By morning, as the sun rose, the remaining guests began gathering at the resting area one by one.
Xia Yan, already bored, had fallen asleep leaning against Xu Cong.
The first to return were Ling Du and Ge Qianyi. One was a seemingly frail Beta, the other a sweet-looking Omega. While Xia Yan didn’t say it aloud, he had been a bit worried about them.
Now that they were back, though they looked a little disheveled, their spirits were still high.
Ge Qianyi’s eyes sparkled as she recounted Ling Du’s heroic actions to Xia Yan:
“I wouldn’t have survived without Ling-ge. If it were just me, I’d be done for. He’s so smart! He quickly found a medal in the forest, and when we went for a second one in a small cabin, he suspected there was a trap. And sure enough, as soon as he reached out, a massive octopus model fell from the cave ceiling!”
She gestured to show its size—it was indeed large.
“That thing came straight for his face. If it had fallen on me, I’d have been scared out of my wits.” Ge Qianyi patted her chest, still shaken. “I screamed so loudly at the time that Ling-ge probably got a headache from it.”
Xia Yan looked at Ling Du with admiration.
He wasn’t afraid of the situation himself, but thanks to Jiang Chuxin’s earlier warning, he’d been somewhat prepared. Otherwise, he might have reacted impulsively, possibly injuring the staff member playing the ghost.
Unlike him, Ling Du had anticipated it in advance.
Ling Du maintained his usual gentle demeanor. Noticing Xia Yan’s gaze, he even smiled kindly in return.
He carried a tray of ginger tea over and offered it to Xia Yan and Ge Qianyi. “Would you like some?”
It was provided by the show’s staff, worried the participants might catch a cold after a night in the sea.
Xia Yan looked conflicted. He didn’t like the taste of ginger tea, but after some consideration, he pinched his nose and took a cup.
Still, he wasn’t about to suffer alone.
He grabbed another cup and shoved it at Xu Cong.
“Drink it,” he commanded. “This is an act of care from your captain.”
Xu Cong teased, “I don’t see you showing me this kind of care on regular days.”
Even so, he didn’t reject Xia Yan. While fastening the ties on Xia Yan’s sleeves, he leaned in, biting the rim of the cup with his lips, his eyes fixed on Xia Yan.
Xia Yan understood his gesture and complained, “What a nuisance.”
But his hand obediently lifted the cup slightly.
Xu Cong drank the ginger tea directly from Xia Yan’s hand, his gaze never leaving Xia Yan’s face.
In the early sunlight, his typically sharp features softened ever so slightly.
Ling Du raised his eyebrows faintly as he observed the scene.
He knew the D.A members were close, and such actions could easily be dismissed as camaraderie. Yet, something about it felt subtly different.
…..
After another half-hour, Jiang Chuxin and Hu Fei finally returned, looking far more battered than the others.
Hu Fei even had a small leaf stuck in his hair, making him look like he’d just escaped a calamity.
Ge Qianyi was amused but kindly helped remove it.
When the final results were announced, Jiang Chuxin and Hu Fei’s team had the fewest medals. Despite their determination, time had run out, and they’d only managed to find one medal.
Naturally, Xu Cong and Xia Yan came out on top with three medals and the eternal candle.
“Wow!”
Everyone cooperated by applauding enthusiastically.
Ge Qianyi even cupped her face in admiration, her eyes sparkling. “Teacher Xia and Teacher Xu are amazing!”
Xia Yan wore a look of smug satisfaction.
The reward for this mysterious task was satisfying, too. Xu Cong and Xia Yan were granted access to a more luxurious double room and an upgraded breakfast.
While everyone else had standard soy milk, fried dough sticks, steamed buns, and rice rolls, the two of them got a special treat.
Xu Cong and Xia Yan sat at a long table covered with a pristine white tablecloth. Silver cutlery, a teapot, and a vibrant bouquet of red roses adorned the table, which was filled with dozens of breakfast options—both Chinese and Western. Even three types of soups were available.
“Wow…”
The others couldn’t suppress their voices of discontent.
Hu Fei, biting into his plain steamed bun, nearly shed tears. “The disparity is just too much. Can you at least eat out of my sight?”
He and Jiang Chuxin, having scored the lowest, weren’t punished with reduced meals this time. Still, they had to complete a challenge game and do twenty push-ups before eating, leaving them famished.
Xia Yan hadn’t expected the production team to be this generous—it made all the effort worth it. Leisurely enjoying his French steamed eggs, he glanced at the others’ disheveled appearances and mockingly raised his glass at them.
Hu Fei was so annoyed that he bared his teeth in silent protest.
Xia Yan burst out laughing, then turned to Xu Cong and clinked glasses with him before finishing his coffee.
After two exhausting days with little rest and subpar food, this breakfast felt like a lifesaver. Even his complexion visibly improved.
Fiddling with the roses on the table, Xia Yan suddenly looked up and grinned. “The production team is up to something. Don’t we look like we’re on a date?”
Of course, they did.
Xu Cong understood perfectly.
The setup was intentional. Although both of them were publicly Alphas, they had a significant number of CP fans. Among the other pairs, there was one Beta-Omega combination and one Alpha-Beta pair.
Regardless of who won, sitting at this table would generate buzz. A little editing would make for a compelling preview.
But Xu Cong merely sipped his coffee and casually replied, “Not really. With another pairing, maybe there’d be some atmosphere. But with us? Forget it.”
Xia Yan laughed and tossed a piece of bread at him, unfazed.
“You’re right,” Xia Yan joked cheerfully. “If it were you and Ge Qianyi, now that’d be different. One Alpha, one Omega, a perfect match. Even if you’re not an actual couple, you’d still be pleasing to the eye.”
Xu Cong paused, setting his coffee aside.
He thought to himself, he was such a fool. He knew exactly what kind of person Xia Yan was—dense as a rock at times—but yet he still found himself disappointed by his words.
…..
After breakfast, everyone returned to their rooms to rest. Thankfully, the production team showed some humanity, allowing them to gather at ten o’clock.
Xu Cong and Xia Yan moved into the upgraded, more luxurious room.
It was just a standard hotel room, but after two grueling days, Xia Yan was thrilled to finally lie on a warm bed. He slept soundly, thoroughly satisfied.
When they woke and regrouped, everyone had adjusted to the production team’s antics.
The second day’s task was to clean a semi-abandoned zoo. The glamorous bunch of people donned rubber boots, straw hats, masks, and gloves, sweating under the scorching sun.
On the third day, things were more relaxed. The six of them were split into two teams and formed “commission houses” on the island, helping residents solve various problems.
Initially skeptical about whether the tasks were staged, Xia Yan was convinced they were genuine when he climbed a tree to retrieve a stranded cat for a woman surnamed Huang.
The stubborn, hefty feline almost scratched his face.
Frustrated, Xia Yan climbed down, handing the yowling cat to Xu Cong. “Be careful with its legs—it’s scared and aggressive.”
Xu Cong, experienced with cats from his family’s old residence, deftly secured it in a carrier.
Meanwhile, the trio of Ling Du, Ge Qianyi, and Jiang Chuxin had their hands full elsewhere. Jiang Chuxin resignedly endured two toddlers tying eight tiny pigtails in his meticulously groomed hair, while Ling Du and Ge Qianyi helped an elderly resident search a cluttered storage room for an old biscuit tin containing a family photo.
In the process, Ling Du accidentally triggered a prank box. The spring-loaded red fist smacked his forehead, leaving him dazed and amusing the filming crew.
…..
By evening, their three-day journey had finally come to an end. Exhausted, everyone sprawled across the central square of the island. Ge Qianyi, having given up on appearances, wore a sports shirt, so there was no worry about wardrobe malfunctions.
The producer and host approached with warm smiles, offering kind words of thanks.
“You’ve all worked incredibly hard these past few days. It wasn’t easy, but…” The producer pulled out several envelopes. “We received thank-you letters from those you helped. They insisted we pass them on to you.”
At this, the exhausted group perked up, sitting upright as the letters were distributed.
Xia Yan looked at a photo of the orange tabby cat and chuckled. The owner had also sent them three handmade hats as a token of appreciation.
“I’m not good with fancy gifts,” the letter read, “but I enjoy knitting. Please accept these little hats. If you visit again, come to my house for some plum wine. Thank you for finding Mao Mao—she’s a beloved part of my family.”
—Aunt Huang Yingshu
This letter was short, but it was written with sincerity.
Xia Yan thought to himself that the production team was still as irritating as ever, deliberately trying to stir up emotions at the last moment.
But he carefully folded the envelope and placed it in the pocket near his chest.
Just as he was halfway through putting it away, he noticed Hu Fei looking at him with hesitation.
“…What’s wrong?” Xia Yan asked, confused.
Hu Fei, embarrassed, had a slightly flushed face from the sun, and he sheepishly asked, “Ge, could you give me the letter? I’d like to keep it.”
Xia Yan was taken aback for a moment.
But he quickly took out the letter and handed it to Hu Fei, saying, “Sure.”
“Thanks.”
Hu Fei smiled at Xia Yan, though he knew it might seem a bit strange. He quickly covered the microphone and explained, “I don’t mean anything else. Aunt Huang reminds me of my aunt who raised me, but she passed away a long time ago. Aunt Huang is also a lonely elder, so I thought, if I get the chance, I’ll visit her sometime.”
Xia Yan hadn’t expected this.
Now it made sense. After they finished their task, they had gone back to help clean up Aunt Huang’s yard, and despite Hu Fei being physically weak and not great at anything, he worked especially hard.
He had even spent his last bit of pocket money to buy Aunt Huang a bag of cakes.
Xia Yan pursed his lips, surprised, and looked at Hu Fei. Hu Fei was so embarrassed that he turned his face away, as if upset.
Xia Yan couldn’t help but laugh.
Looking at the knitted hat in his hand, he felt a soft warmth inside.
Even though the past three days had been exhausting, working under the scorching sun, almost losing his skin to sunburn, he surprisingly felt that the trip wasn’t so bad.
The people from the production team were also alright.
Whether it was Ling Du, Ge Qianyi, or Hu Fei, even Jiang Chuxin didn’t seem so unbearable anymore.
On the other side, Ge Qianyi was also crying, her eyes filled with tears.
Her last task had been to accompany an elderly blind woman for a few hours. They didn’t do anything extraordinary, just chatted a little, but the old woman had someone relay her thanks, saying it had been a long time since anyone had kept her company like that.
Ge Qianyi sobbed loudly, nearly shaking the leaves from the trees. Her nose and eyes were swollen from crying, and she didn’t care about her image at all. She immediately asked the production team for a phone, wanting to contact her assistant and see if there were any senior care organizations she could help.
The producer silently gave herself a pat on the back.
See? She knew emotional appeals worked.
There weren’t many production teams out there with such a humanistic touch.
“You don’t have to look far. Actually, there’s a senior care organization right here on the island,” the producer said, bringing out a donation box with a clang. “A lot of the young people have left this island, and most of the residents are elderly, so life is quite inconvenient. This senior care organization has been providing volunteer services for the elderly. However, due to a lack of funds, the organization is struggling to stay afloat. So, today’s wages are all being donated to this organization—”
The producer earnestly looked at them. “Aside from that, dear friends, would you be willing to generously donate and show them some love?”
There was a three-second silence.
Everyone was still caught up in the emotions, but seeing the producer’s beaming face made them feel a sudden tightness in their fists.
For some reason, they all saw something sinister in her face.
“I knew it, you greedy miser, your name fits you perfectly, Zhou Qian,” Jiang Chuxin said, exasperated. “I knew your show wasn’t going to be easy money.”
Zhou Qian chuckled.
“Hey, what are you saying? I donated too, alright? Come on, come on, Jiang, I know you’re the most enthusiastic.”
Everyone else laughed.
They joked around, but in the end, everyone generously donated a considerable amount. When the organization eagerly offered to make them a medal, however, they all waved it off, saying they didn’t want it.
“Spare us,” Hu Fei said. “We don’t need that. Just give us a good meal tonight. I’m starving on this island.”
The production team couldn’t help but laugh hysterically.
“Sure, sure,” Producer Zhou promised. “We’ll make sure to give you the best treatment tonight.”
