The director looked down.
Only then did he understand.
The startled cries just now had been because they had caught fish.
And not just one.
They were pretty big, too.
And everyone had caught some.
The director hadn't expected there to actually be fish in these waters.
His mouth fell open in an O of surprise.
On the other boat.
Xie Huan walked out of the wheelhouse.
He raised his arm naturally.
Draping it unabashedly around Pei Tingyun's shoulders, he fished for praise:
"Well? Was the map I drew accurate or what? These are all proper free-range seabed fish!"
On the other side of the deck.
Tang Keni, Yao Xuan, and Gu Lin were still hugging each other and cheering.
The startled cries earlier had come from the three of them.
It really wasn't that they hadn't seen the world.
It was just that catching a fish every minute felt so good!
Watching the fish pile higher and higher on the deck, it was really hard not to get excited!
And it wasn't just them.
Even Pei Tingyun, who wasn't particularly fond of fishing, had found the fun in it here.
He glanced at the hand Xie Huan had resting on his shoulder.
Not only did he not avoid his touch, but his lips also curved slightly as he gave him a thumbs-up:
"Yeah, thanks to the map you drew beforehand, we managed to avoid the trap the director set for us."
Having finally earned his praise, Xie Huan actually looked a little embarrassed for once.
He scratched his head sheepishly and looked at the deck, which was nearly covered in fish:
"Oh man, haven't we caught a few too many?"
Pei Tingyun thought for a moment, then crooked his finger at Xie Huan again.
Xie Huan had gotten the hang of it after the first time.
The moment he saw the gesture.
He obligingly brought his ear right up to Pei Tingyun's lips.
Only this time, his aim was a little too precise.
His slightly cool outer ear brushed the warm corner of Pei Tingyun's lips.
It was like a sudden jolt of electricity.
Leaving Pei Tingyun with an unfamiliar tingling sensation.
Unsurprisingly.
Pei Tingyun's thoughts descended into chaos again.
Who would've thought this guy, usually so rough around the edges, would be so good at this?
This barely-there teasing was the deadliest kind.
No!
I have to hold fast to my straight man's Dao heart!
I absolutely cannot let Xie Huan bend me!
Pei Tingyun took a deep breath and cleared his mind.
He unconsciously pressed his lips together before telling Xie Huan his plan.
Meanwhile.
The three who were still caught up in the excitement of catching fish.
Saw the two of them whispering again.
They exchanged a simultaneous glance.
Tang Keni and Yao Xuan both saw the gleam of gossip in each other's eyes.
But neither voiced what he saw.
Gu Lin, however, was a rich young master who had never known how to read the room.
He had no filter.
He said whatever he saw:
"Why do those two have so many secrets today? What can't we hear?"
Tang Keni had started out as an internet celebrity and practically surfed the web on 8G.
He had been sneaking onto Weibo plenty with the phone the production team provided.
He had even used a newly registered alt to join the newly established White Clouds and Black Soil supertopic.
Right now, he understood all too well.
He patted Gu Lin's shoulder meaningfully:
"Oh, kids shouldn't pry. There's a wall between them and us. Come on, let's fish!"
Gu Lin considered this. "Oh, a wall..."
Then he suddenly caught on:
"Huh? Wait! Since when am I a kid? I'm older than you! Show some respect for your elders! Get back here!"
The two started chasing each other around.
Yao Xuan picked up his fishing rod with a smile.
He kept fishing while enjoying the show.
But soon.
His attention was suddenly drawn away by Pei Tingyun's voice.
He turned to look.
Pei Tingyun was calling out to the director on the neighboring boat with a troubled expression:
"Ah, we've got so many fish, there's nowhere to put them. Do you eat fish? Want us to share some?"
The director's eyelid twitched at that.
The wind at sea had been too strong earlier, and Pei Tingyun and Xie Huan had whispered too quietly for the audio monitoring to pick it up.
But his gut told him this wouldn't be a kindhearted gift.
He even had the feeling that Xie Huan was starting to lead Pei Tingyun astray.
Sure enough.
The next second, Xie Huan spoke:
"Aw, I know you folks would be too embarrassed to take our fish for free. How about this? Give us some other ingredients, and we'll call it a trade."
The director: "..."
He knew it wouldn't be that simple!
But he had directed several reality shows himself.
How could he let Xie Huan lead him around by the nose so easily?
He immediately declared:
"Well, you've got that wrong. Taking things for free is what our production team feels least embarrassed about!"
With that, the director turned and beckoned to the assistant director beside him:
"Find a couple of people to bring over all the fish Mr. Pei offered us!"
He deliberately emphasized "all."
Even Pei Tingyun on the other boat could hear that he meant to have them snatch every last fish.
Watching the production team's boat draw closer little by little.
Pei Tingyun raised his left eyebrow slightly.
He crooked his finger at Xie Huan again.
Xie Huan leaned over with practiced ease to listen to Pei Tingyun whisper.
Once Pei Tingyun finished.
Xie Huan looked as though he had suddenly seen the light and complained to the director on the neighboring boat:
"Oh man! So that's how you city folks play! Fine! As long as that old ticket of yours can get you aboard this crappy boat of mine, you can have all the fish you want!"
With that, Xie Huan turned and left.
As he strode toward the wheelhouse.
He called to Yao Xuan, who was still fishing on deck:
"Xuanzi, reel it in! We're hightailing it outta here!"
Yao Xuan, who had been enjoying the drama all along, was all about following up instantly when someone initiated.
Before Xie Huan even finished speaking, he had already reeled in his rod.
Pei Tingyun, still standing where he was, narrowed his eyes slightly.
Xuanzi?
Why was he suddenly being so familiar?
Pei Tingyun looked at Yao Xuan, who obeyed Xie Huan's every word.
Then he looked at Xie Huan, who had already entered the wheelhouse.
He sucked in a sharp breath.
The name of a certain plant nearly slipped out.
Was Xie Huan trying to flirt with other people besides him?!
Just as Pei Tingyun's thoughts were running wild.
Xie Huan suddenly ran back out of the wheelhouse.
He grabbed Pei Tingyun with his large hand.
And pulled him straight into the wheelhouse.
Then he shut the door.
And went to steer the boat.
This whole sequence left Pei Tingyun looking baffled:
"Why did you drag me in here?"
As Xie Huan steered, he said:
"Oh man, don't you get seasick? I was afraid you'd get dizzy out there and fall into the sea. It's safer in here. Hold tight, we're about to take off!"
Xie Huan was steering the boat on Pei Tingyun's instructions, so naturally, Pei Tingyun knew he was about to play rough with the production team.
But...
Pei Tingyun asked in confusion, "How did you know I get seasick?"
Very few people knew about that.
And Pei Tingyun was certain he hadn't shown any symptoms of seasickness today.
At those words.
The viewers in the livestream were quite surprised too:
[What? My baby gets seasick? How did I not know that as his mom fan?!]
[Pei Bao is so used to enduring things. He never mentions his pain or suffering. My heart hurts so much!]
[Big bro is so good. He immediately noticed what everyone else missed! That's my ship for you!]