Chapter 33 Part 1

Seeing his dumb little brother’s confused expression, Lu Aotian had to spell things out more clearly. “Our current problem is that we don’t have a container for heating seawater. Judging from the director’s sudden addendum earlier, the production team is definitely trying to keep us from finding one.”

At this point, Lu Aotian let out a cold huff at the camera the Follow Cameraman was carrying, then continued, “Since it’s a foregone conclusion we won’t find a suitable container, why not just switch tracks? Change the heat source. Use solar power.”

Han Cheng took the Giant Clam Shell from Lu Aotian’s hands, so the boy naturally crossed his arms. After finishing his statement, he coolly pushed his glasses up.

Han Cheng nodded in agreement, grinding the scorching white sand beneath his feet. “Using the sun to heat it will be much slower. We’d better make a few more.”

Lu Aotian shot Han Cheng a look that said, “Do you really need to say that, Captain Obvious?” Worried Han Cheng might not see it, he considerately pulled his sunglasses down and even threw in an extra eye roll for good measure.

Ji Nuo listened in utter confusion, feeling like the conversation between the big and little ones needed a narrator for a voiceover. “Hmm??? Are you two sure this is feasible? Just catching seawater and drying it on the sand?”

Hearing this, Lu Aotian shook his head helplessly. He gave Han Cheng a little look that meant “You explain it,” then put his hands behind his back and sauntered off first.

Why use a butcher’s knife to kill a chicken? He would leave his dumb little brother to the trashy little star! And so, Lu Aotian placed his small hands behind him and pattered off toward the beach a little further away.

Like any other island in the world, the island they were on had not only waves and beaches but also a large amount of plastic waste constantly washed ashore by the sea, gradually becoming part of the island itself.

Among this were large quantities of plastic bottles, buckets, bags, styrofoam boxes, and even torn waterproof tarps. While none of these could be heated, they were indispensable materials for Lu Aotian’s “Solar Water Purifier.”

The process from there was very simple. Dig ten pits in the white sand under direct sunlight, pour a suitable amount of seawater into each styrofoam box, place a collection container in the center of each pit, and then cover it with a layer of anti-evaporation film.

This way, the sun would heat the seawater in the damp sand pits, the evaporated water vapor would condense into droplets on the underside of the film, and after simple channeling, the droplets would flow into the container in the sand pit. That was how they could obtain fresh water using solar energy.

Based on the materials and tools they had on hand, the plan was refined into nine small pits, one large one. The large pit held the Giant Clam Shell, and the smaller ones used their leftover bowl-shaped coconut shells. Although the latter had a smaller opening and were far less efficient at collecting fresh water than the giant clam shell, they had no knife to process the plastic bottles and buckets. So, the three opted to dig ten pits and make it up in volume.

As for the anti-evaporation film, since the production team didn’t require the fresh water to be drinkable, they simply tore open several plastic bags, rinsed them briefly with seawater, and used them as a makeshift solution.

The plastic was also easy to shape. They stretched a little pull-tab in the center of the film to dangle down into the collection container, which served as a channeling mechanism.

Ji Nuo’s original plan had been to fake a sprained ankle the moment they landed on the island and then thoroughly slack off. After all, with a simple steamer, seafood would yield the freshest and sweetest flavor. He didn’t need to worry too much about Han Cheng and Ao’ao not eating well.

But he had never imagined they were coming to a deserted island. Forget a steamer, they lacked everything needed for food, clothing, and shelter.

When he heard Ao’ao’s instruction to dig sand, he didn’t even think before joining Han Cheng to do the work. The little guy stood in the central area, sipping his coconut and directing, while Han Cheng and Ji Nuo matched each other’s pace and power, digging the ten-centimeter-deep sand pits in no time.

After sealing the plastic films, they used sand, noticeably heavier when wet, to tightly seal the edges and minimize the escape of water vapor.

From collecting materials to completing the ten “Solar Water Purifiers,” Ji Nuo and Han Cheng finished in half an hour. Lu Aotian, hands behind his back like a top leader inspecting an engineering team, made a round of the sand pits and nodded with authority. “Not bad. Now we just wait for the seawater in the pits to evaporate.”

After delivering his summary statement, Lu Aotian coolly pushed his sunglasses up toward the camera, the left corner of his mouth quirking into a supremely cool and domineering grin.

The viewers in the live broadcast room were initially stunned by the child’s wit and adaptable thinking. Now, seeing the cub’s devilishly charming smile, the tone of the Danmaku likewise turned silly:

[Hahahaha, as expected of our brilliant baby egg, Boss Ao! If anyone else gave this kind of smile, I’d want to beat them to death, but when Ao’ao gives this smile, I just want to kiss this cub to death!]

[Is this a cub? This is clearly an oily cub hahaha!]

[Hahahaha, why do I feel like Ao’ao is mocking Bai Yong? That feeling of “Don’t fight me, bro, you’re not worthy.”]

[Hahahahaha I’m dead with laughter, is this cub really only four years old?! It feels like one cub has eight hundred ulterior motives.]

[Oh man, +1 to my expression pack collection. We’re only on the second live broadcast, and I’ve already made 100+ Ao’ao reaction pics! /facepalm]

[The person in front, wait for me! Send me a copy! Quick! Don’t make me beg you on my knees!!!]

Sitting in the large tent, Bai Yong was practically coughing up blood watching this scene on the monitor.

Bai Yong took a deep breath to compose himself, then asked his Deputy Director beside him with extreme reluctance, “Tell me, can that contraption of his really collect fresh water? Using the sun to dry-steam without heating it?”

“Uh… in principle, it is indeed feasible. You see, once the seawater dries…” The honest Deputy Director actually thought his leader wanted him to explain the principle and earnestly started babbling a long explanation.

The more Bai Yong listened, the darker his face became. Finally, just as the Deputy Director nervously pushed up his glasses, he erupted. “No more pushing up your glasses recently!”

After saying it, he felt he was misdirecting his anger. He sighed and said to the Deputy Director, “The explanation was very good. Don’t explain it again in the future.”

Deputy Director QAQ: “…Oh.”

Since the Seawater Desalination Device Lu Ao’ao set up relied on solar power and required no supervision, when Bai Yong continued looking at the monitor, the scene was a beautiful picture of a family of three strolling to the shady side of the island for a leisurely walk along the cool pebble beach.

The live broadcast lenses for the other three families, however, were still focused on the arduous and busy task of weaving grass leaves.

Children could drink milk anytime to replenish fluids and find shady tree cover to rest, but the adults had to keep weaving in the oppressive heat as fast as possible, making enough grass leaves to erect a temporary shelter.

This was no small challenge for the pampered celebrities, and every face, filmed with a thin sheen of sweat, bore visible signs of exhaustion.

At first, Weng Kai was still mindful of the program’s effect, occasionally looking for a chance to banter. Later, everyone wilted with fatigue, only wanting to finish their weaving work as quickly as possible.

This was what Bai Yong wanted to see. Deserted island survival, n-o-t a v-a-c-a-t-i-o-n!

~

According to the production team’s initial expectations, breakfast was too early, so lunch was definitely necessary. However, with the four groups of guests each caught up in their own busy work, they surely couldn’t be bothered to search for new food and would have to subsist on coconuts. This aligned with Bai Yong’s design concept of “bitter first, sweet later; wealth through accumulation.”

However, no one anticipated that with the 100-milliliter freshwater task weighing on them, Ji Nuo, Han Cheng, and Lu Ao’ao would still be idly strolling along the shady beachside at half-past ten.

Han Cheng carried the small plastic bucket they’d initially found among the plastic waste. Although the bucket wall was damaged, it was still suitable for holding clams and sea snails they picked up along the way.

Bai Yong watched the big and little duo happily scavenging, his mouth nearly fuming with blisters. Even though the Assistant told him the shellfish and snails on that rocky beach hadn’t reached maturity yet, their meat still very small, Bai Yong still felt a bitter taste in his mouth.

He had to remember, there was still a pile of Haters bombarding him with private messages daily, swearing up and down that he was opening a back door for Ji Nuo and Lu Ao’ao, those two “script stars” and “props department pets”… It was a complete injustice, an injustice delivered right to injustice’s front door!

Bai Yong had practically nothing good to say in his mind besides profanities. Bitterly, he switched the director’s monitor feed to the three groups of guests in the coconut grove.

Even knowing full well that Ji Nuo’s trio couldn’t scavenge anything truly edible, just the thought of them straying from the plan for a leisurely vacation and the production team having to actively deliver a Seawater Desalination Device to them later, while he had to bear the blame for it… Bai Yong felt like his heart was being twisted like a knife.

~

Walking on the uneven, jagged, and rocky beach was no easy task. Moreover, because it was rarely trodden, many rocks were coated in a layer of mossy, slippery substance, requiring extra caution.

Ji Nuo and Han Cheng both walked rather carefully. Only little Lu Ao’ao, perhaps because his feet were small and any crevice could steady his footing, was a whirlwind on his short little legs, racing along like lightning and making the two adults’ hearts lurch.

And to top it off, this child was a master of the “let go and disappear” move, not giving the two a moment’s reaction time before swiftly breaking free and launching forward like a tiny cannonball.

“Ao’ao! Slow down! Come here, let me carry you!” Ji Nuo was terrified the child might lose his footing and tumble into the sea.