Staff didn’t set utensils in front of Yu Shiqing it was a spoon and fork specially arranged for him. Jiang Yu helped transfer food into his bowl, saving him energy. But Shiqing wasn’t used to eating with his left hand yet and, halfway through, signaled for Jiang Yu to stop. Jiang Yu had been focused on helping him and barely ate anything himself. As others were nearly finished, waiting just for him didn’t make sense. Jiang Yu looked at Shiqing’s bowl and asked, concerned, “Not hungry?”
“I’m full,” Shiqing replied.
Jiang Yu didn’t push further, refilled his glass of water, and set down the chopsticks.
The director, sitting behind the monitor and eating instant noodles, waved to his assistant: “They’re done eating, time to move on!” The assistant understood, picked up an envelope with task cards from the table, and carried it toward the group’s dining yurt. This extra meal wasn’t in the plan; only Yu Shiqing and Zhu Yulan had earned the “Brave Hearts” reward to qualify. But because of the recent accident and the lowered spirits of both guests and audience, the director added this little treat. With Shiqing reintegrated, the atmosphere felt right to resume the show.
Soon, the assistant appeared outside the yurt. With cameras everywhere and no privacy, he walked in, handed the envelope to Wei Yuanju, and withdrew. Wei Yuanju, familiar with the show’s patterns, smiled wryly: “Guess this is tomorrow’s mission.”
“Open it,” encouraged Su Yayi, unbothered.
Wei Yuanju pulled out the first card:
“Congratulations to the victors! You and your partner earn a one-day ‘Brave Journey.’ Your only mission is to enjoy.”
Ji Chen felt jealous but tried to sound tough: “Enjoy? Sounds exploitative not proper or aligned with our working-class values!”
Su Yayi teased: “Then I hope you enjoy all your period delays.” Ji Chen’s face turned green.
Wei Yuanju raised a hand: “Enough joking. This card isn’t for me. Let’s see the next.” He opened the second, thicker card:
“To those who lost: you are titled ‘Guides.’ You will assist the Brave Hearts and their partners tomorrow. After dinner, return to base to train; details are enclosed check carefully.”
Ji Chen blinked: “Guides? What’s that?” Wei Yuanju grimaced reviewing the training list: “Trust me you don’t want to know.”
Su Yayi summarized: “Basically, we sit while you stand, we eat, and you watch.”
Ji Chen protested: “What!”
“No more like serving. You’ll have to bring tea and water too,” Su Yayi clarified, grinning.
“No way!” Ji Chen grabbed the paper and read, growing more despairing.
Xi Mingjie, curious, peered in: “Teacher Wei, what’s ‘菜布’ mean?”
Wei Yuanju explained: “It means they pick a dish, and we have to serve it to them.”
Ji Chen turned serious to a camera: “Where’s the director? I need a talk!”
The chat room erupted with laughter, but the director didn’t appear. Wei Yuanju sighed: “Tomorrow, the three of us are stuck together.”
The winners, Yu Shiqing and Zhu Yulan, gave their meal spots to Su Yayi and Wu Luo. With Jiang Yu excused from duties, they were the “Enjoyers,” while Ji Chen, Wei Yuanju, and Xi Mingjie were “Guides.”
Su Yayi bowed to the camera: “Thanks director for booking Jiang Ge to film now I even got his spot!”
Thirty minutes later, after dinner, they prepared. As Brave Hearts, Shiqing and Zhu each had a yurt. Su Yayi, thoughtful, asked: “Yu-ge, Yu-ge, are you heading over now?”
“Yep,” Jiang Yu answered.
Shiqing was injured and needed rest.
“Be careful.” Su Yayi sighed, leaving Shiqing’s condition unmentioned.
The others waved them off.
Shiqing and Jiang Yu climbed into a vehicle, surrounded by the six. The on-call doctor waited inside beside Shiqing’s seat. The cameraman was up front, quietly present Jiang Yu ignored him entirely. The doctor eyed Shiqing’s plastered right arm: “Can you remove it during sleep tonight?”
Jiang Yu turned to the doctor, voice hushed: “Will this injury affect his ability to play cello later?”
“No,” the doctor replied.
“During this time, what should I watch for?” Jiang Yu asked.
The doctor started listing care instructions, each beginning with “do not.” Seeing Jiang Yu’s concern deepen, Shiqing said softly: “It’s not that serious.”
“Don’t say anything,” Jiang Yu replied then grabbed Shiqing’s left hand and opened a new note on his phone, asking the doctor: “What foods should he not eat?”
He wrote carefully and then flipped the screen toward the doctor: “Anything missing?” The doctor checked, nodded.
Jiang Yu glanced at Shiqing’s suspended arm: “How do we loosen this?”
“Like this,” the doctor explained and demonstrated with a spare sling.
Viewers saw Jiang Yu practicing throughout the ride with care and the “Pisces cp” chat overflowed with affection. The car stopped at their yurt. The cameraman and medic stayed outside as they entered though the tent had been rigged with cameras. The director immediately switched the broadcast feed.
Inside, the space was smaller with just two of them. Shiqing noticed a suitcase and reached to open it but remembered not to get the cast wet. Jiang Yu stepped in, saying: “I’ll help.” He went to the bathroom, dampened a disposable towel under warm water, wrung it, and gave it to Shiqing.
“Dry your face first.” He then fetched water and toothpaste, swapped towels, and paused slightly as he remembered something.
“Oh.” Turning away, he tossed the towel into the trash, then asked: “Want to wash tonight?”
The chat room exploded: “Does this mean Jiang Yu will bathe Yu Shiqing?!”
“Really? Jiang Laoshi, are you serious?!”
Yu Shiqing replied calmly: “No.”
“It’s not convenient,” he added. Jiang Yu turned, tone measured: “If you want, I can help.”
“It’s okay don’t force it,” Shiqing answered.
Jiang Yu barely flinched seeing his robe not bathing tonight, but still care. He paused to help Shiqing brush his teeth at the sink.
Chat room was in a frenzy: “Do it, Jiang Laoshi! They’re going to bed!”
“Bathing is routine care; you must do it!”
At that moment, after Shiqing rinsed his mouth, Jiang Yu asked: “Change clothes?”
Just as Shiqing began to answer, Jiang Yu added: “Skip the pajamas; just clean clothes, easier for tomorrow.”
Shiqing glanced at his dusty outfit from riding and agreed: “Okay.”
Chat erupted: “What restricted content will come next?!”
“Jiang Laoshi, yes! Show us Yu-ge’s body!”
After a moment, they emerged: Jiang Yu had laid Shiqing’s clean clothes on the bed, gently supported his injured arm, and, with one hand, began releasing the sling strap. Shiqing watched calmly as Jiang Yu moved close. Jiang Yu paused at the close proximity and the depth of Shiqing’s gaze. He instinctively held his breath before softly asking: “Pain?”
“No,” Shiqing said. Jiang Yu lowered his hand carefully.
Shiqing began unbuttoning the bathrobe. From top to bottom. Jiang Yu assisted from the bottom, freeing the second button then suddenly frowned.
He scanned the tent: one… two cameras. The viewers panicked and rightly so.
“Wait,” Jiang Yu said to Shiqing, then grabbed a towel from the bathroom and covered the camera lens completely. The screen went black. Viewer’s chats filled with tension. Soon, soft rustling ceased. Then Jiang Yu spoke: “Done.”
The audience waited in silence until Jiang Yu said: “I’ll help you undress.”
Shiqing answered: “Okay.”
Jiang Yu asked: “This one?”
“Fine,” was Shiqing’s reply.
Moments later, Shiqing said: “I’ll do the pants.”
“You sure?” Jiang Yu paused, then remembered the cameras but said nothing.
Shiqing asked: “What’s wrong?”
“Mute the mics,” Jiang Yu said.
And then silence.
Viewers: ???
“How can this be?!”
“I don’t mind the footage, but you won’t even let us hear it?? I’ll cry!!”
“Is Jiang Laoshi cruel or moral?”
