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

The sun hung overhead like a giant brazier, baking the soil in the fields until it was steaming.

Huang Lei gripped the shovel, his knuckles aching from the rough wooden handle.

He gritted his teeth, plunged the hoe vertically into the ground, and stomped on it forcefully.

"Hey, watch closely, this is a textbook example of vertical burial."

He shouted to the group behind him, sweat dripping from his face and into his mouth, making him frown.

Leslie Cheung crossed his arms over his chest, his white shirt swaying gently in the breeze, his eyes revealing a cool, aloof smile.

"Teacher Huang, the trees in your 'textbook' seem a bit disobedient."

Following the direction he pointed, the three newly planted seedlings were leaning crookedly to the west, looking just like a few drunkards.

Jay Chou, holding his back, took off his baseball cap and fanned himself.

"Is...is the gravitational pull here off-center?"

He muttered to himself, the sarcasm in his voice impossible to hide.

Lin Junjie was even more straightforward; he simply squatted down on the edge of the field, holding a blade of grass in his hand.

"Teacher Huang, why don't we take a break? This fourth tree looks like it's about to fall over."

Huang Lei blushed and, with his neck stiff, began to fill the pit with soil.

"The soil is no good; it's too loose, and the roots can't hold on."

As he spoke, he vigorously patted the soil, as if he wanted to weld the sapling directly into the ground.

Before he could let go, the thin peach sapling let out a soft groan and slowly leaned backward.

With a "thud," it hit Huang Lei's shoes directly.

A deathly silence fell over the scene, broken only by the cicadas chirping wildly in the treetops.

Leslie Cheung chuckled softly and turned to look at the Mushroom House in the distance.

"It seems our academic advisor has hit a roadblock. Let's go back and see if Achen needs any help."

Jay Chou immediately stood up and patted the dirt off his buttocks.

"Let's go, let's go, I also feel that the energy here doesn't suit me."

Huang Lei stood there, unsure whether to throw the shovel in his hand or pick it up.

"There's definitely something wrong with this... I'll have to talk to the production team about it later."

He muttered to himself, his voice growing softer and softer until he could only sheepishly follow behind the others.

The production crew noticed that the guests didn't like Huang Lei, and some of them asked the director for advice, feeling a bit lost.

After all, broadcasting such footage might spark controversy.

If Huang Lei tries to gain sympathy outside of the show, that's a good thing.

Who knows how public opinion will turn out.

But when the director heard the staff's concerns, he simply waved his hand and said...

"This is a variety show, so the most important thing is to create a good program effect."

"Besides, our variety show won't be maliciously edited; we'll release exactly what it is."

"Whether Huang Lei is a dragon or a worm, we'll all know after the show airs."

The staff members felt that the director made sense and didn't ask any more questions.

He simply reminded Huang Lei's cameraman to take more close-up shots of Huang Lei.

The cameramen were all handpicked from various variety shows, so they naturally understood what the production team meant.

This is called source evidence.

At this moment, the Mushroom House was filled with the aroma of cooking.

Xiao Chen stood in front of the stove, his movements as swift and precise as if he were performing a delicate surgery.

His profile, kissed by God, looked almost unreal in the steam.

Even the most ordinary apron looks like a high-end custom-made garment on him.

This down-to-earth atmosphere made Xiao Chen appear much gentler.

Dilraba rested her chin on her hand, her big eyes filled with the image of Xiao Chen flipping the spatula.

"Brother Xiao Chen, how much longer will it take for these chicken nuggets to cook?"

Xiao Chen uttered two words softly, his voice deep and magnetic.

"Greedy cat."

Without saying much, he flicked his wrist, and the ginger slices and red peppers in the pot spun rapidly, the flames precisely coating each piece of chicken.

Soon, the aroma wafted over.

Mei Yanfang leaned against the doorway, a cup of tea between her fingers, her gentle gaze fixed on Xiao Chen's back.

"With Ah Chen's cooking skills, I think those five-star chefs are going to lose their jobs."

Just smelling this scent would make both Dilraba and Anita Mui salivate.

Xiao Chen turned his head and gave Sister Mei a bright smile.

"Sister Mei, we don't have any crabs, but I made a slight modification using some of our local river shrimp. Would you like to try some?"

That smile was like a clear spring in June, crystal clear yet carrying a gentle tenderness that makes you want to drown in it.

Mei Yanfang felt a warmth in her heart. This child always had a knack for accurately capturing the little wishes of those around her.

At that moment, the tree-planting team pushed open the door and entered.

Lin Junjie sniffed dramatically, as if he were about to float away.

"It smells so good! Is this the smell of freedom?"

"I'm so hungry!"

Huang Lei walked at the back, and when he saw the several plates of main dishes already laid out on the table, his heart skipped a beat.

The Xinjiang-style braised chicken with its bright red color, the rich and flavorful slow-cooked broth, and the steaming hot hand-pulled noodles.

This presentation is far superior to the fancy displays he made in his dorm at the Beijing Film Academy.

"Hey, Xiao Chen, this dish looks pretty good."

"It looks just like what you'd find in a restaurant."

Huang Lei approached with a forced smile and casually rubbed his aching back.

"Even though this kind of program is for recording, we can't resort to any fakery or deception."

He glanced around at the cameras under the eaves, his tone carrying a hint of an elder's earnest concern.

"Honestly, did the production team see how hard you were working and secretly order you from a restaurant in town?"

Jay Chou was about to retort, but Leslie Cheung stopped him with a look.

Xiao Chen didn't look up; he was focused on sprinkling the chopped scallions into the soup bowl.

"Teacher Huang, do you think any restaurant in town could make something that tastes like this?"

His reply was flat, without even a hint of emotion.

"Young people these days are really dishonest."

Huang Lei sighed, looking as if he had seen through the ways of the world.

"I've been in this industry for so many years, what haven't I seen?"

"You can win Best Actor awards for acting, but with cooking skills, you need at least ten years of experience to reach this level?"

Mei Yanfang sneered and slammed the teacup down on the table.

"Teacher Huang, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want."

"Ah Chen started soaking shiitake mushrooms after you left, and he's been standing in front of the stove all afternoon."

"With dozens of cameras pointed at him, are you questioning Ah Chen's character, or are you questioning everyone's eyes?"

Leslie Cheung also took over the conversation, his tone calm but carrying an undeniable sense of pressure.

"If I remember correctly, someone made dumpling soup this morning that was so salty that even the salt shaker wanted to commit suicide."

"Back then, why didn't you mention that the production team mixed seawater into the salt?"

Huang Lei's face turned as colorful as a palette after being repeatedly rebuked by these two big shots.

He awkwardly pulled out a chair and sat down, but still couldn't help being stubborn.

"I'm just worried that young people will take the wrong path. The younger generation these days is too impetuous."