Once everyone had collected their ingredients, there were no further tasks. The director sent them back to their respective lodgings, reminding them once more that no food would be provided for the next two days. Anything else they wanted would have to be earned using points.
Pei Zhiyun and Wen Ying had won a decent amount of food, so they weren’t particularly worried about getting through the next two days.
On the way back, Wen Ying carried the groceries and fruit, while Pei Zhiyun carried the seasonings. Out of the three baskets, the seasonings were the lightest, but Wen Ying refused to let Pei Zhiyun carry the heavier ones.
As for Little Doubao, she clung to the little crab she had brought back.
Before leaving the gathering spot, Little Doubao had asked Wen Ying to help unwrap the white cloth from the crab’s claws, saying it would be “uncomfortable” if left that way. Wen Ying knelt down to help, but warned her that once the claws were free, she could no longer grab the crab, or she might get bitten.
Little Doubao nodded. “I know, Mommy. I’ve been bitten before. It’s okay.”
Wen Ying looked up at Pei Zhiyun. Their eyes met, and Pei Zhiyun raised an eyebrow, a flicker of guilt crossing her gaze.
Last Mid-Autumn Festival, Gu Yan had bought two king crabs. Since she didn’t know how to cook them, she brought them all to Pei Zhiyun’s house. Although Pei Zhiyun knew the basics of cooking, she had never handled king crab before. Clueless, she had to look up tutorials online.
While she and Gu Yan were focused on the videos in the living room, Little Doubao had wandered out. Seeing the giant crabs, she couldn’t resist reaching out—only to get pricked by the shell. She had burst into uncontrollable tears.
Back then, she had sobbed, “Mommy, the big crab bit me! Waaa, it bit me!”
It took a long time for Pei Zhiyun to soothe her. Later, when the crab was steamed and the meat was served to her, Little Doubao ate more enthusiastically than anyone, her tears completely forgotten. Because she had been pricked, she assumed she had been “bitten,” and the memory had stuck with her ever since.
When the three returned home, Pei Zhiyun and Wen Ying dropped the ingredients in the kitchen. Pei Zhiyun then went to tend to the crab while Wen Ying stayed behind to organize the food.
Aside from raising Little Doubao, Pei Zhiyun had never kept a living thing—except for the plants on her balcony, which she frequently managed to kill. Looking at the little crab, she felt utterly at a loss. Should I put in water, sand, or both?
Normally, she would have searched for the answer on her phone, but since it had been confiscated, she had to rely on her own intuition.
She went outside, found some small pebbles, washed them clean, and layered them at the bottom of the box, including a few larger stones. Then, she fetched a bowl from the kitchen and poured several helpings of water into the container. Within moments, the box looked like a small aquarium.
Pei Zhiyun felt satisfied. But just as she picked up the crab to put it in, the cameraman filming nearby couldn’t help but speak up. “Teacher Pei, you don’t need to fill the bottom with water. Just put a small bowl of clean water inside.”
“Oh, right.” Embarrassed, Pei Zhiyun picked up the box and dumped the water into the vegetable garden, leaving only the pebbles behind.
She then found a small bowl, washed it, filled it with fresh water and a few pebbles, and placed it inside the box. Finally, she put the crab back in. As soon as it touched the stones, it began scuttling around restlessly.
The cameraman spoke again. “Teacher Pei, you could give it a little ‘house’ and maybe something to eat.”
“Okay.” Pei Zhiyun stood up to comply. Before leaving, she cautioned Little Doubao, “You absolutely cannot touch it, or you’ll get bitten and cry again.”
Little Doubao nodded with determination. “Don’t worry, Mommy. I won’t touch it ever again.”
Satisfied, Pei Zhiyun went to the kitchen. She saw that Wen Ying had already categorized the ingredients and placed the seasonings within easy reach.
“Where are our shrimp?” Pei Zhiyun asked.
Thinking she was hungry, Wen Ying turned to grab them. “Are you hungry? I can steam them for you.”
“No need,” Pei Zhiyun said as Wen Ying pulled them out. “I want to feed Little Doubao’s crab. I’m not sure what they eat, so I’ll try some shrimp meat.”
“Sure.” Wen Ying took out a tiger shrimp, peeled it, deveined it, and presented the pink meat. “Do you want it chopped?”
“…Sure.” Pei Zhiyun wasn’t sure either, but chopping it seemed like a better idea.
Wen Ying placed the shrimp on the cutting board. With a series of steady thud-thud-thuds of the heavy knife, she minced the shrimp into tiny pieces, then scraped them up with the blade to hand to Pei Zhiyun.
Pei Zhiyun took the food to the crab. Little Doubao remained crouched by the box, guarding her pet like a tiny sentry.
After washing her hands, Pei Zhiyun looked at the plastic lid. She took it to the kitchen, used the tip of a knife to poke several ventilation holes in it, and snapped it back onto the box. This served two purposes: it kept the crab from escaping, and it kept Little Doubao’s hands out.
Once finished, Pei Zhiyun stood by with her hands on her hips, feeling exhausted. Taking care of a crab felt just as taxing as taking care of a toddler. Still, she stayed close, not quite trusting Little Doubao alone with it.
As lunchtime approached, Pei Zhiyun stood up and pulled her long hair back. “I’ll go make lunch.”
“I’ll do it.” Wen Ying stood up and reached out to catch her arm. “You and Little Doubao rest. I’ll call you when it’s ready.”
Pei Zhiyun didn’t want her to do everything alone. “I can help.”
Wen Ying didn’t let go. “No, someone needs to watch Little Doubao. I’ve got this.” She headed to the kitchen, and soon, the steady, rhythmic sound of chopping drifted into the room.
Pei Zhiyun stayed behind to play with the little girl. Children seemed to have endless energy; despite being active since early morning, Little Doubao was still full of life and even tried to drag Pei Zhiyun outside.
Opposite their courtyard was a small stream. Little Doubao had been dying to play in the water. Though the stream looked clear and shallow, Pei Zhiyun didn’t feel safe letting her go. She picked the girl up and carried her back. “No. I’ll take you there with your other mother this afternoon. Not now. Mommy is cooking; let’s go check on her.”
“Mommy, I want to play in the water,” Little Doubao whined, acting spoiled against her shoulder. “Just for a little bit!”
Pei Zhiyun remained firm. “Not even for a second.”
Just as Little Doubao was about to continue her tantrum, Pei Zhiyun gave her a stern look. The little girl immediately silenced herself and allowed herself to be carried back.
As they entered the courtyard, the sound of sizzling oil filled the air. Inside the kitchen, Wen Ying was stir-frying. On the side lay a freshly steamed crucian carp, garnished with shredded ginger and green onions.
Seeing them at the door, Wen Ying reached for the salt, tossed a spoonful into the wok, gave it a few quick flips, and covered it with a lid. “Hungry? I’ll bring the fish over. If you two are starving, go ahead and start without me.”
She reached for the plate. Pei Zhiyun stepped back with Little Doubao to clear the way. Wen Ying set the fish on the table and returned to the kitchen to scoop three bowls of rice. Since Little Doubao ate very little, Wen Ying only gave her a small portion, planning to refill it later if needed.
As Wen Ying placed the bowls before them, Pei Zhiyun opened her mouth to say thank you. Suddenly, a violent surge of heat rushed from the glands at the back of her neck, spreading rapidly toward her chest.
With the camera still rolling, Pei Zhiyun instinctively clenched her fists, forcing the sensation down. Her throat felt parched, as if she hadn’t had a drop of water in days.
It was her heat cycle.
But how? She had just gone through one before the filming started. How could it be back in less than ten days? Usually, her cycles occurred every three or four months. In over twenty years, this had never happened.
Wen Ying, oblivious, spoke to the child. “Little Doubao, are you hungry? The vegetables are almost done. Just a moment more.”
“Okay!” Little Doubao sat obediently.
“Good girl.” Wen Ying smiled, then instinctively turned to look at Pei Zhiyun.
Something was wrong. Pei Zhiyun’s face and ears were flushed a deep red, her eyes were misty, and her entire body was stiff with tension.
“Zhiyun, are you—”
“The vegetables should be ready. I’ll go check.” Pei Zhiyun stood abruptly and bolted for the kitchen. Before the cameraman could even react, she was gone.
Wen Ying stood up, watching her retreat with a concerned gaze.
Inside the kitchen, Pei Zhiyun lifted the lid and began stirring the cabbage mindlessly. This heat had caught her completely off guard. She was entirely unprepared.
Before the show, the production team had mentioned that filming would be controlled within two months—three at the absolute most. Consequently, she hadn’t brought any suppressants or scent-blocking patches. Her heat usually lasted seven days. If she had to go buy some now… Pei Zhiyun couldn’t bring herself to face that embarrassment.
Another wave of heat hit her. With no cameras in the kitchen, her brow furrowed deeply, and her stirring became more frantic.
Wen Ying had noticed her distress. Seeing how quickly she had fled, Wen Ying soothed Little Doubao and then walked into the kitchen, her gaze softly tracing Pei Zhiyun’s profile.