Director Sun learned the whole story from the following PD, and after seeing the village chief leading Chu Xi and Li Sulan back home, he started ranting furiously: "What is Chu Xi even doing? She's making it seem like our show has zero challenge at all."
The netizens were thoroughly entertained.
[Who told you not to investigate properly when inviting Chu Xi? Wouldn't this all be solved if you just picked a village that President Chu hadn't invested in?]
Director Sun, unwilling to accept defeat, urged the broadcast director: "Switch the camera to the other contestants. I refuse to believe anyone else is getting this kind of treatment aside from Chu Xi!"
"Start with Sang Ning's house. There are four members in her family, and if anyone takes them in, that's four extra mouths to feed for free. I'd like to see which household is willing to do that."
But as soon as the camera switched, they saw Sang Ning driving a tractor down a village path. The Sang Family was sitting in the back, alongside the signature bright-red woven bag at their feet.
Director Sun and the newly tuned-in viewers to the Sang Family's livestream: ???
[Holy crap, did I see that right? Is that Sang Ning on the tractor?]
[Sang Ning can actually drive a tractor? This is groundbreaking for the entire entertainment industry!]
[I'm losing my mind! No matter which livestream I enter, I somehow perfectly miss all the best moments. Can anyone tell me what in the world just happened over at the Sang Ning household?]
Seeing Sang Ning confidently driving the tractor as if it were a sports car, Director Sun almost exploded with rage. He turned to the following PD and snapped: "What the hell are you doing? Didn't I say that the production team wasn't supposed to help the contestants? Who let you give Sang Ning a tractor?"
"Director Sun, the tractor wasn't from us. Our production team doesn't even have something like this. It was from one of the villagers," the following PD responded, feeling wronged.
The camera then panned to the side, revealing an old farmer with a straw hat, grinning and baring his teeth.
The old man, upon hearing the PD getting scolded, looked into the camera and waved before speaking in a thick rural dialect: "Xiao Sun, don't yell at them! My tractor broke down halfway, and it was Xiao Sang who fixed it for me. I just gave her family a lift—what's the big deal?"
Director Sun was gasping for air. She could drive a tractor *and* fix one? What's next, flying to the moon?
[A female celebrity who can drive a tractor is already pretty shocking. But now you're telling me she can fix one too?]
[This has to be scripted, right? Someone tell me they don't actually believe this. I, for one, don't buy it.]
[Don't believe it? Watch the replay after the stream. Those of us who've watched the whole thing live can confirm — Sang Ning is just that badass. Challenge it if you dare!]
The tractor stopped by a small river, and Sang Ning leapt down from the driver's seat with a sharp, clean motion. Her fair face was dusted with a bit of grime from fixing the tractor earlier, and with the slight curl in her lips, she exuded a cool, commanding charisma.
Simply placing one hand lightly on the steering wheel while standing there was enough to make the livestream viewers collectively erupt in screams.
[Ahhh!!! How can anyone be this cool?! From today onward, I declare Sang Ning as my husband!]
[That devilish smirk… She's the ultimate bossy CEO archetype, but without a hint of cringe. If she'd embraced this vibe earlier, I wouldn't have hated on her!]
[Mom, don't stop me — I've officially been bent by Sang Ning. Starting today, I'm joining her harem!]
Sang Ning glanced at the back of the tractor and said with a slight smile, "Sang Chuan, hurry up and unload the luggage. We still need to return the tractor to the old man."
Sang Chuan hopped off the tractor with the woven bag, followed closely by Sang Youming and Hu Zhi.
The old man climbed back into the driver's seat, grinning as he looked at Sang Ning. "Xiao Sang, why're you bringing your family to that abandoned cowshed?" he asked.
Sang Ning smiled, replying in the same rural dialect: "Old man, the production team's really shameless. They're making us mooch off the villagers for 30 days. Isn't that just too much? We're simple folk. As long as there's a place to keep the wind and rain out, we'll be fine. This cowshed has bricks and tiles, it's just perfect. Thirty days will fly by."
[Oh my god, I'm going to laugh until I puke! Sang Ning, how many more surprises are you hiding from us?!]
[Another one of my crushes is now mute. Can't a stunning beauty speak in her normal voice?]
[Director Sun, did you hear that? She just called you shameless!]
[Director Sun's inner monologue: Heard it, heard it. Both ears heard it loud and clear!]
The old man wasn't having it. "Sangsang, this cowshed has nothing in it! How are you going to live here? Just bring your family to my place. I'll have my wife set up some extra beds," he said, clearly concerned.
Sang Ning's eyes curved into crescents as she smiled and declined politely, "It's fine. The production team will send us supplies soon. Since my family's quite big, we wouldn't want to impose and make trouble."
The old man thought about it. His home indeed didn't have that many spare beds. Since the production team would supposedly provide for them, it was better not to overcrowd his house. After saying goodbye to Sang Ning, he cheerfully drove off.
As soon as the old man left, Director Sun's exasperated voice blasted through: "Sang Ning, I told you to stay with a farming household, not to live in a cowshed!"
Looking into the camera, Sang Ning mischievously blinked and chuckled. "But this cowshed *is* part of a farmer's property, isn't it? I fixed the old man's tractor, and he agreed to let us borrow this abandoned cowshed. You only said to find a household willing to take us in for 30 days — you didn't exactly forbid us from staying in a cowshed, did you?"
Director Sun was once again incensed.
[I'm dying of laughter. Director Sun's inner monologue: How the hell was I supposed to predict someone would jump at the chance to live in a cowshed?!]
Seizing on Sang Ning's earlier words, Director Sun smugly retorted, "Sang Ning, we specifically emphasized before this started that the production team wouldn't provide any material support. And yet you dared to promise the old man that supplies were coming? Aren't you being a little too delusional? Fine then, if a cowshed is what you want, we'll grant your wish. But the production team won't give you so much as a piece of paper. You're on your own!"
With that, he ordered the livestream to cut away from her. Let's see how long her tough front could last without help from the production team or local farmers.
Sang Ning walked ahead and pushed open a creaky wooden door, stepping into the courtyard.
The yard was overgrown with weeds. To the left was the abandoned cowshed, and on the right stood a rustic clay stove. In the center were three brick houses with roofs covered in tiles. Each house had a small wooden door only half a person's height, allowing wind to blow through from every corner.
Luckily, it was midsummer. With just a bed, one could barely manage for the night. But if the weather were even a bit colder, it'd probably be unbearable.
The netizens started thinking Sang Ning had lost her mind.
[Any goodwill Sang Ning earned from me just vanished. Can this place even house people? For heaven's sake, stop exploiting your family and yourself just to grab attention!]