Chapter 75: A Teammate Who Drags You Down

Every time Bi Qiao’an went foraging, she updated her Weibo. She uploaded real photos of the environment to convince her followers, and her popularity soared. Tens of thousands of followers now tuned in to Chacha Li, their excitement spilling onto the screen in enthusiastic comments.

Followers reported finding ample wild ingredients, their pantries filling quickly with their harvests. Bi Qiao’an gently reminded them to process everything carefully and air it out frequently to prevent mold and spoilage.

Meanwhile, Zhang Heping and Zhao Yu followed Shen Yanming’s lead. Every night, they excitedly used basins and buckets to collect the mysterious energy rain. They didn’t fully understand why, and when they asked Shen Yanming, he only offered a knowing smile and the word “intuition.”

Godlike intuition, indeed.

During this time, the Song family was released from jail.

The day after receiving Lin Lihua’s supplies, Zhang Heping closed the case at the police station and released the Song family.

As the Song family stepped out of the police station, their loud complaints and displeasure with their “benefactor” revealed that their time in confinement had not taught them the lesson it should have. Zhang Heping, speechless, merely said his goodbyes to Ji Kangyong and departed.

The Song family stood at the entrance of the police station, their belongings beside them, suddenly feeling a bit at a loss, their eyes darting around in confusion.

What should they do now? Where should they go?

Ji Kangyong was annoyed by the Song family’s obstruction of the entrance, so he instructed a colleague to remind them, “The alliance has designated hotels for their stay,” his tone curt.

Upon hearing this, the Song family immediately thanked the colleague and took their belongings to the hotel closest to the police station in high spirits, their faces beaming with undeserved entitlement.

It wasn’t until the Song family registered that they learned they had to pay to stay here, their smiles quickly turning to scowls.

The Song family’s displeasure was immediate and vocal. “How dare a state agency fleece ordinary citizens?” they fumed. “That young comrade had ulterior motives—who knows what kickback he gets from this place!” Their accusatory voices rose with each indignant word.

The hotel receptionist had worked for almost six years and had never seen such unreasonable guests. When reasoning didn’t work, he directly called security, his face tight with frustration.

When security politely asked the Song family to depart, they refused, insisting they had no other place to stay. In the pushing and shoving, they almost got into a fight.

The receptionist hastily dialed the police, but Song Qingqing, terrified, rushed forward to end the call. She offered a shaky apology, claiming it was all a misunderstanding.

The scene drew a crowd of onlookers, their eyes filled with a mix of curiosity and disbelief.

Finally, through the intervention of the crowd, both sides calmed down, the tension gradually easing.

Although the Song family seemingly understood the logic behind the Qinghe Alliance’s policy of covering only half the accommodation costs and that everyone was treated equally, their resentment remained evident on their faces.

When the Qinghe Alliance set this rule, it was out of concern that people would waste resources. In other words, because it was free, too many people might try to stay, leaving those in genuine need without shelter. That’s why this “threshold” was set as a necessary precaution.

There was no other way. The Song family opened three rooms, one for each family, their belongings crammed into the small spaces.

The standard rooms barely allowed the Song family to squeeze two people per bed. Having no other choice but to spread bedding on the floor to fit in. To appease the others, they reasoned it was nearly July anyway; and the hot, humid weather made sleeping on the floor slightly more bearable.

It was thanks to this rule that the Song family’s greed was held in check. Otherwise, with their sense of entitlement, they would have demanded a room for each person!

Naturally, their antics made them infamous within the hotel. From management to waiters, front desk to residents, even the kitchen staff knew of this family and would roll their eyes at the mere mention of their name.

Due to their notorious reputation, no one wanted to deal with the Song family, and greetings were reduced to curt nods and tight-lipped smiles.

Because of this, the Song family remained oblivious to the energy rain.

One might wonder how the Song family managed to remain oblivious to the energy rain.

Well, the Song family’s hobbies revolved around games, dramas, and novels. They didn’t watch the news, check social media, or browse online forums.

So, they somehow managed to miss it completely.

Misfortune always seems to find the unfortunate!

Compared to Song, Chen Jin was someone with a bit of luck.

The Xiao family diligently took their nightly energy rain showers, while Chen Jin preferred an early bedtime. For a while, she couldn’t figure out why everyone else still seemed asleep when she woke.

As Chen Jin scrolled through her Weibo on her phone, she couldn’t help but notice the trending topic about the “energy rain.” The excitement and chatter about it left her feeling puzzled as she looked through her feed. 

Disgusted, she closed Weibo and opened a recent variety show, but boredom quickly set in.

“Foraging in the Wilderness”? ‘What nonsense! Is everyone going back to caveman days now?’ Chen Jin scoffed.

“Celebrity Farmers”? ‘After all these years of modern machinery, who in their right mind would leave the city for the countryside?’ She frowned.

“Drinking and Talking about Mulberry and Hemp”? ‘Heh, phones were so much more entertaining,’ she thought with an eye roll.

Chen Jin was baffled. ‘Had the rain seeped into the producers’ brains?’ A smirk crossed her lips at the thought.

With a click, Chen Jin settled on a mindless TV drama, “Lin Weiwei’s Fabulous Shopping Life”. Her eyes lit up—now this was the kind of vicarious thrill she craved!

Two episodes later, Chen Jin sighed with longing. This was the life!

Giant villas, pools, sprawling gardens, luxury cars galore—the pinnacle of extravagance.

Black-clad bodyguards trailed her every move, creating a spectacle wherever she went. At home, a butler and housekeeper maintained absolute perfection. Suitors swarmed around her, all CEOs, brilliant scientists, and handsome celebrities.

When unhappy, she shopped till she dropped. When bored, she jetted off on luxurious vacations!

Chen Jin, lost in envy, snapped out of her daydream as someone walked by.

“Sister-in-law, up early today? Is breakfast ready?” Xiao Yuyu, Xiao Fei’s cousin, asked with a sleepy voice.

“I’m not feeling well. Can’t cook for everyone today,” Chen Jin replied, feigning helplessness as she looked at Xiao Yuyu.

“Oh!” Xiao Yuyu shrugged, grabbing bread and milk from the cupboard.

Chen Jin glanced at the clock. “It’s almost noon. Eating now means you’ll skip lunch,” she observed, her tone more critical than concerned.

Xiao Yuyu plopped down beside Chen Jin. “I’m hungry. Who knows when the others will wake up. Gotta fill up first,” she mumbled through a mouthful of bread.

Chen Jin hummed distractedly, her eyes fixated on Xiao Yuyu’s face. Something was different—her skin had become noticeably smoother. It was like a peeled egg, silky and flawless. The change was startlingly sudden. But when Xiao Yuyu first came to the Xiao family, her face had been marred by acne and dark spots.

Chen Jin hadn’t thought much of it before, assuming it was just good concealer. Now, it seemed that wasn’t the case.

Unable to contain her curiosity, Chen Jin reached out, her rough fingers contrasting with Xiao Yuyu’s soft face. “Xiao Yu, your skin looks incredible! What did you do?” There was a hint of envy in her voice.

Xiao Yuyu beamed, a wide grin spreading across her face. “Right, sister-in-law? I’ve noticed I’m prettier too! The energy rain is amazing! All those expensive cosmetics I used did nothing. Who knew something as simple as a few days of getting drenched from the energy rain would be the solution…” Her voice trailed off, a dreamy look in her eyes.

Chen Jin’s brows furrowed, her eyes narrowing as her confusion intensified, struggling to make sense of Xiao Yuyu’s words. “Energy rain? What on earth are you talking about?” Her tone was tinged with impatience.

Xiao Yuyu’s jaw dropped, and her eyes widened in surprise. “Sister-in-law, haven’t you heard? Didn’t you check Weibo?”

Chen Jin thought of the wild rumors online, feeling a wave of doubt. “But… aren’t those fake?” 

Disbelief was plain on Xiao Yuyu’s face as she stared at Chen Jin. “Sister-in-law, you seriously thought it was all a hoax? How could a scam fool all of Qinghua? No wonder you’ve skipped out on the energy rain showers!”