Chapter 18
Seeing her, the other person jogged to her, seemingly wanting to approach but then appearing afraid of something.
Xu Wan portrayed this expression perfectly. Tang Yao almost wanted to applaud her.
"Yaoyao, are you still angry? Let's pretend it was all my fault before. I'll apologize, okay?" Xu Wan's eyes reddened again. "Don't be stubborn anymore. Let's go home."
Xu Wan deliberately spoke vaguely, leaving room for interpretation.
Tang Yao frowned and took a step back: "What are you talking about? Stand back, we're not that close."
Upon hearing this, Xu Wan seemed to have suffered a blow and tears streamed down her face like a broken string of pearls.
She kept saying, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It's all my fault."
After saying that, she ran away alone.
While no one was looking, a security camera was secretly retracted.
The remaining people, though suspicious, didn't show it on their faces.
"Be careful, I think this person is strange. She might do something behind your back," Zhang Qing whispered in Tang Yao's ear, not asking about their relationship.
Tang Yao nodded, "Okay, thank you, Elder Sis Qing."
Tang Yao looked somewhat cold when she wasn't smiling, but when she did smile, it was soft and gentle.
Zhang Qing couldn't resist patting her head.
Watching the interaction between the two, Lu Bei’s dark eyes were deep. It was unknown what he was thinking.
...
The production team would edit the most interesting parts of the daytime live stream and upload them to the official account.
As the show gained popularity, the comments also increased.
Amidst the laughter and jokes, a few discordant voices emerged.
"Why should Xu Wan, a wealthy heiress, have to lower herself to suffer like this? An illegitimate daughter harms people greatly."
"What exactly do you mean by that? I've seen a few posts about illegitimate daughters today, and it's so frustrating not being able to find the truth."
"Hmph, I can only say that the illegitimate daughter is quite cunning, managing to force Xu Wan's dad to pressure Xu Wan into looking for her."
"So, Xu Wan is quite pitiful at home. Who exactly is this illegitimate daughter? Tell us so we can all help Miss Xu vent some steam."
Such sarcastic comments weren't numerous, but they weren't few either. Many people pressed for details, but no one could find out who the illegitimate daughter was, sparking endless speculation.
Xu Wan was currently lying in her room and calling Chen Yuxuan. Her voice still tinged with the aftereffects of crying.
"Elder Brother Yuxuan, Yaoyao really doesn't seem to like me. Was coming here a mistake?"
"How can it be?" Chen Yuxuan's voice was quiet on the other end. "Wanwan is too kind. If you're unhappy there, just come back. You don't have to compromise like this. Even if you're worried the Xu Family will neglect you because of Tang Yao, you'll always be my little princess."
"Elder Brother Yuxuan, you're so good." Xu Wan blushed, her voice sweet.
"You only realize how good I am now? Come back when you've had your fun. Let's set a wedding date soon. I really want to marry you as soon as possible."
Chen Yuxuan showered Xu Wan with sweet words, completely having her in his grasp.
After hanging up, a snow-white arm wrapped around him: "Elder Brother Chen, are you really going to marry that pampered girl? Will you still come to see me afterward?"
The woman's dark hair draped around Chen Yuxuan's chest, an extremely ambiguous gesture.
Chen Yuxuan lifted the woman's chin and kissed her. His tone was cold: "Know your place."
The woman pouted resentfully, then coiled herself around him like a seductive water snake.
She needed to take advantage of Chen Yuxuan's unmarried status to gain as much benefit as possible.
...
The next day, the guests needed to pick fresh vegetables from Tang Yao's field and help Xiao Li butcher the pig.
The plants were covered in dew, while the morning breeze was refreshing, carrying the scent of earth—a fragrance never smelled in the big city.
It smelled invigorating.
Everyone changed into the clothes and boots provided by the production team.
When Xu Wan reappeared, she was gentle and sweet again, as if she weren't the one who had run away crying yesterday.
Her clothes and boots had been specially delivered from the city overnight.
"I get allergic to poor-quality clothes and shoes," Xu Wan explained to the camera. The live chat was filled with a peaceful atmosphere, with many expressing their understanding.
"Miss Xu has been raised in luxury since childhood, so what's wrong with her being a little delicate?"
"If my family were that rich, I would probably be even more arrogant than Miss Xu."
"Since you know you're so delicate, why bother participating in this show?"
The netizen who said this was naturally ridiculed by others. Everyone seemed to have a natural affinity for the wealthy and polite Xu Wan.
Her family background added a thick layer of filter to her image.
After everyone changed their clothes, they headed towards the vegetable garden.
Xiao Yue demonstrated first, before letting the guests try it themselves.
At the scene, Zheng Xinrui's exclamations and coquettish voices echoed.
The live chat was filled with complaints. Everyone felt sorry for the newcomer, Sun Yi.
Zheng Xinrui seemed to have latched onto Sun Yi and her words and actions were somewhat ambiguous. Too young and unable to refuse, Sun Yi could only bite the bullet and help.
Zheng Xinrui indeed achieved her goal: black fame.
Xu Wan didn't ask for help, but the vegetables she had picked were a sight to behold; not a single one was whole.
After picking for a while, her hands turned red. She wanted to throw a tantrum, but refrained from doing so for the cameras. She just secretly vowed to completely crush Tang Yao, leaving her no chance to recover.
Meanwhile, Shen Wentao and Du Meijuan, who had previously maintained a harmonious atmosphere—one gentle and the other cheerful—had even become a popular couple among netizens. They were even dubbed as "Aesthetic CP."
The two teachers had unknowingly achieved the effect Zheng Xinrui had originally envisioned.
While the production crew worked feverishly, Tang Yao took advantage of a break to go shopping.
She wanted to buy some bamboo fruit baskets to hold her fruit.
She remembered a family in town who wove exceptionally beautiful bamboo baskets, attracting visitors from afar.
Tang Yao discovered that things she had almost forgotten were slowly returning to her memory after returning home.
She had just stepped outside when she bumped into a young, hunchbacked man in flip-flops.
The man leaned casually against a tree not far from the gate. His eyes lewdly scanned Tang Yao up and down.
Tang Yao recognized him; this was the son of the flower cake factory owner, the one the matchmaker had raved about.
Seeing Tang Yao, the man swaggered over, looking quite dashing, but in reality, he was sleazy and greasy.
“Tang Yao? You should know me, right? My family owns the biggest flower cake factory in town.” As he spoke, he flicked his bangs.
“Anything else? If not, I’ll be going.” Tang Yao said indifferently.
“I heard from the matchmaker that you’re not interested?” The man chuckled.
“Yes, is it strange that I’m not interested?” Tang Yao didn’t want to say anything more and quickened her pace.
Unexpectedly, the man followed closely behind.
"Are you playing hard to get? You know, many people want to marry me, but I've chosen you. Don't be coy, k?"
Tang Yao remained expressionless, only thinking that she should tell Xiao Li not to put any more oil in her dinner that night.
"Please get this straight, I've already clearly rejected you. If you harass me again, I'll call the police." Tang Yao's tone became stern. She took out her phone as if to make a call.
"You're asking for it! Just you wait." Seeing that Tang Yao was unmoved, the man became angry and threatened her before leaving.
Tang Yao withdrew her hand from the stun gun. Her temper had been much milder since she returned. If this were in the small world, she would have knocked this person out with one strike. Still, some people thought she was weak and easily bullied.
The family that made handmade bamboo baskets was quite a distance away. It took Tang Yao twenty minutes to walk there.
A pile of processed bamboo strips laid by the entrance. A thin, elderly man sat on a small bamboo chair. His hands moved swiftly as he wove a bamboo basket, seemingly halfway finished.
The old man looked up. Seeing Tang Yao, his face crinkled with a smile.
"It's Yao Yao! Xiao Hua, bring out a stool for Yao Yao," the old man called out into the house.
"Yes, yes," a young man's voice came from inside.
A moment later, a slender, handsome man emerged, carrying a bamboo stool.
Upon seeing Tang Yao, the man's fair face flushed and he became somewhat flustered.
At the old man's prompting, he placed the stool in front of Tang Yao.
"Just graduated from university and still a bit immature," the old man said, defending his grandson.
"It's alright, Grandpa Dong. I'm here to order a few bamboo baskets to carry fruit," Tang Yao said, putting down the fruit she had brought.
Grandpa Dong and Tang Yao's parents had known each other for many years. Grandpa Dong had watched Tang Yao grow up.
The young man put down his stool but didn't leave immediately. Instead, he moved a chair and sat next to Grandpa Dong, helping to arrange the bamboo strips while listening intently to their conversation.
Tang Yao carefully described the style she wanted, and Grandpa Dong understood immediately.
"Don't worry. I guarantee it will be beautifully made for you. Just wait to come and pick it up in three days," Grandpa Dong said, quite confident in his craftsmanship.
Tang Yao wanted to pay a deposit, but Grandpa Dong waved his hand and refused: "Don't you trust me?"
After Tang Yao left, the young man craned his neck to look, only to be slapped on the back by Grandpa Dong.
"What are you looking at? Do you think she'd be interested in someone like you? I told you to come back and help, but all you do is play games all day," Grandpa Dong scolded, exasperated.
Unable to lift his head, he begged for forgiveness and promised to help properly before the scolding subsided.
It took Tang Yao another twenty minutes to walk back to the guesthouse. Her back was sweating and she wanted to take a good shower.
Just as she returned, she heard a sharp commotion.
"...This is fraud! What kind of flower is so expensive?!"
"You can bring an expert to assess it anytime," Xiao Yue's voice rang out, neither humble nor arrogant.
"You can bring an expert to assess it anytime," Xiao Yue's voice rang out, neither humble nor arrogant.
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