The next morning, only Zhao Xianming's group was late. They were fined 50 squats before they could return to their seats.
Zhao Xianming's entire face was flushed, his handsome appearance reduced by half. Red, large blisters had appeared on his skin, as if from ant bites.
Xiao Yanyan showed great concern, even asking Li Mochen for allergy ointment. However, looking at his face, she was still hesitant to get too close.
Shui Wa: "This Li Mochen is quite ruthless, directly messing with the face people eat with."
Jun Jiuli: "Wouldn't this be easily discovered?"
"Ignorance is bliss, I suppose."
"Xianming, are you alright? I'm sorry, I didn't know you were so allergic to dust."
"It's okay, I didn't know either."
"Can you still make it through today's filming?"
Zhao Xianming glanced at Xiao Yanyan beside him. He really couldn't trust this girl. The entertainment industry was a mixed bag, and his sister wasn't very reliable either.
"It's fine, just a small issue."
"Okay."
"Everyone's breakfast today is considered a debt to the production crew. You'll have to pay it back with the money you earn at noon. After eating, we'll start the tasks."
Jun Jiuli "openly" added some ingredients to the bowls of several male guests. The popular idols were surrounded by rich and handsome elites.
When they all transformed into bald, disabled, scrawny old men, what kind of sparks of love would they ignite?
Shui Wa: "Just thinking about that scene is exciting, hahaha."
Li Mochen led everyone to the paddy field. Today's task for each group was to plant rice seedlings. They would be paid based on completion, and deductions would be made for poor planting or damaging seedlings.
A farmer stood by the field. Li Mochen went over and asked, "Uncle, how many seedlings can you plant in a day?"
"Us? I can plant up to two mu of land a day," he said, gesturing a two with his hand.
"Wow, that's so much!" he exclaimed, then looked back at the guests.
"Each group's task today is to plant one mu of seedlings. A successful completion will earn 100 yuan."
Li Baijia: "Director Li, this task is heavy and the reward is small. See if you can add a bit more for us."
Sun Yanwu: "Brother Bai is right. We don't know how to do this. We'll definitely be slow. Director Li, please give us more."
Li Mochen smiled without saying anything and turned to ask the farmer, "Uncle, how much do you charge people to plant rice seedlings for them?"
The farmer quickly waved his hands, revealing a kind and brilliant smile. "We're neighbors, no charge, no charge."
"Hahaha, Director Li, you're really something."
"Brother is still working even when he's so sick. Director Li, you're really not a good person."
"Director Li asked, and it was your brother who insisted on pushing himself."
"Looking at it this way, Zhao Xianming doesn't seem that handsome anymore."
"Get lost upstairs, if you don't like it, leave. I'll protect my brother, and I don't need you pointing fingers."
"Idol fans, please don't argue. Watch the livestream rationally."
The farmer carefully taught them the techniques of planting rice seedlings. Under the camera, everyone obediently learned.
Once it was time for practical application, their true colors showed. After a while longer of teaching, Jun Jiuli's group was the first to go to their designated area and start working.
The other two groups, unwilling to be outdone, began working in a similar fashion. The staff monitored them strictly; any seedling damaged would cost fifty cents.
Soon it was time for lunch. Based on their labor, they were given a portion of the money. Jun Jiuli's group received the most, 30 yuan, while the other two groups received 10 yuan each.
Back at the guesthouse, Jun Jiuli and her partner each spent 10 yuan on a bento box. Two dishes and one soup were quite good. The other two groups could only eat instant noodles.
Zhao Xianming could no longer pretend in front of the camera. The look of disgust was impossible to hide.
He had never endured so much hardship and regretted accepting this variety show.
His skin was red and itchy, and he couldn't help but scratch, greatly damaging his image.
Looking at Xiao Yanyan, who was contentedly eating a bucket of instant noodles with her head bowed, he suddenly felt that everything was worth it.
If he hadn't come, who knew who this silly girl would have been paired with. By enduring more hardship himself, she could suffer less. With this thought, he immediately felt re-energized.
As he was eating, a hair fell into his bucket. Zhao Xianming calmly fished it out with his fork. After all, he needed to be full to work. This was the fifth hair, likely due to the change in environment.
His hair kept falling out. Thinking of his own hair, which remained thick and lustrous no matter how he styled it, Zhao Xianming didn't take this matter seriously at all.
Eating, washing clothes, bathing, and using the toilet all cost money. If they didn't have enough money, they had to hold it in. Except for Jun Jiuli's group, the other two groups lived very wearily.
They went through rice planting, digging, and weeding. Everyone's hands developed blisters. The audience's complaints were endless, calling it too devilish, even worse than Zhou Bajiu.
On the last two days of the live broadcast, Director Li brought out a batch of old beans. He told them to sell them on the street, with each group responsible for fifty pounds.
Failure to sell them would result in punishment. The earnings from sales would belong to the group. On the last day, they could spend the earned money however they wished.
The next morning, everyone took tricycles towards the market. Fine dust assailed them.
Zhao Xianming wrapped himself up tightly, not wanting his embarrassing moments from the previous days to repeat.
The others could now face the dust with a straight face, after all, they had been facing the earth and the sky every day.
Each group had to unload their own goods. Jun Jiuli and Sun Nanyi worked together, easily setting down the items.
The others, having endured much hardship in the past few days, found it difficult even to bend over. They painstakingly moved the goods for a long time before finally unloading them.
The livestream was filled with mocking comments about their lack of strength. The three men, even without watching the broadcast, knew how others would comment.
In the past few days, they had constantly felt weak, their teeth had become yellow, their breath foul, and they had experienced severe hair loss. They even developed slight paunches, which all three found unbelievable.
After working so hard every day, it was good they didn't lose weight, but to gain so much weight while eating poorly was baffling. All three paid close attention to personal hygiene, but they received the same treatment.
Jun Jiuli went to inquire about prices first, then deliberately lowered hers by fifty cents. The two young girls, unashamed, called out their sales loudly. By the time the production crew came to pick them up, they had already sold everything.
The other two groups were too embarrassed to speak. Zhao Xianming showed off his singing and dancing talents. However, the elderly shoppers ignored him, leaving him standing there awkwardly, unsure of what to do.
This was the first time he had performed without receiving cheers and applause. The way the elderly women looked at him like he was an idiot made him wish he could hide his face in his hands.
With the previous experience, Sun Yanwu and his group decided not to showcase their talents. They obediently started soliciting customers on the street, and the livestream was filled with laughter.
"This variety show is so real. Those old ladies don't care if your dance is good or bad. They only care if your price is cheap and if you're shortchanging them."
"I can feel Zhao Xianming's embarrassment. I could dig a villa with my toes."
"Women who care so much, maybe next time you shouldn't. You're happy to make my brother lose face?"
"Director Li has gone too far. It's like he's deliberately tormenting these guests. Ordinary people can't endure hardship for so long, let alone them who have never done such strenuous work."
"Get lost upstairs. Zhao Xinming could endure it without a single complaint, but the others are even more pampered than her. Three grown men whining are not as capable as two girls."
"You upstairs are my internet mouthpiece."
...