The production team set up a little food stall at the entrance of the village.
While they were getting ready, Zhang Yiran’s team and Su Tingxuan’s team had already come over to line up for meals.
Three people to a team, one meal per person, that’s 300 Speed Tokens in total.
This wave alone would draw out quite a lot of the contestants’ carefully saved tokens, and the director was quite pleased.
Sure enough, copying Shen Wanwan’s idea could really bring in money!
“Come on, everyone, line up. The work meals will be ready soon, cash on delivery!”
The director boasted, “No one wants to try a 300-token meal? It’s a super deluxe feast~”
Standing first in line, Zhang Yiran complained, “At that price, what’s there to try? We’ve worked so hard clearing challenges all day. You’re taking all our earnings.”
The director laughed heartily. “Don’t worry, the work meals taste good too.”
Zhang Yiran urged, “Hurry up, will you? I plan to nap after eating.”
Just then, Cheng Huan’s phone gave a sharp *ding-dong*.
This was the phone the production team had issued to the guest helpers. Each team only got one, so they could communicate during the show.
Cheng Huan glanced down and said excitedly, “Shen Wanwan’s selling meals too?”
Just seeing the words buffet made his eyes light up.
“No wonder Shen Wanwan didn’t even bother competing just now, had she already planned to pick that vegetable garden spot from the start?”
Bai Ling was taken aback.
“What?”
Cheng Huan held the phone up for her to see.
—Shen Wanwan: “Organic vegetables, fresh-squeezed juice, exquisite meats and more—buffet, 100 Speed Tokens per person, first come first served!”
The bold message on the screen practically flashed before Bai Ling’s eyes.
At the same time, the phone began to buzz nonstop.
Shen Wanwan was posting photo after photo.
Four meat dishes, four vegetable dishes, a soup, plus a fruit platter and drinks. The spread was so abundant that just looking at it made mouths water.
And the most important thing…
The price was only 100 tokens!
By now the work meals from the production team had finally been delivered.
But after glimpsing that lavish spread, the two-meat-two-vegetable work meal looked utterly pathetic by comparison.
Same price—100 tokens—but the work meal had no fruit and no drinks…
Even Bai Ling felt tempted.
She quietly tugged on Zhang Yiran’s sleeve and handed him the phone.
“Want to go take a look?”
Zhang Yiran was already hungry. He stared at the photos Shen Wanwan posted, his face full of anguish.
He’d already been tricked twice before by Shen Wanwan and Shao Yuye, and had sworn never to fall for Shen Wanwan’s schemes again!
But this woman was impossible to guard against!
Now she’d set up a luxury buffet at the exact same price as the production team, completely different experience!
Damn it, only a fool would pass up a bargain like that!
He decided he’d better go claim a spot first!
Over on the other side, the director had laid out the work meals and signaled that Zhang Yiran could pay and eat.
“Come on, dinner time!”
Zhang Yiran looked at the plain, no-frills work meal and quietly made up an excuse:
“No rush.
“We’re not that hungry yet. Let’s take a little walk first.”
The director stared at the unsold work meals in confusion.
They’d been lining up so nicely, why the sudden change of plan?
He looked blankly over at Jin Xiaoyu and the others.
They were having a heated discussion.
Su Tingxuan wore an expression that clearly said ‘Don’t be fooled.’
“Shen Wanwan? Cooking? Sure, she’s got a good sense of aesthetics and can make the plating look nice, but the taste? Forget it, total disaster!”
He’d never actually tasted her cooking, but come on. Shen Wanwan was a pampered rich girl. Her food had to be a nightmare!
Jin Xiaoyu and Ye Tian looked doubtful. “But the photos she posted look delicious…”
Su Tingxuan waved them off. “Anyway, I’m not going. My advice, just buy the production team’s work meal and don’t get duped. Otherwise you’ll waste your money and still not get a decent meal…”
They only had 100 Speed Tokens left, and even that meal money was sponsored by Bai Ling and Zhang Yiran’s team.
He wasn’t about to throw it away.
But Jin Xiaoyu didn’t think it would be as bad as Su Tingxuan claimed.
She had seen Shen Wanwan’s skills with her own eyes.
She turned to Ye Tian. “Want to give it a try?”
Ye Tian nodded. “Of course. Anyone can see that side is a better deal.”
The two of them cheerfully left Su Tingxuan behind and headed off together.
In an instant, only the director and Su Tingxuan were left staring at each other in bewilderment.
Su Tingxuan paid for a work meal.
The director asked curiously, “Where did everyone else go?”
Su Tingxuan, too lazy to explain, simply said, “Just wait. They’ll be back for sure.”
By the vegetable garden, Lin Kexin looked at the table covered in lavish dishes and let out a worried sigh.
It had been over ten minutes since they’d sent out the message, yet the group chat was still completely silent.
And to think she’d been momentarily bewitched by Shen Wanwan’s idea, stir-frying eight dishes in a rush until she was drenched in sweat. Now look: not only had they failed to make any money, she’d worn herself out for nothing.
What irritated her most was how Shen Wanwan remained the picture of calm.
She’d set up a sofa under the trees and was sitting there leisurely sipping tea.
Lin Kexin cursed inwardly.
Could Shen Wanwan have tricked her on purpose, just to get her to cook willingly?
The live-stream comments were full of mockery.
[Shen Wanwan really messed up this time!]
[LOL, made Lin Kexin cook so many dishes and in the end no one shows up…]
[You can almost feel Lin Kexin’s resentment through the screen…]
Under the tree, 001 was giving Shen Wanwan a live update: {Your partner seems pretty unhappy with you. She keeps glaring at you.}
Shen Wanwan slowly set down her teacup. “Mm. Let her glare.”
001 was a bit curious: {Aren’t you afraid no one will come?}
After all, while the vegetables cost nothing, if this move backfired, she would not only lose the trust of the new teammate but also get scolded by the livestream chat for trying to be clever and getting a reality check.
Shen Wanwan lightly flicked the little light orb on its head.
“With the same price, would you choose a basic work meal or a lavish banquet?”
001: {…Well, obviously the lavish banquet!}
“Then why ask such a silly question?”
She gave a soft, amused snort and glanced toward the wooden gate standing open by the wall.
001 protested: {What I mean is, they might have already bought the director’s work meals. If they’ve already paid, of course they won’t come…}
It hadn’t even finished speaking when a gentle breeze drifted by.
Shen Wanwan stood with a smile. “See? Here they come.”
001 looked toward the gate. Qi Luozhou and his two teammates were strolling in.
Lin Kexin’s dull eyes suddenly lit up. “God Zhou!”
Qi Luozhou gave a slight nod and, as if it were the most natural thing, came to stand beside Shen Wanwan and took a seat.
Shen Wanwan lazily lifted her eyelids.
Their gazes met for a second. Qi Luozhou smiled faintly, reached for the teapot, filled her cup first, then poured himself a cup.
Jiang Yuan and Jiang Rong also sat down one after another. Jiang Yuan said with a grin, “These dishes smell amazing, we followed the aroma right here.”
Lin Kexin went to fetch bowls and chopsticks. “Don’t complain if my cooking isn’t great.”
Jiang Rong eagerly told everyone, “Kexin’s cooking is fantastic! I’ve had her food a few times on set, it’s delicious!”
Qi Luozhou filled water glasses for Jiang Yuan and Jiang Rong, set the teapot down, and asked Shen Wanwan.
“Have you been waiting long?”
Shen Wanwan thought for a moment. “Not really.”
A breeze passed; a tiny fallen leaf landed in her hair.
“Don’t move.”
Qi Luozhou reached out and gently plucked it away.
Shen Wanwan gave a faint nod.
Jiang Rong, who had been chatting animatedly, paused when she saw the gesture.
So God Zhou was this thoughtful?
She couldn’t explain why, but even though their actions were perfectly normal and not the least bit flirtatious, she felt there was a subtle magnetic field between them—something that left no room for outsiders.
Just then Zhang Yiran and the others came hurrying over.
Even from a distance, Zhang Yiran caught the mouthwatering aroma and felt his stomach growl. When he got close and saw the table full of dishes, he slapped his thigh. Damn, that little walk had been worth it!
The photos Shen Wanwan had sent were far too modest!
The real thing put the director’s work meals to shame!
They quickly paid up as well.