Qin Sizheng honestly wanted to punch him. But before coming, Xu Zhao had warned him—this time was about image rehabilitation. If he could endure it, endure it. Even if he couldn’t, still endure it. Anything done on this show would be magnified under a microscope. He was already black enough; doing anything more would make him completely unsalvageable.
Qin Sizheng forced himself to hold back. “I don’t mind. Come in. Don’t let Little Strawberry go hungry.”
“Your courtyard is amazing. Grapes, chickens, ducks laying eggs—this is even more luxurious than Director He’s village head house. Anyone who didn’t know better would think this is the Number One House.”
Qin Sizheng clenched the hard-boiled egg in his hand and crushed it into pieces.
He really wanted to hit someone.
If he dragged this guy into a corner and beat him up, would he die?
Si Qianqiu unceremoniously sat down in the seat Qin Sizheng had just vacated. Before his butt had even warmed the chair, a cold voice cut in, “Not enough.”
Qin Sizheng snapped back to attention. Looking at the smashed hard-boiled egg in his palm, he awkwardly put it on a plate. “Senior Lu, is it not enough for you? Should I fry another egg for you, or would you like a boiled one?”
Lu Xianqing’s voice was flat. “Enough.”
…So is it enough or not?! Why is this person so hard to serve? Qin Sizheng also wanted to punch him and ask whether he could speak like a normal human being!
Si Qianqiu was annoying, and he was annoying too!
Might as well beat both of them to death together!
Unlike Qin Sizheng’s blunt nerves, Si Qianqiu immediately picked up on Lu Xianqing’s meaning and rushed to smooth things over. “I don’t eat much. Senior Lu, you eat first. Sizheng and I can eat later.”
Lu Xianqing said, “If you want to eat, cook it yourself.”
Si Qianqiu nearly ground his teeth to dust. He didn’t know how to cook at all. These hands were for playing piano and holding a microphone, not for doing such unpresentable work like cooking!
There were only four stools. Qin Sizheng had nowhere to sit.
He planned to feed Little Tomato first and eat later himself, so he said, “Then, Senior Lu, you eat first. I’ll go pick some grapes.”
Lu Xianqing lifted his eyes to look at him. “Why are you running off instead of eating properly?”
Qin Sizheng wanted to punch him. Can’t you see there’s no chair left? Do you think I don’t want to sit down and eat? I cooked this food! You’re the one mooching!
Then the next second, Lu Xianqing turned his head to look at Si Qianqiu. “Not hungry?”
Si Qianqiu stood up with a stiff smile, teeth clenched, and said to Qin Sizheng, “Then I’ll go make something. You eat first, don’t worry about me.”
Qin Sizheng froze for a moment. Hearing the clatter and banging from the kitchen, followed by Si Qianqiu’s shrill yelp, he muttered, “He doesn’t seem to know how to cook. Maybe I should—”
“Qin Sizheng.” Lu Xianqing put down his chopsticks and beckoned him over. Qin Sizheng leaned in, and that very low voice brushed his ear. “If you cook for him, it’s the same as making him admit on this show that he’s inferior to you. His fans will think you’re humiliating him. Also, filming is going to last a long time. Do you want to keep cooking for him the whole time?”
Qin Sizheng shook his head reflexively. Absolutely not!
Lu Xianqing let out a low laugh. Qin Sizheng didn’t hear what he said and instinctively asked, “What?”
“Nothing. Eat.”
Qin Sizheng obediently sat down to eat. Watching Si Qianqiu struggle valiantly in the kitchen, he worried silently whether he might also say something that would offend the Film Emperor. After all, he was a rival—even worse off than Si Qianqiu.
After the meal, the production team handed over a task card.
Lu Xianqing naturally didn’t lift a finger. Qin Sizheng took it without hesitation and read it out loud for him. “Please have the children use their own abilities to search for ingredients in the village. The dads will work together to prepare tonight’s dinner.”
Little Tomato asked, “Daddy, what are ingredients?”
Qin Sizheng explained, “Things you can use to cook. Like the tomatoes, green beans, and eggs we just ate. Fish and meat count too. Anything edible counts.”
Little Tomato nodded, half-understanding, half-not. He slung his little basket over his arm and went off with Little Tangyuan, holding Little Strawberry’s hand, to search.
The three children headed to the village center, where everyone else was already waiting. Si Qianqiu asked, “We don’t even have pots or utensils. How are we supposed to cook?”
Liu Mianmian guessed, “Probably borrow them? I remember last season they borrowed.”
“So who’s going?”
Borrowing pots and stoves was dirty, tiring work. Liu Mianmian was the female guest, and no one dared order Lu Xianqing around. He Du was a senior too. That left only Si Qianqiu and Qin Sizheng.
Si Qianqiu said, “Sizheng was amazing yesterday when he saved Senior Xu, like he knew martial arts. I even wanted to learn a bit from you.”
There was an implication in his words—hinting that Qin Sizheng should be the one to carry heavy things. After all, he was strong and should take the initiative. On camera, Qin Sizheng couldn’t really refuse, or he’d be labeled lazy.
Qin Sizheng was actually glad to find an excuse to stay far away from Lu Xianqing. He immediately volunteered. “I’m strong anyway. I’ll go look for pots and a stove.”
Si Qianqiu was secretly pleased with himself. He turned to Lu Xianqing. “Senior Lu, let’s carry these together—”
Before he could finish, Lu Xianqing reached out and hooked a finger into the back of Qin Sizheng’s collar, pulling it down just enough to reveal a sliver of pale skin.
“Why are you walking so fast?”
Qin Sizheng turned back to look at him. “Senior Lu, is there something else?”
“Yes.”
Qin Sizheng obediently waited for instructions. Lu Xianqing lowered his gaze, voice calm. “I’ll go with you.”
…?
“…Senior Lu, can I refuse?” He genuinely didn’t want any more involvement with Lu Xianqing. He only wanted to live quietly and safely—he really didn’t want to die a second time.
The corner of Lu Xianqing’s mouth curved slightly. “What did you say? I didn’t hear it clearly.”
Qin Sizheng’s scalp went numb. Looking pitiful, he said, “Thank you, Senior Lu, for accompanying me to look for the pot and stove.”
Clenching his fists, Qin Sizheng warned himself over and over in his heart: endure. Endure enough and you become steel. What if this temperamental Film Emperor got unhappy again?
He really wasn’t good at coaxing people.
【Hahahaha why do I feel like Qin Sizheng is furious but doesn’t dare say anything? Fourth Brother really is Fourth Brother—completely suppressing him. Let’s see how Qin Sizheng causes trouble now!】
【Stop flattering yourselves. Accompany? Accompany your mom. Get lost, trash!】
The barrage erupted into another all-out fan war, characterized mainly by Lu Xianqing’s fans crushing the opposition, while the Little Strings fought back weakly.
Qin Sizheng carefully kept his distance from Lu Xianqing, wondering whether he should say something. But he really wasn’t familiar with Lu Xianqing at all. The damn original author had abandoned the story right after starting it—he didn’t even know how the plot was supposed to develop.
When exactly was Lu Xianqing supposed to meet Jiang Zhen and love him to death?
Qin Sizheng really didn’t want to interact with Lu Xianqing anymore. Please, go love Jiang Zhen already. He’d personally buy ten thousand firecrackers to celebrate them.
“Qin Sizheng.”
Lu Xianqing suddenly spoke. Qin Sizheng reflexively looked up, the movement a bit too exaggerated.
“You’re afraid of me?” Lu Xianqing had a faint smile at the corner of his mouth, but Qin Sizheng somehow read danger in it.
He wanted to say, obviously, of course I’m afraid, but he didn’t dare.
“Not afraid. You’re very good-looking, and you’re a very nice person.”
Lu Xianqing clearly didn’t believe him. He gave a light scoff. “If you’re not afraid of me, then you dislike me?”
How did he reach that conclusion?
Lu Xianqing continued, “Since I arrived today, the number of times you’ve looked at me doesn’t exceed five.”
Qin Sizheng thought: I’m afraid I’ll punch you to death. Right now I’m not a boxer, I can’t beat people for pay. Assault is illegal.
“Do you really dislike me?” Lu Xianqing asked.
Qin Sizheng shook his head hard. He didn’t dare tell the truth. Lu Xianqing lowered his gaze and smiled. “If you don’t dislike me, then you like me. You like me?”
Qin Sizheng glanced toward the cameras, silently reminding him that this was a live broadcast. If he said he liked him, he’d be flayed alive by Lu Xianqing’s fans. His eyes were turning red from holding it in, yet Lu Xianqing kept pressing. “Why aren’t you talking? Are you humoring me again? Is it real liking or fake liking?”
Qin Sizheng grit his teeth. “I like you.” Then he blinked and begged softly, “Senior Lu…”
Lu Xianqing looked at his eyes, moist as if filled with water, and something in his chest softened slightly. “That look—are you begging me?”
Qin Sizheng nodded frantically. “Don’t ask anymore, okay?”
Lu Xianqing’s fingers suddenly felt a little itchy. Did this kid even realize what it meant to beg with reddened eyes like this? He reached out and covered Qin Sizheng’s eyes, his other hand pressing down on the microphone.
“No matter who taught you this, don’t ever use that look to beg other people again. Be good.”
Qin Sizheng froze. Lu Xianqing had already walked away. By the time Qin Sizheng processed it, his face flushed bright red.
【Ahhh what did Fourth Brother say to him? Why is the baby blushing? Did Fourth Brother scold him? Did he, did he?!】
【He looks like he’s about to die, obviously he got scolded. What else could it be? Don’t tell me Fourth Brother whispered sweet nothings to flirt with him? Little Strings, have some shame. Do you really think everyone has to kneel before that face of his? Ugh!】
【Why did someone cave so fast? Weren’t you super fierce scolding Fourth Brother on Weibo? Saying he’d ruined his later years, weren’t you so badass? Online you’re heavy punches, offline you’re meek and submissive?】
【Hahahaha the one above is savage. Qin Sizheng: why don’t you just read out my ID number?】
Qin Sizheng threw a few punches at the air to vent, imagining Lu Xianqing as that horse. Hook punch, roundhouse kick… One punch to the stomach—he’d throw up, right? Or maybe the chest… no, what if he broke a rib?
A punch to the groin—Qin Sizheng sucked in a sharp breath. Forget it. If that punch landed, the original novel’s protagonist shou, Jiang Zhen, might actually have to “serve love” for real.
He thought for a long time and still couldn’t find a suitable way to beat up Lu Xianqing. Just then, Liu Mianmian caught up. “You still haven’t found the pot and stove?”
Qin Sizheng shook his head.
“Here.” Lu Xianqing stopped in front of a cylindrical glass display. Inside was a stove, locked tightly with chains. A piece of paper was pasted on it.
“Just clear the challenge to get fragments, obtain clues for the next stage. Three fragments can be combined into a key to get the pot and stove.”
After reading it out loud, Liu Mianmian was stunned. “We might as well eat raw food later. This is way too hard. Production team, be honest—are you trying to starve us to death?”
Lu Xianqing flipped over the problem and sneered. “Linear algebra? What is this, the college entrance exam?”
Director: “I believe you can definitely solve it. Showing off high intelligence attracts fans too, right?”
Lu Xianqing looked puzzled. “Do I still need this to attract fans? Did the director tell you to insult me like this? Did he just graduate elementary school this year?”
The director was on the verge of tears from that triple rhetorical attack.
Qin Sizheng didn’t have that much patience. He reached out to touch the cylindrical glass, then tapped it lightly with his fingers to listen to the sound, before turning back to the production team.
“As long as I can get the pot, it counts as completing the task, right?”
The director felt something was off but couldn’t put his finger on it. “Yes. As long as you can get the pot and stove, it counts.”
Qin Sizheng rolled his wrist a little, then turned his head and asked Liu Mianmian, “Sister Mianmian, can I borrow your silk scarf for a moment?”
“Sure.” Liu Mianmian untied it and handed it to him. He casually looped it once around his palm and said flatly, “Everyone step back. Don’t get hurt.”
The director watched as his expression turned cold in an instant and suddenly thought of that night—the same ruthless look when he knocked the horse unconscious. A sense of doom rushed over him. “Uh, wait—wait a second! You can’t just—”
More than ten punches landed in rapid succession. The program crew’s supposedly flawless tempered glass shattered with a crash, scattering across the ground. Qin Sizheng unwrapped the silk scarf and handed it back to Liu Mianmian. “Thanks, sis.”
Liu Mianmian took the scarf back in a daze. This… was allowed?
Wasn’t that just a little too violent?
The director exchanged a helpless look with the cameraman. Well, there went another challenge the director had racked his brain to design—broken again.
She finally understood: wherever Qin Sizheng was, there were no real obstacles. Those hands of his could always “surprise” you at the most unimaginable moment.
That was a fright, okay?!
Qin Sizheng reached out, grabbed the stove, and slung it over his shoulder. The director was shocked again. That thing weighed at least a hundred-plus pounds—he lifted it that easily?
With the stove on one shoulder and a wok in the other hand, he walked up to Liu Mianmian and flashed her a smile. “Mianmian-jie, let’s go.”
“Ah—okay, let’s go.” Liu Mianmian was still reeling. This violent teenager was nothing like the delicate, pretty little crybaby from the rumors. Not even close.
“How are you so amazing? That was tempered glass—you smashed it with your bare hands? Did you train before? And your starting stance looked really professional. Have you boxed? My husband is a boxing coach—come over for dinner sometime, you two can exchange pointers.” Liu Mianmian looked at him with pure enthusiasm.
Qin Sizheng smiled shyly. “Sure.”
The two chatted and laughed as they walked ahead. Then the boy suddenly stopped and turned back, seeing Lu Xianqing still standing where he was. A faint dimple surfaced as he smiled at him. “Senior Lu, we’re heading off.”
Lu Xianqing followed, but didn’t speak. He just stared at Qin Sizheng’s hands, lost in thought.
Qin Sizheng blinked and smiled at him, lowering his voice. “Don’t worry, I’m fine. That glass wasn’t tough at all. I barely used any strength and it shattered. The program crew really doesn’t know how to pick glass.”
Director’s inner monologue: Please stop talking. The director is about to cry. That was absolutely tempered glass meeting strict standards!!!
Back at the filming site, Qin Sizheng set the stove down on the ground with a heavy thud.
Si Qianqiu stared in amazement that Qin Sizheng could really carry the stove. “Sizheng, are your arms okay? Last time you broke a bone arm-wrestling—don’t let any aftereffects linger. Be careful. Oh right, how did you train to get this strong? Teach me?”
Qin Sizheng examined his build very seriously, then said, “…Your arms are too short, legs too thin, your proportions are fifty-fifty, your lower body is unstable and weak, and your waist is thin and lacks strength. Don’t bother. You can’t learn this. If something goes wrong, you could end up disabled. Don’t make things hard for yourself.”