Because Chu Zhi wanted Zhou Dakong and Tan Lu to take it easy, he worked like a one-man farming machine and finished the entire melon field in one afternoon.
Tan Lu and Zhou Dakong were deeply moved. True feelings are hard to read, but judging by Chu Zhi's effort, how could his motive be anything but genuine?
"Brother Jiu, that was too much," Kun Yun said. "Xiao Mei got two blisters on her hands."
Sudden farm work always raises blisters on people who are not used to it. Kun Yun hoped Chu Zhi would display his own "battle scars," a perfectly reasonable way to earn a little sympathy.
But Chu Zhi did not bother. To him, these small injuries were not worth showing off. He only wanted to win everyone's goodwill first; after all, he would be a resident guest for six episodes, and good relations made everything easier.
"It is nothing worth talking about," Chu Zhi said. "Let us change the subject. Sister Mei, is your new film about to premiere?"
Kun Yun was surprised but quickly followed his lead. "I think it is called Awakening Fantasy, right?"
"Yes, Awakening Fantasy," Chen Mei said, seizing the chance to plug it. "Our new movie comes out during National Day."
Lan Wuyi nodded. "You star opposite Min Jeongbae, correct?"
They chatted about the film's selling points. Chen Mei brought awards and acting chops, while Min Jeongbae guaranteed a friendly image and strong box-office pull.
One reason Back to the Countryside had slid in ratings was that guests kept turning the show into a promo platform. The chatter could be fun, but too many plugs ruined the flow, and even clever editing could not fix that.
Kun Yun watched Chu Zhi polish off two bowls of hand-grab rice and one bowl of pineapple sticky rice. "You must have burned through a lot of energy."
"I always eat this much," Chu Zhi replied.
"I do not believe it," Zhou Dakong said. "Brother Jiu, you are so slim. Last season I ate only a little extra and everyone said I was getting fat." He sighed—easy-to-gain weight was an unforgiving trait.
"Probably body type," Chu Zhi said. "I just do not put on weight."
"Envy," Chen Mei groaned. "I want that kind of body type too."
Dinner, filled with casual talk, lasted a full hour and a half. When it ended, the six returned to their rooms, and Chen Mei volunteered to wash all the dishes.
Free time remained, and Kun Yun—the man responsible for pacing the show—had two classic options: cue Chen Mei and Lan Wuyi to tell old filming stories, or ask Chu Zhi to sing a song. After all, Star Journey had ridden Chu Zhi's music to huge view counts.
Instead, Zhou Dakong accidentally steered the evening. He and Tan Lu began a childish bottle-spinning game: whoever the bottle pointed at was labeled the "pig."
Chu Zhi joined in, then Lan Wuyi, Kun Yun, and Chen Mei followed. The punishment shifted to answering a Truth question.
The living-room floor was carpeted, so the six of them sat in a circle.
"Xiao Mei, you spin first," Kun Yun suggested.
Tan Lu spun the bottle. It stopped in front of Chen Mei.
Tan Lu hesitated, then asked something friendly: "Teacher Chen, who has influenced your career the most?"
Chen Mei thought aloud. "That would be my junior-high homeroom teacher, Li Shasha. My grades were bad back then; I loved to fool around. Do not be fooled by my current bookworm image. In junior high, just hearing the word 'study' gave me a headache. During a school showcase, my classmates and I performed a skit that won third prize. Teacher Li told me I had real acting talent."
"So that was when you decided to become an actress?" Kun Yun prompted.
"I used to dream of being an architect," Chen Mei said. "Without Teacher Li, I would never have thought of acting."
Lan Wuyi summed it up. "One sentence from a teacher can change a student's life. Dreams grow on self-confidence, and self-confidence often comes from others' words. We should all watch what we say."
Lan Wuyi then shared a story of losing a film audition because he lacked confidence.
Next spin: Chen Mei flicked the bottle. It stopped nearer Kun Yun than Chu Zhi.
Chen Mei asked bluntly, "Teacher Kun, why are you still single at your age?"
Kun Yun explained his view of love. He would give up everything for the one woman who truly drew him. It was not that he refused relationships; he simply had not met such a person yet.
Third round: the bottle chose Zhou Dakong. Kun Yun gently asked about recent rumors of him dating. Zhou Dakong declared he had no girlfriend; if he did, he would announce it publicly.
"My turn," Zhou Dakong said, eyes gleaming. "I want to ask Teacher Lan a question." Fate had other ideas—the bottle pointed straight at Chu Zhi.
Since Chu Zhi had cared for him all afternoon—and since Little Fruits could be fierce—Zhou Dakong chose a harmless copy of Tan Lu's earlier question.
"Brother Jiu, is there someone especially important to you, someone who changed your life?"
"Yes," Chu Zhi answered. "My grandfather. When I decided to quit school and chase my dream of becoming a singer, he scolded me hard, though he knew nothing about music. But in the end he still gave me travel money and living expenses. That changed my life."
Zhou Dakong nodded at the simple but heartfelt reply and asked nothing more.
The game continued. Fifth and sixth turns landed on Tan Lu and, once again, Chen Mei. In more than an hour, the bottle never did point at Lan Wuyi.
At last everyone returned to their rooms. Chu Zhi shared with Zhou Dakong. Cameras stayed on.
Elsewhere, Tan Lu could not sleep. She felt guilty. If she had worked more, her idol might not have pushed himself so hard. She paced the courtyard, too shy to knock on Chu Zhi's door.
Kun Yun noticed and walked over to chat. Few could out-talk Kun Yun; within moments he had her opening up.
"I have heard many stories about Brother Jiu," Kun Yun said gently. "My friends talk most about the Ishikari rescue—how he risked aftershocks to save others. Brother Jiu always thinks of people first. Helping with the field today is exactly his nature."
Kun Yun patted Tan Lu's shoulder. "You are a Little Fruits fan. Think carefully: what truly helps Brother Jiu will make him happiest."
Tan Lu, a level-7 member of Orange Home, thought about it. Yes, her idol always put others before himself, even while fighting depression.
"Get some sleep," Kun Yun said. "Tomorrow, wake up early and help Chef Lan in the kitchen."