Buxom woman
After dawn, Evelyn and the others gradually woke up.
Tom gave them a quick reminder before heading into the woods.
Soon, Tom found the wild mugwort he was looking for. After cutting a bunch, he returned to the camp.
"Tom, what have you got there?" Sophia asked curiously as she saw Tom carrying a bundle of mugwort.
"This is mugwort. We all got soaked in the rain yesterday, and mugwort is great for dispelling cold and dampness. I'm going to make a fish soup with it later,it should help prevent colds."
"Plus, it's good for warming the meridians, improving circulation, and regulating menstruation. You can also use it to make tea, which is particularly beneficial for women, especially for someone like you, Sophia, who's just been injured," Tom explained simply.
Mugwort is a common herb, often considered an invasive species, and can be found almost everywhere, like riverbanks and roadsides in moist soil environments.
Thanks to a local doctor back home who was skilled in using herbs, Tom loved learning about these things. Mugwort was well-known for its benefits, and almost every household in his hometown kept some.
"Tom, you really know a lot," Olivia couldn't help but praise.
Olivia had no idea what mugwort was, let alone its benefits.
"Heh, well, growing up in a poor family makes you learn a lot. Otherwise, we might have starved," Tom replied with a self-deprecating laugh.
Children from poor families often have to take on responsibilities early. Tom's family was not well-off, so he knew what was edible, what wasn't, and the benefits of various herbs.
Seeing that the water in the pot was boiling, Tom threw in the leftover grilled fish from the night before and added some chopped mugwort leaves.
Soon, a faint, pleasant aroma wafted from the pot.
After simmering for a few more minutes, as the fish soup began to turn white, Tom took the pot off the fire and served everyone a small bowl using coconut shells.
"Wow, this is quite strong," Sophia commented after tasting it.
"This is fresh mugwort, which does have a stronger and somewhat bitter taste. But the stronger the taste, the more effective the herb. It's really good for your health," Tom explained with a smile.
He had grown up drinking mugwort tea and was used to the taste, but he knew it could be hard for first-timers to accept.
Hearing this, Sophia and the others didn't say much more and bravely drank the soup. Although it was a bit hard to swallow, they felt warm and cozy afterward, grateful to have such a knowledgeable man like Tom around.
After a short rest, Tom and Evelyn headed to the beach, while Olivia and Sophia stayed behind to keep watch.
Perhaps because of the rain the previous day, the waves were a bit rough and the water slightly murky, not ideal for spearfishing. So, Tom and Evelyn went to the area where Sophia had found oysters on the rocks the day before.
These were all wild oysters, clustered on the rocks in large numbers, though they were a bit small.
Tom and Evelyn spent about half an hour and gathered around twenty to thirty pounds of oysters.
It sounded like a lot, but oyster shells are heavy, and the actual meat might only weigh about three to four pounds, just enough for a meal.
"Ms. Harris, shall we check out the beach on the other side?" Tom suggested to Evelyn.
Their current location was like a cove sheltered by hills on both sides. Tom had explored the area thoroughly over the past few days and found the natural resources to be limited, which is why he suggested checking out other beaches.
"If there are more resources on the other beaches, we might consider moving the camp there."
"Sure," Evelyn agreed without any objections.
Afterward, Tom and Evelyn began to climb over the hill in front of them. The hill wasn't very high, but it was covered with trees and vines, making it difficult to navigate. Tom had to clear a path as they went.
It took them nearly twenty minutes to reach the beach on the other side.
This beach was much more beautiful than the one they had come from, with golden sand and clear blue water, looking like a tourist paradise.
"Tom, look over there!" Evelyn suddenly shouted, pointing towards the beach.
Tom looked ahead and saw a large SOS sign made out of stones on the ground.
"This is an international distress signal,there must be other survivors!" Evelyn exclaimed excitedly.
Just as she finished speaking, a figure emerged from behind the rocks on the beach.
It was a woman!
"Look, there really is someone!" Evelyn was even more excited.
"Hey!" Evelyn called out to the woman and waved.
Unexpectedly, instead of coming towards them, the woman turned and ran into the forest, only to trip over a tree root and fall.
Tom and Evelyn quickly ran over to help.
"Hey, why are you running?" Tom asked as he approached the woman.
"Holy smokes, that's huge!" Tom couldn't help but exclaim internally when he saw the woman's prominently displayed cleavage.
The woman, who appeared to be about Olivia's age, was wearing only a pair of very short shorts and a low-cut white top.
While her face might not be stunningly beautiful, her chest was exceptionally large and appeared very smooth and firm, which was quite eye-catching.
"Please, just leave me alone, I beg you," the woman pleaded, kneeling in front of Tom and begging loudly.
"Uh..." Tom was somewhat speechless.
After all, he hadn't done anything!
"Miss, what's wrong?" Evelyn quickly asked.
"Please, can you just let me go?" the busty woman continued to plead.
"Don't be afraid, we won't hurt you," Evelyn reassured her with a gentle smile.
"Really?" the busty woman asked skeptically.
"Of course, I have no reason to lie to you, do you think?" Evelyn replied with a smile.
Hearing this, the busty woman looked up at Tom again.
Seeing that Tom's gaze was clear and he genuinely didn't seem to have any harmful intentions, her anxiety slowly eased, though she remained slightly wary.
"By the way, let me introduce myself, I'm Evelyn, and this is Tom Noland. What's your name?" Evelyn asked again, hoping to make the girl feel completely at ease through conversation.
"My name is Isabella Large," the buxom woman said after a brief pause.
"Isabella Large? Well, the name certainly fits," Tom exclaimed inwardly upon hearing her name.