WS - Chapter 62

Chapter 62

Most of the production team had followed the four fire-making contestants to the open ground behind the wooden cabin where lean-to shelters were to be built; only a handful loitered around the cabin's side, dragging tent-pitching gear.

At the camp entrance, however, a few fires crackled, and two people and a dog, accompanied by a pot of bubbling hot soup, enjoyed a certain leisure.

On a late-summer-to-early-autumn evening, having washed away the day's fatigue, sitting so freshly in chairs and feeling the breeze was indeed quite pleasant.

Yu Nianbing grew increasingly relaxed in her chair. She glanced at Dog sprawled not far from her feet, then turned her gaze slightly farther to Song Shiyue, who was swiftly slicing beef.

Though it was a rather bloody scene— the cold blade slicing through fresh meat, sending flecks of blood flying— to Yu Nianbing, it brought a peculiar sense of reassurance.

Yu Nianbing almost wanted to laugh. It was amusing that, before today, she had never imagined a day would come when she would feel so secure and contented by such a sight.

What kind of person is she, really...

Perhaps because they tacitly shared a few small secrets, Yu Nianbing sometimes felt she understood Song Shiyue. But upon closer thought, that understanding seemed even thinner than paper, unable to withstand scrutiny.

People are always curious.

The more bewildered they are, the more curious and attentive they become.

Just like now, watching Song Shiyue swiftly slice meat, Yu Nianbing could discern something deeper.

Because there was a lot of meat and it all had to be dried by roasting tonight, the slices had to be thin.

Song Shiyue worked quickly, the slices uniformly thin, and she didn't forget to cut against the grain, though she seemed to care little about uniform shape or size. Some slices were so thin that pieces broke off or had gaps, but Song Shiyue didn't mind in the least and never paused her hands.

What she pursued was simply thinness and speed.

She was a person with strong purpose, unconcerned with minor details.

Yu Nianbing watched and thought this.

And yet, the one whose mind so often lingered on another person hadn't taken a moment to consider why she herself was so focused, so concerned, so intent on figuring out that person.

After watching for a while, Yu Nianbing quietly rose, went inside to fetch something, came back, and dragged her chair— originally placed a bit farther from the fire— over to sit beside Song Shiyue.

Song Shiyue looked up, about to remark on the heavy smell of blood, when she saw Yu Nianbing holding up a palm-leaf fan, a gentle smile in her eyes.

Truth be told, just as Song Shiyue's stubbornness was stubbornness, Yu Nianbing's persistence was persistence too.

Under the night sky, the one slicing meat grew a bit more cautious, while the other's cooling breeze mostly fell upon her companion.

In the quiet work, with occasional exchanges and smiles, another half hour passed in a flash.

Before the Wilderness Planet camp, the peace of an ordinary night on a country farmstead played out, but on StarNet, it sparked a different kind of bustle.

"The backyard is a life-or-death arena, the front yard is an old-married-couple farmhouse idyll, hahaha..."

"Hahaha, it's not a farmhouse idyll, it's a butcher's night life~~"

"Can't help feeling that by the time Song Shiyue and the others finish roasting meat and eating, the ones in the back still won't have a fire going."

"This show is so cruel— instead of wilderness survival, it's more like 'win Sister Song and win the world.'"

"Now's the time to praise Dog's judgment— even a dog-food can couldn't stop its loyal heart!"

"As a bystander, I want to say how sweet Yu Nianbing is— it gives off the vibe of a butcher's daughter marrying a gentle, considerate young mistress from a wealthy family."

"Wait, what did Sister Song do wrong to inspire such a contrast?"

"Hahaha, so because she's a master at butchering a cow, she gets the young mistress?"

"Your Little Ice Block doesn't seem so icy after all— tagging the Little Ice Buckets here."

"Who would have guessed, but what matters most is that Little Ice Block is happy, and a warm Little Ice Block is our favorite!— We're just a batch of thermoses manufactured under the ice-bucket name."

The four people struggling to make fire behind the cabin weren't as inept as StarNet made them out to be. After over an hour of hard work, a turning point finally arrived.

After Zhuang Jiachuan and Guan Yongyi took turns rubbing wooden sticks for over an hour, they finally produced a few sparks, and a thin wisp of smoke rose from the small clump of dry grass catching the sparks.

Though it was the dawn of victory for the neighboring group, Mu Xingzhou and Ning Chuyang were even more excited than if it had been their own. They immediately dropped the sticks they'd been twisting and ran over to the other group. So eager yet extra cautious, they didn't dare get too close; they just cheered quietly from the outer edge.

In their tense moment, Zhuang Jiachuan and Guan Yongyi had no energy to laugh at the neighborly goodwill. They carefully, more carefully still, lifted the clump of dry grass and gently blew air from beneath.

Only when that clump of grass truly ignited and smoothly lit the pile of small twigs that had been arranged and waiting for over an hour did the four of them, watching the flames leap up before them, finally jump up in excitement.

Mu Xingzhou went so far as to shake hands with Zhuang Jiachuan and Guan Yongyi one after another, repeatedly thanking them.

And the two who were thanked didn't find it odd at all. After all, if the other side had succeeded first, they would have wanted to offer thanks just the same.

Whether it was Mu Xingzhou, constrained by the thought that he couldn't concede defeat with a girl on his team; or Guan Yongyi, considerate of the other's hard work; or Zhuang Jiachuan, mindful of his former athlete status and unwilling to drag the other into surrender— all were finally liberated by that fire.

As for Ning Chuyang.

Having to sleep in a lean-to shelter was indeed a grievance.

But she was too tired and hadn't contributed much, so at this moment she couldn't blame Mu Xingzhou. In fact, she was even a little glad— at least there was a resolution, no one had to keep struggling, and they could rest.

Especially since the smell of meat from the front grew ever more fragrant. At first it was the mild scent of soup, but later the richness of roasting meat was added, making it nearly unbearable after holding back for so long.

Once Wang Daming came out to announce the rankings, the four didn't wait another second. Like refugees clinging together for survival, they supported one another and headed to the front of the cabin.

At the camp entrance, three fires blazed brightly; from the four's perspective, they seemed to redden half the sky.

Thinking back to that little fire they couldn't help cheering for earlier... it was like a malnourished five-year-old standing next to three burly men— belatedly embarrassing.

For a moment, all four halted, not moving forward.

It was Dog, sprawled at Yu Nianbing's feet, who sensed them first, scrambling up and barking.

Song Shiyue, who had already sliced most of the cow with only a little over a leg left, turned around. She saw four gray silhouettes in the darkness, unaware of the emotions stirring in their hearts.

But Song Shiyue didn't overthink it; after all, the arrival of extra hands was the most celebratory thing.

"All done? Come on, slap on some flatbread, grill some skewers, and you can have half a meal first," Song Shiyue called out to the four gray shadows.

In the firelight, the young woman smiled radiantly, brandishing a long knife stained with blood.

For a long time afterward, the four would find it hard to forget that enthusiasm.

Once close, the four saw that the three fires each had a purpose, not just a flashy display.

On the far left, a large iron rack held a huge pot of bubbling white broth, with an indistinct pile of oddly shaped large bones visible inside. In the middle, an iron grill stretched over the fire, with a full sheet of meat slices roasting on it. And on the far right, a few stones propped up a fireplace resembling the stone stove from noon, on which a flat stone slab held more meat slices sizzling.

"We're done there. Are you making jerky for the road now? Let me help." Zhuang Jiachuan, always quick to size up a situation, rolled up his sleeves as he spoke and was naturally the first to offer.

"I'll help too." Ning Chuyang was still a bit downcast, but seeing Song Shiyue now felt like finding her anchor, so she quickly squeezed forward.

Song Shiyue certainly couldn't slice meat and roast jerky at the same time. It was Yu Nianbing who insisted that it was already late and they might not finish in time after the others were done, so she set up this station and let Yu Nianbing roast.

Fortunately, only one tray had been roasted before help arrived.

"Teacher Yu, come make the flatbread. Let those who haven't showered yet take over the roasting first." Song Shiyue looked at Yu Nianbing, who was using two twigs to flip meat slices by the fire.

The latter turned around, and the expression she met on Song Shiyue's face was one that clearly read: 'Come here quick or I'll be so mad I'll faint and stop talking to you.'

What else could she do?

Half exasperated, half amused, Yu Nianbing handed the twigs over to Zhuang Jiachuan, who had come over.

"But you all should start washing up too. The space inside is small, so only one at a time can go in." Yu Nianbing thought for a moment and added, "The soup isn't ready yet, and the roast meat and flatbread are quick to make, so take turns showering and eating."

With those words, the remaining four naturally sprang into action.

Some went to roast meat, some moved firewood, and some wanted to take over slicing meat from Song Shiyue...

Just as new energy surged among the group amid the aroma of meat, Wang Daming came chasing after them from behind the cabin.

"Hey, teachers, don't run off so fast." Wang Daming had come after exchanging a few words with Director Zhang, and was still a bit out of breath. "The matter of tonight's lodging isn't settled yet."

"Aren't the rankings already decided?" Ning Chuyang, not wanting to stay in a lean-to shelter at all, spoke with a touch of pique.

Wang Daming chuckled as if he hadn't detected anything, and carried on: "The two teachers staying in a tent, please go to Feng Qianqian in front of the cabin to collect your tent-pitching gear. And the two teachers staying in a lean-to, before the sky fully darkens, Captain Yang is waiting to take you to find materials for building your lean-to."

All six fell silent.

Still, it was Ning Chuyang who burst out first: "Isn't a lean-to just throwing together some leaves? If it's a lean-to, there's no need to be particular— just sleep on the ground! No need for Captain Yang to take us!"

Annoying Captain Yang— the materials he found would surely be annoying too!

At Ning Chuyang's outburst, Yu Nianbing and Song Shiyue quickly exchanged a glance.

Earlier, the four had come stumbling over like the walking dead, and as the winners without a contest, they hadn't had the heart to ask who won or lost; only now did they understand.

Faced with Ning Chuyang's irritation, Wang Daming also looked helpless. He could only advise: "Even the simplest lean-to needs a beam, and you need to choose leaves that can shelter you from wind and rain for a roof. Although you'll be given a sleeping bag for the night, putting together a basic lean-to isn't easy; you'll certainly need Captain Yang to help keep an eye on things..."

"Wait." Ning Chuyang had caught the key point and cut in, "You'll give us sleeping bags?"

"We will." Wang Daming noticed how Ning Chuyang suddenly seemed more spirited, but he replied warily, "But surely you can't just sleep in a sleeping bag out in the open?"

"Teacher Song..." Ning Chuyang suddenly turned her head, using an unfamiliar form of address with a voice of unprecedented honeyed sweetness, "Please... let me sleep on the floor in your little wooden cabin!"

Yu Nianbing's small fists suddenly clenched.

Miscalculated!

The moment Ning Chuyang, who always called Song Shiyue by name, uttered "Teacher Song," coupled with the context, Yu Nianbing had already guessed what she would say next.

Unfortunately, by then it was too late.

A bit uncharitable though it was, Yu Nianbing looked at Wang Daming and, for a moment, actually hoped that he, as a representative of the production team's will, would say something to uphold the rules.

However...

Wang Daming had come with guidance from Director Zhang and couldn't help recalling his words.

The guests were all pampered, and this day had been grueling enough. Due to some mishaps along the way, they had endured more than planned. Arriving at camp so late... so if someone strongly objected to the lodging arrangement, some flexibility wouldn't be out of the question.

Especially with the lean-tos— though they made for good viewing, it was already much later than expected. Actually building them would consume a great deal of time and effort, and toiling in the dark would be a bit unkind.

Anyway, there were plenty more segments like this later, so no need to rush it in one night.

Suppression breeds resistance; there was no need to push that far right now.

Wang Daming didn't know why Director Zhang's thinking kept changing by the day. But he would just do as he was told.

So when Ning Chuyang said that, Wang Daming acted as if he had indeed done his best but couldn't stop her wish, and said helplessly, "If Teacher Song agrees, it wouldn't be impossible..."

Perhaps having rehearsed for such an event too long, he blurted out his stance before Song Shiyue could respond.

At those words, the light in Yu Nianbing's and Ning Chuyang's eyes simultaneously dimmed and brightened.

"Teacher Song..." Ning Chuyang spoke up again eagerly.

Song Shiyue, under everyone's gaze, smiled and nodded.

Ha. For some reason, a cold laugh rang in Yu Nianbing's heart, startling even herself.

And the startlement wasn't over yet.

"Sure, you can have it. I was planning to go sleep at Teacher Yu's place tonight anyway," Song Shiyue said with a smile.

Ning Chuyang: ??

Everyone: ??

Wang Daming: ??

Yu Nianbing: ...Ha.

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