Chapter 10
Han Shu placed two small bowls containing raw meat and bones and water at the entrance, put a cat litter substitute made of crumpled paper scraps next to the toilet, and placed a makeshift cat bed made from a sacrificed coat in the opposite corner.
She tapped the rim of the bowl. "Dami, don't glare at me. There's something delicious here!"
Although the mother cat, Da Mi, wasn't as frightened as she had been at the beginning, she still protected her kittens, curled up in a corner, and didn't move. Er Mi and Xiao Mi, on the other hand, curiously peeked out, their noses moving from side to side as they sniffed.
Thankfully, at least the fur on the three cats was a bit drier.
She gathered up the bottles and jars on the sink, scanned every corner with her eyes to make sure there were no fragile or easily damaged items, washed her hands, closed the door, and left.
"Shh-"
Han Shu touched his forehead; a thin layer of sweat covered his fingertips.
Passing by the soft, dry bed, she really wanted to collapse into it, but she couldn't. After dealing with three troublesome cats, there was now a troublesome older preschooler to handle.
This Mr. Problem always manages to...frighten her. Although she had a preliminary understanding of the divine metal soul beneath his aloof exterior, who would have thought that a grown man would be like a kindergarten child, eagerly waiting to do crafts?
If she could turn back time, she would definitely put a piece of tape over her mouth. She dug a hole for herself.
After preparing himself mentally, Han Shu opened the door.
Wen Zhiyu was sitting on the steps, his long legs bent, one elbow propped on his knee, chin resting on his hand, while the other hand idly twirled some tape. Sensing the movement, he immediately looked up. "Shall we go?"
Han Shu gave a genuine, wry smile. "Aren't you tired? We can play again tomorrow—"
“Now.” Wen Zhiyu stood up, nodded, and showed a resolute determination, as if he were ready to die for his cause.
"..."
Han Shu was stunned when he stepped into the living room.
The coffee table and the gecko on it had been moved to a corner at some point, leaving a huge empty space where two stacks of disassembled and flattened cardboard boxes were placed, one on the left and one on the right.
Wen Zhiyu's tone rose slightly, "What else needs to be prepared?"
"..." Han Shu was amazed by his efficiency. His intense anticipation was as if he had never played a game before. He couldn't help but ask, "Using cardboard boxes as boats, didn't you play that when you were little?"
"No."
"What did you play with when you were little?"
"Building blocks".
"Did you play with your friends?" Han Shu asked curiously.
Wen Zhiyu paused, his tall figure stiffening. "I don't have any friends."
His expression and tone were exceptionally calm, as calm as when he said, "I haven't eaten" or "I haven't drunk water."
It's really strange not having any friends...
Han Shu opened his mouth wide and stammered, "Ah, I see..."
Wen Zhiyu knelt down, gesturing at the cardboard box, seemingly seriously considering how to make it. The few strands of hair sticking up on his head trembled slightly, giving him a childlike appearance that didn't match his age.
Han Shu saw this and felt a pang of sadness, the same sadness he felt seeing a kitten soaking wet in the rain. Finally, he relented, sighed, and asked, "Do you have any plastic wrap?"
"Yes." Wen Zhiyu drifted away like the wind and then drifted back. "Here you go."
The shipbuilding project officially began.
Han Shu was cutting cardboard boxes while questioning the meaning of life.
She, a 25-year-old modern young woman, a seasoned office worker, should be sitting elegantly at her desk in a suit, high heels, and with her hair perfectly styled... but instead, she's bent over playing children's games.
After cutting for a short while, she felt aches and pains in her back and legs, so she straightened up to rest and glanced at her competitor, Wen Zhiyu.
He, a young man of unknown age and a well-known writer, should be dressed in a suit and tie, smiling and waving to the media... but now he's bent over here playing children's games.
It's unbearable to look at, absolutely unbearable to look at.
The two men, with their butts sticking out, worked tirelessly for a full hour and a half before finally completing the task.
"You..." Han Shu inspected the competing boats with his hands behind his back, "aren't you afraid they'll sink once they enter the water?"
Wen Zhiyu patted the bow of the boat, straightened up, and said with considerable pride, "It's a simulation; from a mechanical point of view, it can absolutely bear the weight."
The boats produced by Wenzhi Island are luxurious and exquisite, almost indistinguishable from real ships, and even have separate fore and aft cabins. In contrast, those produced by Han Shu look like just large pieces of paper. Placed side-by-side, it's like comparing a villa to a thatched hut.
Han Shu kicked the stern with his toe, "Fancy..."
Wen Zhiyu walked up to Han Shu's boat and kicked the stern with his toe, "Sloppy..."
Han Shu: ...
Elementary school chicken.
Noticing her disapproving look, Wen Zhiyu said seriously, "Fair competition."
"..." Han Shu was speechless. If kicking someone was considered unfair—
"We weigh different amounts, how can this be fair?" she questioned.
Wen Zhiyu raised one eyebrow and nodded approvingly, "My weight is different from yours, but our combined weight is the same."
"You mean, let's go on the boat together?"
"right."
Han Shu sighed, "Do you have a bet you really want to make? Why are you taking it so seriously?"
Wen Zhiyu countered, "What about your bet?"
Han Shu plopped down on the sofa, stretching out her legs. "Anything is fine, washing dishes or whatever."
Wen Zhiyu blinked. If micro-expressions could be translated, then what he meant was—
Whatever? How can you say that casually?
So Wen Zhiyu dusted off his hands, walked up to her and stood there. “My bet is seven days’ room rate, one thousand a day.”
Han Shu: ? ? ?
She slowly raised her eyes, managing to squeeze out a single, laborious, "What?"
If English words have derivative meanings, then what she means is—
Listen to the nonsense you're spouting!
Wen Zhiyu nodded, "One thousand a day, seven thousand."
"No way!" Han Shu, ignoring whether his leg was cramped or broken, jumped up. "What happened to the promise that answering questions would offset the room fee? I answered so many questions, how could you possibly charge me a thousand?!"
"It's my guesthouse, why should I be embarrassed?"
"You're being a scoundrel!"
"You said that the loser would grant the winner one request."
"But you can't go too far, can you?" Han Shu's eyes widened. "Leave some room for maneuver, understand?"
Wen Zhiyu straightened the front of his black T-shirt, sat down in the spot where Han Shu had been sitting, and crossed his legs. "I don't understand. If you don't want to pay, then beat me."
Their eyes met, a testament to their unwavering resolve to not compromise.
Sure enough, feeling sorry for a man is the beginning of bad luck. I shouldn't have said that! I shouldn't have agreed!
Han Shu turned his back, taking a deep breath. When he turned back, he said with a forced smile, "Fine. If I win, you not only have to pay me seven thousand in compensation for emotional distress, but you also can't ask another question until I check out."
Wen Zhiyu pursed his lips, his brows furrowing in seriousness. After a long pause, he nodded, "Okay."
The atmosphere was already tense even before the match started.
Contestant number 1 picked up his overalls for beachcombing and rubbed them together, eager to get started.
Contestant number 2 suddenly raised his hand and said, "Wait!"
Wen Zhiyu asked, "What?"
Han Shu rubbed his stomach. "I'm hungry. I need to eat lunch first."
Wen Zhiyu continued putting on his armor, saying, "Soon, we'll eat after the competition."
Han Shu remained unmoved, stating confidently, "It's already one o'clock, I'm exhausted, I have low blood sugar."
"..."
Five minutes later, Han Shu brought out a full plate of garlic-flavored beef ribs, and enjoyed them with three small plates of delicate side dishes and rice.
"It's delicious!" She put the bones she had sucked out into the bone dish and smiled sweetly. "Thank you for treating me to dinner, landlord."
Across from him, Wen Zhiyu took a bite of bread and swallowed it with difficulty, along with some milk.
Han Shu loves to eat, and his eating style is one of complete immersion and enjoyment. Anyone watching his live mukbang would drool, let alone Mr. Question, who loves beef short ribs. Wen Zhiyu took another bite of bread, chewing even more vigorously than usual.
A fake thank you! That was his last remaining supply!
Han Shu took in everything, then used a tissue to wipe his mouth and cover his wicked smile.
Who wants to play the game more? Certainly not her. Whoever wants to play is anxious, and whoever is anxious has to compromise. Taking advantage of the opportunity to extort a meal of beef ribs makes all the hard work just now worthwhile!
Then, thinking back to how he had turned on her and demanded payment for the room... the person who usually wolfed down her food was acting completely out of character, chewing slowly and savoring it carefully, occasionally picking out a beautifully shaped piece to show him, her main goal being to make him drool with envy.
Wen Zhiyu swallowed his anger and endured it until lunchtime.
With both athletes fully equipped and both boats launched into the water, they were ready to go.
"Who goes first?" Han Shu looked up at the sky. "The rain is getting heavier. Let's finish this quickly."
Wen Zhiyu was so angry that his liver ached when he recalled how she had chewed each bite several times. He raised his voice and said, "Let's finish this quickly. Let's test my ship first."
"Okay. Fair competition. Whoever resorts to underhanded tactics will have to hand over all their assets."
Wen Zhiyu asked suspiciously, "Do you have any family wealth?"
With arrows in both knees and a knife in the chest, Han Shu angrily asked, "Are you done playing?"
Wen Zhiyu was in high spirits and afraid that she would give up, so he quickly raised both hands, "Let's play."
The game has finally begun.
The paper boats ran parallel to the corridor, with the contestants standing facing each other. One person stepped forward with their left foot, the other with their right, shifting their weight slowly, stabilizing themselves before stepping on the other foot. The whole process was like a slow-motion movie, with noticeable stutters between each frame.
Han Shu stood at the bow of the boat, struggling to maintain his balance, and slowly lowered his right foot—success.
Wen Zhiyu stood closer to the center of the ship and slowly lowered his left foot—success.
Wen Zhiyu glanced at the waterline, a distinct smile playing on his lips. "It's floating!"
This was the first time Han Shu had ever seen him so happy. She was both speechless and amused, and said irritably, "You haven't won yet, don't be too happy."
The next boat to Han Shu was also successfully boarded using the same method, again succeeding after slow motion. Wen Zhiyu was clearly somewhat disappointed.
Han Shu crossed his arms and asked smugly, "So, what do you say now? A draw?"
“There is no tie.” Wen Zhiyu said firmly, “Round 2, jump on the boat, whoever doesn’t sink wins.”
"Alright, alright," Han Shu conceded. "Since you're on my side, this round starts with me."
Wen Zhiyu agrees.
Before starting, they prepared in place. Han Shu tried to shift his weight to his toes, and the boat immediately began to sway from side to side. He instinctively grabbed Wen Zhiyu's arm to regain his balance.
"I'm sorry," she said with an embarrassed smile as she let go of his hand.
Wen Zhiyu gave her a sarcastic look. "All done?"
Preparing or not makes no difference, might as well just start. Han Shu nodded, "Let's begin."
"three--"
Han Shu's heart began to race.
"two--"
Han Shu saw Wen Zhiyu slightly crouch down to gather his strength.
"one--"
The two jumped at the same time, but Han Shu landed first.
The center of gravity suddenly shifted to the bow, and the hull tilted up at a terrifying angle. Han Shu was thrown backward, his arms flailing helplessly in the terror of weightlessness.
The moment Wen Zhiyu landed, he caught her right arm in mid-air. Just as he was about to exert force, a hand grabbed his pectoral muscle tightly.
"Ah—" he groaned in pain and shoved the culprit away.
"thump!"
Huge sprays of water shot straight into the sky.
Wen Zhiyu took several small, quick steps, miraculously managing to stop the boat from capsizing. At the same time, reason returned, and he shakily raised his hand, "No, you...you let me explain!"
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