For the body of the raft, Bai Zhen selected older moso bamboo with a slightly yellowed surface and thicker stalks. A long-lasting bamboo raft would require many steps, but since this was for temporary use, many of them could be skipped.

After stripping the branches and leaves, she cut three moso bamboo stalks into sections of roughly equal length. Following Hua Mu’s suggestion, she rolled the sections down the slope first, then arranged them on the beach. The raft was four meters long and nearly a meter wide, more than enough to carry two people.

For the frame that would hold the body together, she chose new bamboo with a five-centimeter diameter, cutting it into one-meter lengths. These were placed perpendicular to the raft’s body every fifty centimeters and secured with vines.

Bai Zhen used a double-layered cross-lashing method and even hammered bamboo wedges through each stalk into the frame to increase the raft’s sturdiness. She worked until nightfall before the entire raft was finally complete.

Hua Mu couldn’t be of much help, but she was able to hand over the bamboo poles for the frame and strip the leaves from the vines.

Bai Zhen hadn’t wanted her to participate at first, but she couldn’t talk Hua Mu out of it and had to agree to let her do some of the lighter work.

The moment the bamboo raft was finished, Hua Mu felt an incredibly strong sense of accomplishment!

Bai Zhen gave the raft one final inspection, then pushed it into the sea with the rising tide.

“It’s actually floating! This is a boat we made!” Hua Mu had never imagined she would one day build a boat with her own hands.

It was only a simple bamboo raft.

“Yes, Miss. We made it together.”

Hua Mu was very happy.

“If I told Catherine and Manman, they would never believe me.”

Catherine and Manman were companions Hua Mu often spent time with. One was the daughter of an earl, and the other was the granddaughter of the Patton Republic’s prime minister, who was stationed in the empire with her diplomat father.

“I can vouch for you.”

Hua Mu let out a “pfft” of laughter at her overly earnest remark.

“Having you vouch for me would be less convincing than just bringing the boat back. The warship could definitely fit it, anyway.”

Besides, she had no intention of letting that group of friends see her. They were always so curious about her guard, as if they’d never seen a female Sentinel in their lives.

Bai Zhen thought that made a lot of sense. “Then I’ll treat the bamboo raft a bit later, otherwise it will get waterlogged.”

“Go ahead, go ahead. It’s a rare thing we’ve made. It would be a shame to only use it once or twice.”

Bai Zhen could sense Hua Mu’s good mood and felt happy along with her.

“Then let’s head back, Miss. I’ll make some more food, and we can rest early tonight.”

They had eaten the rest of the coconut crab earlier, but protein like this didn’t keep you full for long. Even Hua Mu, who usually had a small appetite, was feeling a little hungry.

“Alright, I want to eat a lot.”

A long, thick tow rope woven from vines was tied to the front of the raft. Bai Zhen walked in the shallows, pulling the rope, while Hua Mu followed along on the beach. Bai Zhen had wanted her to just sit on the raft, but Hua Mu didn’t want to get in the water—her feet hurt.

She had originally planned to at least hold out until the mangrove forest, but after walking for a short while, her steps grew heavier and her pace slowed. After the excitement and elation, Hua Mu felt exhaustion set in.

Not only had the Young Lady walked the most she ever had in her life and done the most physical labor, but she had also been through an emotional rollercoaster earlier. It was inevitable that she would feel tired now.

Sensing something was wrong, Bai Zhen turned and saw how far Hua Mu had fallen behind. She quickly ran back.

“Miss, are you tired?”

To be honest, Bai Zhen was surprised Hua Mu had lasted so long today. She had actually been worried the whole time, but knowing her strong-willed nature, she hadn’t dared to ask too many questions for fear of upsetting her.

“I’m not tired…”

Hua Mu’s voice was weak.

Her feet hurt, her calves hurt, her arms hurt, her palms hurt—every part of her body ached. It was a sore, throbbing pain!

“Miss, I’m all better, really. Let me carry you back!”

Hua Mu looked up at Bai Zhen—even looking up felt tiring. “Don’t you still have to pull the raft?”

“I can leave the raft here for now. It’ll be the same if I come back for it tomorrow morning.”

Hua Mu was very tempted.

She was so tired, her whole body sore and weak. Her legs felt like noodles, completely devoid of strength.

“Won’t it float away?”

Seeing that she didn’t refuse immediately, Bai Zhen’s heart leaped with joy.

“It won’t. I’ll secure it properly.”

“Then… alright.”

Hua Mu felt that she had grown a lot today. A small reward shouldn’t be too much to ask.

Bai Zhen drove a wooden stake into the sand to secure it, then tied the raft to it. After making sure it wouldn’t float away, she hurried back to Hua Mu.

Hua Mu had been sitting down to rest, but when Bai Zhen returned, she discovered she couldn’t even stand up.

“My feet hurt so much…”

Hearing the sob in her voice, Bai Zhen hastily knelt, took off her shoes to check, and saw that the once-delicate soles of her feet were covered in blisters.

“My hands hurt too…”

Hua Mu held out her hands for Bai Zhen to see.

Before, she had only felt a little pain, but now it was an itchy, burning ache. The pampered young lady had done manual labor for the first time today, and her palms were covered in blisters.

Bai Zhen’s heart ached at the sight.

“Miss, you’ve suffered.”

Today, Hua Mu had been terrified, had cried, had been happy, had been excited. Thinking of her old friends and her once-privileged, comfortable life, all that remained now was an endless sense of grievance.

Why did something like this have to happen to her?

“I feel awful.”

She was just an eighteen-year-old girl. Compared to the life she had always known, her current situation was no different from hell.

Feeling the Young Lady’s grievance and sorrow as if it were her own, Bai Zhen couldn’t help but gently pull her into an embrace.

“I’ll apply some medicine for you in a bit.”

“It’s going to hurt a lot.”

“I’ll blow on it for you.”

“My calves and arms are sore and painful too.”

“I’ll rub them for you.”

The Sentinel’s soft chest soothed Hua Mu’s sorrow slightly, but it also drew out more of her grievances.

“Carry me back.”

Bai Zhen obediently lifted Hua Mu into her arms, letting her nestle against her chest.

“Miss, is there anything you’d like to eat?”

The Sentinel’s embrace was warm. Although she smelled of seawater and mountain patchouli, Hua Mu still found it very pleasant.

It was strange. The inhibitor on her was still on, so it should have been impossible for her to smell the Sentinel’s pheromones.

“I want to eat bread.”

She had been craving bread for a long, long time, but on this island, there was seafood, fruit, seabirds, and maybe even wild boars, but there was definitely no bread.

As if she were sulking, she couldn’t help but voice her wish. But when she saw the Sentinel’s serious, thoughtful expression, she quickly changed her tune.

“Forget it. Bread is dry and cold, and it’s not filling. I’d rather have meat. I want fish soup, just like the one we had at noon.”

She was afraid this Sentinel would do something foolish again just to conjure up some bread for her.

“Alright.”

The two returned to where they had rested before. Bai Zhen started a fire, caught a fish with lightning speed, and cooked a bowl of hot fish soup for Hua Mu.

If only there was tofu, Hua Mu thought as she drank.

While she was drinking the soup, Bai Zhen sterilized a needle over the charcoal fire, then took Hua Mu’s foot into her lap, intending to help her lance the blisters.

Hua Mu knew what she was about to do. Though she was a little scared, she obediently placed her foot in position.

“Miss, please bear with it for a moment.”

“Mm…”

Having her foot held by the Sentinel made Hua Mu a little shy, and also a little worried.

In the past, she had been confident about every part of her body, but after these twenty-odd days, she was as disheveled as could be. The worst part was her feet; not only were they covered in cuts and scrapes, but they were probably starting to form calluses.

She was very ashamed for Bai Zhen to see them.

Bai Zhen had sharp eyes and steady, swift movements. In no time, she had lanced all the blisters on Hua Mu’s foot and applied medicine. Hua Mu didn’t feel much pain; instead, the tingling, numbing sensation was somewhat pleasant.

The Sentinel’s expression as she bowed her head, earnestly treating the wound, was so solemn, as if she were cradling some priceless treasure. Hua Mu thought her profile in the firelight had reached a new level of beauty—she was merely stating an objective fact, not giving a compliment!

Bai Zhen checked one last time to make sure she hadn’t missed anything, then looked up at Hua Mu. “Miss, does it still hurt?”

Hua Mu quickly averted her gaze.

“A little…”

Bai Zhen leaned down and blew on her foot. Half of Hua Mu’s body instantly went numb, and she almost dropped the fish soup in her hands.

She was flustered and mortified. One moment, she was wondering what she would do if this big idiot tried to kiss her foot again like last time. The next, she was worrying if her feet smelled. Then, she wondered how she should respond if the Sentinel couldn’t hold back and did something even more outrageous.

She drank her soup to hide her embarrassment, not even noticing the “glug, glug” sounds she was making, forgetting more than a decade of etiquette.

Al-although it wouldn’t be out of the question for something to happen under these circumstances, she had never even been in a relationship before. She still hoped there would first be a…

Seeing that Hua Mu had finished her soup, Bai Zhen leaned over and sat a little closer, letting Hua Mu rest her leg on her thigh.

“Miss.”

The deeper Hua Mu’s thoughts went, the less her lack of experience helped; her mind was like a pixelated mosaic, unable to form a clear picture. Then Bai Zhen suddenly moved closer, giving her a huge fright.

“Wh-what, what are you doing?”

Bai Zhen took the coconut shell and held her hand.

“Miss.”

Whoa, what is this Sentinel going to do!!!

Hua Mu stared at Bai Zhen’s face, so close to her own, and felt like her heart was about to leap out of her throat.

“I’ll help you lance the blisters on your hands, too.”

“…”

If the coconut shell hadn’t been taken away, she really would have smashed it all over the Sentinel’s face!

Hua Mu once again tasted the bitterness of a heart attack.

Seeing her staring silently, as if angry, Bai Zhen suddenly realized her actions had been a bit too intimate. She hastily moved away, asking nervously, “Is-is that alright with you?”

“It’s fine!”

Of course it was fine. Why wouldn’t it be? It was just lancing a few blisters.

Idiot, blockhead, moron, big fool! Dense, slow, boring, cold-blooded!

Bai Zhen was completely oblivious to her Young Lady’s frustration. She lowered her head and focused intently on treating the wounds on her hands.

Her feet were numb, and now her hands were numb too. Although the feeling was a bit strange, it was much better than the pain from before.

Hua Mu’s frustrated mood improved slightly because of this, but she still couldn’t stand the sight of Bai Zhen’s prim and proper face.

“Miss, are you feeling better?”

“Mm…”

Whatever. It’s not like I was expecting anything anyway. As long as this idiot doesn’t realize her own charm, I’m safe!