Chapter 45 Progress Mission Completed.
The task was announced completed and the other guests left. Gao Shule sat there, her face full of sorrow.
Gao Luo knew what she was worried about and said to her, "I'll go with you."
Lele is socially anxious to begin with, and yet she is asked to go to a strange place to solicit audiences. This is tantamount to torture.
Gao Shule glanced at Gao Luo's splinted calf and shook her head, "I'll go by myself."
She couldn't ask Luo to accompany her for everything, as this was her own responsibility, and Luo's leg wasn't healed yet.
Gao Luo noticed Gao Shule's gaze and also looked down at her legs. Gao Luo herself thought that it was no problem, because after she entered the village, she found that the road was basically flat and she could use a cane or a wheelchair. But Gao Shule probably hopes that she can rest more in the house.
"Well... let me know when and where you plan to perform, and I'll send you an invitation."
"Invitation?"
"Yes, if you tell them verbally, they may not remember it. I will write it on the invitation letter, which makes it much clearer."
One of the things Ning Heng just announced was that the performance would be held in three days, but the exact time and location would be decided by the guests themselves.
"I... haven't thought about it yet." Gao Shule said.
"I think we can hold it in the afternoon, around four or five o'clock. The location should be on the river bank. We can then get a black-sailed boat as the final show for our final tour of the West Lake," Gao Luo suggested.
"Okay." Gao Shule agreed.
"But I don't know if it will rain. If it is, we have to ask the production team to build a canopy in advance." Gao Luo added: "This is just my initial idea. The specific time and place need to be determined. So, don't go to recruit people today. Just walk around the village today and see what everyone is doing at each time point, when they are the most idle, and then where along the river bank the residents are the most densely populated."
If you want to do something, you must first sharpen your tools and decide on the best time and place. Then, it will be much easier to attract people.
Gao Shule understood what Gao Luo meant. On the one hand, she admired her thoughtfulness, and on the other hand, she breathed a sigh of relief that she didn't have to go and pull anyone together today. She was really terrified of doing this job.
On the first day, guests from other groups were outside actively recruiting people, both adults and children.
Chen Cong and Paipai were the fastest, and by seven o'clock in the evening, they had already recruited a hundred spectators.
Because they have locked the audience in Hedong, their only competitor is Shen Siyan. Although Shen Siyan's emotional dramas are very popular among young netizens, they are far less attractive than Shen Cong's programs when placed in slightly backward and remote areas.
Chen Cong prepared a sitcom, which is the most widely covered type of drama, regardless of age, gender or audience group. Comparing with Shen Siyan's love movie, if the two people's schedules collide, the locals will definitely give priority to Shen Cong.
At seven o'clock that evening, after attracting the 100th audience member, Chen Cong walked back with great satisfaction. Paipai followed beside him, both looking heroic and confident.
Shen Siyan watched the two men passing by her like victorious roosters, feeling annoyed and aggrieved.
But she suppressed her emotions, took the initiative to talk to him, and put on a proper smile on her face: "Teacher Shen, you are too strong. It's only the first day and you have completed the task."
Paipai rushed to say: "It's all my credit! I helped Uncle Shen attract so many people!"
Paipai is able to speak and dares to speak, and he will never be stage-frightened no matter where he goes or who he faces. This was also the reason why he dared to challenge Luo the first time he met her.
Shen Siyan followed his words and praised: “That Paipai is even more powerful!”
Paipai chuckled.
Shen Siyan sighed and put on a depressed expression: “Compared with you, I am so bad. I only managed to attract thirty people today.”
When Paipai heard this, he exclaimed, "Huh?" and said, "So little!"
"Yes, and I have to complete the task for two people." After laying the groundwork, Shen Siyan said to Shen Cong: "Teacher Shen, I heard that our performance times overlap. Do you think you can change the time slot?"
Shen Cong laughed in his heart and said to her with a smile: "Teacher Shen, I have already pulled all the main people. Changing the time now means that I have to do the task again. But I also know that our time conflicts are indeed a problem. Why don't you change it?"
Shen Siyan was stunned for a moment: “I change it?”
"Yes, you have only recruited thirty people, and there are still 170 people to be tasked with. If you change it now, you can minimize the losses."
He added, "You said if we had checked the time beforehand, there wouldn't be this blunder. But who could have thought that we would have the same idea? It's just a coincidence, right?"
Shen Siyan was speechless. [Chen Cong's desire to win is too strong. It's just a small competition. If he loses, the most he will have to do is to live in a worse place and eat worse. It’s just three days, is that a big deal? 】
[Yes, Yanyan has to complete the task for two people this time, so the pressure is already huge. 】
[Yan Yan is a girl, I think Chen Cong should give her some leeway. 】
[He didn't let Yanyan cross the river first in the morning. I now suspect that he deliberately decided to cross the river at the same time as Yanyan. 】
[Are you so scheming?] Wasn’t he quite gentlemanly in the previous episode on the island? I also helped Yanyan take the initiative to accept the punishment and sleep in the boat house. 】
[After your analysis, I feel that in this episode, Chen Cong saw Chen Siyan and Xue Chen team up, unable to get the love they want and then hate because of love? 】
[A love triangle is staged in a variety show?] So exciting? It seems that it’s not a good thing for our Yanyan to be too charming. 】
Some viewers in the live broadcast room criticized Shen Cong for his strong desire to win, and said that he refused to change the time because he could not get the love of Shen Siyan. Some passers-by couldn't bear to watch and spoke up.
[Since when will you be scolded for being competitive? 】
[This is a competition, and everyone has the right to compete for first place. To put it another way, this is a variety show and it needs to have a good show effect. Who would want to watch you doing all the courtesy here? If you want to see the heartwarming dumpling-making scene, please click the upper left corner to exit. 】
[It was live broadcast from beginning to end. How can you tell that he deliberately chose the same time period as Shen Siyan? Eyes can be donated if they are not needed. 】
…
Shen Siyan didn't expect Shen Cong's attitude to change so quickly. Even when she took the initiative to ask for something, he would directly refuse it.
It can't be that he still remembers something that happened in the car, right? A grown man so petty? And he has no sense of the overall situation at all. Does he not want to make the movie anymore?
Shen Siyan suddenly felt that he might have forgotten about the movie, and thought she could find time to quietly remind him.
*
Of course Shen Cong wanted to make a movie, but he was not stupid. Judging from what Shen Siyan said in the car, it was not his turn to star in the movie.
It was obvious from her words that she looked down on him. If she did, then there was no way she would recommend him, and there was no need for him to rush to flatter her.
To his surprise, at around ten o'clock in the evening, when Paipai had already fallen asleep, Shen Siyan came to find him and called him outside to talk.
I greeted him first and asked how he was living here, whether Paipai had slept, and whether coming so late disturbed his sleep. After the pleasantries, we gradually got to the point.
She frowned and sighed repeatedly: "Teacher Shen, it is really difficult for me. You see, I only recruited thirty people today, and in three days, I can only recruit ninety people, which is only half of the task. If I change the time now, maybe the thirty people I recruited today will be wasted. Teacher Shen, now only you can help me."
Is this moral blackmail? Shen Cong thought.
Before he could speak, Shen Siyan continued, "Teacher Shen, last time you helped me accept the houseboat punishment on the island, I went back and told my agent about it. He said he knew you and told me that Teacher Shen is well-known for being friendly and approachable in the circle. He asked me to thank you and also asked me to learn more acting skills from Teacher Shen."
Suddenly he mentioned her agent and asked her to learn more from him. Isn't the subtext that he hopes they can work together? Shen Cong suddenly understood the purpose of Shen Siyan coming to him to say these words late at night.
Looks like this movie has potential!
"You really told your agent about me?"
When Shen Cong asked this question, his eyes already revealed joy and anticipation. Shen Siyan smiled and said, "Yes, my agent has a very good impression of Mr. Shen."
Chen Cong nodded, thought for a moment, and said, "Well, I'll change the time to half an hour before yours. You'll be with me tomorrow, and I'll introduce you to my 100 viewers. Anyway, they're all free during that time period, and they should be willing to watch your show."
"Okay, thank you so much, Mr. Shen!"
Shen Cong waved his hand, “It’s me who should thank you, Teacher Shen, for being willing to speak for me.”
Shen Siyan just smiled and didn’t respond. Such a sweet smile.
She said in her heart: Anyway, I just said that my agent asked me to learn acting skills from you, but I didn’t say we wanted to work together. It was you who were making divergent associations over there. If someone else is chosen for the movie, don’t blame me.
The next day, Shen Siyan and Shen Cong went together to attract audiences, and this scene stunned the people in the live broadcast room.
[Didn’t Chen Cong refuse yesterday? Why did you change your mind today? From the looks of it, you plan to introduce all the people you brought in yesterday to Shen Siyan? Did something happen last night? 】
【Maybe you regret it when you go to bed at night? 】
[Don't be like what we said, love turns into hate, and he can't bear it behind his back, so he got up early the next day and told Shen Siyan that he had changed his mind. . 】
[What kind of setting is this for the tsundere second male lead who is mean-spirited but soft-hearted? Friends, you can publish a book about it, hahahahahaha. 】
[If Chen Cong's face wasn't as good-looking as Xue Chen's, he could have really become the male lead. 】
[So are you taking advantage of Xue Chen's absence to start stealing the house? (bushi)
The comments on the barrage became more and more weird, with all kinds of novel plots such as "love triangle, love turning into hate, and stealing the house and competing for it".
The passers-by who spoke for him yesterday all shut up today - because as soon as they turned on the live broadcast, they saw the scene of Chen Cong "backstabbing" them, and they were heartbroken and extremely disappointed in him. It was all in vain that I spoke up for him yesterday!
*
Gao Shule spent the whole day yesterday wandering around the village, collecting useful information until the number of people was reduced to zero.
Gao Luo draws an "invitation letter" at home. She used a small notebook she brought with her and drew a cute image of an opera actress on each page, with her long sleeves forming a circle. In the middle of the circle, write in rounded and playful font: I sincerely invite the residents of Longkouzhai to watch my performance, and write the time, address, performers and other information below.
After Gao Shule comes back in the evening, they will discuss it and then fill in the specific time and address. In this way, an interesting and memorable hand-painted invitation is made.
The next day, when Gao Shule was leaving, Gao Luo said with a serious expression: "Lele, you have to send out at least fifty cards today, otherwise I will definitely go with you tomorrow."
They only have two days left, and if they can't attract fifty people today, it means her audience is likely to be less than a hundred people. Her starting point is lower than that of other guests, which means her chances of winning will be reduced accordingly.
Gao Shule understood what she meant and secretly encouraged herself, deciding to recruit more people, otherwise A'Luo would have to suffer with her tomorrow.
Gao Shule thought of an idea. She imagined that she was filming a play and her role was a frustrated opera actor in a theater troupe. Her task now was to find audiences to watch her performance and prove that she was no worse than the mainstay.
With the blessing of her "personality" and beliefs, she is much more confident when she goes out to attract audiences.
In the afternoon, Paipai came to play with A'Luo and complained to him about Chen Cong's weird behavior.
"You said he had already found a hundred people, why did he have to look for them again? I'm so fed up."
On the first day, I followed Chen Cong to recruit people and took the initiative to invite the locals, simply because I thought it was novel and fun. Now if he is asked to repeat the operation the next day, Paipai feels like he is going to work, feeling irritable and tired. Although he hasn't been to work yet, his mood is exactly the same!
“You mean, he introduced everyone he brought in yesterday to Shen Siyan?” Gao Luo confirmed.
"Yeah! Do you think he's mentally ill? He just listens to Aunt Shen and has no opinion at all! My mother said I have my own opinion. I'm only nine years old and I have my own opinion. Uncle Shen is in his early thirties, how can he still be like this? Hasn't he grown up?"
Paipai spoke without restraint. Gao Luo quietly turned her head to look at Duanduan behind her. Duanduan waved at her and patted her chest, meaning that her part would not be broadcast and told her not to worry.
"Uncle Shen should be embarrassed to refuse." Gao Luo gave Paipai an example: "For example, if I ask you to do me a small favor now, will you refuse me?"
"I...can't." Paipai said after thinking for a while. Then he changed the subject: "But he refused last night."
"Did you refuse last night?"
"Yes." Paipai roughly described the conversation between Shen Cong and Shen Siyan last night, "Does it mean rejection?"
Gao Luo thought for a moment, "If you didn't exaggerate or distort the facts, it really means rejection."
Paipai immediately protested: "I didn't! I just repeated what I said exactly!"
"That's a bit strange indeed." Gao Luo asked him, "Did anything else happen tonight?"
Paipai shook his head, "No."
"Are you sure? Did you two go to bed at the same time?"
“That’s not the case. I went to bed first. Uncle Shen might be too old to go to bed too early.”
Gao Luo really wanted to plug her ears.
Children of this age are different. Not only do they sleep well, they are also brave and dare to say anything.
"Maybe something happened after you fell asleep." Gao Luo speculated.
"What could happen?"
“Only your Uncle Shen knows this.”
"All right……"
The two of them sat on the curved corridor, leaning their heads together to look at the scenery.
The wind started to blow around four in the afternoon, and the surrounding mountains and forests gradually became foggy. This is a sign that it is going to rain.
After a while, heavy rain suddenly fell from far away to near. On the green river surface, raindrops as big as coin fell with a crackling sound, creating a whirlpool and stirring up a layer of water splashes on the river surface. A row of rain curtains quickly formed under the eaves, the sound of water came from the river in the distance, and occasionally the sound of thunder passing over the roof could be heard.
The sky gradually darkened, the vision became dim, and there were noises everywhere.
Gao Luo saw that it was going to rain, so she reminded Paipai and asked him to go back early.
At this moment, Gao Luo was leaning on a crutch, taking out two umbrellas from the suitcase, and preparing to pick up Gao Shule.
Duanduan saw her intention and said quickly, "Don't go. It's raining so hard. I'll go pick someone up. You stay home."
The child is still on crutches, how can we let her go out in the rain to pick someone up? If I accidentally fall down, my leg injury will definitely get worse, and I might even get a fever and a cold.
The rain came suddenly, and many guests and staff were trapped outside.
After Duanduan left, Gao Luo thought of Xia Shi again. She wondered whether he and Xiaonian had returned. If they were outside, did they have a place to hide from the rain.
She came out onto the curved corridor and looked into the next house.
The owners of the house next door were an aunt and uncle. It was raining heavily and windy, and the rain was hitting the house at an angle.
The aunt was about to close the door when she heard someone calling her nearby. I looked up and around for a while before I saw that it was Luo from next door.
A'Luo's voice was mostly blocked by the sound of rain, and sounded like the hum of a mosquito to the aunt's ears.
The aunt listened carefully and understood that the man was asking her whether the young man and boy who lived there had returned. The aunt waved her hand and said one word: "No."
After Duanduan left, Gao Luo was the only one left in the room - the elder who originally lived here was taken in by her daughter from the city during this period.
Gao Luo waited anxiously for about ten minutes, and two staff members came. They were called by Duanduan, who was worried that it would be unsafe to leave Gao Luo alone at home.
When Gao Luo saw them, she asked them to help make a phone call to ask about Gao Shule and Xia Shi's situation.
A'Luo had just stood on the curved corridor for a while when she was drenched by the rain.
A staff member found a towel to help her wipe her head and face, then found a set of clean clothes they had brought and asked her to change into them.
Another staff member helped her make a phone call to inquire about the situation.
Gao Luo changed her clothes and the man finished his call. Tell her that Gao Shule and Xia Shi are currently hiding from the rain in a local resident's home and will come back when the rain stops.
I thought the rain would come in fits and starts, but I didn't expect it to continue for more than three hours.
At around eight o'clock in the evening, the group finally returned.
As soon as she came back, Gao Shule hurriedly asked Gao Luo if she had eaten.
"I have eaten. In the afternoon, two uncles came to take care of me and cooked for me." Although the food was not very delicious, they were indeed very loving and caring towards her.
"What about you? Lele."
"I've eaten it, too."
"Where?"
"In...a local resident's home."
Gao Luo exclaimed: "Your communication skills have improved so rapidly!"
Not only can we take shelter from the rain at other people’s homes, but now we can even stay for dinner!
"So how many people did you attract today?"
"Mission accomplished." Gao Shule said.
"All? A hundred people?"
Gao Shule nodded.
Gao Luo was stunned for a moment, then asked, "So fast?"
Gao Shule was a little embarrassed: "The family where I hid from the rain had a child's full-month banquet, and many people came..."
"So you sent out all the invitations in one go?"
"Well, I sang a simple song of 'Heaven Official's Blessing' for them first, and then they said they would like to come and listen to my performance tomorrow."
"Heaven Official's Blessing" is a traditional opera. Gao Luo has seen it performed in tourist attractions before. The lyrics say that the Heaven Official received an order from the Jade Emperor and came down to the world with the immortals to bless the human world. It is a very festive play with a particularly good meaning.
Gao Shule chose to sing this part to celebrate the child's birthday.
Gao Luo was shocked after hearing this: "Le Le, you are so strong now?!"
Not only does he dare to go out alone to recruit people, he also dares to perform alone in front of so many strangers. The key is that these people may not understand him.
"I told them that in the past, people in our area would invite opera troupes to perform at home during important festivals. They said they had seen it on TV and knew what it meant."
The locals were simple and warm-hearted, so when Gao Shule gave her sincere congratulations, they also responded with thanks.
*
On the third day, the "foreign aid" invited by each group of guests arrived at Longkouzhai one after another.
Lu Lu arrived here early in the morning - her flight landed in the ancient city last night, and then she took a taxi here early in the morning.
The first thing she said when she saw Gao Shule was, "What a lousy place! How did the production team find this deep forest? I thought I was in the wrong place."
As soon as she opened her mouth to say something shocking, Gao Shule didn't have time to cover her mouth. She could only blink her eyes repeatedly to tell her to stop talking.
Gao Luo immediately felt that this time was the end.
Fortunately, Lu Lu had a little bit of insight. When Gao Shule's eyes were about to cramp, she finally understood and shut up.
She settled down in the stilt house, packed her luggage, and gave Gao Luo the things she wanted.
"A Luo, take a look at what you want. Is this okay?"
Gao Luo had a sudden idea last night and borrowed Duanduan's cell phone to call Lu Lu, asking her to help buy a gold longevity lock-shaped pendant, the heavier the better, and to give her the money when she got back. Lu Lu said she would try her best to help.
Gao Luo felt that this person was unreliable and didn't hold much hope for her, but she didn't expect that she would actually buy it for her.
The small red gift box was opened, revealing a glittering gold lock inside.
"17.02 grams, twenty thousand." Lu Lu rounded off and said eighteen thousand and sixty as twenty thousand.
In fact, there were even larger weight ones, but she didn't dare buy them because she was afraid Gao Luo couldn't afford them.
Unexpectedly, Gao Luo agreed immediately without even asking her for a receipt.
Lu Lu felt a little regretful. She should have bought the bigger one earlier.
[Why does A Luo let someone bring gold? 】
[It is a longevity lock, probably prepared as a gift for the child who celebrated the full moon party yesterday. 】
【oh! Oh yes! A'Luo's emotional intelligence is unmatched. 】
[Not only is his emotional intelligence high, but his generosity is also outstanding. The kid is so lucky. He hasn't even met A'Luo yet, but Huang Jinsuo has arrived first. 】
Gao Luo gave the gift box to Gao Shule and asked her to give it to the child today.
Lu Lu went with Gao Shule. Lu Lu is a community celebrity. When she meets other guests on the road, she will take the initiative to go over and say hello. Ask people how they completed their tasks and what they performed.
Gao Shule felt that after this day, she became more familiar with the artists on the show than herself.
They had lunch together at noon. Lu Lu talked a lot at the table and told Gao Luo about what she had seen and heard during the day.
Gao Luo initially disliked her for being noisy and having no sense of boundaries, but halfway through, she decided that having no boundaries also had its advantages.
From Lu Lu, Gao Luo finally knew the reason why Shen Cong suddenly changed his mind and wanted to help Shen Siyan.
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