Chapter 87

Chapter 87

Su Yuxing’s roar almost came through the screen.

“Mr. Feng?” Lin Qianyu stepped out wrapped in her coat and patted the little wolf gathered beside Feng Jingye. “When did you get here?”

“Yesterday?” Feng Jingye glanced at the time. “Not quite sure, probably early morning. Why are you up? Not going to sleep a bit longer?”

【I thought I was seeing things, but the white blur in Feng Jingye’s stream last night really was the white lion.】

【No wonder the island owner suddenly cut the stream—turns out he came to look after Lin-jie.】

【Wasn’t it because the white lion smacked the livestream equipment across the room?】

Feng Jingye’s livestream was very standard. Mostly just calm, uneventful wilderness survival, so his popularity stayed middle-tier—not too high, not too low.

Still, a good number of viewers would check in from time to time. After all, he was the island master, and by that logic, all the animals on the island were basically his—though the animals didn’t seem to recognize him.

When people saw oddly shaped animals, they’d often go to his stream and ask questions, assuming he might know. But last night he suddenly cut the stream, which left many fans confused.

Now seeing him appear in Lin Qianyu’s stream, it all started to make sense.

Lin Qianyu shook her head. “Woke up with a headache, came out to sit a while.”

She leaned sideways against the little wolf and paused when she noticed the tattered fabric hanging off Feng Jingye. “Your clothes…”

“The white lion bit them.” Feng Jingye calmly flipped the dangling half of his shirt back up. “It’s fine. At least it didn’t bite me.”

The white lion huffed heavily and shifted its front paws.

Feng Jingye: “...I wasn’t tattling.”

The white lion glared at him, clearly not buying it.

Lin Qianyu smiled with her eyes and waved the white lion over. “You and the white lion are close too, Mr. Feng?”

“No, not like with the tiger.” Otherwise, on the first day on the island, the white lion would’ve come to find him like the tiger did.

With the experience of failing to bond with a tiger already under his belt, Feng Jingye hadn’t tried getting close to other animals again.

Affinity is a strange thing—if animals like you, they really like you. If they don’t… it’s full-on hostility.

The white lion lay down behind Lin Qianyu on its side. If she leaned back, she could rest against its belly.

She reached back and gave its side a few comforting rubs.

Feng Jingye stirred the fish soup in the pot. “Drink the porridge while it’s hot. I didn’t add much water—if it cools, it’ll turn to jelly.”

If he hadn’t brought it up, Lin Qianyu would’ve completely forgotten the millet porridge. She quickly went back inside to fetch it—thankfully, it was still warm. “You found millet in the wild?”

At that, Feng Jingye paused. “Wasn’t it yours?”

“Huh?”

Feng Jingye brought over a plastic bag. “There’s rice, glutinous rice, beans… a whole bunch of stuff in there.”

“...?” Lin Qianyu stared at the unfamiliar plastic bag in confusion. “I thought it was yours.”

Bullet comments: 【It’s mine!!!】Su Yuxing’s roar practically came through the screen.

Lin Qianyu and Feng Jingye hadn’t noticed yet, but the livestream chat was already in hysterics.

【Seriously? Did Director Su get robbed again while we weren’t watching?】

【Hahaha I’m dying, it’s a shame there’s no footage of this robbery.】

【I thought the white lion would go for meat or something, but it stole grains?】

Su Yuxing: 【The grains were my idea! It blocked the door! Swaggered right into the kitchen—the chef fainted from the shock and woke up crying!】

When sick, millet porridge is good for the stomach and easy to digest.

The main thing was, if he didn’t offer something up fast, the white lion would really treat their base like an all-you-can-eat buffet, picking as it pleased while walking through.

He gave the grains and explained they could be used to cook porridge. The white lion replied, but neither of them seemed to believe the other could understand. Su Yuxing, in a flash of improvisation, started gesturing wildly to convey his point.

The process was chaotic, but at least the outcome was decent.

All he lost was a bag of assorted grains, some meat, some fish, some seasonings, some…

And a chef who cried and threatened to quit.

Su Yuxing typed out his grievances in the chat, accusing the white lion of all its offenses, not skipping a single detail.

【Hahahaha I’m wheezing—rolling in bed before sunrise from laughing.】

【Don’t talk behind the white lion’s back! I want to see a face-off live. Lin-jie’s there—she can translate.】

【Bro just say you want Director Su to go die already.】

【Why does the official stream not show this kind of footage?! I’m actually mad!】

The official stream would occasionally cut to other guests or show scenic views.

But since the villa was considered staff-only and not part of the Wilderness show’s core setting, the cameras weren’t rolling when the white lion strolled in.

Lin Qianyu and Feng Jingye looked up after seeing the chat, exchanging glances.

It was tragic, sure… but the smiles tugging at their lips were hard to suppress.

At some point, the white lion had sat up, stretching its head between them and casting a downward glance at Feng Jingye on one side.

Feng Jingye: “…”

Lin Qianyu hugged the white lion to block its view and asked, “So… can I still drink this porridge?”

Technically, it wasn’t official program supplies. Did that count as a rule violation?

Feng Jingye scooted a little farther away—just in case the white lion got irrational and turned on him. For all its calm demeanor, the white lion was harder to handle than a tiger.

Because a tiger wouldn’t actually kill him. The white lion might.

Feng Jingye said, “Of course you can. You didn’t take it—the white lion brought it. If it’s a rule break, then the white lion broke it.”

Lin Qianyu nodded. “Fair point. Wild millet isn’t impossible to find, after all.”

The porridge was cooked perfectly—fragrant, soft, each grain plump and glutinous. It smelled amazing and tasted even better.Lin Qianyu drank the porridge with a wooden spoon, taking small sips. “You should have a bowl too.”

“I already ate. You finish the porridge, then have some fish soup,” Feng Jingye said as he poked at the fish in the coconut bowl, which had already been shredded to bits. “You caught a chill from the wind—wind-cold type colds are best treated with more fish soup, it helps dispel the cold.”

Lin Qianyu asked, “You actually know about this stuff?”

Feng Jingye smiled, “I looked it up online.”

Wind-cold colds are different from wind-heat colds, and the types of food one should eat vary.

Since Feng Jingye didn’t have much experience taking care of others, looking it up online felt more reliable.

As he spoke, he poured the fish soup into another coconut bowl, pressing down the solids. The fish had been simmered so long it was falling apart, and quite a bit of it slipped into the soup while pouring.

Once done, he could just toss the remaining fish bones.

He placed the fish soup back over the fire pit—not directly over the flame, just to keep it warm.

He scooted over, making room in front of the fire pit. “Warm yourself by the fire.”

Lin Qianyu still had a low-grade fever, so she didn’t turn him down. The warm glow of the flames lit up her face. After finishing the bowl of millet porridge, her tired, aching arms had a bit more strength in them.

“Today…”

“It’s no trouble,” Feng Jingye cut her off, already anticipating what she was going to say.

Lin Qianyu blinked, then let out a silent laugh.

Feng Jingye calmly wrapped the tattered remnants of his clothes back around himself and said in a composed tone, “I came voluntarily.”

【I volun—(got beat)—teered to come.】

【How does the island owner make even rags look so good?】

【Hahaha you don’t have to force a compliment if you don’t know how.】

【Island owner: nice compliment, now don’t do it again.】

The grassland wolf lay across Lin Qianyu’s legs.

Usually the pups would still be asleep at this hour, but they were all alert now.

Probably because there was an unfamiliar person around, they were more cautious than usual.

In contrast, the cheetah looked rather relaxed, curled up on the wooden planks. But its eyes still lifted now and then, stealing glances at Feng Jingye in an inconspicuously guarded manner.

The thylacine was among the grassland wolf pack, staying alert with the others.

Pallas’s cats generally don’t attack humans on their own.

The one in the house was pawing at pebbles, lost in its own world.

Lin Qianyu sat in front of the fire pit, watching the sky gradually light up with a warm hue.

She didn’t know how much time had passed, but the sleepiness of the night eventually caught up with her, and she responded to Feng Jingye’s words in a dazed, half-attentive manner.

The fish soup simmered gently over low heat. Pan-fried fish, once boiled, turned the broth a milky white. It wasn’t as rich as what she made at home, but with a pinch of salt, the aroma was quite pleasant.

“Right, about Area Three…” Feng Jingye began, then paused when he noticed how drowsy Lin Qianyu looked.The low fever made Lin Qianyu’s head feel fuzzy. When she heard a voice, she squinted her eyes slightly, her lips moved as if to ask, “What is it?”—but no sound came out.

Her body swayed, and just as Feng Jingye was about to reach out and steady her, a sudden strong force pushed him from behind.

He stumbled forward uncontrollably. When he regained his balance and turned around, he saw the white lion lowering its paw and settling into the spot where he had just been sitting.

“……”

Leaning against the white lion, Lin Qianyu was slow to react to the scene before her. She shook her head to clear it, then quickly sat up and asked, “Mr. Feng? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Feng Jingye waved a hand. “You look exhausted. Finish the fish soup and get some more sleep—we’ll talk next time.”

“Feng…” Lin Qianyu wanted to say more, but Feng Jingye was already fiddling with his streaming gear as he left.

She let out a light sigh and tapped the white lion’s fluffy head. “Look at you…”

The white lion didn’t care at all, simply lowering its head to nuzzle her cheek affectionately.

It had worked all night, and then just tossed him aside afterward.

Lin Qianyu felt a little embarrassed.

Thinking about the tattered clothes Feng Jingye had on, Lin Qianyu glanced back at the half-finished sweater on the table.

“Woo…” The grassland wolf tilted its head up and nuzzled her hand.

“Mm, I’m fine,” Lin Qianyu rubbed the little wolf’s ears, picked up the fish soup and began drinking. Stirring with the spoon, she could still find bits of minced meat inside.

It was a bit hot. She held the small bowl in her hands and sipped slowly. When the white lion curiously leaned over, she brought the spoon near its mouth. “Want a taste?”

The white lion turned its head away in disdain.

“It’s really good.”

“Roar!”

The white lion refused.

After Feng Jingye left, the animals in the house visibly relaxed. The cubs even yawned repeatedly, so sleepy they were wobbling on their feet.

While it was still early, Lin Qianyu finished the soup and got up to go back to bed for a second rest.

The white lion stood up, shook out its fur, and jumped back into the wooden box.

With millet porridge and fish soup in its belly, its whole body was warm and cozy.

That nap was deep and restful.

The little wolf didn’t sleep. It lay beside the wooden bed, watching over the sleeping Lin Qianyu without blinking.

As daytime arrived, the temperature rose.

The warmth reached the inside of the house as well.

The streaming device forgotten outside the door hung pitifully under the window ledge, trying to hide from the rain.

As the light outside changed, the night vision mode of the livestream turned off automatically, but no one appeared in the frame.

The cheetah and thylacine came out one after another with the wolf pack, but the head wolf didn’t seem to be going out hunting.Instead, it was the water cup left outside that the little wolf came out to retrieve and brought back in.

It wasn’t until the afternoon that the door was opened again.

Lin Qianyu pushed the door open while wiping her face with a damp towel in one hand. “Where did the livestream equipment get stuck?”

After waking up from her nap, she found that the barrage of messages in her smartwatch had practically exploded.

【Wuwu finally awake, I was so worried. I’ll forgive you this time, but don’t let it happen again, okay?】

【Linlin, are you feeling better? If you’re still unwell, let the white lion go find you some wild ibuprofen or dextromethorphan or something to take first.】

【Yeah, great suggestion, but it’s Su-director who’ll have to risk his life for it, huh?】

“No need for medicine.” Lin Qianyu brought the livestream equipment inside, then touched her forehead with the back of her hand again. “The fever’s gone.”

But having just recovered, she still felt weak and a little drained.

She opened the windows to let the air circulate and freshen the room.

Propping up some wood, Lin Qianyu sat down at the table. “Just need to finish the hem and this piece is done.”

Only... she had knitted it based on her own measurements, made it a bit larger on purpose, but it would probably still be a little small for Feng Jingye.

She’d finish this one first, then knit a new one just for Feng Jingye.

The fallen fur from the fluffballs at home was more than enough for her to use.

The little wolf lay on the wooden bed, occasionally licking its paws.

“Not going out to hunt today?” When Lin Qianyu woke up, she hadn’t seen the wolf pack and figured they must have gone hunting—but it was odd that the head wolf was still home.

“Awwooo…”

“I’m fine, you don’t have to stay with me.” Lin Qianyu guessed that maybe her fever and cold had scared the little wolf this time. “Just a small cold, it’s really nothing serious.”

She lay by the bed, rubbing the little wolf’s head. “Go sleep.”

“Woo.”

After calming the grassland wolf, Lin Qianyu turned back to knitting. Since she was just recovering and had little strength, she didn’t plan on running around outside.

Besides, there was enough food at home—the cured meat hadn’t even been touched yet.

At the finishing stage of the sweater, Lin Qianyu knitted even more slowly. If this part went wrong, the whole thing could unravel with one tug.

“Awwaao!”

“Awwooo!”

Lin Qianyu had heard many strange animal sounds, but this one—slightly whimpering—was new to her.

Tapping her knitting needles with her fingertips, Lin Qianyu looked curiously at the small animal passing by in the distance. “Dark gray… a porcupine?”

And it was a very small one—a baby porcupine.

Probably just a bit bigger than the manul cat?

But the color didn’t seem quite right either.Porcupines are generally brown all over and tend to live in groups during winter, but judging by the size of this little one, it doesn’t look old enough to survive without its porcupine mother.

Why did it come out on its own?

Lin Qianyu said suspiciously, “Got lost?”

And ended up wandering into the white lion’s territory.

【What a cute little roast piglet.】

【The smaller it is, the more tender—older ones get too tough to eat.】

【Okay, wild delivery.】

The black-gray porcupine had something in its mouth. Noticing the commotion on this side, it turned its head, casting an unfriendly glance.

Then it charged straight toward the window.

【???】

【Did it see the comments?】

From the livestream’s perspective, the black-gray porcupine suddenly locked onto their location. Though it was clearly looking at Lin Qianyu, it gave the audience the illusion that it was staring through the camera at them.

The window wasn’t very low, but still too high for a porcupine to jump up to.

And the wooden cabin was sturdy—a porcupine this age definitely wasn’t capable of knocking it over.

So Lin Qianyu remained seated inside, not worried at all. The black-gray porcupine outside hadn’t even grown its tusks yet.

But instead of ramming the wall, the porcupine veered to a blind spot.

Smack—its black paw slapped something yellow onto the windowsill.

“What is that?” Lin Qianyu leaned over and saw that it was a piece of honeycomb.

The black-gray porcupine stood at the window, looking up. “Ah!”

Its appearance was wildly different from a porcupine.

This wasn’t a porcupine at all.

Lin Qianyu: “???”

“A honey badger?” Even with all her experience, Lin Qianyu was still stunned to see a honey badger covered in porcupine quills. “You killed a porcupine?!”

【So many quills?!】

【Good heavens… if Zhuge Liang had one of these, he wouldn’t have needed the straw boats. Honey badger borrowing arrows.】

Author's Note: My alarm didn’t go off—waaah… feeling miserable. Sorry for the delay today. I’ll finish posting 20,000 words before midnight. Muah muah.