Island

Su Xingshu cast a condescending, almost pitying look at Ju Jinghuan, smiled enigmatically, then turned to Fu Liangxia and said, "Let's go."

Ju Jinghuan was baffled by that look, but he knew it couldn't mean anything good.

Fu Liangxia checked the time on her phone and realized they were indeed close to the scheduled takeoff. A flight attendant came over and urged them to return to their seats.

She walked back to her own seat.

But no sooner had she sat down than a WeChat message came in.

It was actually Bai Xin.

They had added each other back when the modeling thing came up, but they'd barely exchanged a word since. And now Bai Xin—or rather, Little A—had taken the initiative to message her.

Bai Xin: [Not bad, sis.]

The "sis" carried Little A's signature flippant tone and cocky attitude, making it come off as a bit mocking.

As if he were standing right in front of her, saying it to her face.

Fu Liangxia was amused by her own imagination and a smile tugged at her lips. [I do get along with people well, little bro.]

She deliberately tacked on those last two words. No point in passing up an easy advantage.

A muffled laugh came from the seat ahead, and she knew without looking that it was Bai Xin.

He quickly replied: [Mm-hmm, sis does get along well. Even the hero-saves-the-damsel thing requires queuing. Good thing I was quick and grabbed the spot.]

Another message followed: [Any reward for me? It wasn't easy getting out today.]

He was referring to seizing control of the body.

Fu Liangxia didn't know much about dissociative identity disorder. She'd always assumed the alter only took over when the host was under extreme stress. But from what Little A was saying, it sounded like he'd fought for it?

She wasn't sure, but Little A certainly had a slick tongue and a way of twisting things.

Fu Liangxia glanced at the seat in front of her and typed quickly: [Little A, you've done your duty protecting me. A reward is in order.]

She didn't say what the reward would be—she was just playing with words.

But the other party refused to let it go.

Bai Xin: [Oh? What's the reward?]

Fu Liangxia parried: [What do you want?]

She added: [Anything I can afford, you probably already have plenty of.]

He came back with: [There are things only you can give.]

Fu Liangxia knew he didn't actually expect anything from her. This was just teasing, poking fun at her.

So she simply stopped replying.

Whatever it was, she wasn't curious.

With that thought, she reclined her seat, took out her tablet, and started watching a movie. It was a lighthearted commercial comedy—fast-paced, simple, and straightforward. The kind that put you in a good mood just by watching.

She let out a laugh now and then. The flight attendant even brought her a fruit platter and drinks. Lounging half-reclined, watching and snacking, she was having the time of her life.

But while she was having a wonderful time, letting out those crisp, bright laughs every so often, the people around her were all feeling rather complicated.

Little A, who had been waiting for Fu Liangxia to ask him what he meant, stared at his screen and never got a reply.

It felt like ordering a set meal—finishing the sides and then being told they were out of the main course. His anticipation was left dangling, and it was genuinely irritating.

Had she gotten upset over a few playful remarks? That didn't seem like Fu Liangxia.

Or was she really just completely uninterested in his bait? Little A started to doubt the skills he'd learned at the bar. Other customers took the hook instantly, throwing money at him without a second thought.

Why was Fu Liangxia so unmoved?

Was she just really good at holding back, or had his techniques gone out of style?

Little A frowned slightly, his long, slender fingers tapping lightly on the armrest. As he sank into thought, he heard a faint laugh from behind him. It was crisp and pleasant, carrying not a trace of curiosity about his words—she was clearly just enjoying herself.

Little A froze, hardly believing his ears.

He'd thought she was special.

But he hadn't expected her to be this special—this composed.

Not just composed. She'd brushed him off and gone straight back to watching her show, without a care in the world. Little A actually felt a grudging admiration.

No wonder she was the kind of person who could kiss someone right in front of him and remain unbothered even with an audience. Deep waters indeed.

Little A arched an eyebrow high, a glint of delight flashing in his starry eyes—the look of some predator spotting delicious prey.

This was the first time anyone had ever ignored him like this.

Little A didn't feel the sting of having his charm overlooked. He wasn't the sensitive, fragile type; he had a clear-eyed assessment of his own appeal.

Probably the movie was just more interesting than him. That was fine.

Little A thought, *Hopefully next time I can hold her attention a little longer.*

With that, he calmly picked up his own tablet and found a movie to watch.

But Su Xingshu beside him wasn't so composed. He worked in music and had naturally sharper hearing than most, so of course he could tell whose laugh that was.

He didn't know Fu Liangxia was watching a movie, but his keen ears had caught the sound of typing from Bai Xin's seat earlier. And after Bai Xin's typing stopped, the sound had started from Fu Liangxia's seat; then when she stopped, it started again from Bai Xin's.

Back and forth like that—how could Su Xingshu not figure out the two of them were chatting? And about what, he had no idea. All he knew was Fu Liangxia was laughing that happily.

What private matter was so urgent they had to discuss it over WeChat when they were sitting right in front of each other? Ridiculous.

Su Xingshu felt nothing but disdain for Bai Xin's antics, yet he couldn't stop himself from wondering: did Fu Liangxia laugh that happily when she talked to him too?

What could that smug, stuck-up Bai Xin possibly say that was so interesting?

Su Xingshu ground his teeth and mentally added "improving his conversational skills" to his to-do list.

Actually, some of his friends had teased him before: the only reason he'd gone through so many girlfriends had less to do with his technique or his ability to charm women and more to do with the fact that he had a face that conquered all, plus height, long legs, generosity, and a talent for singing. Naturally, that made him unbeatable in romance.

So Su Xingshu knew he wasn't all that great at sweet-talking or winning girls over.

The thought made him even more sulky.

Bai Yan, on the other hand, simply admired Fu Liangxia. She'd just been forcibly dragged out by Su Xingshu not long ago, and she came back acting as if nothing had happened, completely unbothered. She was even sitting there now, laughing leisurely. Her mental fortitude was genuinely impressive.

...

Meanwhile, Fu Liangxia—the object of everyone's thoughts, envy, and admiration—was going through no such complicated inner turmoil. She ate when she wanted, drank when she wanted, and when she got tired of playing, she pulled a blanket over herself, put on her sleep mask, and dozed off. She spent the entire flight in perfect comfort.

By the time they arrived at the island in Country A, it was just past midnight. Everyone took a bus from the tarmac to the hotel, and the scenery along the way was completely different from back home. Tall palm trees lined both sides, silver-white beaches glistened under the moonlight, and the ocean stretched out dark and imposing.

On the beach, square frames strung with little lights stood here and there, with people sitting inside laughing and chatting. Someone was playing guitar and singing local folk tunes, and a group of young people were dancing with drinks raised high. Everything looked different from home.

Even the temperature was perfect. A warm sea breeze carrying the fresh scent of greenery brushed against their faces—just being here was already a pleasure.

The hotel they were staying at consisted of beachfront private villas, ten people per building. The exteriors were pure white, and in front of each villa was a winding transparent footbridge with seawater flowing beneath it. Through the bridge deck, they could see marine life below, including some small farmed alligators.

Since seating on the bus hadn't been arranged by class, Fu Liangxia found herself surrounded by familiar faces: Su Xingshu and the others who'd been on the same flight, as well as Fu Haoyao, Cheng Xingzhou, and Bai Kewei.

Well, Bai Kewei had been Fu Liangxia's intentional choice.

Bai Kewei linked arms with her, and as they crossed the bridge with the little alligators below, Fu Haoyao, being mischievous, deliberately stomped his feet to scare her.

But he failed to see the startled expression he'd hoped for.

Fu Liangxia gave him a calm, indifferent look—a look that made Fu Haoyao suddenly question whether he was being too childish.

Bai Kewei, on the other hand, was genuinely startled. She gripped Fu Liangxia's arm tightly and shot Fu Haoyao a fierce glare.

Fu Haoyao rubbed his nose awkwardly and looked down at Fu Liangxia. "Aren't you scared?"

Cheng Xingzhou, walking beside them, seemed to have reached his limit. He cast a cold glance at Fu Haoyao and said, in the tone one might use with an idiot, "An alligator's bite force is far greater than your stomping. What's there to be afraid of?"

Su Xingshu, walking ahead, also turned back and said, "Fu number two, you're so immature."

Fu Haoyao: "..."

But Fu Liangxia just walked on at a leisurely pace, reaching out to hold Bai Kewei's hand back, as if answering his question: "I'm not afraid, because I know you'll save me."

Then, looking at Bai Kewei beside her and Fu Haoyao a little farther off, she offered a gentle smile.

The breeze lifted strands of her hair as she tilted up her fair, delicate face. Her brows were soft and relaxed, and her gaze held a warm, beaming smile—an expression of utter trust.

Both Bai Kewei and Fu Haoyao felt their hearts stir at that look.

Bai Kewei nodded firmly, agreeing wholeheartedly: "I'll definitely save you."

Fu Haoyao, his line stolen, felt a bit put out. But when he met Fu Liangxia's eyes, all his earlier bravado melted away, and he said obediently, "Mm, that's right."

With that, seeming a little embarrassed, he quickened his pace and moved to the front of the group.

The exterior of their hotel was simple, but the interior was decorated for utmost comfort. Soft cotton items filled every corner, and each room was large and bright. On the sea-facing side, one could step out and take a slide directly into the ocean, with a few big inflatable sofas placed beside the slide for lounging.

It was at this moment that Fu Liangxia truly got a sense of what it meant for the rich to indulge.

The hotel rooms were originally assigned by random draw, but Cheng Xingzhou, using his authority in the Student Council, made some adjustments and swapped himself into the same building as Fu Liangxia. The others, meanwhile, had each bribed Fu Liangxia's fellow residents to switch with them.

As for Bai Kewei, she was assigned to share the same room as Fu Liangxia.

So the building she was in, one could say, was filled entirely with familiar faces.