Everyone else was startled by Yuan Huihui's appearance—after just one night, she had turned into a hideous woman with a giant "bruise" on her forehead.
The group tried hard to suppress their laughter. Xu Lijun even made an excuse to go to the bathroom, only to run outside and laugh freely in the courtyard.
Unfortunately, the farmhouse wasn't soundproof, so her hearty laughter echoed inside.
To Yuan Huihui, the sound was like nails on a chalkboard. But the person who caused all this wasn't there, and if she lost her temper, she'd only damage her image further.
So in the end, she simply greeted everyone and sat down to eat breakfast.
Faced with the hearty meal, Yuan Huihui had no appetite. She only took a few sips of porridge and didn't touch anything else.
Zhou Zhengkang, who had clung to her yesterday, now looked like someone had seized his throat—he didn't say a single word or go anywhere near her.
After breakfast, the production team assigned a new task: the six participants were to split into two teams. One team would go into town to buy ingredients for hosting guests at the inn; the other team would head to a village peach orchard to pick fruit and earn more startup funds.
After a brief discussion, Zhang Yuan took Feng Wan and Xu Lijun to town to shop and prepare lunch. The remaining three went to the orchard.
Even the usually difficult Yuan Huihui agreed to this plan—she had no choice. She knew the shopping task would be easier, but she'd rather hide out in the village than walk around town with her swollen face.
At the same time, somewhere on another filming set, Kong Rui—who was watching the monitors—heard his phone ring and immediately stepped aside to answer.
"Hello, Xiaolin? What did you say? Yuan Huihui got hurt? Alright, keep an eye on her—I'll be right there."
With that, Kong Rui lost all sense of professionalism. He now had only one thought in mind: see Yuan Huihui and comfort the woman he adored.
He hadn't tried to hide the call, so the nearby crew had overheard everything.
Kong Rui was the rising star of the directing world, having directed three consecutive hit dramas, earning him the title of "Genius Director." On set, he had a strict, commanding presence and didn't tolerate dissent.
After receiving the news, he said to the assistant director, "You handle things here. I've got an emergency and will be gone a few days. Call me if needed."
Then, without further explanation, he rushed off, leaving the assistant and crew stunned.
Assistant Director: Didn't expect Director Kong to be such a hopeless romantic. Who is this Yuan Huihui, anyway?
Word that Kong Rui was rushing to see someone named Yuan Huihui spread like wildfire on set, sending gossipers into a frenzy.
Meanwhile, in the peach orchard, Yuan Huihui had no idea that Kong Rui was on his way to the "Tastes of Home" set, ready to disrupt her already fragile peace.
Picking peaches wasn't as easy as it sounded. First, they had to be fully geared—gloves and arm guards were a must, or the fuzzy peach fuzz would drive them mad with itching.
Next, you had to spot ripe peaches hidden all over the tree—hands and eyes working together. Picking unripe fruit was strictly forbidden.
Yuan Huihui was getting frustrated. Zhou Zhengkang, who used to trail her like a puppy, now kept his distance as if she were contagious—it was infuriating.
Sure, she never cared much for foolish men like him, but this was the first time one had actively avoided her, and it was bruising her ego.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. In her frustration, she accidentally picked another unripe peach. An older village woman working nearby immediately called her out:
"Young lady, you've got to pay attention. That's not the first bad one you've picked! These peaches are Sister Fang's hard-earned harvest for the whole year. Don't waste them."
The village woman's voice was loud enough that everyone nearby turned to look. Yuan Huihui nearly exploded.
She inwardly cursed the nosy old lady—it's just a couple of stupid peaches, what's the big deal?
But on the surface, she quickly put on a humble expression and apologized, "Sorry! Thank you for your reminder, Auntie. I'll be more careful."
Afterward, she quickly fled to a different section of the orchard to continue working.
She'd considered slacking off, but with so many aunties working nearby, she didn't dare risk being reported.
Back in town, Zhang Yuan, Feng Wan, and Xu Lijun hitched a ride with a villager driving a tractor to save on transportation.
Credit went to Zhang Yuan for that—he had sharp eyes and spotted the man from afar. With a silver tongue, he chatted the villager up, and in minutes, they were calling each other "brother."
It also helped that the village chief had briefed the locals in advance, encouraging them to be welcoming. After all, the guests were there to promote their village.
Space on the tractor was limited, so Feng Wan and Xu Lijun sat in the back with a pile of ripe watermelons, barely able to move.
The production crew, however, followed behind in a small, comfortable car—creating a stark contrast with the bumpy, dusty experience of the cast.
By the time they got to town, the girls' legs were numb from holding one position for over an hour.
Because funds were limited, they asked the villager for directions and headed to the farmer's market instead of a pricier supermarket.
The market was bustling—with people haggling, mixed smells in the air, and throngs of shoppers.
The director had been hoping for some mishaps from the two female guests, but to his surprise, both girls were totally unfazed, showing no signs of disgust.
As a chef, Zhang Yuan was right at home in markets like this, but even he was surprised by how composed his companions were.
They mainly browsed meat and spice vendors, splitting up to ask for prices, then comparing to find the best deal. Only after checking meat quality would they buy.
Xu Lijun was a bit awkward at first—she usually shopped at supermarkets and wasn't used to bargaining.
Feng Wan, on the other hand, had nerves of steel. She enthusiastically chatted with a meat vendor:
"Oh wow, boss! Just looking at this meat, I can tell it's top quality. And you—clearly destined to be rich! How much for the pork belly?"
"13 yuan per jin, pretty lady."
"Come on, give me a deal. I'll be a regular, and look—the camera's filming. Free promo for your shop!"
Thanks to this master haggler, they spent 300 yuan on supplies and saved 200 for emergencies.
On the way back, they couldn't find another ride, so they had to take the bus, spending another 3 yuan each.
But when they returned, they saw a luxury car parked at the farmhouse.
And stepping out of the car—
Feng Wan looked up and froze.
Wasn't that her scumbag ex-boyfriend?nks for your support, sweethearts!