Chapter 80: Guarding Against "Luck for the Next Month: -1"...

Chapter 80: Guarding Against "Luck for the Next Month: -1"...

It was late at night, and Ye Weizheng and Zhou Ti were still lying in bed, not asleep.

The constant temperature system in the new home makes it feel comfortable, and two potted plants stand in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Through the window, you can take in the entire night view of Yuncheng.

One of them had just finished a video conference and taken off their mask, while the other had just finalized a new timeline with an overseas medical team.

Even though the variety show offers hope for Tao Tao's recovery, they still have no intention of giving up the ongoing research.

"Honey, you might need to buy two sets of bedding to have on hand." Ye Weizheng poked at the little fish in the lotus pot. "Don't be fooled by Tao Tao saying it's expensive on camera; when we get home, she'll pester you to buy two sets for Xiao Gu."

They were on edge when Tao Tao admitted that the bedding was expensive.

On second thought, Tao Tao had a script to maintain a lying persona on variety shows.

Ye Weizheng once suspected that the persona subsidy issued by the program team came from Cheng Zhao.

Zhou Ti removed the face mask, and her lotus-silk nightgown brushed against her wrist, revealing a soft sheen.

"Let Mingsheng buy it."

As one of only two people in the family who have a legitimate reason to buy things, Zhou Ti decided that if there were any items exceeding five figures, her eldest son would buy them.

After thinking for a moment, she added, "I'll also buy a garment steamer and wipe off the labels."

Sitting back on the bed, Ye Weizheng came over and massaged his waist and shoulders.

Several trending topics related to "My Classmate is Here" appeared on the phones in front of the two of them.

At the bottom of the list, there was an entry mocking Tao Tao for deliberately showing off her wealth in front of Gu Fanghao.

Zhou Ti recalled Gu Fanghao's busy figure helping to carry her suitcase and make the bed.

When Tao Tao invited Gu Fanghao to the variety show, the production team gave them three days for this episode.

Originally, Liao Jiayue was scheduled to return in the next episode.

Liao Jiayue's reputation has now plummeted.

“As sponsors, it’s normal for us not to let celebrities with tarnished reputations continue filming. The production team wouldn’t associate it with Tao Tao.” Zhou Ti enjoyed the service from her husband and said in a relaxed tone, “Xiao Gu performed well this episode and can sign in until the end of the variety show.”

Ye Weizheng understood. "I'll think of a reason to improve Xiao Gu's treatment."

Tao Tao participated as an ordinary person and earned 50,000 yuan in two months.

It wouldn't be unreasonable to give Xiao Gu 40,000 to 50,000 yuan as compensation if he records a few more episodes later.

Zhou Ti looked down and pulled back the playback, the scene freezing on the moment they were playing mahjong.

She ignored Cheng Zhao, whose gaze was always fixed on Tao Tao, and calmly examined Ren Lang on the screen.

This person's attention to Tao Tao is rather unusual.

The discomfort he caused Zhou Ti far exceeded that caused by Yuan Kai in the previous episode.

In this episode, Yuan Kai was much more well-behaved.

After a night, dawn broke.

Ye Hantao arrived at the restaurant and met up with the others.

The morning sun streamed in through the wooden window, casting a warm glow.

The production team bought local specialty breakfast items, including beef and pork guokui (a type of flatbread), red oil wontons, pea and minced meat noodles, and seven or eight other dishes in total.

Jin Shiyue frowned when she saw that there were seven or eight breakfast options, but her frown relaxed after she realized that each item was only served in small portions.

This portion size is just right for them; there will be no waste.

Ye Hantao chose a bowl of spicy wontons and a beef potsticker. She also wanted to eat the pea and minced meat noodles on the table, but she was unsure about the freshness of the ingredients at the breakfast shop.

"Try a couple of bites first." Cheng Zhao sat down in the chair to Ye Hantao's left. "I'd like to hear your opinion."

Ye Hantao didn't think much of it and took a bite of the wonton.

It's slightly spicy and has a nice aroma; the filling is water chestnut and pork.

The water chestnuts were crisp and sweet, and the pork tasted great, just as fragrant as the pork my dad bought from the market.

That stall slaughters pigs fresh on the spot.

Ye Hantao gave it high praise, "Delicious!"

Cheng Zhao raised his eyebrows, thankfully the production team didn't mess things up by buying discounted ingredients this time.

Director Wan wiped the sweat from his forehead behind the camera.

Cheng Zhao approached him for this meal, Maze approached him, and Professor Zhou Shumiao also approached him.

All three agreed that they could provide ingredients to the shops selected by the production team, and also have the production team supervise the process to ensure that no inferior ingredients were used.

Director Wan could only say that the major sponsor had been providing air-freighted organic ingredients, so there was no need to provide any more.

The pork used in the wontons that Ye Hantao ate came from pigs raised on a pasture covering dozens of hectares.

This pig not only eats organic grains, but also gets regular acorns as a supplement. Its diet is more elaborate than its three daily meals.

What Director Wan didn't know was that Maze and Zhou Shumiao were fully aware that the production team had provided food sponsorships.

They just wanted to show off their relationship with Tao Tao.

In the restaurant, after hearing Ye Hantao praise the red oil wontons, Su Yi'ang and Chen Xiaofeng quickly snatched away the last two bowls of red oil wontons on the table.

The two of them exchanged a knowing glance with Cheng Zhao.

Cheng Zhao didn't even glance at them.

[Which shop did the production team buy the spicy wontons from?]

I believe in Ye Hantao's approval!

[The production team didn't mention it! I want to go check it out!!!]

The packaging looks like it's from one of my usual restaurants.

[...I went to ask the owner, and it really is the same company, but the owner said the production team supplies its own ingredients, and the pork alone costs several hundred yuan per kilogram.]

【ah? ? ? ? ? 】

Pork costing several hundred yuan per kilogram?

[You can look it up; this pig not only eats acorns regularly but also listens to music :)]

Chen Xiaofeng, seeing that Cheng Zhao remained unmoved, assumed that the man was faking it.

He brought over a bowl of red oil wontons to show off, intending to make Cheng Zhao drool over them up close.

Ye Hantao was eating wontons with a spoon when she raised her arm and heard a crackling sound of electricity.

The next second, she was caught off guard and Chen Xiaofeng bumped her arm, causing it to twist.

The wonton fell back into the bowl, and the chili oil splattered out.

"K...I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!" Chen Xiaofeng quickly swallowed back a curse, "I was just blind!!!"

When he saw the red oil stains on Ye Hantao's skirt, he lost all interest in showing off to Cheng Zhao and quickly put down his hands to get a tissue.

Cheng Zhao remembered that the tissue box was in the upper left corner of the dining table.

Just as he was about to reach for it, he found only an empty corner of the table.

Cheng Zhao looked up and saw the tissue box that Ren Lang had somehow gotten into.

Ren Lang handed over the tissue box, his eyes gentle. "Use it to wipe yourself."

Ye Hantao pulled out a few tissues and bent down to wipe the red oil stains. "Thank you."

[Congratulations, host, on successfully binding with Ye Hantao.]

Ye Hantao: "?"

This time, instead of garbled electronic voices, a clear sentence was heard.

It rang once, and then it rang a second time.

[Current gratitude level: 0.002%]

Ye Hantao: "??"

Oh God!

What is talking?

After breakfast, Ye Hantao didn't hear that electronic voice again, but she was absolutely certain that she hadn't misheard.

Ye Hantao tentatively moved closer to Ren Lang, and sure enough, there was another buzzing sound of electricity.

Looking at Ren Lang's expression, he remained calm throughout, as if he hadn't heard anything.

Ye Hantao was confused.

The drive from the guesthouse to the destination takes forty minutes.

When choosing seats, Ye Hantao and Gu Fanghao were the best choices.

According to the group assignments for shared accommodation, He Qiang and Jin Shiyue should sit together.

However, after sharing a room last night, a fierce conflict erupted between the two.

After much deliberation, Jin Shiyue pulled Wu Xia, a man of few words but with a reasonably good-looking face, to sit next to her.

Su Yi'ang sat next to He Qiang like a quiet quail.

Looking at Teacher He Qiang's serious face, he didn't dare to say another word.

Ye Hantao also unusually did not act as the atmosphere-maker on the bus.

Even someone as dense as her could sense that something was wrong.

What I heard last night might not have been the garbled electronic voice from my own system, but rather—

Ren Lang's system (?)

Ye Hantao's mind seemed to split in two.

Half of it was saying that Ren Lang did indeed have a system, and the other half was constantly emphasizing that you were hallucinating.

If she can hear Ren Lang's system voice, can Ren Lang hear her?

[Current gratitude level: 0]

An abrupt return to zero.

Ye Hantao then saw Ren Lang suddenly turn his head around.

In a flash, she quickly lowered her eyelids, pretending to be asleep.

Ren Lang's brows were so furrowed they could trap a mosquito.

Why did my gratitude points suddenly decrease for no reason?!

The bus drove onto the road.

Even though the sun was blocked by mountains and clouds, the temperature inside the car was still quite high.

Chen Xiaofeng felt as if he were in a low-temperature air-conditioned room.

He didn't look at Cheng Zhao's expression, the culprit, but looked at Ye Hantao.

Ye Hantao and Gu Fanghao sat diagonally in front of them, while Wu Xia and Jin Shiyue sat behind them.

From his angle, he could see Ye Hantao in the adjacent passageway just across from Cheng Zhao.

This was quite surprising; why was Ye Hantao looking towards Yuan Kai and Ren Lang?

"What are you doing..." Chen Xiaofeng thought of his portable microphone, nudged Cheng Zhao with his elbow, and mouthed, "Jealous?"

Is Cheng Zhao jealous?

Maybe.

But he increasingly felt that Ren Lang was not right; the man had changed too much.

Soon, the bus arrived at the local ancient town.

Ye Hantao got off the car first as usual and waited outside the door, followed closely by Cheng Zhao, and then Gu Fanghao.

Just as the two brushed past each other, Ye Hantao's vision suddenly went dark.

Cheng Zhao's voice rang out two seconds later, "The ultraviolet rays here are stronger than in Yuncheng, so don't forget physical sun protection."

Ye Hantao touched the baseball cap on her head.

Gu Fanghao stood there, holding a burgundy baseball cap in his arms, hesitant and uncertain.

Tao Tao left this hat on her seat. Should she remind her or not?

Cheng Zhao seemed to only then notice, "You're wearing a hat?"

Ye Hantao nodded and raised her hand to take off his hat and return it to him.

Before she could even move, Cheng Zhao had already snatched the burgundy baseball cap that belonged to Gu Fanghao from her arms.

Ye Hantao watched as he put on the hat, which was a size too small, covering his short, jet-black hair and revealing a pair of pale blue eyes underneath.

"Thank you, class monitor." After thanking him, he smiled and asked, "Does this color suit me?"

After a moment of surprise, Ye Hantao smiled and said, "Handsome +1."

Is it really okay for you two to feed each other dog food like this?!

Cheng Zhao actually looks quite handsome in that burgundy hat, especially with his mixed-race blue eyes.

The difference in their body types is striking.

[Speaking of the difference in physique, hahaha, Old Chen was trying to chime in with his cheeky attitude, but Xiao Gu pulled him away.]

Gu Fang is incredibly strong! He didn't give Chen Xiaofeng a chance to break free!

However, a minute later, the smile on Cheng Zhao's face disappeared.

They were divided into groups by drawing lots to complete the tasks.

He was in a group with Yuan Kai.

This isn't too bad.

But Tao Tao and Ren Lang are in the same group.

He felt incredibly unlucky.

The camera follows the group as they enter the tie-dye workshop, their destination.

Amidst the swaying bamboo leaves, rows of blue and white tie-dyed fabrics hang in the courtyard.

Ye Hantao sat in the front row, listening to the workshop owner introduce the local tie-dye history and tie-dyeing process to them.

Their task this morning was to work with their teammates to make tie-dye, which would then be blindly voted on by the audience.

Ye Hantao took a light sniff of the bitter scent wafting in the air; it was a mixture of grass, wood, and dye.

Cheng Zhao noticed Ye Hantao's actions and also took a deep breath and sniffed.

A very faint scent of jasmine.

【You two?!】

Tell us what you smelled with that top-tier, lung-penetrating scent!

Cheng Zhao: Stealing a whiff of his wife's fragrance.

[If this is considered secret, then there's no such thing as an open and aboveboard romance in the world (doge.jpg)]

Zhou Yi, who was staying at the Yuncheng Hotel, quickly reported all the comments.

This is a variety show about classmates, why are you guys shipping each other?!

Zhou Mingsheng had just made a report when he received a notification in the chat that the report had already been reported.

"...?"

Ye Hantao was completely unaware of her uncle and older brother's behavior and was listening attentively to the explanation from the shop owner, Aunt Ge.

"From the Tang Dynasty to the present, tie-dyeing has become part of intangible cultural heritage. The production process has always followed four major steps: tying, dyeing, untying, and washing. As for the dye, we mostly use indigo root—"

The camera zooms out.

The image includes everyone.

Su Yi'ang was drowsy listening to this and leaned against Wu Xia's arm. Wu Xia pushed him away with a blank face.

So, Su Yi'ang leaned against Ye Hantao's arm.

Snap!

Su Yi'ang jumped to his feet, clutching his head and yelling, "Did our crystal fall?!"

"Hahahahahahahaha." Chen Xiaofeng laughed so hard he could barely breathe. "The crystal didn't fall, but if you keep sleeping, your head might fall off."

Su Yi'ang also felt a tingling sensation in his shoulder. "I dreamt someone was tapping me!"

Hahahaha!

[Who told you to spout such nonsense!]

[You can't sleep anywhere else, so you sleep on Ye Hantao's arm!]

Cheng Zhao smiled at him, "I took the picture."

"..." Su Yi'ang wanted to ask why he was being photographed, but his intuition kept him silent.

Ye Hantao pulled him to sit down, "Master Ge is talking about a very important step, listen carefully."

After saying that, Ye Hantao turned to look at Cheng Zhao, "You listen carefully too."

Both of them listened attentively.

Aunt Ge was very satisfied with Ye Hantao's efforts in maintaining order. From the dye to the knotting, and then to the dyeing process, temperature control, untying, and cleaning, the whole process took at least an hour and a half.

"I'm telling you this so you have a general idea." Aunt Ge brought over five sheets of white cotton cloth. "We'll be doing tie-dyeing later. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me."

Ye Hantao divided the food into three portions: one portion for her own group, one portion for Su Yi'ang and Wu Xia, and one portion for Cheng Zhao and Yuan Kai.

Jin Shiyue and Chen Xiaofeng were drawn into the same group, while He Qiang and Gu Fanghao were drawn into the same group.

After distributing the white cotton cloth, Aunt Ge brought over the blind boxes prepared by the production team. "Each of your five groups should send a representative to draw a theme and tie-dye according to the theme, but you cannot reveal your theme to other people or the audience."

After all the samples were drawn, the five groups were dyed separately.

Gu Fanghao listened attentively throughout the lecture, fearing that He Qiang would dislike her if her mind went blank when she got infected.

To everyone's surprise, He Qiang spoke softly and gently, completely changing Gu Fang's impression of her when watching the replay.

Gu Fanghao gradually calmed down as she listened.

At this moment, He Qiang suddenly said, "Jin Shiyue only looks fierce; she's not a bad person."

[I actually heard He Qiang praising Jin Shiyue!!!]

These two still have some friendship from their school days.

Gu Fanghao thought so too and was about to agree when He Qiang spoke up, "So you can share a room with her next time, don't be afraid."

Audience: [...]

Gu Fanghao: QAQ

Ye Hantao opened the theme card and glanced at it; it was about bamboo.

Ren Lang glanced at their team's tie-dye theme, and when he spoke again, his voice carried the composure of an elder, "I noticed you were listening attentively just now. Do you have any thoughts?"

Ye Hantao answered succinctly, "Yes."

She planned to fold the bamboo in half to create the shape of bamboo roots, then tie it with cotton thread to form the texture of bamboo leaves.

Without further ado, Ye Hantao began folding the cotton cloth in half.

Ren Lang believes that since they are in the same group, they will inevitably chat while doing tie-dyeing, and they will become familiar with each other as they chat.

However, Ye Hantao was completely absorbed in her work, answering his questions word by word, a stark contrast to her lively demeanor when they first met yesterday.

Ren Lang recalled the scene he saw before getting off the car. Was Ye Hantao worried that Cheng Zhao would be jealous?

“I’ve seen your ads online, the ones for silver jewelry. You have a real talent for that,” Ren Lang said, highlighting his strengths. “Have you considered doing some clothing ads? I can help you get introduced to some.”

Ye Hantao stopped moving.

The system message she heard that morning still lingered in her mind, which inevitably made her a little wary.

Ye Hantao shook her head, "No need to trouble yourself."

[Current gratitude level: -0.07%]

[Due to the negative emotions the associated target has towards the host, the host's luck for the next month is reduced by 1.]

Ren Lang: "?!"

grass!

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Author's Note: Peach: [Question mark]

--Randomly dropping small red envelopes~--