Chapter 1: I've been tricked into joining the "Famine Year Farming Live Streaming System"...

Wen Yu had never been so disheveled in his life.

Her beautifully curled hair, done just before the show, was covered in dust, and her limited-edition sneakers were stuck deep in the slippery paddy field, covered in foul-smelling, sticky black mud when she pulled them out.

Her expression immediately turned sour.

The other guests on the show were quite different from her, having a great time playing around on the sidelines.

On the other side of the camera, rising star Meng Xiaqing is giggling as she rolls up her skirt and rushes into a pond to dig for lotus roots, completely unconcerned about the mud splashing onto her skirt.

Actor Fu Chen completely let loose, not caring that he was still wearing a designer white shirt. He bent down and started catching loaches in the ditch, quickly filling half a basket and proudly showing it to the camera.

The entire filming set was filled with laughter and joy, except for Wen Yu, who seemed like an outsider who had stumbled upon the scene.

The production team just assigned tasks, and the three of them were put into a group. Before Wen Yu could even speak, the other two volunteered to collect raw materials.

"Miss Wen, why don't you go back and rest first? The paths in the fields are slippery, don't fall." Meng Xiaqing smiled sweetly. "Could you please help us process the lotus roots and loaches we got later?"

Fu Chen gently chimed in, "Yes, it's dirty here. We'll be done cleaning up and head back soon."

It sounded like a thoughtful gesture, but Wen Yu heard it in a different way.

Even if she can leave first, she'll still have to work in the kitchen later, but they'll take all the credit and she'll become a burden who needs special treatment in front of the camera.

I wonder what kind of insults will be directed at her in the comments later.

She couldn't directly point out the two men's ulterior motives, so she could only suppress her anger and walk back, her mind filled with their "thoughtful" words. Before she knew it, her foot slipped, and the scene at the beginning occurred.

She fell into a muddy pit beside the paddy field with a "plop," her clean clothes instantly soaked with mud and water, her ankle twisted, and she looked utterly disheveled.

"Pfft..." One of the staff members couldn't help but laugh.

Wen Yu's eyes instantly reddened, partly from the pain and partly from the embarrassment.

She's a female celebrity known for her controversial image, and her company put her on the reality show "Children of the Fields" hoping to clear her name through the live broadcast. However, it backfired.

Not only could she not distinguish between weeds and wheat seedlings when weeding, but she also couldn't even swing a hoe when plowing. When assigned to start a fire, she even managed to put out the stove, leaving herself covered in soot.

The other guests had clearly done their homework beforehand, and they always pushed her to be the first to experience the parts where she was likely to embarrass herself, so she became the control group.

The comments section was already buzzing with mockery, with many saying, "I have a phobia of stupidity."

This fall caused an uproar in the live chat.

Did the production team hire her to be a mascot? I could do that job too, and I could do it better than her. At least I can walk.

[Fellow fans, is Wen Yu on this show to participate in "Transformation"?]

[While her teammates were all working hard, Princess not only had the nerve to desert her post, but she even pretended to trip and fall flat on her face? This self-inflicted injury is so fake, who would believe it?]

Occasionally, her fans would speak up for her, but they were quickly drowned out by the overwhelming wave of support.

Wenwen grew up in the city and has never worked in the fields before. It's normal for her to be a little uncomfortable the first time she goes there. Let's be more understanding of her.

The barrage of comments surged even more.

"Look at what you're saying. Do you think Fu Chen and Meng Xiaqing are professional farmers? They don't put on any airs, but she's the one who's so precious."

Participating in this kind of program is supposed to be for entertainment, but she had a miserable look on her face the whole time. People who didn't know better would think we forced her to come.

Wanting both popularity and princess-like treatment? Where's your shame?

[He comes to the show to slack off with an exorbitant salary and expects us to foot the bill? Wen Yu, get out of "The Field"!]

Wen Yu was helped up by her assistant, covered in mud and water, her hair disheveled, looking utterly miserable.

Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably, her voice trembling, as if she were on the verge of a breakdown: "I want to quit..."

The assistant didn't dare to agree casually, so he could only agree and help her into the rest area.

She had just changed her clothes and hadn't even had time to wash her hair when her agent, Sister Chen, rushed in with a livid face, her phone almost shoved in her face.

"Wen Yu! Look what you've done! It's trending on social media!"

On the screen, the hashtags #WenYuIsLazyAndIgnorantOfGrains, #WenYuActingLikeABigShot, and #WenYuCried were prominently displayed with the word "Explosive".

Photos of Wen Yu crying were posted on various negative posts, and passersby ridiculed her for being spoiled. Fans of the movie star said she was trying to ride on her brother's popularity, and fans of the young actresses compared her to their own idols.

The most popular long post even had a title that directly targeted Wen Yu.

Exposing the truth behind the "city girl's" "forgetting her roots": Wen Yu, do you still remember that your grandfather was a farmer?

The post included photos and text, such as pictures of Wen Yu performing on stage in a pure white gauze dress, and a video of her celebrating her birthday at a high-end restaurant.

In stark contrast to these photos are old photos of her grandfather working in the fields, dressed in tattered clothes.

Along with the photos, numerous testimonies, purportedly from "relatives from the same village" and "old classmates," were provided: "Wen Yu has always been proud and looked down on our rural hometown... After moving to the big city, she wouldn't even mention where her hometown is..."

"She didn't seem particularly sad when her grandfather passed away..."

The poster argued vehemently: "Growing up eating grains grown by our farmer grandfathers, and only being on stage for a few days, she already wants to wash her hands of her origins clean. We don't need such hypocritical and ungrateful celebrities. Wen Yu, get out of the entertainment industry!"

Her personal homepage comment section was completely overrun, flooded with all sorts of vulgar language and mockery.

The text message notification about the termination of the endorsement contract popped up like a ghost, and my phone kept buzzing.

Looking at those glaring words, Wen Yu suddenly felt short of breath.

To fit her character, she did obscure her background, but it's also true that she rarely returned to her hometown growing up. Her grandfather passed away when she was in kindergarten, and there's no one left in her hometown.

Her parents did everything they could to bring her to the city, give her the best education, and push her into a better environment.

She thought that by not mentioning her past, she could integrate into that glamorous circle, but she never expected that she would still be an outsider in the end.

It turns out that those relatives who flattered her at family dinners during holidays actually hated her so much.

"Wen Yu!"

The piercing ringing in her ears made it impossible for her to think. Wen Yu covered her head and lost consciousness amidst the intense pain.

...

I'm so thirsty.

She wants to drink water...

Wen Yu struggled to wake up from the nightmare, her throat burning with thirst and her stomach cramping with pain from hunger.

She struggled to open her eyes, but instead of the familiar lights on the roof of the rest shed, she saw a gray, hazy sky.

She sat up abruptly and looked around.

desolate.

Extreme desolation.

As far as the eye could see, the earth was cracked everywhere, with only a few withered yellow grass stems trembling helplessly in the wind from the cracks.

In the distance, a few low, dilapidated mud-brick and thatched huts are scattered about, their walls cracked and lifeless.

This world is devoid of any greenery, devoid of any birdsong; only the deathly wind howls across the wilderness, whipping up gusts of choking yellow sand.

The horizon is invisible, and so is the hope of survival.

"Where...where is this?" she asked, only to find her voice was terribly hoarse.

She looked down at herself; it was no longer the outfit she wore when recording the show, but a rough, worn-out gray cloth dress.

The exposed wrists and ankles were thin and dirty, indicating that the body had not been thoroughly cleaned in a long time.

As she was filled with anxiety, a cold, mechanical voice suddenly rang in her mind:

[Host vital signs detected as extremely unstable, meeting binding requirements. "Famine Year Farming Live Streaming System" successfully bound.]

[Host: Wen Yu]

[Current World: Dayin Dynasty, Third Year of Famine]

[Status: Starving (severe), Dehydrated (moderate), Weak (severe)]

[Main Quest: 1. Successfully survive a famine in ancient times. 2. Reverse the original world's negative perception of the host; a positive evaluation rate of over 80% is required.]

[Mission Time Limit: No specific time limit, but the host's current survival status is expected to last no more than 72 hours.]

[Reward for mission completion: Return to the original world. Penalty for mission failure: Death.]

[New Player Assistance: The "Dual-World Live Streaming" function has been activated. The live stream room is now forcibly connected to the host's original world network platform. A new player gift pack has been sent to the system space; please check it.]

A barrage of information bombarded Wen Yu's mind, making her already groggy head throb even more.

Time travel?

A year of famine?

Farming?

live streaming?

The conditions for going back are... growing crops and clearing up the public's reputation?

"Are you kidding me!" Wen Yu was almost in tears. "I'm the kind of person who can even kill a cactus, and you want me to livestream farming in a place where not even grass grows?"

The system showed no mercy: [Livestream has been forcibly started. Host, please begin survival operations as soon as possible.]

Your life countdown is currently at 71 hours and 59 minutes...

The instinct for survival overcame the panic.

Wen Yu pinched her thigh hard, the sharp pain bringing her back to her senses.

She said angrily, "Didn't you say there was a newbie gift pack? Give it to me!"

The next second, a broken hoe with a cracked wooden handle fell at her feet. The blade was rusty and it was completely different from the brand-new hoe she had used on the show.

Along with it came a small, palm-sized coarse cloth bag and a broken earthenware pot with a chipped top.

They fell with a thud onto the dry, hard ground at her feet, kicking up a small cloud of dust.

Wen Yu picked up the small bag, opened it, and saw that it contained more than twenty seeds. It seemed that this was the task she had to complete.

Is this... her only hope for survival?

She gritted her teeth and used all her strength to lift the hoe.

Where to dig? How to dig?

She looked around blankly.

Looking around, all one could see was cracked earth and a few dilapidated thatched huts; there was no arable land to speak of.

Finally, she focused her gaze on a small clearing behind the hut, which appeared to be less cracked.

One step, two steps... Her current body is so weak that walking feels like stepping on cotton.

She walked to the field, and mimicking the scene from her memory, she used all her strength to lift the hoe and swing it down hard!

"when!"

The hoe blade struck the hard ground, and the force of the rebound caused her hand to throb with pain. She almost dropped the hoe, and Wen Yu staggered, nearly falling to the ground.

When she struck the ground with her hoe, only a shallow mark was left.

It's too hard. This doesn't feel like soil at all; it's as hard as a slab of stone!

She swung the hoe again and swung it hard a few times with all her might, but it was still in vain. Only her hands began to burn with pain.

Sweating broke out on her body, and her already parched throat became even more so due to dehydration. Under the scorching sun, she began to feel dizzy.

Just then, a screen of light unfolded to the side of her field of vision.

This is the live stream interface!

The number of online users in the upper right corner kept rising: one thousand, two thousand... and finally just barely stopped at five thousand.

It's clear that someone from the modern world discovered this live stream room with the name "Wen Yu".

The screen was flooded with comments.

[Holy crap, what kind of eerie filter is this? Has Wen Yu's team gone mad, pulling off this melodramatic whitewashing?]

[Holding a broken hoe and pretending to be something he's not done acting in "The Field" yet? He even has to set up a live stream to perform for us?]

[Get lost, you ungrateful woman! You think you can play the victim by changing into tattered clothes and smearing some grime on yourself? Do you think we're fools?]

[Tsk, she can't even dig the ground, what's she doing pretending to be a hardworking farm girl? If she's going to put on a show, at least make it look convincing!]

Every word mocked her overestimation of her abilities.

Whether it was the despair of impending death in her heart or the constant hunger and thirst in her body, they finally converged at this moment, shattering the last bit of composure she had been maintaining.

Tears could no longer be held back, mingling with the dust on her face and leaving two disheveled streaks.

For the first time, Wen Yu abandoned the composure expected of a female celebrity in front of everyone and cried uncontrollably.

[Who are you crying for? You cried on TV, and you're still crying now. Do you think you're so pathetic?]

If you can't even hold a hoe properly, girl, you should probably switch to a different track.

[Let's all disperse, let's see when she can't keep up the act!]

Before long, half of the viewers in the live stream had left, leaving only a little over two thousand people still watching.

Seeing the countless taunts, Wen Yu wiped away her tears, but then stood up, leaning on her hoe.

Her situation couldn't get any worse. Now everyone is waiting to see her fail, even the system might be waiting to see when she fails her mission.

She absolutely cannot die! She cannot die in this godforsaken place, dying amidst the mockery of those people.

With all her might, she lifted the heavy, broken hoe once more.

This time, instead of trying to smash down hard and meet the cracked earth head-on, she slowly and repeatedly tapped the same spot with the tip of her hoe.

Each tap only stirred up a little bit of loose soil, making it incredibly inefficient, but she gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with nothing but obsession.

One blow after another, her tiger's mouth was cracked and blood seeped out, but she was completely unaware.

Just then, a hoarse voice, filled with surprise, came from the doorway of the thatched hut not far away: "Wen...Wen family girl? What are you doing?"

A note from the author:

----------------------

[Pre-order now! If you like it, you can check out the author's page and add it to your favorites.]

Jiang Zhaoxue had nothing of value, but she had one advantage: she was adaptable and content with her lot.

When she was seventeen, her childhood sweetheart and fiancé, Lu Yihuai, came to her door to break off their engagement: "Zhaoxue, I only see you as a younger sister. The only person I truly love is Fuhe."

Jiang Fuhe is her younger sister.

Jiang Zhaoxue suddenly realized that Lu Yihuai often came to see her not to see her, but to see her younger sister.

She accepted the fact in the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea.

"Okay, I accept your annulment of the engagement."

Anyway, it doesn't really matter, let's just let that couple be together.

-

Unexpectedly, the day after the engagement was called off, Jiang Zhaoxue's nemesis, Pei Zhuo, the most arrogant young marquis in the capital, came to her door with betrothal gifts, specifically asking to propose marriage to her.

The young general, dressed in red, laughed arrogantly: "Jiang Zhaoxue, I only ask you, will you agree or not?"

Everyone present was astonished.

Jiang Zhaoxue looked up in surprise, a sudden realization dawning on her mind—

The two have always been at odds, and there is absolutely no way Pei Zhuo could have feelings for her.

Could it be... that this person also wants to use her position to pluck the moon from her sister's back?

She suddenly felt that the two of them were somewhat pitiful in their similarities.

"OK."

-

On their wedding night, red candles burned brightly.

She drank the nuptial wine in one gulp, her tone as calm as water, feigning comfort: "You're a step too late. But if they divorce later, perhaps..."

Before she could finish speaking, Pei Zhuo suddenly grabbed her wrist, his eyes burning like fire: "You still think about him?"

Jiang Zhaoxue was taken aback.

The next second, he leaned close to her, his breath hot, with a hint of restraint and compromise: "Jiang Zhaoxue, I'll allow you to not let go of him for now."

“But tonight is our wedding night,” he said bitterly, biting her earlobe. “If you dare to call him by the wrong name… I will never forgive you.”

-

It wasn't until later that Jiang Zhaoxue understood what had happened.

It turns out that Pei Zhuo stayed by Lu Yihuai's side all year round, not because of the so-called brotherhood between them.

He was using Lu Yihuai, who was so close to him, to pluck her from the sky.

——

Reading Guide:

1. A clear-headed, carefree, and indifferent female lead x A rebellious, cunning male lead whose unrequited love blossoms into reality.

2. Arranged marriage that blossoms into love; male secretly loves female; sex, happy ending, 1v1.

3. Sweet and sentimental short stories

[Instructions for Reading This Article]

This article is the author's fortune-telling text.

This is my first time writing a full-length novel. To get a contract with Jinjiang Literature City, I specifically adopted a format combining innovative character designs and setting innovations. Luckily, it was approved on the first try. However, I'm not very good at plot-driven stories, and I've been struggling to keep up with updates by improvising every day. I probably only know the plot a tiny bit before the readers. [Poor thing]

I know there are many plot holes, and to prevent them from becoming too serious, I've added some patches later in the story. However, because it's still being updated and the project is too large, it's difficult to rewrite the earlier parts. I'll fix them all at once after the story is finished. Please bear with me for now~ [Please!]

In the beginning, some parts were deliberately made difficult in order to get the visa approved, but things gradually got better later on, and I started to tell "their" stories. I also had a lot of fun writing!

Thank you to all the readers who stayed and were so understanding of a new author like myself. I wouldn't have made it this far without you all. Love you all! [heart][flower emoji]

——9.29