Chapter Nineteen

Unconsciously, dusk had already fallen. Qin Ye picked up a crab and placed it into the basket strapped to his back, only to find it completely full. He gave the basket a shake, filled with various seafood, then stood up, his features relaxed and his mood evidently good.

“Pack up, we’re heading back.”

Even if the others hadn’t found anything, the bounty in his basket alone was enough for several days of feasting for the group.

Yet, the result turned out far better than he had anticipated.

He Erwang, who was closest to him, perked up and hurried over at the sound of his voice. His basket was nearly half full, and as he ran, he excitedly boasted, “Brother, am I awesome or what?”

Qin Ye hadn’t seen him from afar yet, but just by the way He Erwang’s tail seemed about to wag to the sky, he knew the boy had gathered quite a haul.

He nodded nonchalantly, “Not bad.”

But when He Erwang reached him and tried to give him a high five in celebration, Qin Ye’s gaze flickered, hesitating at the other’s palm, which was covered in sand and mud.

Looking down, He Erwang was barefoot, his legs up to just above the knees smeared thickly with mud, the rolled-up cuffs of his pants stained in a muddy ring.

Qin Ye frowned slightly, his hand pausing mid-air before resting on the basket He Erwang was holding.

He Erwang looked at him puzzled.

Qin Ye glanced at himself and found his own hands had been washed clean when he got up; the mud on his lower body ended at his ankles with only a few splatters on his calves, and his clothes remained neat.

He breathed a quiet sigh of relief, then said calmly, “Heavy? Let me help you with that.”

He Erwang smiled gratefully, “No thanks, Brother, I can manage on my own!”

This was his trophy haul! He’d carry it himself!

But he also noticed Qin Ye’s bounty.

“Brother, you’re amazing! I thought I had the top spot with all I found!”

[I bet Ye God didn’t offer to help out of kindness; he’s just a neat freak who didn’t want to shake hands with He Erwang, hahaha.]

[Exactly, Qin Ye’s disdainful look just now—don’t think we didn’t see it despite his poker face!]

[Why the rush, little pumpkin? As soon as it ended, he was off like a shot. Couldn’t he have at least washed his hands in the little tide pool?]

[Lol, He Erwang got sold out but still helped count the loot? And he’s grateful too—thanks, Brother! Hahaha.]

[But He Erwang looks so well-behaved right now, proud yet obedient—it’s like a dream back to when he just debuted, acting just like this with his teammates.]

[Sniff, I became a fan of him when he debuted. Back then, he wasn’t so brash and hot-tempered. He obeyed the older brothers in the group, but after becoming popular and getting backstabbed by teammates, he never really made friends in the circle again—maybe he just couldn’t open up anymore.]

[This lousy show does have its perks though. I hope Brother Wang can make some genuine friends, and that he and Ye God stay close after this!]

He Erwang had no idea that his polite “Brother” had earned him so many fan blessings online.

Qin Ye accepted the praise without false modesty, nodding lightly. “I have experience, that’s why I collected more.”

“Let’s check on the others.”

Further down the beach, Gu Shengsheng and Qi Xiu hadn’t heard the call to gather.

Qi Xiu was still within sight; after a few steps, they reached behind him.

He Erwang peeked at Qi Xiu’s basket and widened his eyes in astonishment. “Damn, Qi Xiu, you’re fierce too?”

Qi Xiu’s basket was almost full, just about five centimeters from the rim.

He had thought he was first; could he really be last?

Qin Ye’s eyes narrowed slightly.

His teammates all seemed to have quite the knack for tide hunting.

Hearing voices, Qi Xiu turned back with a shy smile. “Just lucky, pure luck.”

Notably, he looked the cleanest of all—no mud splatters on his calves whatsoever.

[Is it really just luck?]

[Is there really no supernatural or scientific force at play?]

[Does he have a bit of luck, or did the production team rig this? Surely not fortune-telling?]

---

Sun Xinping, who knew full well he wasn’t rigging anything, shivered with goosebumps along his arm and shot a glare at the horrified equipment team leader beside him.

“Can’t we just let someone have pure luck? Didn’t He Erwang find plenty of seafood too?”

“How did you set this up, Mountain Goat? How come there’s so much seafood on this beach, and it’s so easy to find?”

The equipment team leader looked apologetic. “I just collected data from our Marine City’s Wei Sea and recreated it.”

Unfortunately, Sun Xinping, who had been to Wei Sea twice and caught almost nothing, felt as though someone had just stabbed him in the chest.

On the live stream, the three gathered and went to find the last remaining Gu Shengsheng.

Gu Shengsheng hadn’t heard their footsteps; he was completely absorbed in tide hunting.

His thin frame half-kneeling on the sand, one hand holding a knife, the other digging into the chosen patch of beach with bare hands.

He dug out a clump of wet sand.

“Why is there nothing again?” he muttered irritably, then plopped down in frustration, slapping the sand beside him.

Qin Ye frowned and quickly stepped back.

Qi Xiu was a beat slower; his pristine appearance instantly ruined as a few mud spots splattered on the hem of his shirt.

He Erwang, a bit taller, got mud on his pants.

“Gu Shengsheng, stop digging, it’s over,” Qin Ye called out, exasperated.

“Huh?” Gu Shengsheng heard his teammates and hurriedly stood, instinctively shielding his basket behind him.

But Qin Ye and the others had passed behind him and already caught a glimpse of the meager contents inside.

He Erwang blurted out, “How come you have so little? What happened to you?”

Turning around, Gu Shengsheng looked like a mud statue.

His originally light-colored T-shirt and pants were almost entirely caked in wet mud and sand, indistinguishable from their original shape.

Even more absurdly, his face was streaked with mud!

Qi Xiu stared blankly at him. “Oh my, Gu Shengsheng, what happened to you?”

At that moment, the live chat exploded with rapid comments.

[Because he’s too trash, he cried over being trash.]

[Gu Shengsheng is so fragile; just because he failed at tide hunting he cries? I’ve gone many times with little catch and never cried (smile).]

[He sat on the sand in a panic, just like my five-year-old nephew, absolutely hilarious.]

[He’s too serious. Usually, it’s normal to find nothing good. If he cries over this, imagine all the times he’s been slammed online—he’d flood the internet with tears daily.]

[I thought Gu Shengsheng’s image was selfish and arrogant? Who’d have thought the arrogant guy would cry over himself.]

Whether or not that commenter had a prophetic instinct, Gu Shengsheng, after a moment of panic upon seeing the others approach, opened his mouth and then composed himself.

“You’ve collected so much, share some with me.”

At first, he was a little hesitant, but seeing the three staring at him intently, he gathered courage. “We’re teammates. Shouldn’t you look after each other?”

Although he hadn’t caught much, he wanted to eat too!

That’s right, sometimes one must be a bit selfish.

[Facepalm, Gu Shengsheng, when you’re arrogant, try sounding like He Erwang, okay?]

[Lol, don’t say that! Our Brother Wang’s image now is polite and sensible, alright?]

[Funny, Gu Shengsheng, when you’re selfish, don’t let your voice tremble! Qi Xiu has the timid and cowardly image; he speaks softly at most, but he always unconsciously raises his volume. I bet he’s not really timid at all, haha.]

[Looks like Gu Shengsheng might be the timid one.]

[Come on, he’s not timid—just look at the trending topics where he slapped someone, not exactly timid.]

[Enough, we’re happily watching the stream, no arguing. His scandals hit the hot search every few days—obviously someone’s pushing him behind the scenes.]

[Even if someone’s pushing, isn’t it the truth?]

---

The chat erupted again.

But the atmosphere among the four on screen was harmonious.

Gu Shengsheng had expected his bold request to be refused and was ready to bargain.

Unexpectedly, He Erwang agreed immediately, “No problem. But I think what’s more important for you now isn’t food…”

Qi Xiu chimed in, “Gu Shengsheng, we’ll split the food evenly later, but what about your clothes?”

Qin Ye rubbed his brow and took the lead, stepping toward the shore. “Let’s wash up in the shallow water.”

Gu Shengsheng hadn’t yet reacted, but when he saw his reflection in the water, shame flushed through him instantly.

Though his face was covered with dark, yellowish mud, masking any redness.

He awkwardly asked his teammates, “I should take off my clothes to wash them, right?”

“Want me to wash with you?”

He couldn’t stand looking like a mudman any longer.

Qin Ye nodded. “Don’t go into deep water. Just walk until the water reaches your knees. We’ll have our backs to you; if anything happens, just yell.”

Gu Shengsheng nodded.

Sun Xinping’s eyes twitched.

Why was it a shower at the drop of a hat?

“Quick, cut Gu Shengsheng’s body out of the frame!” he ordered the equipment team leader.

Instantly, one person vanished from the screen, along with the entire view of the sea.

[...Sun old dog, if you can’t handle this, don’t do live streams!]

[Forget it, cut him some slack. If this aired, the stream would be banned.]

But no one expected what came next.

After Gu Shengsheng finally finished washing and came out, He Erwang couldn’t hold back.

“I want to shower too. I used to shower every day, twice in summer. I feel like I haven’t washed for days now—I must stink!”

Qi Xiu nodded in agreement. “I want to shower too.”

Qin Ye sighed deeply. “Take turns. It’s getting late. Hurry up.”

“Alright!”

[Sorry, I take back what I said earlier. Cut the camera over here—I want to see them shower!]

[Didn’t Qin Ye say that nudity is private and only for future partners? Now he’s showering in the open!]

[Maybe it’s just that they haven’t showered for days and can’t hold it anymore.]

[Sun old dog, Qin Ye and He Erwang showering publicly! This kind of monumental popularity—you won’t take it?]

In fact, many viewers flocked to the stream, only to find nothing and joined the ensuing flame war.

Sun Xinping’s face was full of sorrow, as if five little goals had been lost forever.

“Damn, my huge traffic!”

But he really didn’t dare to broadcast it.

Finally, after nearly an hour of eager waiting by tens of millions, nothing was shown.

The four had all finished washing and were ready to head home.

He Erwang, freshly showered, was in high spirits.

“Finally showered, feeling fresh. Definitely don’t stink now.”

He lowered his head to sniff himself—but then froze in place.

After a few moments, a low, anguished roar burst out: “Damn! What’s that smell? Salty and stinky! It’s good enough to cook with!”