Chapter 4

Pressing her lips together and clenching her teeth, she suppressed the emotions that suddenly surged from the depths of her heart

and peace

I will take you to the market to familiarize yourself with the environment of the island and to buy vegetables and meat for about three days. He tossed her a raincoat and hesitated for a moment, "Can you ride a bicycle?"

Bei Zhiyi turned over in the bed with An

Five or six sea fish, approximately twenty centimeters in length, two or three frozen chickens, a large piece of beef, and a large quantity of vegetables

She finally escaped, deceiving her parents under the pretext of volunteering dispatched by the company to reduce taxes, and fled to this remote island with no mobile signal and no Wi-Fi. Here, there are no matchmaking agencies that would put a price on her, nor are there leaders who say she works hard but has mediocre performance.

Fourth time

That expression and demeanor were akin to that of a bandit or a bully. Bei Zhiyi felt that if she shook her head, it would immediately make An spit out the rather pleasant breakfast from that morning

Cautiously, like a paper doll that would shatter at the slightest touch

let out a long sigh

In real life, such commercialized matchmaking operations have led her to doubt this world. Regarding those suitors who evaluate her and treat her as a commodity, she often finds that throughout an entire matchmaking session, the only words she can muster are merely hello and goodbye

Bei Zhiyi felt nauseated by his taste and swallowed hard, shaking her head: "It doesn't hurt anymore"

Unrelated to love, the blind date aimed merely at finding a so-called life partner was not something she liked from the very beginning

This is the first breakfast that Bei Zhiyi has had in a foreign land, provided by a man she has known for less than a day, with the aroma of banana leaves mixed in the glutinous rice

... ...

The color of your pants will be very noticeable if it gets wet. An also, with a look of disdain, patted the water on her bicycle seat

He neither asked for the price nor bargained; whatever amount was handed over, the islanders accepted without question

In order to come and volunteer, she bought a bunch of casual clothes, yet they still did not appear as neat and tidy as the tank top and shorts worn by Xiao Ying at the base

She lived diligently and earnestly for twenty-seven years, only to end up with nothing.

The so-called market on the small island is actually a local small-scale bazaar. Under a few meters of awning, five or six islanders are scattered about, selling mostly some gutted fish and green vegetables. Nearby, some pickled goods, dried fruits, and spices are stored in burlap sacks, and most of the shellfish are unrecognizable by name.

The map of the small island? He was curious

I am sorry. She has troubled him again; he appears to be a person who is very averse to trouble, and she, dressed in a short-sleeved shirt and long pants in such a setting, looks like a significant hassle

Most people in the base love to sleep in, and I usually go to buy breakfast, which costs ten Thai Baht per person, charged weekly. He still looked impatient, and his expression was even worse due to lack of sleep, but the sticky rice he handed her was steaming hot. The chicken skewers were wrapped in banana leaves, and he picked out two from one of the leaves for her, which were not spicy and coated with a layer of honey, looking enticingly glossy

She has become a commodity waiting to be sold, filtering through a certain algorithm to find men who match her conditions, from family background to job nature and even height and measurements. Sitting in a tastefully decorated café, they test each other, discussing not romance but how to maximize mutual benefits in their relationship

She slept in a completely unfamiliar place, the thin blanket on her warm and dry body carried the scent of sunlight. This was an entire set of brand new bedding that An had just taken from the storage locker for her, made of coarse dark gray fabric, belonging to a man

The girl inexplicably apologized to He An several times, making him cough awkwardly and say in a rough voice: "I won't ride too fast, be careful with your ankles, and if you need anything while following me, remember to call me."

He told her not to be afraid

So do not blame An, he must have almost forgotten how to interact with ladies. Victor squinted his large eyes with a smile; he was the oldest member of the volunteer team and treated everyone with kindness, except for An

He An was busy sorting through a pile of fresh vegetables, stuffing the heavier ones into his bicycle basket, while a few bundles of vegetables were selected and placed into Bei Zhiyi's basket

She repeatedly recited this name in her heart, like a spell

He Anqi got up very early, the rain outside had been falling all night, and he had already risen at dawn. Bei Zhiyi heard the sound of the door closing after he left the base.

Victor stated that there are very few women coming to the base, as it is a Class B base. Participation in volunteer activities here requires either a diving license or a veterinary license, which sets a high threshold. The workload is quite intense, and most of the applicants are male.

Victor is guarding the base, the roof on the east side needs reinforcement, and the materials are all in the warehouse, I counted them this morning He took another bite of chicken, the new recruit's room will be repaired when I return, that room has a serious leak in the roof, you all cannot handle it

The glamorous matchmaking events held in various upscale venues are, like every business negotiation that Bei Zhiyi participates in, exhausting and utterly dull

"Once the typhoon passes, I will take you to get acquainted with the island." He added, "This place is very small, so there is no need to be afraid."

He An is the only person in this world who has spoken these three words to her

I remember in great detail the times for opening and closing the door, the surrounding landmarks, and even the times for high and low tides

Do not be afraid

The application form for coming to the island requires filling out dietary habits, and that form was only glanced at by An and still remembered it.

And he should also temper his bad temper towards Victor and the others. This girl clearly takes everything seriously

Bei Zhiyi lowered her head, pressing down the corners of her mouth that had just been lifted up.

Life feels gray, muddled and mundane, and suddenly I realize that I am about to cross the threshold of thirty years old

But he told her not to be afraid

"Your information states that you do not eat spicy food." He noticed that Bei Zhiyi was in a daze, and his brows furrowed even more in impatience

After finishing all the breakfast quietly, I sprinkled a handful of white sugar on the glutinous rice and swallowed it in two or three bites with chopsticks

Thus, she spent an entire year on blind dates, without achieving anything

The four of them appeared to be close friends who had known each other for many years, their intimacy evoking envy in others

She unconsciously tightened her fingers around the bicycle handlebar, gazing at the man of a different nationality.

It is still raining outside, and the rain is quite heavy. The bicycles at the base are left outdoors in the yard, all of which are sand bikes with thick tires. The seats are covered in water stains, yet An simply sat down without even looking and then tossed a rag, which she had pulled out from who knows where, to Bei Zhiyi.

As for you, An finally looked at Bei Zhiyi, hesitating for a moment

... ...

Her rambling notes, which are somewhat tedious, are not due to a sense of ritual or an abundance of time, but rather out of fear

She is a very traditional woman, holding a rather old-fashioned view on marriage and family. She yearns for a lifelong companionship with one person.

Beizhi felt a bit shy and said, "I drew this before I came here."

The tone is casual, as if engaging in everyday conversation

Heaved a sigh of relief

She did not blame He and An, because she actually did not know how to interact with men

I just confirmed with A'Gai at the port that the typhoon will make landfall tonight. He took a bite of chicken, having been busy all along, and didn't even have time to take off his raincoat. Yitan and Xiaoying went to the convenience store to procure supplies; we need to stock up on eggs, milk, and toast for about three days. The batteries at the base are running low; last time, several of you broke a number of flashlights while playing ghost stories and adventures late at night, so we need to replenish those as well

He seems quite familiar with them, and he speaks some simple Thai. The soft and gentle Thai words that come out of his mouth seem particularly out of place. His attitude is neither particularly friendly nor especially warm; he merely introduced Bei Zhiyi briefly before lowering his head to start selecting vegetables

August in Thailand marks the rainy season, and after nightfall on the islands, heavy rain begins to pour, accompanied by flashes of lightning and thunder. Huge raindrops patter against the banana leaves, while the old ceiling fan in the room creaks and groans, mingling with the sounds of the floorboards as An, who is restless in the hall, tries to fall asleep. On her first night away from the island, Bei Zhi Yi remained awake the entire night

The mysterious power of the East. Yitan covered his chest with both hands, chewing on chicken, and winked at Beizhi.

He appears indifferent, with a look of irritation on his face from not having slept well, and his tone of voice remains rather poor; when she reacts slowly, he still becomes impatient.

Most of the islanders here do not speak English and are not very good at arithmetic. A sea fish costs 30 Thai Baht, frozen chicken costs 200 Thai Baht, a piece of beef costs 400 Thai Baht, and vegetables cost 40 Thai Baht per bunch. Rice, seasonings, scallions, ginger, and garlic are available at the base. In the future, when you come here, you only need to buy these few items, count them correctly, and then you can pay.

Today is Tuesday, and I am responsible for dinner tonight. Bei Zhiyi is wearing a pair of khaki casual trousers that are resistant to dirt

After graduating from university, I went to the Magic City, living a white-collar life from 9 AM to 9 PM, commuting between the company and a rented apartment. On weekends, I either work overtime or return to my hometown. After five years of work, my savings in the bank amount to only five digits, and in the Magic City, I cannot even afford a square meter of a restroom

He An admitted that he was somewhat taken aback. He had always been unaware of what treasures were contained in the bag that Bei Zhiyi never took off. Just now, with a casual glance, he saw a pile of notebooks, several of various sizes.

Then, the so-called stable company she worked for was unexpectedly merged last month, and she became one of the employees laid off by the new company. The place where she dedicated five years of her youth offered her six months' salary and expressed their regret.

Bei Zhiyi turned over again in the darkness

In the hall of the volunteer base, there are actually only a few bamboo chairs, which creak when moved as they are pushed together to lie down.

Unable to bear it any longer, Victor dragged Yitan away, while the remaining Sakura clung tightly to An's back like a bird waiting to be fed, mumbling her request for the largest portion of coconut milk.

"The handwriting is quite good." An An returned the notebook to her with a smile.

"How is your ankle?" The person asking her was Yitan, who had cut a piece of butter and thrown it into the glutinous rice, then sprinkled a generous amount of white sugar on top.

Bei Zhiyi buried herself into the soft pillow, closing her eyes to suppress the absurd feelings rising from the depths of her heart

Bei Zhiyi looked up

Do not sway and hesitate to speak as you did last night after twisting your ankle

She is free, even if the cost is great, even if it is only for two months

Bei Zhiyi instinctively straightened her back

This place has no internet. Before she arrived, she did a lot of research, including currency exchange points for tourists, ATMs, convenience stores, and local markets like this one

She opened this book that records vegetable prices and surprisingly hand-drew a map

The items in this entire base are rugged and masculine

He did not laugh at her like others he knew when she recorded notes that could easily be found with a casual search, considering it a superfluous act and a waste of time

And she can only comfort herself amidst her parents' increasing urgency for her to marry, at least she still has a job that, although tiring, is relatively stable

The atmosphere is truly wonderful

The glutinous rice is sprinkled with coconut milk, exuding a fragrant and soft texture. The chicken skin is roasted to a crisp, with a sweet honey glaze, and a bite reveals a rich juiciness.

When they returned again, the people at the base had already begun to wake up one after another. An, wearing a raincoat, took out a bamboo basket from the raincoat, which contained steaming glutinous rice and golden-brown grilled chicken skewers

... ...

Thus, Bei Zhiyi quickly nodded her head

She is already twenty-seven years old, with an ordinary appearance, a dull personality, and strict family upbringing. During her school years, the term "early romance" was a taboo that she would not even think about. After more than a decade of hard study, her interaction with male classmates was almost nonexistent

Then there is the endless matchmaking

"I am a bit slow-witted; the things I write down are relatively hard to forget." She glanced at He An, who was silently flipping through her densely written notebook, and lowered her head somewhat awkwardly

The sprain is not severe; although there is still some redness and swelling, it is completely pain-free now

Bei Zhiyi nodded, took out a palm-sized notebook from her bag, and as if performing magic, pulled out a pen, then immersed herself in writing diligently

Despite the heavy rain outside, the basket remains dry

Bei Zhiyi took it over, and because of An's considerate and meticulous demeanor while sulking all morning, the corners of her tightly pressed lips couldn't help but lift slightly

Bei Zhiyi is a very unique young person, shy and out of place, dressing as if from an old movie of the 1990s, yet earnest. In just one day, he has already felt her determination and seriousness more than once