Chapter 151

Chapter 151

Chu Ya changed Shen Juanjuan into a clean T-shirt and then took off the wet pants, exposing his long, straight legs to the air.

Chu Ya picked up a pair of clean trousers nearby, looking down as he slipped them over Shen Juanjuan's feet. Then he reminded him, "We need to change your underwear; it’s wet too."

Chu Ya: "I couldn’t find any underwear."

"Then take off the wet ones. It would be so uncomfortable to wear them inside." Shen Juanjuan said.

Chu Ya hesitated for a moment, then stood up and said, "Alright, Shen Wangwang, you help him with that."

The Black Wolf was lying nearby, watching. Hearing this, it raised its head and opened its mouth in shock.

Chu Ya patted its head, "Help Shen Juanjuan take off his wet pants and put on these clean trousers." He then picked up his own set of clean clothes and walked out of the cabin.

"Huh?" The Black Wolf lifted its front paws to show him.

"You can do it. I believe in you. Your paws are more dexterous than fingers. Try embroidery when we get home." Chu Ya pulled open the cabin door and added, "By the way, be gentle. He’s still injured."

Shen Juanjuan hadn’t thought much about it at first, but seeing Chu Ya’s obvious avoidance, he felt uneasy.

He stared at the closed cabin door for a few seconds before angrily saying, "Why are you leaving? Is my butt not good-looking? Not beautiful? Are you being picky?"

Chu Ya had already gone to the adjacent cabin. Shen Juanjuan, incredulous, asked the Black Wolf, "What’s he doing? I just have a minor injury. If I were seriously ill and needed him to wash and scrub my back, would he just throw me in the trash and let me fend for myself?"

The Black Wolf approached the bed, lifting its round paws and carefully maneuvering them over Shen Juanjuan’s body. Finally, it extended two claws and gently hooked the edge of the wet underwear, pulling it down.

"Wang, you’re the one who cares for me." Shen Juanjuan said, sounding aggrieved.

"Wang."

"Some people aren’t worth mentioning. Really, no one is as good as you."

"Wang..."

In the neighboring cabin, Chu Ya finished changing his clothes and walked to the window to look outside. His earlier words were meant to comfort Shen Juanjuan, but although the storm had temporarily weakened, rescue boats and aircraft still couldn’t set sail. There was no signal at sea, and they couldn’t contact Linya City.

The ship was being carried rapidly eastward by the current, likely soon to enter the Ussuri Sea. He knew the storm wasn’t over; tonight was just a brief lull. They needed to find a place to shelter from the wind.

And the chip...

They could still stand against Cloud Peak, but now that the chip had been exchanged for Gu Lin, time was running out. They couldn’t afford to wait any longer and had to attack Cloud Peak before Gu Lin could create a zombie army.

The ship rocked and swayed in the dark sea. Chu Ya stood by the window for a while, then checked his watch and returned to the cabin.

Shen Juanjuan was leaning against the headboard. Chu Ya sat down beside him, "It’s almost midnight. You should go to sleep."

"I don’t want to sleep yet." After everything that had happened today, Shen Juanjuan had no intention of sleeping.

"But you’re injured. You need to rest now."

After saying this, Chu Ya pressed a switch on the wall, plunging the cabin into darkness.

Shen Juanjuan drew out an "Oh," and said in Chu Ya’s direction, "You should wait until I’m lying down before turning off the light. How am I supposed to sleep in the dark?"

Chu Ya didn’t respond, only the sound of rustling, like a backpack being unzipped, was heard.

"Did you forget to change the underwear earlier and now you’re changing it in the dark? Don’t be so dramatic. It’s like I’m some kind of pervert, staring at your bare butt." Shen Juanjuan paused, then muttered, "You’re being too formal. Even if I glanced once or twice, what’s the big deal? Who else are you going to show it to if not me?"

Just as Shen Juanjuan finished his complaint, the sound of a lighter filled the room, and a bright light dispelled the darkness.

On a small stool by the window, there was a plate-sized cake with a single burning candle in the center. The top layer of cream was smeared, making it hard to see the original design, but the chaotic, mottled colors hinted at the pattern beneath.

Chu Ya was half-kneeling beside the cake, turning to look at Shen Juanjuan.

The candlelight danced in Shen Juanjuan’s eyes, reflecting his surprise. After a moment of stunned silence, he covered his face with his hands, leaving only his eyes visible as he looked at the cake. Uncontrollable giggles escaped through his fingers.

Chu Ya smiled and said, "Happy birthday, little star. Make a wish."

"Okay." Shen Juanjuan replied softly.

He was both delighted and a bit shy. Just as he was about to make his wish, he noticed the Teddy Bear had left the mental domain and was puckering its lips toward the cake. He immediately shouted, "Catch it!"

Chu Ya quickly covered the Teddy Bear’s mouth, and Shen Juanjuan said, "Get it out of here. Last time, it blew out my candles on my birthday."

"Awooo." The Teddy Bear muffled a cry under Chu Ya’s hand.

Chu Ya told it, "Your birthday is still a few months away. This time, it’s Shen Juanjuan’s birthday. He needs to blow out the candle himself."

"Awooo."

"When it’s your birthday, Shen Juanjuan won’t blow out your candle." Chu Ya and the Teddy Bear looked at each other, then Chu Ya stopped speaking and turned to Shen Juanjuan, "Last year, on Chu Baolong’s birthday, you blew out its candle too."

"I’m about to make a wish. I’ve been thinking about what to wish for on my birthday. I’ll blow out the candle myself." Shen Juanjuan saw the Teddy Bear still struggling and hurriedly coaxed it, "My dear bear, when it’s your birthday this year, I won’t blow out your candle. You can blow out as many as you want."

Chu Ya held the Teddy Bear in his arms and said to Shen Juanjuan, "Hurry up."

"Okay."

Shen Juanjuan immediately clasped his hands together and whispered sincerely, "I wish my brother stays safe and sound..."

"Be quiet."

Shen Juanjuan only moved his lips, "I wish my brother stays safe and sound, lives a smooth life." He then added silently, "Loves me so much he can’t control himself, loves me even more than I love him. Of course, surpassing my love might be impossible, it’s already at its peak. So, love me just as much as I love him."

Shen Juanjuan hurriedly finished his wish and prepared to lean forward to blow out the candle. But just as he puckered his lips, there was a puff, and the Black Wolf, which had been quietly waiting, blew out the candle.

The cabin plunged into darkness, and everyone froze for a couple of seconds, even the Teddy Bear stopped struggling.

Two seconds later, Shen Juanjuan let out an angry roar, followed by a series of clattering sounds.

The cabin door was pulled open, allowing a faint light to seep in. The Black Wolf darted out quickly, its paws slipping as it turned the corner, almost falling. The Teddy Bear followed closely behind, both charging onto the deck, excitedly shouting: "Roar roar!!! Howl howl!!!"

"Roar roar roar..."

"Howl howl howl howl..."

"I'll beat them to death! I'll beat them to death!" Shen Juanjuan, enraged, pounded the bed with his good hand and tried to get up, but Chu Ya quickly held him back.

"I just praised Shen Wangwang, but none of that counts now! It really has a belly full of mischief, even blowing out my candle. Listen to how proud they sound, so happy! I'll beat them to death and throw them all into the sea!"

Chu Ya hurriedly said, "It's fine, I'll light it again for you. We can blow it out once more."

"But then it won't work. I made a wish, I wanted you to—love—" Shen Juanjuan stopped himself in time and added, "We haven't blown out the final puff yet. If we light it again and blow, it won't work anymore!!"

Chu Ya fell silent in the darkness for a moment, then said, "If we light it again and blow it out, it will still work."

"Really?" Shen Juanjuan asked doubtfully.

A lighter flickered, and Chu Ya relit the candle, looking up at Shen Juanjuan. "Yes, whatever you wish for will come true."

The flickering candlelight bathed the cabin in a warm golden hue, making Chu Ya's features appear more pronounced, his gaze unusually deep. Shen Juanjuan looked at him, feeling that this person was too unfairly handsome, making his heart race uncontrollably.

Shen Juanjuan suddenly dared not stare at him any longer, hastily averting his gaze. But when his eyes swept over the cabin door, he suddenly shivered and shouted, "They're coming again!"

Chu Ya immediately looked towards the door, where two heads quickly retreated behind the bulkhead.

Shen Juanjuan hurriedly reached out to protect the cake but pulled on his shoulder wound, wincing in pain as he urgently said, "I saw them, they're hiding there, trying to rush in and blow out the candle, ouch..."

"I know, don't worry, sit there and don't move."

Seeing they were discovered, the Teddy Bear no longer hid and charged straight into the room. Chu Ya quickly grabbed it and took a few steps forward to block the Black Wolf from entering, lifting the Teddy Bear and tossing it into the corridor, slamming the door shut.

"It's fine now."

"Don't come over, just hold the door."

"Okay, I'm here, they can't get in."

Shen Juanjuan poked his head out, pouting, and asked, "Do I need to make another wish?"

"No, just blow it out like this."

"Still, I want to make another wish."

"Sure, making another wish is fine too."

The two quantum beasts rattled the doorknob, and Chu Ya braced his back against the door. Shen Juanjuan, fearing they might take a shortcut back into the mental domain and return, quickly clasped his hands together, closed his eyes, and rapidly whispered, "I want my brother to be safe and have a smooth life, loving me as much as I love him."

Then he blew out the candle with a puff.

Chu Ya no longer held the door, and the lights came on as the two quantum beasts pushed their way in. Shen Juanjuan pointed at the cake, grinning triumphantly, "Hahahaha, I blew it out, hahaha."

"Ao!" The Teddy Bear pointed at the Black Wolf with its paws, also looking triumphant.

"So what if it blew out the first time? The second time is even more effective. I blew it out, hehe."

"Ao."

"Hehe."

"Ao."

Chu Ya took out a knife to cut the cake, his tone apologetic, "The cake couldn't be secured, so it got damaged in the box."

"That's okay, I like it this way," Shen Juanjuan quickly replied.

Seeing him craning his neck to look at the cake, Chu Ya picked up a small piece and fed it to him.

"Is it good?"

Shen Juanjuan nodded eagerly, "It's good."

Chu Ya also tasted a small piece, "It's a bit too sweet, next time I'll use less sugar."

Hearing this, Shen Juanjuan's heart skipped a beat, "Did you make this cake yourself?"

"I learned from a cake master," Chu Ya said.

"How long did you learn?"

Chu Ya replied, "Not long, didn't take much time."

Shen Juanjuan didn't ask further, only staring at him with a silly smile. Chu Ya also smiled and fed him another piece.

The cake wasn't large, clearly made for just the two of them. Shen Juanjuan quickly finished the entire cake. As Chu Ya went to clean up, Shen Juanjuan picked up the cardboard box and licked the cream stuck to the inside.

When Chu Ya sat down beside Shen Juanjuan, he was still licking the box, prompting Chu Ya to ask, "Is it really that good?"

Shen Juanjuan shook his head, "This is a rare delicacy, hard to find in this world. I've lived a long time, but this is the best cake I've ever had."

He licked his lips, giving his red lips a glossy sheen. The oversized T-shirt collar slipped down, revealing a large expanse of pale skin.

Chu Ya watched him silently, his eyes gradually darkening. Shen Juanjuan continued talking, but Chu Ya suddenly reached out and placed his hand over Shen Juanjuan's lips.

Shen Juanjuan's voice abruptly halted, turning to look at Chu Ya. His gaze fell on Chu Ya's face, and he couldn't help but be slightly stunned.

Chu Ya looked different from usual, though he couldn't pinpoint exactly how. It reminded him of the time in the beacon tower when Chu Ya had pinned him against the wall, with a similar look in his eyes.

Chu Ya's fingers gently pressed against his lips, watching the plumpness yield and then spring back. His fingers slowly slid to the corners of his lips, pausing for a moment before wiping away a small dollop of cream that clung there.

Throughout this, his gaze never left Shen Juanjuan.

The room was quiet, with two quantum beasts sitting on the opposite bed grooming each other. Shen Juanjuan's heart began to thud, his throat went dry, and his cheeks flushed, as if the air had suddenly become sticky and warm because of Chu Ya's action.

At this moment, however, Chu Ya suddenly stood up, taking the paper box in his hand and saying, "It's getting late, you should go to sleep."

He walked towards the cabin door, as if he were going to throw away the paper box, but Shen Juanjuan tugged at the hem of his clothes, gripping it lightly.

Chu Ya turned to look at him, and he boldly met Chu Ya's eyes, not hiding the burning anticipation in his own.

The temperature in the room rose again, even his breath seemed to carry a certain warmth. Chu Ya's Adam's apple moved, and he said hoarsely, "... It's getting late, go to sleep."

"No," Shen Juanjuan replied softly,

He looked up at Chu Ya, gradually tightening his grip, and Chu Ya followed his movement, leaning down.

"Ow-ow-ow-ow!" The Teddy Bear suddenly darted over, pointing its paw at Shen Juanjuan's mouth and barking loudly.

Shen Juanjuan didn't even look at it, just stretched out his foot to kick it away, but it immediately rushed back, this time pointing at him and barking at Chu Ya: "Ow-ow-ow!"

The intimate atmosphere in the room was instantly dispelled, and Shen Juanjuan, unable to bear it any longer, said, "I was just talking about sleeping, okay? Do I look like I'm ready to sleep right now? I'll brush my teeth before I sleep! And besides, I'm injured; does it really matter whether I brush my teeth or not?"

Chu Ya's expression returned to normal, explaining to the Teddy Bear, "He can't move right now, I'll get some water for him to rinse his mouth."

Chu Ya took the paper box and walked out of the cabin, Shen Juanjuan withdrew his gaze and looked at the Teddy Bear with a sullen face, "Sometimes you're really annoying."

"Ow!"

"Complimenting you before and now are two different things. Your behavior is very inconsistent, like now, you seem very immature."

"Ow."

"To be honest, your emotional intelligence as a raccoon is a bit low."

The Teddy Bear, indignant, wanted to argue with him, but the Black Wolf quickly stepped in, coaxing the Teddy Bear back to the opposite bed.

When Chu Ya returned to the cabin, Shen Juanjuan's romantic thoughts were also swept away, and he simply closed his eyes to sleep. Although he had been complaining about not wanting to sleep, he was injured and soon fell into a deep sleep.

The Black Wolf went to patrol the deck, and Chu Ya lay down beside Shen Juanjuan, reviewing the events of the day in his mind before forcing himself to rest.

The next morning, just as dawn broke, Chu Ya walked out of the cabin. He went to the captain's room to check the navigation map and saw that their ship had drifted to the Ussuri Sea, and there was a small black dot on the surface of the sea, just dozens of miles away.

His heart skipped a beat, and he clicked on the black dot to zoom in, discovering that it was actually an uninhabited island several kilometers in area.

"Shen Wangwang, get ready, we're about to land on the island." Chu Ya shouted outside the cabin.

"Roar!"

"Chu Baolong, stop rummaging through the clothes in those cabins and get ready too."

"Ow."

Shen Juanjuan was still asleep, so Chu Ya busied himself with the two quantum beasts.

If it were only Chu Ya, a single military backpack would suffice, but with the injured Shen Juanjuan, he had to consider everything thoroughly. So he searched the entire ship, packing three large bags full of useful items, including a first aid kit, canned food, clothing, bedding, etc. He even folded and packed the tarp that had been used for the aircraft, which had been washed ashore in the corner of the deck.

The Teddy Bear handed a sailor's cap to Chu Ya, who put thin ropes through the sides of the cap and tied them under its chin.

"Very impressive."

The Teddy Bear stood by the railing, one paw on its hip and the other holding a telescope, looking into the distance and occasionally changing direction.

The Black Wolf was carrying large items down to the boat, and when it saw the Teddy Bear, it paused, its eyes gleaming slightly.

After Chu Ya finished packing everything, he went to wake Shen Juanjuan. Shen Juanjuan didn't even open his eyes, so Chu Ya dressed him in a jacket and shoes, wrapped him tightly in a raincoat, and carried him out of the cabin.

"Where are we going?" Shen Juanjuan asked drowsily, without opening his eyes.

"We're getting off the ship and onto the island," Chu Ya said.

The air outside the cabin was damp and cold, and the light was more glaring than inside. Shen Juanjuan turned his head, burying his face in Chu Ya's chest, frowning unhappily, "Let's go later, I want to sleep now."

"If we wait, we'll miss it," Chu Ya hurriedly carried him towards the gangway.

"I'm so sleepy..."

"Then sleep."

"But how can I sleep like this?" Shen Juanjuan mumbled, lifting his head to pull off the raincoat covering his face, which caused his shoulder wound to hurt, making him hiss.

"Don't move, we'll be on the boat soon, careful not to get wet," Chu Ya turned sideways, carrying Shen Juanjuan down the gangway.

Shen Juanjuan finally woke up, looking through the transparent raincoat at the gangway, seeing a lifeboat floating alongside the ship, with three large bags on it.

Chu Ya carried Shen Juanjuan onto the lifeboat, just as he set him down to sit, the Teddy Bear, standing on the ship's gangway, leaped in.

With a thud, the lifeboat swayed twice.

"Chu Baolong, you're really heavy," Shen Juanjuan said.

"Ow." The Teddy Bear, also wearing a raincoat, sat down opposite him.

The Black Wolf untied the rope and entered the lifeboat, while Chu Ya took out several oars and rowed towards the island with the two quantum beasts.

"Aren't we keeping the ship?" Shen Juanjuan watched the ship drift away with the current.

"No, if it keeps drifting, who knows where it will end up, and the rescue team will have a hard time finding us."

"Alright, whatever you say," Shen Juanjuan grumbled, "Who makes me indulge you anyway?"

Chu Ya glanced at Shen Juanjuan, the corner of his mouth curling slightly, almost imperceptibly.