Chapter 20 I knew these people were cunning.
The next morning, when Su Tangtang woke up, Huo Yizhou had already returned from his morning run.
She rubbed her eyes and yawned, her voice still sleepy, "Don't you feel tired? I'm so sleepy every day that I can't even get up."
Huo Yizhou shook his head slightly, "I'm used to it."
Su Tangtang let out a "whoosh" and shuffled into the kitchen in her slippers, only to see a chicken and several breakfast items on the cutting board.
She walked out of the kitchen and headed towards the main room. Just as she was about to say something, she suddenly stopped. Huo Yizhou was standing in the center of the main room, lifting his shirt with one hand, revealing his firm and well-defined abdominal muscles with clean and powerful lines.
Su Tangtang was momentarily stunned, and belatedly managed to squeeze out, "I'm sorry."
But his gaze never left his face.
Those abs looked amazing to the touch, and she couldn't help but have the thought: I really want to touch them.
Huo Yizhou lowered the hem of his coat, raised an eyebrow slightly, and asked, "Not going out?"
"Ah...oh!" Su Tangtang snapped out of her daze, gave a dry laugh, and said, "I'll go out now."
She turned to leave, then suddenly turned back. "Oh, right, you bought chicken?"
"Hmm," he responded, "Didn't you say you wanted to eat it yesterday?"
Su Tangtang nodded. "I was planning to buy it after work today."
"I happened to run into town during my morning run, so I brought it back."
She smiled and said, "Okay, then you go change your clothes. I'll go out first."
After she walked out, Huo Yizhou subtly curled the corner of his mouth and took off the shirt stained with chicken blood.
-
While Su Tangtang was eating breakfast, Huo Yizhou had already taken a shower in the production crew's makeshift bathroom.
After she finished eating and tidied up, she rushed to the meeting point and took a bus with everyone to work in town. At four o'clock in the afternoon, she took some time to practice her driving test.
Days passed by like this.
Although it was a TV show being recorded, it didn't feel like a performance at all.
Every day was a truly immersive experience; it wasn't just about gathering materials and calling it a day, but about genuinely immersing oneself in the local life.
After dinner that evening, Su Tangtang and Huo Yizhou went for their usual walk to check on the fields; they had been doing this every day for the past two days.
The main reason is that it's time to plant the cucumbers; they come to check every day, waiting for the right time to plant them.
But as the two watched their plants change day by day, they really became like little vegetable farmers.
As dusk approached, a gentle breeze stirred.
The two walked side by side, and when they passed the village entrance, they met an elderly woman in her sixties. Su Tangtang took the initiative to raise her voice and greet her, "Grandma Zhang!"
Grandma Zhang squinted at her, then asked with a smile, "It's Tangtang! Where are you going?"
"Let's go for a walk in the field and take a look at the cucumbers."
"I took a look at your cucumbers when I was taking a walk yesterday. They need to be planted. If you're too busy, just call me anytime!"
"Okay, thank you, Grandma!"
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the two continued walking towards the edge of the field.
Before long, the familiar vegetable garden came into view.
Su Tangtang suddenly stopped and whispered to Huo Yizhou, "Look ahead, aren't those three people Shen Yingying and Wu Xiaojia, the young couple?"
Huo Yizhou glanced at them and nodded. "It's them."
Su Tangtang was a little puzzled, "Coming to the field at this hour? And without a photographer, what are they planning to do?"
Huo Yizhou shook his head. "I don't know."
Su Tangtang looked away. "Never mind, it's none of our business. Let's go."
As soon as the two entered the greenhouse, a warm and humid atmosphere greeted them.
"It looks like it's almost done. We should be able to plant the seedlings tomorrow," Su Tangtang said, hands on her hips, looking at the lush green cucumber seedlings in the greenhouse with satisfaction.
They grow tall and strong, their leaves unfurling in the warm air, filling one's heart with joy.
"Okay, let the production team know tomorrow that we won't be going to town to work; we'll focus on this," Huo Yizhou replied.
Su Tangtang nodded, then squatted down and gently touched the tender green leaves before reluctantly standing up.
The two walked around the field for a while longer, carefully checking the condition of several seedlings, before heading back as dusk settled in.
-
“I always feel like nothing goes right here,” Wu Xiaojia couldn’t help but complain.
Shen Yingying softly echoed, "I feel the same way."
“Sister Yingying, now I finally understand why you hate Su Tangtang so much,” Wu Xiaojia said with a hint of dissatisfaction. “You have such a good temper. If it were me, I would have found a way to get back at her long ago.”
Shen Yingying sighed, "I always think it's better to avoid trouble. There are some things I'm too lazy to argue with her about. Besides, her family background is extraordinary. If we really make a scene, we'll probably be the ones who suffer."
Zhao Zhiyi chimed in angrily, "Isn't it just because her family is rich? I can't stand her arrogant attitude."
Wu Xiaojia glanced at Zhao Zhiyi indifferently and didn't reply. Actually, he sometimes acted like that himself.
"We've really offended Zhou Yan and the others this time," Wu Xiaojia said, her voice filled with regret as she recalled the incident.
Shen Yingying comforted her, "Don't overthink it, it's just a TV show recording anyway."
Zhao Zhiyi immediately chimed in, "Exactly! I just kicked over a pesticide barrel, why are they making such a fuss and chasing after me like that?"
"I was laughing so hard, they were chasing after me and making noise."
Shen Yingying agreed superficially, "It is indeed a bit too much of a fuss."
But he couldn't help but think to himself: You were the one who deliberately caused trouble, it's already a favor that they didn't lay a hand on me.
“Zhou Yan is getting really close to Su Tangtang now,” Wu Xiaojia added. “I don’t know what Su Tangtang has been saying about us behind our backs.”
“Not only Zhou Yan, but Lin Lang and the others are also close to her,” Shen Yingying added.
Zhao Zhiyi snorted coldly, "So they're planning to gang up on us and exclude us? I knew these people were cunning."
Wu Xiaojia nodded in agreement.
Shen Yingying didn't reply, but just sighed softly.
"Is Brother Qingke coming back soon?" Zhao Zhiyi asked Shen Yingying.
Shen Yingying's eyes darkened. "It was originally supposed to be the day after tomorrow, but now it may have to be postponed for a few more days."
Wu Xiaojia took her arm and gently comforted her, "Don't worry, I'm here with you."
Shen Yingying nodded and forced a smile.
The three chatted as they walked back.
As they passed Su Tangtang's vegetable garden, Shen Yingying slowed her pace and gestured with her chin, "These are the cucumbers they grew."
As soon as she finished speaking, Wu Xiaojia and Zhao Zhiyi both turned to look at her.
Wu Xiaojia casually commented, "He's actually quite good-looking."
"But we are also quite good-looking."
Shen Yingying glanced around and lowered her voice, "I wonder if there are any security cameras around here?"
Zhao Zhiyi was taken aback for a moment, "What's wrong with whether there are cameras or not?"
Shen Yingying's lips curved slightly, her tone light and airy, "What if a thief steals our vegetables tonight?"
Wu Xiaojia also looked around and shook her head, "They probably wouldn't pretend in a place like this."
“There’s no result yet, so there’s no point in stealing them,” she continued. “But once the cucumbers grow, some villagers who are worried about them being stolen will even sleep in the field all night to guard them. I don’t know if Su Tangtang and the others will guard them.”
She chuckled as she spoke, "I find it funny to think about her sleeping in the ground with that pretty boy."
Zhao Zhiyi didn't reply, but silently stared at the lush green vegetable patch, his eyes thoughtful.
Shen Yingying caught a glimpse of his expression and understood what was going on.
“We should be worried then,” Shen Yingying said.
Wu Xiaojia paused, then sighed softly, "Yes, I don't want my hard-earned vegetables to be stolen."
Shen Yingying then reassured him, "But actually, there's no need to worry too much. Thieves aren't that rampant these days."
Wu Xiaojia responded softly, her tone still tinged with concern, "Now that you say that, I'll have to be more careful in the future."
Shen Yingying nodded and replied, "Yes."
It was completely dark, with countless stars scattered across the sky. Occasionally, a dog would bark in the distance, but the chirping of insects never ceased, their rustling sounds making the night even more still.
They arrived at their lodgings shortly afterward. Wu Xiaojia and Zhao Zhiyi saw Shen Yingying to the door and then turned around and went home.
As Wu Xiaojia reached her front door and took out her keys, she heard Zhao Zhiyi call her softly, "Xiaojia."
She paused, turned her head to look at him, and asked, "What's wrong?"
Zhao Zhiyi's lips moved, as if he hesitated for a moment, but in the end he didn't say anything.
Wu Xiaojia opened the door, and the two walked into the house one after the other.
In fact, she had already vaguely guessed what Zhao Zhiyi wanted to do.
She went inside, deftly turned off the camera and recording equipment, then turned to look at him, her tone calm, "I know what you're thinking."
Zhao Zhiyi was taken aback for a moment, still trying to play dumb, "Then tell me, what am I thinking?"
Wu Xiaojia glanced at him and said, "Never mind then, just pretend I misunderstood."
Zhao Zhiyi reached out and pulled her into his arms, lowered his head and kissed her lips, chuckling softly, "Only my girlfriend truly understands me."
Wu Xiaojia's cheeks flushed from his kiss, but her tone still carried a hint of concern, "If we get caught, we're both finished."
“Didn’t Shen Yingying say that there are no surveillance cameras around there?” Zhao Zhiyi said dismissively. “We’ve also confirmed it ourselves.”
Wu Xiaojia sighed, "There are no surveillance cameras, but when we went to destroy their seeds last time, I felt like they noticed us."
“So what if they notice? Without evidence, they can only suffer in silence,” Zhao Zhiyi’s tone turned cold. “I’m going to make them suffer.”
Wu Xiaojia began to waver.
She genuinely disliked Su Tangtang, and felt comfortable only when Su Tangtang was unhappy.
Finally, Wu Xiaojia nodded.
Seeing that she agreed, Zhao Zhiyi took her hand and walked outside.
Instead of taking the main road, the two quietly slipped into the woods beside the road and hurried forward under the cover of darkness.
Wu Xiaojia's heart was pounding all the way. She tugged at Zhao Zhiyi's sleeve and asked in a low voice, "We really won't be discovered, will we?"
"Don't worry, it won't happen."
Twenty minutes later, they made their way to the vegetable shed.
Zhao Zhiyi also felt her heart beating so fast it was almost out of control, and her palms were sweating slightly with nervousness.
The two found the entrance and went inside. Zhao Zhiyi turned on his phone's light, and a beam of cold white light illuminated a patch of lush green cucumber seedlings. Looking at these vibrant seedlings, Wu Xiaojia's panic inexplicably subsided a little.
She and Zhao Zhiyi exchanged a glance, a resolute glint flashing in each other's eyes.
They lifted their feet, about to stomp on the cucumber seedlings.
Just then, the voices of several elderly people chatting could be heard outside the shed.
"These two kids are quite diligent, coming to the fields so late."
Another voice laughed and replied, "A celebrity from the city, just looking for something new. They've probably never farmed before, so they must be very nervous."
Wu Xiaojia slapped Zhao Zhiyi hard and whispered urgently, "Turn off the lights!"
The lights went out immediately.
The two held their breath and remained motionless as the footsteps gradually faded into the distance before simultaneously letting out a sigh of relief.
Wu Xiaojia complained softly, "I should have come later."
Zhao Zhiyi retorted irritably, "These two old hags, why aren't they sleeping at night? What are they doing wandering around outside?"
"Let's finish this quickly and get going," Wu Xiaojia urged. "Let's get this over with quickly."
Zhao Zhiyi nodded, and the two squatted down and began to pull up the seedlings one by one by hand.
"Don't pull too much," Zhao Zhiyi whispered a reminder. "Just make them uncomfortable for now. If you pull too much, they'll definitely investigate, and then it'll come back to us."
Wu Xiaojia hummed in agreement, but her hands didn't stop moving.
In the dim light, the two looked at the messy nursery in front of them, and a strange smile appeared on their faces at the same time.
"Let's go."
"good."
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