Fortunately, he and Susu were tied together with a rope, so they weren't separated by the sea.
He struggled to untie the rope around their waists, but Susu was unconscious and wouldn't wake up no matter how much he called her.
He discovered Susu had a leg injury, her leg was bloody and mangled, likely from being hit against a reef in the waves.
For a moment, he didn't know where they were. Fortunately, Susu still had her backpack.
He took off her backpack. Inside were two bottles of mineral water and a first-aid kit, which was thankfully in a waterproof bag and hadn't been soaked by the seawater.
Tianyi first opened a bottle of mineral water and gave some to Susu. He drank half of it himself in one go but didn't dare drink more, fearing they were on an uninhabited island and would run out of water if they stayed too long.
He then used cotton swabs and antiseptic from the first-aid kit to clean Susu's leg wound.
It must have been too painful during the cleaning, as Susu grunted and blinked, but before she could fully open her eyes, she fainted again.
Tianyi noticed the large gash on her leg and realized the reef must have been quite substantial. The small amount of first-aid antiseptic wouldn't be enough to thoroughly clean the wound.
However, if the wound wasn't cleaned properly, it could easily become infected. If the wound became inflamed and festered, it would be even more troublesome.
He hung the backpack around his neck, decisively picked up Susu, and walked from the shallow water to the shore. Looking ahead, he saw a jungle of coconut trees.
His feet were on a long coastline, and he saw no one else around.
He carried Susu towards the coconut grove and finally spotted locals cutting coconuts from the trees in the jungle.
The person was dark-skinned and short, wearing only shorts, clearly a native who had lived on the island for a long time.
Tianyi tried to communicate with the man, but their languages were completely different, and they had to rely on gestures to convey meaning.
He put Susu down and showed the local the wound on her leg, trying to ask if there was a doctor here or any medicine to treat the wound.
The man understood his gestures and led them out of the coconut grove.
Tianyi, still carrying the unconscious Susu, saw rows of stone houses on both sides outside the coconut grove. These were likely the locals' dwellings.
Their houses were built from large rocks or reefs found on the beach, each with a unique shape.
The man continued to lead them forward. In a corner of the residential area, there was a well-structured two-story house, completely different in style from the houses built by the locals. It resembled a bungalow from their modern cities.
The guide knocked on the iron ring on the door, looked at Tianyi, pointed inside, and then pointed to Susu's leg on his back.
Tianyi understood that the man was saying there was someone inside who could treat Susu's leg wound.
He expressed his gratitude with a heartfelt "Thank you."
At that moment, someone opened the large door from the inside. The person who opened the door was a local, like their guide, who could speak the local dialect and also English.
Upon hearing someone speak English, Tianyi excitedly explained that they had encountered a storm at sea and were washed ashore, and his wife was injured, asking the English-speaking person for help.
The English-speaking person told him that this was an undeveloped, pristine island and that a doctor lived in this house, being the only person on the island who understood medicine. They usually sought treatment from this sole doctor for any illnesses or injuries.
The doctor was highly skilled and could cure most common ailments, only recommending that island residents seek treatment in larger towns off-island for complex or chronic conditions.
Tianyi nodded repeatedly and followed the English-speaking local inside.
The local called out the doctor's name and motioned for Tianyi to place Susu on the only bed in the room.
Just then, a tall and upright man walked out from another room. He looked at the disheveled Tianyi and was stunned, standing motionless.
Tianyi, looking at the man the local had referred to as the doctor, was also full of surprise.
However, his astonishment lasted only a few seconds before he rushed forward, grabbed the man's clothes, and said angrily, "Allen! So you ran off to this place! Where is Yang Sijie? Where have you hidden him!"
As he spoke, Tianyi released Allen and started to search the house for Yang Sijie.
Allen stopped him, glanced at Susu lying on the bed, still unconscious, and then, quite calmly, asked slowly, "How did you end up on this island? Gu Susu is injured. If her wound isn't treated soon, her entire leg could be ruined."
Tianyi came back to his senses, realizing that saving Susu was the most urgent matter. He didn't force his way to find Yang Sijie and said to Allen, "Quickly check Susu's leg wound. She must have hit it on a reef."
Allen said, "I can treat her, but you have to promise me that you will no longer bother Frank. Also, once Gu Susu is better, you must leave here immediately and not tell anyone we are on this island."
Tianyi felt that if he agreed to his conditions, it would be equivalent to admitting that Yang Sijie would get away with his crimes.
"No! Yang Sijie has done so many wicked and harmful things. You should take him to the police and let him pay for his crimes..."
"He has already been punished. His hands and feet are crippled, and he's become like an idiot! Why can't you be more lenient with him and let him go? How else does he need to pay! In his current condition, he can't even serve time in prison. Must you force him to die to atone, and then you'll be happy!" Allen's resentment for Yang Sijie erupted all at once.
Tianyi met his gaze with anger and retorted, "But what about those whose lives he ruined, those who were physically and mentally crippled by him, those who have no future? What did they do wrong! Did they all deserve it!"
"Get out! You take Gu Susu and get out. I won't treat her!" Allen ordered him to leave and then said a few words in English to the local who had guided them in.
He meant that if Tianyi and his companion didn't leave, he would no longer treat anyone on the island, and they would have to fend for themselves.
The two locals, who had been very polite to them, instantly became hostile.
Tianyi realized that if he didn't agree to Allen's conditions, Susu would not only not receive timely treatment, but they would also be expelled by the locals.
On this primitive island, if they were expelled and had no means of leaving, there would be no other path but to wait for death.
The two locals began to pick up sticks, intending to drive them away directly. Allen, not wanting to deal with them further, turned to go back into the other room.
"Wait, Allen, you can't just stand by and watch her die!" Tianyi shouted at Allen.
The English-speaking local directly told him to get lost in English, blocking him and preventing him from approaching Allen further.
Tianyi looked at Susu, who desperately needed medical attention, and had no choice but to agree, "Alright, as long as you help me heal her, I'll agree to any condition!"
Allen stopped in his tracks, looked at him again, and said indifferently, "Remember what you promised me. If you break it, you and Gu Susu will have a terrible death, and you will be separated forever."