Shang Shuyue glared at Jiang Yan, struggling to find the words to say.
Watching the atmosphere grow tense, Jiang Li patted his clothes and stood up.
"The solution is for you all to get out of here and return my things," Shang Shuyue interrupted.
Jiang Li raised an eyebrow at her, "And then what?"
"And then...." Shang Shuyue fell silent.
"Might as well tell you," Jiang Li clapped his hands, "this place has been compromised and is unsafe. Even if we leave now, your fate will be the same as yesterday. At least you had teammates yesterday. Today, you are all alone, and eliminating you would be as easy as flipping a hand."
"I...." Shang Shuyue bit her lip.
Despite her reluctance to admit it, Jiang Li was speaking the truth.
Staring at the pile of fire at her feet and smelling the lingering scent of the cakes in the air, Shang Shuyue stood twisted in her spot.
But Jiang Li had already turned around, "We’re not planning to stay here forever anyway. Take it if you want it, we’ll meet again."
The two big men sitting on the ground were very confused.
That’s it? They’re going?
But they obediently stood up and followed Jiang Li.
"I...," Shang Shuyue stamped her foot, "that’s not what I meant...."
Jiang Li began packing up.
Shang Shuyue got anxious, "This is too unreasonable, coming and going as you please."
Jiang Li handed the pack to Jiang Yan to carry.
Shang Shuyue shouted in a burst, "Fine, fine, fine, you guys can stay."
Jiang Li walked past her expressionlessly towards the front.
Shang Shuyue grew desperate, "No, you, you guys should take me with you, it’s just you three and me alone, we could form a team."
Jiang Yan snorted dismissively, "Who needs a crazy woman like you?"
However, a voice came from the side—
He turned to Jiang Li in shock.
"You’re just letting her stay like that???"
Even he, as Jiang’s own brother, had to contribute a large pack of supplies to be allowed to stay. Why should this crazy woman stay???
However, Shang Shuyue smugly flipped her hair, "Why can’t I stay?"
After all, she was still someone who initially scored 20 points!
[Ah? Wait, isn’t this plot development a bit off?]
[??? Shouldn’t the next scene be the two fighting and Sister Li aggressively eliminating Shang Shuyue?]
[Hmm... I’m fully convinced now this variety show has no script, such development is probably beyond even the planners.]
Jiang Li’s decision to let Shang Shuyue stay wasn’t made lightly.
Shang Shuyue’s faults were clear: very proud, loves face, has a bad temper, overbearing, but she also had her merits.
She observed her character, a person quite high in morals and with a sense of responsibility.
For three years in high school, aside from constantly clashing with her, she was also the class president, ruling with an iron fist and managing the class orderly.
Additionally, she had been learning karate since childhood and was very skilled, a point Jiang Li valued.
They were understaffed, and constantly being on the defensive was disadvantageous. Besides Jiang Yan and Yu Li, who were quite helpless, allowing a reliable and powerful Shang Shuyue to join was better than recruiting any random person.
"Let’s make it clear first," Jiang Li turned back to her, "Since you’ve chosen to stay, you’re my teammate now. You must absolutely follow my orders, although you can also have your own reservations."
Upon hearing the first part, Shang Shuyue began to sulk, but considering her current situation, she could only force herself to accept.
Who could blame her when Jiang Li cooked even better than her mom?
Staying here, at the very least, she wouldn’t starve to death.
Moreover... she glanced at Jiang Yan, then swiftly turned her head away, snorting coldly, "Fine, I will listen to you."
"Okay, go take a bath now."
"Go where?" Shang Shuyue looked around and finally fixed her gaze on the stream. "You’re not telling me to bathe here, are you?"
"Of course not, follow me."
Twenty minutes later, Shang Shuyue faced the cruise ship in front of her and fell silent.
"Can I really go aboard to take a bath?"
"Yes, go ahead," Jiang Li said.
Those simple words suddenly changed her image in Shang Shuyue’s eyes.
Shang Shuyue’s expression filled with shock and admiration, and she excitedly stepped forward, intending to hug her.
"Damn, you’re so awesome for managing to arrange a bath on a cruise ship, haha, I finally don’t have to stay all grimy!"
What girl doesn’t wish to be clean and soft?
Even though Shang Shuyue was not pursuing a sweet style, she still wished to keep herself tidy.
However, Jiang Li immediately stretched out two fingers, blocking her attempt to embrace.
"Okay, that’s enough. Hurry up and go inside; you only have twenty minutes."
"Twenty minutes is enough."
Having said that, Shang Shuyue immediately ran inside.
Off-screen, Wen Jiaojiao jumped up inside the private room.
"How can Lili let another woman enter her team? And even let her embrace her?!"
Qi Tianyu quickly tried to soothe her, "It’s pretty normal, isn’t it? It’s better than inviting an unknown guy over, right Brother He?"
After Jiang Li joined the show, they often gathered to watch the live stream together.
Today was no exception.
Except for Shu Yan, who rarely came, the three of them were always punctual.
He Yun nodded in agreement.
Yet Wen Jiaojiao, full of resentment, slammed the table. "How can that be okay?"
Lili should only have her by her side!
Moreover, this Shang Shuyue had such a bad temper; she didn’t deserve Lili’s attention at all!
"That won’t do." The more Wen Jiaojiao thought about it, the angrier she became. "I’ll sign up too. The program team is still recruiting standby guests right now. What do you think, are you going?"
Qi Tianyu made a bitter face. "I’d love to, but ’All-Round Brain’ season two is about to start filming, and I need to be there."
Wen Jiaojiao knew this, too, as Qi Tianyu had spent nearly half a year preparing for the show; it was not realistic for him to switch programs now.
So, she could only look at He Yun.
He Yun furrowed his brows and shook his head, "There are rules in the Daoist Temple; I’ve only joined for half a month and can’t leave for the time being."
Wen Jiaojiao nodded in agreement.
Since He Yun and Du Qinglian had severed their relationship, he had been in a semi-retired state.
To help him recover, Jiang Li had specifically found a Daoist Temple for him to semi-cultivate.
Under such circumstances, he naturally could not leave easily.
"It looks like I’m the only one who can bravely go forward."
Yet even as she spoke, her manager’s call came through.
Just as she answered, the voice of the other party came through, wailing,
"My god, where have you been? Did you forget you have to join the crew today?"
She couldn’t go either.
Now, she was going to lose Jiang Li for good.