Day three on Pearl Island.
The beloved older folks, along with Xing Xing and Wen Han, enjoyed a breakfast featuring local bread from a hidden gem bakery known only to the islanders.
The basket of bread that Wen Nuan brought was a delight just to look at, let alone taste.
This local bakery uses yeast from various tropical fruits unique to the island to ferment the dough, giving the bread a uniquely wonderful texture and aroma.
There were cute, chubby, palm-sized apple dinner rolls filled with candied apple cubes and sprinkled with a charming layer of cinnamon powder. They were wonderfully sweet all on their own.
Then there were the long, soft-crusted Polish bread loaves, their surfaces brushed with egg wash until they were a beautiful golden yellow, with a rich buttery aroma. They weren’t very sweet themselves, but paired with Wen Nuan’s homemade sweet and tangy local pineapple jam, one bite could turn you into a sweet-and-sour beauty!
There were also sea salt and sweet almond milk crust toast slices, whole wheat pumpkin seed and sesame artisan bread, a slightly hard but increasingly fragrant corn coarse grain bread, honey crispbread with melted cheese and coconut flakes, red bean bagels…
Even Wen Han, who was so disciplined he barely touched carbs except on “high-carbon” days, couldn’t resist having a slice of the whole wheat pumpkin seed and sesame bread.
Chu Xing Xing wasn’t as strict about her diet as Wen Han.
She always felt that for girls, completely cutting out carbs or drastically reducing them just to get skinny could lead to serious consequences.
Bad mental state, emotional instability, slower metabolism, hair loss, and even saying goodbye to your monthly visitor.
So, for the sake of her health, she made sure to get enough carbs.
[Bread lovers are absolutely in heaven right now!]
[You’re starting a food show this early in the morning, wuwuwu, who can resist this?]
[Carb addicts are in love! Xing Xing and the others are so lucky, Wen Xuelan just went for a walk and met such a nice person!]
[Shove it in my mouth! Stuff it in my mouth! I can resist the others, but not that cinnamon apple roll!!!]
The fans in the comment section were practically crying from hunger.
They were even having illusions through their screens, as if they could smell all the wonderful aromas coming from that bread basket.
Just then, a small wave of fans who had wandered over from the Let’s Travel Together livestream also entered the Grandma’s Journey livestream.
Initially, most fans and viewers of Let’s Travel Together hadn’t taken Grandma’s Journey seriously at all. Any time they did wander over, it was usually with the mindset of seeing just how unpopular this group could be.
But they never expected that after watching with a curious mindset for a while, they’d find themselves getting more and more hooked.
Compared to the drama-filled, fake “travel” variety show of Let’s Travel Together, which thrived on conflict, many ordinary viewers were genuinely tired of the endless hair-pulling arguments.
Even those who loved gossip couldn’t stand eating rotten, tasteless melons.
Eleven guests in total, yet there were thirteen small chat groups. It was absolutely ridiculous.
Instead, watching the entirely laid-back, food-and-fun-loving, serious travel show Grandma’s Journey felt more and more pleasant, and they forgot they had come to mock the “unpopular” cast.
Many fans stopped being so picky and critical. Without even realizing it, they started treating Let’s Travel Together as the direct opposite of Grandma’s Journey.
[Just wandered over from next door, Let’s Travel Together. The breakfast difference is huge! Hahahahaha]
[I strongly suspect CBM Entertainment is doing this on purpose. Playing the “build them up to knock them down” game? First, they hype up Let’s Travel Together, then let everyone down. Then everyone sees Grandma’s Journey and thinks, ‘Oh! How refreshing!’]
[I don’t really care what CBM Entertainment’s original intention was. I definitely prefer watching Grandma’s Journey. Isn’t it great, following the beautiful star Xing Xing and actor Wen Han on their morning exercises, learning health tips from the grandmas, and watching the beloved older folks on their food-and-travel daily life?]
[Seriously, how lucky are we to have Xing Xing lead our morning exercises?]
[Pfft, hahaha, am I the only one obsessed with doing the digestion exercises after meals with Xing Xing and the grandmas? Now I do them with my parents and grandmother every day. My grandmother and dad’s long-term constipation has improved a lot!]
[Huh? What new stunt is the other show pulling now? A bunch of fans keep coming into our comment section at random times?]
[The class representative is here! Over on Let’s Travel Together, a few of the guys said they were tired of instant noodles. Led by Jiang Chang’an, they made a bamboo raft and fishing rods yesterday. Today, they’re planning to come to Pearl Island’s mangrove forest to fish and catch crabs.]
[It seems Tian Mengtong is also coming along. She feels the other female guests don’t like playing with her, so she’s clinging to Jiang Chang’an wherever she goes. I wonder if that bamboo raft can fit that many people?]
[From what I saw, that bamboo raft doesn’t look very sturdy… Jiang Chang’an designed it himself (:з」∠)]
[I just want to see Jiang Chang’an’s “genius” image fall apart (no, really)]
[Huh? Are you allowed to fish and catch crabs in the Pearl Island mangrove forest? I thought it was a nature reserve.]
[I remember that most of the Pearl Island mangrove forest area isn’t a protected zone. You can fish and set crab and shrimp traps. Some areas don’t allow it, but they’re clearly marked. The production team probably helped the guests get fishing permits, so no need to worry about that.]
Jiang Changsheng and the head director looked at the backend data, both finding it a bit unbelievable.
The Grandma’s Journey livestream had twenty thousand viewers early in the morning.
And as the broadcast continued, the viewership numbers kept climbing steadily.
And this wasn’t even the weekend. If it were Saturday prime time tomorrow, based on the data curve, the Grandma’s Journey livestream could reach at least sixty or seventy thousand viewers.
For a variety show with zero initial promotion or star power, that was incredibly impressive data.
—
Pearl Island Beachfront Private Villa.
Over here, Chu Xing Xing and the others had already finished breakfast and had no idea that the group from Let’s Travel Together had plans to land on the island.
Even if she did know, she wouldn’t really care.
Because next up was Chu Xing Xing, the grandmas’ dear darling’s, favorite time of day – Tea Time.
Each of the four grandmas brewed different teas based on their tastes and moods.
Chu Xing Xing would cadge a few cups from each of them every single day.
Sheng Shuwen, the powerful business tycoon grandma, preferred oolong tea with a coffee-like aroma in the mornings. It helped boost her mental state and focus, as well as promote metabolism.
A single cup of dark oolong tea suited Grandam Sheng’s capable, strong-willed businesswoman aura perfectly.
Wen Xuelan, the high-society actress queen, preferred mixed fruit and flower teas with a black tea base in the mornings.
The robust aroma of the black tea blended wonderfully with the fruits and flowers, and the tea’s polyphenols also helped refresh the mind.
The fruit and flower tea, brewed in a glass pot, looked beautiful in the sunlight and matched the glamorous, jewel-adorned Wen Xuelan perfectly.
Grandma Jiang Yaoyao, who had the youngest heart of the four, preferred buying all sorts of新奇新奇 (xīnqí – novel/interesting) flavored tea drinks from the supermarket. Too lazy to brew them, she’d just pour them into a cup and heat them in the microwave – pretty much the same as any young person today.
Grandma Ai Minli, the most meticulous about taking care of her throat, had the most complex tea-brewing process and the largest selection of teas on hand.
Besides the panax notoginseng flower tea and licorice tea she used for daily throat maintenance, Grandma Ai Minli also brewed honeysuckle tea to clear heat, detoxify, and moisten the lungs and stop coughs, or honey lemon green tea to effectively relieve throat inflammation and soften the vocal cords.
In Grandma Ai’s suitcase, there was a dedicated section for her travel stash of tea bags. When opened, there were over a dozen of her own custom-blended tea bags – it was quite a sight.
Today, Chu Xing Xing, as usual, cadged four small cups of tea from her four beloved older folks.
Boosted her energy, promoted her metabolism, refreshed her mind, satisfied her craving taste buds, cleared her lungs and moistened her throat…
Hehe, four times the healthy happiness!
[Hahaha, is Xing Xing just making a big health potluck?]
[I get it now, Xing Bao really cherishes her life, hahahaha.]
[Honestly, after Xing Xing became the grandmas’ healthy-living pampered pet, her complexion really has been getting better day by day.]
[Lately, I’ve been chugging a big bottle of oolong tea every morning like Grandma Sheng. I haven’t controlled my diet, but I’ve lost three pounds this week!]
[I asked my mom to get the tea bags like Grandma Ai Minli’s from the pharmacy. My persistent cough, a leftover from having COVID, has really improved a lot.]
[Xing Xing must have a really good stomach. It’s fine that she drinks a little bit of each, but if she drank too much, I’d be worried…]
[No way! The four teas the grandmas drink don’t have any conflicting ingredients. And Xing Bao drinks very little of each, just a taste. Beautiful women don’t have those kinds of problems!]
—
Seaside Villa Living Room.
“So, we have a few itinerary options for today,”
Chu Xing Xing put down her honeysuckle tea, pulled out her notebook where she’d done all her research, and sat down opposite the grandmas, looking as serious as if she were reporting to her boss.
“Option one: head to a nearby uninhabited island for snorkeling and deep-sea fishing.
Option two: go on a 4×4 off-road vehicle jungle adventure. We can even sit on the roof of the car and experience a Tarzan-style jungle zipline.
Option three: cave exploration…”
Chu Xing Xing paused, observing the grandmas’ expressions.
It seemed like these activities hadn’t really piqued the beloved older folks’ interest?
Chu Xing Xing had done her homework beforehand. Most of the island tour activities she’d picked were relatively calm outdoor activities without intense physical exertion.
First, she was worried about the grandmas’ physical capabilities.
Second, she had to admit she was playing into some stereotypes.
Luckily, Chu Xing Xing had kept one trick up her sleeve, ready to pull out the “big guns” anytime!
“Ahem…” Chu Xing Xing cleared her throat and flipped to another page in her little notebook.
“Option four: drive and ride all-terrain ATVs to explore the mangroves, go tropical waterfall rafting, and experience flying bird paramotors for sunset viewing…”
Grandma Sheng was the first to speak up: “ATVs, that sounds a bit interesting.”
“What are ATVs?” Grandma Jiang Yaoyao asked.
“They’re like this,” Chu Xing Xing explained, “Also known as all-terrain vehicles. They’re four-wheeled motorcycles with low-pressure tires and a V-twin engine. They’re suitable for all kinds of off-road terrain, including climbing steep slopes and going through water.”
As she explained, Chu Xing Xing temporarily “commandeered” Wen Han’s tablet to show the grandmas videos of people driving ATVs.
In the video, a wild plum-red ATV roared noisily as the driver, wearing a helmet, goggles, and a cool bandana, sped through the jungle, splashing through muddy puddles.
For Chu Xing Xing, driving an ATV was no challenge at all. She’d call it routine for their apocalypse suicide squad.
Traveling through jungles or abandoned cities, an ATV was a good choice. Its off-road capability was something even the best 4×4 vehicles couldn’t match. It offered a great driving experience and was incredibly thrilling.
But in peaceful, modern society, ATVs aren’t street-legal. You can only trailer them to deserted wilderness areas to drive them, making it a pretty niche hobby.
“This is great, this is great! I like it!” Wen Xuelan, whose driving skills had been praised by several of her older sisters, was very interested.
“Mm, I’m very interested too,” Grandma Ai Minli nodded in agreement.
Little Grandma Jiang’s eyes lit up: “I don’t really know how to drive, but just sitting next to someone would be so thrilling! Let’s go play this, okay?”
The other three grandmas all looked at their big sister, Sheng Shuwen.
“I have all the route details right here,” Chu Xing Xing handed her little notebook to Grandma Sheng.
“Let me see. Xing Xing’s plans are very detailed, her preparation is thorough, and the route arrangement is suitable. She’s a very organized child. Worthy of praise.”
Sheng Shuwen put on her reading glasses, smiled warmly at Chu Xing Xing, and looked at the notebook. “So, how about we drive ATVs in the mangroves this morning, go snorkeling in the afternoon, and take the paramotors to watch the sunset in the evening?”
“Agreed!” The three grandmas raised their hands in enthusiastic approval.
“Sounds great!” Chu Xing Xing’s little face was full of surprise. These were activities she really wanted to do too!
[Hahaha! The grandmas are so cool!!!]
[The beloved older folks are so adorable, liking such thrilling travel activities, hahaha!]
[I thought the grandmas would go for flower arranging or afternoon tea. I didn’t expect each of them to be so wild at heart?!]
[Wow! The grandmas are talking about activities I wouldn’t dare to try!]
The only person who held a dissenting opinion was Wen Han.
“Isn’t this… a bit too thrilling? Can your heart rates handle it?” Wen Han’s forehead twitched, and he spoke with some concern.
Grandma Sheng said firmly, “When we were young, we were so busy all the time. When we took the kids on trips, it was all about what they wanted to play. We mothers were just there to watch their stuff and take care of them. We never got a chance to do what we wanted.
Sure, we’re older now, but we’re not completely ancient yet, are we? It’s not like we’re skydiving or bungee jumping – those are extreme sports. Riding an ATV is just like driving a car. Riding a paramotor is no different from riding a helicopter. What’s there to worry about?”
[Wuwuwu, Grandma Sheng’s phrase ‘not completely ancient yet’ suddenly made me a little sad.]
[Everything Grandma Sheng said is the truth. Women of that era, even powerful ones like Grandma Sheng who are thousands of times more capable than men, couldn’t escape the trap of being ‘virtuous women’.]
[It seems Grandma Sheng has finally let go and wants to live for herself.]
[She reminds me of my own grandmother. That old lady truly sacrificed herself her whole life, only ever thinking about the kids, the grandkids, her husband.]
[When the edited episode airs this weekend, I’m going to watch Grandma’s Journey with my grandparents. I want them to see how cool people their age can be!]
[Seeing Xing Xing and the grandmas’ daily life has made me start planning to take my own grandmother on a trip this summer!]
“Exactly, Big Sister is right! I really want to play too, but there’s just…”
Wen Xuelan agreed, then turned and playfully glared at Wen Han.
“There’s also a certain child who, ever since he was little, when we took him on trips, whether to amusement parks or doing various activities…”
“Mom, please don’t say any more.”
Wen Han interrupted Wen Xuelan, shaking his head with a smile and finishing her sentence: “It’s me, like you said. I never want to do anything. It’s always ‘I don’t want to play this’ and ‘I don’t want to play that’.”
“Pfft…” Chu Xing Xing couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
These two, mother and son, were too funny. Does a relationship like theirs even exist?
[Hahaha! Wen Han: ‘Mom, just say my name and show my ID card already?’]
[Xing Xing was that kind of kid? She didn’t even like amusement parks!]
[This is such a cute contrast! I never imagined Wen Han was such a serious little kid, hahaha!]
[Wen Han really grew up in such a wonderful environment. No wonder he’s so emotionally stable and so friendly to everyone.]
—
In the end, Chu Xing Xing helped her beloved older folks finalize their “thrilling” yet relaxing travel plan for the second-to-last day on the island.
First, they would head to the Mangrove Forest ATV Base in the morning for a two-hour all-terrain off-road experience.
The off-road activity would include prior training and be led by professional instructors and guides, allowing them to deeply explore the unique wetland mangroves of Pearl Island.
For lunch, Chu Xing Xing had made reservations at a beachfront restaurant along Dana Coastline.
The row of restaurants on Dana Coastline offered an excellent ocean view, allowing them to feast their eyes while filling their bellies.
Plus, Dana Coastline was not far from their seaside villa, making it convenient for them to return to the villa for an afternoon nap.
The first activity on the afternoon’s agenda was deep-sea fishing.
They could depart directly from the villa’s private beach, and the waters where the fish gathered were near the uninhabited island.
It would work out perfectly so that after fishing, they could take the paramotors from a nearby beach to watch Pearl Island’s most beautiful sunset.
With the itinerary set, the group set off for the mangroves.
—
Mangrove Forest ATV Base.
The base manager and several instructors looked at the four little old ladies standing in a row, dressed like a special forces unit, and felt somewhat at a loss.
Most people who come to ride ATVs are young people or middle-aged tourists, mostly men.
Driving an ATV requires a lot of strength and control. Most women who don’t know how to drive don’t have much upper body strength; they can’t even hold the handlebars firmly. Giving it just a little gas can send the vehicle flying forward. Without good speed control, it’s easy to get hurt.
So the instructors habitually suggest that girls sit in the back seat or passenger seat and just enjoy the scenery as passengers.
These four formidable-looking little old ladies each wore oversized sunglasses that covered half their faces.
They had different colored silk scarves tied around their necks, some even using the scarves to wrap their heads. They wore camouflage outdoor outfits and hiking boots.
One young, slender girl and a tall, long-legged, muscular handsome guy stood beside the old ladies like “bodyguards.”
The instructors were completely thrown off and had no idea how to arrange things.
“This lady doesn’t know how to ride a motorcycle. Everyone else needs one vehicle each.”
Chu Xing Xing stepped forward to communicate with the staff, pointing at Grandma Jiang Yaoyao. “Can this lady ride the instructor’s vehicle?”
“Of course, of course,” the staff member gestured in broken English.
For safety’s sake, the production team even measured the four grandmas’ blood pressure beforehand, only letting them go after confirming there were no issues.
After careful training, the group of five was ready to follow the guide into the mangroves for their adventure.
What surprised Chu Xing Xing was how quickly the grandmas picked it up.
And their driving style was quite bold, not at all like the overly cautious and careful driving one might imagine from older people.
On the contrary, of the four grandmas, the calmest and most composed, Big Sister Sheng, was the most aggressive driver.
Grandma Sheng’s look today was especially cool. Her sunglasses were in a windproof style, and she wore a gray-black camouflage outdoor outfit. She sped up crazily on the practice track and even pulled off a cool drifting spin move.
“Auntie Sheng! Be careful…”
That move scared Wen Han half to death.
Wen Han almost made an overseas call right then and there to Sheng Luzhi, demanding that Sheng Luzhi sign a liability waiver with him immediately.
Just in case something happened to Grandma Sheng on the show and Sheng Luzhi came back later to blame him.
Chu Xing Xing, on the other hand, took off her helmet and gloves, stood up first from her off-road motorcycle, and led the applause for Grandma Sheng. “Grandma Sheng, cool!”
Chu Xing Xing wore a form-fitting dark green jumpsuit today with a scarf of the same color tied around her neck, black leather boots, and black gloves. Her pretty, delicate face had a touch of wild beauty, like a little wildcat of the jungle.
Grandma Sheng smiled, raised her hand, and made a “piece of cake” gesture at Chu Xing Xing. It was incredibly cute.
[Holy cow! So cool!!! I’m impressed by the grandmas!]
[Those ATVs look really fun. I want to go too!]
[This totally overturns my stereotype of elderly people. So cool!]
[Ah! That dark green jumpsuit Xing Xing is wearing is so pretty. Is it from Saci too? I’m totally lusting after it!]
[The black leather gloves and boots Xing Xing paired with it are just stunning!]
[Wen Han looks good in his all-black outfit too, but he’s totally being upstaged by Xing Xing and the grandmas, hahaha.]
[Marking this itinerary. I feel like I can just directly copy the Pearl Island itinerary Chu Xing Xing designed for the grandmas!]
—
Having driven all kinds of off-road vehicles frequently in the apocalypse, Chu Xing Xing could tell that Grandma Sheng was a skilled driver.
More importantly, during her days with the grandmas, Chu Xing Xing had clearly noticed that people often tend to misunderstand older people.
For example, people subconsciously think older people don’t have much strength and could be knocked over easily.
It’s true that some elderly people are in poor health and might be like that.
But her four beloved older folks were not weak at all. Their strength was no less than that of young people. In fact, their stamina and energy were better than a lot of young people’s.
A big reason for that was that young people living in this peaceful and happy era haven’t experienced the hardships the grandmas went through when they were young.
The grandmas driving the off-road motorcycles had very strong arms. They held the handlebars steadily and their control was impeccable.
So Chu Xing Xing wasn’t at all worried that they wouldn’t be able to control the off-road bikes.
—
The training ended.
The guide’s blue two-seater ATV led the way, with Grandma Jiang Yaoyao sitting on it, waving happily at everyone behind her.
Behind the guide’s off-road bike followed Grandma Sheng Shuwen, then Grandma Ai Minli and Wen Xuelan.
Chu Xing Xing and Wen Han brought up the rear, with an instructor following them as well.
The main group headed deep into the mangrove forest.
The ATV engines made a loud, harsh roaring sound. Chu Xing Xing could feel the vibration of the engine through the handlebars.
The four huge wheels rolled over the rugged ground, making a dull noise and kicking up mud and gravel.
Traveling over terrain with varying slopes, the ATV’s wheels would bounce depending on the conditions. Chu Xing Xing skillfully maneuvered the handlebars and throttle, occasionally calling out to the grandmas ahead to watch out for steep inclines to avoid losing control or flipping over.
Wherever this convoy, made up mostly of grandmas, passed, dust and dirt filled the air.
So cool!
After driving for over twenty minutes, the guide led them deep into the mangrove forest.
The ground was no longer the dry gravel path from when they entered.
The soil became damp and muddy. Tall sea apple trees, purple-backed mangroves, and black pines intertwined their root systems, forming a grey-green barrier.
The sea nearby was calm and serene. Water birds occasionally skimmed its surface, darting among the mangroves.
The guide signaled for everyone to stop, put a finger to his lips in a “shh” gesture, and had them get off their vehicles to observe a group of newly hatched wild ducklings.
“Wow… so cute!” Chu Xing Xing exclaimed silently.
The grandmas were also charmed by the scene in front of them.
By the water’s edge, a grey-white mother duck was the first to jump into the water.
The mother duck turned her head, quacked a few times, and then swam away, wiggling her tail.
Behind her on the shore, seven or eight fluffy grey wild ducklings huddled together nervously.
You could tell the little ones hadn’t been in the water much yet. They were all bunched up, bumping into each other.
Urged on by their mother, one fluffy little creature finally fluttered its small wings and jumped into the water, creating a series of ripples.
Then, more ducklings plopped, plopped, plopped into the water, imitating their mother’s wiggling movements and using their long beaks to chase after small fish and shrimp in the water.
[Ah! Baby animals are just so healing, aren’t they?]
[I feel like I could watch ducklings swim all morning. It’s so relaxing and therapeutic!]
[I really want to pet a duckling. When I was little, I raised those colorful chicks they sold outside the school gate. They were so soft and cute!]
[The slow pace of this variety show is just so comfortable. The cameraman deserves an extra chicken leg for making Xing Bao and the grandmas look so beautiful!]
Just as the comment section was all peaceful and harmonious, with Chu Xing Xing, Wen Han, and the beloved older folks preparing to continue following the guide, the calm and serene atmosphere was broken.
Chu Xing Xing stopped in her tracks and frowned.
A few somewhat familiar voices drifted over from the water not far away—
“Ah! Damn it! Su Wei, don’t push me!”
“Shit… Xiao Xiong! You bastard, did you just trip me on purpose?!”
“Ah! I can’t swim… I don’t know how to swim…”
“Damn, I told you not to touch those wild duck eggs! You’ve thrown the whole raft off balance, you idiot!”
“It’s not his fault for touching the eggs! Why do you have to blame him right away?!”
A relatively calm male voice spoke up: “Everyone, calm down! Don’t panic! The water isn’t deep here, and we’re all wearing life jackets. Let’s get to the shore first, quickly! And try to save the bamboo raft…”
“Chang’an-gege, help me!”
As soon as that sweet, sticky, slightly panicked, coquettish female voice came out, Chu Xing Xing understood an old saying.
They were fated to meet, this rival couple.
Why did she keep running into these two main characters from the book wherever she went?
They just wouldn’t leave her alone…
—
“Are they our people? Did some of the production team’s kids run into trouble?” Grandma Wen Xuelan also stopped.
Little Grandma Jiang had already climbed onto the guide’s vehicle but got back down again. “It sounds like the guests from Let’s Travel Together. The voices sound familiar, but I’m not entirely sure?”
Grandma Ai Minli usually kept a cold face, but she was very kind-hearted. “Should we go take a look? If they need help out here in the middle of nowhere, it’ll be hard to find anyone. We should help if we can.”
“Xing Xing, Wen Han, let’s go have a look,” Grandma Sheng Shuwen said, taking the lead and walking towards the direction of the voices.
Chu Xing Xing didn’t agree or disagree. She just followed behind Grandma Sheng, ready to watch the excitement.
Wen Han also followed, his expression normal, showing no particular emotion.
The grandmas had kind and gentle hearts. Even when facing younger people they didn’t particularly admire, if they saw they were genuinely in trouble, they’d lend a hand.
Wen Han was also a gentle and emotionally stable person. If anyone asked for his help, as long as it wasn’t an unreasonable request, he almost never refused.
Besides, the grandmas and Wen Han only knew that Tian Mengtong wasn’t a very upright person. They didn’t know what Tian Mengtong had done to Chu Xing Xing, nor did they know the kind of person Jiang Chang’an would become in the future.
And they had heard calls for help, so wanting to lend a hand was a normal reaction. Chu Xing Xing completely understood that.
It’s just that… she was someone who held a grudge.
If someone who had done her no wrong or had shown her kindness asked for help, Chu Xing Xing would offer assistance within her ability.
But help Tian Mengtong and Jiang Chang’an?
Sorry, but there’s no way she was helping.
Let those two selfish souls be locked together, helping each other for life, and stop bothering others.
—
The mangrove forest on Pearl Island had complex terrain.
The local guide didn’t speak much English, but he gestured and urged the grandmas not to go over there.
The grandmas weren’t very tall. They climbed up a small slope only to realize that to get to where the voices were coming from, they couldn’t just walk there.
In front of them wasn’t a small puddle, but the meeting point of seawater and freshwater in the mangroves, of unknown depth.
Forget walking across. Even a swamp-capable ATV might not be able to get through.
The guide spoke in the local language and broken English for a long time. The grandmas probably understood his gist.
Wen Han looked around the nearby area, then directly carried a fallen metasequoia tree over, creating a simple little bridge across the water.
Wen Han said, “I’ll go take a look. If they’ve gotten separated from their staff, I can at least help by making a call for them. I’m just worried that someone might be injured.”
With that, Wen Han was about to step onto the not-very-thick metasequoia log.
The distance between the two banks was about five meters. Wen Han was all muscle and not light on his feet; jumping across wasn’t practical.
“If you’re just going to take a look, I’ll go,” Chu Xing Xing said, pulling on Wen Han’s arm.
Wen Han was visibly stunned for a moment.
The girl’s slender, long fingers, like a piece of art, rested on his arm.
Veins popped up on his arm instinctively. The skin where Chu Xing Xing had touched turned slightly red and felt like it was burning.
Even though her fingers were slightly cool.
“The current is too strong. And besides, this metasequoia doesn’t look very sturdy at all. Since it’s already fallen, the inside must be all rotted out. It would be a bit risky to put your weight on it.”
Chu Xing Xing used a bit of force and kicked the metasequoia log with her boot. It immediately cracked.
With another kick, the log snapped in two and was carried away by the rushing current.
“See? Just that sturdy,” Chu Xing Xing looked up at Wen Han and said.
Wen Han: “…”
“I’m not comfortable letting you go alone. I’ll find a thicker log. I’ll go first, then you can…”
Before Wen Han could finish, Chu Xing Xing just shook her head at him mischievously and smiled.
Chu Xing Xing’s inner thoughts at that moment were something like:
I just want to go over and laugh at how Tian Mengtong and Jiang Chang’an are getting their comeuppance!
Hehe, don’t anyone try to stop me~
The girl turned, took a few steps for momentum, then, as light as a deer in the forest, stretched out her long legs and easily jumped to the other side.
As if the distance in front of her wasn’t five meters!
But five centimeters…
[Holy cow! That’s a first!!! Is Xing Xing not bound by gravity?!]
[I thought Chu Xing Xing just flew over there…]
[If I hadn’t watched the whole livestream, I’d think the production team put her on a wire!]
[Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh! Quick, send Xing Xing to practice long jump and high jump! She could win world championships and make our country proud!]
The grandmas were clearly already used to their dear darling’s “superpowers.”
Their Xing Bao was simply the strongest treasure on earth, unmatched by anyone!
Only Wen Han smiled helplessly. “Why are you so disobedient…”
He turned around to find another thicker metasequoia log to get across to her.
—
The other bank.
Chu Xing Xing waved her hand and said, “My darlings, I’m going to go see how they’re doing. I’ll come back and report to you!”
“Okay, be safe, Xing Bao!” Wen Xuelan called out to her.
Little Grandma Jiang reminded her caringly, “Dear darling, don’t push yourself. If their staff and director are there, just come back quickly.”
“Xing Xing, be careful where you step. Watch your feet,” Grandma Ai Minli said, not entirely comfortable either.
“Xing Xing will be fine. I trust her,” Grandma Sheng Shuwen, instead, comforted the other three grandmas.
Grandma Sheng’s way of raising children was different from others. She was more willing to let children try things and make their own mistakes.
The other three grandmas’ psychology leaned more towards doting. Even though they knew Xing Xing was strong and capable, they were still habitually worried about many things.
In Grandma Sheng’s eyes, Chu Xing Xing was smart, well-behaved, but not blindly agreeable. She was an independent girl with her own mind and opinions.
She was the type of young girl Sheng Shuwen admired most, which was why she felt so at ease with Chu Xing Xing.
Chu Xing Xing waved goodbye to her beloved older folks on the other side and followed the bank where the river met the sea to the side where the voices were coming from.
Chu Xing Xing’s figure gradually disappeared from the Grandma’s Journey camera lens.
This drove the viewers crazy.
[We can’t see Xing Bao anymore! Xing Bao is gone!!!]
[Oh man! Why didn’t the cameraman jump over?]
[Someone go with Xing Xing! What if the people from Let’s Travel Together bully our Xing Xing?]
[Pfft, I’m not really worried about someone bullying Xing Xing. Our Xing Xing has never been one to be bullied. I just want to know what’s happening!]
[The cameraman could swim across too! I want the first-person view from Xing Xing’s side!]
Just two seconds after this comment appeared, the viewers noticed a slightly panicked murmur coming from the camera’s side, followed by the picture shaking.
“Don’t… don’t do it, Teacher Wen. I’m, I’m scared… ah…” After this panicked off-camera voice.
The next second, the camera’s first-person view seemed to “fly” to the other side.
Then, Wen Han’s voice came from off-camera: “You go follow and film her. Can’t let Xing Xing go by herself.”
It turned out that Wen Han had “thrown” his own personal cameraman across to the other side…
As for why he didn’t “throw” Chu Xing Xing’s cameraman?
The answer was obvious.
Chu Xing Xing’s personal cameraman’s weight: 95 kilograms.
Wen Han’s personal cameraman’s weight: 59 kilograms.
Soon, viewers in Wen Han’s livestream saw footage of Chu Xing Xing.
—
As Chu Xing Xing walked closer, the voices of several people became especially clear.
[Oh my gosh (with Xiao Yueyue’s expression). Aren’t the people on Let’s Travel Together tired of arguing from morning till night?]
[Just listening to this little bit makes my head buzz with pain.]
[Well, I’m different, ladies. I’ve learned one very important thing from the guests on Let’s Travel Together— Instead of mental exhaustion, go crazy and exhaust others! /Dog head]
The rapper Xiao Xiong was furious: “This bamboo raft is completely ruined! I said at the time we should use coconut fiber to make rope instead of tape, but none of you listened, just wanted the easy way out! Now look, one hit and it’s all broken!”
“What’s the use of saying that now? There’s no way to fix it, and there are no materials here!” Su Wei’s tone was a bit exasperated.
The seasoned young actor Chang Dawei, clicked his tongue, a bit sarcastic: “Stop arguing. Let’s listen to what Chang’an suggests. After all, he was the one who led the building of this raft, and going out to sea to come to the mangroves to fish and catch crabs was his idea…”
WE boy band’s vocalist, Chun Zhen, directly chimed in sourly: “Yeah, let’s listen to the ideas of our great genius, Jiang Chang’an. He sure had a lot to say yesterday, didn’t he? Ordering everyone around to do this and that.
And besides, this bamboo raft was originally designed for five people. I don’t know who insisted on bringing an extra girl this morning. The extra weight definitely caused the problem. But no, you blame me for touching the duck eggs and capsizing the raft…”
“Everyone, stop arguing!” Tian Mengtong’s tone was uncharacteristically angry, and her voice was much louder than usual.
Then, Tian Mengtong’s voice changed back to her usual sweet, cutesy girlish voice: “Chang’an-gege is still thinking of a solution. Don’t pressure him. You need to give him some time.”
The other straight guys all shut up.
After all, since such a soft and adorable sweet girl had spoken, continuing to argue would make them seem less than gentlemanly.
It didn’t matter how much they, the menfolk, argued or even fought amongst themselves, but in front of a gentle sweetheart, they still wanted to save face.
Except…
Chun Zhen, the vocalist from WE Boy Band, was not so easily dealt with.
After all, Chun Zhen was known as the “big sister” of the group, whose fans had made various CP videos of him with other members, each video getting millions of views on Bilibili, and who was affectionately called the “Team’s Mother Figure” by fans privately.
“If we can’t fix this bamboo raft, do you think the production team will send a boat to come get us, Tian Mengtong?! Wake up! If we can’t fix it, we’re spending the night in the mangroves! Have you studied geography? The water rises here at night! And there are snakes and all kinds of poisonous bugs! Oh my gosh, it’s too scary! I don’t want to stay here!!!”
Suddenly, the “big sister” Chun Zhen let out a piercing scream: “Ah! Snake! Snake, snake, snake!”
Tian Mengtong froze for a few seconds, then also screamed: “Ah! There really is a snake!!!”
Then, Chun Zhen and Tian Mengtong both scrambled onto Jiang Chang’an, one hanging onto his left side, the other onto his right.
Jiang Chang’an, suddenly carrying two extra human pendants for no reason: ?
At the same time, Chu Xing Xing had pinpointed their location and was happily watching the drama unfold from a higher vantage point as the team imploded with infighting.
Oh, man…
Chu Xing Xing weakly covered her eyes.
It was too embarrassing to watch. Really, too embarrassing.
—
The comment sections for both Grandma’s Journey and Let’s Travel Together exploded—
[What kind of bizarre scene is this! Hahahaha!]
[What is Jiang Chang’an’s mental state right now? Pfft, hahaha.]
[Where’s the snake? I didn’t see any snake?]
[Jiang Chang’an has pretty good arm strength, huh? Carrying one person on each side without falling into the water, hahaha!]
[Our Tong Bao is very light, okay. And Chun Zhen is very skinny too. Please don’t lower the bar so much for male actors.]
[Can’t agree more. Those two are light as a feather. Forget Jiang Chang’an, even Chu Xing Xing could easily lift them up.]
[I don’t get those male actors who don’t work out complaining that actresses are too heavy to lift. What stupid nonsense. Male darlings never look at themselves for the problem, do they?]
[Exactly, because society is so lenient towards male darlings, Jiang Chang’an does something perfectly normal and gets showered with praise.]
Tian Mengtong, her arms around Jiang Chang’an’s neck, looked up and saw Chu Xing Xing standing up high, looking utterly delighted and “eating popcorn” while watching the drama.
“Wh-what are you doing here!” Tian Mengtong was both humiliated and angry, and when she tried to get down from Jiang Chang’an, she found he was holding her tightly.
Meanwhile, the “big sister” Chun Zhen had already been shaken off by Jiang Chang’an.
Chun Zhen: I hate big brothers who see me dying and don’t save me!
“But this isn’t a snake. What are you afraid of? Didn’t you do any research on the local plants and animals before trying your wilderness survival adventure?”
Chu Xing Xing nimbly jumped down from the high ground, casually broke off a tree branch, and aimed precisely.
Seizing the moment when the “snake” turned its head, Chu Xing Xing grabbed it firmly behind the “head” and held it up.
As the “snake” twisted its body and wrapped around her wrist, she used the momentum to slam it against a rock.
The “snake” was dead on the spot.
[Holy cow! So cool!]
[Ahhh! Xing Xing is my husband! That was so badass, catching a snake with her bare hands!]
[Xing Xing is off the charts! Xing Xing, I can!!!]
[Hahaha! Leave it to our Xing Xing!]
“What… is that, exactly…”
Xiao Xiong, Su Wei, and the others were all intimidated by Chu Xing Xing and took a strategic step back.
Chu Xing Xing picked up the lifeless “snake” and swallowed, “It’s a mangrove eel, unique to this forest. They’re carnivorous and like to hide under the mangroves’ roots to hunt. This area isn’t a protected zone, and mangrove eels are overpopulated. Catching them is allowed on Pearl Island. They’d be delicious grilled with a teriyaki glaze.”
[Oh man, now I’m craving it…]
[I suddenly really want some unagi-don (eel bowl).]
While out on missions in the apocalypse that ran longer than expected, Chu Xing Xing and her teammates would often catch fish to replenish their energy.
Simply grilling an eel and sprinkling a little salt on it made it delicious.
If they had some teriyaki sauce, they’d brush it on both sides while grilling. Just before taking it off the heat, they’d sprinkle on some fragrant toasted sesame seeds.
Oh, man, at that moment, teriyaki-glazed eel was the ultimate rice-scooping weapon. Half an eel could wipe out two big bowls of rice!
Xiao Xiong, Su Wei, and the others, including the “big sister” Chun Zhen, all swallowed.
Come to think of it, they had only eaten quick-cooked sweet porridge made with coconut water for breakfast, and they were already hungry.
But other than plenty of coconuts, the uninhabited island was surrounded by reefs, making it impossible to go clamming or find small seafood like scallops or clams.
Trying to pry off some oysters was also too dangerous. The waves were too strong, and the reefs too sharp.
Otherwise, they wouldn’t have risked making that bamboo raft to come to the mangroves to catch crabs and fish.
Chu Xing Xing felt the “hungry” looks these men were giving the food.
She had originally planned to take this eel back to give her beloved older folks an extra evening meal.
Now, thinking about it, if she let them take it back, it would be good to give their kid Cookie a little treat to satisfy his cravings.
Little Cookie must have been suffering these past few days, eating instant noodles every day. She felt bad for the little guy.
Chu Xing Xing held up the eel. “Could you guys please take this eel back and give it to…”
Before she could finish, Chu Xing Xing suddenly got goosebumps all over and shivered.
“I-I can stand now. Sorry, Chang’an-ge… can you put me down?” Tian Mengtong blushed, her voice soft and pleading.
Only then did Jiang Chang’an put Tian Mengtong down, but he still kept a hand on her waist.
Clearly, Jiang Chang’an was adopting a protective posture.
As if he was afraid that Chu Xing Xing might come over and eat Tian Mengtong.
Chu Xing Xing raised her right hand, blocking the pink-bubble atmosphere, like something out of a “dating show,” emanating from Jiang Chang’an and Tian Mengtong.
“You two…” Chu Xing Xing had a look of “see no evil,” and said awkwardly, “Can you exercise a little restraint? Seriously, this isn’t really the appropriate place for that…”
Tian Mengtong instinctively pulled away from Jiang Chang’an’s hand and jumped back a little.
If it weren’t for Chu Xing Xing’s words, Tian Mengtong would have forgotten that she and Jiang Chang’an weren’t actually a couple yet.
At that moment, the comment sections of both shows were flooded with the same comment because of Chu Xing Xing’s comment.
[Dear god! You two, don’t do your PDA here! Everyone is busy trying to figure out how to survive! Is it appropriate for you two to be hugging and cuddling like that?]
[The timing for this PDA is really bad…]
[I’ve always shipped ‘Changmeng Baisui’ (Long Dream Hundred Years) wuwuwu, but now really isn’t the time for you two to be all lovey-dovey.]
[What’s Jiang Chang’an’s problem? He looks at Chu Xing Xing like she’s an enemy. Did Tian Mengtong whisper something in his ear?]
[It’s really strange. Chu Xing Xing and Jiang Chang’an have no history. They’ve never even been on camera together. It’s not really okay to be randomly hostile towards a girl, is it?]
[Tian Mengtong must have said something to Chang’an-gege. And Jiang Chang’an chooses to believe her. It’s kind of like blind doting.]
[I actually don’t think it’s as simple as the ladies are saying. He’s the crown prince of CBM Entertainment, okay? The entire company’s future is going to him and his brother. With the huge gap in status and fame between Tian Mengtong and Chu Xing Xing, as the CBM Entertainment side, Jiang Chang’an would also stand with Tian Mengtong. That’s just the power of capital /Dog head]
[Whoa! Great analysis, sis! I never thought about it that deeply. Indeed, capital is the most realistic!]
