The shoot started by a riverside open space, not indoors. A few steps ahead led down a winding stone stair to a dock lined with boats. In the afternoon, the sunset glowed on the river, and clear water lapped the stone walls, stirring moss.
On the platform, Ji Chen looked down. Seeing no path ahead but spy cams on the boats, he asked, “We don’t have to row across, do we?”
Wei Yuanju had already found the crew’s envelope. “Here’s the mission.” He showed them cards. Su Yayi said, “Really? A mission before we even get to our lodging?”
Wei smirked. He read the card: It said the ancient garden at the river’s end had only four rooms and one house. The other four guests must stay in nearby brick homes. So they’d do a rowing competition teams of two and the first two teams to reach the end would stay in the garden.
They drew lots. Jiang Yu and Wu Luo paired up; Yu Shiqing with Su Yayi; Ji Chen with Wei Yuanju; Zhu Yulan with Xi Mingjie.
Su Yayi clenched her fist. “Don’t worry, Yu, I’ll get us there first!”
Ji Chen sighed, laughing, “Last time Yu got all the comfort; this time you might be staying in the brick house.”
Su Yayi quickened her pace: “Don’t speak so soon, I’ll beat you to it!”
They bantered and headed down the left stairs. The other six walked down platforms on the left and right, arriving at the dock. The local boatman untied the ropes and taught them how to row while they put on life jackets.
Yu Shiqing stepped into the leftmost boat. He held the oar at the prow and then looked back at Su Yayi, who was still stiff and climbing in. He handed her the oar and said, “Hold it tight.” She accepted, climbed in, clasped the sides, and sat very still. She looked embarrassed. “Don’t worry, once it’s steady, I won’t move like that.”
Yu smiled. “That’s fine.”
While others prepared, he demonstrated rowing one-handed and let her feel the rhythm. She struggled and then blushed, “Yu, how about you sit in front? I’ll just follow your moves.”
“Okay,” he said.
At that moment, Wei Yuanju called out: “Everyone ready? I’m starting the timer!”
Ji Chen, full of confidence, said, “Come on, I’m impatient.” Su Yayi puffed a fist: “You’re just itching to crash us!”
Yu Shiqing looked over and met Jiang Yu’s gaze. Jiang Yu raised an eyebrow and said exactly what Yu expected: “Let’s see who gets there first.”
Yu chuckled. “Alright.”
Su Yayi looked confused: “What? You said something?”
Yu looked back at her. “Nothing. Let’s go.”
“Okay!” she grabbed her oar. Wei shrieked, “Go!”
All four boats went forward together. Within seconds, Ji Chen and Wei Yuanju’s boat began spinning. “Wei, you’re only using one arm!” “Your direction is off!” Su Yayi pointed and laughed as their boat zoomed past.
Jiang Yu’s boat was slightly ahead of theirs. Zhu Yulan and Xi Mingjie, too, abandoned teamwork early on they figured one rower was safer since raw teamwork often leads to issues. Even still, the slowest duo had already overtaken Ji Chen and Wei Yuanju. Jiang Yu was a tenth of the way ahead, Yu Shiqing right behind.
Yu rowed one-handed to maintain Su Yayi’s pace and avoid unsettling her rhythm. Since Jiang Yu was always ahead, Su Yayi felt tense but confident. At halfway, she turned and saw Zhu Yulan trailing far back. “Wow, Yu, your teaching works we’re so fast!”
Yu said, “You did well picking up the rhythm.”
Relieved, Su Yayi giggled. “Thanks, Yu!” Then she noticed the bandage on his neck. “Yu, what happened to your neck?” Earlier she was too tense to notice the lead gave more confidence.
Yu said lightly, “A cat scratched me.”
“A cat?” Su Yayi was surprised. “A stray cat?”
Yu smiled lightly but didn’t look at Jiang Yu. “No, a house cat.”
“You keep a cat?” she asked.
He neither confirmed nor denied.
She said, “I keep a cat too!” Excited, they chatted about cats.
Just then, Jiang Yu sensed something and glanced back. Su Yayi was animated, Yu was smiling. Jiang Yu’s lips tightened as he spoke to Wu Luo, “Yayi rowed fast.”
Wu Luo offered: “Do you need help, Senior?”
Jiang Yu shook his head. “No thanks.”
Wu Luo checked: “Jiang, did something scratch your neck?”
His neck wound lay partially hidden by his collar. Jiang Yu said, “Mm.”
Wu Luo apologized: “Sorry, I should have rowed. Is it serious?”
“It’s not bad.” Jiang Yu added casually: “Just a cat scratch.”
Wu Luo didn’t press more. The chat feed blew up:
“What?! A cat scratched both of them??”
“That excuse sounds made-up.”
“I saw both have new bandages if a cat, why just one spot each?”
“They must have shared a bed last night!”
Meanwhile, Jiang Yu and Yu reached the end. Yu Shiqing stepped off first. He offered to help Jiang Yu. Jiang Yu accepted, stepping up. Yu aided him onshore, shoulder close to shoulder, and teased with a half-smile, “What were you two so happy talking about?”
Yu laughed softly: “Cats.”
Jiang Yu’s smile flickered, and he helped unclip Yu’s life jacket. Yu stood still, letting him.
Wu Luo, left in the boat, called, “Senior…”
Jiang Yu glanced at him, then pulled Yu forward: “Come up.”
Wu Luo sighed. They regrouped on shore and saw the neck scratches. When asked, Su Yayi quickly answered: “A cat scratched Yu.”
Wu Luo paused. “Coincidentally, Jiang got scratched too?”
Ji Chen escaped quietly. Later, Wei Yuanju said the vibe was odd, so he suggested they pick up luggage and go find housing. Ji Chen agreed.
The staff rowed the luggage over, piled together. Ji Chen asked Jiang Yu: “Why did you bring a guitar? Writing new songs?”
“Mm.”
Ji Chen excitedly continued: “Really?”
The livestream viewers jumped. Since “Doomsday Rescue,” Jiang Yu had been busy, with only one new song months ago. Fans can’t wait.
Su Yayi asked: “Have you finished it?”
Jiang Yu: “I’m still writing lyrics.”
Ji Chen gasped: “Already music? That’s fast!”
Wei Yuanju asked: “Does it have a name?”
Jiang Yu looked at Yu Shiqing: “After the Rain.”
Half present are fans they praised the name and switched to chatting about other things, while the chatroom exploded:
“‘After the Rain’? ‘Rain’ and ‘Yu’ is this some sign?? Double Pisces CP is real!”
