I became a movie star at the age of three; Dilraba and I are childhood sweethearts.

Lin Junjie still had his signature dimpled smile, but at this moment the smile was obviously frozen and was awkwardly hanging in mid-air.

"This...you're Teacher Huang, right?"

Having lived most of his life, Leslie Cheung had seen all sorts of shrewd people. He smiled and spoke, his tone carrying a subtle air of aloofness.

"Our program focuses on manual labor, not forestry research. Why don't you go back inside and rest?"

Huang Lei seemed completely oblivious to the subtle dig at the remark, instead seizing the opportunity to prove himself.

"Guorong, you're being too polite. Planting trees isn't just about physical labor; it involves the wisdom of following the natural way."

As he spoke, he moved closer to the three of them, even reaching out to pat Leslie Cheung on the shoulder.

"Just like when we act, if we don't have a solid foundation, everything else is just for show."

Jay Chou was genuinely upset. He's never been a sociable person, especially after this sudden lesson.

He picked up the shovel, turned around and walked to the other end of the field ridge, without uttering a single word.

Seeing this, Lin Junjie awkwardly pushed up his glasses and took a few steps with Zhou Jielun, leaving behind a dry, lingering shadow.

Leslie Cheung tilted his head slightly, looked at Huang Lei's face which seemed to say "I am very knowledgeable," and smiled brightly, but did not say another word.

"Okay, you guys figure it out first. I need to go put my luggage away. I'll come back and teach you in a bit."

Huang Lei looked smug, feeling that his "mentoring the younger generation" had created a fantastic variety show effect.

He turned around and strolled into the courtyard of the Mushroom House with measured steps.

Meanwhile, inside the mushroom house, a completely different scene unfolds.

Xiao Chen was wearing an apron and holding a gleaming kitchen knife, deftly processing a plump live fish.

The sunlight shone on his face, which foreign media had described as having "the most perfect bone structure in Asia," making him even more dazzling than if ten layers of filters had been applied.

As the youngest Oscar-winning actor in history, he was currently busy at the chopping board.

The grass carp, weighing several kilograms, was like an obedient doll in his hands. He scaled it, removed its gills, and gutted it in one smooth motion.

Beside her, Dilraba was obediently guarding a huge roasted lamb rack, her nose smeared with ash from the smoke and fire.

"Brother Chen, this mutton smells so good, can I sneak a piece to try?"

Her bright, expressive eyes were filled with longing, while she mechanically turned the roasting fork in her hands.

Xiao Chen didn't even raise his head, but with a slight upturn of his lips, he casually grabbed a washed cherry tomato and stuffed it into her mouth.

"What's the rush? It's only six-tenths cooked. If you eat it now, your stomach will be upset for half the night."

Dilraba, with a tomato in her mouth, mumbled and nodded, her adorable appearance making Anita Mui, who was sitting next to her, burst into laughter.

At this moment, Aunt Mei was carrying a small basket, chasing after the restless chicks in the yard to feed them.

"Ah Chen, these chickens are growing pretty fast. They might even be laying eggs in a couple of days."

Anita Mui lived a life full of excitement, but these past few days at the Mushroom House have brought her a rare sense of tranquility.

Just as Xiao Chen was about to remove the fish bones, heavy footsteps came from the courtyard gate.

Huang Lei swaggered in, carrying a travel bag.

The first thing he saw was Reba, who was facing away from the door and focused on roasting the whole lamb.

The little girl was struggling to turn the lamb rack over, and her movements were full of flaws in Huang Lei's eyes.

"Oh dear, little girl, you can't bake it like that! You're ruining it!"

Before anyone could see who it was, Huang Lei’s slightly muffled and deliberately affected voice rang out.

Dilraba was startled, her hand slipped, and she almost dropped the roast fork. She quickly turned around.

"Hello, Teacher Huang, I'm Dilraba."

Although she had been "educated" on the phone beforehand, Dilraba, as a junior, still greeted him politely.

Huang Lei put down his luggage, put his hands behind his back, and looked like a teacher reviewing homework.

He moved closer to the whole roasted lamb, his nostrils twitched, and a complex expression appeared on his face.

"Dilraba, roasting a whole lamb is an art of living, not just a simple heating process."

He pointed to the part of the lamb rib that was blackened by the charcoal fire, and his tone became serious.

"Your rotation speed is wrong. It needs to be slower and more even, so that the heat can slowly penetrate inside."

"The fire is too strong now. The lamb will be burnt on the outside and raw on the inside, and the meat will be completely ruined."

Dilraba awkwardly held the roasting fork, her palms sweaty. This was the food that Xiao Chen had painstakingly prepared for most of the day.

"Teacher Huang, Brother Chen says the heat is just right..."

She tried to explain in a low voice, but Huang Lei immediately waved her hand to interrupt her.

"Although Xiao Chen has won awards for acting, he still lacks some skill when it comes to cooking."

Huang Lei turned his head and looked at Xiao Chen, who was holding a kitchen knife and staring at him with a half-smile.

"Ah Chen, grilled fish and grilled lamb are not the same thing. Did you put too much cooking wine in the marinade for this fish?"

The air in the entire courtyard seemed to freeze in that instant.

Anita Mui stopped feeding the chickens, her brows furrowed, and her eyes darted back and forth between Huang Lei and Xiao Chen.

As the "older sister" who watched Xiao Chen grow up, she felt like killing him right now.

Xiao Chen wasn't annoyed at all. He gently put down the cleaver and gracefully untied his apron.

That universally loved face still wore a gentle, jade-like smile, but his eyes held a deep meaning that others couldn't decipher.

"Since Teacher Huang is an expert, why don't you take the head chef's seat today?"

His voice was clear and crisp, without a trace of anger in his tone, and even carried a hint of playfulness.

Huang Lei was waiting for this very sentence. He straightened his collar, as if he were about to ascend a solemn temple.

"Alright, today I'll show you what real 'slow living' cooking skills are like."

He strode toward the cutting board, completely unaware of Xiao Chen's mocking eyes.

Just then, a cheerful guitar strumming sound came from the village entrance.

Jay Chou and Lin Junjie, each carrying a bundle of firewood, were muttering... no, they were exchanging tips on planting trees in hushed tones.

Leslie Cheung walked at the back, looking at the inexplicable situation in the courtyard, and sighed softly.

Today, the Mushroom House is destined to be bustling with activity.

Dilraba watched Huang Lei clumsily take the roast fork, then moved closer to Xiao Chen with some concern and asked in a low voice:

"Brother Chen, are you really going to let him come? I have a feeling this sheep is going to be lost."

Xiao Chen rubbed her head, then casually took a piece of candy from his pocket, tore off the wrapper, and stuffed it into her mouth.

"Since someone's offering to help, wouldn't it be better if we took a break?"

He didn't intend to care at all. After all, in this industry, some people live in the play, and some people live in a dream.

He just wanted to live a more comfortable life.