Too realistic!
Although Zhang Chenhao and the other two had been in casting for years, they rarely saw such a convincing performance of drinking sandy water—perhaps only a few times in a whole year!
They knew full well that the cup was empty.
It was just a prop.
But right now, Bao Ruanruan's eyes were glistening with tears, her delicate face pale from nausea.
Her lips had lost all colour, as white as paper.
It honestly looked like she was drinking a cup full of sand!
Her expressions and actions were so vivid and so detailed!
Zhang Chenhao wanted to say something, but his throat tightened at the sight of such an emotionally charged performance.
Anyone who saw such a fragile girl endure such hardship for her ideals would be moved.
Bao Ruanruan had completely brought the role to life!
And she was still acting.
She tried to put the cup down but then picked it up again with difficulty.
With one slender hand pressed against her collarbone, she took small sips; her eyebrows furrowed as she moistened her lips.
Only then did she put the cup down.
It seemed almost unbearable to swallow.
......
"Great!"
"No problems at all. You can go home and wait for our decision!"
The female instructor almost blurted out— This role is yours!
But that would be breaking protocol. There were still other candidates for them to see.
They couldn't make a final decision just yet.
Nevertheless, the three casting instructors exchanged glances.
Each saw the same sense of awe and admiration in the other's eyes.
She was the one.
No one else could fit this role better than her!
"Well done."
When Zhang Chenhao finally spoke, even he felt awkward.
He was so embarrassed that he wished he could dig a hole in the ground and hide.
Before the audition, he was so confident that she wasn't right for the role that he even recommended another one to her—a difficult childbirth scene.
For the past two months, he had been sending her agency various auditions for roles involving characters who were terrified of death.
Her manager had turned them down multiple times, and he assumed they were being overly picky and failing to recognise her supposed limitations.
But now he realised... her agent had a keen eye!
And he had been dead wrong!
She might have limitations, but they weren't limited to playing characters afraid of death—a far too narrow range!
Her acting range was huge.
Even without drawing on her personal experiences, she could still express them flawlessly!
After Bao Ruanruan left, Zhang Chenhao pulled up her resume again.
27th supporting role in an idol drama.
13th supporting role in an urban drama.
35th supporting role in a military drama.
......
Bao Ruanruan was wildly underestimated by the industry!
She was a hidden gem!
"Old Zhang, you owe us a meal for this. If we'd listened to you, we would've spent another half a month looking for the right person—when she was right here all along!"
"Yeah, we almost missed her because of you."
Zhang Chenhao: "......"
"Fine, fine, I'll treat you all."
"By the way... maybe you should get a haircut first?"
"!!!"
*
After the audition, Bao Ruanruan quickly got into the waiting nanny van.
Chen Feng had just finished a remote meeting inside.
"Yo, how'd it go, Xiao Baozi? You don't look too good."
Bao Ruanruan waved her hand. "I'm fine."
But despite saying that, she remained silent after getting into the car.
She fastened her seatbelt but didn't touch her favourite plain water or herbal tea for once.
She just quickly disinfected her hands and sat there, lost in thought.
Chen Feng was alarmed. "What happened? Talk to me! If there's a problem, you still have me and Brother Xue!"
Xue...
Bao Ruanruan's tired eyes brightened slightly.
The discomfort in her throat from remembering the experience—the torment of not wanting to drink water yet feeling parched—seemed to ease a little.
"Brother Feng, can you help me send a message?"
"Hm? To whom? What message?"
Ten minutes later.
Xue Jing, who was on a business trip in Yanjing, received a message.
[Chen Feng: Brother Xue, can you record a voice message following these words—
Our current water quality has not undergone severe pollution.
When you turn on the tap at home, you get safe drinking water that meets the DB31/T 1091-2018 'Standards for Drinking Water Quality.'
It has been properly sedimented, disinfected and filtered.
When you add a high-quality water purifier, you can drink it with confidence—
Not only is it safe, it's even slightly sweet.]
Xue Jing: "?"
[Chen Feng: Xiao Baozi dictated this to me. Typing it all out nearly killed me! Just remember to record the voice message for her. ]
[Chen Feng: She said to match the tempo of your last recording of the Socialist Core Values—but this time, make your voice a little softer. Thanks. Oh... that 'thanks' is from her, not me.]
Xue Jing's peach blossom eyes twitched for a second.
He looked up and gestured to the investment partner, who was presenting a PowerPoint, to stop.
Lowering his gaze, he skimmed through the script's character description—
A volunteer teacher, Miss Li, discovers the harsh living conditions in the area. The water quality is...
Suddenly, an image flashed through his mind.
A delicate figure of someone who never left home without bottled water or a thermos flask.
Xue Jing lowered his eyes in thought for two or three seconds.
Then, he looked up at the middle-aged businessman sitting upright before him.
"Mr Liu, weren't you just talking about how your company directly extracted water for your Hengquan bottles from the source?"
"Yes, yes! We build factories at the source and bottle the water there, minimising unnecessary human contact.
We never add artificial minerals and conduct hundreds of quality tests every day.
President Xue, let me tell you—"
The man leaned forward.
"In China, you won't find many companies that maintain this level of quality control. Even internationally, we can hold our own against global competitors!"
"Of course, we do fall short when it comes to cost control..."
Xue Jing raised an eyebrow and lifted a hand to stop him.
"On a separate note, Mr Liu, starting today onward, please arrange for six cases of Hengquan water to be delivered to this address every week."
He pulled up the contact information on his phone and handed it to the businessman.
"? Oh! No problem. And the recipient's name is—?"
Xue Jing hesitated for a second.
A delicate figure appeared in his mind.
"... Bao... Jiao... Jiao."🦊
"Haha, what a unique name."
"......"
After resting at home for half a day, Bao Ruanruan finally received a message from her agent with reassuring words about the water quality.
It was a little late but better than never.
It came along with six cases of bottled water.
She looked up the brand's description and water quality analysis online and instantly fell in love with it.
She started drinking it that very day and even told Xue Jing that he could deduct the cost from her appearance fee.
But six cases were too much. It would be a waste to leave them unfinished.
Two cases per week would be enough.
Thanks to this timely 'rain of relief', she quickly forgot about the torment of the desert in the game.
She slept exceptionally well that night, dreaming of pitching a tent beside a crystal-clear lake—
Whenever she got thirsty, she could just bend down and drink straight from the lake.
Sweet, refreshing, soothing to the throat and lungs...
And accompanied by a warm, gentle male voice, it felt even more soothing.
The following day, she woke up feeling completely recharged.
"Let's go! Off to Hengshan Village!"
"Xiao Baozi, urgent notice."
Chen Feng handed her an updated schedule as they sat in the nanny van.
"There's an orange-level thunderstorm warning in Hengshan District today. The director's team has assessed the situation and decided not to take any risks. We'll film in the city for now and recheck the weather tomorrow."
Bao Ruanruan blinked. "Director Zheng is a good director."
His sense of safety had improved.
"Yeah, we're all just amateurs when it comes to nature.
You can't fight the elements—better not to go out during a thunderstorm."
The cameraman and PD were also in the van, heading to the filming location with her.
When they heard her words, they exchanged awkward glances.
They had worked at the Jiangcheng TV Station for three to four years.
Typically, even if there were a thunderstorm warning, the actual weather would only turn severe about 40% of the time.
The usual practice was to get the guests to their destination while the weather was still clear.
If the storm did hit, they could still complete filming in Hengshan Village.
But... recently, Bao Ruanruan had been trending on social media.
On set, she had once grilled the emergency doctor: 'What if I fall off a mountain...? Can I perform a tracheotomy on myself...?!'
Her extreme concern for her personal safety made their variety show seem incredibly dangerous.
Netizens laughed their heads off, and after the laughter died down, some became viewers of Chasing Dream.
Director Zheng Mingchang was experiencing both pain and joy.
High ratings brought him joy.
But seeing a guest so worried about her safety made him think deeply.
Ever since that emergency knowledge segment went viral, Zheng Mingchang made it a routine to have his crew thoroughly inspect the filming location before every shoot—to eliminate any potential hazards.
He could not let the silly trending topic of Bao Ruanruan asking about emergency aid become a real prophecy!
So this time, he made a firm decision:
Even if it meant sacrificing ratings, they would not film this episode in Hengshan Village.
There was no way he would let another 'Bao Ruanruan Emergency First Aid Meme' turn into reality!
As a result, Zheng Mingchang almost got into a shouting match with the TV station executives.
"What? The execs still want us to go to Hengshan Village?" Bao Ruanruan was shocked as she sat in the nanny van.
The young female PD sighed, glancing at the cameraman to make sure he wasn't filming before muttering,
"Well... the last few episodes in the village have had high ratings."
"We recently set a new viewership record, and now several other TV stations are following our lead—gathering celebrities to the countryside for a 'vacation'. Our station is under pressure, and the execs are worried that this episode's ratings will be surpassed by Blue Channel."
The usually silent cameraman couldn't help but nod in agreement.
"We don't want to shoot outdoors in this weather either. Heavy rain makes it impossible to get clear shots. But there's intense competition between the networks, so we've had to bring in 20% more cameramen for additional coverage. If this show's ratings drop, some of us will be let go."
"If other shows don't need staff either, those people might end up losing their contracts altogether."
Cameramen were freelancers, after all.
Some have steady jobs, but others—especially newcomers—were at the mercy of the TV station's fluctuations.
PDs were no different.
If a show did well, they needed five PDs.
If the show declined or got cancelled, the PDs would be reassigned or dismissed.
And right now, the TV station had no new projects in the pipeline.
Which meant... they'd just be left waiting, doing minor, irrelevant tasks.
And if they waited too long... they'd be forgotten.
It was already September.
The period leading up to the New Year was the peak season for layoffs.
The Chasing Dreams crew had been having fun, but lately, even they were starting to feel the tension.
Chen Feng, who was gripping the steering wheel, finally chimed in,
"Oh, I know about the Blue Channel's show. They just launched it, right? They invited Qu Feifei... and that drama actor, Han Mo?"
Bao Ruanruan: "???"
Is this show my lifelong nemesis or something?!
"Yeah, yeah!" The female PD nodded. "That's the one!"
Chen Feng, who was keeping tabs on the competition, added,
"Oh, they just aired their first episode last week. It's a live broadcast format, right? I heard they set up an inn in the mountains and invited regular folks to stay there. What's the name of that place again? Something like Lerong Mountain Area in Nancheng?"
"That's right. Celebrities and regular guests work together on the farm—digging up bamboo shoots, catching fish, cooking meals. In the evenings, they chat and play games. This week is their second episode. Last week, their ratings were 0.3% lower than ours, but now they've brought in Wu Yuchen, a popular idol. Their numbers are definitely going up."
"They're catching up to us fast," the female PD admitted, a bit anxious. "This episode and the next... we could be overtaken."
The number of viewers who enjoy slow-paced reality shows was fixed.
At first, people might try to watch both shows at the same time.
But when one started to feel bored, they'd gradually switch to the other.
"Ohhh, I see."
Bao Ruanruan was enlightened.
She took out her little notebook and wrote it down.
"What's the name of that show?"
"We Opened a Store."
"Oh~"
Bao Ruanruan memorised it.
"They're really going to the mountains in this weather? Are they seriously going to dig bamboo shoots in a thunderstorm?"
Silence filled the van.
After a long pause, the female PD let out a heavy sigh. "… Out of all the variety shows right now, we're the only one not filming in a village."
Bao Ruanruan blinked.
It was late summer.
Typhoon season along the coast.
With the subtropical high-pressure system and typhoons at play, plus the mountains blocking the air currents, it was highly likely that the area would experience intense rainfall.
This weather was not suitable for filming.
"These showrunners are so evil..."
Bao Ruanruan burned the name of We Opened a Store into her memory. Especially its director and production team—they were now on her permanent blacklist of people she would never work with in this lifetime.
Half an hour later, the van continued down the road.
Finally, they arrived at the filming location—a penthouse suite in a five-star hotel.
All five guests had their own rooms within the suite, while the shared spaces included a living room, dining area, and an open-air terrace.
As soon as they reached the hotel entrance, the cameramen switched on their cameras.
The live broadcast had officially begun.
[Whoa, whoa, whoa! Ruanruan, I'm here~
Let me tell you about my experience with my security camera: I installed one in my hallway and even informed my neighbours not to worry; it wouldn't capture them~ I kept hearing footsteps at night, but I was too scared to open the door and check. It freaked me out so much!
Now the mystery is solved—it was a drunk guy from the fourth floor! I've decided that I'm not going to open my door at night, and if I see him during the day, I'll take a detour! I'm also considering moving out once my lease is up. Everyone, stay safe! Ruanruan, you're officially my daughter now! You've kept your mother safe!]
[D*mn, the livestream just started, and we're already getting such intense stories.]
[All right, I'll share mine too: I bought a door stopper, and it works amazingly! I tested it in a hotel during a business trip—no more worrying about safety when I'm alone. I even had a coworker try to push the door—he's a 200-pound guy, and even he couldn't budge it! Best purchase ever!]
[Thanks for the tip, Ruanruan! I recently hung men's clothes on my balcony and placed extra slippers by my door. And guess what? The number of flyers stuffed into my door has dropped! So, were those flyer distributors actually scouting my place to see when I'm not home? I get chills just thinking about it!]
[Oh my God, do you all have so many crazy stories? I'm on the edge of my seat here.]
[Too bad this livestream has the donation feature disabled—I so wanted to send Ruanruan a virtual airplane as thanks! Mom appreciates you~]
[Wait, does all of this actually work? @Brother Lu, take notes.]
[Xiaoxiao, you better ask Ruanruan for tips! Dad is also worried about you—such a cute girl like you needs to stay safe.]
As scheduled, fans and general viewers flocked to the live chat.
The sheer volume of comments even surprised Director Zheng Mingchang—there were more than ever before!
But when he actually read the content...
He nearly had a stroke.
Here we go again…
First, it was a live shopping session, as if they were at a farmer's market.
Now, they had entered the realm of product reviews and buyer feedback.
If a new viewer tuned in now, they would be unable to tell what kind of variety show this was supposed to be!
Zheng Mingchang was speechless, but as the director, he had to keep things on track.
"Due to the weather, we'll be filming inside the hotel today."
"So, today's task is—how do you imagine your ideal weekend?"
"After spending the last few weeks in Hengshan Village, you're finally back in the city. What's the first thing you want to do?"
"Hang out with friends? Chat and relax? Play games?"
As soon as Director Zheng Mingchang spoke, the five guests in the suite visibly heaved a sigh of relief.
[Sounds like today is a free-roaming episode.]
[Probably. The original tasks were likely meant for Hengshan Village. Since they had to change locations, the script had to be scrapped.]
[Wait, does that mean today is an entirely unscripted episode?!]
[LOL, just count how many times Brother Lu has looked speechless since episode one—you'll realise this show never had much of a script.]
[Forget that; I want Ruanruan to continue teaching home security tips!]
[Why not have Ruanruan go out and explore? My mom has been craving fresh juice—help her find the best place!]
[I want to see Brother Cheng's songwriting process!]
[I want to watch my kid practice her dance moves!]
The comments section was buzzing with suggestions.
Fans of different celebrities wanted to see different things mixed with the voices of pure variety show viewers.
It was hard to please everyone.
But Zheng Mingchang had anticipated this situation.
Just as the five guests were about to scatter, he spoke up: "Today's task is completely open-ended—you can do whatever you want. But there are two rules."
"First—you must stay together as a group. No splitting up."
"Second—you must incorporate your personal dreams into whatever you do."
"Shall I remind everyone what their dreams were?"
The five guests instantly froze.
It was clear that they did remember.
And their dreams were... utterly different from each other.
To observe people and improve one's acting skills.
To experience life and write songs about it.
To improve one's dancing skills and stage presence.
To become independent and not rely on one's family.
To watch the sunrise—no, to live to 142 years old.
[Hahaha, I sense this episode will be a total disaster.]
[Director, why don't you just assign them a theme? This is too cruel.]
The chat erupted in laughter.
Meanwhile, the five guests on camera were completely stunned.
Director Zheng delivered his final words:
"Whatever you decide to do, we won't interfere. Happy Saturday!"
With that, he stepped out of the frame.
Cheng Yao wiped his forehead, clearly at a loss.
Lu Wenhao held his phone, wanting to check something—but not knowing what to look for.
Xiao Mengfei and Bao Ruanruan huddled close together.
Lan Zhi, the most senior among them, was the first to break the ice.
"Alright, let's each say what we want to do."
"We'll find common ground and agree on something we can all do together."
As soon as she spoke, the others finally had a direction.
Cheng Yao went first. "When I get inspired, I usually head to the recording studio."
"I'll play..." Lu Wenhao stopped himself from saying video games and quickly changed course. "Lately, I've been watching dance troupe performances."
Xiao Mengfei raised her hand weakly. "I'll practice dancing~"
Lan Zhi nodded. "At home, I watch different shows to study popular acting styles among young people."
Four answers.
Zero common ground.
A complete dead end.
Lan Zhi took a deep breath.
"I can't compose music, I can't dance—I have nothing to contribute to these activities! This approach won't work!"
[Hahaha, Miss Lan is being brutally honest!]
[The production team totally set them up!]
[At this rate, they'll spend the whole morning just deciding what to do!]
Lan Zhi felt a headache coming on.
The others were equally lost.
Seeing how stuck everyone was, Bao Ruanruan figured they wouldn't reach a decision anytime soon, so she took action on her own.
She put her backpack on the living room floor, sanitised the electric kettle, and started boiling water.
Then, she pulled a notebook out of her bag and placed it on the coffee table.
After that, she rummaged through the remote control box on the table, testing them one by one.
Finally, she managed to turn on the TV.
"Xiao Qian, don't go!"
A melodramatic voice of a male actor filled the room.
The four people who had been deep in thought were stunned by the exaggerated dialogue.
They turned their heads in unison and stared at Bao Ruanruan.
[HAHAHAHA! Our Xiao Bao just wants to watch TV!]
[She took one look at the situation and thought: This five-star VIP suite will not be wasted on my watch!]
[65-inch TV? Turn it on! $16 bottled water? Drink it up! Mwahaha!]
[So, today's theme is... five people watching trashy rural romance dramas together?! LOL!]
[I can't stop laughing already.]
"Xiao Bao, do you want to watch dramas?" Lan Zhi asked. "I'm actually good at it."
"Bao Bao, there's a new show called Under the Moonlight—it's a historical time travel romance!" Xiao Mengfei perked up.
When she wasn't dancing, she was a hardcore fan of sweet romantic dramas.
But to their surprise, Bao Ruanruan shook her head. "No." She adjusted the TV channels.
"I want to check the latest news reports. I want to see how far away that typhoon, Buzz, is from us."
The whole living room froze.
Even Director Zheng, watching from behind the camera, was momentarily stunned.
It felt like they had switched to a news broadcast for a second.
Bao Ruanruan's expression was solemn as if she was preparing for battle.
"I checked in the car earlier. It's currently 385 kilometres southwest of us, moving at 7-12 km/h."
"If it doesn't slow down, in two hours, the coastal areas will experience winds of 13-14 on the Beaufort scale."
Lan Zhi and the others were speechless.
Bao Ruanruan changed the channel again—this time landing on the morning news.
Her small lips parted as she spoke:
"Based on these conditions, Hengshan Village and Yuquan Village are likely to see a major increase in rainfall."
"I need to watch the news for a bit, then I'll text Grandpa and Grandma to remind them not to go out for their walk."
Those were her health buddies, after all!
The entire living room fell into solemn silence.
[!!!]
[Bao Bao is still the same Bao Bao~]
[Safety Queen, you truly are Mom's treasure!]
[I refuse to believe she's some kind of 'risky artist'!]
[She really treats Hengshan Village like family, doesn't she?]
Bao Ruanruan immediately focused on the news.
When the segment about the typhoon came up, she took careful notes.
"Compared to the news I heard in the van an hour ago, Buzz hasn't deviated from its expected path, and the wind speed hasn't decreased."
"In fact, it's intensifying. The central winds are forecast to peak at level 16... 52-55 metres per second."
When Bao Ruanruan finished speaking, her fair, round face was filled with worry.
She took out her mobile phone and started typing a message.
The camera zoomed in to show her text to the head of Hengshan village, asking him to tell the villagers to stay safe.
She also sent messages to the elderly folks she was close to, telling them not to go out and to bring their clothes and belongings indoors.
She even took the time to write a detailed article titled 'How to stay safe during thunderstorms' to send to them.
But before she could send the full article, the camera cut away.
[! Hold on!]
[Camera, don't cut away! I want to see what she wrote!]
[Ahhh! I just ran out of food at home and was on my way to the supermarket. When the typhoon comes, will I be caught on the road?! I need Ruanruan's guide!]
[Is it really that serious? I'm in Yanjing, sending prayers for everyone on the coast!]
[Hengshan's grandpas and grandmas, please stay safe!]
The mood of the chat room changed in an instant.
Inside the suite
Bao Ruanruan's update made everyone tense up.
Hengshan Village was facing the dangers of heavy rain, thunderstorms, and strong winds. Even though they were in Jiangcheng, far from the storm's direct path, no one felt like joking around.
After all, they had built up genuine relationships with the villagers over the past month—chatting, eating, and working alongside them.
"Is there a Hengshan news channel?" Lan Zhi asked. "Can we get weather updates for the village from here?"
Cheng Yao frowned. "Hengshan only has a population of a thousand. There probably won't be any special reports."
"What a shame," Xiao Mengfei sighed. "If we were filming there today, we'd at least know what was going on. But now—" She glanced around at the cameras in the room.
All the filming equipment was here.
They had no way to see what was happening in Hengshan Village.
Lu Wenhao frowned and picked up his phone. "I'll ask around."
The Lu family had connections in the tourism industry.
If a place were a tourist destination, the local guides would usually have information.
But just as he sent a message to his father's assistant, a soft voice spoke up next to him.
"I heard that a variety show is being filmed in the mountainous area of Nancheng today."
"I checked the map. The mountainous area in Nancheng is separated from Hengshan Village by Yuping Mountain, with a distance of 68 kilometres between them. Based on the typhoon's projected path, Buzz is heading straight for both of them."
"They're in the same affected zone, and their geographical environments are similar."
Bao Ruanruan analysed the typhoon's trajectory on the news while zooming in on the map on her phone.
Then, she looked up at the camera, her bright eyes serious.
"So, we can watch that variety show—'We Opened a Store'"
"And from that, we can estimate what's happening in Hengshan Village."
Lu Wenhao: "!"
Lan Zhi: "!!"
Cheng Yao: "!!!"
Xiao Mengfei: "Wow, Bao Bao, you're too smart!"
Her sweet compliment nearly made Director Zheng spit out blood.
[Pfft, wait—did I hear that right?!]
[?? What kind of logic is this?!]
[Bao Ruanruan: Today, I single-handedly increased the ratings of our rival show.]
[PFFFFTTT!]
Ten minutes later... with Director Zheng looking like he was on the verge of a breakdown, Bao Ruanruan finally found the Nancheng App's live broadcast channel.
She sighed as the screen lit up. Then, her voice rang out across the suite:
"Sigh, they clearly lack training in lightning safety!"
[!!!]
Director Zheng: "!!"
---
Author's Note:
Ruanruan's class is now in session.
---
Dear readers, some of you have mentioned that pang da hai (malva nuts) have a cooling effect and aren't suitable for long-term consumption, especially for those prone to cold-related conditions. Thank you for the reminder! Everyone, please take care.
Here's a small piece of advice: Plain water is always the best choice!
As for health supplements such as goji berries, chrysanthemum, American ginseng and red dates—while they have benefits, they also have different warming and cooling properties. It's best to use them according to your body's needs.
If you don't have professional medical guidance, try not to consume the same thing every single day.
For example, goji berries are warming. Drinking them daily—especially in large quantities, such as a dozen berries per cup—can be excessive. Some traditional medicine practitioners recommend taking them at intervals or only four to five berries at a time to avoid excessive internal heat.
Awoo, feel free to add any extra tips~
Stay healthy, everyone! Muah!
Footnotes Full List
- I don't know if this guy misread it or what because the characters for 娇 jiāo (lovable/pampered/delicate) and 软 ruǎn (soft) are so different from each other. Or… did Xue Jing save her contact as Jiao Jiao? 😏
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