Chapter 41: Fish-Catching Live Stream

　　Once breakfast was over, Su Ling called his mother-in-law. Without offering a single excuse, he obediently let her lecture him for a full fifteen minutes. In the end, he assured her that he and Lin Feng would return to City S in a few days and promised to bring along some local specialties.

　　Considering his sincere attitude and willingness to admit his mistakes, his mother-in-law finally softened her tone and invited him to come to the main residence for a meal when he returned to City S.

　　After finally coaxing the elderly woman into a good mood, Su Ling ended the call with a long, weary sigh. Turning to Lin Feng, Su Ling shot him a glare full of grievance.

　　“It’s all your fault!” he muttered, frustration simmering in his voice. If he had not been frequently away on business trips and secretly conducting some bizarre research, he would not have felt trapped, nor would thoughts of divorce or running away from home have crossed his mind.

　　“Yes, it’s my fault.” Lin Feng’s fingertips played with Su Ling’s strands as he murmured in a hushed, gentle voice.

　　Tilting his finely sculpted chin upward, Su Ling let out two huffs like a proud peacock. Lin Feng’s gaze darkened slightly, unable to resist leaning down to peck his soft pink lips gently.

　　“There are still people around!” Su Ling exclaimed, elbowing Lin Feng in the side. Unfazed, Lin Feng cast an indifferent glance at the two guests in the guest hall.

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　　Fw Nkdt nzlyale bkp vbasyv, y tlpvwal xlydv vs nshla bkp yxwplxldv. Mbld, bl vwadle vs Pkalnvsa Psw yde Swyd Elduy. “Nlv xl eau vbl taykdp qkapv, vbld ol nyd ts vs vbl qklzep. Xb, aktbv! Ps usw oydv vs alvwad vs vbl twlpvbswpl vs nbydtl kdvs psxlvbkdt xsal nsxqsavyczl yde ewayczl qsa vbl vypj?”

　　Swyd Elduy tzydnle esod yv bla cwpkdlpp yvvkal yde bktb bllzp clqsal ytallkdt okvbswv blpkvyvksd. Mbswtb nypwyzzu ealpple kd y M-pbkav yde flydp, Pkalnvsa Psw osal bktb-lde caydep vbyv olal vss dknl vs akpj tlvvkdt xweeu.

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　　Tyzq yd bswa zyvla, y taswr sq nkvu qszjp ealpple kd M-pbkavp, pbsavp, yde pvayo byvp pvsse ewxcqswdele sd y dyaaso qklze ryvb. Mblka tyglp olal qkmle sd vbl pvakjkdtzu bydepsxl Ya. Fw okvb y pvayo byv rlanble sd bkp blye, zsdt osaj cssvp sd bkp qllv, yde yd lxrvu cypjlv kd byde yp bl lzltydvzu pvlrrle kdvs y qalpbzu byahlpvle ryeeu qklze yde oyhle yv vbl pxyav xlnbydknyz cll kd vbl yka.

　　“Tk, lhlausdl! Elznsxl vs Nkdtuwd’p zkhl pvalyx. Rv’p talyv vs pll usw yzz ytykd vseyu!”

　　Ya. Nkdt kp zkhl pvalyxkdt?

　　That bee is a smart video camera?

　　Early in the morning, Director Dou and Manager Ruan paid a visit to Mr. Su. After more than an hour of talks, they returned with good news: the actor was confirmed, and work would resume tomorrow. As for today, everyone can unwind and enjoy the pleasures of country life together.

　　As soon as everyone heard something fun was happening, excitement bubbled among the group. They eagerly swapped their outfits for something more casual and poured out of the guesthouse. And then, they were led here.

　　So, the so-called pleasures of country life are just live streaming us catching Chinese ricefish?

　　With keen interest, Director Dou stared intently at Little Bee. “Are smart cameras really this advanced these days?”

　　Ruan Wenya’s eyes swept over the bottomless baskets and work boots by the edge of the paddy. Uncertainty crept into her voice as she inquired, “Are we… going down there too?”

　　True to his big-spending ways, Mr. Su saw that the production crew had gathered and headed to the mini-mart. He returned with straw hats, long work boots, and bottomless baskets — one for each person, just enough for them to have fun.

　　That’s right, just have fun! As Mr. Su himself said.

　　“Now that we’re here, we might as well get in there!” Director Dou proclaimed, slipping off his sneakers and donning the work boots. He picked up a bottomless basket and cautiously waded into the waterlogged rice field.

　　With one person leading the way, the others followed suit and made their way down one after another.

　　Stepping onto the fields for the first time, the city dwellers were both fascinated and thrilled. They squished their feet into the soft mud, laughing and teasing each other as they walked.

　　The moment Su Ling’s live stream began, eager fans who had been waiting flooded in, their comments pouring onto the screen so fast that it was impossible to keep up.

　　“Muhahaha! It’s finally here! Good morning, Cutiiiieeee! ◝(ᵔᵕᵔ)◜ Woohoo!”

　　“Hi!  |˶˙ᵕ˙ )ﾉﾞ Is the exciting fish-catching moment finally here? I can’t wait!”

　　“Cutie is looking as dashing as always today! >.<”

　　“So, um…  is the King of Jealousy not here yet?”

　　“Looks like there are some unfamiliar faces here. Are they the fishing experts you hired, Cutie?”

　　“I want to place my order! How much are the fish going for? I haven’t seen any listings for Chinese ricefish on your online store yet.”

　　Su Ling motioned for Little Bee to fly a little closer, his eyes on the phone hanging below as he interacted with the viewers.

　　“They’re my friends who recently came to the village for work, and I’ve roped them into helping out,” Su Ling beamed as he introduced Director Dou and the others.

　　“I’ll have the online shop manager list the Chinese ricefish as soon as he arrives. However, fresh produce doesn’t travel well over long distances, so we won’t be able to ship them to far-off areas just yet since the delivery will take more than two days.”

　　“Huh? Why’s that? Sob sob… I really want to try the Chinese ricefish that Cutie raised! (。﹏。)”

　　“Tough men from the Northeast shed tears of sorrow… TT^TT”

　　“The girls from the Northwest are heartbroken beyond words!”

　　“I’ve already gotten used to it since I live on the Tibetan Plateau!”

　　“Inner Mongolia +1”

　　Seeing the barrage of “+1” comments, Su Ling blew a kiss to the camera. “I’m sorry, everyone. I’ll be sure to remember you when the next vegetable harvest comes in.”

　　“Ahhhh! I caught his flying kiss!!!!”

　　“He’s so cute! Omg, what should I do? I really want to bring him home!”

　　“Hey, you up front! Your thoughts are quite dangerous! Watch out for the King of Jealousy!”

　　“Ding! BabyLingsHusband sent a T-Rex!”

　　“Ding! BabyLingsHusband sent a T-Rex!”

　　“Ding! BabyLingsHusband sent a T-Rex!”

　　“Ding! BabyLingsHusband sent a T-Rex!”

　　“Ding! BabyLingsHusband sent a T-Rex!”

　　And there he was — King of Jealousy, appearing right on cue.

　　Spotting the fire-breathing T-Rex bouncing on his phone screen, Su Ling could not help but press his fingers to his forehead.

　　He led the group to the fields to catch fish, leaving Lin Feng alone on the basketball court to dry the grains. Somehow, it was as if he could sense the man’s lingering resentment from the pack of fire-breathing T-Rexes.

　　Director Dou waded through the mud, struggling to reach Su Ling’s side. Leaning in closer, he peered at the phone attached to the underside of Little Bee.

　　Wow! Three hundred thousand viewers online! That’s on par with some small-time celebrities!

　　His eyes flicked to Su Ling’s face, and a wistful feeling washed over him.

　　As expected, his striking beauty made everything he wore look effortlessly stylish. Even a humble straw hat could not mask the artist’s refined elegance.

　　His appearance captured the viewers’ attention, flooding the comments with questions about his identity.

　　Before Su Ling could introduce him, Director Dou pointed to himself with a grin. “Me? I’m just a city dweller here to experience country life.”

　　After saying so, he pushed his glasses up, the lenses glinting brightly in the dazzling sunlight.

　　Su Ling chuckled, “Since it’s his first time working in the fields, how many fish do you think he’ll be able to catch?”

　　Director Dou nodded thoughtfully. “Hey, before we get into how many fish I’ll catch, I have just one question: how exactly do we catch fish with this thing?”

　　He lifted the basket with no bottom, raising it high into the air.

　　“Um… well…” Su Ling murmured, batting his eyelashes innocently. “I’m not sure myself.”

　　Director Dou blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected answer.

　　The crowd that had gathered around him was equally stunned, their eyes wide in surprise.

　　“Hahahahahaha!”

　　“Cutie’s honesty is going to be the death of me!! Hahahahahaha! d=====(￣▽￣)b”

　　“How can he be this cute? I’m totally in love with him! o(*≧▽≦)ツ”

　　“He may not know how to fish, but he carries himself with such style that anyone watching might think he’s a pro!”

　　Despite being laughed at by a group of viewers, Su Ling showed no hint of embarrassment. He casually cradled a bottomless basket in his arms, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. Confidence radiated from his expression as he pointed his long, slender fingers at the camera.

　　“I’ve got the usernames of everyone who laughed at me. Just you wait! Hmph!”

　　He arched his elegant brow, his lips curling into a defiant pout.

　　The impact was so overwhelming that viewers watching the live stream found themselves clutching their hearts in awe.

　　Xiang Jia nearly choked on the coffee she had just taken a sip of, coughing a few times before setting the cup down. She quickly grabbed a tissue to dab at the corners of her mouth.

　　I think I just left a mocking comment! Will he really remember my nickname?

　　A flutter of nerves and thrill coursed through her, prompting her to wiggle in her seat and shift to a more comfortable position.

　　Her sister’s antics had kept her up all night, leaving her groggy and drained. Desperate to stay awake, she turned to coffee and her idol’s live stream for a boost.

　　She honestly never saw it coming — a single phone call ignited a whirlwind of trending topics on Weibo. Much like a flash in the pan, the rising star blazed brightly, only to vanish in an instant.

　　When she got home from work yesterday, she discovered her sister had been goaded by Lin Yun during a live stream to dox the CEO’s wife. Without hesitation, she immediately called Assistant Zhang and reprimanded her sister sternly.

　　However, her sister felt she was meddling in affairs that were not her own. At fifteen or sixteen, the young girl was in the midst of her rebellious phase, completely closed off to reason.

　　Even so, she spent the better part of an hour trying to reason with her sister when the unexpected happened: Weibo’s trending list went into a frenzy with the shocking revelation of Lin Yun’s past drug use.

　　The moment her sister saw the topic, her jaw dropped in disbelief, and her temper finally began to subside.

　　However, her sister had been a fan of Lin Yun for an entire year and could not let go just yet. She remained glued to the sofa, furiously typing comment after comment on Weibo. Worried that her sister might fall prey to overzealous fans, Xiang Jia kept a close watch, sitting by her side until the early hours of the morning. Then, out of nowhere, the City H police released a statement.

　　Lin Yun was arrested and tested positive for drugs too!

　　Her younger sister burst into uncontrollable sobs, and Xiang Jia pulled her into a comforting embrace with a complicated heart. Stroking her hair gently, she took the chance to impart some wisdom, “Focus on your studies while you’re still young. Be sensible about idolizing celebrities. Don’t let yourself become just another pawn in their game.”

　　After staying up all night, her sister cried herself dry and finally passed out. As for her, she dragged herself into the office with dark circles under her eyes.

　　Seeing Lingyun’s live stream at that moment was like a breath of fresh air, instantly clearing her mind and lifting her spirit.

　　Upon hearing Su Ling’s bold declaration, the production crew members exchanged confused glances.

　　So… where exactly did Mr. Su find the confidence to maintain an air of nobility in the face of the viewers’ good-natured mockery?

　　With a composed air, Su Ling reassured, “My little teacher will be here any moment now, so please be patient, everyone.”

　　“Little teacher?” Director Dou repeated, his voice laced with confusion.

　　“Brother Su!” A clear, bright voice rang out from afar as a boy with a woven basket slung over his back raced toward them, excitement in every step.

　　Su Ling pointed, his voice rising with elation. “Look, here he comes!”

　　Li Dahai ran to the field, breath coming in frantic gasps. “I… I’m so sorry I’m late,” he panted, his chest heaving with each desperate breath.

　　“Not at all. You’re right on time,” Su Ling remarked with a smile, waving him over.

　　The production crew members all turned toward the young man in unison, skepticism etched across their faces.

　　Him? The little teacher? Can he really do it? He looks so scrawny. Is he even fifteen?

　　Suddenly, the weight of more than twenty pairs of eyes bore down on Li Dahai, and a wave of nervousness washed over him. His body stiffened, hands and feet fumbling awkwardly as he swallowed hard, his legs shaking beneath him. With each unsteady step, he staggered onto the field.

　　Su Ling walked over to him with a reassuring smile. “Don’t be nervous. Today, we’re all your students.”

　　Li Dai scratched his head shyly and took the bottomless basket off his back. “Actually, it’s not that hard,” he explained as he demonstrated. “You just need to dip the basket into the silty water like this, then reach inside and feel around. If you’re lucky, you might find a fish.”

　　As he said so, he pulled out a squirming fish from the basket, its slippery body wriggling in his grasp.

　　“Wow! He caught one!”

　　“Ah, I see now! The basket is designed to restrict the fish’s movement. How could I have missed something so simple?”

　　“Heh, sometimes the simplest things are the hardest to notice.”

　　“This is the ingenuity of the working people!”

　　“Alright, everyone, enough with the chit-chat! Let’s all give it a try and see who can catch the most!”

　　In an instant, over twenty individuals scattered in every direction, baskets raised high as they plunged into the silty water. Bending low, their hands rummaging the basket with eager anticipation. Each time a fish was found, a surge of excitement rippled through the group.

　　 Following Li Dahai’s method, Su Ling excitedly fished out two Chinese ricefish from his basket.

　　After drying the grain, Lin Feng hurried to the fields, where a breathtaking scene awaited him.

　　With a straw hat perched on his head, the young man held a plump fish in each hand, their scales glinting under the sunlight. Out of the water, the fish thrashed violently, their tails sending mud flying everywhere. Laughing heartily, he dodged the spray, though his handsome face still ended up streaked with mud, adding to his youthful exuberance.

　　Su Ling spotted the tall figure at the edge of the field. A fish in each hand, he made his way toward the man, his boots sinking deeper into the muddy path with every step.

　　“Look at the fish I caught! Aren’t they nice and fat?”

　　Lin Feng’s gaze softened, warmth dancing in his eyes. “You’re amazing, Baby Ling!”

　　Beaming with pride, Su Ling declared, “I’ll make you grilled fish for dinner tonight!”

　　“Sure.” Lin Feng raised his hand, his thumb gently brushing away the mud from his cheek.

　　Those forced to witness the public display of affection stood in stunned silence, words failing them.