Fortunately, the production team wasn't entirely heartless; at least they provided the two of them with a full set of tools.

Because it was raining outside, the road was quite slippery. Qiao Xinhuan almost slipped and fell, but luckily Xu Qian reacted quickly and reached out to help her up; otherwise, the production team wouldn't have been so kind as to cut that part out.

"Thank you." Qiao Xinhuan blinked, almost scared out of her wits.

Xu Qian glanced at her shoes. They weren't athletic shoes; they'd be fine in the city, but definitely wouldn't fit in a water town.

Qiao Xinhuan noticed his gaze, and nervously stomped her feet, feeling a little embarrassed. "I haven't had time to change my shoes yet."

"Then be careful, it's slippery," Xu Qian said softly.

Qiao Xinhuan tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and gave a soft "hmm," nodding slightly.

If he were acting like a gentleman, Xu Qian should have offered his arm, but he didn't, because he was a coward and didn't want to cause trouble.

The two newlyweds leisurely arrived at the pond where they could dig lotus roots. The pond was surrounded by small flags from the production team, serving as a rather unusual prop.

Xu Qian had picked lotus pods with his senior brothers and sisters when they were in the mountains before, but this was the first time he had ever seen lotus roots in the mud, mainly because he didn't really like eating lotus roots.

"Director, could you please tell me how many lotus roots we need to pick? Is it just for lunch?" Xu Qian asked the group of onlookers behind him, especially the young man in the middle, who was not tall but very energetic.

"It depends on how many meals you want to have." The young director chuckled, not wanting to answer the question directly.

Xu Qian withdrew his gaze with some disappointment, which made the young girls next to the director feel a little excited. However, although the young director was young, he had an extraordinary sense of authority, so they had to suppress their restless hearts.

"I'll go down first, it might be slippery," Xu Qian said to the model on the shore.

Qiao Xinhuan hesitated for a second, and just as she was about to say something, Xu Qian had already changed his clothes and gone downstairs. She could only hurriedly remind him, "Hey, be careful."

Xu Qian went down into the pool and took a few steps. It was indeed more difficult to walk than on land, but it wasn't a big problem. Moreover, the pool was much shallower than he had imagined, not even reaching his waist, so moving around was not difficult.

"Wow, he's so tall!"

"Having long legs is definitely an advantage!"

"Tsk tsk tsk, did you guys see that? When he was changing clothes just now, oh my god, he's got muscles when he's naked but looks slim when he's dressed! It's amazing~"

The young director, hearing the chatter of the girls around him, felt utterly disdainful. This was just the beginning, what was the rush!

Then, Xu Qian dug out the first section of lotus root from the mud. Although it was all muddy, it looked very plump.

The young director remained calm. He had rented a pond that had already been harvested, and digging out enough lotus roots for a lunch would require time and patience. If there were no setbacks, wouldn't this scene have been filmed in vain?

Although the young director's plan was perfect, the one thing he never expected was that the person in front of him had a cheat code.

Although the lotus pond had already been picked clean, with only a few fish left, Xu Qian was quick and had extraordinary stamina. He dug non-stop and actually found quite a few, enough to satisfy both lunch and dinner needs without even needing the models to help him.

"Is this enough?" Xu Qian asked the young director.

"..." The young director gave an awkward but polite smile. He had miscalculated; the guy actually had some skills. "That's about enough. Thank you for your hard work."

Xu Qian smiled when he saw that the young director's favorability rating for him had increased from zero to 10. Generally speaking, there are still more good people than bad.

Having successfully picked fresh lotus roots, Xu Qian also picked a few bunches of lotus flowers and lotus pods with the young director's permission. The lotus flowers were in full bloom at this time, and the bright red flower tips and the lotus seeds that looked very sweet were a perfect match!

The clean lotus flowers and lotus pods were given to Qiao Xinhuan. Xu Qian was quite considerate in this regard, since girls are naturally clean. He himself picked up the pile of 'dirty' lotus roots.

The two walked towards the 'living house' with a sense of accomplishment, and could already see the smoke rising from the chimney in the distance. It has to be said that although the filming of the show was a bit tiring, the living environment of such a small bridge, flowing water and a family home was indeed very pleasant.

Back inside, the two, having reaped a bountiful harvest, were warmly welcomed by everyone, especially after learning that the unexpected lotus flowers and seedpods were Xu Qian's creation.

Ms. Wu Meili, in particular, firmly believes that no woman dislikes flowers, unless... she is allergic!

Xu Qian placed the dirty lotus root in the pool and began washing it very conscientiously. His hands were very long and slender, and they looked even cleaner and whiter after being rinsed in the clear water, forming a stark contrast with the lotus root covered in mud. Yet the scene was quite harmonious, because as he washed it, the lotus root also became clean, just like his hands.

Of course, this is the effect seen through the girls' filter; the men don't really feel anything, they just think that the newcomer, Xiao Xu, is very diligent.

For example, Wang Xu, seeing that Xu Qian's movements were very efficient, clearly indicating that he had cooked before, took the initiative to strike up a conversation with him. Among the trio, he was the least talkative, but also the most honest: "Little Xu, do you cook often?"

Xu Qian smiled and replied, "If I'm not too busy with work, I quite enjoy cooking."

Yao Jing chimed in, "Hey, I heard online that you even grow vegetables on your balcony?"

Xu Qian suddenly felt a little embarrassed. He really couldn't get rid of his hobby of growing vegetables. "It's nothing, just a small thing. When I'm busy, I can just grab a handful and eat them."

Wang Xu is also a planting enthusiast; he even owns a farm that specializes in growing fruit. Upon hearing that the newcomer had experience growing vegetables, he felt an immediate sense of familiarity and cheerfully replied, "That's great! Homegrown produce is clean and hygienic!"

Xu Qian nodded in agreement. In addition to lettuce, he added a few more items to enrich the menu.

Wu Meili also came over to join in the fun, saying, "Actually, I also want to raise them, but I'm afraid I won't be able to support them, since I can hardly support myself."

Yao Jing exclaimed, "Meili, you can't say that. How about I take care of you from now on?"

Wu Meili rolled her eyes. "Teacher Yao, do you know the saying—'A man's mouth is a liar'!"

"Goose, goose, goose—" Yao Jing laughed out loud like a goose.

The atmosphere among the four reached its peak. Yao Jing turned her gaze to Qiao Xihuan, who was all alone beside her, and asked, "Where's Qiao Qiao? Can Qiao Qiao cook?"

Qiao Xinhuan was stunned for a moment, then shook her head mischievously, "I'm a kitchen killer. Others cook for money, but I cook for my life."

"Haha~" Yao Jing laughed in good fun, "It's because you're too busy with work to cook for yourself."

Qiao Xinhuan smiled and nodded, then looked at Xu Qian, who had just finished washing the lotus roots. The lotus roots in his hands were now very white and tender, looking delicious. She rolled up her sleeves, revealing her dimples, and asked, "Is there anything I can help with?"

Wang Xu welcomed everyone's help. After looking around, he handed over the task of washing the vegetables to Qiao Xinhuan.

Soon, the kitchen became busy. Wang Xu, who usually cooked alone, now had a skilled assistant. Whether it was chopping vegetables or stir-frying, Xu Qian showed the qualities of a professional chef.

Just then, Xu Qian suddenly felt an itch on his feet. Looking down, he saw a cat, a black and white calico cat.

"Oh dear, Cucu~ why did you come down here too~" Wu Meili reached out to pick up Cucu, the kitten at Xu Qian's feet, but for some reason, the usually docile Cucu suddenly became temperamental, resisting Wu Meili's advances and only wanting to stick to Xu Qian's feet.

"Tsk tsk tsk, you little rascal, you've got your eye on a handsome guy, haven't you?" Wu Meili squinted, revealing a smile very similar to her old partner's, and grabbed Cu Cu by the neck, easily pulling Cu Cu away from her beloved little brother.

"Meow—"

Xu Qian looked down again and laughed, "Your name is Cucu? That's quite unique."

As the one who named her, Yao Jing took the initiative to explain to Xu Qian, "Because we found her in the vinegar vat in the warehouse. She was originally a tiny kitten, the size of a palm, but as we raised her, she turned into this... cough, well, you know." Yao Jing didn't finish her sentence, wanting to give Vinegar some face.

Cucu struggled twice to no avail, then blinked her pitiful eyes at Xu Qian, clearly wanting a hug.

This scene amused Yao Jing, who jokingly asked, "What's going on? Has our Cucumber fallen for you?"

Xu Qian glanced at Cucumber, who was thinking about him. Actually, he probably knew why. It was very simple: he smelled of medicine. To put it more simply, he was a walking catnip in his charade, so it was normal for a cat to be attracted to him. It was just a pity that Xu Qian hadn't finished his work and couldn't pet him.

At exactly 12:00 noon, lunch was served. This was probably the fastest they had ever eaten lunch in their history, as they usually dawdled until 12:30 or 1:00.

There were five people present. Wang Xu arranged four dishes and a soup, all in generous portions. If they couldn't finish it all, he could even cover the rest.

Xu Qian also provided a dish here, his own boiled beef, which was absolutely delicious. The thin slices of beef were smooth and tender, and the strong spiciness stimulated the brain, making people's mouths water. As soon as it was served, it quickly awakened everyone's taste buds.

Wang Xu is from the North, and most of the dishes he cooks are also Northern cuisine. He rarely makes spicy dishes like boiled beef, but that doesn't stop him from eating them. Deliciousness knows no north or south; one word, "delicious," is enough!

After the meal, almost everyone had some rice, more or less. Chili peppers were definitely the most appetizing ingredient, bar none!

Among these people, Qiao Xinhuan probably ate the least. Come to think of it, she's a model and has to manage her figure, so it's completely understandable that she eats less. It's just that she seems to be a real pity.

After the meal, Xu Qian still helped wash the dishes, since they weren't at home and Meng Ziqiu wasn't there to help him wash the dishes.

They took another hour's rest at noon, and the production team thoughtfully arranged a nap time for them. At 2 PM, the last guest arrived, and just then the drizzle outside stopped, officially marking the start of their new round of tasks.

— Picking watermelons!

When talking about summer, we can't help but mention watermelon. Everyone is probably very familiar with it. As the saying goes, summer is incomplete without watermelon!

Imagine this: in the quiet of the night, even the air smells sweet like watermelon. Taking a bite of chilled watermelon, the sweetness is delightful, and all around you is laughter and cheerful conversation—what a wonderful experience that would be!

Ah, of course, that is, assuming you actually pick the watermelon.