After the advertisements were finished, it was already four in the afternoon.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves of the locust tree, scattering patches of gold across the courtyard. Some staff members were packing up equipment while others dismantled the backdrop. At long last, the little courtyard returned to its original appearance.
Zhou Yichen collapsed onto a bamboo chair and let out a long sigh.
“Finally, we’re done… My butt’s gone numb from sitting here.”
Liu Yinuo laughed at him.
“You were just sitting there. How are you tired?”
Zhou Yichen replied righteously, “Sitting is exhausting too, alright? Do you understand what mental exhaustion is?”
From the side, Shen Ci drawled, “You experience mental exhaustion?”
Zhou Yichen: “…Brother Shen Ci, why do you always undermine me?”
Sitting nearby, Su Qinghe silently sipped her water. Her gaze drifted briefly toward Lu Zhiheng.
He was standing by the courtyard gate, speaking with one of the production staff. His expression remained indifferent, and he occasionally nodded.
Jiang Nian stood beside him, smiling gently as if making conversation.
Su Qinghe withdrew her gaze and continued drinking her water.
It had nothing to do with her.
【Task Announcement】
A staff member walked over holding an envelope and cleared his throat.
“Teachers, it’s now time for today’s official task segment.”
Zhou Yichen immediately sat up straight.
“It’s here, it’s here!”
The staff member opened the envelope and began reading.
“Life in the courtyard means being self-sufficient. Today’s task is… bartering.”
“The courtyard currently has limited ingredients. You will need to exchange goods with the villagers through your own efforts. The production team has prepared ten jin of dried bamboo shoots for everyone. This is a specialty of Heling Village and can be traded with the villagers for vegetables, meat, eggs, and other ingredients.”
Liu Yinuo raised an eyebrow.
“Dried bamboo shoots? Where did we even get dried bamboo shoots?”
The staff member smiled.
“Master Chen from the village delivered them yesterday. He said it would give everyone an authentic experience.”
Zhou Yichen cheered. “That’s wonderful! What a nice person!”
The staff member continued.
“Task rules: You will form pairs, and each pair will take dried bamboo shoots to the villagers’ homes to exchange for ingredients. The ingredients you bring back will be used to prepare tonight’s dinner. During the dinner segment, each pair must cook one dish using the ingredients they obtained.”
“In other words, whatever you trade for is what you’ll be cooking tonight.”
Zhou Yichen scratched his head.
“Huh? Then what if I only manage to trade for a handful of scallions? Am I supposed to cook scallions for dinner?”
Shen Ci laughed so hard he nearly doubled over.
“You could make scallions tossed with scallions.”
Zhou Yichen’s face fell instantly.
Off to the side, Su Qinghe mused silently.
These rules are… pretty interesting.
They had to exchange for their own ingredients and then cook them themselves. Whether their culinary skills were any good depended entirely on what they managed to obtain. Even if someone traded for amazing ingredients, it would all be wasted if they did not know how to cook.
Instinctively, she glanced toward Zhao Muyan.
He was staring at Jiang Nian with shining eyes.
Su Qinghe sighed inwardly.
Brother, that expression of yours practically says “I want to be paired with her.” Could it be any more obvious?
Quietly, Su Qinghe abandoned the idea of partnering with Zhao Muyan.
She would not stand in the way of the man’s pursuit of love.
【Drawing Lots for Teams】
The staff member brought out a lottery tube.
“The teams will be determined by drawing lots. The ladies will draw the men’s names to form pairs.”
Zhou Yichen raised his hand.
“Then what about us guys? There are more men than women. What happens to the extra guy? Does he have to go alone? That’s not fair.”
The staff member explained, “Since the gender ratio is four men to three women, one man will indeed be left without a partner. However, that participant will be paired with a special guest.”
Zhou Yichen blinked.
“A special guest? Who?”
The staff member waved toward the courtyard gate.
A middle aged man in his fifties walked in. He wore a simple Zhongshan suit and had a kind smile that immediately marked him as a local.
“Hello, teachers. I’m the village chief of Heling Village. My surname is Wang.”
Zhou Yichen’s eyes lit up.
“The village chief!”
Chief Wang chuckled.
“I heard you’ll be using dried bamboo shoots to exchange for ingredients. I know every household in the village. If I guide you around, I guarantee you’ll trade for good things.”
Zhou Yichen exclaimed, “Great!”
Meanwhile, Su Qinghe’s heart skipped a beat.
The women were drawing the men’s names?
She silently prayed.
Please don’t let me draw the male lead. The protagonists’ luck is supposed to be ridiculously strong, right? Surely I won’t end up with him…
The drawing began.
The women participating were Liu Yinuo, Jiang Nian, and Su Qinghe.
Liu Yinuo drew…
Shen Ci.
She raised an eyebrow. Although she said nothing, the corners of her lips curved upward slightly.
Jiang Nian drew…
Zhao Muyan.
Zhao Muyan’s eyes instantly brightened, though he quickly restrained himself and forced a calm, casual “Mhm.”
Jiang Nian simply smiled without commenting.
Su Qinghe stared at the final slip in her hand.
Slowly, she unfolded it.
Two characters were written on it.
Lu Zhiheng.
Su Qinghe: “……”
Taking a deep breath, she folded the slip and tucked it away, maintaining a perfectly composed expression.
Internally, however: Heavens above, are you messing with me?
Nearby, Zhou Yichen called out, “Sister Qinghe, who did you get?”
In a calm tone, Su Qinghe answered, “President Lu.”
Zhou Yichen immediately rushed over and grabbed Chief Wang’s hand.
“Grandpa Village Chief, you’re my savior today!”
Everyone burst into laughter.
Standing nearby, Liu Yinuo remarked,
“Yichen, your luck isn’t bad at all. You even have the village chief guiding you.”
Zhou Yichen puffed up proudly.
“Of course! I, Zhou Yichen, am heaven’s chosen son!”
Su Qinghe did not look in Lu Zhiheng’s direction, but she could feel someone’s gaze resting on her.
Pretending not to notice, she looked away.
It really was true.
The things she wanted never came her way, while the things she wanted to avoid somehow found her every single time.
Heavens above, are you doing this on purpose? Su Qinghe grumbled inwardly.
【Team Assignments】
Group One: Liu Yinuo + Shen Ci
Group Two: Jiang Nian + Zhao Muyan
Group Three: Su Qinghe + Lu Zhiheng
Group Four: Zhou Yichen + Chief Wang 【Special Guest】
The staff added an explanation.
“Since everyone will need to carry supplies, we arranged mixed gender teams whenever possible. The men can handle the heavier items while the women focus on communication and negotiation. Zhou Yichen has Chief Wang assisting him, so there shouldn’t be any problems.”
Zhou Yichen raised his hand.
“Grandpa Village Chief, are you strong?”
Chief Wang laughed heartily.
“I’ve worked in the fields my entire life. What do you think?”
Immediately reassured, Zhou Yichen nodded.
【Setting Off • Heading in Different Directions】
Carrying their dried bamboo shoots, the four groups headed into the village.
Heling Village was not large, but its houses were scattered neatly across the hillside. Winding stone pathways snaked through the village, lined with old homes. Every now and then, a few chickens could be seen strutting along the roadside.
Walking at the front, Liu Yinuo carried the dried bamboo shoots while Shen Ci strolled beside her.
Liu Yinuo asked, “What do you want to trade for?”
Shen Ci shrugged. “Anything, what do you want to eat?”
After thinking for a moment, Liu Yinuo pointed toward some chickens by the roadside.
“I think old hen soup sounds pretty good.”
Shen Ci glanced at her.
“Then let’s trade for a chicken.”
Liu Yinuo tilted her head. “Do you know how to slaughter one?”
Shen Ci fell silent for two seconds.
“…No.”
Liu Yinuo laughed. “Neither do I.”
Shen Ci looked at her.
“Then why are you talking about drinking old hen soup?”
Liu Yinuo replied matter of factly, “Wanting to eat something and knowing how to make it are two completely different things.”
Shen Ci: “……”
Bickering all the way, the two of them headed toward the eastern side of the village.