Substitute Alpha Gets Confessed to by Her Ex’s Aunt on a Survival Variety Show – Chapter 71
by Little PandaWild Fishing with a Handmade Rod
Bracelet date: May 10.
In the early morning, mist rose from the trees along the river.
Water boiled in the mess tin, ready to steep some kudzu root slices for a drink.
After breakfast, Liu Yinxi sat beneath a tree, gazing up at the sky.
She thought that since the traps and fish trap couldn’t guarantee a catch every day, she needed to figure out a more proactive hunting method.
Maybe head to the beach early for beachcombing and keep the catch alive in a large barrel? But stranded fish usually didn’t survive long due to water pressure changes and their weakened condition.
Liu Yinxi discussed this with Nan Huaixu.
Nan Huaixu suddenly recalled what she had been doing the day they encountered the crocodile.
She asked Liu Yinxi, “What if we just fished right by the river?”
Liu Yinxi hesitated. “We could try.”
Nan Huaixu said, “The survival videos I watched taught how to make a fishing rod from bamboo and hemp line. Bait the hook, and you can catch small fish.”
“Mm…” Liu Yinxi murmured, thinking it over.
With the right tackle and bait, plus patience and the right fishing spot, small fish were certainly catchable.
But limited by the crudeness of a handmade rod, they’d only be able to reel in finger-length fish—palm-sized at best.
In terms of efficiency, beachcombing every few days was the better deal.
But this was the first time Nan Huaixu had proposed an active hunting method. Both theoretically and practically, it was viable—so why shoot it down?
She wanted to fish, so let her fish.
If nothing bit, the worst outcome was simply no meat for dinner. Liu Yinxi could always dive into the sea to spear fish, or find bamboo to craft a bow for hunting.
In this resource-rich rainforest, she could provide Nan Huaixu with anything.
Liu Yinxi smiled at Nan Huaixu. “Alright, let’s make a fishing rod together and see if we can land a big one. The wood rat innards will work perfectly as bait.”
Nan Huaixu’s expression brightened noticeably. “Have you made a fishing rod before? I’ve only watched videos—I don’t know how it’ll actually work in practice.”
Liu Yinxi nodded. “I have.”
Nan Huaixu said, “Then let me try making one myself first, and you can see how to improve it.”
“Sounds good.”
No bamboo had been found near the shelter. The original novel mentioned that the competition zone’s bamboo groves were mainly at higher elevations—you’d have to search upstream along the Toa River to find any.
Without bamboo, they’d start with a flexible branch for the rod, then extract tough fibers from grass vines and twist them into a line, winding it into a groove carved at one end of the pole. The final step: bending two wooden thorns—leftovers from making the mosquito net hooks—into fishhooks. Strong bone spines or salvageable metal from the beach would have been better, but they had neither for now, so wooden hooks would have to do.
Once they’d gathered all the materials, Nan Huaixu tinkered on her own for a while and finished a fishing rod, then handed it to Liu Yinxi.
She asked, “How did I do?”
Liu Yinxi examined it in her hands, gave it a test cast, adjusted the vine line tension, and rubbed the stick with a stone shard to give it more flexibility.
She returned the rod to Nan Huaixu. “Try it again—does it feel any better?”
Nan Huaixu cast the line. It flew farther than before, and the retrieve was smoother. “Mm-hm, much better. What are you making with that?”
Liu Yinxi pulled two jungle fowl feathers with vertical stripe patterns from the storage box and wound them above the hooks on both simple rods. “Making floats.”
Surprise flickered in Nan Huaixu’s eyes. She lifted a feather. “I didn’t even think of floats. Will they work?”
Liu Yinxi pinched the line, testing how securely it was fastened. “I chose feathers with distinct patterns—they make it easier to spot a bite. The ancients1 used bamboo for the rod body, silk thread or hemp line or animal sinew and gut for the fishing line, wild goose feathers or reed stalks for floats, and even fitted wooden reels.”
Nan Huaixu listened earnestly, nodding quietly.
Liu Yinxi made fine adjustments to the rod, taking a knife to carve anti-slip patterns into the handle. “Teacher Nan, trust in the ancients’ wisdom for now—give it a try and you’ll see.”
The improved rod was so far beyond what Nan Huaixu had originally envisioned—like legendary loot from a treasure chest crushing starter gear—that just watching Liu Yinxi cast with it, she felt a fish would bite any second.
“I see. Then it’ll definitely work,” she said. Her eyes brimmed with smiles.
All of it, anticipation.
Fishing depended on conditions—different fish favored different times and weather—but in a survival competition, you couldn’t afford to be picky. You just waited patiently and took whatever came.
In Liu Yinxi’s words, getting any fish at all was already good.
Liu Yinxi folded two sun hats from banana leaves, lifted one in both hands, and set it on Nan Huaixu’s head.
She looked Nan Huaixu over from side to side and chuckled.
Nan Huaixu lifted her long lashes. “What are you laughing at?”
Liu Yinxi’s voice was like melted cotton candy. “Teacher Nan, you look so cute in this hat.”
“Hmm?”
“Like a little frog baby.”
Nan Huaixu picked up her bracelet, wanting to use the mirror screen to check her reflection. Liu Yinxi quickly offered her own bracelet.
Nan Huaixu caught a glimpse and burst out laughing. “Not a frog—more like a green chrysalis.”
Liu Yinxi adjusted the angle of the hat on her head. “No way, it’s adorable.”
Nan Huaixu picked up the other hat and reached up to plop it onto Liu Yinxi’s head. “And you? Haha, you look like a cabbage.”
“I’ve been kicked out of the animal kingdom entirely.”
“Plants are great too—you can photosynthesize on your own.”
“True, I could form an entire vegetable field.”
“Ah, then would you eat me?” Liu Yinxi suddenly posed a strange question.
“Why?”
“Because you said you’re a chrysalis. After you emerge, won’t you nibble on cabbages?”
“No, caterpillars nibble cabbages. After emerging from the chrysalis, you fly away. Wait—do some adult insects eat cabbages too?”
“Probably, but I’m not sure about that.”
“Oh right, pupation is metamorphosis,” Liu Yinxi muttered to herself. She took off the leaf hat and went to the storage rack to rummage through the box of handmade items.
Nan Huaixu paused, then pressed a hand to her forehead.
How did such a childish, pointless conversation even happen?
In the past, she could never have imagined herself saying such things.
And yet—she found it a little cute.
Nan Huaixu froze.
She… was undergoing a transformation from the inside out, just like a chrysalis.
Because of one person.
Nan Huaixu turned to look. Liu Yinxi was pulling two vine seat cushions from the box and packing them into her backpack.
Liu Yinxi turned around, about to come fill the water supply, and noticed Nan Huaixu’s gaze. “What is it?”
Nan Huaixu’s eyes shimmered. “Just looking at you.”
Liu Yinxi blinked blankly. “?”
Nan Huaixu’s lips curved. “Seeing what you’re getting.”
“Oh.” Liu Yinxi showed her the backpack. “Seat cushions, so we don’t sit on damp ground while fishing.”
“Mm, what else?”
“Kudzu root water, banana stem core2.”
Nan Huaixu had already packed her things. She picked up the fishing rod and small bucket. “Ready to go?”
Liu Yinxi shouldered the pack and looked toward the riverbank. “Let’s go.”
Liu Yinxi explained the key points for choosing a fishing spot. Nan Huaixu hiked along the river, picked a location, and the two of them fished from morning till evening.
As Liu Yinxi had expected, the haul was less than ideal. They caught three small fish in total—two only index-finger length, one slightly bigger, nearly a palm’s width. Plus two small river shrimp, which could be cleaned and used to flavor a broth.
But when a fish bit, Nan Huaixu was overjoyed—so excited she bounced right off her seat cushion.
That delight was a far more precious reward than any big fish or prawn.
When the evening glow painted the horizon red, they reeled in and headed back to the shelter.
Nan Huaixu carried the small bucket of fish. Every few steps she peeked inside and told Liu Yinxi, “The fish is chasing the little shrimp.”
Liu Yinxi led the way ahead. “Yep, the fish wants to eat the little shrimp.”
Nan Huaixu snapped off a grass stalk and prodded the little fish away. “No way, I’m eating that shrimp.”
Liu Yinxi asked as they walked, “Teacher Nan, what do you think of fishing?”
Nan Huaixu thought for a moment, then frowned and answered honestly: “Not as good as beachcombing.”
Liu Yinxi’s mouth curved. Indeed.
After this experience, Liu Yinxi understood that some facts didn’t need to be contradicted outright. You just had to let the other person try for themselves—once they experienced it, they’d naturally understand.
Perhaps, with some things, what mattered wasn’t the result but the shared experience with that person.
Just as Nan Huaixu clearly hadn’t caught the big fish she wanted, yet remained genuinely happy.
They rounded a rocky shoal. The ground around them was muddy. Liu Yinxi stamped the path firm and reminded Nan Huaixu to walk slowly, to watch her footing and avoid sinking into the mire.
Nan Huaixu held the small bucket in one hand and leaned on her trekking pole with the other. “Even though the beach is far—a two or three-hour round trip—beachcombing guarantees the quality and quantity of the catch. Fishing by the river is close by, but you spend the whole day for a negligible haul.”
Nan Huaixu reached her conclusion: “From now on, if the traps and fish trap come up empty, we should make the longer trip and go beachcombing to stock up on meat.”
Liu Yinxi replied, “Sounds good.”
Nan Huaixu quickened her pace to catch up, falling in at a diagonal behind her. “Liu Yinxi, did you already know it would turn out like this?”
Liu Yinxi’s gaze met hers and quickly darted away. “Mm…”
Nan Huaixu lowered her eyes. A quiet second passed. “Then why didn’t you stop me earlier? You even wasted time making the rod with me, baking in the sun all day fishing—and in the end, what we caught isn’t even enough for a meal.”
Liu Yinxi’s expression softened. She told her gently, “Because how would you know without trying? Were you happy today?”
Nan Huaixu’s face bloomed into a smile. She nodded. “Fishing was fun.”
“It was.”
Liu Yinxi gazed at the setting sun. “I never treat this competition as just a competition. This is also our life in the rainforest. Even in city life, we can’t live every day according to our best-laid plans. There are days you work overtime and don’t have time to eat, days you excitedly go to some trendy restaurant only to find the food terrible and come home disappointed. But then—you close a big deal, you get beautiful photos for your feed. Today we didn’t go beachcombing and land a big fish, but fishing was fun, and Teacher Nan and I both had a great time. That’s already good enough.”
“Mm, I think I’ve discovered the secret to your optimism.”
“There’s no secret. Whenever you have the time, just think more about what you’ve gained.”
A steep earthen slope blocked their path ahead.
Liu Yinxi climbed up first, hauled the small bucket and Nan Huaixu’s backpack up after her, then lay flat.
Instead of simply pulling Nan Huaixu up, Liu Yinxi taught her basic climbing techniques—guiding her to step on protruding rocks and clumps of earth, showing her how to alternate handholds and footholds—letting her overcome the slope through her own ability.
The final step over the crest lacked a good foothold. Nan Huaixu struggled, and Liu Yinxi quickly leaned down to pull her up.
“Teacher Nan, grab my hand. Push up—I’ll pull you.”
“Alright.”
Nan Huaixu gripped her hand, fingers interlacing with hers. She kicked off the clods of earth below, and the strength from Liu Yinxi’s arm hauled her entire body up to the crest.
Liu Yinxi pulled Nan Huaixu up, but the momentum carried her back two steps. Just as they were about to topple, Liu Yinxi quickly widened her stance for support and wrapped one arm around Nan Huaixu’s lower back.
Liu Yinxi suddenly felt a familiar warm current. Her movements slowed for two seconds.
She dropped her gaze. Nan Huaixu lay delicate and captivating in her arms, utterly still.
Footnotes
- Traditional Chinese fishing tackle dates back over two thousand years. Ancient texts describe rods made of bamboo, lines spun from silk or hemp or animal sinew, and floats carved from goose feathers or reed stalks—some even fitted with wooden line-guides resembling primitive reels.
- The tender inner core of the banana plant stem (bājiāo xīn). In tropical and subtropical Asian cuisines, it is harvested, sliced, and boiled or eaten raw—a source of starch and hydration when other foods are scarce.
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