Chapter 19: Are We Sour Fish Soup?
Chi Qian picked up the untouched rabbit leg from her bowl and handed it to her. “Here, eat.”
Yuan You’er’s eyes lit up. “R-really? For me?”
“Of course. Hurry, eat.”
“Thank you, thank you.” Yuan You’er’s face flushed red as she carefully accepted it, nibbling the meat in tiny bites.
“You had another fight with your sister?” Chi Qian squatted at the doorway, eating while chatting with her.
Yuan You’er squatted too, whispering complaints: “She’s not my sister. I hate her. I don’t even want to be on this show.”
Sounded complicated.
Chi Qian propped her chin, waiting for her to finish eating before sending her back.
From the tree above, a squirrel stuffed its cheeks and began chattering away—sparking Chi Qian’s gossip antenna.
“Squeak squeak squeak…”
Chi Qian: Really??
“Blah blah blah…”
Chi Qian: That outrageous??
“Chirp chirp chirp…”
Chi Qian: Holy crap! No way—so Yuan You’er’s dad is a total scumbag?!
After the encrypted conversation ended, Chi Qian smacked her lips. The fresh hot gossip the squirrel had just fed her nearly choked her.
No wonder Yuan Yaya and Yuan You’er’s relationship was so off.
What a drama.
After dinner, the program team didn’t pull any more stunts.
The peace lasted only until the next morning.
The crew banged violently on doors, waking all the guests, and dumped them into the wilderness.
Their eyes were covered with black cloth, only uncovered once they arrived.
The crew announced: they could only keep three personal items.
Other teams chose knives, containers, or even camping tents—Shen Jing pulled out a folding tent.
[Can anyone tell me what Chi Qian is doing?]
[Five days of wilderness survival, and she brought a thermos, lollipops, and a self-heating hotpot—what is this??]
[Seriously? Does she think this is a picnic? Could she at least bring something useful?]
When Chi Fengxiao saw her choices, he nudged her: “Help me pick what to bring?”
Chi Qian pointed at his three items—all food.
“All food?”
“Yep. Trust me.” Chi Qian’s face was full of confidence.
Gu Hua laughed: “Qian Qian, a little food is fine, but in the wild what really matters are survival tools—they’ll help us go further.”
Qin Yue nodded. “Gu Hua’s right. Too much food is just a burden. If you’re not sure what to pick, I can help.”
He smiled so brightly, not a trace of gloom.
But still buzzing from the rabbit feast, Chi Fengxiao retorted unhappily: “Mind your own business.”
Qin Yue sighed. “Brother Chi, I’m only trying to help. In situations like this, you really can’t let kids get away with being reckless.”
Chi Qian chuckled.
“What are you laughing at?” Qin Yue frowned.
Chi Qian said, “I’m laughing at Zhou Yu without strategy, Zhuge Liang without wisdom. I’m laughing at someone so young, yet already reeking of fatherly condescension.”
“I was just kindly reminding you all—”
“Do you know why Little Ming’s grandma lived to be ninety-nine? Because she never meddled in other people’s business.”
Qin Yue’s handsome face flushed red, and he stormed off in frustration.
[Has Film Emperor Chi been cursed or something? How could he blindly trust everything Chi Qian says without even bringing any supplies?]
[Yue-yue, don’t bother with them. Reality will teach them a lesson soon enough!]
[Feels like every time Film Emperor Chi gets involved with Chi Qian, he completely loses his sense of judgment.]
[My brother’s protecting his niece. Since when is it anyone else’s place to comment? If they’ve got the guts, let them go five days without eating a thing!]
The barrage was chaotic, the live chat fighting fiercely over this round of supply distribution.
At the center of the storm, Chi Qian kept her hands tucked in her pockets, calm as ever.
Even if this was just a summer job, she’d rather starve others and stuff herself.
Once everyone picked their supplies, the director announced, “This survival challenge officially begins now! Each of you must rely on your own abilities to survive here for over five days, and you must locate the safe house to call for external rescue!”
“The production team will no longer provide any assistance!”
“And of course, no matter when or where, don’t forget your public image. Even in a life-and-death crisis, you must remain beautiful!”
Chi Qian understood. Even in death, they had to die gorgeously.
No wonder it was called Escape, the Idol’s Way.
Twisted. She liked it.
As the production crew quickly withdrew, only GPS drones remained, following and live-streaming their every move.
Shen Jing suggested, “Since we have strength in numbers, we shouldn’t split up.”
Qin Yue agreed, “That’s my thought too. First, we need to find a water source and set up camp. Then we can look for food.”
Gu Hua volunteered eagerly, “I know how to find water quickly. Leave that to me.”
Ling Qian looked at her with admiration, his gaze so gentle it could drown a person.
Yuan Yaya said softly, “You’re all amazing, you’ve clearly done your homework. My sister and I will just wait to ride your coattails to victory.”
Yuan You’er rolled her eyes.
Chi Fengxiao instinctively asked Chi Qian, “Should we stick with them or split off?”
Chi Qian blinked. “You’re the adult. You decide.”
“…Right,” Chi Fengxiao almost forgot—he was supposed to be the one in charge.
Weird. Why did it feel like something was making him forget that?
After more than an hour with no sign of water, the group grew restless.
“Gu Hua, how much farther to the water source?” Yuan Yaya’s legs were trembling.
“Almost there. It should be nearby,” Gu Hua insisted.
Another half hour passed.
“Gu Hua, how much longer?” Qin Yue panted heavily.
“Soon. It has to be close.”
Another thirty minutes…
Everyone’s faces were sour.
Gu Hua, carefully checking the soil’s moisture, was under huge pressure. She had done her homework before coming, but to mess up right on the first step—it was humiliating.
“Please hold on a little longer. The soil’s wetter now, that means water must be close!” She flushed red as she pushed aside a thicket on the right.
Suddenly, Chi Qian said, “Go left. There’s a river up ahead.”
“You again?” Gu Hua forced a laugh. “Are you just guessing? What if you’re wrong and we all get lost?”
“At least that would waste less time than following you,” Chi Fengxiao shot back.
He never had much affection for this niece. He only remembered how clingy she was with him, while treating everyone else in the family coldly.
Even back then, he had known her ambitions were too strong. Just because she was family didn’t mean he had to be close.
Gu Hua was stunned that her third uncle would speak to her like that. For a moment, she was crushed.
Ling Qian gave Chi Qian a cold look before comforting Gu Hua: “You’ve already tried your best. Whether they listen is up to them. Let’s keep going. I trust your judgment.”
Gu Hua’s eyes lit up. “Thank you, Brother Qian.”
Chi Qian couldn’t be bothered anymore. She could see Gu Hua was just gambling on a chance that didn’t exist.
A waste of time.
She leapt onto the nearest tree, then called down to Chi Fengxiao: “Uncle, follow me.”
“What—”
Before he could finish, he watched her grab a hanging vine and swing forward like she was on a playground swing.
Then she caught the vine of the next tree and swung again…
If someone had added a triumphant “Woohoo!” sound effect, it would have been a live-action scene of humans devolving into apes.
Her stunt left the whole group speechless.
Yuan You’er gaped. “Uncle Chi, is Chi Qian actually… a monkey in disguise?”
Chi Fengxiao: “…You’re mistaken. That’s not Chi Qian.”
“That’s the Monkey King.”
Shen Jing kindly reminded him, “Little Chi, aren’t you going to chase her?”
Chi Fengxiao suddenly snapped out of it: !
Crap! Where did that monkey swing off to?!
