The news that Jiang Nan’an and Yan Jie had attempted to poison everyone with two large baskets of deadly mushrooms quickly spread throughout the production team. The guide forcibly educated them about the scientific names and poisoning symptoms of each toxic mushroom they had picked. Afterward, the PD neatly arranged the mushrooms in a corner for everyone to view, while also warning other mushroom-picking groups that these things should not be picked.
The two of them were supervised by staff members as they washed their hands three times and were explicitly forbidden from foraging in the mountains again. They could only return to logistics as ordered by the culinary group’s leader inBlue, threading meat skewers while sitting on small stools, listening to other contestants pass by respectfully calling out “Thank you for sparing our lives,”
There were moments when Jiang Nan’an felt like a monkey in a zoo that everyone could observe and tease, especially when Chenghua walked by with his hands behind his back and left an annoying comment: “Sigh, I treated you two as brothers, but you tried to poison me. Wait, did you wash your hands when you came back? These skewers aren’t poisonous, are they?”
“Yan. Jie…”
Jiang Nan’an gripped the bamboo skewer, forcefully piercing the meat chunks, and said through gritted teeth:
“Didn’t you say white mushrooms weren’t poisonous?!”
“Can’t help it, I was deceived too. Those little things looked so innocent, but they turned out to be wolves in sheep’s clothing.”
Yan Jie shook his head, deeply pained:
“I was careless and trusted bad mushrooms, nearly causing a disaster!”
“…” Jiang Nan’an couldn’t be bothered with the drama queen’s performance.
He lowered his head and threaded meat skewers for a while, then suddenly said:
“You should go.”
“Go?” Yan Jie raised his eyebrows and looked at him:
“Go where? Run naked to the primeval forest to become Ape Spring? Then you’d have to come with me-I’ll be Ape Spring and you’ll be Ape Mountain.”
“You’re overthinking. You can’t qualify for the job of a wild man.”
“Why not?”
“Because on the first day, you’d drop dead in the mountains from eating death caps.”
Jiang Nan’an finished threading his skewer and handed it, along with the previous ones, to Yan Jie:
“Go grill these.”
Yan Jie turned to look at inBlue, who was busy lighting the fire by the grill:
“Blue is over there. Can’t we just have him grill them when he gets a chance?”
“You go,” Jiang Nan’an insisted:
“I can’t stay with you.”
“Why?” Yan Jie looked puzzled.
As if on cue, just as he asked this question, Fangfei passed by their skewer stall and greeted them:
“Hello, two Kings of Hell?”
Jiang Nan’an looked at Fangfei’s retreating figure, then at Yan Jie, his calm eyes conveying three words-Do you understand?
Jiang Nan’an didn’t socialize much normally and wasn’t familiar with anyone. If he stayed by himself, others’ teasing wouldn’t fall on him. But Yan Jie, that old social butterfly, was different. This person could joke with anyone, and after doing something mischievous, he naturally wouldn’t escape mockery. When Jiang Nan’an was paired with him, he would always be implicated in jokes that should have been directed only at Yan Jie.
Although the bad mushrooms were indeed picked by both of them, Jiang Nan’an believed he had merely trusted Yan Jie’s misleading words, clearly not deserving such punishment. Their relationship hadn’t reached the point of suffering together. In this social environment, he just wanted to quietly exist outside of interpersonal relationships without being noticed by anyone. So he still hoped Yan Jie would bear everything himself-for instance, being criticized by acquaintances for mischief shouldn’t include him too.
Yan Jie certainly understood Jiang Nan’an’s meaning. He closed his eyes and covered his heart to express his pain, but still obediently took Jiang Nan’an’s skewers and went to the barbecue area on the other side.
After the living target left, there were no more passersby repeatedly flogging Jiang Nan’an, and the world finally became peaceful.
But this tranquility didn’t last long, because soon Yan Jie returned, bringing his freshly grilled meat skewers.
“Here, Mr. Hang, try a bite. I grilled it myself, truly authentic.”
The meat skewers were coated with barbecue seasoning and chili peppers, the aroma of spices mixing with the natural fragrance of the meat, smelling quite tempting.
But Jiang Nan’an looked at the skewers for a few seconds and still restrained himself:
“Secretly cooking special meals? Not very appropriate.”
“How is this cooking special meals on the sly? I only grilled this one skewer-a unique piece. This is called testing the flavor for everyone!” Yan Jie used a combination of coaxing, tempting, and challenging:
“Besides, our Mr. Hang got up so early to work, has only eaten a few small biscuits since opening his eyes, carried a little basket climbing up and down to pick mushrooms, yet was terribly wronged by villains, picking a basket of poisonous mushrooms and being laughed at for so long. Oh, poor thing, you deserve this skewer! Come, come, take a quick bite-”
“…”
Jiang Nan’an thought Yan Jie made sense.
So he accepted the grilled meat with a clear conscience, and just as he was about to take a bite, he heard Yan Jie say:
“Oh wait, your hair.”
The wind had blown a strand of hair from Jiang Nan’an’s cheek to his lips. He instinctively wanted to brush it away, but his free hand was still wearing the glove used for threading meat, covered in the raw smell and blood of meat.
Jiang Nan’an hesitated, and Yan Jie, seeing his predicament, simply raised his hand and gently brushed away the strand of hair with his pinky finger.
The temperature of his fingertip barely grazed the skin of his cheek. Jiang Nan’an felt somewhat uncomfortable, wanting to dodge but forcing himself to endure it.
“There, eat now.”
“Oh…”
Jiang Nan’an finally came back to his senses slightly and bit into a piece of beef.
“Is it fragrant?”
Jiang Nan’an nodded.
The cooking was perfectly timed; the meat was grilled to be fragrant and tender, combining well with the aroma of the seasonings. Yan Jie wasn’t exaggerating this time-he really did seem to have a talent for cooking.
As Jiang Nan’an ate the skewer, Yan Jie stood beside him, lowering his eyes to look at him, his gaze moving from Jiang Nan’an’s eyes to his lips, then to the slightly curly hair at his cheeks.
“Why do you keep your hair so long?”
“The role requires it,” Jiang Nan’an explained calmly, his mood improved by the meat:
“The character in my previous drama required the actor to have slightly longer hair.”
“Oh… What about now? You’ve finished filming but haven’t cut it?”
“Mm.”
“Why?”
“My next drama is a period piece, keeping it long makes styling easier.”
“I see, so Teacher Xiao Shan’s long hair is role-specific.” Yan Jie chuckled lightly:
“I thought it was because Jiang Nan’an liked it.”
Jiang Nan’an likes?
Hearing these five words, Jiang Nan’an was slightly taken aback.
“So, what does Jiang Nan’an like?” Yan Jie looked at him and asked again.
“Jiang Nan’an doesn’t like anything.”
Jiang Nan’an came back to his senses, finished the meat skewer in two bites, and threw the bamboo stick into the trash bin:
“Jiang Nan’an likes to hang himself.”
Yan Jie laughed, turned and walked away, only saying:
“I know what Jiang Nan’an likes.”
Jiang Nan’an glanced at his retreating figure, not paying much attention, and just lowered his head to continue his meat-threading work. But soon, Yan Jie strode back, carrying one of the red-capped, white-spotted little mushrooms that Jiang Nan’an had picked earlier, scientifically known as fly agaric.
He crouched down a few steps away from Jiang Nan’an, dug a small hole in the ground, and planted the not-yet-fully-grown little mushroom. After planting it, he pointed at its cap:
“Stay here and keep our Mr. Hang company while he works.”
After saying this, he stood up and added one more instruction to Jiang Nan’an:
“Stole it back from the PD. See, doesn’t having it keep you company while working make you feel more energetic? But just look at it, don’t put it in your mouth.”
“?” Was he some low-functioning child in Yan Jie’s eyes who would spontaneously drop to the ground and gnaw on poisonous mushrooms?
Jiang Nan’an watched as Yan Jie leisurely walked away with his hands behind his back, then looked at the beautiful little mushroom planted crookedly on the grass not far away.
He couldn’t quite describe the feeling in his heart. As he lowered his eyes, Jiang Nan’an shook his head and let out a light snort, almost like a subtle smile.
After they prepared the barbecue skewers, the guide carefully sorted through the spoils brought back by the other mushroom-picking teams, handing over a portion that was safe and non-toxic. The fishing group brought back three or four palm-sized small fish, and the social group hauled back a sack of vegetables and poultry purchased from the local market.
The culinary team members showcased their skills, with Yan Jie and inBlue as head chefs, creating a table full of delicious dishes.
As lunch was gradually served, the handicraft group had also prepared the campsite’s tents, tables, and chairs, while the song and dance group had completed their preliminary rehearsal.
With everything ready, the production team had prepared six camping tables-five for the five temporary teams from the first stage of the show and their teaching assistants, and another for the show’s coaching team.
Fire was part of the song and dance group. After mysteriously finishing his rehearsal, he jogged back to his team’s position and exclaimed “Wow” when he saw the table of delicious food:
“So many dishes? Smells so good! Which ones did Brother Jiang and Brother Spring make?”
“This mushroom stir-fry and the skewers are mine. Your Brother Jiang didn’t personally cook, but he cut almost all the ingredients for this table, and he also threaded the meat for the skewers. Look how beautifully the meat is threaded! Look at that knife work! Look how finely those potato strips are cut! My goodness, the contemporary king of knife skills!”
“Stop the exaggerated praise.”
Jiang Nan’an stuffed the grilled meat in his hand to him, trying to shut him up.
“Really impressive! I can neither cut vegetables nor cook. Both brothers are amazing!” Fire was very supportive. He picked up his chopsticks and reached for the plate of stir-fried mushrooms with meat, wanting to taste his Brother Spring’s cooking. But as he picked up a mushroom and was about to put it in his mouth, he hesitated.
After thinking for a moment, probably still feeling that life was important, he asked one more question:
“What kind of mushroom is this?”
Yan Jie let out an “Oh my goodness,” clutched his heart as if shot by an arrow, and collapsed onto his chair covering his face.
Jiang Nan’an helped explain for him:
“Don’t worry, they’re not death caps or green-gilled parasols, just ordinary porcini and dried mushrooms.”
“Did you hear that?” Yan Jie came back to life:
“Quickly pick up those dried mushrooms and eat them! The guide said these things are very expensive, every bite is worth it!”
Hearing the words “very expensive,” Fire immediately put that chopstick of mushrooms into his mouth.
“Come, come, Mr. Hang, don’t just look, you eat too.” Yan Jie pointed to the chicken and mushroom stew on the table:
“Blue is really good at cooking, try his skills?”
Jiang Nan’an was a bit surprised to hear this: “I thought you would strongly recommend your own creations.”
“Me?” Yan Jie chuckled lightly, wagging his finger at him:
“What I made today isn’t my specialty, so I won’t show off. How about this, when this show is done filming, if you have time, come to my place and I’ll make you zhajiang noodles. I’m not exaggerating, but my zhajiang noodles, you just eat them! Even in old Beijing, you’d hardly find any more authentic than mine! I’m not boasting, no one who’s tried them has said they weren’t good!”
“Is that so?” Jiang Nan’an raised an eyebrow slightly:
“Isn’t it because ‘those who criticize the emperor’s noodles face extreme punishment’?”
Yan Jie didn’t react immediately, but when he realized which old account Jiang Nan’an was bringing up, he couldn’t help but laugh:
“Spare me, teacher, you really hold grudges.”
This outdoor team-building event was lively and bustling, with a good atmosphere among all the teams. Before them was the mountain scenery, beside them were teammates who had fought side by side for over a month. Everyone laughed and played together, truly delightful.
After eating and drinking their fill, the entertainment prepared by the recreation group was brought out.
Among the thirty contestants present, more than half were entertainment industry artists with diverse talents-singing, dancing, rapping, stand-up comedy-there were capable people in all areas, so putting on an impromptu performance was no challenge at all. Fire also went up to sing a song. He had originally debuted as a singer-songwriter, and the new unreleased song he brought for everyone had a style that matched his name-explosive and fiery from the first note.
After all the performances ended, the staff played several upbeat songs, with the younger and more energetic contestants taking the lead in pulling the older brothers and sisters to join in the frenzy.
For Jiang Nan’an, spinning in circles and jumping around with many humans was too extroverted, and he hadn’t planned to join. But he couldn’t resist Yan Jie’s forceful invitation and was almost half-dragged, half-pulled into the scene.
The laughter and music of the crowd mixed together, making Jiang Nan’an’s ears hurt a bit.
He wasn’t very comfortable in such settings. Perhaps noticing his discomfort, Fire called out “Captain” and stuck close to him, beginning to perform his head-shaking, body-swaying, wild dance.
Jiang Nan’an watched him, not quite understanding what he was doing, but still clapped for him with an attitude of “I don’t understand but I respect it.”
Fire seemed greatly encouraged and danced even more energetically, waving at Jiang Nan’an, trying to get him to join in.
Jiang Nan’an was somewhat reluctant. He wanted to escape, to find a gap and slip away quietly while no one was paying attention, but as he turned around, he met Yan Jie’s smiling gaze.
Yan Jie seemed to have been standing to the side watching his interaction with Fire the whole time, and when he suddenly turned, Yan Jie appeared momentarily stunned.
Jiang Nan’an raised an eyebrow slightly.
The next second, he saw Yan Jie seemingly say something to him.
But the music was too loud, the surroundings too noisy, and he couldn’t hear clearly.
“What?” Jiang Nan’an frowned and asked loudly.
“I said, smile!”
Yan Jie traced a virtual smile at the corner of his own lips with his finger, as if demonstrating a smile.
Jiang Nan’an didn’t understand why, but still cooperated by lifting the corners of his lips.
Yan Jie looked at him and suddenly smiled, his beautiful almond eyes curving, the corners of his lips revealing the canine tooth on the side. It was the smile most familiar to Jiang Nan’an, like a fox full of mischief.
As this smile appeared, the melody in the speakers reached the next climactic drumbeat. The person behind Yan Jie, seemingly caught up in the excitement, accidentally bumped into him. Yan Jie was unprepared and stumbled forward half a step.
Jiang Nan’an was already standing quite close to him, and when Yan Jie fell toward him, he didn’t have time to dodge and was bumped into.
The scent of roses mixed with faint tobacco suddenly came close. Jiang Nan’an instinctively raised his hands to steady him.
Their bodies briefly pressed together, like a subtle half-embrace. Jiang Nan’an wasn’t used to being so close to people and stepped back half a step to create some distance.
But at that moment, Yan Jie suddenly gripped his forearm, and as he steadied himself, he slightly tilted his head and whispered something in Jiang Nan’an’s ear.
It was too close.
Close enough for Jiang Nan’an to feel his warm breath.
And there was a very light laugh, sounding casual and flirtatious:
“-So beautiful.”
—
(advanced chapters available on kofi)
![After losing all his wealth, the ancestor rose from his coffin [BL]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Your-paragraph-text-1.png "After losing all his wealth, the ancestor rose from his coffin [BL]")
