Chapter 80: Han Xi Says, This Is Mine

Time on the island passed quickly. After dinner and a brief rest, the sky was already dark.

Unlike previous evenings where everyone could rest or arrange their own activities, tonight, the production team had organized a group activity.

“Dear guests, you all made your own Kongming lanterns a couple of days ago. Tonight, we can release them by the sea.”

“The materials used for making the Kongming lanterns are all biodegradable, so no worries.”

“Next, everyone can draw a lantern at random and then write a wish on it before releasing it.”

On the day Fang Zhou got poisoned, everyone had almost finished making their lanterns. Even though Fang Zhou ended up in the hospital, everyone still remembered and helped mark his lantern.

So Fang Zhou also got a chance to draw a lantern.

A row of Kongming lanterns was neatly placed in the hall, looking quite similar at first glance. But upon closer inspection, each had small unique details.

For example, some had cartoon portraits, others had signatures, and some had special markings.

The exchange of Kongming lanterns was meant to strengthen the bond between the guests. If you paid attention while making the lanterns or knew each other’s habits, you could get the lantern of the one you liked.

To accommodate the female guests, the male guests let them go first. Among the female guests, they decided the order with the traditional rock-paper-scissors game.

Surprisingly, Han Xi, who seemed the least adept at games, got the first pick.

“Then I’ll go first.”

Han Xi rarely smiled, but she did this time as she nodded to everyone and walked toward the lanterns.

She stopped in front of an inconspicuous lantern with a simple drawing of a boat on it.

“This one.”

Han Xi picked up the lantern and returned, satisfied.

Seeing the lantern, the faces of the other female guests changed.

Chu Xinran spoke up bluntly, “Ah, I really liked that one too, but you got it first.”

The usually cheerful school beauty looked visibly disappointed, like a child who didn’t get their favorite toy.

Hearing her muttering, Han Xi turned and smiled, shaking her head. “Sorry.”

“This is mine.”

If the first part was fine, the second part, to some, carried a tone of possessiveness and pride.

Han Xi’s fans in the live stream screamed.

“Ahhh! So cool! No wonder she’s a billionaire woman, so straightforward and clear!”

“Is that Fang Zhou’s lantern? It looks like his marking. Did Han Xi choose his lantern because she likes him?”

“Oh my! Totally possible! I remember Han Xi kissed Fang Zhou that day! She hasn’t been close to any other male guests!”

“Ice Queen CEO X Gentle Passionate Streamer! I’m shipping it!”

Next, Qin Yun picked a lantern with the initials HX, which belonged to Han Xi.

“I like this one.”

She glanced at Han Xi with a smile full of hidden meanings.

Unfortunately, Han Xi remained unfazed, ignoring Qin Yun’s provocative look.

You can take it; there’s nothing shameful about my lantern.

After that, everyone except Zhang Zhiyin got a lantern, including Fang Zhou.

Holding the blank lantern in his hand, Fang Zhou was puzzled. It didn’t have any markings, so he couldn’t tell who made it.

He turned to ask the others, but no one claimed it, so he gave up investigating.

Whatever, any lantern has to be released.

He wasn’t even sure where his own lantern was. Maybe it was the one Han Xi had, but since it wasn’t marked by him, he couldn’t be certain.

If the production team hadn’t mandated exchanging and releasing them, he wouldn’t have been willing to give his away. He had spent hours making it with care.

“Here’s a pen!”

Dong Donghui handed out several markers, giving one to Fang Zhou as well.

Fang Zhou frowned, thinking about his wish, ready to write it down.

Suddenly, he felt someone staring at him. Turning to look, it was Zhang Zhiyin.

She stood there empty-handed, looking forlorn.

Everyone else was busy writing their wishes, but she stood alone, as if abandoned by the world.

With her naturally fragile appearance, she evoked pity at a glance.

Fang Zhou was no exception.

He stopped what he was doing, walked over to Zhang Zhiyin with his lantern and pen, and handed them to her.

“Here, you release this.”

His voice was warm and rich, like aged wine, inviting savor.

Zhang Zhiyin raised her eyebrows in surprise and softly asked, “For me? What about you?”

It seemed these were the lanterns they made themselves, with no extras beyond the ten.

If he gave it to her, Fang Zhou wouldn’t have one to release.

Zhang Zhiyin hadn’t participated in making them, thinking it was fine to just watch.

She didn’t expect Fang Zhou to do this, especially on live stream.

“You play with it. I don’t need to release one.”

Seeing her hesitation, Fang Zhou directly placed the lantern in her hands, chuckling.

“I’m a staunch materialist!”

If you want something, strive for it yourself. Relying on others or wishing is futile.

Only what you hold in your own hands is real and reliable.

Looking at the lantern and pen in her hands, Zhang Zhiyin smiled softly.

“Since you’re so kind, I won’t hold back.”

“Though I’m also a materialist, sometimes I want to be idealistic.”

She winked at Fang Zhou and started writing on the lantern.

Fang Zhou didn’t look at what she was writing, letting his mind wander.

However, when his eyes swept over the other female guests, he suddenly felt a chill.

Han Xi, who should have been writing, had stopped and was staring at him expressionlessly.

Next to her, Qin Yun showed him the words on her lantern with a smile: “Together Forever.”

In a corner, Chu Xinran was holding her lantern in a daze, eyes red as if about to cry.

Qiao Sisi snorted coldly, glanced at him, and then turned back to her writing.

Fang Zhou quickly averted his gaze, thinking: Once upon a time, there was a mountain, on the mountain, there was a temple. In the temple, the old monk told the young monk, “The women down the mountain are tigers.”