Chapter 47: The Contagion of Giving Up

After suffering two setbacks, Yu Xin no longer dared to approach Su Wanning so carelessly, and some netizens gradually realized what was really going on.

"Why does Yu Xin sound so much like a green tea schemer?"
"It's just that Su Wanning is way too assertive, isn't it?"
"Exactly, she's so sharp-tongued, which makes our Xin Xin look like a pushover."

After a short break, the director arranged a boat race.

"For today's lunch, you'll be using the fish and shrimp from this river. We've set up a floating platform in the middle of the river with a little red flag. Whoever gets the flag first wins and will receive a bonus prize!"

Sure enough, in the wide river ahead, a floating platform bobbed on the water, a red flag fluttering in the wind.

Each family was given a simple wooden raft, which could only fit three or four people and relied entirely on hand paddles for movement. Safety coaches were on hand to give instructions.

Yu Xin glanced down at Da Xi, an idea forming in her mind.

"Da Xi, you haven't seen your mom in a long time. Do you miss her?"

Da Xi froze at the question, then looked up. Though she said nothing, the growing look of grievance on her face made her feelings plain.

Yu Xin gently patted her head, crouched down, and patiently tried to comfort her. "Have you ever heard the fairy tale about the little fish searching for its mother in the river? The journey was hard, but the little fish always had friends by its side. Just like the fish in this river, see?"

She pointed, and Da Xi looked out across the water. Remembering what the director had said earlier, she pouted and, unable to hold back, tears slid down her cheeks.

The camera zoomed in and people gathered around. Ming Ming asked with innocent curiosity, "Da Xi, why are you crying?"

Yu Xin, face full of concern, reached out to wipe away Da Xi's tears.

"Da Xi saw the fish in the river and started missing her mom."

Sobbing, Da Xi looked over at the director. "Director, can we not eat the fish? If we do, they'll be separated from their families too. It's so cruel."

"What a kind child."
"Still, isn't this a bit too much of a saint complex?"
"I never eat meat either. It's just too cruel."
"Please, everyone, let's not get carried away with our saintly hearts. Respect the laws of nature, will you?"

The other children clustered around Da Xi to comfort her, but the adults nearby looked a little awkward. They were far past the age of innocent daydreams, well aware of the rules of nature, and their compassion wouldn’t extend to such things anymore.

The director's rules were clear: if they didn't catch fish or shrimp, they wouldn't have lunch today. But with cameras rolling, if they pressed on with the competition, it would seem as though they didn't care about the children's delicate feelings.

Su Wanning glanced at Yu Xin, who was gently soothing Da Xi, and couldn't help but twitch her lips.

At that moment, an unexpected voice cut through the tension.

"Then why don't we just catch all the fish's brothers, sisters, fathers, and mothers too?"

It was Sui Sui who spoke.

He rarely spoke, but when he did it was always startling. Everyone paused for a moment, then Su Wanning was the first to burst out laughing.

The others followed suit, and in a flash the crisis was resolved. Da Xi's attention quickly shifted to the boat race.

"Hahaha, Sui Sui really is the little boss—always decisive!"
"I've just claimed this whole fish pond. Catch as much as you like."
"He has a point—a family should be together, even in the pot."

Soon everyone boarded their rafts. After getting a feel for the paddles, the director gave the signal and the race began.

Yin Shanshan, full of determination, shot forward at the whistle, directing Yang Yang to paddle hard alongside her, quickly taking the lead.

But as she struggled to reach the center of the river, she realized no one else had followed. Looking back in confusion, she discovered the other three families were still near the starting point—somehow, they'd turned their paddles into weapons and started a water fight.

Su Wanning, like a mother hen, sheltered her two children, using her paddle to splash water at Ming Ming across the way.

"Auntie Su, you're so mean!"

Ming Ming shouted, but quickly ducked behind Feng Rui, so all the water landed on Feng Rui instead.

Not to be outdone, Ming Ming used his hands to splash water at Su Wanning, and Feng Rui joined the fray.

"Da Xi, come on!"

Nian Nian's sweet little voice rang out as she dipped her pudgy hand into the water and gently splashed Da Xi on the opposite raft.

"Nian Nian is too cute!"
"Ha! My baby, that's hardly an attack at all."

Da Xi's face broke into an uncharacteristically bright smile as she joined in, while her brother Sui Sui took on the role of protector and occasional attacker, his usually neat hair now wet and his face finally showing a bit of childhood joy.

A few meters away, Yin Shanshan and Yang Yang sat on their own raft, watching the chaos behind them as if separated from another world.

"Is the goddess the only one actually racing?"
"Yin Shanshan is so true to form—she has to give her best at everything."
"But isn't it more fun to play together? What's the point of winning?"
"Looks like Yang Yang wants to play with them too."

Yang Yang's eyes were full of longing as he craned his neck to watch, the sounds of laughter making him itch to join. But Yin Shanshan clenched her teeth, turned back, and kept paddling.

Soon, Yin Shanshan reached the red flag.

"I declare today's winning family is Yin Shanshan's!"

The three water-fighting families paused and clapped in congratulations.

When the starting whistle had blown earlier, Su Wanning hadn't moved at all. The other two families, seeing this, had been puzzled until Su Wanning explained her reasoning.

"There’s only one red flag and one winner. There are four families—what’s the point of fighting for first place? We might as well just enjoy the water."

The other families weren't convinced by her logic, but the rafts were so hard to control that they gave up and joined the water fight.

"You ever notice that slacking off seems contagious?"
"Su Wanning is a bad influence."

"As the extra reward for first place, Yin Shanshan’s team will receive a set of cooking utensils. Everyone else will have to make do with what they catch from the river."

Prompted by the director, everyone remembered their main task and began using tools from the rafts to catch fish and shrimp. Luckily, the water was shallow and it was easy to scoop up their lunch.

By noon, the group had come ashore to prepare their meal. When they laid out their haul, they realized that everyone had only ingredients, while the only ones with cooking utensils were Yin Shanshan and her family.