The filming of 《Little Little Farm》 concluded under a great deal of public attention, its popularity and buzz unsurprisingly topping all other variety shows broadcast so far this year.
First, its theme was genuinely fresh. While there had been so-called “life” variety shows before, they were far less authentic. After all, other shows wouldn’t typically broadcast footage of their guests sweating so much that their makeup ran off their faces.
Second, Director Zhang Zeyun maintained her consistently high standards. From her control of the split-screen shots to her mastery of the show’s pacing, everything was captivating.
The azure sky, the golden wheat fields, the clear river, and the city where nature and modernity intertwined—because Zhang Zeyun’s cinematography was so beautiful, countless people expressed that they would even be willing to do manual labor just to experience the picturesque scenery of Longmen City.
Of course, what people still talked about the most was its terrifying knack for tormenting its guests. Since its debut, 《Little Little Farm》 had invited five guests, and every single one had undergone a baptism of arduous labor. Not only that, but two guests had exposed their disgraceful behavior on the show, and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say their reputations were ruined.
One netizen quipped: “There really should be more variety shows like this with a forty percent failure rate. We don’t care about how celebrities live in extravagant indulgence; we just want to see them bullied into dropping their facades and revealing their true, ugly selves.”
This comment went viral for a short time, briefly hitting number one on Flying Pigeon’s hot search. While sparking heated discussion, it also indirectly boosted Jiang Hanguang’s popularity.
If a person could maintain an impeccable front in an environment like 《Little Little Farm》—cut off from most contact with the outside world and enduring far more strenuous work than city dwellers each day—it could only mean that person was like that in their daily life. As the saying goes, true gold fears no fire.
The best performers in 《Little Little Farm》 were Cheng Ying and Jiang Hanguang. Due to her accumulated bad reputation, Cheng Ying was automatically ignored by everyone, so the flowers and praise naturally all fell upon Jiang Hanguang.
Cheng Ying had just gotten her phone back from the production team and hadn’t even boarded the plane back to Yunjing City when she received a dozen calls, some inviting Jiang Hanguang to join a cast, others discussing endorsement deals.
Cheng Ying’s reply was always the same: “Miss Jiang needs to rest now. We can talk in person when I get back.”
Although the process had been a bit convoluted, 《Little Little Farm》 ultimately achieved the effect Cheng Ying wanted. With this variety show, Jiang Hanguang had successfully established a firm foothold in the industry.
Now was the time to carefully select a good script and make a push for the A-list.
“What are you doing?” As the three of them boarded the plane and took their seats, Cheng Ying was still fiddling with her phone. Jiang Hanguang, beside her, leaned over to ask.
While scrolling through the script summaries sent by various directors, Cheng Ying took Jiang Hanguang’s hand and kissed it. “Looking at scripts for my baby.”
From the seat behind them, Xie Chengcheng went, “Ew~”
Completely unabashed, Cheng Ying turned off her phone and looked at Jiang Hanguang with a wide smile. As expected, the woman’s face was flushed red. She shot Cheng Ying a reproachful glance but still let her hold her hand.
Cheng Ying had been doing this sort of thing frequently over the past two days. For one, she genuinely couldn’t stop herself from wanting to be close to Jiang Hanguang. For another, it was for the sake of her own shattered dignity.
At her core, Jiang Hanguang was still bound by a cultivated sense of propriety and decorum. Although she had accomplished the feat of kissing Cheng Ying in public, it was ultimately a spur-of-the-moment impulse. She was still very unaccustomed to such intimate jokes between lovers in front of others. As a result, for the past two days, she had been in a state of shy sweetness, almost powerless to fight back, which greatly satisfied Cheng Ying’s desire to reclaim some of her assertive aura.
In a good mood, she had no intention of letting Jiang Hanguang off the hook just yet. She leaned in with a smile. “I’ll stop looking for now. I know you’re worried about me. How about a kiss as a reward?”
This was, again, pure teasing. Of course, Jiang Hanguang wouldn’t dare to kiss her, but Cheng Ying now loved watching her, flustered and cornered by her own teasing, yet unwilling to leave her side.
It was like the softest down feather tickling the tip of her heart—itchy and utterly irresistible.
In the past, when she wanted to do this, she would worry about making Jiang Hanguang uncomfortable, so she had always restrained herself.
But now, well, they had kissed and touched, so a little bit of playful intimacy wouldn’t hurt.
Jiang Hanguang had originally turned her face away, but now Cheng Ying was practically right in front of her face. The Alpha’s warm breath on her cheek made her feel even hotter.
Finally, she couldn’t help but turn back to look at her, only to see the beautiful Alpha’s eyes and brows brimming with a smug smile, an expression that clearly said, “I’ve got you wrapped around my finger.”
Even if Jiang Hanguang were a rabbit, she was a rabbit who dared to resist tyranny. Seeing the other’s smugness, tiny flames of defiance ignited in her heart. She shot a quick glance at Xie Chengcheng, who was engrossed in her phone in the back seat, then leaned forward slightly, kissed Cheng Ying even faster, pulled back, and turned her face away again, leaving only a single, crimson ear exposed.
A kiss is a kiss. What’s the big deal?
Cheng Ying: “…”
The soft touch on her cheek was a clear reminder of what Jiang Hanguang had just done. She subconsciously let go of the woman’s hand and rubbed her cheek.
The itch in her heart grew stronger. She desperately wanted to pull back the one who had kissed and run, to teach her what a real kiss was.
But she couldn’t.
This thief-like kiss was clearly the most powerful counterattack Jiang Hanguang could muster at that moment. She couldn’t overwhelm the woman and scare the rabbit, who had just ventured into the trap, back into its burrow.
The effort of holding back drained Cheng Ying’s energy for flirting, so for the rest of the journey, she was uncharacteristically quiet.
Jiang Hanguang peeked at her and saw the Alpha sitting prim and proper, the very picture of a gentleman. The corners of her lips couldn’t help but curl into a slight smile.
Hmph, did she really think I couldn’t handle her?
The rabbit, arrogant with favor, believed she had won a major victory against the wolf, completely oblivious to the fact that she had traded a kiss for this moment of peace.
And Xie Chengcheng, who had looked up from her phone for a rare moment to rest her eyes just in time to see Jiang Hanguang hastily retreat from Cheng Ying, experienced firsthand what it meant for the world to be a cruel place.
When she came, she was part of a pair, just like them. Now, not only was she all alone, but she was also being force-fed a mouthful of their public displays of affection. The two in front of her were simply inhumane.
Xie Chengcheng gazed out the window at the passing white clouds with a world-weary expression, feeling as though she had completely grown up during this variety show trip.
Before long, the production team’s private jet landed at the Yunjing City airport. Xie Chengcheng bolted like a mouse finally returning to its rice jar, announcing that she had three parties lined up for the day. Cheng Ying could only offer a friendly reminder for the beautiful Alpha to protect herself while out having fun, and to not get drunk and puke under a table again.
If it weren’t for Jiang Hanguang, Cheng Ying would most likely be joining her in the revelry. But now, she just wanted to hurry home.
The two collected their luggage in the lounge and happened to run into Zhang Zeyun on their way out.
The director was, as always, exquisitely dressed and beaming.
“Congratulations to you both.”
Jiang Hanguang nodded earnestly. “Thank you for your care during this time, Director Zhang.”
Zhang Zeyun smiled and shook her head. “It’s all part of the job. But Miss Jiang, you have a bright future ahead of you. I hope we’ll have the chance to work together again.”
Cheng Ying stood to the side, watching the two exchange pleasantries.
She didn’t find Zhang Zeyun quite so disagreeable anymore. After all, if she hadn’t brought in those oddballs, her relationship with Jiang Hanguang wouldn’t have progressed so quickly.
Although the other party may not have had the best intentions, Cheng Ying had always been results-oriented, so she wasn’t one to hold a grudge.
Most importantly, compared to Jiang Hanguang, many other things were, in fact, trivial.
So, Boss Cheng magnanimously decided to let bygones be bygones and even give the other party a grand gift in return.
As for whether this gift was good or bad, well, that would be for the recipient to judge for herself.
A mischievous smile touched Cheng Ying’s lips. She stepped forward, took Jiang Hanguang’s hand, and whined in an almost theatrical manner, “Let’s go. I’m so tired, I want to go home and sleep.”
As expected, Jiang Hanguang’s face turned red again. Meanwhile, Zhang Zeyun’s composure was clearly a level above Xie Chengcheng’s. She neither jumped up to curse the lovey-dovey couple nor broke down on the spot demanding Cheng Ying give her back a wife. Her lips merely twitched as she managed a strained smile to alleviate the awkwardness of having sweetness shoved in her face, and she thoughtfully stepped aside to clear the path.
For the first time, Jiang Hanguang walked ahead of Cheng Ying, pulling the smugly grinning Alpha away as if fleeing the scene.
Since they had taken a private jet, they were using a private corridor. It wasn’t crowded at this time. Cheng Ying deliberately slowed her pace, letting Jiang Hanguang pull her along as she admired the woman’s graceful back.
Jiang Hanguang naturally sensed the change in her pace. She glanced back, then also slowed down to walk beside her, asking in a low voice, “What are you doing?”
The question was really about why Cheng Ying had interrupted her conversation with Zhang Zeyun. Although Cheng Ying had flirted with her before, she had never been so blatant as to forcefully insert herself into someone else’s conversation.
Cheng Ying blinked, her face still holding that blush-inducing smile. “Because I really want to—go home.”
She drew out the words “go home,” letting them linger with an almost seductive undertone.
Some things didn’t need to be spelled out; sometimes, everything was left unsaid.
Jiang Hanguang’s mind was instantly flooded with so many images that she didn’t even know which one to start blushing about first. In the end, she could only press her lips together and walk ahead again, ignoring this person who was being improper at every turn.
Cheng Ying’s smile widened, and she began to hum a little tune like a victorious general.
Walking ahead, Jiang Hanguang suddenly stopped. Cheng Ying, striding forward full of self-satisfaction, nearly bumped into her. She stopped short and saw the woman in front of her staring outside, somewhat lost in thought.
She followed her gaze and saw a group of several dozen people gathered in the square outside the airport, looking in their direction with excitement. They were holding up a banner. The private corridor was on the second floor, and from Cheng Ying’s distance, she could just make out the words on it.
Welcome home, Miss Jiang Hanguang.
These days, non-passengers weren’t allowed inside the airport, and the fans must have known they were on a private plane.
Even if they waited there, they wouldn’t be able to see their idol.
Even so, they still came, just to let Jiang Hanguang know they were there.
Jiang Hanguang raised her hand to wave, then lowered it unnaturally.
The private corridor used one-way glass; the people below couldn’t possibly see her gesture.
Jiang Hanguang looked at the light shining in the eyes of the fans in the square, and her heart once again swelled with a sense of fulfillment from being acknowledged.
Only this time, it no longer felt so illusory.
For the first time, she felt that she could grasp this affection, that she could live up to their expectations.
Because she was no longer alone.
“They all came for you.”
The person who gave her confidence came up from behind and patted her shoulder.
Jiang Hanguang met Cheng Ying’s smiling eyes, nodded firmly, and said with solemnity, “Thank you.”
Cheng Ying flashed a toothy grin and interlaced their fingers once more.
“It was always part of my duty. And now, even more so.”
If you’d like to read ahead and support me, you can request extra chapters or get the full novel as an EPUB.
