Who is his target

Seeing Liu Bo walk out, Meng Wenzhou hurried over to Su Yang and asked, "Hey, what's going on?"

"What's Fatty up to?"

Su Yang raised an eyebrow with a smirk. "There are seven newcomers, so I figured one of them would be left without a partner. I told Fatty to pair up with the odd one out."

"This guy couldn't wait and just went straight to ask them."

"Haha, that's so like him."

As they spoke, Liu Bo had already approached the group of seven.

It was unclear what he was saying to them, but he kept turning back to point at Su Yang and the others, occasionally bursting into laughter.

Leaning against the wall while smoking, Su Yang remarked appreciatively, "Gotta admit, Fatty’s got some serious social skills. He had those girls smiling within minutes."

Meng Wenzhou exhaled a puff of smoke and chuckled. "Fatty’s a total social butterfly—even an extrovert label doesn’t do him justice."

After another two minutes, Liu Bo turned back toward them with a grin, jogging over while flashing an "OK" sign.

Su Yang blinked in surprise. "No way… Did he actually pull it off?"

"Which one’s his target?" Meng Wenzhou asked, eyeing the group of girls.

"The one with glasses."

"Of course. I knew it—this guy’s always had a thing for the quiet, studious types."

Liu Bo reached them, beaming. "Yang, mission accomplished!"

"Damn, Fatty! So the glasses girl’s your partner?"

"Absolutely! Hehe."

"How’d you convince them?" Su Yang asked, intrigued.

"Just went straight to the point. Greeted them first, explained our situation, and said since they’d probably have one person left out, why not team up with me?"

"Honestly, I didn’t expect to get the glasses girl, but they were already discussing how to split up. The other three girls and three guys seemed to have some chemistry going on, so naturally, the prettiest one—glasses girl—was left alone."

"Man, you got lucky!"

"Hehe, and it’s her first time rafting. I seized the moment, bragged about my experience, and how handsome I am. They agreed to let her go with me."

"You sly dog! Nice work. Don’t forget to ask for her WeChat after the ride," Meng Wenzhou said, patting Liu Bo on the back.

"Obviously! Who knows? Maybe there’s more to this story."

Just then, a middle-aged man approached and called out, "Alright, folks! Time to board—helmets on, life jackets secured!"

"All set!"

"Good! Each pair, grab a pole."

Liu Bo waved at the bespectacled girl. "Xiaojuan, let’s go!"

Su Yang turned with a grin. "What’s her full name?"

"Wang Xiaojuan."

"Solid name. Simple and down-to-earth—matches you perfectly," Meng Wenzhou teased.

"Simple? Nah, it’s elegant," Liu Bo retorted, rolling his eyes.

"Look at you, already defending her. You’ve got it bad."

Wang Xiaojuan approached shyly, and Liu Bo introduced her to Su Yang and Meng Wenzhou.

"Xiaojuan, these are my best buddies, Meng Wenzhou and Su Yang."

"Hi," she greeted softly.

"Hey! Don’t worry, you’re in good hands with Fatty—uh, I mean, Liu Bo. He’s a rafting pro," Su Yang assured.

"I know," she replied with a small smile.

"Alright, let’s grab our poles."

"Su Yang! What’s taking you so long?" Pan Ning’s voice rang out from a nearby tent.

"Coming!" Su Yang shot Liu Bo a knowing look before jogging off.

Meng Wenzhou leaned in and whispered, "Fatty, not gonna lie—you two kinda look like a couple already. Take good care of her. This might be your chance."

"Don’t worry, Meng. I’ve got this," Liu Bo replied, unable to suppress his grin.

One by one, they collected long wooden poles and plastic scoops—the poles for steering, the scoops for bailing water or splashing fights.

Blue River rafting didn’t have guides; it was every crew for themselves. Survival depended on skill—or luck.

(Just kidding.)

The 19-kilometer route had rescue teams stationed along the banks, ready for emergencies.

Once equipped, they boarded their rafts.

Su Yang dragged his raft into the water and hopped in, then turned to help Pan Ning aboard, steadying her with a hand.

They sat front and back—Su Yang with the pole, Pan Ning with the scoop.

A staff member called out, "All set! Have fun, and stay safe!"

"Thanks!" Su Yang nodded at Pan Ning. "Ready?"

"Yep. Let’s go already."

"Alright." He pushed off with the pole, and the raft drifted toward the center.

Meng Wenzhou and Xia Keke followed, then Lu Yun and Tang Ziyun, Han Xiaoyu and Su Qingci, and finally Liu Bo and Wang Xiaojuan.

The starting stretch was wide—about 30 meters—with gentle currents, giving them a few calm minutes before the rapids.

Soon, Su Yang and Pan Ning cleared the crowded zone.

The water grew fiercer.

A steep drop loomed ahead. Su Yang warned, "Hold on—here we go."

"It’s just the start. The real thrills are later," Pan Ning said dismissively.

"Call it a hunch, but I bet one of our crews flips today."

"As long as it’s not us."

"No guarantees. I’ve seen Blue River’s later sections on Douyin—brutal drops."

"Relax. I trust you," Pan Ning said, rare praise in her tone.

Su Yang grinned. "Damn right. With me, we’re unsinkable."

As they bantered, the first drop arrived.

Whoosh!

The raft spun and plunged, icy spray drenching them.

"Woo! That’s the stuff!" Su Yang whooped, using the pole to speed up.

[Ding! Host’s enjoyment detected. Reward: 800,000.]

The others tackled the drop one by one.

Soon, the current alone was enough to carry them.

After several rapids, their raft was half-submerged.

Pan Ning scowled as she bailed. "Ugh, worst part of rafting. Why no drainage system?"

Su Yang laughed. "It’s part of the fun! Think of it as a workout."

The river flowed into a calm stretch, its banks lined with lush green cliffs buzzing with the sound of cicadas.

On the water, crowds of tourists were engaged in fierce water fights—strangers or not, everyone was fair game.

Some wielded water guns, others used scoops, and a few even flipped water at each other with their sandals.

The scene was lively and chaotic, filled with laughter and shouts of excitement.

"Now this is what summer’s all about," Su Yang laughed, grabbing the water scoop Pan Ning had left in the inflatable raft before joining in the splashing battle.

[Ding! Detecting the host’s cheerful mood and high enjoyment. Reward: 600,000.]