Earning money for dinner

Shen Zeyu sighed. "It's fine. I can cook." Good thing he could, or even getting a meal would have been a problem for their little group.

"Our young Shen really is impressive," Zi Yiting and Chen Ran said. As the two oldest adults, they called Shen Zeyu "young Shen." Besides, he wasn't a celebrity, so they didn't have to worry about all the entertainment industry's social maneuvering when talking to him.

Ge Qing grew even more excited and gave Shen Zeyu a hug. "Shen, you're amazing."

Shen Zeyu looked at Ge Qing as though he were a child. He really did express his emotions in the most straightforward way.

Watching the livestream on his screen, Lu Cizhou was speechless. Could this guy keep his hands to himself?

Lu Yu was also telling the other children, "My little dad makes really delicious food."

Tiantian asked, "How delicious?"

Lu Yu couldn't describe it, so all he could say was, "It's just really delicious. You'll know when you try it."

Hearing that, Tiantian and Feifei began looking forward to it. They wished evening would come right away so they could find out just how delicious Uncle Shen's cooking was.

Ge Zhou wasn't particularly picky about food. As long as he got something to eat, he was happy.

Once they had decided who would cook, the four adults took their children in different directions to look for the production crew's markers.

The crew had already marked the homes that needed help. All the guests had to do was find them.

The first to find one was award-winning actress Zi and her daughter. Spotting the crew's marker, she led Feifei over and knocked on the door.

Perhaps the door was some distance from the rooms, because Zi Yiting knocked for quite a while before she heard someone coming to answer it.

An elderly woman who looked to be in her seventies or eighties came to the door with a cane. As she opened it, she said, "Sorry about that. I'm getting old, and my hearing isn't very good anymore."

Zi Yiting immediately stepped over the threshold to support her. "It's all right, Grandma. We're in no hurry."

Seeing someone in beautiful clothes, clearly from the city, coming to help her, the old woman grew flustered. "Oh, you mustn't. I'll get your clothes dirty."

Zi Yiting had a grandmother herself and couldn't bear hearing that. "How could you get them dirty? We're both just as clean."

She helped the old woman forward and told Feifei to follow beside them. Once inside the courtyard, she spotted a little boy washing vegetables. Only after helping the old woman into a chair did Zi Yiting ask, "Grandma, is there anything we can help you with?"

The old woman didn't answer. Instead, she looked at Feifei. "Is this your daughter?"

Zi Yiting nodded, then took Feifei's hand and brought her to her side. "Feifei, say hello to Grandma."

Feifei obediently greeted her. "Hello, Grandma."

The old woman's face blossomed into a smile, and she took a piece of candy from her pocket and offered it to Feifei.

Unsure whether to accept it, Feifei looked at her mother. Only after her mother nodded did she take it. "Thank you, Grandma."

Still beaming, the old woman finally answered Zi Yiting's question.

"There's not much I need help with here. It's just that my grandson has no one to play with. Could your little girl play with him for the day?"

Rather than deciding for her, Zi Yiting lowered her head and asked Feifei, "Feifei, would you like to play with that boy?"

The boy must have heard them talking, because he was looking over with an uneasy expression. He knew his grandmother meant well, but why would such a pretty little girl want to play with him?

Feifei looked at the boy, whose dark face was full of nervousness, and gave him a sweet smile. "I'd love to."

A delighted smile spread across the boy's face. This little girl is so nice.

Zi Yiting smiled. "Then go play with him."

"I'm coming to play with you!"

A hint of panic appeared in the boy's eyes. "W-wait a moment. We can play once I finish washing these vegetables."

Feifei crouched beside him. "I'll help. Tell me how to wash them."

"O-okay."

Watching the two children wash vegetables together, the grandmother smiled even more happily. "Thank you both. There aren't many children his age in this village to begin with. His parents have gone away for work, and he has to look after me, so he rarely goes out to play. Now that he has someone to play with, he's certainly happier."

Looking at the boy, who was caring for his grandmother on his own at only eight or nine, Zi Yiting felt deeply moved, and rather admiring too.

The livestream comments were praising the boy as well.

{"Sob, he's so amazing. He can already do so much at such a young age."}

{"This is what it's like for children left behind by parents working away from home. But there's no helping it. His parents are doing it for the family, after all."}

{"Since becoming a parent, I can't bear seeing things like this. Of course, his parents must be proud of him too."}

"Grandma, is there anything else that needs doing around the house?" She wanted to do more, hoping she could help the two of them.

"There really isn't. Just keep me company and chat with me. We can watch the children play too." Only then did Zi Yiting sit back down.

The second to find a household was Chen Ran. His task was to help a villager chop firewood.

The homeowner demonstrated, then let him try. It had looked fairly simple while he watched from the side, but doing it himself was another matter.

Holding up the axe, he stared at the upright log, afraid his swing would go wide.

The homeowner liked children and found a shady spot for Tiantian, giving her a little stool to sit on.

Watching her father prepare to chop wood, she raised her little hands to cheer him on. "You can do it, Daddy!"

Hearing his daughter's encouragement, Chen Ran hesitated for a while before finally swinging. But he hadn't used enough force, and the axe got stuck.

Chen Ran gave the homeowner an embarrassed look. The man was a hearty fellow and laughed loudly. "It's fine. That's normal for your first try. Watch me demonstrate a few more times."

Chen Ran watched intently. After splitting a log, the man made conversation. "What's it like out there these days?"

He only went into town for an occasional stroll and hadn't been to a big city in a long time.

"You should go out and have a look yourself. How could my description compare to seeing it with your own eyes?"

The man laughed. "A trip costs too much. I need to save up for my child's university education. If I could manage heavy labor for long stretches, I'd definitely go away for work too. That way, my wife wouldn't have to work so hard."

Chen Ran hadn't expected that to be the reason and fell silent for a moment. Once he recovered, he took the axe from the man and swung again. This time, he finally got it right, successfully splitting the log in two.

Then, as he chopped wood, he slowly began telling the man about the changes in the outside world.

The man listened intently and occasionally asked questions, which Chen Ran patiently answered one by one.

Meanwhile, Shen Zeyu and Lu Yu had also found a home bearing the crew's marker. They were just about to knock when they heard Ge Qing shouting.

"Aaah! Shen, save me!"

Shen Zeyu looked over and saw a whole string of chicks trailing behind Ge Qing, with a fierce-looking old hen chasing after them.

Shen Zeyu was speechless. How did he end up getting chased by a hen?