As Song Ai had predicted, after two more days of rain, the weather finally cleared up.
The moment the sun broke through, You Sa slid down from the tree and started running wildly across the beach, her arms wide open. Completely abandoning her idol image, she dashed around while shouting about how amazing it felt.
Kang Yu leaned on Song Ai for support as she climbed down. After a few days of rest, her injured foot felt much better, though she still couldn’t put too much weight on it.
Taking a deep breath to shake off the lingering gloom of the storm, she sighed with relief, “Ah, it feels so good to have the sun back.”
“Yeah, but the temperature is going to shoot right back up after all that rain. It’s only day six, I have no idea how we’re going to survive the rest of this,” Song Ai said, looking down at her clothes with a worried frown.
When they first packed, they had only focused on securing food and water, completely overlooking extra clothing. Now they were paying the price…even a basic change of clothes had become a luxury. She had never worn the same outfit for five or six days straight in her entire life.
“I can’t believe it’s only the sixth day…” He Xin couldn’t help but groan as she made her way down, feeling like she was hitting her absolute limit.
“Listen to your body first. Don’t push yourself too hard,” Gu Ming said, catching the tail end of the conversation as she climbed down, giving He Xin a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
He Xin offered a bitter smile. “Everything else is manageable, but the hygiene and laundry situation is just…”
As girls, personal hygiene was important. There was really no need to make their bodies suffer just for the sake of a reality show.
But since this was a team challenge, she felt bad quitting over personal comfort. Even Kang Yu was toughing it out with a sprained foot; she couldn’t just walk away over a lack of clean clothes.
“The weather should stay clear for the next few days. Once the temperature rises, clothes will dry quickly. Worst-case scenario, we wash them at night, let them hang, and put them back on the next morning,” Gu Ming suggested.
“And don’t worry about running out of water. We collected a lot while it was raining,” Gu Yan piped up, stepping closer to join them.
“Once it’s sunny, we can also distill seawater, or head back to our previous camp where there’s more fresh water. We can take a quick sponge bath when we have some free time,” Gu Ming added.
“Is a sponge bath really feasible?” Song Ai asked, glancing up at the drone that was constantly hovering and filming them.
“We’ll just give the director a heads-up,” Gu Ming replied smoothly.
“Plus, we still have three lifelines left,” Gu Yan added.
“Sigh, only day six…” He Xin groaned again.
“Stop counting the days! Come on, the sun is out…let’s head to the beach and catch some fish and shrimp!” Xu Wen climbed down holding a bucket, bursting with excitement.
“Yes, yes, let’s go! I’ve eaten so much porridge these past few days I feel like I’m turning into mush myself,” You Sa chimed in, running back to join them. She and Xu Wen hit it off instantly.
“Count me in too,” Yin Shi joined the group.
He Xin and Song Ai turned to look at Gu Ming, who shrugged and threw her hands up in mock defeat. “Well, looks like we’re having an unplanned team-building exercise. Let’s go.”
The sun-drenched beach was breathtaking, glowing with a brilliant golden hue. The various shells and ocean debris washed ashore by the tide immediately caught the attention of this group of exhausted survivalists, who began picking through them like treasure hunters.
Gu Yan found a quiet corner to search for anything useful or interesting. So far, she had scored three items: a massive conch shell that actually echoed the sound of crashing waves when held to the ear, a slightly chipped piece of mother-of-pearl, and a brownish-black sea urchin about the size of a fist.
Gu Yan recognized it immediately; it was a horse-dung sea urchin, known for having the sweetest flavor. Yan Ling had taken her to high-end Japanese restaurants a few times in the past, and she remembered how delicious steamed eggs with sea urchin tasted.
She figured she could look around the woods later for a bird’s nest. If she found some eggs, she could make a batch of steamed sea urchin eggs for Gu Ming.
But once she actually found the eggs and finished cooking, her initial wave of excitement suddenly fizzled out.
How could she have forgotten? Someone like Gu Ming had undoubtedly eaten the finest delicacies before. Back then, when Yan Ling saw her devouring the dish with such relish, hadn’t she mocked her, saying a stray chicken could never turn into a phoenix?
“Yan, what’s wrong? Wait, don’t tell me this isn’t for me?” Seeing Gu Yan stiffly pull her arm back, her eyes growing dim, Gu Ming quickly leaned in and teased her.
“Would you even want to eat this? You’ve probably had it so many times you’re sick of it,” Gu Yan mumbled softly, keeping her eyes downcast, not wanting Gu Ming to see the sudden wave of self-doubt swirling in them.
“Sick of it? I’ve never even had it before! Besides, if you made it, it’s bound to be delicious. Are you really going to deny me a bite?” Gu Ming pouted, looking at Gu Yan with a playfully pitiful expression.
“What do you mean delicious? Hey Captain, Gu Yan, you two can’t just hoard the food for yourselves!” You Sa, who was still busy digging for crabs on the mudflats, looked up and hollered across the beach.
“Go back to your crabs! Yan made this specifically for me, there’s none for the rest of you.” The dish hadn’t even touched her hands yet, and Gu Ming was already fiercely protecting her prize.
You Sa rolled her eyes dramatically, though she was too far away for Gu Ming to notice.
But the gesture brought a smile back to Gu Yan’s face, even if she hesitated a bit as she handed it over. “It’s my first time making it, so I’m not sure how it tastes…”
“It looks this beautiful on your first try, how could it possibly taste bad?” Gu Ming snatched it up and tossed it right into her mouth, completely tossing her elegant image out the window.
At first bite, everything seemed fine, but as she chewed, her expression shifted slightly.
Gu Yan had been watching her like a hawk. “Is it bad? If it tastes awful, spit it out.” Since they had limited seasonings, Gu Yan had only taken a tiny taste earlier and thought it was fine, but Gu Ming had taken a massive bite all at once.
Gu Ming swallowed it down in one gulp. “It’s not bad at all! How could it be? I just shoved too much into my mouth at once, so it felt a bit heavy.”
Gu Yan couldn’t tell if she was just being sweet or if she genuinely meant it, but either way, it made her incredibly happy.
A quiet smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she turned to pour Gu Ming some water to rinse her mouth.
Watching their seamless, private world, You Sa couldn’t help but sigh again. “Man, this trip is brutal. Not only do I have to suffer the elements, but I also have to sit here and watch people act all lovey-dovey.”
Gu Ming didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Just focus on your crabs.”
“I don’t want to dig anymore, it’s exhausting. Sigh, I wish someone would make me steamed eggs out of love too,” You Sa sighed dramatically, throwing playful, sidelong glances their way.
Gu Ming burst out laughing.
Gu Yan quietly suppressed a grin.
“Alright, you little glutton. No steamed eggs, but how about a coconut?” He Xin walked over out of nowhere, cradling a coconut in each arm.
You Sa’s eyes lit up instantly. She practically leaped across the sand, throwing herself onto He Xin. “Yes, yes, yes! Xin-jie, you are my literal goddess. I love you so much!”
“Ah, out with the old, in with the new. You called me your goddess just a minute ago,” Gu Ming teased, feigning heartbreak.
“Xin-jie is my newly minted goddess. As for you, you already have Gu Yan, so why are you still trying to flirt with me?” You Sa dove right into the melodrama, pretending to wipe away fake tears.
Gu Ming rubbed her arms, jokingly shivering from the sheer cringe of it all. “Alright, my dramatic child, level with us. This is getting a bit out of hand.”
You Sa just grinned.
“Hey, don’t write me off just because I’m in the music industry. I actually have an acting dream! Captain, you’ve won an award before…take a look and tell me if I have any raw talent.” You Sa immediately launched into a short, theatrical performance, likely copied from some drama she’d watched. Not only did she leave Gu Ming doubled over with laughter, but even Gu Yan couldn’t help but chuckle.
He Xin, along with Kang Yu and Song Ai who had just caught up, were in stitches. He Xin blurted out, “We don’t even need the Captain’s evaluation. I’ll personally pitch you to the director when we get back. You’d absolutely blow up as a comedic actress.”
“Hehe, I think so too! But my agency won’t let me. They’re afraid I’ll break into your circle and steal everyone’s jobs.”
“Don’t worry, I am more than happy to share my plate with you,” He Xin laughed uproariously.
Gu Ming nodded with a smile. “We’re not afraid of the competition. If you’re serious, go for it.”
“Are you for real? Because I will take you seriously. Like, completely seriously! I’m looking for gigs the second this show wraps up,” You Sa said, instantly energized.
“You won’t even need to look. I’ll find them for you,” He Xin said, trying and failing to hold back her laughter.
“If you’re truly interested, I can pull a few strings for you too,” Song Ai offered with a warm smile.
You Sa was practically vibrating with excitement. “It’s a deal then! My dazzling future in stardom rests entirely on your shoulders.”
“Don’t worry, a promise is a promise,” Gu Ming smiled.
With Gu Ming’s word locked in, You Sa was walking on air. “Just you wait! To repay your immense kindness, I am going back out there to catch crabs. Scratch that…I’m going to catch you a king crab!”
Before anyone could stop her, she bolted straight toward the ocean and dove headfirst into the waves. The entire group dissolved into a chorus of helpless, affectionate laughter.