Brother Le's Tactics

Ning Shile took his little basket and sneaked off into the distance, then pretended he had only just arrived as he greeted the tall, skinny man.

"What a coincidence, sir!" Ning Shile ran over from a distance, smiling innocently as he greeted the tall, skinny man. "And who's this?"

The tall, skinny man grew wary when he saw Ning Shile, but the basket and hoe in his hands, along with his harmless smile, soon put him at ease.

He probably didn't hear anything. Otherwise, he wouldn't be talking to me.

"This is Mingting, the village chief's sister-in-law," the tall, skinny man introduced her.

"Hello, Sister Ting!" Ning Shile turned to her. He knew very well how to win over his elders.

First, he curled his lips into a slight smile, then narrowed his eyes into crescents, greeting Sister Ting like a little cat.

"Oh, my!" The trick worked wonderfully. Sister Ting looked a little embarrassed. "There's such an age gap between us. Just call me Auntie. Why call me Sister?"

"Not at all," Ning Shile protested before adding sincerely, "You're so young, Sister Ting. Of course I should call you Sister."

"Oh, listen to you." Being called Sister by such a handsome young man made her considerably happier. Sister Ting smiled. "You certainly have a way with words, young man."

"My name's Ning Shile, Sister. Just call me Lele."

Sister Ting nodded, liking Ning Shile more and more as she looked at him. "Shile, what a lovely name."

"What brings you here?" The tall, skinny man glanced at the bamboo basket in Ning Shile's hands, then at the camera. Suppressing his displeasure, he tried to look friendly as he asked, "Are you filming for the show?"

He's... filming a show?

Sister Ting looked at Ning Shile, recalling what the tall,