After eating and drinking their fill, they switched back from camping mode to survival mode.
The first thing in front of them was to cross the river.
Building a temporary bridge was impractical; the simplest way was to wade across the river directly.
Kai Yuan found a long branch, tested the depth of the river, then said, "It’s about a meter deep near the bank, and it will be deeper in the middle, but it shouldn’t be taller than us."
While he was checking the river’s depth, Jiang Lingxi already squatted down, tucking her pant legs into her boots, loosening and tightening the shoelaces again, and replied, "That’s good, we don’t need to swim."
Once the photographer had waterproofed the equipment and switched the camera to drone mode, Jiang Lingxi reached out her hand to Kai Yuan.
Kai Yuan stared blankly at the hand in front of him.
Jiang Lingxi had no choice but to urge, "Hold on, the current is a bit strong, and there is silt at the bottom, two people supporting each other is more stable than going alone. If someone accidentally sinks in, the other can help pull them out." Chapters first released on NoveI~Fire.net
"Oh!" Kai Yuan had thought that crossing the river supporting each other would be better, but during the livestream, he was apprehensive since he had seen how even a glance exchanged between male and female celebrities could be blown into a sensational drama by the audience, so he was naturally a bit concerned.
He didn’t expect Jiang Lingxi to offer her hand so straightforwardly, so his initial reaction was only natural.
After coming to his senses, he pursed his lips and did not directly take Jiang Lingxi’s hand but instead held her arm.
Even so, the tips of his ears couldn’t help but redden a bit.
Jiang Lingxi noticed and raised an eyebrow without saying anything.
She feared that saying anything more would cause the redness to spread from his ears to his face.
She chuckled secretly: How innocent!
The viewers in the livestream room seemed like magnifying glasses, noticing even the tiniest changes in the guests’ expressions.
Not to mention Kai Yuan’s ears, which had turned red as soon as he touched Jiang Lingxi’s arm.
"Oh my, the boy is so innocent, he’s blushing just by holding an arm."
"I totally believe him now when he says he’s been single since birth; if he had ever dated a girlfriend, he wouldn’t be this awkward."
"Looks like he was concerned at first, probably considering Jiang Lingxi’s feelings, since there’s physical contact involved. But don’t worry, boy, you and Jiang Lingxi standing together don’t give off a couple vibe at all, more like siblings. We won’t misunderstand, haha!"
"Strangely, even with such a handsome guy and pretty girl, they don’t give off a romantic vibe!"
"I can’t imagine anyone suitable for Jiang Lingxi; it certainly wouldn’t be someone like the boy."
When Jiang’s mother and Lu Zhengzheng saw this comment, their reactions were different.
The former frowned and was a bit dissatisfied, "Why wouldn’t my Yuan Yuan be a match for Miss Jiang? I think they suit each other well. That stubborn kid needs a strong-willed girl to keep him in line!"
Jiang’s father, who was home for lunch, looked up curiously, "Didn’t you say before that Miss Jiang wasn’t very impressive? Your change of attitude is quite fast!"
Caught even his pillow mate off guard.
Jiang’s mother glared at her husband, "Eat your meal quietly, stop butting in!"
After a pause, she continued, "Now I think you can’t just rely on hearsay, you have to see for yourself. Watching the livestream these days, it’s mostly Miss Jiang taking care of our Yuan Yuan. She doesn’t say much, but she’s practical, not afraid of hardship, and even good at archery. Those negative things online could just be jealousy. I think she’s much better than Jiang Xiyu from the show, at least she’s not pretentious!"
Jiang’s father clicked his tongue in surprise.
Born into wealth, even after marrying him, she was pampered, and even in her forties, her temperament remained childlike and innocent.
Hearing such a well-formulated analysis from her was indeed surprising.
"Sounds like a nice girl. But whether it works out is up to them, right?"
"No need for you to say that," Jiang’s mother snorted softly, "But Miss Jiang likely just sees our Yuan Yuan as a teammate. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be so straightforward."
Indeed, although Jiang Lingxi appreciated Kai Yuan, finding his youthful energy, height, and good looks attractive to girls of this era looking for a boyfriend, she only admired him.
Perhaps, because she had met more outstanding men.
Lu Zhengzheng subconsciously thought of Mr. Shen, whom she’d only seen once, upon reading the comment.
Even though she had not seen Mr. Shen and Xixi together, she couldn’t help but imagine.
When Tong Yue passed by to get a drink, Lu asked, "Tong, do you think Xixi and Mr. Shen are a good match?"
"Just thought of it while watching the livestream, though I’ve only seen Mr. Shen once."
Even her memory of his appearance was fading, leaving the strongest impression of his powerful aura.
Tong Yue pondered, "If it was little Xixi before, I couldn’t imagine her with Mr. Shen. But now, the more I think about it, the more they seem to match."
"Though Mr. Shen is impressive, our little Xixi isn’t lacking now either!"
She had great confidence in Jiang Lingxi now, especially after seeing her perform in the livestream.
Lu Zhengzheng felt content and continued watching the livestream.
The livestream chat was lively, but the protagonists were struggling.
They had to maintain balance against the swift current, careful of the silt below to avoid sinking, while their only free hand was occupied, holding their crucial equipment and remaining food. Those could not get wet, or they’d be finished!
As they moved closer to the center of the river, the water rose to their chests, and Jiang Lingxi and Kai Yuan naturally held each other more tightly than at the start.
By halfway through, the water reached Jiang Lingxi’s chin.
Kai Yuan anxiously turned his head, about to express concern when Jiang Lingxi tilted her head slightly and said, "Stay focused, keep moving!"
He had to swallow his words, steadied himself, and took another step forward.
The water level rose once more!