CH 20.1

In front of the camera, Su Chengyang rarely speaks or draws attention. So when she spoke unusually, it made people feel like she had a secret to hide, and everyone around her looked at her with curiosity.

Lin Yu sat next to the director, holding a bottle of mineral water, leaning back slightly with a smile on his face as he looked at Su Chengyang.

Even though it was just ordinary mineral water and an ordinary posture, he made it seem different.

“Chengyang, if you have any secrets that you’re hesitant to share, we’ve decided to start with you. Please lead by example for everyone,” The director said, smiling warmly.

Su Chengyang’s cheeks turned red with embarrassment, “I…”

Lin Yu smiled at her with a gentle expression.

Just when Su Chengyang was struggling with what to say, Lin Yu suddenly sat up straight, whispered something to the director beside him, and then left after putting down the water bottle.

As she watched him leave the crowd, Su Chengyang breathed a sigh of relief.

Seizing the opportunity while Lin Yu was away, Su Chengyang planned to destroy the evidence of her guilt and make sure her crime was buried forever in the yellow earth. She said to the director, “Director, I have no secrets. Let’s get started!”

Seeing Su Chengyang’s earnest gaze, the director’s mouth twitched twice, feeling like he wanted to challenge her and make her stay until the end. However, he had already said the words and could only nod and say, “Okay, then open your luggage and take out everything except for the clothes you’ll need to change into.”

“Understood.”

Su Chengyang squatted down and quickly opened her luggage. The curious onlookers gathered around, wanting to see what was inside her suitcase.

When they saw that her suitcase was filled with various meat snacks and clothes compressed and neatly sealed in plastic bags, they couldn’t help but feel dumbfounded. It didn’t look like she had many clothes at all.

Su Chengyang hesitated for a moment and then reluctantly took out the snack bags one by one, with a complex expression on her face.

The program staff were also stunned. They had never seen an artist participate in a show with so many snacks in their luggage, especially all kinds of duck necks, duck feet, and duck legs. It seemed like she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to eat them later!

After she took out all the snacks from her luggage, the assistant director asked, “Is there anything else?”

Su Chengyang froze, feeling guilty as she lowered her head.

Suppressing a laugh, the assistant director pretended to be serious and said, “Take everything out.”

“Oh…”

Su Chengyang hesitated for a moment, then took off his backpack and took out a tightly-wrapped package of braised chicken legs with a pained expression on his face.

Han Songxue exclaimed, “I knew it! I smelled braised chicken legs while sleeping in the car. I thought I was dreaming!”

Tan Qi couldn’t help but ask, “Is there more?”

Su Chengyang secretly glanced at everyone and said, “Um…”

“Take it out.”

“Oh…”

Su Chengyang took out a small can of spicy chicken feet from his backpack.

A guest asked, “Is there more?”

Su Chengyang pursed his lips, glared angrily at the person who spoke, and then took out two bags of yak beef from the lining of his backpack.

“There’s more! There must be more!”

“Take them out, all of them!”

Su Chengyang’s breathing became heavy, and he finally couldn’t hold back. He angrily glared at the person next to him who was watching the show and magically pulled out a few bags of spicy sticks from the pocket of his backpack.

Everyone: “…”

“I don’t believe you. Do you?”

“I don’t believe it either.”

“Quickly, we’re here to work. You have to obey the leader’s arrangements and hand over all the snacks!”

Su Chengyang’s eyes turned red. With the instigation of other guests, he rummaged through the small pockets on the side of his backpack and the clothes stacked in the luggage compartment, and took out several small bags of melon seeds, nuts, and a few packets of bubble gum mixed in the small packaging bags.

Everyone looked at the pile of snacks on the ground, wondering how Su Chengyang managed to stuff all these things into his backpack.

“This is really over.” Su Chengyang’s voice choked unconsciously.

Han Songxue crossed her arms and said seriously, “No, I think there’s still something. Su Chengyang, come clean and confess already!”

Su Chengyang pursed her lips, tears welling up in her eyes as she trembled and pulled out two sausages from her coat sleeve, “There’s nothing left…”

Everyone: “…”

Jiang Shanqi stood behind Su Chengyang with a complicated expression, “Are you a primary school student going on a spring outing?”

Han Songxue shook her head seriously, “Su Chengyang, are you a primary school student?”

Song Mingan said, “You are a primary school…”

Su Chengyang glared at him and he swallowed his words.

Later, Su Chengyang handed over her phone and other useless things, leaving herself with a large pile of colorful lights. Seeing Su Chengyang looking sad, a staff member comforted her, “Chengyang, don’t worry. After the show is over, these things will be returned to you.”

Su Chengyang looked frightened and quickly waved her hand, “No, no, you can help me send the snacks to the people in the village or keep them for yourselves. Don’t return them to me, and don’t let Mr. Lin know.”

The staff member laughed and left to collect other people’s things.

The other guests carried much more things than Su Chengyang, and it wasn’t as interesting. Han Songxue finished handing over her things and approached Su Chengyang.

Su Chengyang was still upset about what happened earlier and turned her back to her, not wanting to talk to her, although she knew that it would probably become material for the program’s editing preview.

“You’re still angry? I’ve never seen a female artist with as many snacks in her suitcase as you do clothes.”

Su Chengyang muttered, “I used to do this every time.”

“What?” Han Songxue didn’t hear her clearly.

“Nothing.”

The more Su Chengyang thought about it, the angrier she got. Her body used to be so good, even if she ate a lot, she wouldn’t gain weight. But now, just drinking a little water would make her gain a few pounds.

“Okay, don’t be angry.” Han Songxue bumped her shoulder.

Su Chengyang said irritably, “I haven’t even eaten any of them!”

“Why did you buy them if you weren’t going to eat them?”

“I went to buy them secretly last night and came back very late. I took a shower and fell asleep.” Su Chengyang regretted, “If I had known, I would have tasted every single one.”

Han Songxue asked with a smile, “Were you afraid to open the suitcase earlier because you were afraid Mr. Lin would see it?”

At the mention of Lin Yu, Su Chengyang looked around nervously, relieved that he wasn’t here.

“Definitely, he keeps mentioning the penalty for breach of contract. And what if he sues me and I have to pay several times more? I don’t have that kind of money to pay.”

Upon hearing this, Han Songxue pondered for a moment and said, “So, is there a possibility that he will still be able to see the program after it airs?”

Su Chengyang: “…”

“You’re so silly,” Han Songxue burst out laughing.

It was already past midnight and they had not eaten yet. After packing their belongings, the program group took them to the village to have some food and continue with the next tasks.

Su Chengyang was absent-minded all the way, imagining how many years she would have to be a servant to earn back the penalty money.

The houses in Wangjing Village were not as antique-looking as those on TV. Most of them were made of mud mixed with straw, which made them more sturdy.

Occasionally, there were some houses that looked more ancient, but there were more of these mud and straw houses because they were more durable.

The houses in the village were not clustered together, but scattered all over the mountain tops, giving a mysterious yet beautiful feel.

The program group brought them to the village chief’s house. Before they got close, they saw many villagers dressed in simple clothes surrounding the yard. They mostly wore linen clothes of various colors, with yellowish skin. The faces of young men were painted with strange totems, while young women had flower-like ornaments on their foreheads, but the colors were very dim.

Usually, such villages have their own unique customs, but from the way they dressed, they looked somewhat like a minority group that Su Chengyang had seen before.

“Welcome!”

After the group approached, the villagers at the door shouted in unison as if they had rehearsed it, and then clapped in unison.

They looked at Su Chengyang and her group with kind and enthusiastic eyes, as if they were not disturbed by so many outsiders.

Su Chengyang curiously looked at the totems on their faces, wanting to ask what they were, but was afraid that her question would be too abrupt.

One of the young men met Su Chengyang’s gaze and smiled at her in a friendly and sunny way.

The young man was about twenty years old, with handsome and tough features, and strong and powerful arms exposed. Originally, he had a threatening look, but when he grinned, revealing two pointed tiger teeth, he suddenly looked much gentler.

The totem on the young man’s face was near his right eye, and at first glance, it looked like a mask covering one eye.

Su Chengyang was stunned for a moment, then smiled back at the young man.

The young man subconsciously wanted to come over, but was stopped by an old man next to him. He could only look up at Su Chengyang with a regretful expression.

The emotions on the boy’s face were unreserved, which made Su Chengyang feel comfortable. She politely nodded at the boy and then looked away.

Inside the courtyard, there was a long table filled with various colorful foods. Su Chengyang’s eyes lit up immediately, and she couldn’t help but salivate.

Walking beside him, Han Songxue commented, “Su Chengyang, were you a starved ghost in your past life? I saw you with that handsome guy at the door earlier, but you didn’t react like this.”

Su Chengyang’s eyes were fixed on the table as she said, “Can a handsome guy fill your stomach? No.”

Han Songxue rolled her eyes at her and said, “Is it because all the handsome guys like your bold and striking appearance?”

“Don’t talk nonsense, I have an average face.”

“You…Pei!”

“Hey.” Han Songxue called out to her.

“What’s up?” Su Chengyang turned her face but her eyes still didn’t want to move away from the table full of food.

Han Songxue said, “That handsome guy at the door has been staring at you.”

Su Chengyang didn’t care and said, “If an alien came to earth, I would also stare at him.”

Seeing that she couldn’t convince her, Han Songxue rolled her eyes again and scolded, “You’ll just spend your life with food!”

Su Chengyang happily agreed, “That would be great!”

But just as Su Chengyang turned her head back, she saw a familiar figure standing at the other end of the table.

Her expression froze, and she suddenly remembered something. She said to Han Songxue, “I’m going to turn myself in to Mr. Lin first. I hope he can go easy on me. Can you save me a spot with lots of meat?”

“You’re hopeless.”

Then Su Chengyang lowered her head, picked up a twig from the side of the road, and went to find Lin Yu to apologize.