HEIFEIGU -Chapter 47

The forest darkened, the temperature dropping. Everyone had spent almost the whole day without eating and doing physical labor. Stomachs growled incessantly. Back to camp, back to camp to eat!

Luo Feiang led the group. A long, straight branch rested on his shoulder, with a makeshift shrimp trap made from a shirt and two strands of grass rope strung with fish hanging behind him.

His bare upper body looked sculpted. At first glance, he seemed like a male Bodhisattva.

But if you looked closely at his goofy, country-boy smile, his hidden trait was clearly “angler.”

【If conditions allowed, he’d probably circle the island to show off.】

【Maybe even do a nationwide tour.】

【Maybe appear like this at the next fan meet.】

These were all fan jokes.

Back at camp, Xuan Caiyan was sitting by the shore watching the sea, while Xia Letian’s whereabouts were unknown.

“Grilled fish! Grilled fish!” Luo Feiang shouted.

“Seems there’s no fire.” Fei Zhehan put down the firewood he carried. “The matches are with Xia Letian. I’ll go get them.”

The director looked at their haul in surprise. Did they just raid the fishermen’s homes? How would his tasks be arranged?

“I announce that Xia Letian has officially withdrawn from this survival challenge and has left the island.”

Everyone exchanged glances. While they were fetching water and fish, something must have happened at the camp.

Fei Zhehan and Luo Feiang had assumed Xuan Caiyan might quit after such a fright and being let down by a friend. But unexpectedly, it was Xia Letian who withdrew.

Teacher Fe immediately ran to ask the director, while Yue Qinyao floated over to gossip and relayed everything to Xie Jixing in real-time.

“Ugh, that unlucky ex-teammate is really a piece of work—said so many bad things about you behind your back.”

Xie Jixing gathered a few stones and stacked them into a large circle.

“He even hit that girl at the KTV. I think she’s kind of pitiful. Should I keep her company tonight?”

Xie Jixing leaned against the stone circle, picked out a few thick sticks, and assembled them into a tripod.

In his mind, he silently rolled his eyes at Yue Qinyao—lately, he didn’t know where she was picking up all these strange new phrases, and she hadn’t fully grasped them yet.

Also, if you go keep her company tonight, she’ll just seem even more pitiful.

“Oh wow, she scolded that unlucky ex-teammate and even made him cry—well done!”

Xie Jixing whittled the end of a short stick to a point with a small knife.

“I heard that idiot went crying to the director saying he wanted to quit. Haha, what a shame.”

By the time Fei Zhehan returned, Xie Jixing had already finished setting up the bonfire platform.

“Disaster!” Teacher Fe finally reacted. “We don’t have fire!”

Xie Jixing cleared some space. “Go ahead and drill.”

“Really drill, huh…” Fei Zhehan resignedly sat down. “I’ve heard this is really hard.”

Just as he had arranged Fei Zhehan, Luo Feiang ran over. “Xingxing, the director said you still have leftover points. Can I borrow twenty points first?”

He gestured at himself. “It’s always like this, not very elegant. I want to exchange them for clothes; that old one can just stay as my shrimp trap.”

Do you call that inelegant now? Weren’t you just showing off happily a moment ago?

Even Xuan Caiyan, quietly melancholic by the seaside, couldn’t help sneaking a few glances.

“Nine out of thirteen, I’ll lend you twenty. Tomorrow, you owe us thirty bugs.”

“Why?!” The top star didn’t understand. “Aren’t we already good brothers?”

“Even real brothers keep accounts. Let alone us—just good brothers.” Xie Jixing glanced at him. “So, do you want to borrow or not?”

“I’ll borrow.” Luo Feiang looked down, disappointed.

“Once you get your clothes, take your shrimp trap, and come to the seaside to catch fish with me. Put the guts in the trap—you might catch some shrimp or crabs.”

“Okay!” Luo Feiang was instantly happy; no fisher would refuse such an offer.

Xie Jixing carried the two strings of fish to the seaside. Why did being with these two feel like babysitting?

He suddenly missed Meng Zezhou and Qian Shuyun, who would casually grab bugs while taking another path.

After he finished handling all the fish and returned, the director team recounted the bugs, and the person drilling wood by the bonfire had been switched to Qian Shuyun.

Teacher Fe sat on the side, rubbing his arms and wrists—this work was inhuman.

Xie Jixing casually flicked a small bundle of ghost fire into the pit holding the wood shavings. Qian Shuyun’s hunger instantly intensified; unable to suppress the desire in his eyes, he lowered his head—and then saw a surprise: “It’s smoking!”

“Really!” Meng Zezhou also rushed over. “What’s next? Do we have to shield it from the wind?”

Qian Shuyun ignored him and called Xie Jixing over. “Teacher Xie, come help. Is the fire about to catch?”

“Needs a bit of wind,” Xie Jixing squatted in front of the wood. “Boss Qian, keep drilling. I’ll handle the rest.”

He cupped his hands into a semicircle, puffed his cheeks, and blew gently in small breaths.

Qian Shuyun turned the wood mechanically, but his gaze kept drifting to Xie Jixing’s small red mole under his eye and his pouting lips.

The smoke grew larger inside the pit. Xie Jixing suddenly pulled his hands away, and a small flame gradually ignited.

“It caught! It really caught!” Fei Zhehan shouted excitedly, giving thumbs up to Xie Jixing and Qian Shuyun. “You two are amazing!”

With the bonfire going, the outdoor survival atmosphere instantly transformed into a camping vacation vibe.

Everyone gathered around the fire, even melancholic Xuan Caiyan by the seaside was pulled over by Fei Zhehan and given a string of fish.

In the center of the bonfire hung an outdoor pot, cooking cleaned green shrimp and crucian carp. Add a bit of Xie Jixing’s “even shoe soles taste good” seasoning, and the aroma was already drifting out.

The circle of people around the fire each held a long bamboo skewer, eyes focused.

The flames licked the fish skin lightly, releasing faintly charred aromas, making even the crew drool.

The fish were small and easy to grill. Xie Jixing’s skewer had a golden drum eel, a bit fatter than freshwater grouper. The smell of burning fat, the sizzling sound, sprinkled with seasoning, made everyone involuntarily sniff the air.

Qian Shuyun lifted his golden drum eel to Xie Jixing. “Teacher Xie, help me check. Why doesn’t my fish smell as good as yours?”

Meng Zezhou was dumbfounded. His cousin had changed.

Since returning from the lake, the decisive cousin had turned into a weak, helpless one.

Numb legs needed pulling, drilling wood needed fire assistance, and now even grilling fish required help.

Xie Jixing handed his grilled fish directly to Qian Shuyun and took Qian’s skewer to continue grilling. “Here, this one’s yours.”

With the fish in hand, the hunger that had appeared repeatedly today finally dissipated. Qian Shuyun bit into the fish and gave a charming smile, tilting his head slightly toward Xie Jixing. “Delicious.”

With one fish as a base, everyone started moving, serving soup, chatting—the atmosphere instantly became lively.

Xuan Caiyan dawdled over to Xie Jixing, whispering, “Teacher Xie…”

Xie Jixing, still remembering how she had scolded him and run last time, cautiously watched her.

Not going to scold me again, right?

Xuan Caiyan’s carefully built-up courage collapsed in the face of his wary expression. She had come to apologize properly and thank him, but at the last moment, she didn’t know how to start.

“Can I have some seasoning?” she asked weakly, using a poor excuse.

Xie Jixing poured a little seasoning onto a leaf and handed it to her.

“Thanks!” She stepped a few paces away and stomped her foot, scolding herself harshly: “Xuan Caiyan, you’re pathetic. What are you afraid to say!”

Though they had brought back plenty of food, there were many people, and after clearing everything, everyone still felt slightly unsatisfied.

“Director, can we get our task items back?” Xie Jixing asked loudly.

“What are you going to do?” Luo Feiang was wary.

Could it be the fixed survival show segment—eating insects?

“They can be returned.” The director immediately brought a bamboo tray. His task was saved!

A thin stone slab was placed over the fire, covered with a layer of white fat worms.

“Uh… I’m not eating that. Don’t expect me to eat it!” Luo Feiang twisted his mouth and stood farther from the fire.

“I’m full too,” Fei Zhehan said.

Meng Zezhou stayed silent but tactically stepped back.

Only Qian Shuyun and Xuan Caiyan remained.

Xuan Caiyan had already experienced the trauma of live bugs, so cooked ones no longer intimidated her.

Since Xie Jixing had grilled them with effort, she felt obliged: “I’m not full yet. Teacher Xie, can I have some later?”

Xie Jixing: Huh? She’s taking advantage again; she didn’t even give Qian a share.

As the stone slab heated up, the fat in the bugs melted, spreading a butter-like aroma around the bonfire.

Luo Feiang couldn’t help swallowing. Nobody had told him that bugs could smell this good!

Qian Shuyun stirred the slightly yellowing bugs with chopsticks, and Xie Jixing sprinkled more seasoning on top.

The aroma hit hard!

Meng Zezhou quickly returned to his place. He loved grilled skewers, but as an actor, he had dietary restrictions, otherwise Qi Zhen would nag.

Now, eating bugs on the island, Qi Zhen had nothing to say.

Fei Zhehan also quietly returned, feeling that the grilled fish he had eaten earlier was almost boring now.

When the bugs turned a deeper golden yellow, Xie Jixing tried one first.

Crispy outside, soft inside, juicy—really excellent. “Cooked, ready to eat.”

The director nearby silently swallowed, announcing: “Guest Xie Jixing completed the first stage ‘Jungle Tracking’ hidden task, voluntarily consuming bamboo worms.”

“The second stage task, ‘Angry Little Men,’ has begun.”

At this moment, no one paid attention to the director’s words—they cared more about the aroma coming off the stone slab.

Everyone obediently held leaves, waiting for Xie Jixing to distribute the bugs.

Seeing the bugs diminishing, Luo Feiang returned to his seat, holding out a leaf. “I’m not here because I want to eat this. I still think it’s a bit gross, just doing the task.”

“Give me two more. If I eat too little, it won’t count as completing my task.”

He picked one carefully and bit down. The melted fat instantly exploded on his tongue, with a distinct milky fragrance filling his mouth.

Luo Feiang couldn’t help widening his eyes and said sincerely: “Really fragrant!”