Chapter 473

Nighttime. Taking advantage of the cameras being off, Jane curled up in her sleeping bag and whispered earnestly to Mina, "Sis, what you said last night was wrong." Mina, already half-asleep, mumbled drowsily, "What did I say that was wrong?" "It's about what you said—that Brother Frederick likes Ares Kai!" Jane's dark, grape-like eyes gazed at her barely-awake sister. "I asked Brother Frederick today, and he said he doesn't like Ares Kai." "Ha! If he doesn't like Ares Kai, then who does he like?" Mina let out a big yawn, her words slurred with sleepiness. "He likes..." Jane hesitated. When she had asked Brother Frederick who he liked earlier, he hadn't had a chance to answer before her sister showed up. So, she really didn't know. Suddenly, Mina shook her head, forcing her bleary eyes open as if struck by a revelation. "I got it! He likes that little mute Huan!" Jane, seeing the sudden spark in her sister's eyes, instinctively protested, "N-no way..." Now fully awake, Mina tugged Jane closer and lowered her voice conspiratorially. "Think about it, Jane. The moment you two fell down that waterfall, Huan immediately pulled out all the stops—private jets, yachts, the whole deal. Why? There must be someone here he cares about deeply!" Jane blinked in confusion. "But... couldn't Brother Huan have come because he was worried about me?" I fell down the waterfall, and all my brothers and cousins wanted to come!" "Yeah, right!" Mina bit her nails and frowned in thought. "Wait, that doesn't add up. After Huan arrived, he barely spent any time with you. Instead, he kept visiting Frederick’s tent. That just proves he was most worried about him, not you!" "Hmph, Huan even tried to cover it up by saying that silly rabbit Cutie missed me. As if that dumb rabbit would ever miss me! Does it want to end up in a hot pot or something?" Jane watched her sister’s smug expression and finally realized that bringing up this topic had been a terrible mistake. Silently, she closed her eyes and decided to sleep. But Mina only grew more excited. "Hey, Jane, don’t you think Frederick and Huan actually make a great pair? They’re the same age, both ridiculously good-looking. Plus, one’s already inherited a fortune, and the other’s practically guaranteed to be the next heir. Tsk tsk, a perfect match—social status, looks, everything!" Jane: "…" Her sister’s logic was impossible to argue with. Whatever. She was going back to sleep. The next day. Mina woke up bright and early, her eyes sparkling as she alternated between staring at Huan and Frederick. The moment the two so much as brushed shoulders or exchanged a fleeting glance, she'd break into the most knowing, indulgent grin. At first, Huan was secretly pleased that Mina kept looking his way. But soon he noticed she wasn’t just watching him—she was equally fixated on Frederick. Worse, whenever he and Frederick interacted, her smile would stretch so wide it practically reached her ears. That’s when it hit him—something was off. Frederick had caught on too. From then on, the two maintained a careful distance, avoiding even eye contact with unspoken agreement. Deprived of her "sugar," Mina sought out the more approachable Huan. "Brother Huan," she said with a suggestive eyebrow wiggle in Frederick’s direction, "you and... *that one* really don’t need to be so cautious. At your age, well—we all get it!" Huan: "…" (Cue mental image of his face darkening with exasperation.) Meanwhile, the live chat exploded: *"What does big sis mean by that?"* *"Is there something going on between Huan and Instructor Shawn?"* *"As a seasoned BL fangirl, I fully endorse Mina’s gaze—this ship is SAILING!"* *"Wait, so is Huan officially Instructor Shawn’s CP now?"* Tsk tsk, I never noticed before, but now that I look closely, Instructor Shawn and Huan actually make quite a matching pair. ... As soon as this topic surfaced, even before the production team could start their promotional efforts, countless CP fans—who had been shipping the pair alongside Mina—took matters into their own hands. They began editing all sorts of sweet little videos featuring Huan and Instructor Shawn, complete with saccharine background music and screens filled with tiny pink hearts. Tsk tsk, the sweetness level was off the charts. At the same time, it drew even more people into the fandom of *Crazy Summer Camp*. Xing Chao, watching the skyrocketing viewer numbers in the livestream, grinned so widely his face nearly split. He estimated that this variety show alone could fulfill his entire year’s KPI. Who knows? With the extra free time afterward, he might even sign up for a talent show like *XXX Brothers*—maybe he’d get famous too! Lost in his daydreams, Xing Chao practically floated through the bushes, barely noticing the scratches and bloody streaks left by thorns. The pain and itchiness didn’t even register. Their mission on this small island was simple: cross it, find the program team’s boat docked on the opposite shore, and then they could head back before moving on to the next destination. "Hey, sis, do you hear something?" Little Jane tugged at her sister’s hand, puzzled. Mina, however, was too focused on powering forward, lips pressed tight and expression stern. The sound of crashing waves was already clear—they were almost back at the shore. And waiting for them there was the program team’s ship, undoubtedly stocked with all kinds of delicious food. She craved hotpot, fried chicken, beef jerky, and—if she was lucky—maybe even a couple of ice-cold colas. So when she heard Jane's question, she immediately nodded and said, "Mm-hmm, I hear it—the sound of the waves. It's so beautiful and soothing! Jane, if you pick up the pace with those short little legs of yours, we can get to the cruise ship by the shore faster and enjoy that feast!" Jane: "..." *Sigh. Can't count on my sister.* Frederick chimed in at just the right moment, "It sounds like a little girl crying." Instinctively, Jane turned to look at Ariana—since Ariana was the timid one, her first thought was whether Ariana had started crying. But instead, she saw Ariana clinging to Hazel with a pale face, trembling in fear but not shedding a tear. In a shaky little voice, Ariana whimpered, "I-Is there a ghost? Like... like the Red Boy from *Journey to the West*, crying for help to lure Tang Monk in so he could eat him... Maybe the ghost wants to eat us too..." Hazel wrapped her arms protectively around Ariana, puffing up her cheeks with fierce determination. "Don't be scared, Ariana! If a ghost really comes, I'll bite it to death!" Jane walked over and took Ariana's cold little hand in her own soft one. "Ariana, it's still daytime. Ghosts are afraid of the sun—they won't come out now." "R-Really?" Ariana blinked, her dark eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Mm-hmm!" Jane nodded earnestly. "Really! The sound seems to be coming from the shore outside the forest. Let's go check it out." Ariana pouted with a tear-streaked face, her voice trembling, "But Jane, my legs feel like jelly. I can't walk anymore." Mina rolled up her sleeves and immediately crouched down in front of Ariana. "Come on, hop on my back! I'll carry you!" Huan quickly stepped forward. "Let me carry Ariana instead!" Leonard, who had been hovering around Ariana, turned to Huan with a mix of seriousness and authority. "Brother Huan, you're not even officially part of our show's crew. I should be the one to carry Ariana!" Mina glanced between Leonard and Ariana, a mischievous spark suddenly lighting up her eyes. She stood up and pulled Leonard right in front of Ariana. "Alright then, Leonard, you carry Ariana!" Jane watched her sister's glowing expression and couldn't help but sigh in resignation. She thought to herself, *When my sister grows up, she should forget about being a forensic pathologist—she'd make a much better matchmaker!*