Abstract Art Award Winner

The bus drove smoothly through Beijing's city center, picking up actors scattered throughout the city.

After all, everyone has their own hotel to stay in.

Zhou Le sat by the window, his hat brim pulled low, seemingly resting with his eyes closed, but in reality, he was paying close attention to the sounds outside the car and every time the car door opened or closed.

First stop: The car door opened with a hiss, and a sweet and lively scent wafted in.

Tian Xiwei dragged a pink suitcase that looked bigger than herself up the car steps with difficulty. When she saw Zhou Le, her eyes instantly curved into crescent moons, and she greeted him softly and excitedly, "Brother Le! Good morning!"

Her voice was soft and sweet, yet full of energy.

"Good morning, Xiaotian." Zhou Le stood up and naturally took the huge suitcase from her, stuffing it into the overhead compartment. "You... did you move your whole family here?"

"Hehe, better safe than sorry!" Tian Xi smiled shyly, chose a seat diagonally in front of Zhou Le, and occasionally stole a glance back at him, like a well-behaved yet excited kitten.

Not long after, Guo Qiling came up. Needless to say, his clothes were very casual, with a black backpack on his back. He didn't look like he was there to record a variety show, but rather like he was going on a picnic or hiking.

Upon seeing Zhou Le and Tian Xiwei, he came up to greet them and then sat down alone behind Zhou Le.

They quickly started chatting.

After walking for about ten minutes, a slightly exaggerated laugh and chatter drifted in.

Meng Ziyi came up, dressed lightly with only a small LV travel bag, but she looked like she was going to walk the red carpet.

With a flawless full face of makeup, a stylish resort-style maxi dress, and sunglasses pushed up to her head, she looked radiant.

"Wow! Director Zhou! Xiao Tian! And President Guo!" Her voice was loud and cheerful, full of familiarity. "Is this considered a small pre-arranged meeting? This car is nice, better than I expected!"

She naturally sat down in the aisle seat next to Zhou Le, a faint scent of expensive perfume wafting through the air. "Brother Le, it's only been a few days, but you've recovered your figure incredibly quickly! Are your abs still visible?"

As always, Sister Meng made no attempt to hide anything.

Zhou Le smiled helplessly: "Sister Meng, give us a break, the cameras are rolling."

"What are you afraid of? I'm just praising you!" Meng Ziyi said with a grin, then turned to tease Tian Xiwei, "Little Tian is so cute today, and that dress is beautiful!"

At the next few stops, Wang Sulong carried a shoulder bag and seemed a bit reserved after boarding the bus. After greeting everyone, she huddled in a corner looking at her phone, as if trying to minimize her presence.

However, Zhou Le knew that this was also because Wang Sulong was a little confused about the situation.

Otherwise, once you get to know them, they're a very easy person to get along with.

When Zhang Han got on the bus, he exuded an aura of unapproachability. He wore sunglasses and gave Zhou Le a slight nod, as if to give the initiator some face. Then he went straight to the last row, sat down, crossed his arms, and looked out the window, looking like he was saying, "Don't touch me."

Zhou Le found it funny.

After all, we do have some history together.

When I first met Gulnazar.
Finally, Song Dandan and Shu Qi were brought up almost one after the other.

The moment Song Dandan got on the bus, the atmosphere of the entire bus changed instantly, as if a parent had arrived.

"Oh my, quite a few people have arrived already? Zhou Le, you got on the bus quite early!" Her voice was full of energy, and her gaze swept around, exuding authority.

Shu Qi, on the other hand, seemed much more casual, wearing a loose shirt and jeans, her hair casually tied up, and a pair of black-rimmed glasses. She wore no makeup, yet her aura was both lazy and powerful. She smiled and waved to everyone: "Hi~ everyone, I'm not late, am I?" She naturally sat down in the middle seat near the aisle.

Then the others boarded the bus one after another.

With everyone present, the bus finally started heading steadily toward Pinggu.

As the car entered the highway, the cityscape outside the window was gradually replaced by greenery.

PD Chen, who was accompanying the team, picked up the car microphone and cleared his throat.

"Alright, everyone, you're all almost here. Welcome to 'Fifty Kilometers of Peach Blossom Valley'! I'm the director of our program, my surname is Chen, and I'll be serving you for the next ten days."

The carriage fell silent, and everyone looked at the director.

"While we're on the road, let me clarify the rules of our show, or rather, there are no rules."

PD Chen smiled and said, "First of all, and most importantly, our filming period is ten consecutive days. We hope that everyone will try their best not to leave the filming location. This is also clearly stipulated in our contract. We hope everyone will cooperate and truly experience living together."

Everyone nodded in understanding.

"Secondly, our program doesn't have a detailed script," PD Chen continued. "We only have a very rough outline. For example, on the first day, everyone gets to know each other and has a meal together. In the following days, we might organize some group activities, such as a party in the evening, a trip to the nearby countryside, a go-kart race, or even a fashion show."

But these activities are just the starting point; the core is still the natural interaction and conversation among everyone. You need to plan and execute the activities yourselves; the process is completely free, and the program will capture your most authentic selves.

“Of course,” PD Chen changed the subject, speaking very frankly, “Due to scheduling conflicts, some teachers may need to leave for a day or two to handle urgent work. We understand this and have communicated with them in advance, but we hope to minimize the impact on the overall process. Finally, and most importantly—”

He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over each guest: "Teachers, do whatever makes you comfortable, do whatever you want, be yourself if you want."

Our production team is responsible for finding the most interesting, topical, and even potentially controversial shots from a massive amount of footage and editing them into the main episodes and trailers.

To put it bluntly, we need the show to be engaging and generate buzz. We discussed this frankly with all the teachers before they signed contracts, and we're just reiterating it today.

A brief silence and subtle commotion ensued in the carriage.

Although they all knew this when they signed the contract, hearing the director say it so bluntly still surprised many people, especially Wang Sulong, who seemed to want to shrink into her seat even more.

They clearly didn't want to cause too much trouble.

Song Dandan nodded thoughtfully, while Shu Qi gave a meaningful smile.

Zhang Han's eyes were obscured by his sunglasses, but the corner of his mouth seemed to twitch slightly.

Zhou Le remained calm, Meng Ziyi seemed a little excited, and Tian Xiwei blinked her big eyes, still looking adorable.

"Is everyone alright?" PD Chen asked.

"no problem!"

"clear."

"It's good, it's authentic."

A few scattered responses followed, indicating acceptance of the most authentic rules of this reality show.

The bus eventually drove into a quiet village that retains many traditional northern folk house styles, and stopped in front of a renovated courtyard that blends modern comfort with rural charm.

This is their home for the next ten days.

Everyone got off the bus, took their luggage, and, guided by the staff, went to find their assigned rooms to settle in.

The room was nice, clean and tidy, with a view of greenery from the window.

After a short rest, everyone was summoned by broadcast to a spacious common living room in the courtyard with large floor-to-ceiling windows.

A very long wooden dining table is placed in the middle of the living room, large enough to accommodate everyone.

Several camera positions have already been set up around the area.

PD Chen's voice rang out again, this time through the loudspeaker: "Alright, everyone, our first group recording of 'Fifty Kilometers of Peach Blossom Village' is now officially starting. The first segment is very simple: everyone just gets to know each other. It will take about half an hour. There are no set procedures or tasks. You can get to know each other however you like. Chat, drink tea, or just relax. Just be yourself."

After they finished speaking, everyone went outside to prepare for recording.

Entering the room, feeling curious, looking around, and then taking a seat.

But then a subtle silence fell over the living room.

The dozen or so people looked at each other, realizing that the weak connection they had just established on the bus was not enough when the performance actually began.

Everyone awkwardly sat down around the long table.

The air seemed to freeze for a few seconds.

Finally, it was Song Dandan, the most senior teacher, who broke the silence first. She clapped her hands and said in a patriarchal manner: "Alright, stop sitting there! Since we're going to get to know each other, let's start with the simplest thing."

"Come on, everyone, introduce yourselves! Tell us your name, what you do, what your representative works are, or... why you're here! I'll start!"

She cleared her throat: "My name is Song Dandan. I'm an actress. I've acted in some sketches and TV series, like 'Home with Kids,' which I guess you've all seen. I came here because I heard this place is quite relaxing, so I came to have some fun and also to see you young people."

A very standard opening by an old artist.

Next up was Shu Qi. She leaned back lazily in her chair, smiled, and exuded charm: "I'm Shu Qi, and I'm also an actress. I've come to Peach Blossom Village... well, to sunbathe, daydream, and escape from work for a bit."

It was concise yet beautifully expressed.

Continue in sequence.

When it was Zhou Le's turn, he smiled and said, "Zhou Le, I'm here to make some money. Filming can be a bit boring, so I'm here to relax. Of course, the main reason is to get together with my friends."

Then came Meng Ziyi. She immediately sat up straight, like a primary school student being called on by the teacher, and said in a loud voice, "Hello everyone! I'm Meng Ziyi! An actress! And I heard that Brother Le, Xiao Tian, ​​and Xiao Ye are all here, so I came!"

She was outspoken and dragged Zhou Le into the conversation, causing everyone's eyes to dart back and forth between Zhou Le and her.

Next up is Guo Qiling: "A relatively unknown crosstalk performer, who has worked as an actor and acted in plays."

It was said in a fairly simple way, and then nothing more was said, as if saying another word would be a waste.

The atmosphere instantly turned a little colder.

Tian Xiwei quickly replied, her voice sweet but a little nervous: "Hello everyone, I'm Tian Xiwei, and I'm also an actress. I've acted in some dramas and am currently still learning... I'm very happy to be here, and I hope you'll all take good care of me!"

After she finished speaking, she bowed, her obedient manner making people want to take a second look.

Wang Sulong is in the social anxiety hell segment.

He lowered his head, his fingers twisted together, and his voice was so soft it was like a mosquito's buzz: "My name is Wang Sulong, I'm a singer. I have quite a few songs, you can search for them if you like and see if there are any you like."

Zhou Le nodded.

"Brother, all your songs are great, I love them all, they're a must-sing at karaoke!"

Wang Sulong thumped her chest and looked at Zhou Le with admiration: "Not bad, you have good taste."

They took turns performing, and Huang Jingyu and Wang Chuanjun both performed admirably.

Not long after, it was Zhang Han's turn to sit at the other end of the long table, arms crossed, with a somber aura.

Everyone looked at him.

Zhang Han looked up; his sunglasses were off, revealing a blank expression. He paused for two seconds, then spoke, his voice low and carrying an undeniable force: "My name is Zhang Han."

The air was quiet, awaiting his next move.

But he seemed to think that was enough.

Song Dandan couldn't help but press, "...And then? What do you do? An actor? What are your representative works?"

Zhang Han looked at her, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly, as if he felt the question was superfluous, or even a little offensive.

He replied curtly, "I think everyone here knows what I do, there's no need for such a detailed introduction. I'm an actor, I've acted in movies, that's all."
A strong sense of defensiveness and non-cooperation immediately came over us.

"..."

The whole place fell silent for a moment.

Song Dandan's face fell a little; she probably hadn't expected to be rebuffed like that, and her tone hardened: "You child, whatever your name is, everyone should know about it!"

Zhang Han didn't back down at all, instead becoming even colder: "I have no name."

As soon as he finished speaking, Gai, who was standing next to him, curled his lip.

Zhou Le told him to be himself.

He also knew himself well. If others were to say it, he would probably just listen. After all, having climbed up from the bottom of society, he understood human relationships and social dynamics best.

But he also knew that since Zhou Le said that, it meant he really wanted to be himself.

Therefore, these expressions were made without any attempt to conceal them.

The atmosphere dropped to freezing point.

Wang Sulong wished she could bury her head under the table.

Guo Qiling's mature gaze was intense, but he didn't utter a single word.

Meng Ziyi's eyes widened as she looked at Zhang Han and then at Song Dandan, wanting to say something but holding back.

Tian Xiwei was so frightened that she dared not breathe.

Shu Qi raised an eyebrow, picked up her teacup, took a sip, and her expression was unreadable.

Zhou Le, on the other hand, had an expression of watching the show.

Finally, Su Mang spoke up: "I think Zhang Han probably means that everyone will gradually get to know each other, there's no rush." ​​She tried to smooth things over, her smile a little stiff, "Teacher Dandan also wants everyone to warm up quickly; the methods are different, but the goal is the same. We..."

“That’s not what I meant.” Zhang Han interrupted Zhou Le directly, showing no mercy. “I just felt it was unnecessary and awkward.” He put the word “awkward” directly on the table.

Even the former president of the fashion group and editor-in-chief of Harper's Bazaar was at a loss for words.

An awkward and tense atmosphere permeated the area around the long table, enough to make one feel suffocated.

The first group meeting turned into a complete disaster due to the clash between Song Dandan's enthusiastic organization and Zhang Han's cold resistance.

All of this was faithfully recorded by the surrounding dark cameras.

PD Chen was grinning from ear to ear behind the monitor.

This is the kind of authenticity and buzz he wants.

Unable to do anything with Zhang Han, the group finally turned their attention to GAI, since the rapper clearly had more personality. (End of Chapter)