Abstract Art Award Winner

The courtyard in Peach Blossom Village was quite large, and although there weren't many things there, Zhou Le and his group walked in in a grand procession, instantly filling the originally quiet space with life.

"I'm planning to do some strength training. You guys can decide what to do," Zhou Le said with a smile.

Huang Jingyu found a place to practice casually, skillfully performing warm-up exercises, as if he had returned to his home turf.

He took off his jacket, revealing a tight-fitting sports vest underneath, showcasing his well-defined muscles.

"Brother Jingyu, your physique... you must work out a lot, right?" Guo Qilin looked at him with a hint of envy and amazement in his eyes.

"I'm used to it, just keep it up." Huang Jingyu said succinctly as he warmed up.

Zhou Le also took off his coat. His figure wasn't as visually striking as Huang Jingyu's, but after working hard for a while, he now had a fairly well-proportioned physique.

He soon picked up dumbbells and started doing various fitness exercises.

After all, dumbbells have a wide range of uses. In addition to simply lifting, they can also be used as a weight-bearing unit for exercising the chest, legs, and waist.

At the same time, Zhou Le noticed that Tian Xiwei was also planning to do aerobics, so he gave her a word of advice.

"Xiaotian, warm up first, take it slow, don't rush to increase the intensity."

"Mmm." Tian Xi nodded slightly and began to warm up on the spot.

Wang Sulong and Guo Qiling seemed a bit lost. After wandering around the courtyard for a while, Wang Sulong finally chose Huang Jingyu and decided to practice with him casually.

Guo Qiling stood to the side and took out his phone: "Let me take some photos of you working out to prove we were here."

Li Xueqin laughed and nudged him, "Qiling, you're just being lazy!"

"I call this recording life!" Guo Qiling said confidently.

While lifting weights, Zhou Le chatted with Huang Jingyu next to him: "Jingyu, I heard you just finished filming a romance drama?"

"Yeah, we just finished filming. It should be released by the end of the year." Huang Jingyu did squats, his breathing steady. "So I need to maintain this work ethic. What about you? What have you been busy with lately?"

"Me? I'm taking a break, filming some variety shows to relax. After that, I'll go film my new drama," Zhou Le said with a smile. "But we can't relax too much, right?" He spoke while breathing evenly.

After Tian Xiwei finished her warm-up, she started doing her exercises. Her breathing gradually became heavier, and her face turned rosy. Zhou Le glanced at her occasionally and reminded her, "Pay attention to your breathing rhythm, inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth, and follow the steps."

"Oh, okay..." Tian Xi adjusted herself slightly and felt better.

Li Xueqin joined in the dancing. Although she was quite heavy, she figured she was already there, so dancing along would help with digestion and make it easier to sleep at night.

Wang Sulong couldn't stand practicing with Huang Jingyu for long, so she simply stopped practicing and chatted with Guo Qiling about music creation.

The only sounds in the courtyard were the sounds of exercise and occasional conversations.

The camera captured the other side of these glamorous celebrities, their self-disciplined or lazy side in private.

Sweat gradually soaked Huang Jingyu and Zhou Le's vests, Tian Xiwei's bangs were stuck to her forehead, and Li Xueqin was so tired that she couldn't catch her breath.

But Guo Qiling was eventually pulled up by Li Xueqin and did some exercises, his grimacing and grinning providing plenty of laughs.

About an hour later, Zhou Le stopped first, wiping his sweat with a towel: "Alright, that's enough for today. It's the first day, so moderation is key."

Huang Jingyu also stopped what he was doing, and nodded in agreement, slightly out of breath.

Tian Xiwei slowly stopped, her legs felt a little weak, and she let out a big breath: "I feel... tired but so comfortable."

Afterwards, while stretching, they laughed and said, "You can come here often in the evenings, since we're just killing time anyway."

The group then left in a large entourage to go back and wash up and rest.

The first night at Peach Blossom Village passed quietly amidst a mix of fatigue and novelty.

Over the next few days, life in Peach Blossom Village gradually settled into a rhythm that was both relaxed and focused on collective goals.

Small group activities in each group have also begun.

Song Dandan, along with Wang Sulong and Wang Chuanjun, would often gather in the living room to drink tea and chat, ostensibly as a script discussion meeting, but in reality, it was mostly Song Dandan sharing her past acting experiences, while Wang Sulong and Wang Chuanjun would nod and offer their support.

Su Mang's harem lineup, however, has a slightly different style.

Sometimes she would invite Zhang Han, Huang Jingyu, and Lai Kuanlin to have afternoon tea in the courtyard. The table was set with delicate pastries, and they would talk about fashion and brand-related topics. Huang Jingyu would mostly just listen, nodding occasionally, appearing somewhat reserved but polite.

Zhang Han didn't say much, but he seemed to blend in better than Huang Jingyu.

Lai Kuan-lin has connections, but he is young and listens with great concentration.

Yoko and Li Xueqin, these two sisters from Northeast China, can make anywhere their stage. Whether it's the kitchen, the living room, or the yard, they can chat in Northeastern dialect or improvise a short skit anytime, and their laughter is incredibly infectious.

The others who were listening were a little envious.

It's true that people from Northeast China have a natural comedic talent.

Guo Qiling, Yin Zheng, and Wang Sulong, who later often slipped away from Song Dandan's place to hang out with them, formed the "Buddhist-style leisurely strolling group".

Their daily routine consists of idly strolling around the dock, playing with the dogs, basking in the sun, or getting together to tell jokes to each other, perfectly embodying the true meaning of relaxation.

The group consisting of Zhou Le, Tian Xiwei, Meng Ziyi, and GAI.

Because of the dock supervisor's responsibilities and relatively more active personality, he became the link connecting the various groups.

Tian Xiwei often carries a small notebook to keep track of the progress of group projects.

It was during this period that the renovation of the bakery and meditation room also began in full swing.

The bakery chose a north-facing, relatively shady room.

The young guests worked together to move away the old clutter, clean the windows, and paint the walls a warm, pale yellow.

Shu Qi contributed many adorable baking molds and decorations, while Lai Kuanlin and Huang Jingyu took on the physically demanding tasks that required climbing up and down.

Meng Ziyi was in charge of aesthetic supervision, while Tian Xiwei was in charge of recording materials and everyone's labor input.

A decent-looking bakery was born in just a few days.

The renovation of the meditation room focused more on creating the right atmosphere.

We chose a quieter little room in the corner.

Song Dandan took this very seriously and personally supervised it.

The walls were painted a calming light gray-blue, the floor was covered with thick yoga mats and carpets, and the windows were fitted with soft, translucent white sheer curtains.

Zhou Le also somehow acquired a small indoor fountain ornament, with the sound of flowing water.

Song Dandan loved it so much that she said she wanted to take it home several times after the show was over.

Wang Chuanjun contributed an incense burner and some sandalwood incense, and the entire space immediately felt different.

This place quickly became the favorite spot for Song Dandan, Shu Qi, Su Mang, and Wang Chuanjun.

The completion of the two functional rooms gave everyone a great sense of accomplishment, and the team's cohesion seemed to have indeed increased a little.

That evening after dinner, Song Dandan gathered everyone again: "Both rooms are ready. Shouldn't we put the singing and acting competitions we talked about before on the agenda? Let's have some fun!"

The suggestion received a positive response, since work needs to be rewarded, but entertainment is the ultimate goal.

After a brief discussion, it was decided to hold the event in the living room. The competition format would be simple: each group would send two people to sing and two people to perform, purely for their own enjoyment. In the end, everyone would vote to select the most moving song and the best segment.

The prize is that I won't have to lift a finger next time I cook.

Once the rules were set, each group immediately began making preparations privately. Zhou Le's group held a meeting.

"Acting is definitely going to be done by me and Xiwei," Zhou Le said without hesitation, assigning tasks. "Singing? GAI and Meng, it's up to you two."

GAI nodded: "Okay, I just finished recording a new song but haven't released it yet, how about we premiere it here?"

"Wow! New song release! GAI, that's so kind of you!" Tian Xi exclaimed with delight.

"Great job, GAI, you've really given us a lot of face." Zhou Le laughed as well.

Meng Ziyi was both excited and nervous: "Huh? I really have to sing? Can I really do it?"

"Don't worry, this show is made for you. No matter how strong the other winners are, you will definitely be the most popular one in the end!"

Meng Ziyi nodded, seemingly lost in thought.

After a moment, she looked up and said, "I know, I'll sing Brother Long's 'A Little Sweet.' I know this song well; I always sing it at karaoke."

"Yes, yes, yes! Let's go with this one. I'll ask Brother Long later, and if it doesn't work out, I'll pay him the royalties later." Zhou Le nodded.

Meng Ziyi felt a little nervous and excited, but soon she began to hum a melody softly, "You made me see a flower bloom in the barren desert..."

Other groups are also plotting.

When it came to Song Dandan's group, she waved her hand and said, "Chuanjun and I will sing. Su Long, don't sing. You have to accompany us or create some effects. You have to take a contrasting approach. You are a musician, you can't just sing."

Wang Sulong smiled and agreed, actually understanding that Danma wanted to sing it herself.

He doesn't care anyway.

Guo Qiling's group, he scratched his head and said: "When I sing, I'll sing a bit of 'Exploring the Clear Water River,' which is my old profession. As for acting... you guys come on. Although I've acted before, my acting skills are definitely not as good as yours."

She wanted to sing in Su Mang's group, but Zhang Han and Huang Jingyu both expressed a preference for acting in drama segments, and Lai Kuanlin also indicated that he was willing to act.

Su Mang looked at the group and said, "I think Zhang Han is good at acting. Guan Lin can work with Zhang Han. Jing Yu and I will sing. If all else fails, we can do a duet."

Huang Jingyu sighed inwardly and could only agree.

On the night of the match, the living room was simply decorated, with sofas arranged in a circle and a performance area left in the middle, creating a great atmosphere.

The first activity was singing.

Guo Qiling was the first to go on stage, holding a folding fan he had found somewhere. He clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Everyone, please excuse my poor performance. I'll perform a piece called 'Exploring the Clear Water River'."

His voice was clear and melodious, and although it was just a cappella, his solid skills immediately warmed up the audience.

Zhou Le never doubted Guo Qiling's singing.

This is completely Guo Qiling's comfort zone.

Many people outside praise some singers for their opera-style singing, but that's because Guo Qiling's ambitions lie elsewhere.

Otherwise, one would be singing in a pop opera style, and the other would be a professional opera singer.

The difference in their abilities is self-evident.

Next up was Wang Chuanjun, who surprisingly chose Wilber Pan's "Happy Worship".

As soon as the music started, his entire demeanor changed drastically; he started singing and dancing.

Song Dandan sang the female vocal parts for him.

Wang Chuanjun's move truly amazed many people.

However, Zhou Le had learned about Wang Chuanjun beforehand. He was not only an actor, but also a top 4 finalist in the Shanghai division of the "Super Boy" competition and a top 20 finalist nationwide. He was a graduate of the Shanghai Drama Academy.

This piece naturally earned a lot of points.

Then, after resting for a while and tidying her clothes, Song Dandan went on stage, while Wang Sulong played the accompaniment and harmonies.

"I'll sing you an old English song, 'Five Hundred Miles'."

Everyone was surprised when she spoke.

Song Dandan's voice is deep and soothing, carrying a sense of story told over the years. Her English pronunciation is also quite standard, and her emotions are very full. She doesn't sound like her usual self at all, as if she has become a different person.

After the song ended, there was a moment of silence, followed by a burst of sincere and enthusiastic applause.

Zhou Le couldn't help but nod: "Sister Dandan is amazing!"

Regardless of her usual demeanor, Song Dandan is a veteran artist, so her abilities are naturally quite good.

Or rather, in that era, it was difficult to get ahead without real skills.

Next, it was Meng Ziyi's turn.

She took a deep breath, gripped the microphone, and walked to the center.

"I'm going to sing a song for you all... 'A Little Sweet'."

Everyone instinctively looked at Wang Sulong.

Wang Sulong was helpless.

But he waved his hand and said, "It's okay, we already agreed that I'll pay you after I finish singing."

The atmosphere should have been sweet when the intro started.

But Meng Ziyi's first words were: "I'll pick an apple and wait for you to pass by the door..."

The melody then subtly drifted towards the unknown distance.

Zhou Le covered half of his face.

Tian Xi's eyes widened slightly, but she tried her best to maintain a polite smile.

GAI lowered his head, wanting to laugh but too embarrassed to do so.

Meng Ziyi was completely immersed in her own world, her voice sometimes loud and sometimes soft, her rhythm sometimes fast and sometimes slow, and the lyrics she sang were also ambiguous: "You made me see a flower bloom in the dry desert... uh... a flower..." She even added some impromptu vocal runs, but the runs were extremely abrupt and tragic.

Wang Sulong, the original singer, had a complicated expression, as if she wanted to laugh but felt she shouldn't, so she could only purse her lips tightly, her eyes darting around, not daring to look at the performance center.

During the chorus, Meng Ziyi completely let loose, almost shouting with conviction: "Record the happiest feelings with all my heart~ Oh~ Oh~"

Finally, the song came to an end.

The scene fell into an eerie silence.

Meng Ziyi is still in the ending pose, looking at everyone expectantly.

"Pfft..." Someone couldn't help but burst out laughing first.

Immediately afterwards, bursts of laughter nearly lifted the roof off!
"My goodness! Sister Meng! Is this 'A Little Sweet'? This is 'A Little Suspenseful'!" Guo Qiling laughed so hard he fell onto the sofa.

Yoko patted Li Xueqin's leg: "I can't take it anymore, I'm laughing so hard I'm crying! Sister Meng! Please don't sing anymore! I'm begging you!"

Wang Sulong laughed and waved her hand, "It's free, this isn't my song."

Song Dandan laughed uncontrollably: "Ziyi, you're such an honest child, not a single word of yours is on tune!"

Zhou Le laughed and shook his head, commenting, "People used to say Huang Ling was a bathroom diva, that she could sing beautifully anywhere at home, while Sister Meng was a deadly diva. But honestly, we've already won." (End of Chapter)