ALL NOVEL Chapter 60 - I
In the early morning of the next day, the two of them had an early dinner and set off for the back mountain.
Pei Xing led Shi Yi to the highest peak, found a tall tree, climbed it, and got a panoramic view of the entire landscape.
It was confirmed that they were indeed on a secluded island surrounded by the sea. On the other side of the mountain, there was nothing but endless ocean. They were truly isolated from the world.
Pei Xing descended and hugged Shi Yi against the tree. Shi Yi gazed at the vast expanse of sea and sighed, “We’re really cut off from the world now.”
“Since there’s no way out for now, we’ll have to find a way to make a life here.” Pei Xing affirmed.
The mountain turned out to be larger than they had anticipated. It took them the entire day to explore the mountain forest. They realized that the mountain was situated to the north, while the house they lived in was to the south. They crossed the mountain forest to the north, and it took them two days to reach the other side. They were surprised to discover a few houses there, but seven were unaccounted for.
These houses were more recent than the ones in the south and seemed to have been constructed only a few years ago. The central house was made of blue bricks with tiled roofs, while the others were constructed of wood.
The surroundings were exceptionally tranquil. Aside from the occasional chirping of insects and birds from the forest, there were no other sounds. It appeared that no one had lived here and the two continued to explore.
“Why is this so strange? The houses here seem relatively new, and they should be inhabited. Why is no one here?” Shi Yi wondered while standing in the yard of the blue brick house, observing two peach trees. The branches were laden with peaches, some of which had ripened and fallen to the ground, where they rotted.
Pei Xing entered the kitchen, noticing water stains in the uncleaned iron pot and ash under the stove. There were four bowls, two large clay pots, and three small pots on the rack. The plates and bowls were intricately decorated. One pottery pot contained rice, another held more than half a pot of white flour, and the three small pots contained salt, sugar, and honey. They took some of these items.
In a corner of the kitchen, they found four pumpkins and a small pile of sweet potatoes.
“Someone must have lived here.” Shi Yi concluded, visibly relieved.
The presence of belongings suggested that people visited the island a few times before them. This realization eased Pei Xing’s mind. While he desired to live alone with Shi Yi, he didn’t wish to be marooned on the island indefinitely.
They continued to explore the area and stumbled upon a tombstone at the foot of the mountain not far from the rear of the blue brick house. Fresh offerings adorned the grave, suggesting recent visit.
Shi Yi’s eyes widened when he read “Dutiful Child Su Yuqing” engraved on the tombstone.
“This is the grave of my sister-in-law’s parents.” he exclaimed.
Pei Xing was equally taken aback. The date of death inscribed on the tombstone was July 6th, and his face tensed. Based on the day they set out, they arrived on the island on July 6th. It meant they had coincidentally missed Su Yuqing’s parents’ Remembrance Day, and they would have to wait another year.
“We might have to stay here until July 6th next year.”
Shi Yi shrugged and said, “That’s alright, we can wait for a year.”
With the assurance that they could eventually leave, they felt a sense of relief.
.
Pei Xing led Shi Yi back to the green brick house, where they cooked noodle soup before resting in the bedroom. The house had a spacious yard, and the structure consisted of a main room and a side room for sleeping, along with an outdoor kitchen.
The sleeping area of the bedroom featured a large solid wood bed with soft mats and thin quilts. A large wardrobe held about a dozen articles of clothing, which appeared to belong to Su Yuqing and Pei Zhengchen. The bookshelf held several miscellaneous books, and on the desk laid pens, ink, paper, and inkstones, along with an unfinished painting.
The kitchen contained wood and large wooden barrels, allowing them to boil hot water and enjoy a hot bath together.
Shi Yi rubbed his aching calves and inquired, “If we decide to live here, what will happen to the chickens and fish in the other house, as well as our belongings?”
When they ventured into the forest, they only took functional mobile phones and power banks, thinking they could provide light when needed during the night.
The most crucial concern was the package containing their clothes and money.
“Tomorrow, we’ll go back to retrieve it, spend one night there, and then move our things over tomorrow,” Pei Xing proposed as he embraced Shi Yi, kissed the back of his neck, and inquired, “Baby, do you have the life-saving pill and the Golden Marrow Pills with you?”
“I have them all with me. They’re in my pocket,” Shi Yi affirmed. Aware of the medication’s value, he kept two large bottles close to his body.
Pei Xing also put a lot in his package, Shi Yi at first thought it was money but turned out to be the miraculous medicine.
Pei Xing asked, “Did you bring a lot with you this time?”
“Yeah, I’m accustomed to it. I always carry a lot when I go out. It can be traded for money if we run out of money.”
Shi Yi thought about the time a doctor exchanged 500 gold taels for the pills and couldn’t help but appreciate the usefulness of the pills for travel. They could be traded for money when needed and were capable of saving lives in critical situations.