Cluck-cluck day

"Hen, hen, hen, hen, hen, hen."

"Cock-a-doodle day!"

"Chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick."

"Cluck-cluck day!"

To the insanely catchy music, Xu Chao charged into the center of the square, singing and shaking his body in a cheerful dance.

The village chickens seemed to feel a connection too, joining in with cluck-cluck, cluck-cluck, cluck-cluck day!

Xu Chao got even more hyped, running excitedly in circles and waving his hands to get everyone going.

"Put your hands up! Come on, everyone!"

"Chick, chick, chick, cluck-cluck day!"

"Hen, hen, hen, cock-a-doodle day!"

The villagers caught Xu Chao's enthusiasm too, laughing as they sang and danced along. "Cluck-cluck day, cock-a-doodle day!"

Not only that, the villagers spontaneously joined hands and began circling the village's little square together.

An ordinary person might have felt deeply uncomfortable singing such an embarrassing song surrounded by villagers, but Xu Chao was a social butterfly. Yes, this was exactly his kind of thing!

Come on, come on, let's party!

Xu Chao sang even louder and danced even harder, looking perfectly at home among the villagers and village chickens.

Watching from the side, Lin Yang was itching to join in, crowing along.

At the sight of this joyful, harmonious scene, Shen Xinbai dug his nails into his palms. An attention-seeking embarrassment!

[Singing this song alone is social suicide. Singing it in a group is one big team-building event. This looks so fun!]

[Who said Xu Chao was obsessed with keeping up his idol image? Clucking away like that, he's just an adorable little idiot.]

[Guys, we're in trouble. I was watching the Chick Dance with my mom and we were laughing our heads off, then she said they'd dance to this at tonight's square dancing. P.S. My mom leads the group!]

[I suddenly have a feeling the city night sky will be filled with cluck-cluck, cluck-cluck day. How terrifying, hahahaha!]

[Cursing him in advance: Xu Chaochao, the source of all evil!]

After blowing the older men and women a whole volley of kisses-pew, pew, pew-Xu Chao made an elegant exit, only to be pulled back into the center of the square.

Because he had taken first place in the competition just now by an overwhelming margin, miles ahead of everyone else!

Amid all the clucking, Xu Chao said happily, "Thank you for liking me, everyone! Cluck-cluck, cluck-cluck!"

The villagers responded enthusiastically, "Cock-a-doodle, cock-a-doodle!"

Shen Xinbai's eyes reddened with jealousy. A low-class Chick Dance wasn't even worthy of competing with him, yet it had actually won first place. "Rigged."

Xu Chao had sharp ears. "Jealous?"

Shen Xinbai froze. He was just about to deny it when Xu Chao denied him the chance. "If you want first place, you can have it. Go find your darling Jun."

Feeling looked down on, Shen Xinbai frowned. "I don't need it."

"Forget it, then." Just after saying that, Xu Chao suddenly remembered something. "Oh, right, there's the supply pack too. You don't deserve that. Yangyang, it's yours."

First place didn't matter, and neither did the supply pack!

What mattered was that Xu Chao had him in his heart!

Lin Yang bubbled over with happiness.

[It's official. Best Actor Lou isn't even worth as much as a supply pack.]

[I've watched how every guest performed all along the way. Rigged, my ass!]

[Honestly, Shen Xinbai did sing pretty well, but the audience barely had any schooling and couldn't understand what he was singing at all. Xu Chao's Chick Dance, on the other hand, was vivid and expressive. It would've been rigged if he hadn't won.]

Originally, Xu Chao had been first, Shen Xinbai second, Cheng Yu third, and Lin Yang fourth. After Xu Chao's reshuffling, Lin Yang instantly became first.

Not only did he receive a supply pack half a person's height, he also got to be the first to bring out his on-screen husband, Zhou Nan.

Zhou Nan had been in the industry a long time, but his acting wasn't outstanding and he wasn't very popular. He mostly played bit parts on various productions.

He had turned thirty this year. If he still couldn't make it, he really wouldn't have many opportunities left.

When Zhou Nan appeared, he looked at Shen Xinbai first before turning to Lin Yang and calling his name gently. "Yangyang."

Lin Yang immediately blushed, answered sweetly, and was about to run over.

Xu Chao reacted quickly and grabbed him. Lin Yang turned back in confusion. "Chaochao?"

Xu Chao pressed a hand to his forehead and said affectedly, "I'm suddenly feeling a little dizzy."

Lin Yang hurriedly supported him and asked the staff for a bottle of water, saying with concern, "It's too hot out. Have some water. Don't get heatstroke."

Just then, Zhou Nan came over with an unfriendly look in his eyes. "Yangyang isn't your servant. Stop ordering him around all day."

Had it been someone else, those words really might have stirred up trouble.

But Xu Chao had saved his life, and now he was treating him so well, even giving him the all-important supply pack.

Lin Yang was a little unhappy. "Chaochao is my best friend. Of course I should help him."

Xu Chao had clearly been using him all along and had never treated him as a friend. What an idiot. Still, being stupid made him easier to control.

Zhou Nan softened his voice. "I just feel bad for you, so I spoke a little hastily. Be good, Yangyang. Don't be angry."

Lin Yang responded to gentleness rather than force, and he blushed bashfully.

But the next second, Xu Chao's chilly voice rang out. "You feel bad for him? Fine, I'm tired. Go get me a stool to sit on in his place."

His tone was that of someone ordering a servant around.

Clenching his fists, Zhou Nan agreed with a gentle smile, but the instant he turned around, he darkly muttered, "Fucking idiot."

The drone camera captured it all.

[???]

[It's normal for friends to help each other out, right? Why does Zhou Nan look like he wants to kill Xu Chao?]

[If you don't want to help, don't. Why agree with a smile to his face, then curse him behind his back? Two-faced people are terrifying!]

[Xu Chao's whiny, snide attitude is literally me when I can't stand my best friend's boyfriend!]

Shen Xinbai was watching this scene too, convinced that Xu Chao simply couldn't stand seeing other couples in love. So as soon as Lou Jun appeared, he immediately hugged his arm and came over to show off in front of Xu Chao.

Xu Chao rolled his eyes and turned away breezily. "Director, he still hasn't paid back the five million he owes me. Have him transfer it straight to you as my contract termination penalty. Ugh, I think that money's dirty anyway."

The director paled in alarm. Xu Chao couldn't leave. "No, that money won't do."

Xu Chao shrugged. "See? The director thinks your money's dirty too."

Lou Jun had never imagined Xu Chao would bring up the money in public. "Xu Chao!"

Five million gone, forced to work, and subjected to harassment from idiot coworkers. Xu Chao was genuinely fed up.

"If you're not paying me back, stop barking. Keep it up and I'll have animal control catch you."

Shen Xinbai stepped forward gently. "Chaochao, don't you think insulting him like that is going too far?"

"Yes, yes, yes, I'm going way too far, and he still won't pay back money he's owed for five years." Xu Chao raised his head toward the camera. "Guys, spam 'deadbeat' in the chat."

At once, everything Lou Jun and Shen Xinbai had been about to say got stuck in their throats.

Xu Chao raised his arm and rallied the villagers to chant with him. "Deadbeat! Deadbeat! Pay up! Pay up!"

"He looks respectable enough. How come he's a deadbeat?"

"Paying your debts is only right! Pay up, you fool!"

"These days, debtors act like they're the bosses. Call the police and have him arrested. That'll straighten him out!"

"That's right! Let's all haul him to the police station. We're getting Chaochao his money back today!"

The villagers had all experienced difficulties collecting debts to some extent. Filled with righteous indignation, they pointed and scolded, growing louder and louder.

With someone taking the lead, the other villagers rushed forward too, carrying sacks and hoes.

Lou Jun had already been furious. Before he could think of a solution, the villagers charged at him with their tools.

Someone's shovel struck him, sending a sharp pain through his back. Unable to stand it anymore, Lou Jun shouted, "Get the hell away!"

Seeing how things had developed, the director hurriedly told the staff to pull the agitated villagers away.

"Calm down, everyone! Calm down!"

"We'll calm down when he pays up! Otherwise, we're hauling him to the police station!"

"That's right! Pay up! Pay up!"

Xu Chao had long since been squeezed out of the middle of the crowd. Standing on the edge, he waved his fist and chanted with everyone else. "Pay up! Pay up!"

Lou Jun glared viciously at Xu Chao.

Xu Chao was utterly unafraid. "What are you staring at? Pay up!"

The director said somewhat helplessly, "Mr. Lou, what do you think we should do about this?"

[Holy freaking hell, how is this a dating show? It's clearly a social affairs show. Even Today's Legal Report would have something to say about this.]

[Being mobbed by villagers demanding repayment. Best Actor Lou really is the first in Chinese entertainment to pull this off.]