Chapter 60 – A Turnaround
The next morning, three out of the four members of the group woke up with dark circles under their eyes and several red bumps on their arms and faces. The disadvantages of a simple shelter were obvious. Lin Ganzhi was the last to emerge from the hut, a rebellious tuft of pink hair sticking up. He had woken up at seven and couldn’t help but yawn. The cameraman, Brother Chen, had already arrived, and Lin Ganzhi felt three pairs of eyes focused on him.
Having just woken up, Lin Ganzhi stood up and stretched, his expression puzzled. “Uh, what’s wrong?” Lin Ganzhi rubbed the corner of his mouth. Did I drool in my sleep? No, I don’t think so!
Wenren Yi, standing at the edge, was the first to speak, her tone laced with a mix of disbelief and jealousy. “You weren’t bitten by mosquitoes last night?”
Lin Ganzhi was taken aback. “I don’t think so. I was asleep, so I wouldn’t have noticed,” he replied subconsciously. He rolled up his sleeves to check, but his fair arms were completely free of any marks. Then he looked up at his companions.
Red bumps of various sizes dotted their exposed skin. From the looks of it, Lu Xi was the most severely affected. Not only were his arms and neck bitten, but even his cheeks were, with one bite near his cheekbone that made him look like a New Year’s painting doll.
Lin Ganzhi covered his mouth and turned away, hoping to grant Lu Xi one last shred of dignity.
Lu Xi rubbed his face, on the verge of tears. So hateful!
Wenren Yi, who had become familiar with Lin Ganzhi, rushed over and grabbed him, roughing him up to express her jealousy. Lin Ganzhi’s fair face was soon rubbed red. He lowered his head slightly, his head only a fist’s distance from Wenren Yi’s. The laughter of young people is unrestrained, and the sight of their two extremely handsome faces on one screen was a visual feast.
[Ahhhhhh! I can’t take it anymore, I want to send you a bed!]
[Don’t be so obvious! I’ll invest~ (smirk.jpg)]
[Casually picking up my dropped jaw!]
Yan Shengping, who had just woken up, opened the live stream. His gaze fell on the unrestrainedly smiling face, and the knuckles of his left hand, which was gripping the blanket, turned a ghastly shade of white. After a moment, he let out a short, cold laugh.
His cheeks aching from Wenren Yi’s manhandling, Lin Ganzhi couldn’t help but gently push her away. When Yan Shengping messed with his face, why didn’t it hurt this much?
At this moment, Lin Ganzhi didn’t even realize how much of a double standard he had.
“Stop messing around. We’ll look for some mosquito-repellent herbs on the way. Lu Xi, we’re counting on you to lead the way today!” Lin Ganzhi encouraged.
Perhaps because he had been ruled by his brother for so long, Lu Xi’s face, already red from the mosquito bites, seemed to turn a shade redder at the sudden trust and expectation from someone. He stammered, “Mhm, o-okay, I’ll do my best!”
Considering Lu Xi’s foot was still a bit sore, everyone subconsciously slowed their pace. Lu Xi, this time, insisted on helping by carrying half a bundle of dry firewood at the front. The atmosphere among them had noticeably improved, and some of the bullet comments that disliked Lu Xi had gradually changed their tune after a series of discussions.
However, most people still didn’t trust that this pretty boy, Lu Xi, could find a water source. Doubts were constant.
[Huh? Are they really letting this pretty boy take the lead? Does Lin Ganzhi not want to be the captain anymore?]
[Finding a water source by listening? What kind of stunt is this? Are they that desperate for a trending topic?]
[Heh, I was Lu Xi’s elementary school classmate. If this loser can find a water source, I’ll stand on my head and smoke with my nose while calling him Daddy!]
[You’ve got some nerve. I’ve noted your ID!]
Fortunately, Lin Ganzhi’s team couldn’t see these negative comments. Lu Xi would walk for a bit, then pause, heading in the opposite direction from yesterday. He would stand there with a vacant look, as if listening intently to something.
Wenren Yi, behind him, frowned and was about to call out to Lu Xi, but Lin Ganzhi stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. This time, Lu Xi’s pause was a bit long, lasting for over a minute before he came back to his senses. He pointed in a direction. “This way, we should be close.” His calm tone held a trace of certainty.
Lin Ganzhi acknowledged him and walked beside Wenren Yi, behind Lu Xi. Wenren Yi gave Lin Ganzhi a look that said: Do you really believe him?
Lin Ganzhi blinked: Why wouldn’t I?
Just based on the fact that Lu Xi had heard them coming from so far away yesterday, Lin Ganzhi was already convinced.
The four of them, plus one cameraman, trudged through weeds that reached their knees. As the sun overhead began to beat down on their shoulders, Lin Ganzhi faintly heard the sound of rushing water.
One of them, it’s not clear who, was the first to say “holy crap,” and then everyone quickened their pace. Pushing aside the lush vines and leaves, the strong sunlight shone on their faces. Lin Ganzhi and Wenren Yi took the lead, clearing away the vines, and everyone followed them out.
Sunlight danced on the mottled surface of the river, and through the clear stream, they could vaguely see water plants swaying with the current.
Wenren Yi was speechless. She could only give the New Year’s painting doll a big thumbs-up and say, “Awesome!”
Lu Xi turned away and rubbed his face, looking unnatural.
It wasn’t just him; the bullet comments were also frantically spamming “Awesome.” If it weren’t a live stream, they would have suspected Lu Xi of cheating! To find a water source just by hearing…
[I don’t get it, is this magic?]
[Damn! Lin Ganzhi’s team is so awesome! A Mount Emei monkey, a Popeye the Sailor, and now they have a clairaudient? What a new international collaboration!]
[Goddess Que Jin is also amazing, okay? Watching her gather firewood yesterday, it was the first time I knew you could find such dry branches in a tropical rainforest. Even Zhong Jingyi’s team, with three people, searched for hours and only found enough to cook one meal!]
[I’m getting a little hooked now. My dad, who never watches variety shows, has been watching with me for hours!]
[Is the person who was going to call someone ‘Daddy’ still here? Did you manage to buy cigarettes? Need a sponsor?]
[LMAO!]
Lin Ganzhi looked at the stream, his gaze quickly falling on an extinguished fire pit with a few fish bones on it.
“They rested here yesterday,” Wenren Yi said, walking up to Lin Ganzhi’s side.
“Then, considering the time it took us to get here, they should be quite far ahead,” Que Jin said from behind, her expression grave.
Lu Xi, who hadn’t yet recovered from his shyness, was a bit confused. Were they worried about their progress? Just as he was about to say that his leg could still go on…
“Friends, look!” Lin Ganzhi dropped the firewood in his hands, his eyes shining. Like a hungry wolf, he took off his shoes and stepped into the stream, where large fish as thick as a calf were darting about.
Wenren Yi also waded in, even handing Lin Ganzhi a useful stick.
Lu Xi: ???
Que Jin patted Lu Xi’s shoulder, giving him a look that said “you’ll get used to it.” She said, “I told you, with us, the food will definitely be good!”
On the bank, Lu Xi watched as Lin Ganzhi and Wenren Yi expertly speared fish and scooped up shrimp, his head spinning. So, the reason Lin Ganzhi’s team was so serious about finding a water source yesterday wasn’t for the competition, but for food?
Lin Ganzhi and Wenren Yi’s actions quickly erased the question mark from Lu Xi’s mind. The two of them were as coordinated as ever, catching five or six large fish in half an hour. Que Jin and Lu Xi, in the meantime, had started a fire.
After coming ashore, Lin Ganzhi found a sharp-edged stone by the stream, briefly roasted it over the fire to sterilize it, and began to prepare today’s lunch.
“Just wait, Ganzhi is a great cook,” Wenren Yi said, sitting down next to Lu Xi.
Que Jin nodded in strong agreement from the side. Lu Xi’s interest was immediately piqued, and he couldn’t help but swallow. The fern Lin Ganzhi had roasted yesterday was quite fragrant, much more so than the one he had roasted himself!
Lin Ganzhi expertly scaled the large fish, cut open its belly to remove the organs, and used a banana leaf to scoop water from the stream to carefully wash away the blood. After preparing four fish this way, he took out the leftover ferns from yesterday, washed them thoroughly in the stream to remove all the slime, and broke them into two pieces, stuffing them into the fish bellies. Unfortunately, there was no salt in the rainforest, so they could only taste the pure freshness of the fish and ferns.
Lin Ganzhi found some damp sticks, arranged them in a row over the fire, and laid the fish and a few river shrimp on top, turning them occasionally to cook them carefully. Within a few minutes, the unique aroma of fish began to waft through the air.
The other three watched, swallowing hard.
Lu Xi was the first to come closer, his eyes fixed on the fish. “Ganzhi, you, where did you learn to cook like this? Can I come to your house for a meal in the future?”
“Sure~” Lin Ganzhi agreed amiably, then suddenly remembered Yan Shengping and added, “When we get back, I’ll talk to my husband and invite you all over for dinner!”
Lu Xi didn’t pay attention to the last sentence; all he cared about was that Lin Ganzhi had promised him a meal!
Wenren Yi, on the other hand, gave Lin Ganzhi a meaningful look. This time, Lin Ganzhi understood her meaning immediately, and the back of his neck couldn’t help but feel hot. He asked her fiercely, “You don’t want to come?”
Wenren Yi quickly waved her hands. “Ganzhi, don’t misunderstand me. I really want to come~” The expression on her face at the end was incredibly punchable.
…My fists are clenched, thank you.
In less than half an hour, the four fish were roasted to a crispy brown, exuding an enticing aroma. Lin Ganzhi demonstrated by skewering one with a stick, tearing off the slightly blackened skin to reveal the tender white flesh underneath, which was still steaming faintly.
Lu Xi’s eyes were glued to the sight. He mimicked Lin Ganzhi’s actions, skewering a fish. The moment he touched the skin, he flinched back from the heat, but he quickly adapted. He clumsily tore off the skin and shoved the tender white meat into his mouth. The first sensation was scalding heat, but as the unique fresh flavor of the fish spread through his mouth, Lu Xi was almost moved to tears. He ate one bite after another, completely ignoring the burning sensation.
As he ate, he gave Lin Ganzhi a firm thumbs-up.
Seeing Lu Xi wolfing down his food, Lin Ganzhi felt a pang of pity and gave him two more large shrimp. The kid was starving.
As they were eating, Lin Ganzhi noticed that Brother Chen’s meal today was still a sandwich. He couldn’t help but tease, “Brother Chen, does that sandwich still taste good?”
Brother Chen, miserably munching on his sandwich: “Go away!”
The bullet comments were also frantically spamming about the tables turning, wilderness food streaming, and the like.
***
On the other screen, the other group had also reached the confluence of the streams. A somewhat turbulent current flowed into a wider river, which was the direction the compass pointed. The primeval forest was filled with vines thicker than an arm.
Qi Yushuo’s intention was already clear.
Fan Feimiao hesitated. “We have to swing across?”
Qi Yushuo nodded. “It’s fine. The stream is only this wide. Even if we fall in the middle, the current isn’t strong enough to wash us away.”
“No!” Luan Yuanzhou refused. “Jingyi is afraid of heights, he can’t swing!”
“Then we’ll walk,” Qi Yushuo said simply, showing no intention of coddling Zhong Jingyi just because he was a delicate flower.
Zhong Jingyi’s face was ugly as he bit his lip. Qi Yushuo had done most of the work on this trip, and his decisions had clearly swayed Fan Feimiao. But he had no desire to get his shoes and socks wet, or to walk barefoot in the already murky stream. Who knew what kind of parasites were in there.
“Qi Yushuo, I know you have the ability to get across, but please consider your teammates. I’m fine, but Yuanzhou injured his foot while filming before, and I don’t feel comfortable with him wading through the water. And Feimiao, if he falls, even if it’s not life-threatening, getting injured is still bad!”
Zhong Jingyi’s attitude was uncharacteristically firm. When Fan Feimiao heard Zhong Jingyi’s concern for him, his stance immediately shifted. He raised his hand. “I agree with Jingyi’s idea. Why don’t we just take a detour?”
Faced with three teammates who had suddenly turned against him, Qi Yushuo laughed sarcastically to himself. He had thought that at least the people participating in this show were here for the theme. It seemed he had thought too much.
“Okay, we’ll do as you say. But taking a detour will take more time.”
“At most, we’ll waste half a day. It’s fine. We can just work hard to catch up later,” Zhong Jingyi said encouragingly, because in his heart, he didn’t believe for a second that Lin Ganzhi’s team could have found their way here so early.