Always Here

"No phone, no basic supplies..." To be honest, Ye Shuang's mind was still in a daze, as he had no memory of going out to sea. But blacking out from drinking wasn’t unfamiliar to him.

Had his obsession with the Air Force really been that deep? Enough to make him go night fishing on the ocean in the middle of the night—though, given Chen Qin’s personality, she would definitely have accompanied him.

The gentle night sea breeze brushed against him, yet it only deepened his confusion.

Everything felt surreal.

Beside him, Chen Qin looked utterly helpless. She seemed to have just finished crying, her eyes slightly red, but she said nothing, as if trying not to worry him.

"This area has seven or eight hundred small islands, and it’s a tourist spot. It’s unlikely we’ve drifted too far. There might even be people on this island."

Ye Shuang knew that if he panicked, Chen Qin would have no one to rely on. Even though his mind was a tangled mess, he forced himself to stay composed and offer her some encouragement.

"Ye, I already checked while you were unconscious. This island is uninhabited," Chen Qin said softly.

"I see..." Ye Shuang thought for a moment, then glanced around.

"Let’s find a place to stay for the night first."

"Where? I’m scared..." Chen Qin murmured.

"It’s okay. Hold my hand. We need to find somewhere safe," Ye Shuang said, reaching out when he noticed her trembling.

"Okay."

Holding Ye Shuang’s hand, Chen Qin seemed to calm down a little.

"Bear Grylls, grant me strength. Am I really gonna end up as a crunchy snack here?" Ye Shuang thought to himself, desperately trying to recall the few survival documentaries he’d watched, hoping to dredge up some useful knowledge.

But how could an ordinary person survive without tools until rescue arrived?

"Ye, there’s something over there," Chen Qin suddenly pointed into the distance. Following her gaze, Ye Shuang spotted a large box lying by the shore, gently lapped by the waves, emitting faint sounds.

"Huh?"

Ye Shuang hurried over and found a sealed plastic container about the size of a suitcase. It felt surprisingly heavy.

Near the box were fragments of a boat, torn apart as if by brute force.

"Ye, that’s the boat we took out to sea..." Chen Qin whispered. "Then the others... could they be..."

"Did Yu You and the others come with us?" Ye Shuang’s heart tightened as he asked.

"No, just us, two bodyguards, and the boatman."

"I see..." Ye Shuang slowly stood up, dragging the plastic box away from the water. "No time to mourn them now. Let’s see what’s inside this thing. Hopefully, there are some supplies."

Fortunately, the box wasn’t locked—just a couple of metal clasps to undo. But Ye Shuang worried whether seawater had seeped in, which would render anything inside useless.

Click, click.

When he opened it, he was surprised to find the interior completely dry, untouched by seawater. Not only that, but it was packed with survival gear. Ye Shuang noticed the waterproof seal lining the edges.

"A pocket knife, flashlight, blanket, compressed biscuits, water bottle, drinking water... huh? It’s fully stocked?"

There were even two sets of clothes inside.

"Boats usually carry emergency supplies like this, just in case of accidents," Chen Qin explained, noticing Ye Shuang’s thoughtful expression.

"Right. Let’s look around and see if there’s more," Ye Shuang said, organizing the items.

"Okay."

After searching the area, they found no other boxes. With no other options, Ye Shuang decided to lead Chen Qin to a safe spot to rest.

Staying on the beach wasn’t an option—once the sun rose, rapid dehydration would be a death sentence.

Behind them loomed a tropical forest, pitch-black and intimidating. Ye Shuang didn’t dare venture in recklessly, but he did find a shallow cave-like space, about three meters deep—perfect for a temporary shelter.

It would shield them from both sunlight and rain.

Gathering some dry grass, Ye Shuang spread it evenly on the ground before laying the blanket over it. It wasn’t a bed, but it would do.

"Are you cold? Put these on first."

"Mm."

A swimsuit wasn’t enough against the night chill. Ye Shuang averted his gaze from the jiggly "slimes" barely contained by her top as he handed her the clothes.

"Thank you."

Sitting side by side on the blanket, with another draped over them, their body warmth was unmistakable.

"Ye, I’m still scared," Chen Qin murmured.

"Don’t be. This area probably sees plenty of boats every day—it’s not some uninhabited wasteland," Ye Shuang said, though uncertainty gnawed at him. He forced a light tone. "Who knows? Maybe the other side of the island has a settlement."

Chen Qin tensed slightly but managed a smile. "R-Really? That’d be great... but earlier, I didn’t see any signs of people..."

"With all the fishing enthusiasts out there, if there were a settlement, there’d be traces of fishing spots around here."

"Maybe." Ye Shuang sighed and looked up.

Thanks to the absence of light pollution, the stars shone brilliantly.

The last time he’d seen such a dazzling sky was... back in the countryside, wasn’t it?

"Ye, we used to see skies like this before. Remember?" Chen Qin suddenly looked up too.

"Yeah. Your hometown, right?" Ye Shuang recalled.

"Mm!" Chen Qin’s voice softened. "Back then, that idiot Chen Hai dragged us into the mountains for an 'adventure'... and we ended up falling down a slope and getting lost."

"I was so terrified. But you kept comforting me, even carried me for a while. Yet, by nightfall, we still hadn’t found our way back."

"We found a little cave like this one, and when we looked up, the sky was just as beautiful."

"I was young and silly back then. I thought... if I could stay with you under those stars, maybe never going back wouldn’t be so bad."

"I think... that was when I fell for you." Chen Qin smiled sweetly, the starry sky reflected in her shimmering eyes.

"Ye, I think I could love you for a long, long time—like those stars."

"Even if sometimes I can’t see them..."

"They’re always there. Always."