After Transmigrating into a Book, I Ended Up with My Dream Omega - Chapter 18

Xia Xiangzhen naturally had no idea what was going through Yin Xiaowei’s mind at that moment.

With the silent permission of the others, she had already begun ladling soup and peeling bird eggs, preparing for her very first time “feeding” Yin Xiaowei.

The production crew was genuinely terrified that the remaining three guests might also fall ill over the next few days. Consequently, they didn’t just provide three sleeping bags for the patients; they provided six.

With the sleeping bags available, Xia Xiangzhen didn’t sit on the ground anymore. She dragged an unused sleeping bag over to sit on.

【They gave out sleeping bags to everyone? Can you even call this “Wilderness Survival” anymore?】

【Just a minute ago, people were slamming the crew for being heartless and ignoring human lives. Now that they provided sleeping bags, people are complaining it’s not a survival show. Basically, no matter what the crew does, no one is satisfied, huh?】

【I can already see President Xia’s inner restlessness. Look at those eager movements, tsk tsk tsk.】

【Xia Xiangzhen: “I am guilty. I know being sick is miserable, but it’s only because Yin Xiaowei is sick that I have this wonderful opportunity.” I bet that’s exactly what she’s thinking.】

“Sister Xiaowei, can you sit up? Do you want me to help you?” Xia Xiangzhen asked, looking at Yin Xiaowei with total sincerity.

“No… cough cough… I’ll do it myself in a bit… cough cough.”

Yin Xiaowei had gathered her strength for a while just to say that sentence. However, the volume was barely louder than a mosquito’s buzz.

Xia Xiangzhen actually had very good hearing; she heard the whispered words clearly. But how could she admit that right now?

She immediately pretended not to have heard a thing and said, “Since you didn’t say anything, I’ll take that as a ‘yes’.”

Yin Xiaowei: “…”

I would have believed you if you said you didn’t hear me clearly. But you’ve been staring right at me—did you not see my mouth moving?!

Liar! Big fat liar!

Xia Xiangzhen cheerfully placed the large clam shell filled with soup on the ground, rested the peeled bird egg against the edge, and reached out to help Yin Xiaowei sit up.

She was very careful with her movements, strictly avoiding any inappropriate contact. When she let Yin Xiaowei lean against her shoulder, she made sure to wrap the sleeping bag around her tightly, giving her a sense of warmth and security. She was also extremely mindful of the hand with the IV drip, carefully ensuring the needle wouldn’t shift.

【Her movements look quite gentlemanly, but I bet her heart is screaming: “Why does this thick sleeping bag have to be in the way?!”】

【I feel like she’s so overjoyed that she’s dropping her persona. She was clearly going for the “mature and steady” vibe before, but now, even though her movements haven’t changed much, there’s just a feeling. Her whole aura has become incredibly cheerful, like a runaway horse.】

【Maybe this is her true nature. She was just suppressing herself before. (Takes a worldly-wise puff of a cigarette)】

【”A runaway horse,” I’m dying.】

Xia Xiangzhen actually felt a bit lost on how to proceed, mainly because she had never fed anyone before. Recalling the feeding scenes from idol dramas—which seemed simple and dreamlike—she steeled her nerves and held the bird egg to Yin Xiaowei’s lips.

“Have some bird egg first to get some protein in you.”

Yin Xiaowei didn’t open her mouth. She simply stared into Xia Xiangzhen’s eyes, trying to convey her message through her gaze.

Since you can’t “hear” me, surely you can see my eyes.

Put it down. I’ll do it myself later!

Facing Yin Xiaowei’s “determined” gaze, Xia Xiangzhen looked puzzled. She looked at the bird egg in her hand and asked, “Is the whole piece too big? Should I break it into smaller bits for you?”

Your act of playing dumb is truly impressive.

Yin Xiaowei’s lip twitched. Although she didn’t hold much hope, she spoke up again. “Put it there. I’ll do it myself in a while.”

This time, her voice was significantly louder, and Xia Xiangzhen indicated she had heard her. However, she now had even more to say.

She motioned for Yin Xiaowei to look at the other two pairs. “Look at the others; everyone is being fed. No one thinks anything of it. Besides, they aren’t as sick as you; you have a fever. So don’t be shy, and don’t worry about bothering me. I don’t mind the trouble.”

Xia Xiangzhen finished and looked at Yin Xiaowei longingly. “If you don’t finish eating, I can’t go eat either. So, please have pity on the starving me.”

The way she puts it, not letting her feed me has become a moral failing?

Yin Xiaowei looked at Xia Xiangzhen’s face and took a fierce bite of the egg. In her mind, that bird egg was Xia Xiangzhen’s face.

While the action felt “vicious” to Yin Xiaowei, to Xia Xiangzhen, it looked incredibly cute. Worried that she might choke, Xia Xiangzhen quickly brought the soup to her lips. One bite of egg, one sip of soup—soon Yin Xiaowei felt full. To avoid waste, she forced herself to finish the last of the egg and the soup in the shell.

When Xia Xiangzhen moved to get another bowl, Yin Xiaowei shook her head, indicating she was done.

“I’m full. You go eat too.”

Yin Xiaowei’s voice was still very soft. Half of it was due to lack of strength, but the other half was a test to see if Xia Xiangzhen could actually hear her, so she wouldn’t wrongly accuse her.

Xia Xiangzhen heard her, of course.

Knowing that being sick kills one’s appetite, she still asked worriedly, “Only that much? Are you really full? Don’t say you’re full just because you don’t want to bother me.”

“I. Am. Full,” Yin Xiaowei said, emphasizing every word. Simultaneously, her eyes fired “death rays” at Xia Xiangzhen.

You were definitely playing me just now!

Facing Yin Xiaowei’s murderous glare, Xia Xiangzhen felt a bit cowed. Only then did she realize: she had just successfully pretended to be deaf when Yin Xiaowei said she didn’t need help, but now she had immediately “heard” her when she spoke at the same volume.

Oh crap, I didn’t maintain the act until the end.

Xia Xiangzhen’s eyes slowly drifted elsewhere.

【Look at Yin Xiaowei’s eyes, hahaha! I’ve screenshotted this.】

【Yin Xiaowei: “Keep playing deaf! You’re dead!”】

【Look at President Xia’s guilty face, tsk tsk. Weren’t you working so hard to ignore her earlier for the ‘feeding benefits’? Why can you hear now? Your hearing recovered too fast—you got caught immediately! Hahaha!】

“Uh, that… I’m hungry. I need to go cut more trees later to keep working on the walls. I’ll go eat now; you get some rest.”

Xia Xiangzhen had originally wanted to stall for time so Yin Xiaowei would lean against her longer. But under that oppressive gaze, she could only carefully help Yin Xiaowei lie back down before scuttling off to eat.

Wei Lan and Yu Yayue had already finished their feeding tasks and were sitting around the fire eating. Outside the camera’s frame, the crew had changed shifts. Only one doctor with a medical kit remained, eating sliced bread and bottled water provided by the staff while monitoring the patients.

Looking at it, the bread and water seemed worse than what the guests were eating. Given that Yin Xiaowei and the others weren’t quitting, Xia Xiangzhen wanted to ensure the doctor stayed dedicated to their recovery.

Looking at their large pot of seafood soup, Xia Xiangzhen asked, “Doctor, would you like some soup too?”

The doctor, who was dryly chewing on her bread, paused. She had actually been eyeing that soup for a long time, but since it was filming time and no one had spoken up, she had kept her distance. But now that a guest had invited her…

The doctor glanced at the Assistant Director. Once he nodded in approval, the doctor stepped into the shelter to ladle herself a bowl.

【What a reverse play—they’ve started feeding the crew.】

【The doctor is a beauty too! Are even the background staff for this show all models?】

【President Xia really is a high-level manager; she understands the value of giving benefits to useful people. After the friendship formed over a bowl of soup, won’t the doctor speak up for the guests? Just like earlier, when she got them sleeping bags and dry wood.】

【Makes sense! Why else would she suddenly invite the doctor for soup?】

【What if it’s just because the doctor is pretty?】

【Don’t scare me. Probably not; she was just fawning over Yin Xiaowei a second ago.】

The doctor took her soup and went back off-camera. Xia Xiangzhen sat down for her late breakfast. Yu Yayue, knowing better than to expect Wei Lan to lead the conversation, asked Xia Xiangzhen, “What’s the plan for later? Sister Xiaowei and the others won’t be going to the hospital.”

Xia Xiangzhen swallowed a bite of bird egg with some soup. “For food, we have some seaweed left, some bird meat, and the coconuts Wei Lan picked. That’s not enough for lunch, so we need to find more. Then there are the walls. Even with the sleeping bags, I think walls are essential. We need to cut more trees. The crew provided some firewood, but it won’t last long. Once the sun comes out, we need to gather and dry more wood. Those are the three main tasks.”

“Then Wei Lan and I will go hunting and gather firewood,” Yu Yayue suggested. “Xiangzhen, will you stay near the shelter and cut trees?”

Xia Xiangzhen and Wei Lan had no objections; the plan was set.

The shelter went quiet again. Normally, this was the perfect environment for a quick meal, but for Xia Xiangzhen, it was different. Even though she had turned her back to Yin Xiaowei to eat, she felt that gaze like thorns in her back, needles in her seat, and a bone in her throat.

Hardly able to swallow her delicious breakfast, Xia Xiangzhen thought:

Xiaowei is looking at me like that because I invited the pretty doctor for soup. It is definitely NOT because she caught me pretending to be deaf! Definitely!