Chapter 37: What the heck? It took the bait already?

Lin Yu, however, was quite laid-back about it. He considered simply folding up his umbrella to soak in some sun, but after a moment’s thought, he sat back down and cast his fishing hook into the sea. Ji Ya watched his movements from the side, and seeing him take action, she couldn’t help but speak up. “Why don’t you help me with mine too?”

“With what?”

“My fishing hook.”

Lin Yu walked over, helped her bait the hook just as he’d done for himself, and then cast it out into the distance.

...

Wang Fei and Bai Yichu’s group had already arrived at the hunting grounds. The area assigned by the production team was a barren mountain—there were barely any trees, let alone any wild animals. With such a desolate stretch, how was anyone supposed to hunt?

“Yichu, look over there—a deer!” Wang Fei pointed excitedly into the distance.

Bai Yichu turned to look, and sure enough, there stood a sika deer, suddenly appearing within the grounds. The whole thing seemed suspicious—could the show have arranged this on purpose? Otherwise, why was the area fenced off so tightly?

“Dear guests, the site is ready. As for hunting equipment, you’ll need to purchase them with Love Tokens,” announced a staff member.

Both of them were momentarily dumbfounded—why did everything on this show have to cost money? Bai Yichu shot a disdainful glance at the props box brought by the staff, then looked to Wang Fei, waiting for his decision. After all, hunting wasn’t something she, as a woman, should have to decide.

Wang Fei hesitated briefly before handing over thirteen Love Tokens. In exchange, they received two bows, two quivers of arrows, and some protective gear.

Bai Yichu accepted the free gear without a second thought. If a man gave you something, why refuse and waste it? Besides, she hadn’t asked for it.

“In addition to the sika deer, we’ve also arranged for some common livestock. Although these animals aren’t aggressive, please still be mindful of safety,” the staff explained. “If you encounter danger, you can call for assistance at any time using the walkie-talkie.”

Even though the area was barren, the production team had set up cameras all around, ready to respond immediately if the guests found themselves in trouble.

Wang Fei, being the man, sensibly took the lead. Bai Yichu, who had learned a bit about hunting in the past, followed with her bow in hand, looking every bit the part of a huntress.

She hadn’t practiced in a long time, so, aiming at a chicken wandering ahead, she drew her bow for a test shot. Just then, Wang Fei turned to ask her something, only to find himself staring down the tip of her arrow. He raised his hands, panic-stricken. “Hey, let’s talk this out! Don’t do anything dangerous!”

The arrow’s tip was only a few centimeters from Wang Fei’s face—who wouldn’t be scared in that situation?

Bai Yichu merely frowned slightly, offering no further explanation. She focused all her attention on the chicken, her tone light. “Don’t worry. I’m not aiming at you.”

“Whoa, Yichu’s shooting at me! I’d gladly let her!” came a cry from the live chat. “Yichu, shoot me!”

“Hey, you’re a guy!” someone else retorted.

“No kidding, gotta say, Yichu with a bow looks seriously cool!”

“Oh my god, she’s a true heroine!”

...

Qiu Shishang and Xu Mengbai arrived at the harvest site, only to find themselves facing a sorghum field taller than either of them. For a moment, they were at a loss.

What kind of setup was this? How were they supposed to pick anything from such heights? If they didn’t want anyone to finish the task, they could’ve just said so—instead of creating a venue designed to frustrate people.

A staff member approached. “Dear guests, renting harvesting tools also requires Love Tokens.”

Qiu Shishang and Xu Mengbai exchanged glances, clearly not expecting this rule. Finding it odd, they both tacitly decided to refuse the rental.

“Let’s see if we can climb up first. No need to rush into renting anything,” Xu Mengbai said. As a skilled dancer with a flexible body, she immediately attempted to climb a nearby tree to pick bananas.

Qiu Shishang quickly stopped her. “No need for that—you’d ruin your image climbing up there like that. You’re a lady, after all.”

Without his reminder, Xu Mengbai wouldn’t have thought twice. Honestly, bringing something back for the group was what mattered most. If she contributed nothing to the show, given her lukewarm popularity, she’d likely be eliminated quickly. She didn’t want her first variety show to end in failure.

“Really, it’s fine. It’s just four or five meters. When I was little, I was a wild kid, always climbing trees. I’m used to it.”

Seeing Qiu Shishang still uneasy, Xu Mengbai couldn’t help but laugh. “Relax. If anything happens, the crew is right here—they won’t just let me fall.”

Hearing that, Qiu Shishang finally let her go, but not without a final warning. “Just be extra careful, okay?”

The staff could only sigh. The previous teams had all rented tools without issue—why was this group so troublesome? Frustrated as they were, Xu Mengbai had already climbed the tree with ease. Using a stick she’d brought up, she knocked down a whole bunch of bananas.

Qiu Shishang caught them from below, then looked at the crew with a hint of pride.

See? Our group has real talent—we won’t be pushed around by your rules!

The staff, after a brief consultation with the director, disappointedly walked away, only to return shortly with more suitable harvesting tools: a long pole with a sickle tied to the end. It looked sharp enough to cut down bananas with just a bit of effort.

Before leaving, the staff reminded them once more to be careful.

The livestream chat exploded with praise.

“Wow, Mengbai’s amazing! She’s really an underrated contestant!”

“Sister Mengbai is even cooler than the guys! I’d call her the strongest!”

“So that’s what a real powerhouse looks like. She said she loved climbing trees as a kid—she must’ve been the leader of the pack!”

“With the first three groups doing so well, what about Si Shaozhe’s group?”

...

Si Shaozhe and Lin Yunyu had already started digging, having purchased hoes from the production team. After a short while, Si Shaozhe tossed aside his hoe to wipe the sweat from his brow, his face a mix of complicated emotions—it was clear he was ready to give up. Surveying the vast stretch of wasteland, he realized there was far too much for one person to handle.

Lin Yunyu, a newcomer, was diligent in following her company’s instructions. She took on the bulk of the work, afraid that any sign of slacking off would draw criticism and cost her any chance of standing out.

Si Shaozhe, on the other hand, had completely checked out. He demanded a chair from the crew, sat down, and looked disdainfully over the barren land. “What could possibly grow in soil like this?”