Chapter 8: Evening Rest

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Upon hearing about this skill, Nianqing’s face lit up with delight. She knew quite a bit about wild plants, but there were always things beyond one’s understanding. With this skill, she could now discern what was edible and what was not. Just earlier, she had spotted that plump rabbit—if her stamina allowed, that might be a good source of protein.

It took Nianqing some time to find a water source. The sun was slowly setting. “Now that I’ve solved the hunger issue, I need to find a place to rest for the first night.” She retraced her steps and recalled seeing a promising spot along the shoreline when she first arrived. “There was a decent place by the coast; I’ll go check if it’s suitable to stay.”

As she walked, she kept observing her surroundings, applying her newly acquired skill and discovering several edible plants along the way. However, it was still a struggle, and finding a resting place remained her priority. This island was richer in resources than she had imagined.

Soon, she reached the shore and headed straight into the nearby thicket. The bushes were dense and intertwined. “I observed the area earlier—no large animals in sight, but many signs of small creatures. There must be plenty of snakes, insects, mice, and ants.”

Nianqing quickly found intersecting branches and wove several together, fashioning a makeshift platform just large enough to lie down on. While working, she explained to her livestream viewers, “I’m using these branches to support my body. Sleeping off the ground helps ward off mice and snakes, providing a relatively safe resting environment. Tomorrow, I’ll look for a place to build a proper shelter.”

Once nearly done, she added, “There will probably be a lot of mosquitoes at night. I hope I can get some decent rest.” The viewers watched in disbelief, especially at the branch platform that looked quite uncomfortable.

“Can she really sleep there? Won’t it be tough at night?”

“Snakes, insects, mice, ants? Are those really part of her sleeping area?”

“Mosquitoes remind me of a researcher on a neighboring planet who, to solve the mosquito problem in the interstellar era, developed a new kind of mosquito. So annoying!”

“That invention must be the cruelest in the world. Apparently, such nuisances existed even in ancient times.”

“I don’t understand what those researchers were thinking, studying such things.”

“Hang in there, streamer! Looks like Nianqing is having the roughest time.”

...

Meanwhile, the heroine of this book, Youyou, and Xiao Yu found a fruit tree deep in the forest.

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It appeared to be an unripe mango tree, with many small mangoes hanging from its branches. The two picked several ripe ones and feasted heartily.

Next, they needed to address their lodging situation. After searching the forest, they found a relatively flat area and laid large forest leaves on the ground to create a makeshift bed.

“We’ll stay here for tonight and continue exploring the surroundings tomorrow,” Xiao Yu said, glancing at the leaf bed with a hint of disdain, though his face betrayed no emotion.

“Youyou is amazing. Thanks to you today—you’re truly remarkable,” he praised.

Youyou’s expression turned worried. “I wonder how Nianqing is doing. She’s usually the most delicate. I hope someone is there to help her in this situation.”

Their livestream attracted hundreds of thousands of viewers, and the chat was nonstop with praise for Youyou.

Suddenly, someone commented, “But didn’t Nianqing say sleeping on the ground attracts snakes, insects, mice, and ants? Shouldn’t Youyou be more careful?”

This sparked a wave of backlash in the chat.

“That must be a fan from the opposing side. If you like the white lotus character so much, just leave. Don’t spout nonsense here.”

“Our Youyou is the best. Who knows if your beloved is crying somewhere? Stay out of this.”

“Tsk, tsk, our Youyou is so kind-hearted, yet here you are still worrying about that damn white lotus.”

“Youyou is the fairest and strongest! White lotus, get lost!”

...

The targeted viewer who made the comment was shocked by the sudden onslaught. They only intended to offer a reminder but were met with fierce opposition. Furthermore, they sensed a strong air of insincerity in Youyou’s words—perhaps it was just their imagination. Despite feeling angered by the crowd, they stayed in the chat, curious if Nianqing’s situation was truly as bad as described.

...

Night fell quickly, and though dark, the livestream’s miniature camera was high quality, capturing the viewers’ clear images.

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Nianqing lay atop the shrub bed. Though uncomfortable, she managed to sleep. Mosquitoes were numerous, and she woke occasionally to swat them away.

“Mosquitoes truly are the most detestable creatures, whether in the interstellar era or ancient Earth.”

“There’s so much text here—hope nothing bad happens.”

“Ancient mosquitoes spread diseases. Hopefully, humans are fine.”

“The plagues of ancient times were nothing compared to what we’ve vaccinated against since childhood, effectively blocking most viruses.”

“That’s true, but they’re still so bothersome.”

...

Elsewhere, Youyou and Xiao Yu lay on the ground in their crude shelter. Though mosquitoes swarmed around them, their clothing offered some protection, making their situation better than Nianqing’s.

By midnight, the number of viewers had dwindled. Suddenly, a sharp scream echoed through the primeval forest.

“Ahhhhh!”

Startled awake, Xiao Yu sprang up to see what was happening. When he saw the scene, he gasped in shock.

Several snakes slithered toward them, their green scales vivid in the moonlight. Near Youyou was a dark, black snake whose venomous nature was unknown.

Perhaps startled by Youyou’s loud scream, the snakes raised their necks high, their eyes gleaming menacingly.

Neither had encountered such a situation before. Instinctively, they grabbed each other and fled wildly in an unknown direction.

Only after confirming no creatures were chasing them did they breathe a sigh of relief.

“How… how are there so many snakes?”