Don't Force Me to Ship Them

Si You tried again and again, but he really couldn't sleep. Helpless, he went out to find the production crew.

After hearing Si You's request, the staff contacted the director. In the end, an assistant director came out and went upstairs with Si You to take a look. The dampness was indeed quite serious, but there wasn't a single spare room left.

Seeing the assistant director scratch his head for ages without coming up with a solution, Si You asked, "Do you have a space heater?"

The assistant director shook his head. "It's still summer. We didn't prepare any."

Seeing that it was almost eleven, Si You figured that if they kept fussing over this, something else might happen. "Then bring another stool into my room."

The assistant director immediately understood what Si You meant and hurriedly said, "That won't be comfortable to sleep on."

Si You replied, "It's fine. I'm skinny."

Si You hated sweating most of all. The damp bed felt as if someone had splashed water all over it; he didn't even want to sleep near the edge. Besides, he was playing the role of a nobody. To avoid controversy, he still needed to adapt to the environment. The staff quickly carried up a stool. Si You flattened the small sofa in the room and barely extended it a little. It was just a bit narrow—lying flat was manageable, but if he turned over, he would fall off. Still, Si You was feeling down. Once he had made the bed, he closed his eyes and went to sleep, too lazy to care about anything else.

He didn't sleep well that night. Si You woke up with a start several times in the middle of the night, pulling his slipped-down blanket back up. It felt as if a stone were pressing on his chest. When knocking sounded outside the door, Si You abruptly opened his eyes and saw that it was already seven thirty.

He was the last one downstairs. Jiang Yao was already much better and had put on some light makeup to reassure the fans watching.

When she saw Si You, Jiang Yao frowned slightly. "Are you feeling unwell?"

Si You's hearing had become muffled again. He stretched his sore arms, grabbed a piece of toast, and stuffed it into his mouth. "No, I'm fine."

But the moment he spoke, his voice was thick with congestion.

Jiang Tingxu stared at the dishes on the table, his gaze seeming to shift this way.

Si You noticed, but he didn't want to flatter himself. Jiang Tingxu was in a completely different league from him. If Jiang Tingxu thought he was a terrible person and didn't want to deal with him despite them being paired up as a CP, that was fine. The internet wouldn't say anything about it either.

Si You was full after half a bowl of porridge and forced himself to eat another slice of toast.

Just as he put down his bowl, Xue Boyu stepped forward and handed him a packet of medicine. "Brother Si You, this is yours."

Si You chuckled, clearly implying something. "You're so thoughtful? You even sorted it out for me."

Jiang Tingxu got up and went to the kitchen to help. Xue Boyu grinned but didn't explain.

Inside, he was practically shipping them to death.

It was mostly drizzling today, and since it was Saturday, the ancient town five kilometers away would be livelier. The guests' task had already been decided—help local farmers sell apples. Each group had a guaranteed quota of one basket. Once they sold it all, they could earn point cards to exchange for supplies. The more they sold, the more they earned, with the amounts calculated clearly by weight. There was no way they were getting even the slightest advantage out of the production crew.

The apples had already been delivered. Everyone had originally thought the task wouldn't be too difficult, but upon closer inspection, they saw that the apples had fallen onto the ground because of the rain. They were covered in mud, bruised and pitted, and looked miserable.

Si You stood at the doorway with his arms folded, his mind racing.

Once they had asked about the base price, the rest was up to the guests to make of it.

Xu Ke was still hoping for the celebrity effect. What if fans recognized him and bought everything at once? Wouldn't that be wonderful?

But the directing team told them to wear hats if needed, masks if needed, and matching clothes as well. They looked like factory workers sent out to promote products.

Xu Ke's dream was shattered.

Usually, everyone had their styling done in front of the cameras and tried to show their best side. With the lighting crew's help, they all looked as if they were glowing. But once they changed into the matching blue work uniforms and covered their hairstyles and most of their faces, the differences became immediately obvious.

Zhang Jianlin had it the worst. He had a sturdier build and was already somewhat broad-backed and burly. Now, even his strengths were concealed, and at first glance, he looked completely ordinary.

Jiang Tingxu was still the most eye-catching. He worked out all year round, with a tall, lean frame, broad shoulders, and a narrow waist. His exposed eyes were cool yet captivating. People would believe he was headed to a runway show. Si You wasn't bad either. Though he was on the thin side, his proportions were elegant, especially his waist. When the uniform belt cinched it in, Jiang Yao and Song Yalin both turned to look at him in unison.

Si You looked surprised. "What are you looking at?"

Jiang Yao gestured at him. "Your waist is so slim."

Si You raised an eyebrow. "Are you flirting with me?"

Jiang Yao and Song Yalin burst into laughter together.

Jiang Tingxu glanced over without showing any reaction.

It really was slim.

[I mean... Si You has really opened my eyes this season...]

[Who hasn't been? That waist—I'm so into it.]

A hint of gloom showed in Zhang Jianlin's exposed eyes. It was also why he had insisted on bringing up Si You and Shen Chuan last night. He had hurt the enemy by a thousand but himself by eight hundred. Looking at those online comments, Zhang Jianlin hadn't fallen asleep until the latter half of the night.

The transportation provided was a tricycle the directing team had rented from a farmer. Fortunately, it was electric.

Si You loaded a bucket of water and several towels onto the tricycle, then took some cardboard from the storage room and slipped a black marker into his pocket.

Selling fruit depended on looks too. Even Si You wouldn't dare guarantee that they could sell everything.

Si You hadn't spoken to Jiang Tingxu at all, but he had no choice now. He gestured for Jiang Tingxu to sit in the back. "I'll drive."

Jiang Tingxu said, "I'll drive. You sit."

His tone was flat, but there was no room for negotiation. Si You understood and didn't waste time. He sat in the back, joined by Xue Boyu, who didn't even have a driver's license. He really wasn't confident about driving an electric vehicle like this. If he drove it into a ditch, whose fault would that be?

"Brother Si You."

"Yeah?"

Xue Boyu glanced ahead. "If you're tired, just say so."

"I'm not tired." Though that was what he said, that cold medicine really packed a punch. His hands felt weak after taking it, and he wanted badly to sleep.

Si You looked at the baskets of apples and began working.

Xue Boyu followed his example and picked up a towel, but he looked somewhat lost. "What do we do, Brother Si You?"

"Sort them." Si You said, "Wipe the mud off the surface. Pick out the good-looking ones, put the slightly worse ones in another pile, and so on. Different grades need different prices."

Xue Boyu said, "Isn't that a lot of trouble?"

"It only looks troublesome." Si You said, "If you were the buyer, would you want apples covered in dirt?"

Xue Boyu understood.

The wind rushed past their ears. Si You's voice rose and fell, and Jiang Tingxu felt that Si You's cold seemed to be getting worse.

The guests' stall locations were all fixed to ensure equal foot traffic. He Qing still hadn't returned, and a fool like Xue Boyu, whose wilderness survival skills were nonexistent, naturally needed more looking after. So the directing team tacitly arranged for him to be with Jiang Tingxu and Si You. The fans in the bullet comments breathed sighs of relief, but at the same time, that meant their task was heavier.

[Honestly, Si You still hasn't snapped, and he's even chatting and laughing with Xue Boyu. That's unexpected.]

[+1. Last season, he definitely would've mocked Xue Boyu a few times.]

[Heh, does he even have the right to mock anyone?]

Si You and Xue Boyu had already sorted out some of the apples on the tricycle. Now the two sat on the steps and continued their work. Sharpening the knife didn't delay chopping wood, and with Jiang Tingxu helping, they finished everything in half an hour.

Sure enough, the best batch Si You had picked out looked great once they were wiped clean and sprayed with a little water. They were bright red and appealing. As soon as they were displayed, someone came over to ask the price.

Si You said, "Four eighty per jin. Freshly picked, no pesticides." Seeing the customer hesitate, Si You immediately took out an apple, sliced off a piece, and handed it over. "Have a taste. If you like it, four fifty per jin."

After tasting it, the customer found it thin-skinned, crisp, and juicy, and immediately nodded. "I'll take two jin."

Jiang Tingxu and Xue Boyu exchanged a look. The base price given by the directing team was one eighty. Si You really dared to name that price.

When an older woman nearby saw Si You lower the price by thirty cents, that sense of getting a bargain rose in her too. "Young man, let me try one."

"Sure."

Within two minutes, Si You had sold two bags.

Xue Boyu didn't understand this stuff. Since it was his first time setting up a stall, he was still nervous and thinking about how to start talking to customers. Brother Si You had already sold out?

[So skilled. Did Si You sell apples before?]

[He looks so natural. The others next door don't even know how to open their mouths.]

Si You was actually too lazy to talk to people. He took out the cardboard he had prepared and used the marker to write several messages.

—Authentic Red Mountain apples. Buy two jin for three eighty and get half a jin free. May you prosper, prosper, prosper from now on.

—They may not look perfect, but they're very sweet. Take them home now for two fifty per jin.

—Clearance sale at one eighty. I wouldn't sell them if I were losing money.

Even for the fifth pile, the worst ones that no one would eat, Si You put up a sign that read: Three cents per kilogram, cheap sale. Great for feeding pigs or sheep.

Before he could even set up the last sign, a middle-aged man rode over on a three-wheeled motorcycle. Looking at the worst pile, he waved his hand. "Weigh all of them for me."

Si You took out a bag and began packing them, acting completely familiar with the man. "Uncle, are you taking these back to feed pigs?"

"Cows," the man said. "These are five cents cheaper than what I usually buy."

This area was Red Mountain, and its apples were famously delicious. In recent years, the high yield had gradually driven prices down, but that didn't mean they were worthless.

Xue Boyu was dumbfounded. He had thought the worst pile would never sell, but it was already gone?

Si You helped the man load them onto his vehicle. Seeing how sweet-talking and capable Si You was, the man even offered him a cigarette.

After the man left, Jiang Tingxu stared at the cigarette in Si You's hand. "You smoke?"

"Ah, no." Jiang Tingxu suddenly speaking to him left Si You a little dazed. He explained, "I accepted it because he was happy. I don't smoke."

Si You coughed lightly and sat back down on the steps, smiling as he asked Xue Boyu, "Did you learn anything?"

Xue Boyu said, "I learned nothing."

Si You folded his arms and leaned against the stone bollard, breathing somewhat heavily as he gently closed his eyes. He had done everything he could. If they still couldn't sell the rest, he would rest for a bit and get up to call out to customers.

Si You thought he was awake, but he became drowsy very quickly.

A hand rested on his forehead. Si You instinctively grabbed the other person's wrist. When he opened his eyes, he met Jiang Tingxu's quiet, deep gaze.

"What is it?" Si You asked.

Jiang Tingxu said, "You have a bit of a fever."

"It's fine. I'll take medicine when we get back."

Even his fingertips were hot, and Jiang Tingxu felt a burst of heat against his wrist.

[...]

[I...]

[Don't force me...]

"Thank you, big sis! May you smile every day!" Xue Boyu's loud shout completely woke Si You up.

When he turned his head, he found a woman in her thirties holding apples and smiling so broadly that her mouth wouldn't close. She shyly waved at Xue Boyu.

Seeing Si You looking at him, Xue Boyu hurriedly asked, "Brother, how did I do?!"

Si You gave him a thumbs-up. "Amazing!"

Si You was still holding Jiang Tingxu's wrist. With just one look, Xue Boyu thought, I'm shipping them.