Chapter 59

The three male guests each had their own thoughts, but their expressions were well-maintained—gentle as gentle should be, cold as cold should be, and flirtatiously roguish as flirtatiously roguish should be.

Ning Qingyan took the seat between Wen Shijin and Gu Si, completely ignoring the disappointed looks from the female guests behind her.

As soon as she sat down, Wen Shijin, to her left, handed her a freshly grilled fish with a gentle voice:
“You should replenish your nutrition if you’re feeling weak.”

Not to be outdone, Huo Qi, sitting directly across from her, pursed his thin lips, scooped a bowl of fish soup that Wen Shijin had made, and handed it to Ning Qingyan with an awkward expression.

On her right, Gu Si raised an eyebrow, his flirtatious smile deepening. He reached into the bag of raspberries that Huo Qi had brought, picked the largest one with his long, fair fingers, and brought it to Ning Qingyan’s lips with a playful voice:
“Come on, Xiaoyan, eat a berry.”

Huo Qi: o_O?
Wen Shijin: O_o?
Ning Qingyan: …

She had just avoided the drama among the female guests, only to walk straight into the battlefield of the male guests. Indeed, what goes around comes around.

Live-stream Comments:

“I don’t understand what’s happening, but I am absolutely shocked.”
“If even the fans are this shaken…”
“Uh… Are we sure this is a dating show? It feels more like ‘The Diary of a Beloved Ning Qingyan’!”
“Wen-Qing romance shippers: I’m crying! That was our Wen-ge’s fish soup! Huo Qi, you thief!”
“Red Huo Romance shippers: I’m crying too! That was Huo-ge’s raspberries! Gu Si, you shameless scoundrel!”
“One Gu Qing City CP fans: AHHHH! Gu Si is killing it! Spread the word! Gu Si is back in the game! No more recommending kidney supplements for him!”
“One Gu Qing City CP fans update: Just in case Gu Si is ‘back’ today but ‘not back’ tomorrow, we’ll hold off on the recommendations until we see his performance!”
“Hahaha, the CP fandom this season is too hilarious!”

…

Thankfully, Ning Qingyan had a strong mindset. She remained calm and finished her breakfast despite the chaos.

After breakfast, everyone got to work—some were catching fish, others were gathering clams and shrimp on the beach, some searched for wild vegetables and mushrooms, while others ventured into the forest to hunt for game. After all, eating fish for every meal would get dull.

Ning Qingyan was tasked with dealing with the coconuts they had gathered the previous day. Coconut water was for drinking, coconut meat was for eating—wasting any part of it would be a shame.

Wen Shijin, known as a walking encyclopedia, led a group into the forest to identify edible plants. With so many unknown plants around, having him around provided a sense of security.

Huo Qi, on the other hand, wanted to hunt some game in the forest since just drinking fish soup wouldn’t provide a full range of nutrients.

As for Gu Si, who had previously been avoiding Ning Qingyan, he was now suddenly sticking to her like glue again, just like in the past—following her around, helping wherever she pointed.

Since having an extra set of hands made things easier, Ning Qingyan put him to work moving the coconuts over to the cooking station.

She swiftly started a fire, feeding the growing flames.

Gu Si raised an eyebrow, his fox-like eyes filled with curiosity. “Why are you starting a fire just to deal with coconuts?”

Ning Qingyan blinked and explained in a clear voice:
“The coconut shells are too hard. Even with a knife, cutting them open takes a lot of effort. By roasting the outer shell until it turns brittle, we can easily crack them open.”

As she spoke, Gu Si had already grabbed a tool knife and expertly drilled a hole into one of the coconuts. He skillfully pulled a straw from a nearby bag and inserted it before handing the coconut to Ning Qingyan.

She took the coconut, looked at the hole, and praised, “Wow, ge, you’re really strong!”

Gu Si raised an eyebrow smugly, his tone lazy yet proud:
“Piece of cake.”

Taking a sip, Ning Qingyan found the coconut water sweet and refreshing. It was absolutely delicious.

As she savored the drink, licking her lips in satisfaction, Gu Si unconsciously licked his own fangs, his throat suddenly feeling dry.

[Green Tea System: Gu Si’s favorability +1.]

After drinking a few sips, Ning Qingyan reluctantly put the coconut aside and started roasting another one over the fire.

Gu Si’s gaze drifted back to the coconut she had set down, his tone casual:
“Is the coconut water really that good?”

Ning Qingyan nodded naturally as she roasted the coconut. “Super good! Refreshing and sweet. Try it yourself if you don’t believe me.”

Gu Si licked his lips and, without hesitation, picked up the coconut she had been drinking from. Using the same straw, he took a sip.

Ning Qingyan: …

Wait, wasn’t Gu Si supposed to be a germophobe when it came to food and drinks? Was that all a lie?

Then again, they were all ‘bros.’ Guys growing up together often shared food—it wasn’t that unusual.

On the surface, Gu Si remained his usual flirtatiously casual self, but internally, he was a chaotic mess.

“This is… an indirect kiss, right?!” Gu Si was simultaneously excited, nervous, and ashamed. “But how could I be so dirty-minded?!”

Despite his inner turmoil, his mouth continued to betray him. He licked his lips again and casually commented:
“Yeah, it’s really sweet. Much better than the processed ones I’ve had before.”

[Green Tea System: Gu Si’s favorability +10.]

Ning Qingyan: o_O?

Whoa, that alone boosted his favorability by 10 points?

Thinking about the many rewards in the system’s exchange shop, Ning Qingyan made a quick decision. She pushed the coconut back toward Gu Si, smiling sincerely:
“Ge, I’m not thirsty anymore. You can have it—I can’t finish it.”

She handed the coconut to him. Gu Si coughed lightly, feigning reluctance as he said:
“Fine, I hate wasting food. Since you can’t finish it, I’ll take care of it.”

And so, Gu Si openly and happily held onto the coconut, drinking it sip by sip. What else could he do? Ning Qingyan couldn’t finish it, so he had to sacrifice himself.

“Ahh, I’m such a terrible person,” he thought, “but Xiaoyan doesn’t mind sharing a drink with me, right? That means we’re close… right?”

As he blissfully drank, his internal struggle raged on, pain and pleasure intertwined.

[Green Tea System: Gu Si’s favorability +5.]

Ning Qingyan, delighted by the system notification, eagerly resumed roasting the coconuts.

Gu Si, normally a fast drinker, now savored each sip as if prolonging the moment. But seeing Ning Qingyan busy, he put down the coconut and started peeling off the charred shells from the roasted coconuts.

“Why not just use the knife?” he questioned.

“Coconuts aren’t just for drinking,” Ning Qingyan explained. “Drilling a hole is one thing, but peeling the entire shell with a knife would take forever. And we have so many coconuts—you’d be at it all day.”

Following her method, Gu Si easily peeled off the burnt husk, revealing the pure white, tender coconut meat beneath.

“Didn’t know you were this smart, Xiaoyan.”

He carved out a piece of the fresh coconut meat and held it up to her lips. Without hesitation, she took a bite.

The taste exploded in her mouth—sweet, tender, and unbelievably juicy.

As she chewed, she mumbled, “Wen-ge taught me this method.”

At the mention of Wen Shijin, Gu Si, who had been happily feeding her, instantly retracted his hand, his expression darkening. “Hmph. This is such a dumb method.”

Ning Qingyan, who had been expecting another bite: …

Men. Impossible to understand.