Time flies, and as the sun shifts westward from its zenith, the oppressive heat of the isolated island not only fails to dissipate but instead becomes even more intense.
The trees near the shore droop under the sunlight.
Slightly withered branches and leaves cast a green shade, sheltering the reader below.
Chen Zhou sits cross-legged by the tree trunk, slowly closes his book, and looks up at the sea in the distance.
The sky is a clear blue, without a cloud in sight.
The sea is extremely calm, with the tide gently receding, revealing wet sand and rocks hidden underwater.
The bright sunlight spills onto the beach, transforming it into a dazzling golden view.
A kilometer away, at the transition from the beach to the shallow water zone, the sailboat representing the future and hope has run aground on the hard sandy shore.
The humid air distorts the unclear outline of the ship's body, barely allowing the tall mainmast and the ship's stern to be distinguished.
The canvas sails, tugged by a gentle breeze, sway slightly as if waving from afar.
The entire sailboat presents a bowing stance, with the stern pointing askew towards the shore, raised high, while the bottom sags, partially submerged in the sea.
Too far to discern the details of the hull, but having read the original novel, Chen Zhou knows that although the ship is stranded, there's no foothold around it, only seawater, and the only way to board is via a rope hanging from the bow chain.
In Defoe's writing, Robinson did not know where the rope came from when he discovered it. After recovering from a serious illness, narrowly escaping death, he converted to the embrace of God, interpreting everything as the salvation of the Heavenly Father, the guidance of destiny.
However, Chen Zhou, having repeatedly pondered over the events before and after the shipwreck, clearly knows the origin of that rope.
The book describes how Robinson once became a plantation owner in Brazil and lived peacefully for a while, but eventually, unable to suppress his restless heart, driven by profit and passion, embarked on a voyage to Africa to engage in the slave trade.
Soon after the slave ship set sail, a fierce storm suddenly struck, and the ship was swept off course by the hurricane.
Supplies ran critically low, and the ship's hold took in water, putting the entire vessel on the brink of disaster.
The shadow of shipwreck loomed over everyone.
The small boat placed at the stern had been blown into the sea several days earlier, leaving only one small dinghy on board.
Driven by extreme panic, everyone on the ship decided to abandon the ship and seek a sliver of hope amidst the terrifying waves.
The Captain and the first mate directed the sailors to lower the small dinghy into the water using a cargo sling, attempting to battle the raging ocean.
However, the sea ultimately showed no mercy, and both the Captain and sailors perished in the depths, leaving no one to retrieve the lowered sling, inadvertently leaving Robinson with this lifeline.
In the original work, Robinson swam around the ship twice before discovering the sling, but Chen Zhou, having acquired this information from the book in advance, knew to swim directly toward the bow, saving energy and time, a considerable advantage.
Seeing the tide finally recede enough, Chen Zhou put away his book, took off his short-sleeved trousers, and tied them together with Robinson's clothes on a conspicuous tree. He then performed a set of stretching exercises to prevent leg cramps while swimming, and subsequently he headed toward the sea.
After being exposed to the sun all morning, the sandy beach is warm, and his toes sink in with a slight burn.
Further ahead, the wet sandy ground in the seawater doesn't feel as pleasant, the coarse and solid granular sand is sticky and eagerly fills the gaps between his toes, combined with countless broken shells and clam fragments lurking underwater, making each step Chen Zhou takes feel uncomfortable.
Fortunately, the seawater here is shallow and clear, allowing one to see the bottom at a glance, without worrying about hidden sea snakes or jellyfish.
Wading through the water, Chen Zhou proceeds cautiously.
The seawater gets deeper and deeper. Initially, it covers the tops of his feet, gradually enveloping his calves, and now it's up to his waist.
Endless small waves shimmer in the sunlight, rippling in Chen Zhou's eyes, and the buoyancy of the seawater keeps swaying his legs, making him slightly lose focus.
To continue forward, walking becomes very difficult, swimming is a must.
While still in shallow water, Chen Zhou tries paddling around twice in the seawater.
It turns out, swimming is like riding a bicycle, a skill hard to forget once learned, ingrained in you.
Immersed in the seawater, Chen Zhou's heart rate rises quickly.
Facing the vast ocean, deep down he still harbors distrust and instinctively wants to stretch his legs, relying on solid footing to dispel fear.
But the warm subtropical water encourages him, and an omnipresent, unexpected buoyancy lifts his body, preventing him from sinking.
This feeling is far more comfortable than swimming in cool country rivers. Chen Zhou paddles, gradually regaining lost courage.
The waves gently sway, accompanied by sapphire-like ripples undulating, the vastness blurs the line between sky and sea, easing Chen Zhou's tensed nerves, and the intense sun above seems less scorching.
His pounding heart quickly returns to its natural rhythm.
Chen Zhou stretches his body, following muscle memory, alternating arms and kicking legs, leaving a ragged trail of splashes on the sea surface.
Although over two years without swimming, those ingrained instincts never fade. With feedback from the resistance of the seawater, Chen Zhou becomes more adept, swimming towards the merchant ship in a clumsy yet determined manner.
He knows he'll soon leave the shallow water zone, where there will no longer be a foothold beneath him, stirring some trepidation in his heart.