Shiitake Chicken Stew Noodles and Tender Banana Leaves
Nan Huaixu rushed to Liu Yinxi’s side and crouched down, her eyes full of worry. “Where are you hurt?”
“Nan-jiejie, I was hit in the chest.” Liu Yinxi pointed at Huang Heshan, her eyes glistening with tears. “I got the military rations first! She charged over and kicked me, insisting on fighting me for it. I got here at five-thirty and waited for so long. I didn’t take good care of jiejie yesterday, so today I wanted to make something delicious for you, but in the end… Ugh, I feel so awful.”
Nan Huaixu frowned and said to Huang Heshan in a low voice, “Hello. We are all contestants. It’s normal for disputes to occur when competing for an airdrop, but fighting is against the competition rules.”
Huang Heshan: “…”
“I am Nan Huaixu, and this is my teammate, Liu Yinxi. Her body is delicate and weak;1 she is no match for you. We will only take the supplies we are capable of carrying. Please, show some mercy.”2
Liu Yinxi leaned weakly against Nan Huaixu, coughing in discomfort. Nan Huaixu hurriedly patted her collar to help her catch her breath. While Nan Huaixu wasn’t looking, Liu Yinxi secretly raised a provocative eyebrow at Huang Heshan.
“?” Huang Heshan suddenly realized she had been played. Veins bulged on the back of her hand as she pointed a menacing finger straight at Liu Yinxi’s nose.
Liu Yinxi clutched Nan Huaixu’s sleeve and hid her face behind her back. “Nan-jiejie!”
Nan Huaixu saw Huang Heshan’s furious expression, not understanding why she had suddenly gotten angry. The alpha’s powerful aura made Nan Huaixu uncomfortable, but for the sake of her survival team’s shared fate,3 she braced herself4 and stood protectively in front of Liu Yinxi, shouting at Huang Heshan, “What do you think you’re doing? My teammate is already on the ground.”
Huang Heshan’s icy gaze swept past Liu Yinxi and landed on Nan Huaixu’s resolute face.
Nan Huaixu helped Liu Yinxi up and looked directly at Huang Heshan, her voice sharp. “Let me remind you, this is a live broadcast program. At every moment, there are viewers watching from all over the country. Fighting is forbidden by the rules. If you try to make a move, the Competition Committee will not sit by and do nothing.”5
Two drones hovered in the air, and two robot dogs were on the beach, all with their cameras aimed at them.
Under the watch of the cameras, Huang Heshan slowly lowered her hand. She defiantly tilted her chin up and gave Liu Yinxi a thumbs-down before picking up the military ration crate and running into the rainforest.
Liu Yinxi pushed herself up and raised her pinky finger6 at Huang Heshan’s retreating back.
Tap.
“Ouch.” Liu Yinxi’s pinky was tapped, and she quickly pulled her hand back. “Nan-jiejie?”
Nan Huaixu picked up the other airdrop crate. “Back to the shelter. Otherwise, if the other teams arrive, more conflict might break out.”
“Okay.” Liu Yinxi patted the sand off her clothes and stood up to help her with the crate.
Nan Huaixu shot her a cold glance, as if she had already seen through her little tricks. “Your chest doesn’t hurt anymore?”
Liu Yinxi coughed guiltily. “It still hurts.”
Nan Huaixu walked toward the forest, holding the crate. “If it hurts, then behave yourself. I can carry this.”
Liu Yinxi looked left and right but saw no one else. She had no idea what the other two teams were doing, unable to even find an airdrop point so close to the beach.
“Hey! Nan-jiejie, wait for me!”
Liu Yinxi caught up with Nan Huaixu.
They returned the way they came, first heading north along the border of the beach and the rainforest, then turning east into the woods near the reef cluster where they had foraged.
Having walked the path twice, they were more familiar with it and moved faster.
Nan Huaixu trudged forward, burdened by the crate. Hearing her breathing grow heavier, Liu Yinxi offered to help. “Nan-jiejie, let me carry it.”
Nan Huaixu wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. She looked at Liu Yinxi’s earnest face, fell silent for two seconds, and then handed her the crate.
Nan Huaixu had considered taking out the instant noodles and leaving the crate at the shipwreck, but then she thought about how the crate was moisture-proof and insect-proof. It could be used to store supplies and also serve as a table and stool, so she decided to haul it back to the shelter.
Liu Yinxi had the same idea, which was why she had offered to carry it.
As the saying goes, beautiful women think alike.7
Liu Yinxi recalled the scene on the beach where Nan Huaixu had stood protectively in front of her, and the corners of her lips curled up unconsciously. Facing a ruthless opponent without fear, calmly protecting her teammate—Nan Huaixu was a decent person.8
Nan Huaixu didn’t speak the entire way back. Liu Yinxi assumed she was just too thirsty and tired.
After returning to the shelter, Nan Huaixu sat down in the lean-to to rest for a moment, downing half a green coconut in one go. Then, she took out her knife and started opening the airdrop crate. For over an hour, she didn’t spare Liu Yinxi a single glance.
It was then that Liu Yinxi realized something was off. Nan Huaixu was angry.
Why?
Because she fought with someone? But Huang Heshan had kicked her first.
Because she didn’t get the best supplies, the military rations? But Nan Huaixu had been the one to persuade her not to fight for them and to choose the instant noodles instead.
Could it be because of her drama queen act, pretending her chest hurt? But if Nan Huaixu was angry about that, she wouldn’t have defended her in front of Huang Heshan…
Liu Yinxi couldn’t figure out why Nan Huaixu was sulking. She watched Nan Huaixu and pondered, bewildered. She hated the silent treatment.9 Conflict between teammates during a survival competition was a huge taboo, and the problem had to be resolved as quickly as possible.
The bonfire crackled. Nan Huaixu sat by the stone stove, her Mora knife resting on a rock. The airdrop crate was open. It looked big, but there wasn’t much inside. One, two, three—three cups of instant noodles.
There was also a note: First Airdrop Supply List (※ indicates supplies contained in this crate)
Self-heating military rations 2
※Instant noodles 3
Compressed biscuits 3
Bread 4
The three cups of instant noodles were all different flavors: one Braised Beef, one Fresh Shrimp and Fish Cake, and one Shiitake Chicken Stew.
All classics.
Liu Yinxi sidled over. “Wow, we have beef, fish, and chicken. How lavish~”
She turned her head and smiled sweetly. “Nan-jiejie, which flavor do you like?”
Nan Huaixu’s gaze shifted between the three cups of noodles. She reached out and picked up the dark green one, and the contents inside rustled.
Liu Yinxi took the cup. “Yay, Shiitake Chicken Stew is nourishing and nutritious. I’ll cook the noodles for jiejie. Chef Xiao Liu, at your service. One moment, please, and you’ll enjoy a delicious meal.”
She set the mess tin on the fire to heat up some coconut water. When small bubbles started gurgling in the water, she poured in a little of the seasoning packet, saving most of it. This would prevent the soup from being too salty, as they didn’t have much fresh water to quench their thirst. Furthermore, the seasoning packet could serve as a salt reserve; in nature, salt and sugar were extremely precious nutrients.
Instant noodles were considered unhealthy by many parents, but in the wild, they were an excellent food supply, providing carbs, fat, and salt.
The aluminum mess tin provided by the show was kidney-shaped, and the noodle cake, as big as the mouth of a bowl, wouldn’t fit whether placed horizontally or vertically. Liu Yinxi broke it in two, dropped the pieces into the boiling coconut water broth, and used a pair of twig chopsticks to stir the noodles.
As the flames heated the mess tin, the broth took on a golden hue. The dehydrated vegetable bits swelled as they soaked up the soup, dotting the jade-white noodles like tiny emeralds. Liu Yinxi blew gently, and a steamy white mist drifted up, carrying the rich aroma of chicken soup. It was enough to make one’s mouth water.10
“All done.” Using a few leaves to insulate her hand, Liu Yinxi moved the mess tin onto the airdrop crate that was serving as a table and handed Nan Huaixu the small plastic fork. “Your Shiitake Chicken Stew Noodles are ready. Please enjoy, jiejie.”
Nan Huaixu took the plastic fork, inhaled the fragrant steam from the hot noodles, and parted her lips. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Liu Yinxi’s expression relaxed. She walked to the side and sat down, quietly watching her eat.
Nan Huaixu twirled the noodles and put them in her mouth, scalding her tongue. She gasped for air a few times. Liu Yinxi offered her a newly opened green coconut, but Nan Huaixu, with a surprised look in her eyes, shook her head and continued to eat with her head down.
Liu Yinxi placed the coconut next to the noodle cup, walked over to the shelter, and pulled out the knife at her waist to shave off some banana tree core to eat.
After eating half the noodles, Nan Huaixu heard the crunching sound of Liu Yinxi chewing the banana core. She put down her plastic fork and asked, “Aren’t you eating? There are still two cups.”
Liu Yinxi chewed on the banana core as if it were sugarcane. “High-quality food is too precious. I want to save it.”
Nan Huaixu was slightly taken aback. She had been thinking that during the novice period, there would be an airdrop every three days. With four crates, each team should at least get some supplies. Her plan was to eat her fill today to have the strength to search for a stream.
Liu Yinxi’s reminder immediately made Nan Huaixu realize her mistake. The survival competition was a long-term battle. They had to gather basic resources for survival themselves.
Nan Huaixu looked at Liu Yinxi, then at the noodles in the mess tin. “I’ll eat half, you eat half. We’ll save the other two cups.”
Liu Yinxi smiled. “You eat it all. Jiejie can have the noodles, and I’ll have the soup.”
“You eat.” Nan Huaixu pushed the mess tin toward her. “If you faint from hunger, our chance for assistance will be gone.”
This reason was irrefutable.
Liu Yinxi picked up the small plastic fork, slurped a mouthful of noodles, and looked up. “Nan Huaixu.”
“Hm?” Nan Huaixu turned her head, propping her cheek on her hand. Clear sunlight filtered through the green leaves, dappling her beautiful face with specks of light, making her as lovely as a painting.
Liu Yinxi took in this beauty. “You…”
Nan Huaixu’s bright eyes gazed at her, a question in them.
Liu Yinxi’s brow furrowed slightly, and her lips moved. “You were so afraid of me getting hurt because you didn’t want to waste the opportunity for outside assistance, right?”
Nan Huaixu: “Is that even a question?”
Liu Yinxi: “.”
Oh.
Liu Yinxi lowered her head and ate her noodles.
Excellent. She had a clear-headed captain.
Liu Yinxi tasted something sweet—it was a goji berry. She hadn’t tasted anything sweet in two days, so she held it in her mouth a little longer.
“Liu Yinxi, I can roughly imagine how you used to please your ex-girlfriend,” Nan Huaixu said suddenly.
Liu Yinxi: “Huh?”
Nan Huaixu’s expression was calm, her voice slow. “We are teammates. We need to keep each other informed, clearly express our own needs, and then help each other. That’s the only way we can last long in this competition. From now on, don’t say things like you’ll drink the soup while I eat the noodles.”
Liu Yinxi nodded, confused.
Nan Huaixu lowered her gaze. “Since I proposed that we should clearly express our needs, I should be the first to do so.”
She paused, took a deep breath, and faced her teammate. “Liu Yinxi, I was not happy this morning.”
Here it comes.
Liu Yinxi sniffled, clasped her hands, and listened attentively. “Mm, I could feel it. Can you tell me why?”
A teammate willing to communicate proactively was a rare and valuable thing.
Nan Huaixu crossed her arms over her shoulders and rested her chin on the back of her hand. “I really hate it when people make decisions on their own without giving any warning beforehand.”
Liu Yinxi’s eyelashes fluttered. She understood.
Nan Huaixu looked at her. “It’s fine to arrange your own affairs however you want—that’s beyond reproach.11 But right now, during the competition, we are a team, a single unit. You woke up first this morning, so shouldn’t you have woken me up? Why did you go to get the airdrop alone? Why didn’t you discuss something so important with me?”
Liu Yinxi’s expression turned serious. “I apologize to you for that. I promise it will absolutely never happen again. As long as it concerns the team, I will discuss it with you.”
“But Nan Huaixu, you were so tired yesterday. I just wanted you to sleep in a little longer this morning.”
Nan Huaixu froze. Her lips moved, as if words were turning over in her mouth, but in the end, nothing came out. Her eyes were moist, like a clear lake shimmering with light.
Without words, her gaze was the best response.
Liu Yinxi smiled faintly and tilted her head back, drinking the rest of the noodle soup.
Gurgle gurgle gurgle—
A sound came from Nan Huaixu’s stomach. She frowned and clutched her abdomen.
She had just eaten instant noodles, so it shouldn’t be hunger.
Liu Yinxi looked at her. “What’s wrong?”
Nan Huaixu stood up, holding her stomach, and quickly walked into the dense thicket. “My stomach hurts… Don’t come over.”
Liu Yinxi understood. “Okay, be safe. Watch out for bugs and snakes and stuff in the grass.”
Nan Huaixu’s figure soon disappeared into the green jungle.
Liu Yinxi cleaned the mess tin and the stone stove, then picked up a coconut to drink. She heard a sheepish voice from the bushes.
“Liu Yinxi…”
“Here!”
“I… that thing…”
“Huh? What thing?” Liu Yinxi shifted into a more comfortable sitting position, her eyes crinkling. “Captain, please clearly tell me your needs!”
See, she was already able to creatively apply12 the rule of engagement Nan Huaixu had just taught her.
An awkward silence fell over the bushes.
After a long while, Nan Huaixu, her face beet red, said, “Liu Yinxi… could you help me pick some tender banana leaves…”
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