I Start with a Mysterious Island

Happiness Garden District, Su Yue’s home.

In the living room, after dinner, Su Yue and Lin Li were sitting on the sofa, teaming up to play a shooter.

"Lin Li, get over here! I’ve got a great spot. If we just camp here, basically no one will be able to find us."

"Camping again? We’ve been camping for several rounds in a row. Can’t we just rush out and fight?"

"Do you want to win or not?"

"I do."

"Then that settles it. Listen to me. Get down next to me, prone. I see people in the distance coming our way."

"Oh."

Lin Li controlled his game character, quickly running to Su Yue’s character’s side. He then went prone with her in the tall grass, unmoving, and observed the situation in the distance.

"They’re trying to get to a car! Do you have an 8x scope?"

"Yeah, I just picked one up a little while ago."

"Let me borrow it."

"Mhm."

Su Yue picked up the 8x scope Lin Li dropped on the ground, attached it to her sniper rifle, and immediately aimed at the distant opponents. She fired two shots in a row, instantly killing the two opponents who were walking toward a jeep.

"How about that? My aim’s pretty good, right?" After killing the two opponents, Su Yue turned her pretty, rosy-cheeked face to Lin Li, who was sitting beside her, and said smugly.

"Amazing," Lin Li said with a nod.

"The zone is coming, let’s go! Besides us, there are only three people left. Looks like we’re going to get first place again this round."

As she spoke, Su Yue had her character immediately stand up from the grass and sprint off into the distance.

"Er..." Lin Li watched Su Yue take off with his 8x scope, running far away in a flash, with absolutely no intention of returning it... ’You said you were just borrowing it, so what’s this now?!’

Lin Li turned his head, looked at Su Yue sitting beside him, and opened his mouth, wanting to ask for his 8x scope back. But after a moment’s thought, he decided against it. ’After all, I’m still relying on her to carry me! If she wants it, she can have it.’

A while later, just as Su Yue had predicted, her superior skills led their duo to kill the remaining three opponents and claim final victory.

"Phew..."

Seeing the words "Winner Winner Chicken Dinner" on her phone screen, Su Yue let out a long breath.

Then, she stretched her hands, and just as she was about to start another round, a call came in.

"RING RING RING..."

Lin Li heard Su Yue’s phone ring. He turned his head and glanced at her screen, seeing that the call was from her mother.

"I’m going to the kitchen to get a drink. Do you want anything?" Lin Li asked, getting up from the sofa.

"Get me a can of beer."

"..." Lin Li nodded, then left the living room and headed for the kitchen.

"Hello," Su Yue answered the call.

"Have you eaten dinner?" After finishing her own dinner, Zheng Qiuyi had come to the living room to watch TV when she suddenly missed her daughter, so she picked up her phone and gave her a call.

"I’ve eaten."

"Did you cook any of the seafood I sent you tonight?"

"I did, Mom. But don’t send me so much next time! My fridge is almost full."

"You think I wanted to send so much? It was your dad who insisted on sending that much."

"Alright, fine." Su Yue nodded helplessly. She was already used to her dad doing things like this.

When Su Yue was in college, Su Chen would send his daughter a big package every single week, full of tasty food.

The quantity was just a bit excessive. Luckily, her roommates helped her eat it; otherwise, Su Yue could never have finished it all by herself.

Sometimes, even with her dorm mates helping, it was still overwhelming. At times like that, she had to ask students from the neighboring dorm room for help.

Over time, word got out, and many people came to know that Su Yue had a dad who sent her food every week.

Of course, no one made fun of Su Yue for it. On the contrary, they were all very envious.

Lin Li returned from the kitchen with the drinks. He placed the beer Su Yue wanted on the coffee table, then cracked open an ice-cold soda for himself, sipping it while watching the news on TV.

"Mhm, I know, I know! Mom, I’m not a little kid anymore... Is there anything else you need to tell me? If not, let’s hang up! I want to play my game."

Su Yue chatted with her mom for a little while. After ending the call, she reached for the can of beer Lin Li had placed on the coffee table, opened it, and chugged several big mouthfuls.

"Ahh~"

"Nothing beats an ice-cold beer in the summer..."

"Lin Li, you want some?"

Lin Li, who was drinking his ice-cold soda, quickly shook his head. "No thanks, you have it."

"Huh?" Su Yue suddenly noticed a small, dark scab on Lin Li’s neck. She immediately leaned over, her pretty face close to his, and took a careful look.

As Su Yue drew near, a scent like orchids and musk instantly filled Lin Li’s nose.

Moreover, Su Yue was wearing a thin, white spaghetti-strap nightdress. As she leaned in close, Lin Li, looking down from his higher position, could easily see a pair of pale, lofty peaks with just a slight tilt of his head.

"What are you doing?!" Lin Li quickly scooted aside, putting some distance between himself and Su Yue.

"Lin Li, why is there a scab on your neck? How did you hurt your neck?" Su Yue asked quizzically, pointing to the spot.

Lin Li raised a hand to touch the scab on his neck. He had been scratched by a Mutant Beast’s claw that afternoon, and the wound had scabbed over after he applied some ointment. He quickly racked his brain for an explanation.

"I got bit by a mosquito, and I scratched it so much it broke the skin. It’s scabbed over now. It’ll be fine in a few days."

"You scratched it yourself? It doesn’t really look like it to me," Su Yue said doubtfully.

"I really did scratch it myself. Anyway, don’t overthink it. Let’s just get back to the game," Lin Li said, changing the subject.

Although Su Yue still had her doubts, it was just as Lin Li said. The wound on his neck had already scabbed over and would heal in a few days. Plus, it wasn’t a serious injury, so even though she was still a little suspicious, she didn’t dwell on it. The two of them then went back to playing their game.

* * *

At 9:30 PM, the game ended.

As he was getting ready to go home, Lin Li looked at the large bag of seafood Su Yue was handing him and said, "Su Yue, this is way too much! You should keep some for yourself!"

"I still have plenty in the fridge!" Su Yue said with a smile.

"Oh." Lin Li didn’t refuse again and took the large bag of seafood from her.

"Tell me when you finish it. I can’t possibly eat all the seafood in my fridge by myself, and it won’t taste good if it sits for too long. So take this back, eat it soon, and then come get more," Su Yue added.

"Okay." Lin Li nodded, and carrying the large bag of seafood, he turned and left Su Yue’s apartment.

Su Yue watched Lin Li get into the elevator and leave, then she closed her front door.

In a good mood, Su Yue hummed a tune as she walked toward the bathroom.

Next, she planned to wash up, put on a face mask, and then go to bed.

* * *