The third stop was set to be filmed in Luocheng Ancient Village.
At the end of the previous episode, Jiang Qianfan and Li Yan had unexpectedly become the ones eliminated.
Meanwhile, the team of Su Tingxuan and Jin Xiaoyu, who had originally been in last place, managed to turn things around thanks to prop cards given by Bai Ling and Zhang Yiran.
Though they survived, the audience despised their cliquish tactics, and the internet had already flamed them thoroughly.
But when the new episode aired, viewers rushed into the livestream only to find that the partner-selection process had been revamped!
The production introduced the concept of ‘guest helpers.’
The first two episodes’ ratings had been explosive, and many drama crews, seeing the trend, wanted to ride the wave of hype.
Four guests—two men and two women—stood in a row for introductions. They were from the TV drama titled <Nice to Meet You>.
The male lead, Cheng Huan. The female lead, Jiang Rong. The second male lead, Ye Tian. And the second female lead, Lin Kexin.
They would each join a team, helping them in the challenges.
[What’s this supposed to mean? So this episode is ‘2+1’ teams?]
[I just became a fan of ‘Petty Revenge Duo’ last week, and now there’s gonna be an extra person already?]
[Praying for Brother Ye. Ihope the new guest is someone competitive, at least not a burden…]
[Hey, director, where’s my Brother Ye!!!]
At the moment, all the other contestants had formed pairs, except for Shen Wanwan, who stood there alone.
The director explained: “Shao Yuye had a last-minute work conflict and will be arriving a day late. For now, we’ll start partner selection.”
Jiang Rong and Lin Kexin had already discussed it beforehand: one would choose Qi Luozhou’s team, the other Shao Yuye’s.
Lin Kexin chose to join Shao Yuye and Shen Wanwan’s group.
She had heard beforehand that Shen Wanwan wasn’t very capable, and that in the early stages she had even clashed with Shao Yuye, and later relying entirely on him to carry her.
So when Lin Kexin was assigned to Wanwan, she deliberately added a friendly remark, “It’s fine, I’ll help carry you to victory!”
Shen Wanwan nodded with interest. “Alright.”
Lin Kexin winked at her playfully. “It’s fine.”
Jiang Rong chose to team up with Qi Luozhou and Jiang Yuan.
Qi Luozhou…
Jiang Rong’s little heart was pounding like crazy. Blushing, she greeted him.
“God Zhou! I’m so happy to be in the same teamas you!”
Qi Luozhou gave her a lukewarm glance and nodded politely.
Jiang Yuan was a bit more enthusiastic. He reached out his hand. “Hello, hello, finally our team has a girl!”
The live barrage burst out laughing.
[God Zhou: You ditched me to pick Shen Wanwan earlier, I haven’t even settled that score with you.]
[Hahahaha, forgive Jiang Yuan! He’s really pitiful. Look, every other group is boy-girl, only he and God Zhou have been stuck as a guy-guy duo!]
[Hahaha, Jiang Rong and Jiang Yuan, the names even sound like a perfect match!]
Jiang Rong stood beside Qi Luozhou.
Qi Luozhou, keeping a straight face, glanced in Shen Wanwan’s direction, only to find she wasn’t looking their way at all.
Cheng Huan, a tall and handsome guy at 1.85m, chose to team up with Bai Ling and Zhang Yiran.
The lively and outgoing Ye Tian joined Jin Xiaoyu and Su Tingxuan.
Shen Wanwan, half-turned, was chatting with 001 about the team selections.
“Interesting. Which-number male lead is Cheng Huan?”
001 dutifully reported, {Male No.10. Hardly any scenes, just a tool character to highlight the heroine’s charm.}
Shen Wanwan raised her eyebrows.
Next came the house selection segment.
Winning teams got first pick of rooms.
The options were a luxury scenic room, a standard single, a rustic homestay, and a farmhouse courtyard with a vegetable patch.
Just from the names, it was obvious the scenic room was the best.
Jin Xiaoyu, a pessimist by nature, added to Su Tingxuan’s very weak performance in challenges, was worried. “If we end up with the worst house, can we buy a room with Speed Tokens?”
Production: “Yes. A standard room costs 500 tokens per night, scenic room 1000.”
- 1000!
And that’s just for one night!
Totally daylight robbery.
Jin Xiaoyu looked at the meager 100 Speed Tokens in her hand and burst into tears.
The director added, “Also, starting this episode, the show will no longer provide meals. If you want to eat, you’ll need to spend Speed Tokens to buy food!”
After the past few episodes, they’d realized Shen Wanwan was the biggest bug in this game.
The Speed Token economy, which was supposed to be balanced, had been completely overturned by her money-making tricks, making it absurdly easy to buy props.
So they had to raise the difficulty.
Since both Li Yan and Jiang Qianfan had been willing to pay 100 coins to buy meals from Shen Wanwan before, it was perfectly reasonable for the production team to set food costs at 100.
The entire cast wailed in misery.
The new guests hadn’t expected to face such harsh trials the moment they joined. Their nerves went taut, as if bracing for war.
The director, speaking, subconsciously glanced at Shen Wanwan.
—Surely now she won’t be able to profit off the others anymore?
But Shen Wanwan still looked calm, unbothered.
Heh.
In fact, even the director couldn’t help but feel curious. With these restrictions, would Shen Wanwan finally be stumped, or would she find a new loophole?
Then the rules were announced.
Each team had to transport water with a container. The first to fill the 3-liter water column set by production would win first pick of rooms.
The containers were assigned according to the previous round’s rankings, and all leaked to some degree.
Shen Wanwan and Shao Yuye, after being ganged up on by other teams, had finished second last time. Their container was the second-largest—a gourd ladle with a crack near the front.
Lin Kexin took the ladle and was dumbfounded.
“How are we supposed to carry water with this?”
Even one trip would drench her, and even with the best care, hardly any water would be left by the time she got back.
Looking at the other groups:
Qi Luozhou’s team, ranked first, got a big clay jar, but its leaks were even worse.
Bai Ling and Zhang Yiran, third place, received a disposable paper cup with a hole in the bottom corner. They’d have to carry it tilted at all times.
As for Jin Xiaoyu and Su Tingxuan, in fourth, they got a soup ladle with just a tiny hole. If they ran fast enough, not much would leak—but the ladle was so small that filling 3 liters would take endless trips.
Since Shao Yuye was missing from Shen Wanwan’s team, production sent the strongest staff member to temporarily sub in.
At the whistle, everyone bolted.
Lin Kexin, clutching the gourd ladle, was fired up. “Even if we don’t get the scenic room, at least let’s win a standard one. Wanwan, let’s do this!!”
She ran a few meters, scooped water, and came back, only to find Shen Wanwan talking to the crew.
“Where’s my sofa? Bring it over for me.”
Lin Kexin accidentally splashed herself with water while using the gourd ladle.
She could only watch as the production crew carried over a sofa for Shen Wanwan, who leisurely sat herself down on it…
And clearly had no intention of moving.
Lin Kexin: “?”
Was Shen Wanwan always this carefree before?
Didn’t she care about rankings anymore!!!
What, were they going to sleep in the vegetable garden tonight?!
Lin Kexin was just about to word something to snap Shen Wanwan out of it, when Shen Wanwan beckoned to her.
“Leave it, come sit down.”
Lin Kexin: “……”
Wait. Shen Wanwan really was planning on throwing in the towel?!
Shen Wanwan didn’t care about getting scolded, but Lin Kexin couldn’t accept it.
So with resentment in her heart, she could only run back and continue scooping water.
Sure enough, the livestream comments were filled with curses.
[Seriously? Shen Wanwan just went into passive mode?]
[Why does it feel like she’s acting all high and mighty toward the new guest… letting the guest and staff work while she just sits there… emmmm]
[Ugh, Shen Wanwan is so annoying. Is she just planning to freeload? Poor Lin Kexin, what bad luck to end up partnered with her. I’m done!!]
Naturally, the two of them ended up in last place, and were assigned the one plot nobody else picked—a small farmhouse with a vegetable garden.
The place was shabby enough that even Lin Kexin wrinkled her nose.
Seriously.
Hadn’t Shen Wanwan always been known for being spoiled and delicate? Why would she agree to live in such a vegetable garden now?!
And with all those vegetables growing, there had to be bugs everywhere…
Just thinking about it made Lin Kexin’s scalp tingle.
She was a little mad at Shen Wanwan now, “Why didn’t you at least try harder just now? Now we’re stuck sleeping in a vegetable garden tonight!!!”
The livestream comments were scolding nonstop too.
Some even went over to the chat of a talent show to call out Shao Yuye.
[Brother Ye, get back here quick! I’m fed up with Shen Wanwan being such a useless teammate!!!]
[If you come over tonight, you’ll be feeding bugs. Just don’t come!]
[Brother Ye, seriously, listen to us. Don’t come tonight! Delay it as long as you can!】
Meanwhile, Shen Wanwan only raised an eyebrow.
“What’s the rush.” Not a trace of panic on her, she only asked Lin Kexin, “Do you know how to cook?”
“Huh?”
Lin Kexin had no idea what she was getting at.
“I can stir-fry a few home-style dishes…”
Shen Wanwan nodded in satisfaction.
Lin Kexin was baffled.
It felt like her cooking skills were earning more approval from Shen Wanwan than all her earlier hard work…
The two went to inspect the house together.
In reality, it was much, much bigger than the photos showed.
The owner was a farmer, who proudly introduced his vegetable plot to them.
All fresh seasonal produce, and he even raised chickens and ducks.
He generously told them, “Eat whatever you like, cook whatever you want!”
Anyway, the production crew had already settled the money.
Lin Kexin was dazed. She was starting to understand why Shen Wanwan hadn’t lifted a finger earlier.
…Shen Wanwan had lost on purpose.
But just for the sake of a few meals, to choose a vegetable garden like this?
That was way too unworthy a trade!
They were all girls. At least the sleeping environment should be decent, right?
At that moment, the crew announced it was mealtime.
“Fresh Chinese lunch, 100 Speed Tokens per set, hurry!”
It was really just simple boxed meals.
Nothing like the lavish feasts from before.
If you wanted those, sure, but you had to pay extra.
Three hundred each!
After struggling all morning, everyone was exhausted and only wanted to eat.
Just then, Shen Wanwan slowly put up her own sign, and told Lin Kexin to shout it out in the group with the production crew.
“Organic vegetables, fresh fruit juice, premium meats, buffet style, 100 Speed Tokens per set, first come first served.”
Lin Kexin: “???”
What the heck?
Was Shen Wanwan planning to go head-to-head with the production crew?!