Chapter 5

As expected, after the new game rule was added, the originally sparse barrage of comments exploded in frenzy.

【Hahaha, this new rule is a great addition! I love watching them fight over supplies, things are starting to get interesting!】

【I also love watching the competition! Honestly, watching them dig through the mud pit earlier was fun, but after a while, it got boring and I almost fell asleep.】

【The director really understands us, he knows what we want to watch.】

—

Except for Qiao Cen’s fans, everyone else was quite happy. Of course, they were happy, because only Qiao Cen and his sister had a full supply bucket, and they were the primary target for others to rob and interfere with.

Qiao Cen protested, “Director! This is unfair to us! All these supplies were earned by me and my sister through hard work! With this new rule, we’ll be doomed!”

He didn’t really care for himself, but he didn’t want his sister to get hurt or exhausted. If it came to fighting over supplies, all the things they had gathered would become the primary target.

He was still in the mud pit, and he knew that soon someone would block him. His sister would have to face three people alone, which obviously wouldn’t work!

If his sister got hurt, he would certainly face consequences when he got home.

Anti-fans mocked him:

【Is Qiao Cen too sensitive? If he can’t handle it, he should just go home!】

【What’s unfair? Did you think digging up all their supplies was fair?】

【Here he goes again, pretending for attention? How annoying.】

—

Qiao Chuchu wasn’t afraid of fighting for supplies. She hadn’t participated in variety shows before, so she wasn’t very familiar with the rules. Since Qiao Cen was so strongly opposed, she naturally sided with him, especially since the new rule was indeed disadvantageous to them.

Thinking about how her brother’s reputation online wasn’t great, she didn’t directly confront the director.

“Director, since you said that supplies in the bucket belong to the person who placed them there, does that mean the things already in the bucket can’t be stolen?”

“Ah, this…” The director hadn’t really thought about this point, but to keep the game exciting, he said, “Yes, they can be stolen. No matter where the supplies are, they can be taken. Only the items in the bucket when the time is up will belong to the person who placed them there.”

Qiao Chuchu: 【This director is really heartless, trying to stir up drama just for the ratings. How despicable!】

Director: “…”

That was true, and he couldn’t argue with it.

The others, however, were excited. This new rule was great for them—they could steal Qiao Cen and his sister’s supplies. Even if they couldn’t win, they could make sure Qiao Cen and his sister didn’t win.

“Director! This isn’t fair!” Qiao Cen still protested, but his objections were futile, as the new game rule had already taken effect.

Chapter 5

Tian Ka approached Qiao Cen, rubbing his hands awkwardly. “Sorry, Xiao Qiao, I’ll treat you to a big meal later.”

“I don’t want a big meal! Just stay away from me!” Qiao Cen raised his hand to stop him from coming closer, but it was useless because Tong Zhichen was behind him.

Just now, Tong Zhichen and Tian Ka had teamed up to take down Qiao Cen, not letting him win.

Although Si Xiang wanted to participate, she was at a disadvantage. Every step in the mud pit was hard for her, so she could only stand in the corner, digging for supplies, hoping no one would notice her.

“You guys are too mean! I’m not playing with you anymore!” Qiao Cen had already gathered enough supplies, and as long as they kept the supplies in their bucket safe from being stolen, they would win.

He wanted to get out of the pit, but with Tian Ka and Tong Zhichen blocking him from both sides, it was impossible for him to do so.

He had no choice but to shout, “Sister, hold on, I’ll think of a way to help you!”

Barrage:

【Wuwuwu, they’re so bad! They’re bullying my Qiao Cen by teaming up.】

【Hahaha, they’re just messing around, no one will really get mad, right? Otherwise, it would be boring.】

【Quick, hold Qiao Cen back, then Tong Zhichen and Tian Ka can win!】

—

The atmosphere among the four people on the shore was relatively peaceful, since they hadn’t started fighting over supplies yet. They were discussing forming an alliance.

Qiao Chuchu stood by the bucket, watching Lin Lin, Ye Yu, and Bei Yun talking together. She didn’t know what they were saying, but after a brief moment, Bei Yun glanced her way, shook her head, and left the circle, returning to her own bucket. It seemed like she wasn’t planning to compete for Qiao Chuchu’s supplies.

【Bei Yun is such a beautiful woman, sticking to her principles and not getting involved with them. She deserves praise.】

【I hope she realizes what Si Xiang is really like soon and escapes from their deceit.】

Si Xiang, who had been mentioned again, was already frightened at the thought of hearing Qiao Chuchu’s voice. In order to distract Bei Yun, she tried to search frantically in the mud pit, randomly grabbing something and throwing it toward the shore.

“Yunyun, catch it!”

Bei Yun, lost in thought, was interrupted. She looked at Si Xiang, who was smiling at her, and Si Xiang urged, “Yunyun, quickly pick it up!”

Bei Yun squeezed her fingers, staring deeply at Si Xiang, praying in her heart that what was happening wasn’t real, because if it was, she really wouldn’t be able to accept it.

Meanwhile, Ye Yu and Lin Lin whispered to each other, then headed toward Qiao Chuchu.

Lin Lin gave her an apologetic smile. “Sis, sorry, the game rules are like this, and there’s nothing we can do.”

Qiao Chuchu nodded. “I understand, I can accept that.”

“However…” She paused, “Are you sure you want to take things from me?”

【It’s more fun once both sides have agreed! I won’t hold back, these things were hard-earned by my younger brother, so I must protect them.】

Both of them were momentarily stunned, but they didn’t hold back. “Ah, the rules are like this, we can’t do anything about it. After the game, we’ll apologize.”

“No need,” Qiao Chuchu smiled and cupped her hands. “Then I won’t hold back either.”

Lin Lin and Ye Yu saw this and reacted quickly: one moved to block Qiao Chuchu’s actions, while the other positioned themselves behind, ready to snatch the supplies.

From the way things looked, Qiao Chuchu seemed to be at a disadvantage. Qiao Cen was already struggling to handle things himself, yet he still wanted to go help his sister. However, what shocked him was how his sister handled it.

In front of her, Lin Lin tried to block Qiao Chuchu’s movements, only to be subdued by three swift moves. She grabbed his arm, twisted him behind her, and used his jacket to wrap him up into a bundle.

A green bundle, to be specific.

Qiao Cen was dumbfounded. “Holy crap! My sister is amazing!”

Barrage:

【Hahaha, Qiao Cen really knows how to compliment people.】

【Holy crap, sister is awesome! That move was so cool!】

【Sister made a move and I knew she had it in her, she’s amazing! She’s so cool! I love my sister!】

—

Looking at Lin Lin, who had a face full of disbelief and couldn’t escape, Qiao Chuchu smiled. “Thank you for the lesson.”

【Didn’t expect that, huh? I studied Taekwondo when I was little. I could handle a few more like Lin Lin.】

When she was in kindergarten, she had been an enrolled transfer student and was a bit reserved, so other kids often bullied her. At first, she didn’t dare to tell her foster parents.

It wasn’t until she hit her forehead and bled all over her face that her foster parents realized she had been bullied regularly in kindergarten. They immediately spoke to the teacher and demanded the other children apologize.

After that incident, her foster parents enrolled her in Taekwondo classes to help her protect herself from harm.

Later, she also learned Judo and Sanda (Chinese kickboxing), which not only helped her build strength but also enabled her to protect herself in dangerous situations.

It was really great for girls to learn Taekwondo.

Lin Lin: “……”

He had been careless, getting wrapped up by a girl like that—he felt so embarrassed and silently lowered his head.

Ye Yu, who had just picked up the supplies and was about to return, witnessed everything that had just happened. When Qiao Chuchu turned around and met her gaze, she felt like she was being hunted down by a predator.

“Haha, your things are uneven. Let me fix them for you.”

Ye Yu knew she couldn’t outmatch Qiao Chuchu, and in order to avoid being wrapped up like Lin Lin, she chose to surrender.

Without lifting a finger, Qiao Chuchu protected all the supplies, and her actions truly shocked everyone.

Everyone: “……”

Holy crap, she really is impressive!

They looked at the petite and soft-looking girl, but she was so fierce when it came to fighting!

Over at the mud pit, Tong Zhichen and Tian Ka also saw the struggle on the shore. What they thought was a certain win for them turned into a certain loss. Even if they continued to hold Qiao Cen, it wouldn’t change anything. They exchanged a glance and, with perfect understanding, released Qiao Cen.

Qiao Cen rubbed his arm. “Hmph, if you guys grab me again, I’ll tell my sister!”

Tong Zhichen & Tian Ka: “……”

You really seem proud of yourself.

With the end of the mud pit challenge, there was no surprise that Qiao Chuchu and Qiao Cen won. They collected a total of 21 items, covering all their needs, from food to clothing.

Not only that, but they also chose a great house and moved in with their full supplies.

The other guests could only envy them. Their supplies were few, so they naturally chose worse houses.

Among them, Tong Zhichen and Lin Lin had the least supplies—only 8 items—and ended up in the worst house, with broken things inside. The dining table even had a broken leg.

Tong Zhichen & Lin Lin: “……”

How are we supposed to live here? This is a headache!

On the other hand, Qiao Chuchu and Qiao Cen’s courtyard was beautiful, peaceful, with a little cobblestone path, clean rooms, and complete furniture. They hardly had to buy anything—just needed to clean up the dust.

Qiao Cen said, “Sis, what do you want to eat for lunch? How about braised yellow eel?”

His sister seemed to like braised yellow eel, and after hearing her description, he was also craving it.

Qiao Chuchu had been wanting it for a long time. She nodded. “Alright!”

Qiao Cen immediately said, “I’ll go clean the kitchen!”

Qiao Chuchu followed him, “I’ll clean the yellow eel.”

She had learned to cook when she was in elementary school. As an adopted child, she was very sensible from a young age and never wanted her adoptive parents to worry about her.

Every time her foster mother cooked, she would help, and over time, she learned many different dishes. Braised yellow eel was just one of her favorite foods.

After cleaning the yellow eel efficiently, Qiao Cen had also finished tidying up the kitchen.

“Sis, let me do it.”

Qiao Chuchu raised an eyebrow. “You can cook?”

【Doesn’t Qiao Cen only know how to make instant noodles? Can he really cook yellow eel?】

Qiao Cen gave an awkward smile. He really didn’t know how to cook. “Haha, I’ll help you, Sis.”

He’d also learn some cooking skills so that next time, he could cook a meal for her!

Qiao Chuchu nodded. “Okay.”

【Looks like the system’s advice was right—no need to know how to cook, just knowing how to eat is enough!】

Qiao Cen: QAQ

Some of the kitchen tools and seasonings had been hard-earned by Qiao Cen from the mud pit challenge, and now, they could finally be used.

Qiao Chuchu finished cutting the yellow eel and prepared the side ingredients. Once the oil was hot, she added scallions and ginger to release the fragrance, then put in the yellow eel to fry until both sides were golden, and the delicious smell immediately filled the air.

Qiao Cen took a deep breath, savoring the scent. Watching his sister skillfully handle the cooking, he suddenly felt a pang of sympathy. She must have suffered a lot during the years she was missing.

From now on, he will make sure to protect her! No one could ever bully her!

The yellow eel, expertly cooked by Qiao Chuchu, turned into a beautiful dish with great color, aroma, and taste. The fragrance drifted out into the air, reaching the houses of the other guests.

The four groups of guests were not far from each other, and as they were outside tidying up their shabby houses, they smelled the irresistible aroma drifting in, making their stomachs growl.

“Wow, who’s cooking? That smells amazing!”

“It seems to be Qiao Cen’s house. They’re the richest, so they must be able to cook.”

“Do you think we could… go over and ask for some food?”