Chapter 19
Before they realized it, dusk had already fallen.
Qin Ye picked up a crab and put it into the basket on his back, only to discover that it was already too full to fit anything more.
He shook the leaf basket, which was packed full of all kinds of seafood, and stood up. His brows relaxed, and he was clearly in a very good mood.
“Pack up. We’re getting ready to go back.”
Even if the others had picked up nothing at all, the food in his leaf basket would be enough for them to enjoy for several days.
But what he had not expected was that the result would be much better than he imagined.
The closest to him was He Erwang. The moment he heard the call, he happily trotted over.
At a glance, his leaf basket was nearly half full. On the way over, he was already excitedly seeking praise. “Brother, aren’t I super amazing?”
Qin Ye had not seen it clearly from afar, but seeing the way He Erwang looked as if his tail was about to stick up into the sky, he knew He Erwang had harvested quite a lot.
He nodded indifferently. “Not bad.”
But when He Erwang ran up to him and wanted to high-five in celebration, Qin Ye’s eyes froze slightly, pausing on the other person’s palm covered in sand and mud.
His gaze moved downward. He Erwang was barefoot, and both his legs, from his feet to a little above his knees, were covered in mud. The edges of his rolled-up trouser legs were also ringed with mud.
Qin Ye’s brows furrowed slightly. His outstretched hand paused in midair, then landed on the basket in He Erwang’s hand.
He Erwang looked at him with question marks all over his face.
Qin Ye quietly examined himself and found that his palms had been washed clean when he stood up. The mud on his lower body only reached his ankles, with just a few scattered splashes on his calves. His clothes were still neat.
Only then did he quietly let out a breath of relief and slowly say, “Is it heavy? I’ll help you carry it.”
He Erwang smiled gratefully. “No need, no need. Thank you, Brother, but I can do it myself!”
These were his spoils of war! He would carry them himself!
But he also saw Qin Ye’s harvest.
“Brother, you’re too amazing! I thought I picked up so much that I’d definitely take first place!”
[I dare bet Ye God wasn’t kindly trying to help. His cleanliness obsession definitely acted up. He didn’t want to shake hands with He Erwang hahahaha.]
[Exactly. Qin Ye’s disgusted gaze just now, hahahaha. Don’t think we couldn’t see it just because your face was expressionless!]
[Why was this silly kid in such a hurry? The moment he heard it was over, he bounced up and ran over. Couldn’t he at least wash his hands in a little water hole first?]
[I’m dying. He Erwang would still help count money after being sold, right? He was even grateful. “Thank you, Brother!” Hahahahaha.]
[But He Erwang looks so obedient right now. Proud and obedient. It really feels like when he first debuted and was like this with his teammates.]
[Wuwu, I became his fan when he first debuted. He wasn’t this sharp-tongued and bad-tempered back then. At that time, he obeyed everything the older brothers in his group said. Sadly, later he became the most popular and got backstabbed by his teammates. After that, I never saw him make friends in the industry again. Maybe he could never open his heart again.]
[This crappy show still has some benefits. I hope Brother Wang can make a few sincere friends. I hope he and Great God Qin Ye are still good friends after they come out!]
Naturally, He Erwang did not know that just a few “polite” calls of Brother had already made his fans give him so many loaned blessings.
After hearing the praise, Qin Ye did not hypocritically decline. He merely nodded faintly. “I have experience, so I picked up a little more.”
“Let’s go check on the others.”
Gu Shengsheng and Qi Xiu were on a farther stretch of beach and had not heard the order to gather and return.
Qi Xiu was still within sight. The two of them walked a few dozen steps and arrived behind Qi Xiu.
He Erwang poked his head over to look at Qi Xiu’s leaf basket first, then widened his eyes in shock. “Holy crap, Qi Xiu, why are you so fierce too?”
Qi Xiu’s leaf basket was also almost full of all kinds of seafood, only about five centimeters away from the rim.
He Erwang had thought he was in first place, but now… he couldn’t be last, could he?
Qin Ye’s eyes also shrank slightly.
These teammates of his were quite “talented” at beachcombing.
Hearing the voices, Qi Xiu turned back and smiled shyly. “Good luck, good luck.”
It was worth mentioning that he actually looked the cleanest. There was not even mud splashed onto his calves.
[Is it really just good luck?]
[Is there really no unscientific—mystical—power interfering?]
[Does he have a tiny bit—billion bit—of luck, or did the production team give him cheats? Surely it can’t really be divination, right?]
Sun Xinping, who clearly knew that he had not given any cheats: “…”
He shook the goosebumps off his arms and glared at the equipment team leader’s terrified expression.
“Can’t people just be lucky? Didn’t He Erwang also pick up a lot of seafood?”
“Mountain Goat, how did you set this up? Why is there so much seafood on this beach, and why is it so easy to find?”
The equipment team leader aggrievedly fiddled with his fingers. “I just collected data from our Haishi’s Weihai and simulated it.”
Unfortunately, Sun Xinping, who had happened to go beachcombing twice at Weihai and returned with very little, felt as though an arrow had been shot into his chest.
Meanwhile, in the livestream, after the three gathered, they went to find the last remaining person, Gu Shengsheng.
Gu Shengsheng had not heard their footsteps at all. He was immersed in beachcombing and unable to extricate himself.
His slender body was half-kneeling on the sand.
He held a knife in one hand and used the other bare hand to dig and dig and dig at the patch of beach he had chosen.
He dug out a pile of mud.
“Why is there nothing again?” he muttered in frustration, so angry that he sat down on the ground and slapped the sand beside him with one hand.
Qin Ye’s brows furrowed slightly, and he quickly stepped back.
Qi Xiu was half a beat slower. His clean and neat image was instantly broken, and several mud spots splattered onto the hem of his clothes.
He Erwang was a little taller than him and got splashed on his pants.
“Gu Shengsheng, stop digging. We’re done.” He speechlessly called for him to get up.
“Ah?” Hearing his teammate’s voice, Gu Shengsheng hurriedly stood up from the ground and subconsciously hid his leaf basket behind him.
But Qin Ye and the other two had already come from behind him, so they had long seen the pitifully sparse results in his leaf basket.
He Erwang blurted out subconsciously, “Why do you have so little? We… Mother of god, what happened to you?”
Gu Shengsheng, who had turned around, had nearly become a mud man.
His originally light-colored T-shirt and pants were almost entirely covered in muddy shapes, wet and sticky with sand grains clinging to them, making it impossible to see their original form.
Even more ridiculous was that Gu Shengsheng’s hands and legs being covered in mud was one thing. His face was actually covered in mud too!
Qi Xiu stared blankly at him. “My god, Gu Shengsheng, how did you end up like this?”
At this moment, the livestream comments rolled by rapidly.
[Because he was too trash and got himself so frustrated he cried.]
[Gu Shengsheng is so fragile. Isn’t it just failing at beachcombing? He can cry over this? And smear his whole face with mud? I’ve gone beachcombing so many times and never got much either. Did I say anything? (smile)]
[Getting anxious and sitting straight down on the beach is exactly the same as my five-year-old nephew. Amazing hahahaha.]
[He was too serious. Actually, not finding anything good is the norm. If he can be wronged into crying over this, when he usually sees the entire internet cursing him overwhelmingly, doesn’t he have to cry rivers every day?]
[I remember Gu Shengsheng’s persona is selfish, self-serving, arrogant, and domineering? Long life really lets you see everything. The arrogant and domineering one made himself cry.]
No one knew whether this netizen had made a prophetic statement.
After seeing the others come over, Gu Shengsheng went through a moment of panic, then opened his mouth, and his eyes “steadied.”
“You picked up so much. Share some with me.”
At first, he felt somewhat guilty, but seeing all three people staring straight at him, he could not help encouraging himself. “We’re teammates. Isn’t it only right for you to take care of your teammate?”
Although he had not picked up much himself, he still had to eat!
That was right. A person had to be a little selfish. It had to be like this.
[Covering my face. Gu Shengsheng, when you’re being arrogant and domineering, how about learning from He Erwang’s tone?]
[Pfft, upstairs, don’t talk nonsense! My Brother Wang’s current persona is polite and sensible, okay?]
[I’m dying. Gu Shengsheng, when you’re being selfish and self-serving, don’t let your voice tremble! Qi Xiu was given the cowardly and timid persona, but at most his voice is just a little soft. Then his volume always rises unconsciously again. I bet his real self is definitely not timid hahahaha.]
[It feels like Gu Shengsheng is the timid one.]
[Come on. He’s timid? Look at the trending searches. He wasn’t timid when he slapped someone.]
[Come on, we’re happily watching the livestream. Don’t come here and argue. His scandals get pushed onto trending searches every few days. Here they come again. Isn’t it obvious someone is pushing them from behind?]
[Even if someone is pushing them from behind, does that mean they’re not facts?]
The bullet comments once again started arguing in a mess.
But the atmosphere among the people on the screen was harmonious.
Gu Shengsheng thought his excessive request would be rejected and had already prepared to bargain.
But unexpectedly, He Erwang agreed at once. “No problem, but I think the more important thing for you right now isn’t food…”
Qi Xiu also echoed from the side, “Gu Shengsheng, when the time comes, we’ll split all the food evenly. But what about your clothes?”
Qin Ye raised his hand and rubbed his brow bone, then took the lead in walking toward the sea. “Go wash in the shallow water.”
Gu Shengsheng had not reacted at first. But when he saw his own reflection in the seawater, his whole body instantly burned with shame.
Only, since his face was currently covered in black-yellow mud, no blush could be seen.
He awkwardly asked his teammates for their opinion. “I need to take these clothes off and wash them.”
“Can I wash myself too?”
He really could not stand his mud-man image.
Qin Ye nodded. “Don’t go into the deep water. Walk only to where the water reaches your knees. We’ll turn our backs to you. If there’s danger, shout.”
Gu Shengsheng nodded.
Sun Xinping’s eye twitched.
Why did they start bathing at the slightest disagreement?
“Hurry and cut Gu Shengsheng’s body out!” he ordered the equipment team leader.
On the screen, one person instantly disappeared, and the entire stretch of sea disappeared along with him.
[…Old Dog Sun, if you can’t afford to play, don’t livestream!]
[Forget it, let’s understand a little. If they really broadcast it, this livestream room should be banned.]
Only, no one had expected that
after finally waiting for Gu Shengsheng to finish washing and come out, He Erwang, who had been waiting at the side, could not hold back either.
“I also want to take a bath. I used to shower every day, twice a day in summer. I feel like I haven’t showered in so many days. My body is about to stink!”
Qi Xiu nodded in agreement. “I also want to take a bath.”
Qin Ye deeply exhaled. “Take turns. It’s getting late. Move quickly.”
“Got it!”
[Sorry, I take back what I said just now. Understand my ass! Does the camera dare cut over? I want to watch them bathe!!!]
[Didn’t Qin Ye say exposing one’s body is very private and can only be seen by one’s future other half? Now he’s actually going to bathe outdoors!]
[…Maybe not washing for several days really is unbearable.]
[Old Dog Sun, Qin Ye bathing in public! He Erwang bathing in public! Do you dare not accept this heaven-sent wealth?]
In fact, quite a few viewers had rushed over after hearing the news, only to discover they could not see anything, and they all joined the scolding battle.
Sun Xinping’s expression was bitter and resentful, as if he had lost five small goals.
“Fuck, my heaven-sent traffic!”
But he really did not dare accept it.
Finally, tens of millions of people waited eagerly for almost an hour and saw absolutely nothing.
After all four people finished washing, they prepared to head back.
He Erwang finished bathing and felt delighted.
“Finally washed. So refreshing. I definitely don’t stink now.”
As he said this, he lowered his head to smell himself, then froze in place.
A few breaths later, a grief-stricken roar rang out.
“Holy crap! What is this smell? Salty and stinky, like I could be used for stir-fry!”
