Chapter 61 – Anything for Food
Qi Yushuo couldn’t help but laugh at the phrase “try harder.” Try harder? That was a word that should have been applied to him from the very beginning.
Qi Yushuo might have been able to tolerate it on the show, but his fans certainly could not. They nearly flooded the live stream chat with their comments. In this day and age, finding an idol with real talent was a rare gift, and they couldn’t stand to see Qi Yushuo being wronged. One by one, they armed themselves with their keyboards and went online, leaving the other fanbases in awe.
[Welcome to the performance of Saint Zhong Jingyi, where he gets to play the good guy in every scene!]
[Heh, my idol found the path, my idol caught the fish, my idol started the fire, my idol prepped the food, my idol set up the tent, and my idol takes the blame! Thank you so much for your generosity, Film Emperor Zhong!]
[Afraid of heights? How come you’re not afraid of heights when you fly on a plane? How come you weren’t afraid of heights when you climbed that snowy mountain? You’re a fucking useless President of Zhong’s Chips, so how come you’re not afraid of heights then? But a two-meter swing on a vine makes your legs tremble?]
[When Zhong’s stocks plummeted into the toilet, I didn’t see you post on Weibo about being afraid of heights, did I?]
This was the very definition of a devastating psychological blow!
Zhong Jingyi’s fans tried to speak up, but every comment they posted was reported. The battle moved from the live stream to Weibo, but Qi Yushuo’s fans were fearless, eventually pushing the topic onto the trending list.
The title read: Is Zhong Jingyi really afraid of heights?
Madam Zhong was so scared she quickly spent money to suppress the trending topic. After this whole ordeal, the stock price of Zhong’s Chips visibly dropped again. Zhong Wenwei was in his office while his dear son was on a variety show, casually tanking the family’s stock with his every word. He nearly had a stroke and checked himself into the hospital.
In the study, Yan Shengping had his phone on speaker. Tian Nini was reporting on the stock data for Zhong’s Chips.
Yan Shengping’s long, slender fingers expertly twirled a black fountain pen, occasionally tossing it into the air for a spin before catching it gracefully. His eyes, however, never left the tablet. When he heard Lin Ganzhi say, “Then I’ll go back and talk to Mr. Yan about it,” the pen fell from his hand as if it had lost its soul, landing on the desk with a crisp thud.
Tian Nini, who was in the middle of her report, paused and asked, “CEO Yan, is there a problem?”
Yan Shengping’s originally cold features instantly softened, and his thin lips curved into a slight smile. He picked up the pen again, his fingers defying physics as they spun it into a blur, just like his own runaway heart.
“It’s nothing. Continue.”
Yan Shengping’s voice was the same as usual, but Tian Nini, who had been with him for so many years, clearly sensed a change in his mood. It seemed he had become quite happy.
***
After finishing their meal, Lin Ganzhi’s group rested for a while. They chatted about everything under the sun for nearly forty minutes before slowly starting to pack up, all sense of yesterday’s urgency gone. Lu Xi had also gradually adapted to the team’s relaxed pace.
Now that they had found the river, they basically didn’t have to worry about getting lost. The group headed south, adhering to the principle of never forgetting about food, even while walking. If Lin Ganzhi caught sight of a large fish in the stream, he would grab his stick and spear it, looking very much like a tyrant of the forest. The key was that the fish in the water couldn’t swim faster than his spear, so they could only die with lingering resentment.
Along the way, Que Jin helped by weaving palm leaves, stringing together the fish that Lin Ganzhi and Wenren Yi had caught. She and Lu Xi carried them, their roles clearly defined.
They continued like this until just after four in the afternoon, when they finally reached a confluence of rivers. They looked at the somewhat turbulent stream and the vines hanging overhead.
“Ganzhi, look! Is that a banana tree on the other side? It’s huge!” Que Jin pointed to the woods across the river. Having spent so much time with Lin Ganzhi, her focus had shifted. She could vaguely make out the massive banana leaves and the bananas growing on them.
Lin Ganzhi quickly grabbed a section of vine, his eyes firm. “I’ll scout the path for everyone.”
Wenren Yi also grabbed a vine and teased, “Or should I be the one to test the flavor for everyone?”
The air fell silent for a second, a faint scent of gunpowder lingering. If Brother Chen had a phone and had seen the performance of Zhong Jingyi’s pair, his expression would not be as calm and composed as it was now.
The bullet comments in the live stream were also roaring with laughter.
[Hahahaha, Zhong Jingyi’s group: It’s so dangerous! My pants will get wet! Lin Ganzhi’s group: The bananas on the other side look really good! Don’t stop me, I’m scouting the path!]
[As a fan of “Survive!”, although Lin Ganzhi’s group is a bit lazy, they don’t skimp on anything related to survival. Not only do they do it, but they do it with great fanfare, striving for meat at every meal and eating well. It cured my anorexia of many years. I mean, if they can maintain their spirit for food in such a harsh environment, what reason do I have not to eat in this prosperous society? I’m going to go devour a roasted suckling pig right now!]
[Hahaha, exactly! Can we just have two separate live streams? I just want to watch Lin Ganzhi’s group. Speaking of which, in a wilderness survival show, why are those two always showing off their affection for no reason? A little bit is fine, but the amount of sugar they’re producing is like free Industrial Saccharin!]
[Heh, just because you’ve been single since birth and nobody wants you, don’t be jealous of our Jingyi. Isn’t the show just trying to make money off the popularity of our Jingyi and the Film Emperor?]
[The person above me is killing me. I haven’t seen you fans sending any money to your Jingyi. At most, you send a Rocket. Look at our side, we don’t even bother competing with you!]
Seeing that they couldn’t win with reason, Zhong Jingyi’s fans started fighting with the other fanbases again. The scene was enough to feed the marketing accounts for a month.
Seeing that he couldn’t beat Wenren Yi, Lin Ganzhi had no choice but to swing with her on two separate vines!
One of them was agile, the other was strong. They grabbed the vines, took a few steps back for momentum, and their feet easily left the ground. They swung beautifully through the air to the highest point, and just as their toes could touch the tips of the grass on the opposite bank, they decisively let go. They rolled on the soft grass and got up as if nothing had happened.
The vine was sturdy, just a little short.
Lin Ganzhi and Wenren Yi, who was standing beside him, exchanged a look, instantly understanding each other’s thoughts.
“Ganzhi, can I make it across just by holding on like this?” Lu Xi hugged the vine Lin Ganzhi had used, a look of eagerness on his face.
Lin Ganzhi pondered for a moment. “First, climb up and hang still for twenty seconds for me to see.”
Lu Xi didn’t understand, but he obediently did as he was told. He wrapped his arms and legs around the vine and looked up at the sky.
Sliiiide~
Lu Xi’s body slid down in a free fall, without even a struggle.
Sitting on the ground, Lu Xi’s face was stiff with disbelief.
Lin Ganzhi couldn’t bear to see Lu Xi’s dream-shattered expression, so he comforted him, “It’s okay, it’s normal! When we get back, I’ll take you to practice free climbing.”
The light of a dream instantly blossomed on Lu Xi’s crestfallen face.
“Ganzhi, let’s each take one,” Wenren Yi said from beside him. While Brother Chen was still on the other side, he probably couldn’t hear their whispers. She continued, “If you carry Que Jin over, who knows what the news will write about you. Besides, if you did, your boyfriend probably wouldn’t be happy.” That guy got super jealous.
Lin Ganzhi’s handsome face flushed. How could Yan Shengping be unhappy about something like this? But what Wenren Yi said did make sense. What was his goal? To restore Yan Shengping’s image in the public eye! He couldn’t keep attracting criticism and dragging Yan Shengping down with him!
Lin Ganzhi thought for five seconds and gave an “OK” gesture.
The two of them swung back again.
Lin Ganzhi used the stone from that afternoon’s fish-killing to cut two relatively thin vines. He gave one to Wenren Yi and used the other to tie himself and Lu Xi together.
Lu Xi originally wanted to hug Lin Ganzhi from the front, but before he could, Lin Ganzhi subconsciously blocked him. “Just hug me from behind.”
Lu Xi scratched his head, confused. “Isn’t it all the same?”
“Pfft!” Wenren Yi burst out laughing on the side. Que Jin also couldn’t help but turn her head away.
Lin Ganzhi’s face was covered in dark lines; he was about to lose it!
Although Lu Xi didn’t understand, and Wenren Yi just smiled without telling him why, he still respected Lin Ganzhi’s wishes. He obediently hugged Lin Ganzhi from behind, and they used the vine to secure their positions.
Lin Ganzhi swung across with Lu Xi in tow. Because there were two of them, their speed was slower than before, and the thick tree trunk emitted a dull creaking sound. But there were advantages to having two people, such as a slower descent, which meant they didn’t have to fall as hard. They landed on their sides, neither of them using the other as a cushion.
All in all, it was a very harmonious swing.
When Lu Xi stood up, the look in his eyes as he gazed at Lin Ganzhi was even more adoring. It felt like he was omnipotent in the rainforest! He gave a thumbs-up so enthusiastically that Lin Ganzhi felt embarrassed.
After all, he still remembered his manager’s instructions: be low-key!
They were safe, which just left Wenren Yi and Que Jin.
Two single women didn’t have so many scruples. Wenren Yi’s lips curved into a bright, unrestrained smile. Her gaze fell on Que Jin’s soft eyelashes as she chuckled. “Do you trust me?”
The corners of Que Jin’s eyes felt a little hot. Her gaze met Wenren Yi’s smile, and her petite yet powerful body pressed against Wenren Yi’s chest, her head just reaching Wenren Yi’s chin. “When have I ever doubted you?”
As she spoke, she used the vine to tightly secure their bodies together.
Wenren Yi let out another soft laugh, though this time it seemed a bit flustered. She gripped the vine, took a few steps back, and showed no sign of being burdened by the extra weight of Que Jin. Her feet left the ground, and she swung effortlessly into the air. When they reached the other side, just as she let go, Lin Ganzhi and Lu Xi came over to support them, making for the most perfect landing yet.
As a rainforest follow-cam cameraman, Brother Chen had a few tricks up his sleeve. He came over easily, holding the camera in one hand and the vine in the other. Lin Ganzhi just helped him with the equipment.
At that moment, the cheerful Lu Xi suddenly looked up, his ears twitching twice. He grabbed Lin Ganzhi’s clothes. “Ganzhi, we might need to set up the tents right away. It sounds like it’s about to rain. I can hear thunder in the distance.”
If Lu Xi had said this yesterday, no one would have believed him. But today, Lu Xi had proven his abilities with facts. Even though the sky was still clear, everyone believed him and started to divide the work. Luckily, there were banana leaves nearby that they could use to make the shelter even more solid.
However, some people in the live stream chat were skeptical.
[It’s a clear sky and he says it’s going to rain? Not even the weather forecast would dare to be that bold, right?]
[Is this excessive marketing? Were there also hints for finding the water source? How could he hear the sound of water from so far away? And now he says he hears thunder.]
[Even so, I don’t really believe it either.]
Amidst all the doubt, Lin Ganzhi and his team quickly built two triangular shelters. This time, they used more materials for the roof, minimizing the possibility of leaks.
Suddenly, there was a significant rustling in the grass not far away. Lin Ganzhi, holding a large bunch of bananas, looked over warily. Could it be a gorilla or something similar?
Lin Ganzhi subconsciously hid the bananas behind his back.
When the grass was finally pushed aside, the first person to emerge was Qi Yushuo, dressed in all black. Following him were Luan Yuanzhou, Zhong Jingyi, and a panting Fan Feimiao. They all looked a bit disheveled. The two teams had run right into each other.
One team was surprised, while the other was filled with disbelief.
Boom!
Suddenly, a clap of thunder rumbled across the sky.