Chapter 7

That day, I had just arranged for a professional to transport the tomato seedlings back to the lab. The roots were damaged and couldn’t be planted in the soil for now. After packing up my things, I was ready to leave. Suddenly, the director barged in rudely. He looked around my now-empty room and froze for a moment. “Hey, why are you moving out? Good thing I came in time.” Under the blazing sun, the director was drenched in sweat, his oily face glistening. He reached out to grab me, but I sidestepped. “I have a cleanliness issue,” I said with a frown. The director scowled, visibly annoyed. “A rural bumpkin like you has a cleanliness issue? Stop being difficult and come with me.” He grumbled impatiently and briefly explained his intentions. “Last time, the drama between you and Xiao Xiao got good traction. You’ll join us again today and stick to the same style—the more aggressive, the better.” After finishing, he held up two fingers. “Two hundred a day. Pretty generous, huh? You wouldn’t make this much farming for a month.” I understood immediately. The director noticed the buzz from the previous episode and wanted to ride the wave, dragging me into another segment to prop up Xiao Xiao’s image. She’d come off as pure and innocent, while I’d serve as the antagonistic foil. A dose of fan pity, some fresh engagement—it was all for attention. I was about to decline when his phone rang. “What? Gu Jin is coming to our set to find his sister? In this backwater place? What sister?” He paused briefly, then exclaimed, “Could it be Xiao Xiao? Quick, send someone to the airport to pick up President Gu! This is a golden opportunity! Our ratings will go through the roof!” The rolls of fat on his face quivered as he laughed gleefully, leaving only a pair of squinty eyes visible. I got goosebumps just looking at him. Hopefully, when he receives the court summons, he’ll still be smiling like that.