No one present could clearly see Lin Mo's movements.
Not even Xie Guanyan.
By the time he realized what had happened, the girl had already surfaced from the water.
Her hair, dampened by the water, clung to her temples, and glistening droplets adorned her radiant face.
She looked like a lotus emerging from the water—fresh and breathtakingly beautiful.
Shanshan had instinctively rushed to save him.
A surge of warmth flooded his heart, as if sugar were melting inside.
Is… is this what it feels like to be cared for?
"Are you okay? I’ll take you to shore!" Lin Mo said.
Xie Guanyan's heart trembled uncontrollably, his mind blank. He didn’t even hear what she said.
All he saw were her delicate, rosy lips parting slightly, her pink tongue faintly visible.
He wanted to kiss her.
Too worried to notice Xie Guanyan’s dazed expression, Lin Mo wrapped an arm around his lean waist and swam toward the shore.
Shen Sizhan’s eyes widened in shock, but he quickly composed himself.
It was only natural.
His sister had always been kind and brave.
Years ago, she had nearly been stabbed while rescuing a little girl from bullies.
Gu Jingchuan, witnessing the scene, shouted, "Black-Clothed Persons! They’re making physical contact—aren’t you going to spray them?"
The two Black-Clothed Persons retracted their fangs and simultaneously sprayed Gu Jingchuan instead.
"Enough with the nagging! Can’t you see they’re saving someone?"
Gu Jingchuan shuddered so hard he nearly fell into the water, yelling, "Foul play! Foul play! This is rigged!"
No one paid him any attention.
Li Huanyu frowned in frustration.
Why was she so unlucky?
Lin Mo helped Xie Guanyan onto the shore and asked with concern, "Are you still cramping?"
Xie Guanyan’s deep, dark eyes met hers.
Lin Mo instantly understood.
Oh, you little faker!
She wrinkled her nose and, while no one was looking, pinched his waist!
Xie Guanyan, now fully alert, flushed red and quickly lowered his head, pretending to be in pain. "Sorry, Director, I don’t think I can continue rafting."
Leg cramps in the water could be serious.
The Director hurriedly reassured him, "No problem, safety first. Just rest on the shore."
Li Huanyu was furious. "Director! How am I supposed to compete against the other teams alone?"
The Director pondered for two seconds. "Then I’ll take Xie Guanyan’s place on your raft. Just treat me like him—I used to compete in dragon boat races, so I’m great with paddles!"
Li Huanyu: "…"
Can I say no?
—"Was Xie Guanyan really cramping?"
—"Of course! He couldn’t even lift his head from the pain!"
—"Lin Mo moved way too fast. Was she just showing off?"
—"Who let this troll out?"
After the mishap, the race restarted.
The Director confidently told Li Huanyu, "Don’t worry, Teacher Li, we’ll definitely win first place."
Li Huanyu replied flatly, "Uh-huh."
She couldn’t care less about winning!
Lin Mo overheard the Director’s words and narrowed her eyes.
The Assistant Director, acting as referee, blew the whistle.
Everyone watched as Lin Mo’s raft shot forward like an arrow.
Shen Sizhan, caught off guard, nearly flipped over in shock, his face frozen in a meme-worthy expression.
Lin Mo steadied him with her paddle. "Hold on tight!"
From then on, the only sound was Shen Sizhan’s screams: "Ahhhh—I’m fine! Ahhhh—Go, sis, go!"
The Director hadn’t expected Lin Mo to be so fast. His competitive spirit flared. "Interesting. Old Wu’s coming for you!"
He gripped the paddles and rowed furiously, the oars a blur.
Li Huanyu shrieked in terror, "Ahhh—glug glug—"
The Director, blood pumping, didn’t even notice he was the only one left on the raft.
The Assistant Director chased after them with Li Huanyu in tow. "Wu Gui! Wu Gui! Slow down! Are you just abandoning the guest?"
The Director lamented his own rule about not leaving teammates behind and reluctantly slowed to retrieve a shaken Li Huanyu.
Jiang Wan, eager for a good dinner, seized the chance to overtake the Director!
The livestream exploded with laughter.
—"LMAO I just pissed myself laughing"
—"The Director’s a riot! Forty is the age to go wild!"
—"Lin Mo’s eyes show zero concern for her brother—only pure hunger for victory!"
—"Lin Mo hasn’t changed. Back in high school, she was always top of the class until a new student stole her spot once. After that, she studied even harder!"
The results for the female contestants were unsurprising.
Lin Mo first, Jiang Wan second.
Li Huanyu third.
The Director shook his head and sighed in disappointment.
By the time they returned to the cabin, it was nearly evening.
The two winners, Lin Mo and Xie Guanyan, enjoyed a lavish feast.
She sighed, "Only I know the blood, sweat, and tears behind this journey!"
The other four were stuck with steamed buns and pickles.
The scores were soon announced.
Lin Mo: 100, Jiang Wan: 90, Li Huanyu: 80.
Xie Guanyan: 100, Shen Sizhan: 90, Gu Jingchuan: 70.
Amid the chaos, accidental contact led to deductions for everyone—except Lin Mo and Xie Guanyan.
The two towering Black-Clothed Persons exchanged glances and snickered in unison.
The steamed-bun-and-pickle crew also had to sleep in tents that night.
Their misery was theirs alone to bear.
—"Xie Guanyan and Lin Mo are unstoppable! Double champs!"
—"Today was pure chaos. Gu Jingchuan seems more interested in Lin Mo than Li Huanyu, Xie Guanyan’s stance is unclear, Lin Mo and Shen Sizhan are siblings, she might have a thing for Xie Guanyan—or not—and she clearly wants to kick Gu Jingchuan."
—"The situation’s a complete mess. Might as well drink it while it’s hot."
—"Don’t worry! There are still more guests coming on the show!"
