Chapter 209 - 38: The Control Group Refuses to Be Cannon Fodder

"Director, it’s really too high. Two meters, three meters would be reasonable, but five meters, that’s practically like jumping off a building."

The two families who arrived later surely won’t dare to let their kids go up there.

The director felt helpless.

The height was determined after strict calculations and experiments, ensuring everyone’s safety, especially since the kids were equipped with professional gear. Their only challenge is their inner fear.

But now, with things set up like this, it’s likely no kids will dare to go up. The director has no choice but to change the height to three meters.

Confirming Jiang Lai had no issues and took the flag, Mo Wanwan continued with a slightly slower pace, head down, silent. Ling Han beside her couldn’t hold back and asked.

"What’s wrong?"

"Just now, I feel really sorry."

[A person with normal morality would instinctively reach out to catch]

[Ah, although it’s understandable, it indeed doesn’t leave a good impression]

[Can we at least hear her explanation?]

"But Hengheng was right beside us just now. If I didn’t step back to separate him, Hengheng might have been hurt too."

Ling Han looked at her, unsure what to say for a moment.

Emotionally, he wanted to believe Mo Wanwan’s explanation, but the fact was he was right there, and Mo Wanwan hadn’t even noticed Hengheng behind her when she stepped back. Now, saying the retreat was to protect Hengheng, logically, he couldn’t accept this explanation.

[So that’s how it is, Wanwan don’t be sad, they’ve misunderstood you]

[Misunderstood my ass, I saw clearly she just wanted to dodge]

[If it was to protect Hengheng, her first reaction should’ve been to see where Hengheng was, not stepping back directly to kick him like she did]

[Seems like Ling Han is speechless]

[Speechless indeed, admitting you’re scared at that moment, is it that hard?]

[Moral coercion shouldn’t happen, but lying to preserve one’s dignity is unnecessary]

[Disgusting, no need to lie, we’ve all seen it clearly]

Perhaps even Mo Wanwan herself couldn’t be convinced by her explanation, but she needed Ling Han and the audience not to think she was merely afraid of being hit and instinctively retreated. So she looked at Hengheng and asked him.

"Hengheng, were you scared just now? Mommy accidentally stepped on you, I’m sorry, but Mommy did it to protect you."

Hengheng looked at her and silently turned away, freeing himself from her hand, standing beside Ling Han. His pure eyes just stared straight at Mo Wanwan, making her uneasy and flustered.

What did she do wrong?

There were protective measures, falling onto a mat wouldn’t cause any harm, but if it fell on her, she would certainly be injured.

Any normal person would react this way, why should they morally coerce her?

Especially Jiang Lai, acting all gallant, knowing nothing would happen yet she deliberately unbuckled the safety strap, pretending to be noble, isn’t such a deliberate act hypocritical?

Watching Hengheng’s gaze, Mo Wanwan bit her lip, her face flushed, feeling outsmarted by a child. What about Ling Han? The audience outside the live stream, do they also think she’s lying?

What should she do?

Does she have to be hit to be considered kind?

Ling Han didn’t say anything, he just gathered Hengheng and said.

"Let’s go, there’s not much time left."

For the next few tasks, Mo Wanwan was distracted and unfocused, her absent-minded state made it even harder for Ling Han to complete the tasks.

So when time was up, they won seven flags. In front of the cameras no one actually took others’ flags, everyone just earned their own, and the result was out: Jiang Lai and Zhou Yiqing’s family won the most flags, a total of ten, not a single one missing.

The second place was Yu Yan and her troublesome partner Chi Shuai, who voluntarily gave up at the sixth stage and ended up with nine flags.

Third place was Wang Xuan’er, fourth was Mo Wanwan, and last was Yang Bing.

Once the rankings were announced, Jiang Lai’s family won a sumptuous dinner to welcome Zhou Yiqing.

The other exhausted families returned, each receiving a different amount of food based on rank, then went back to prepare their own meals.

Before leaving, Jiang Lai shared some of her recently sun-dried sweet potato slices with everyone.

"Try them, you can eat them straight."

The kids loved them, each taking one and chewing industriously, as if eating candy.

On the way home, Mo Wanwan, looking at the basket of meat and green beans, planned to cook a good meal to welcome Ling Han, and to ease today’s awkward situation.

The stove and kitchen utensils had just been transported from the foot of the mountain, they were refined and clean, somewhat out of place amidst the simple surroundings.

Mo Wanwan made two dishes and a soup, skipped the rice, just boiled some corn.

"You know you’re about to join a group for filming, need to lose weight, so don’t eat rice tonight, have something healthy for weight loss."

Hengheng felt a bit down.

He liked rice, but hearing Mo Wanwan’s suggestion, he obediently hugged the corn and started nibbling, frowning as he ate.

"Mommy, this corn tastes a bit strange."

Mo Wanwan took a look.

"How could it be? Your dad and I didn’t find anything wrong."

Hengheng responded softly and continued nibbling slowly. Ling Han beside him commented.

"Children shouldn’t be choosy, look at Yangyang, he enjoys everything."

Bringing up Yangyang, Mo Wanwan’s heart tightened, she smiled and asked.

"You watch our live streams too?"

"I watched a bit, feels like Yangyang has changed quite a bit."

"Indeed...but our Hengheng is also wonderful, right Hengheng?"

Hengheng strained to swallow the corn, then nodded, finishing dinner before quietly returning to bed to sleep. To avoid gossip, after washing the dishes, Ling Han also went back to his room to rest.

Watching his departing silhouette, Mo Wanwan felt inexplicably uneasy.

Ling Han’s attitude seemed to have changed.

Previously, she was the one suggesting keeping their distance, but this time, before she could say anything, Ling Han was already avoiding suspicion and left.

Indeed, in front of cameras, one needed to be cautious, yet Mo Wanwan felt a bit lost, the fluctuating emotions left her uneasy.

At this moment, Hengheng came out wearing his pajamas, his little face looked pale, holding his stomach, he waddled over to Mo Wanwan.

"Mommy, my tummy hurts."

"Stomach ache? How could it be? Do you need to use the bathroom?"

"I don’t know."

Still preoccupied with thoughts about Ling Han, Mo Wanwan took Hengheng’s stomachache as an excuse to knock on Ling Han’s door.

"Hengheng says his tummy hurts."

Upon hearing this, Ling Han anxiously picked up Hengheng.

"Let’s go to the infirmary for a check-up."

This incident alarmed the director, who rushed over to see. Hengheng lay weakly on the bed, face pale and spiritless.

The family living next door, Yu Yan’s group, also came over to inquire with concern.

"Wanwan, what’s happening? Did he eat something bad?"

"I don’t know. He didn’t eat anything unusual today."