Dinner was nothing particularly elaborate.
They put all the dried meat, dried vegetables, dried mushrooms, rice, and other supplies the villagers had given them into one pot to cook.
Although the pot held a jumble of ingredients, they still combined to produce an enticing aroma.
Xu Chao took a deep breath. "It smells so good! Honey, we're such great cooks."
Fu Sichen curled his lips. "It's all thanks to you."
Xu Chao waved his little hands, showing a rare moment of modesty. "No, no, I barely did anything. You did all the cooking."
While they cooked, Xu Chao handled the talking, chattering away about when to add the ingredients and which seasonings to use, while Fu Sichen did the work.
Lin Yang smiled. "Hehe, you husbands make a perfect pair. Stop being so modest."
A perfect pair!
Paired how?
Xu Chao's little face inexplicably flushed. "Ahem, come on, eat while it's hot."
Lin Yang scooted his little bottom closer, practically drooling. "Yes, yes, let's eat!"
Seeing this, Zhou Nan hurried over too.
Xu Chao picked up the ladle and began serving.
The first bowl had plenty of meat, plenty of mushrooms, plenty of vegetables, and plenty of rice.
"Honey."
The second bowl had plenty of mushrooms, plenty of vegetables, and plenty of rice.
"Mine."
The third bowl had plenty of meat, plenty of vegetables, and plenty of rice.
"Yangyang."
The fourth bowl had plenty of broth and very little rice.
"Tsk."
Everyone else's bowls were rich and delicious, while his held nothing but watery broth. Did the favoritism have to be so obvious?
Zhou Nan couldn't hold back. "Why isn't there any meat or vegetables?"
Xu Chao replied matter-of-factly, "Because I play favorites."
Zhou Nan choked. "You-you-you!"
"What about me? The ingredients, the pot, and the bowls are all mine, and my husband did the cooking. We asked you to gather firewood, but you complained about being emotionally drained and having sore legs. In the end, Yangyang brought it all back. Even after all that, you still got a bowl of rice broth..."
At this point, Xu Chao drew out his words, dripping with sarcasm. "You're freeloading, and you still have so many complaints?"
Freeloader!
Idiot!
Zhou Nan's face instantly turned scarlet. "I-I-you-this..."
The man who had received the most blatant favoritism looked at his bowl, brimming with meat, vegetables, and mushrooms, and curled his lips in pleasure. "Come over and eat."
"Mm-hmm." Xu Chao immediately picked up his little bowl and ran over to his husband.
[Freeloading, hahaha! Chaochao is so talented. That little mouth of his said exactly what I was thinking.]
[Honestly, Zhou Nan is hopeless. A grown man, yet so precious and affected.]
[With favoritism that blatant, Young Master Fu must be thrilled inside.]
Fu Sichen really was thrilled. Watching his wife sitting beside him, sipping congee, he wanted nothing more than to pull him into his arms.
He suppressed his surging feelings as they ate. After dinner, they heard a commotion from across the river, with people calling for help and beasts roaring.
Lin Yang paled in alarm. "What's happening? What's happening? Don't tell me a wolf pack is coming!"
Holding his little bowl, which he had emptied, Xu Chao smiled sweetly and adorably. "Very possible. The wolves are coming!"
Zhou Nan shot to his feet. "What do we do? Let's run!"
Fu Sichen brought a spoonful of rice congee laden with beef and mushrooms to Xu Chao's lips, his voice indulgent. "Stop messing around. Eat."
Xu Chao bit down on the spoon with a chomp, then blinked, his smile mischievous. "I was just joking to liven things up."
"Run! Run! Don't sting me!"
"Help! Someone save me!"
The cries drew closer and closer.
Lin Yang instantly clutched his bowl and pricked up both ears, his voice dry and tense. "It sounds like someone really is calling for help. Are there really wolves?"
Zhou Nan's legs trembled with fear too. "Run. Let's hurry and run too."
The next second, the bushes across the river shook violently, and two figures emerged.
Seemingly spotting the fire blazing in the darkness, a man shouted excitedly.
"Friends across the river! We've run into wild wasps! Please help us!"
"Save us! Please, please!"
Those voices-Lou Jun and Shen Xinbai!
A buzzing sound accompanied them.
Fu Sichen narrowed his eyes. "A swarm of hornets. Get into the tents."
Xu Chao blinked and called a reminder across the river. "If you want to live, hide underwater."
Then the man half carried him into the tent.
Lin Yang followed suit, ducking into his tent. When he went to zip it shut, he noticed Zhou Nan still standing there in a daze and couldn't help urging him.
"Zhou Nan, hurry up and get in!"
"Yangyang, that's Best Actor Lou and the others over there. Our companions are in danger. We can't hide like cowards. We have to save them."
Most importantly, all four of them had financial backing and strong reputations in the industry. Taking this opportunity to save them would earn him their goodwill and establish his image as someone who righteously came to others' rescue.
Lin Yang was worried. "But those are hornets..."
Zhou Nan declared righteously, "I'm not afraid. All I know is that our companions are in trouble. How could I back down?"
Huddled in the tent, Xu Chao raised his eyebrows with interest at Zhou Nan's words and muttered, "Now he's putting on an act. Let's see how many minutes he lasts."
"Heh." The man's low chuckle sent a tingling sensation through the boy's ears.
Only then did Xu Chao realize that Fu Sichen was holding him tightly in his arms.
He could distinctly feel the heat and firmness of the man's chest muscles.
His little face instantly flushed bright red.
Outside the tent.
Zhou Nan shouted across the river, "Best Actor Lou, it's me, Zhou Nan! We have tents here. Hurry across the river and hide inside!"
Hearing the response, Lou Jun and the others were initially ecstatic. They were saved!
But the next second, they froze. Zhou Nan!
Then that voice just now really had been Xu Chao's!
They had actually found the water source before them?!
And he had even given them the terrible advice to hide underwater!
Damn him!
Both Lou Jun and Shen Xinbai were furious. Without thinking, they jumped into the stream-not to hide underwater, of course, but to cross it and take shelter in Zhou Nan's tent.
Standing on the bank, Zhou Nan watched them all follow his instructions and head toward him, looking rather smug. Then he deliberately called into the tent, "Yangyang, come out and help!"
Had it been anyone else, Lin Yang really would have gone out to help.
But that was Shen Xinbai over there, Chaochao's number-one romantic rival. No way was he saving him!
Lin Yang tucked his head in and promptly burrowed into his sleeping bag, covering himself so thoroughly that not a single strand of hair showed.
[Those three are so heartless. Their companions' lives are at stake, and all they care about is hiding.]
[Okay, but it's a swarm of hornets. Hiding underwater really is the best response.]
[Yes, yes, of course, you have to put yourself in danger to save companions you hate. Can the self-righteous saints get lost? Just seeing them is annoying.]
[Chaochao is still too kind, telling them how to save themselves. I wouldn't even bother.]
The stream wasn't deep, reaching only their calves, but the resistance was considerable.
On land, they had barely managed to evade the pursuing hornets, but once they entered the water...
A hornet stung Cheng Yu on the shoulder. Sharp pain shot through his entire body, and his legs buckled, sending him falling into the water. His face contorted with pain as he appealed to the person beside him. "Xinbai, give me a hand."
Shen Xinbai didn't look back. Hearing only the frightening buzzing behind him, he shoved irritably. "Don't pull on me!"
Caught off guard, Cheng Yu was pushed bodily into the stream.
Shen Xinbai ran on without looking back.
As Lou Jun passed, he also stepped on him, using him to push off toward the opposite bank. "Don't block the way."
Cheng Yu fell in a miserable heap on the streambed. Cold water washed over his face, his dark brown eyes filled with bewilderment and helplessness.
A faint sigh sounded beside his ear.
It was mocking him, wasn't it? In a moment of danger, his best friend refused to give him a hand, and the man he had so carefully treasured in his heart only thought he was in the way.
The next second, a palm covered his eyes. Before he could see clearly, something warm and soft touched his lips, accompanied by a man's gentle, resonant voice.
"Breathe."
[Wen Shen!!!]
[Holy shit, they really kissed!]
[Artificial respiration in name, a passionate underwater kiss in practice.]
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