Chapter 21: Joining Forces

The muddy battle finally ended with ten exhausted people collapsed in the mud. Wu Zhankui looked at the scattered, weary figures on the field, who seemed ready to just fall asleep in the mud. Considering their extreme fatigue, he reluctantly had Chen Lei hastily announce the match results, canceling the planned punishment for the losing team. He then urged everyone to get up quickly, return to their lodgings, take a shower, change clothes, and prepare for the dinner segment.

After Chen Lei declared the competition over and told everyone to go home, it took about twenty more minutes before the group gradually recovered and dispersed to their respective homes.

Xiao Siqi and Xiao Yao’s place was the closest to the competition site, so they were the first to return. But just as they reached the door, Xiao Yao raised a concern. “I think the water in our barrel at home might not be enough to wash our clothes.”

“Right,” Xiao Siqi agreed, realizing the problem, and turned to Chen Min. “Chen Jie, what do we do if there’s no water?”

Chen Min was troubled too. The large barrel of water, under normal circumstances for two people over two days, was enough for cooking, washing, and bathing. But both had rolled around in the muddy pond, looking like mud monkeys. Washing off all that mud and sand would surely require several times the usual water. Without enough water, it would be impossible to get clean.

“Maybe I can talk to our leader, Director Wu, and ask for more water to be delivered?” Chen Min suggested.

“Deliver water? How? With what? This isn’t something a few water bottles can fix,” Xiao Siqi replied.

“Look over there—Dad, there’s a river. We can wash in the river,” Xiao Yao pointed to a small stream running through the village. “We can wash off the mud and dirty clothes in the river first, then come back and use the clean water at home to rinse. That barrel should then be enough.”

In this picturesque mountain village, the flowing river was quite clean—good enough for swimming. Washing off mud there would be no problem.

Xiao Siqi looked in the direction Xiao Yao pointed and agreed. “Okay.”

Chen Min also thought it was a good idea and said, “Let’s go then.”

“No,” Xiao Siqi stopped them with a hand. “According to the agreement, filming bath scenes is prohibited. So you can’t film us washing in the river either. The cameraman shouldn’t come, and you’d better not go either. If you’re worried about our safety, you can arrange for two males to accompany us.”

Chen Min thought that made sense and agreed, sending two male crew members who could swim along.

By the time Xiao Siqi and Xiao Yao finished washing, tidied up, and cleaned their changed clothes, it was already past four in the afternoon. After lying down for a short rest, the evening task card arrived.

This time, it was Xiao Siqi’s turn. Xiao Yao had gone to bed right after washing, but Xiao Siqi, still needing to wash clothes, rested later. Before he could fall asleep, the task card came.

“Prepare the child’s favorite dishes for dinner tonight,” Xiao Siqi read quietly. His face immediately darkened, and he sat on the bed, pulling at his hair.

“What’s wrong?” Chen Min whispered, curious about his strong reaction.

“I don’t know how to cook,” Xiao Siqi whispered.

“No way? We’ve been doing this show for two years—you should have seen the cooking segments. Didn’t you learn before joining the show?” Chen Min couldn’t understand. In the first season, one dad who couldn’t cook had made a mess, but subsequent seasons had no completely incompetent cooks. How could there still be one in the third season?

“I tried, but I just can’t learn,” Xiao Siqi said helplessly. “Once, I nearly set the kitchen on fire. Bayi told me not to go near the kitchen anymore.”

“Oh, Bayi,” Xiao Siqi turned and nudged the still-sleeping Xiao Yao. “Yao Ge, Yao Ge!”

Chen Min was stunned. The way they addressed each other had changed—what exactly was their relationship?

“Huh? Dad, what did you just call me?” Xiao Yao mumbled groggily.

“Yao Ge,” Xiao Siqi said. “Today I even heard you coaxing Duor and Qisan to call you ‘brother.’ Dad needs your help, so I thought I’d flatter you with ‘Yao Ge’ first.”

Chen Min and the crew exchanged looks again.

“Oh, what’s up?” Xiao Yao seemed indifferent.

“Cooking. The evening task is for me to cook for you, but I don’t know how. What do I do?” Xiao Siqi was anxious.

“Cook? Just team up,” Xiao Yao said, puzzled. “Why are you so nervous? Didn’t we already talk about this? Forgot?”

“Yeah,” Xiao Siqi slapped his forehead. “I have cooking trauma. I get so nervous I forget. Well, Yao Ge, you’re off the hook.”

“Then should I call you back?” Xiao Yao rolled his eyes. “Call you ‘Qi Ge’?”

“Hey, no disrespect,” Xiao Siqi pushed Xiao Yao. “Get up quickly. Don’t wait until everyone’s done eating before we go. Otherwise, it’ll be too late.” Saying this, he put on his coat, tied his shoes, and left first.

“Are you going to crash someone’s dinner?” Chen Min cautiously asked. “The task card says your dad has to cook himself.”

“It’s not crashing, it’s teaming up!” Xiao Yao corrected seriously. “Dad can’t cook, so we can find someone to teach him. I’m too young to watch if he sets the kitchen on fire. We’ll find an adult to supervise him so he learns by cooking together. We’re just thinking about everyone’s safety and property. Besides, the task card only says my dad has to cook for me, not that he has to do it in his own kitchen. Cooking at someone else’s place isn’t breaking any rules.”

“Bayi, let’s go,” Xiao Siqi said, already carrying the dinner ingredients prepared by the crew. Seeing Xiao Yao ready, he called out.

The crew had no choice but to follow the father and son outside.

“Whose place are you going to? Teacher Zhao Tao’s?” Chen Min asked. According to the files, Xiao Siqi seemed closest to Zhao Tao, who was also close friends with Xiao Siqi’s father, Xiao Chengru.

“I’m pretty close with Tao Ge, but for cooking, we’re definitely going to Teacher Sun Xiaochu’s house,” Xiao Siqi smiled.

“Oh, right,” Chen Min recalled. Sun Zhihao was known online as Sun Xiaochu, often posting pictures of his dishes. His cooking skills were impressive.

The village was small. Although Xiao Siqi’s family lived on the edge, it didn’t take long to find Sun Zhihao and his daughter’s home.

“Teacher Sun! Are you home? Can we come in?” Xiao Siqi called out at the door, both polite and cautious, thinking they might disturb the young lady inside if they barged in.

“Here we are, come in,” Sun Zhihao came from the inner room. Seeing it was Xiao Siqi and Xiao Yao, he warmly welcomed them. “Siqi, Bayi, come sit.”

“Ah, Brother Bayi!” a girl’s excited voice rang out, and Sun Tingting ran out.

Xiao Siqi looked a bit embarrassed. “Duor, Bayi is actually a few months younger than you. Don’t call him ‘brother.’ He’s just teasing you.”

“No, I call him brother so he’ll keep taking care of me,” Sun Tingting said innocently. “When we split rooms, I called him brother. When playing soccer, he rushed over to save me so I wouldn’t get hit by the ball. I’ll keep calling him brother so he’ll keep protecting me.”

Xiao Siqi and Xiao Yao exchanged helpless glances.

“If you don’t call him brother, he’ll still take care of you,” Xiao Siqi said.

Seeing Sun Tingting still shook her head, Sun Zhihao chuckled to Xiao Siqi, “Well, it’s only a few months difference. Let the kids be. Besides, if your Bayi called Duor ‘sister,’ that’d be strange.”

“Oh, you’re...” Sun Zhihao looked curiously at the ingredients in Xiao Siqi’s hand.

“To be honest, I came here asking for help,” Xiao Siqi said sheepishly. “I can’t cook. I tried learning at home before the show, but I have no talent for it. Once I almost set the kitchen on fire. Bayi is scared to let me near the kitchen without an adult watching. Tonight’s task is to cook, and I have no choice but to come to you, since you’re known as Sun Xiaochu. Teach me well, and I’ll help you.”

“No problem,” Sun Zhihao laughed heartily. This was a gratifying and fulfilling request.

“I should warn you, I’m really hopeless at cooking. If I cause trouble, please bear with me,” Xiao Siqi whispered, glancing at the camera.

“No worries. If needed, I’ll cook your portion too. Just tell me what Bayi likes,” Sun Zhihao whispered back generously.

“What dishes don’t matter. Bayi isn’t picky; whatever we say is his favorite will be fine. That part’s easy. The problem is them,” Xiao Siqi gestured toward the wary cameras. “The task says I have to cook myself. Learning from you is fine, but if you do it all, I’m afraid they won’t approve.”

“No problem. The kitchen here has no exhaust fan, so it gets smoky. I’ll make the smoke thick enough to chase them out. When it clears and the food’s almost done, you just stir the pan a bit and serve it. Problem solved,” Sun Zhihao said with a grin.

Xiao Siqi’s face lit up in delight as he nodded repeatedly.

“Dad, what are you whispering about?” Sun Tingting, curious, watched her father and Uncle Xiao whispering, then finally asked.

“Nothing. Today Uncle Xiao and Bayi are eating here. Dad and Uncle Xiao went to cook. You stay with Bayi and play, and we’ll call you when dinner’s ready,” Sun Zhihao smiled.

“Really? That’s great! Brother Bayi, what do you like to eat? I’ll ask Dad to make it. My dad cooks really well,” Sun Tingting said.

Xiao Yao smiled. “My dad knows my favorite dishes. Whatever he brings out will be my favorite.”

Hearing this, Xiao Siqi beamed at Sun Zhihao, who smiled and gave a discreet thumbs-up before leading Xiao Siqi into the kitchen.