter certification exam, every relevant agency would rush to open up a job for her overnight.

Lin Qianyu helped lift the orca’s pectoral fin so that everyone could get a clearer look at the wound, and said, “Any animal with a relatively high IQ.”

Communication requires being on the same level—that’s the baseline for meaningful interaction.

Otherwise, no matter how much you talk, if the animal’s intelligence is too low to understand, it’s all in vain.

Bai Zhao took the chance to ask, “So this orca beached itself twice… was it hoping we’d treat its wound?”

Lin Qianyu replied, “That’s part of it. The other part is—it’s just bored. Came looking for you guys to play with.”

What the orca did today was the equivalent of going out for a walk, getting lost, and then seeing a group of cats—so it rushed over to pet them.

But the cats were scared and wouldn’t come close, so it just lay there, refusing to leave, making sounds to attract their attention.

But with Bai Zhao standing still and the other staff too cautious to act, nothing happened.

Only when Lin Qianyu showed up and exchanged a few words with it did the orca seem to finally shake off some boredom.

The wound seemed to be from bumping into something—not too serious, just needed some medicine.

The doctor prepared the antiseptic and was just about to apply it.

But the orca seemed to sense something and moved its pectoral fin, avoiding the treatment.

Lin Qianyu had only been gently holding the fin up, not applying force to restrain it. So when it pulled away, it looked like it had easily shaken free.

“Ying…”

It shook free—and looked quite aggrieved about it.

Lin Qianyu tapped its head lightly and said to the doctor, helplessly, “Let me do it.”

The doctor handed her the cotton swab with the medicine. “Thanks for your help.”The orca’s small eyes glanced downward, confirming that the cotton swab was now in Lin Qianyu’s hand, and only then did it stop moving around.

The wound, soaked in seawater, looked extremely painful.

When applying the medicine, the swab was only dabbed gently, not wiped. Occasionally she even had to blow on it. After changing the swab twice, the wound was finally fully covered in a light brown layer of antiseptic—only then was it considered done.

【Alright, the medicine’s on. No spicy food or “trigger” foods, and don’t get the wound wet.】

【Damn, the way you’re talking, who can even tell you apart from some miracle doctor like Hua Tuo.】

【Hahaha, just let her pamper it!】

The medicine the doctor had selected for the orca was clearly of the water-resistant type.

After finishing, Lin Qianyu said, “Okay, you’ve had your fun, and the wound’s treated. Time to head back to the ocean.”

“Ying…” The orca slapped its tail against the incoming waves with loud pah pah sounds. If conditions allowed, it probably would’ve started rolling around on the beach by now.

“Good one. Go on back first, I’ll come play with you next time, okay?” Lin Qianyu was extremely patient with the orca, who was acting clingy and unwilling to leave.

I mean, who wouldn’t be patient with such a huge adorable fluffball begging for attention?

Anyone with less self-control would’ve already followed it back into the sea.

Coaxed like this, the orca moved a bit, as if trying to reach out and touch her.

Lin Qianyu took the initiative to rub its head a couple times, like petting a fluffy animal. “Okay, good. Go on now.”

“Ying!”

The orca responded cheerfully, then began moving its massive body, swaying side to side as it slowly submerged its tail into the sea—then the pectoral fins, the head… and finally the dorsal fin.

Bai Zhao froze. “It can go back on its own? I thought it was stranded?”

Lin Qianyu shrugged. “It was messing with you all. Those first few cries, translated, meant: ‘Look at me.’”

Like a person trying to get a cat’s attention.

But the people on shore misunderstood and surrounded it in worry, not daring to get close.

Bai Zhao: “……”

An orca that didn’t even need to wait for high tide and could return to the sea by itself… really didn’t seem very stranded.

Back in the water, the orca swam near the shore for a bit. It let out a call, dove under, and disappeared. Then its dorsal fin reemerged in the distance and started heading toward deeper waters.

What had originally seemed like a serious orca stranding incident… somehow turned into something lighthearted and even a bit fun.

Bai Zhao stood with his hands on his hips, let out a deep sigh as he looked at Lin Qianyu.

Lin Qianyu asked curiously, “What’s wrong?” Seeing his expression so grave and sorrowful, you’d think something terrible had happened to the orca.

Bai Zhao shut his eyes helplessly, took a deep breath, then opened them again and asked, “Are you really not considering joining us? I could get you the best—” buzz buzz—before he could finish, his phone in his pocket started vibrating.

Bai Zhao ignored it and continued, “As long as you’re willing, I’ll go—” buzz buzz “—file the applic—” buzzzzz! The phone just kept buzzing nonstop.

Seeing how he was stumbling over each word, Lin Qianyu couldn’t help but say, “Just answer it first. Might be something urgent.”

Bai Zhao clicked his tongue, didn’t even check the caller ID, and picked up the call directly. He was about to say, “If it’s nothing important, I’m hanging up.”Before he could even speak, Pei Feng’s furious voice exploded from the other end—completely unlike his usual gentle and refined self: “If you poach my people again, you’re dead!”

Pei Feng practically shouted at the top of his lungs.

Bai Zhao: “……”

Lin Qianyu: “???”

The two of them stared at the phone screen, exchanging glances.

Though it wasn’t exactly appropriate, Lin Qianyu still couldn’t stop the corners of her mouth from lifting.

Bai Zhao said speechlessly, “Why are you watching a livestream during work hours?”

Pei Feng sneered, “Turn off speaker. I want to curse you in private.”

Bai Zhao was unfazed. “You think I’m stupid? If you’ve got guts, go ahead and curse me right in front of Sister Lin.”

Pei Feng: “……”

Bastard.

That tense, gunpowder-filled atmosphere practically spilled out of the phone.

But in the end, Pei Feng didn’t actually say anything and angrily hung up.

Bai Zhao raised an eyebrow, pointed at the phone while looking at Lin Qianyu, and said, “Got him.”

【Hahahaha damn, you’re devilishly clever.】

【Help, Pei Feng looks so steady and dependable, while Bai Zhao is just ridiculously funny (in a good way).】

【Fake poaching: full of strategy and planning. Real poaching: sneak into DMs when the rival’s not around.】

【Can someone estimate Sister Lin’s market value right now? Seeing her being fought over like this makes me proud just to be a fan.】

…

In the end, the poaching attempts paused—at least for now, since Pei Feng was confirmed to be in the livestream room.

They’d find another chance to DM her later.

Lin Qianyu gathered up her loose hair again, planning to head back to rinse with fresh water. The salt from the seawater made it uncomfortable once dried.

She was just wondering whether she’d passed any soapberries on the way here when a scream suddenly rang out.

“Holy shit! Where did this zebra come from?! Scared the hell out of me!”

The staff who’d been focused on the shoreline and thought everything was settled turned around to start packing up, only to walk headfirst into a zebra. Nearly had their soul scared out of them.

Zebras are notoriously bad-tempered—moody and unstable.

Though herbivores, they’re quite the troublemakers. While eating with warthogs or wildebeests, they’ll sometimes randomly kick the animal next to them—hard enough to kill in severe cases.

Male zebras will even attack other males and newborn foals.

Even in zoos, zebras are known for biting people. Reports of zebra-related injuries are all over the internet; there have even been cases where children lost fingers to bites.

The island staff had all dealt with zebras to some extent, so they knew exactly what kind of creature this was.So when he suddenly came face-to-face with the zebra, the staff member instinctively raised his hands to shield his face.

“It’s mine,” Lin Qianyu stepped forward, placing a hand on the staff member’s shoulder with a light pat. “This zebra is with me. Sorry it scared you.”

After politely apologizing, Lin Qianyu glanced at the zebra.

Didn’t she tell it to go back first? Why did it come over to watch the orca too? A zebra with a real flair for drama.

The zebra carrying coconuts backed up a few steps. Before Lin Qianyu could say anything, it hesitated a while, then turned and ran once it had retreated to a safe distance.

Lin Qianyu called after it, eyeing the unsteady bag on its back: “Slow down! Watch the coconuts! If even one is missing when you get back, I’ll be asking you about it!”

At those words, the zebra skidding away stumbled twice and walked more gingerly after that.

The staff member, still pale with fright: “???”

Is this really the zebra he remembered?

“How did you tame a zebra? It actually listens to you?” The staff member was in disbelief. “Even if you can talk to animals, if you told a zebra to carry something, wouldn’t it just kick you?”

How is this even possible?

Talking isn’t hypnosis.

The latter might make a zebra follow orders, but the former is just expressing your thoughts to it, isn’t it?

Why would a zebra be this obedient?

What kind of magic does talking even have?

All the staff could imagine was Lin Qianyu saying, Be my mount, and the zebra replying, Screw off.

But now it was as docile as a lamb. Unthinkable.

Under the staff member’s eager, tear-brimmed gaze—

Lin Qianyu thought for a moment and said, “Maybe it was intimidated by the little wolf beside me.”

“A single wolf has that much power?”

“Uh… more like a dozen or so.”

Staff member: “???”

Got it.

【Ask that zebra if it dares talk back when Sister Lin calls it ‘Little Stripes’.】

【They chased it so hard its soul almost left its body. If Sister Lin hadn’t spoken up, that zebra would be dinner by now.】

【First time seeing a zebra tuck its tail and run, hahaha.】

…

The staff member sighed, “Last time I was just passing by the zebra feeding area, not even close, and it chased me half a day, broke two of my ribs. If my coworker hadn’t rammed it with the car, I’d be crippled for life.”

That incident left him with a deep psychological shadow toward zebras.

Now seeing the zebra fleeing in terror, he couldn’t even begin to describe the feeling in his heart.Seemed a bit relieved, feeling the zebra wasn’t so scary after all.

“If you ever run into problems you can’t solve, come find me,” Lin Qianyu smiled gently and said, “I’m also considered a member of our company.”

Bai Zhao suddenly widened his eyes. “Really? I can come to you?”

Lin Qianyu nodded, “Of course, anytime. We’ve added each other as contacts, so it’s even easier to reach me.”

Bai Zhao chuckled shyly, with a bit of a goofy smile, “You’re really kind.”

Talented and humble people like her were rare.

Especially someone so unique.

No one else in the world could match Lin Qianyu’s strength, yet she remained gentle and indifferent, as if without a temper.

Not just animals, even people couldn’t help but want to get close to her.

Feng Jingye stepped forward with a cold expression, “Alright, the orca has gone back. Keep an eye on the patrol and surveillance here for a while. Everyone else, you can head back.”

Bai Zhao shrank his neck, “Understood, Director Feng.”

Turning around, Feng Jingye handed Lin Qianyu the coat in his hand, his voice much softer than before. “Change into this jacket. The one you have on is wet. The grasslands have big temperature differences day and night, don’t catch a cold.”

“Thank you, I’m fine. I’ll dry off soon,” Lin Qianyu instinctively touched the hem of her clothes—it must have gotten wet when she squatted down earlier.

The next moment, Feng Jingye’s coat was already draped over her shoulders.

Feng Jingye said, “I brought two jackets. Just borrow this one for now. Return it when you’re done.”

Before she could refuse, Feng Jingye turned and hurried to Bai Zhao, seeming to discuss something urgent, his steps noticeably brisker.

This time the production team hadn’t prepared extra clothes, so unlike the previous episode, they couldn’t just change whenever they wanted.

So besides basic supplies, there was only one set of spare clothes with the show’s logo in each guest’s size.

Lin Qianyu’s set was left in the shelter they’d built earlier.

In the blink of an eye, Feng Jingye’s figure almost disappeared.

Since he was far away, chasing after him wasn’t realistic.

Lin Qianyu thought for a moment, then decided to keep the jacket for now. She turned to the staff and said, “I’m heading back first. You all keep busy.”

Hang Sisi stepped forward a half-step, “Qianyu-jie, let’s go together. On my way I saw your shelter. We live close by; we can walk back together.”

“Okay.”

“Ying—!”

Overlapping with Lin Qianyu’s voice was the low call of the orca.

The footsteps paused. Almost simultaneously, the staff who had scattered to pack and prepare to leave also turned around.

Everyone was curious why the orca suddenly made that sound.

After just one call, the orca immediately disappeared beneath the surface, only the dorsal fin faintly visible.

As the sea water surged, the orca suddenly raised its head, as if it was lifting something.A large plank flew out of the water.

The orca dived, its tail raised from the surface, directly slapping the flying plank onto the beach.

“Whoa!”

“Ahhh?!”

“Run!”

…

The staff on the beach, who hadn’t scattered yet, panicked and scattered in all directions.

The devil ray that had been flung ashore lay motionless, clearly dead.

“Ying—!” The orca happily leaped on the surface, then sank heavily before showing its tail again.

Eat!

Author’s note: Good night, sleep early, love you all.