Chapter Three: Searching for Medicine

“Gulp! Gulp!”

Lan Fang looked at me awkwardly. She had initially wanted to ignore me, but hearing the rumbling of her hungry stomach, she felt embarrassed and somewhat uneasy.

“What are you looking at me for? There’s no food here!” Seeing Lan Fang’s expression, although she was the boss, considering our current predicament and the challenges ahead, I secretly hoped that Qu Xiang had indeed gone off with those people. So, seeing Lan Fang’s face, I muttered irritably under my breath.

Because Peng Qian and his group were numerous, and Chen Zhimeng and Liu Huan seemed to be locals, they likely understood the environment better. They would be more familiar with the creatures and food in this rainforest, so their chances of survival or finding a way out were much higher than ours.

“You...!” Lan Fang seemed to calm down after hearing my words, but I could sense some grievance in her.

After a moment of silent contemplation, she turned her head toward the small stream nearby, seemingly ignoring me. She didn’t say anything else, but her body trembled slightly.

If this had been under normal circumstances, I would have surely taken the initiative to talk to her. She was truly beautiful—at least in my eyes. But after seeing the situation here, my thoughts had changed.

I didn’t know how this would end. Thinking about those people chasing us with such madness sent a chill down my spine. Everyone faces setbacks and accidents in life, but being seen at one’s most helpless and vulnerable moments is truly pitiful.

Perhaps at this moment, she was feeling just that.

I ignored her and focused on the riverbank again. Using a sharp stone, I sifted through the soft mud and found some earthworms. I wrapped them in banana leaves and packed them into an ice cream container. Though unpalatable, they could temporarily keep us alive.

“Ajing, Sister Fang…”

While we were both silent, I continued preparing what I could. Lan Fang seemed drowsy when suddenly, not far away, from the dense tropical foliage, Qu Xiang’s voice rang out.

---

Almost surprised, Lan Fang and I turned toward the sound. To our astonishment, Qu Xiang, whom we had been worried about, approached us with some excitement, waving a tree branch about two fingers thick.

“Sister Fang, Ajing, you’re both awake! That’s great! Are you okay?” Her words were simple, perhaps trying to conceal something. She smiled faintly at me before quickly moving toward Lan Fang without looking back.

We had been neighbors renting a place together in that coastal city—such close-quarter living was common there. Honestly, I was somewhat grateful to her for encouraging me during my lowest moments and helping me find a job. Though I couldn’t express it well, I was thankful.

“Where did you go alone?” I didn’t know if she understood, but I truly felt grateful. As she drew near Lan Fang, the two whispered quietly to each other.

A familiar unease crept in. If this really was the rainforest Chen Zhimeng and Liu Huan mentioned, we could be in constant danger.

In such a tropical rainforest, how could a lone girl survive if danger came?

“I saw Sister Fang had a high fever, and you were knocked unconscious by them. Since you hadn’t woken up, I couldn’t help, so I begged them to let us go. They didn’t harm us and left directly. So... I went to look for our luggage!” Qu Xiang’s tone was somewhat dispirited but sincere.

“And? What happened?” I wondered inwardly. She seemed young, with far less life experience than me, yet she appeared quite knowledgeable about practical matters. When we were with Peng Qian’s group, none of us found food or luggage. How could she find anything alone? Was she not afraid of accidents or lurking dangers in the rainforest?

“I know if we can’t wait for rescue, we shouldn’t waste energy or cause trouble. But coming here like this, we don’t know if anyone will rescue us or come after us!” Qu Xiang sounded disheartened, but her words only deepened my concern.

Indeed, as Qu Xiang said, no one knew if help would come. I didn’t dwell on the topic but changed the subject, asking, “Are you okay, wandering alone in this rainforest?”

She blushed slightly and replied, “I’m fine, don’t worry.”

---

I sighed internally but remained uncertain. This was just too miserable—why did this have to happen here and now? Though unsure of what to do next, having Qu Xiang still with us was at least a small relief.

“Sister Fang, are you hungry?” Perhaps because Lan Fang was the boss, everyone at work called her that, so I followed suit along with Qu Xiang. I noticed her lips were chapped, likely from extreme heat.

She probably sensed my hesitation. She was injured and hungry—it must have been very hard for her. Under such circumstances, it would be difficult for Lan Fang not to feel hungry. Yet, strangely, she didn’t answer immediately when Qu Xiang returned.

“I’ll find something to eat, don’t worry!” I deliberately said this to Qu Xiang, avoiding looking directly at Lan Fang. I maintained my reserve around her but felt helpless inside.

Though I said this, I had no confidence. There wasn’t even a hint of food nearby, something we had all searched for. Though I had collected some earthworms, their slimy texture and strange taste made me wonder if they would vomit after eating them.

“Ajing, Sister Fang’s condition looks serious—she definitely needs anti-inflammatory medicine first! We have to find a way, or if her wound gets infected, she won’t last long!” Qu Xiang approached, voice filled with concern. “I have some mountain-climbing medicines in my bag. If we can find them, there might be hope!”

“No problem! Got it. I’ll search again tomorrow!” I glanced at the wound on Lan Fang’s right leg. Though tightly bandaged, it was already festering, which worried me deeply.

The climate here was hot and humid. Without antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs, infection was almost a death sentence in this place.