Chapter 134 The Controlling Actor 16 (1/2)

The morning mist shrouded the terraced fields like a light veil, and drones drew graceful arcs in the air, taking in the entire idyllic scenery.

Zi Xi walked barefoot on the damp field ridge, her bamboo basket swaying gently with her steps. Morning dew dampened her hair, reflecting shimmering light in the rising sun.

Without elaborate makeup and a gorgeous dress, she was more vibrant and alive than ever before.

"Today's task is to help the local villagers harvest corn. This afternoon we..."

The director's voice stopped abruptly, his mouth slightly open as he looked towards the village entrance, and everyone's gaze followed his.

Mo Jinnian was carrying two sacks of corn, swaying as he walked along the edge of the field.

The actor, who always presents a perfect image, was so disheveled that it was hard not to laugh. His straw hat was askew on his head, and the cuffs of his plaid shirt were rolled up to his elbows, revealing his well-defined forearms.

What was most eye-catching were his jeans covered in mud and his limited-edition sneakers, whose original color was no longer recognizable, with thick mud still dripping from the surface.

What are you doing here?

Zi Xi almost dropped the corn in her hand. She subconsciously took two steps forward, then abruptly stopped.

"Teacher Zhao, you're asking this question, of course you're here to participate in the program."

Mo Jinnian put the burlap sack on the ground, not caring that the splashed mud had dirtied his trouser legs. He took off his straw hat and fanned himself, revealing his cheeks, which were slightly red from the sun.

"Look, I signed up a long time ago, but I had some things to take care of before. Now that I've finished, I rushed over."

As he spoke, he took out his phone from his pocket, swiped it a few times, and handed it to Zixi.

Zi Xi leaned closer and saw that the registration confirmation email displayed on the screen was dated the day after she officially announced her participation in the variety show.

Her eyelashes trembled slightly, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up, only to be quickly pursed back.

"So... from now on, please take good care of me, Teacher Zhao."

Mo Jinnian bent down to pick up the corn she had almost dropped, his fingertips inadvertently brushing against the back of her hand.

Sunlight pierced through the morning mist, casting the two shadows onto the golden cornfield, where they overlapped.

In the distance, the production crew exchanged knowing glances, while the drone continued to hover in the sky, recording the scene.

The afternoon sun scorched the threshing ground. In front of the earthen stove prepared by the production team, Mo Jinnian sat upright, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.

He stared intently at the "ultimate recipe for roasted sweet potatoes" on his phone, his slender fingers gripping the fire tongs with the care of someone defusing a bomb.

"The firewood should be arranged in a pyramid structure..."

He muttered to himself, but when he added firewood for the third time, the flames went out completely.

When the fifth sweet potato turned to charcoal, Zi Xi finally couldn't bear to watch anymore.

"Get out of the way."

She snatched the fire tongs, her braid falling over her shoulder as she bent over. With a deft twist of her wrist, the firewood was instantly revived, the crackling sparks illuminating her focused profile.

"The ventilation opening should be kept here, and the cooking time must be carefully controlled."

She precisely tossed the sweet potato to the edge of the fire, and before she could finish speaking, she looked up and met Mo Jinnian's face, which was inches away from hers.

He had gotten so close without anyone noticing, his eyelashes casting long, thin shadows in the firelight.

Five minutes later, the moment the golden sweet potato was broken open, honey-like syrup stretched out in thin threads.

When Mo Jinnian took it, his little finger lightly brushed against the thin calluses on the back of her hand.

In the close-up shot, Zi Xi's earlobes were as red as embers in a stove, while Mo Jin Nian stared at the sweet potato with a silly grin, as if he were holding some rare treasure.

In the next segment, when Zixi leaped onto the driver's seat while supporting herself on the tractor pedal with one hand, the threshing ground fell silent instantly.

The rusty diesel engine roared smoothly under her hands. She turned back and gave the dumbfounded crew a bright smile: "I learned it when I was an extra on a film set."