The signing ceremony was devoid of Hong Yi or any familiar faces.
Only a man with a full beard explained the contract terms to them one by one.
He particularly emphasized confidentiality.
Bai Suxiang found it puzzling. Having already lost contact with the outside world here, why did they still need to sign a non-disclosure agreement?
If a non-disclosure agreement was required, it meant someone could freely enter and leave Red Island.
Who possessed such authority?
The answers to these questions could only be sought later.
Just as everything seemed settled, a cry shattered the peace.
"Bai Suxiang! Xiao Xiang!"
Bai Suxiang turned around to see Fang Xiaoxia calling her.
After signing the non-disclosure agreement, they were considered free, but only within the confines of Red Island.
During the day, Bai Suxiang explored the island.
Red Island's business hours were at night; from sunset, guests flocked to Red Island as if summoned.
Not that the numbers were overwhelmingly large, but compared to the deserted Red Island during the day, it was like night and day.
Red Island's structure, apart from the buildings, consisted mostly of rooms built underground.
The entire underground castle resembled an underwater world.
Lights illuminated the interior, attracting fish to swim around the massive glass ceiling, regardless of the time of day.
Guests enjoyed drinks and entertainment while admiring the underwater scenery.
Bai Suxiang had come to scout the area in advance to better communicate with Bai Xiaoxiao later.
She was pleasantly surprised to hear Fang Xiaoxia's voice from a corner of Red Island.
"Fang Xiaoxia, how is it you? How did you get here?"
Bai Suxiang spoke through a partition.
Strangely, only this section of the entire partition had been deliberately cut open.
It seemed the island's owner had no intention of repairing it.
Furthermore, the spot was concealed by a short, round, thorny ornamental tree.
If Fang Xiaoxia hadn't called out, Bai Suxiang might not have discovered this place.
"Never mind the details, I need your help this time. I want to leave here!"
Fang Xiaoxia stated directly.
She appeared visibly nervous, as if something was pursuing her.
This was completely different from her earlier efforts to get here.
"Leave here? Why leave? Didn't you always want to stay?"
Bai Suxiang asked in surprise.
"Oh, never mind all that. I've decided to leave now, and I'm begging you for a favor. For the sake of our friendship, please help me. I'm afraid it'll be too late if I don't go soon!"
Fang Xiaoxia spoke rapidly, with a sense of urgency that bordered on pressure.
This made Bai Suxiang suspect she was under some threat.
"But how can I help? We're not allowed to go anywhere except Red Island!"
"Don't worry about that. You just need to pass a message to someone!"
Fang Xiaoxia reassured her.
"What message?"
Bai Suxiang asked.
"I haven't received the content of the message yet. To be honest, I'm also delivering a message for someone else. In return, they will help me leave here!"
Fang Xiaoxia said earnestly, not seeming to lie.
"Is that so? Then..."
"You absolutely have to help me this time. If you don't, I might never have another chance to leave here!"
Fang Xiaoxia said with a worried, tearful tone.
Bai Suxiang understood her predicament: only by coming to Red Island did one realize that this coveted job meant disappearing from the world.
Oddly, Lin Kexin's name was unheard of throughout the country.
Yet in Shamen Town, she was the number one idol among all the girls, even more famous than national celebrities.
Bai Suxiang couldn't figure out why.
However, one thing was clear: the girls on the island seemed to lack freedom.
Even stranger, despite seeing many girls leave safely, Fang Xiaoxia was desperate to escape, which suggested something was amiss.
"Do you have something you can't say? You can tell me, and I'll see if I can help. Maybe you won't need to pass a message for someone else?"
Bai Suxiang probed indirectly.
"There's no time. Our every move is being monitored. This is a hard-won opportunity. I'll tell you more if I get another chance! Remember this: on days when you see blue balloons rising from the second island, come here around one in the afternoon! I can't talk anymore, remember!"
Fang Xiaoxia said as she retreated.
Her delicate figure was quickly hidden by a thicket of thorny branches.
It turned out they had crawled over from the surrounding greenery.
Bai Suxiang cautiously bypassed the thorny ornamental tree, tidied her clothes, and walked away as if nothing had happened.
Compared to Fang Xiaoxia's situation, they seemed much luckier, with no human surveillance.
Hong Yi had said that after signing the contract, there would be a week or so of rest.
Therefore, Bai Suxiang had nothing to worry about.
She herself was unsure if choosing Shu Risheng was the right decision. As a companion, what kind of work would she be expected to do?
Recalling their first meeting in that manner, Shu Risheng was not a good person, leaving Bai Suxiang with a rather poor impression of him.
Time passed quickly. For several days, Bai Suxiang saw no blue balloons rising, which made her anxious.
Had Fang Xiaoxia's actions been discovered? When she saw her again, she should inquire about Bai Xiaoxiao's well-being. And what worried her even more was:
Liu Sandao hadn't contacted her for about a week.
This left her somewhat flustered. Could it be that her choice of Shu Risheng had hurt him?
If so, she almost wished it were true.
As a woman, she harbored some selfish thoughts and inner conflicts.
Liu Sandao had actually never left Bai Suxiang's side; he was merely confined to her bracelet.
Although he could see what she was doing, he couldn't hear her speak.
Seeing Fang Xiaoxia's worried demeanor when she met Bai Suxiang, Liu Sandao decided to start by investigating Fang Xiaoxia.
The Fortune Handbook was strange; it hadn't issued any tasks for a long time. Liu Sandao checked it whenever he had free time, but there was no activity, as if the entire book were dormant.
Yet, it was Red Island that prevented him from using his magic. The fact that the first and second islands also showed no reaction was something Liu Sandao had never anticipated.
Since her rendezvous with Bai Suxiang, Fang Xiaoxia had been constantly planning how to escape the island.
In her eyes, this was not a paradise, but a man-eating abyss.