Desert Island Girl (Pure Lily) - Chapter 28

“Everyone! I’m back! I found the houttuynia cordata!”

After Mu Xiaoyang shouted, the tent fell silent instantly.

Soon, with a flurry of footsteps, several girls rushed out of the tent.

Seeing Mu Xiaoyang panting outside, Bai Niao and the others were stunned.

Was… was this Xiaoyang?!

Covered in mud, her once flowing, silky hair now dripped with muddy droplets.

Limping, hunched over, leaning on a broken stick, with a filthy backpack slung over her shoulder, she looked like a disabled old beggar woman, her face caked in mud!

“Xia… Xiaoyang?”

Bai Niao stared blankly at the wild-looking girl—though utterly disheveled, she recognized her from those tired, large eyes…

“Xiaoyang! It’s really you! Thank goodness! You’re finally back!”

Rushing forward, Bai Niao tightly hugged the muddy Mu Xiaoyang, rubbing her dirty face, joyful like a child.

“Cough… cough!”

Mu Xiaoyang nearly suffocated from her enthusiasm—no exaggeration, Bai Niao’s strong biceps gripped her so tightly her eyes nearly bulged like a goldfish!

“Pat, pat, pat!”

She quickly slapped Bai Niao’s back, signaling her to let go.

“Sister Mu Mu! You’re choking Sister Xiaoyang!” Lin Tingting exclaimed.

Amused, Yi Yun hurried forward to pull Bai Niao away, giving her a playful glare, “Happy now? Not yelling to run out anymore?”

Bai Niao blushed and blinked, “Sister Yun…”

Seeing everyone as they were before, Mu Xiaoyang relaxed and could barely stand.

Supported by Bai Niao, she smiled weakly, “Let’s go back to the tent. The rain’s heavy outside…”

Back in the tent, though large raindrops pelted the waterproof fabric noisily, the warm, dry interior improved Mu Xiaoyang’s complexion, her pale lips regaining some color.

“Here, Xiaoyang, drink this ginger soup.”

Yi Yun scooped a large bowl of steaming ginger soup from the pot used for fish soup and handed it to Mu Xiaoyang.

The soup was deep red, filled with ginger strips, peppercorns, and a few red dates—clearly, Sister Yun and the others had prepared it for her return…

Holding the bowl, Mu Xiaoyang looked up and gulped the soup down in one go.

The warm ginger soup instantly warmed her from the inside out!

Catching her breath, Mu Xiaoyang wiped her mouth, glanced at the still-sleeping Jiang Ning, whose expression showed pain, and handed her backpack to Yi Yun, “Sister Yun, grind the houttuynia cordata and make soup for Ning…”

“I got it—you don’t need to worry. Take off your clothes, and let Tingting and Mu Mu help you clean up,” Yi Yun said, taking the backpack and pulling out a knife to start chopping the houttuynia cordata.

Nodding, Mu Xiaoyang tried to remove her heavy overalls but found she couldn’t lift her arms.

“We’ll help you.”

Seeing this, Bai Niao and Lin Tingting stepped forward to help her undress.

“…”

Though they had all seen each other’s bodies before, Mu Xiaoyang still felt shy letting them help her undress.

The rain-soaked clothes slid off her graceful body, and soon, the two had stripped her bare.

Her fair skin was covered in grime.

Lin Tingting brushed some sand from Mu Xiaoyang’s collarbone, saying with concern, “Sister Xiaoyang, are you okay?”

Shaking her head, Mu Xiaoyang’s cheeks flushed, “Don’t worry, I’m fine… just a bit tired.”

Bai Niao took a towel made from a fine tablecloth, “Xiaoyang, stand still. I’ll wipe you down.”

“No… no need, I can do it myself…” Mu Xiaoyang hesitated shyly.

Lin Tingting grabbed another towel, “It’s okay, Sister Xiaoyang! We’ll be gentle.”

“That’s not what I meant…” Mu Xiaoyang was at a loss for words. Seeing their insistence, she blushed and accepted their kindness.

The two girls surrounded her, gently wiping her soft skin with warm, damp cloths, cleaning off the dirt while revealing her fair, tender skin.

Mu Xiaoyang was a mess—not just her hair full of sand, but her collarbone, br3asts, hips, and back were all filthy.

“Sister Xiaoyang, can you lift your leg a bit?” Lin Tingting asked shyly.

Nodding awkwardly, Mu Xiaoyang gently raised her right leg.

Crouching down, Lin Tingting supported Mu Xiaoyang’s knee, holding her thigh parallel to the ground, exposing her full private area.

Blushing, Lin Tingting wiped the fine dirt from her inner thighs and vulva.

Lin Tingting’s small hands and the soft cloth brushed over Mu Xiaoyang’s closed labia, feeling oddly comfortable…

Bai Niao didn’t spare Mu Xiaoyang’s perky br3asts either—lifting the soft flesh, she wiped the dirt from underneath, gently rubbing her pink n1pples, removing tiny grains of sand.

Soon, the two girls had cleaned all the grime off! Mu Xiaoyang was fair and tender again.

Using body wash as shampoo, the smooth, white liquid flowed in Lin Tingting’s hands, quickly producing bubbles with a sweet fragrance.

Mu Xiaoyang sat slowly on a chair.

Bai Niao held a large bucket, pouring warm water like a human shower.

Lin Tingting washed her hair, warm river water flowing from her head over her body, making Mu Xiaoyang feel reborn.

After cleaning up, Mu Xiaoyang dried her body and hair.

Yi Yun had processed the houttuynia cordata into a simple medicinal soup.

Mu Xiaoyang knelt on the bed, wrapped in a blanket, quietly watching Yi Yun call Jiang Ning.

“Ning… Ning, time to drink your medicine…”

Bai Niao and Lin Tingting stood solemnly, closely watching Jiang Ning’s condition.

“Ugh…”

Stirred by Yi Yun’s nudge, Jiang Ning slowly opened her eyes—after a day of high fever, she was nearly delirious.

Her weak gaze swept over everyone, and she said faintly, “Sister Yun…”

“Hey.”

Quickly responding with concern, Yi Yun gently helped her up, forcing a smile, “Xiaoyang found the herbs. Come, Ning, your sister will feed you—drink all the medicine, and you’ll feel better tomorrow…”

“Really…?” The strong smell of chopped houttuynia cordata made Jiang Ning instinctively recoil.

Scooping a spoonful of soup with fine green leaves, Yi Yun nodded firmly, “Really! Come, open your mouth…”

Opening her mouth, Jiang Ning painfully swallowed the houttuynia cordata. She looked at Mu Xiaoyang, wrapped in a blanket, and suddenly remembered something, “Xiaoyang… how long were you out? What… time is it now…”

“Not long… I found the houttuynia cordata by the river after a bit.”

Answering before Lin Tingting and Bai Niao, Mu Xiaoyang smiled faintly, “It’s only evening now. Drink your medicine, then sleep. By morning, you’ll be better.”

Jiang Ning gave a weak, happy smile, “Thank you… Xiaoyang…”

“What’s with the politeness? I’m not used to Ning being so courteous,” Mu Xiaoyang tightened her blanket and smiled at her.

Smiling shyly, Jiang Ning lowered her head, obediently letting Yi Yun feed her the medicine.

Honestly, the quieted Ning looked so serene, so beautiful.

Finally finishing the houttuynia cordata, Jiang Ning couldn’t hold on long and soon fell back asleep.

Looking at the calmly breathing Ning, Bai Niao hesitated, “So… while houttuynia cordata is the right treatment, does it really have that much effect?”

“…”

Falling silent, the girls’ moods grew heavy: Yes, though they went to great lengths, could a few herbs really cure Ning’s illness?

Mu Xiaoyang didn’t know: She had done all she could, and now she could only pray for a miracle.

Tonight was destined to be sleepless—they all knew Ning’s illness had reached a critical stage.

If the houttuynia cordata didn’t work, she likely wouldn’t survive the night…

None of them dared sleep, fearing Jiang Ning might suddenly worsen.

Seeing Mu Xiaoyang curled in her blanket, nodding off, Yi Yun urged, “Sleep a bit, Xiaoyang. Staying up like this won’t help.”

“No… I’m not that sleepy…”

Rubbing her nose, Mu Xiaoyang sniffed softly, still watching Jiang Ning closely for any changes, ready if things went wrong…

Honestly, even if Jiang Ning’s condition worsened now, she wouldn’t know what to do.

…

Time slipped by like fine sand, and the storm outside stopped unnoticed, as if the world grew quiet.

The peaceful setting brought Mu Xiaoyang overwhelming sleepiness.

Though she fought it, after a day of running around, her body and mind were at their limit! Her eyelids felt glued shut.

Her vision blurred, Jiang Ning appearing as three, even six figures!

In her daze, leaning against the bed with her blanket, Mu Xiaoyang drifted off unconsciously…