Chapter 20: Two Bedrooms and a Living Room
After tidying up the tools, three little tigers followed behind. The largest, Big Tiger, stayed right behind Shi Nianqing, occupying the most prominent position. The two smaller ones trailed behind, looking around curiously with a hint of grievance.
As Shi Nianqing walked, she introduced to her live stream audience, “Let’s get going. Today our mission is to build a house. For now, we’ve decided on a two-bedroom, one-living-room layout, with one of the rooms reserved for the little tigers.”
The viewers in the live chat were stunned.
Shi Nianqing had already crafted a dagger and an axe—quite an impressive start. It was only the third day of wilderness survival, yet she was already planning to build a house.
[“Can’t even imagine—look at the neighbors starving three days with nine meals missed, and then look at Shi Nianqing. Apart from a rough first day, the rest seems like pure enjoyment.”]
[“Who’s the good soul eating seafood and barbecue, and now planning to build a house?”]
[“Is this wilderness survival or a wilderness vacation?”]
[“Watching Shi Nianqing’s stream alone feels like watching a travel commercial.”]
[“Amazing. Building a house on the third day of survival. Even those experts brought in haven’t solved their basic food needs yet.”]
[“People really do compare themselves.”]
...
Quickly reaching the forest, Shi Nianqing found a large pine grove, with some trees towering over seventy meters, and smaller ones still over ten meters tall. She nodded with satisfaction—these pines would bear pine nuts in a few months, useful both for food and materials, truly a perfect companion for survival.
Selecting several trees about ten meters in height and scouting a location, she surveyed the surroundings. The three little tigers kept a watchful eye nearby, their small eyes alert.
Once certain the area was safe, Shi Nianqing began chopping. These pines were roughly as thick as a thigh, but with her obsidian axe, she quickly felled one. She cut the wood into roughly three-meter lengths and dragged each piece back to the shelter.
After half a day’s work, a large pile of timber was neatly stacked around the shelter.
Having prepared the wood, she returned to the nearby creek and gathered a large bundle of reeds and vines. Weaving these into a hefty coil of hemp rope, she carried it back to the shelter.
---
When everything was mostly organized, Shi Nianqing, out of breath, rested on her bed for a while. The three little tigers, drained from the day’s exertion, curled up beside her and dozed off. Feeling a bit sleepy herself, she took a short nap.
Upon waking, it was the hottest part of the day. Standing before the shelter, she gestured simply at the cliff behind it. Drawing a rough layout of the house on the ground, she compared and measured mentally, soon settling on a plan.
Addressing her viewers, she said, “Building a simple shelter isn’t difficult, but since we might stay here long-term, the primary factor is solidity.”
A sturdy house can fend off external dangers and support long-term habitation.
“The second is comfort. It’s hot now, with little rain or other troubles. But when the rains and winds come, or in winter, there will be many challenges.”
“Having a shelter to shield from wind and rain is crucial.”
The spot she chose wasn’t just elevated; it had a vast flat area in front and towering cliffs behind, with a moderately sized cave nestled in a hollow between. She planned to incorporate these features, using the timber to build a very sturdy cabin.
After explaining this to the audience, Shi Nianqing wasn’t sure if anyone understood. She grabbed her tools and got to work.
[“I don’t know why, but what Shi Nianqing says sounds impressive, though I don’t really get it.”]
[“Can any experts explain? It seems right but also unfamiliar.”]
[“In this interstellar age, no one builds houses with such basic materials anymore. Is this real?”]
[“Maybe Shi Nianqing just talks big. Without proper materials, how could she build what she describes?”]
[“I agree, it’s impossible!”]
[“Don’t overhype it.”]
[“I trust Shi Nianqing. After so many times proving herself over three days, don’t you feel embarrassed?”]
[“If she says it can be done, maybe she really can build it.”]
[“Don’t believe her so easily. Who’d expect this white lotus to have fans after just a few days?”]
[“Anyway, I believe her. Believe it or not, we’ll see who gets proven wrong.”]
...
---
As discussion in the live chat intensified, some followers believed Shi Nianqing, but most doubted she could build the house she described. More onlookers joined, curious to see if she could pull it off.
Unaware of the outside chatter, Shi Nianqing arranged the wood carefully, marked out the positions, then began digging.
Though performing simple manual labor, her movements were smooth and graceful as flowing clouds and water. Her hair tied up, wearing a simple sports bra and pants, secured with a twig, every subtle motion carried an irresistible allure.
While working, she narrated her process, as if teaching the viewers how to build a house.
“Since we’re building in the wild without proper tools, I plan to use a simple mortise and tenon structure.”
Initially, the audience watched with amusement. As her explanation grew more detailed and her hands moved tirelessly, they heard terms like “mortise and tenon” they’d never encountered before.
Yet, seeing the wood pieces magically snap together in just a few moves, forming a remarkably sturdy frame, astonished them.
Soon, all manner of oddly shaped items appeared beside her. As she assembled them, a simple wooden cabin began to take shape.
Without rulers, just using simple twigs, she fashioned the house’s outline.
[“???”]
[“What am I watching? Is this for people like me?”]
[“Is this magic? The house just appeared out of thin air?”]
[“What’s going on? No building materials, just a few pieces of wood, and the house is built?”]
[“My god, I have a friend who studies architecture. I want to send him this video.”]
[“Already screen recording. I’ve bought the materials, planning to replicate the build exactly.”]
[“Make sure to livestream it. I want to see if it’s real.”]