The issue of drinking water is the most pressing matter.
After confirming that all available drinking water has been collected, everyone began to figure out how to obtain water. Although Hai Baihe wasn't too worried about it, she eagerly joined the discussion, which took place at the stairwell on the ninth floor.
"I've checked already. There isn't much bottled water left in the hotel, and a lot of it got washed away," Zhang Li sighed. "It would be best if we could make use of this water somehow."
Bai Wenwen whispered, "Generally, hotels don't have water purification devices."
Hai Baihe said, "Although there are many methods for desalinating seawater, given our current conditions, distillation is our only option."
Distillation is a simple but crude method, but... we still need a pot for that. Fuel is not a problem; the chairs and tables are all made of wood, and they can be chopped up and used as firewood. The only issue is that no one knows how to chop wood.
"We don't even have tools. How can we chop wood?" Liu Kai asked with a wry smile, speaking on behalf of the group.
Hai Baihe glanced at them, found an empty room, brought out a chair, and started swinging it, bang~bang~bang~, smashing it against the wall. The chairs in mid-range hotels are not of great quality, so when she hit it, it cracked.
Tang Tang swallowed nervously and couldn't help but say to Liang Xiao, "Mr. Liang, your girlfriend is so strong."
Liang Xiao nodded solemnly. "Yes, that's why I never dare to argue with her."
After smashing two chairs and barely gathering enough firewood, along with a non-stick pan they scooped up from the water, they began the process of distilling water on the rooftop.
It was quite challenging to light the fire. Eventually, Zhao Dali improvised a makeshift stove, and with everyone's admiration, he smiled and reflected, "I'm from the countryside, and I used to help my family with cooking."
Using towels as makeshift filters, they filtered out larger impurities from the water. They poured the filtered water into the non-stick pan and started boiling it. Once it reached boiling point, they collected the water vapor with plastic bags, watching as droplets of water condensed on the thin film.
White Wenwen and Zhang Li, who were responsible for collecting the distilled water, exchanged a glance and smiled.
Hai Baihe squatted to the side and whispered to Liang Xiao, "We have limited materials, and the efficiency is too slow. It won't last long."
Liang Xiao nodded.
After spending the whole afternoon, they only managed to collect half a bottle of water. They carefully poured the boiled water into the bottle, and apart from fresh water, there was still a considerable amount of salt left.
Sea water does have its advantages. Besides providing water, it also supplies the necessary salt for survival.
Hai Baihe couldn't help but get excited. "Does anyone know how to cook fish?"
Bai Wenwen was taken aback. "I do."
"I'll go down and try to catch some fish," Hai Baihe said as she crouched on the rooftop, observing the seawater below. "If I catch any, you can help me grill them, and I can share them with you."
Bai Wenwen's face lit up. "Really?"
"Do you want to catch fish?" Liang Xiao asked in surprise. "Do we have a fishing net?"
If it were a stream or a river, it would be a different story. You could catch fish without a net using a wooden stick or a bucket, but this was an endless sea. Without a net or fishing tools, it seemed impossible to catch anything.
"I haven't tried it before, but let's give it a shot," Hai Baihe said, glancing at the sky and playfully coaxing him. "Don't you want to eat fish at night?"
Normally, as a boyfriend, he should have jumped down without hesitation. But Liang Xiao looked at her and said, "Then you go." After all, it's important to know one's limits and not overestimate oneself in the face of capable individuals.
Hai Baihe plopped down with a thud and jumped into the water. Charlie leaned over and took a look, jokingly saying, "I give it a 9!"
Other people gathered around to watch the scene. If they could really catch fish, it would mean an additional source of sustenance.
Hai Baihe resurfaced not long after. Liang Xiao met her on the ninth floor, and she threw two fish at him. They were flopping around on the floor.
There were quite a few spectators, and Zhang Li was surprised. "So they really exist?"
Liu Kai became intrigued. "Why don't I give it a try? Are they easy to catch?"
"Well..." Hai Baihe smiled. "I can only say that there are plenty of fish, but whether you can catch them or not depends on your skills."
After saying that, she jumped back into the water. This time, she stayed underwater for a longer time. Although she only caught one fish this time, it was quite large, requiring her to use both hands to grab it because... it was not small.
"I love the ocean." She joyfully climbed back inside through the window, with the sun already setting and the cool evening breeze taking away the warmth from her skin.
Liang Xiao wrapped her in a towel. "Be careful not to catch a cold."
"Muah." She was more than happy to show affection in front of everyone. Having a boyfriend like Liang Xiao really satisfied her vanity. No display, no benefits.
As agreed, Bai Wenwen took three fish from the bucket to grill, and they had sea salt for seasoning.
Aunt Wang appeared out of nowhere, her face filled with hope. "Young lady, my daughter is pregnant. Can you spare us a fish?"
"Your daughter is pregnant?" She widened her eyes, pretending not to know. "Is it mine?"
"Hehe," Aunt Wang chuckled, probably realizing that she wasn't easy to handle. She then turned to Liang Xiao and said, "My daughter is expecting a child, and I'm getting old. Unlike you young people, I don't have any means. Since you won't be able to finish all three fish, could you give us a portion?"
Liang Xiao sighed softly, his brow furrowing as if he was reluctant. It was genuinely touching to see him, with such a sad expression, and it elicited sympathy from the others.
But he said, "I'm sorry, but I can't make decisions for my girlfriend."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Aunt Wang's eyes revealed a look of disdain. However, she continued to try persuading him, "As a man, can't you make decisions in your own home?"
Liang Xiao shook his head, lifted his chin, and gestured towards the pile of broken wooden chairs. "No, I dare not make her angry."
Hai Baihe: "..." Hey! Is this a joke? Not only does she have to cooperate with him in front of Bai Wenwen, but she also has to serve as his shield?
Angrily, she raised her head and met his deep, gentle eyes. His beauty mark happened to
be located at the corner of his lower eyelid, a faint color that resembled a teardrop hanging there, ready to fall at any moment.
Feeling weak in the spine, Hai Baihe swallowed back all her words. She put on a smile and said, "Yes, I'm possessive. I hate it when you speak up for other women."
Beauty has misled me, and I'm carrying this burden.
Aunt Wang was infuriated. "You've grown up like this, relying on others for a living! A gigolo!"
Hai Baihe couldn't hold back and walked away before bursting into laughter. "Hahaha, gigolo."
Bai Wenwen felt embarrassed for Liang Xiao. "She went a bit too far. Don't worry about it, Mr. Liang."
"It's fine." Liang Xiao rubbed his chin, feeling a new and peculiar sensation. "It's not bad, actually."
Hai Baihe looked at him in astonishment. "Huh?"
"It feels quite nice." Liang Xiao savored the moment, speaking sincerely.
He had grown up with parents who relied on government aid and selling themselves for drugs. There was not a single penny left in the house because they prioritized drugs over everything. In order to escape the misery of starving, he had to secretly hide money when his parents were indulging themselves.
Later, he was placed in foster care and continued to rely on government welfare. He attended college with the help of student loans, working part-time to support himself. Graduating was no easy task, and after finally finding a job, he had to repay his loans every month. Nobody knew the hardships he faced during those times.
He went from having nothing to where he was now, relying only on himself. He had never been taken care of by anyone before.
And now, suddenly, he was being taken care of by a young girl, gaining without effort. It felt truly miraculous.
Hai Baihe also thought about his background. She couldn't help but wonder, did he have a childhood? Was there ever a time when he was loved and cared for? All those years being alone, had anyone ever taken care of him?