On the last day, the program team took the initiative and resolutely broke up the guests’ naturally formed pairings.
The director took Actor Meng to film promotional videos for the tea farmers, the screenwriter took Yu Zhi to sell tea leaves, and Liang Xiao stayed behind to guide Jiang Pingchao and Su Man in frying tea.
The producer and the filming crew were responsible for packaging the fried tea leaves.
The investor was responsible for appreciating the beauty of the tea garden.
“Teacher Jiang could also appreciate the scenery.”
Liang Xiao was somewhat worried that strange flavors might get mixed into the tea leaves and appropriately suggested: “For example, together with President Huo-”
Su Man sighed: “Is this social skills group practice?”
Liang Xiao: “…”
During filming with the crew, such scenes had occurred before.
During this period, their President Huo’s communication skills had improved, and Liang Xiao was momentarily careless, overlooking the possible situation that might arise from putting President Huo and Jiang Pingchao together.
Two cold and handsome mutes.
Liang Xiao came to his senses, bent down to add firewood, and lit the stove: “Where is Teacher Jiang?”
“Outside,” Su Man pointed. “He seems to have argued with his manager last night. He didn’t even eat breakfast this morning and has been planting coriander all day.”
Liang Xiao was slightly taken aback: “What did they argue about?”
It wasn’t clear who managed whom between these two, and it wasn’t the first time they had conflicts. Su Man had only heard the general idea and wasn’t very clear either, so she shook her head.
With nothing to do, she rolled up her sleeves, looked around, and bent down to add firewood, but was promptly stopped by Liang Xiao.
Su Man was a bit disappointed: “No need to add more?”
“This much is enough,” Liang Xiao looked. “Any more would create smoke that could choke us.”
He was used to doing these things alone and couldn’t think of ways Su Man could help. After looking around, he handed the bellows to Su Man: “Pull gently and push slowly for a small fire; use force when you need a big fire.”
Su Man curiously examined him for a while, took the bellows handle, and experimented with pulling it a few times.
Liang Xiao sifted the freshly picked tea leaves and set them aside, but he couldn’t help looking at Jiang Pingchao.
There were many situations in the industry where one had no choice. Jiang Pingchao had been strictly managed by his manager for years, and he indeed got upset every few days, but this time the situation seemed different from before.
Not only was Jiang Pingchao’s state off, but the Follow PD responsible for following him had also been replaced.
Liang Xiao was concerned: “Is Teacher Jiang really alright?”
“Hard to say,” Su Man looked at Jiang Pingchao’s profile, which had almost become part of the background. “His fans have very high expectations of him. Previously, several omega artists tried to gain publicity by associating with him, and his fan base exploded quite severely.”
Liang Xiao frowned but didn’t speak.
“Elite managers like Chi Che will definitely set the most correct path for him and won’t let anything affect his future development.”
Su Man stirred the tea leaves a couple of times: “Hasn’t Xingguan also planned for you?”
Liang Xiao smiled helplessly: “How did we end up talking about me again…”
Su Man’s persona had been assertively free-spirited since her debut, with far fewer restrictions than the rest of them. She patted Liang Xiao’s shoulder with profound wisdom and went to pull the bellows with her small stool.
Liang Xiao tested the stove temperature, rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, and went to wash his hands.
The freshly picked tea leaves were poured into the large wok, and an exceptionally rich tea fragrance immediately spread, refreshing the spirit.
Liang Xiao looked and was about to start when he was surprisingly stopped by the follow-up director: “Teacher Liang—”
Liang Xiao was taken aback: “What’s wrong?”
The program team only wanted to film the guests’ return to simplicity and nature, not to have the guests actually buried in the fields. They stopped him in a cold sweat: “It’s too dangerous, just pretend…”
“It’s fine,” Liang Xiao smiled. “This is how tea is fried.”
He had his limits and didn’t let others intervene. He stirred the tea leaves a few times and checked the color.
The follow-up director was so scared that his heart was in his throat, ready to rush in and rescue Teacher Liang at any moment. After holding his breath and watching intently for a while, he also approached with some surprise.
Liang Xiao hadn’t done this for some years, but picking it up again wasn’t difficult. He deftly stir-fried the tea leaves in the wok and instructed others: “This method directly kills the green, the temperature should be controlled according to the maturity of the tea leaves, and it’s best not to wear gloves when handling.”
The follow-up director listened with trepidation, frantically waving his hands politely: “No need to try, no need to try…”
Liang Xiao’s voice was slightly hoarse as he carefully gauged his force, stirring methodically for a few minutes, scooped up a handful of tea leaves to test the temperature, and nodded slightly.
The follow-up director was relieved: “Is it done?!”
“Far from it,” Liang Xiao patted his hands. “This step takes an hour.”
The follow-up director: “…”
“Rolling and drying are all in this step,” Liang Xiao scooped up another handful of tea leaves to test. “It is indeed difficult when first starting.”
The better the tea leaves, the higher the requirements for the frying process. To ensure even heating, appropriate force must be guaranteed, and the flipping and shaking all depend on the temperature and moisture level of the tea leaves. Even now, hand-frying tea hasn’t been completely replaced by machines.
When Liang Xiao was young, he had often been scalded and jumped around in pain, but later he gradually found the pattern and was never scalded again.
“Compared to you, we’re all physically inactive and ignorant of basic knowledge.”
Su Man pulled the bellows and watched, unable to help but sigh, “You’re not that old now, how old were you when you did this? Child labor?”
Liang Xiao thought for a moment: “I was sixteen.”
“I grew quickly when I was young.”
Liang Xiao still fondly remembered his glory days: “At that time, I was tall and quite strong, able to take down a young alpha with one hand…”
Su Man: “Wow.”
“…” Liang Xiao: “Really.”
“Alright, alright,” Su Man cooperatively applauded. “Why did your family let you do this?”
Liang Xiao’s background had been made confusing by marketing accounts and Xingguan’s joint efforts. She didn’t know the specific situation and curiously speculated: “It couldn’t really be like Yun Lian, could it? Homeless, one person eating means the whole family is fed…”
Liang Xiao thought about the situation at that time, couldn’t help but laugh, and shook his head: “I had a home.”
“And at home… there was a young alpha who could be taken down with one hand.”
Liang Xiao had never told anyone before, but now that he had completed the past, he suddenly wanted to boast about it. His ears reddened: “I had to earn money to buy food for him and nourish him.”
With President Huo not around, Liang Xiao stirred the tea leaves and spoke freely for the pleasure of it: “I supervised him every day, very strictly. I made him focus on studying and didn’t let him run around. If he couldn’t memorize his lessons, I made him stand as punishment…”
Su Man understood: “The pillar of the family, earning money to support the household.”
Liang Xiao was very pleased with this description and nodded: “Exactly.”
“That must have been tough.”
Su Man gave him a suggestion: “You should have them film more tea-frying scenes, go out and promote it with the tag #YouthfulMemories, and it will definitely make fans cry a Pacific Ocean’s worth of tears while hugging their phones.”
Liang Xiao was speechless: “No need.”
“Don’t rush to refuse, ask your manager first.”
Su Man half-joked: “He’ll definitely say this is the right thing to do.”
Liang Xiao smiled: “It’s not necessarily about always choosing the most correct path.”
“Isn’t taking the right path good?” Su Man looked outside and pulled the bellows with interest. “Traffic and career complement each other…”
“Traffic-driven artists are different from us, and I’m not very familiar with that field of work.”
Liang Xiao changed direction, methodically kneading the tea leaves: “I’m an actor, and ultimately, I need to return to acting.”
“That’s true in theory, but traffic still rules the day,” the follow-up director sighed. “Without traffic, you can’t get good works, and without good works, you have even less traffic…”
Liang Xiao nodded: “That’s why you choose for yourself.”
The follow-up director was taken aback: “What?”
“Choose for yourself,” Liang Xiao had followed this philosophy from a young age. “Think clearly about what benefits each path offers, what price you have to pay, think it through before choosing, and once you’ve chosen, own it.”
“The path is your own choice, and whatever price you pay, you must accept it.”
Liang Xiao said: “The reverse is also true. Since I accept whatever price I pay, shouldn’t I be able to choose which path I take?”
The follow-up director had never thought about this theory before. After being stunned for a while, he couldn’t refute: “Yes…”
“Makes sense,” Su Man nodded. “If it affects traffic, then do more promotional appearances to increase exposure. If works are insufficient, take on more roles to make up for it. What’s wrong with taking a detour?”
Su Man pushed the bellows with a whoosh: “Is climbing to the mountaintop the only thing left in life?”
The follow-up director didn’t fully understand but felt his emotions stirring: “Not only that.”
Su Man pulled the bellows: “What about enjoying the scenery?”
The follow-up director nodded repeatedly: “Yes, enjoy—”
Liang Xiao smiled and returned to the topic: “So there’s no need for too many of these shots either, just a few will do.”
His past didn’t have much universal applicability. It wouldn’t be right to inspire fans to migrate to Beijing for no reason, nor did he want to film every detail to make people feel sorry for him.
Su Man fanned the flames: “You don’t want fans to feel sorry for you, or you don’t want that alpha of yours to feel sorry?”
In front of the camera, it wasn’t appropriate to be too explicit. Liang Xiao was teased by her, and somehow that term struck his heart and lungs. He smiled and was about to speak when he suddenly heard a sound from outside the door.
Both looked over, but Jiang Pingchao had already disappeared from outside the door.
–
After a day of filming, they finally managed to gather enough footage.
Yin Chi was moved to tears and high-fived the entire program team as if they had been given a new lease on life.
Based on the suggestion of a guest who wished to remain anonymous, in the afternoon’s recording summary, Yin Chi generously announced that half of the guests would be released.
“After consultation, each group will leave one guest behind, responsible for reshooting some footage that we still need…”
Duan Ming came to pick him up and read the program team’s notice: “You don’t need to stay?”
Liang Xiao was confident: “No need.”
“Then who from your group is staying?” Duan Ming couldn’t figure it out and looked at the groupings several times. “President Huo—”
Duan Ming: “…”
Duan Ming put down the grouping list solemnly: “President Huo?”
“Yes,” Liang Xiao’s timing was very tight. He gave the driver a location name. “Better hurry, time is gold…”
Liang Xiao hadn’t settled in his seat when he watched the car door being resolutely pulled open by his manager: “Brother Duan?”
“You go back to record!” Duan Ming hadn’t been watching him for just a few days and witnessed his artist running wild. “How could you leave President Huo behind? Do you know who the others left?!”
Liang Xiao was confused: “Who?”
Duan Ming was heartbroken: “Teacher Jiang, Teacher Su, and the renowned Director Song.”
Liang Xiao: “…”
Duan Ming: “Teacher Jiang’s manager went to handle public relations.”
Liang Xiao: “…”
Liang Xiao couldn’t bear to think about it and closed his eyes: “It’s too late…”
“Get in the car,” Liang Xiao said. “We’re in a hurry.”
Duan Ming: “?”
Liang Xiao still needed to drag him along to help tidy up the room. He solemnly held Duan Ming’s shoulders, pulled the manager back into the car, and closed the door to the Antarctic Adventure program team.
On the way, the manager, who had been offline for several days, finally managed to catch up on the missed plot.
“So,” Duan Ming looked out the window, “we’re going to the house where you two lived back then?”
Liang Xiao was already somewhat distracted, looking at the still very familiar scenery along the way, and nodded: “Yes…”
Duan Ming: “Tears of homesickness are flowing from the corner of your mouth.”
Liang Xiao had been fooled by him more than once and didn’t fall for it. He calmly took out a mask and put it on his face.
Duan Ming found it rather boring, sighed, and handed him a notice: “Perfect timing, there’s an interview the day after tomorrow evening. You and President Huo should both prepare.”
Liang Xiao was taken aback, then realized: “To clarify the rumors?”
Duan Ming nodded.
Jiang Pingchao’s studio and Xingguan’s team had shared information, cooperating with the “Year’s End” crew’s promotion, and were actively responding to the joint targeting by several platforms.
They had already prepared for the clarification plan. Duan Ming confirmed with him: “Use the contract to have President Huo testify for you, making it clear that the two of you have a loveless financial transaction, right?”
Liang Xiao flipped through a few pages of the plan, his thoughts strangely stirring, and hesitated: “Or—”
Duan Ming had been busy for so many days, sacrificing five millimeters of his hairline, and had just managed to painstakingly prepare all the necessary proof materials, contracts, and reports in time, only to watch him say “or”: “…”
“…” Liang Xiao pulled his manager back from the car window: “I’ll have President Huo clear my name.”
Duan Ming stared at him intently.
Liang Xiao handed the plan book back properly and silently rehearsed the interview’s wording several times.
“It’s fine… After you win a Best Actor award in a few years, you can go public however you want, steady and secure.”
Duan Ming had also prepared himself mentally these days. After a moment of silence, he moved closer and said softly: “Meet at the highest point, with well-deserved fame.”
Liang Xiao smiled and nodded without speaking.
Duan Ming didn’t want him to keep thinking about this and deliberately changed the subject: “Shall we go tidy up your place in a bit?”
Liang Xiao nodded slightly: “It’s too empty. No one has lived there for so long, it’s probably dilapidated…”
Liang Xiao suddenly quieted down, was silent for a while, looked out the window, sighed lightly, and rubbed his forehead.
Duan Ming watched his demeanor change abruptly and, feeling concerned, patted Liang Xiao’s arm: “What’s wrong?”
Duan Ming tried to soften his tone: “Anxious about returning home? It’s alright, I’m here—”
Liang Xiao looked worried: “I forgot whether I closed the windows when I left back then.”
Duan Ming: “…”
Liang Xiao tried hard to recall: “I remember closing them, but I’m not sure.”
“Brother Duan, you know.”
Liang Xiao had actually been worried about this for a long time and sighed deeply: “People always tend to doubt themselves.”
Liang Xiao vividly illustrated: “For example, every time after you close the door, you suddenly become unsure whether you turned off the lights, and after going downstairs, you wonder if you locked the door…”
Duan Ming was indeed starting to doubt himself. He coldly took action and plastered the plan book on Liang Xiao’s face.
Liang Xiao caught the plan book and looked out the window with a hundred knots in his heart.
…
It was already late when they left. The car stopped outside the residential area, and the sky was already dimming.
Liang Xiao got out of the car, listening to his heartbeat, and familiarly led his manager to the entrance of that building.
Duan Ming almost bumped into him: “What’s wrong?”
Duan Ming had already been tormented endlessly by Liang Xiao along the way and really didn’t want to discuss whether the windows were closed again. He warned in advance: “If you mention windows again, we’re splitting up right here—”
Duan Ming paused and waved his hand in front of Liang Xiao’s eyes.
Liang Xiao came back to his senses: “Brother Duan?”
Duan Ming frowned, carefully examining his expression: “If you’re really worried, I’ll go up and check for you.”
Liang Xiao shook his head and smiled: “No need.”
Having worked together for a long time, what Duan Ming worried about most was when Liang Xiao was this calm, cool, and collected. He almost regretted it and proactively brought up the topic: “Then let’s talk about the windows…”
Liang Xiao was almost annoyed with his own dithering and looked at him in disbelief: “…”
Duan Ming was exasperated and couldn’t be bothered to waste more words with him. After confirming the floor, he pulled Liang Xiao up the stairs.
The residential area had been high-end and brand new back then. Although it had been continuously maintained over the years, it now showed signs of age.
The walls had been repainted, the scenery outside the windows had changed in countless ways, the ventilation windows had been adjusted, and the stairwell was spacious and bright.
Not many traces from those years remained.
Liang Xiao was pulled along hurriedly, feeling almost dazed for a moment. Sweat trickled to the corner of his eye, and he instinctively raised his hand to wipe it.
Some paths… at the time of choosing, they seemed like the most correct ones, and he had prepared to grit his teeth and bear the cost.
At the time, he truly believed he had made the right choice.
Seeing that they were about to reach the door after turning up one more flight of stairs, Liang Xiao really couldn’t move his feet and tugged at Duan Ming: “Brother Duan…”
Duan Ming stopped: “What’s wrong?”
Liang Xiao smiled: “Wait for me a moment.”
Duan Ming frowned tightly but didn’t speak, stopping to wait for him quietly.
Liang Xiao took a few breaths, touched the particularly smooth handrail, and climbed the stairs step by step.
…
Their ten years.
Liang Xiao reached the door, took a deep breath, took out the key, and opened the door.
“What’s wrong?” Duan Ming saw him standing motionless and was somewhat concerned. “Did you really not close the windows? It’s okay, we—”
Duan Ming stood in surprise, carefully looked at the situation inside, turned to look at Liang Xiao, and closed his mouth.
Liang Xiao stood fixedly at the door, raising his hand to rub his eyes forcefully.
–
“Tea Time” program team.
Su Man cracked melon seeds, looked at the three renowned guests—President Huo, Jiang Pingchao, and Song Qi—who were supposedly going to record with her, sighed, and raised her hand.
Yin Chi: “…Teacher Su.”
Su Man: “Can I have a sign language teacher?”
##
