Chapter 191: Filthy Rich

Chapter 191: Chapter 191: Filthy Rich

"Is it leaking?"

Xie Yu asked, fraught with worry.

Qi Pei’er gasped in shock.

Nan Zhi calmly nodded.

"But it’s already..." ’been taken care of.’

She didn’t get to finish.

Qi Pei’er grabbed her and started marching back the way they came.

Xie Yu silently motioned for the bewildered kids to follow them.

After a few hurried steps, Nan Zhi was already out of breath and quickly called out to stop.

"Wait, what’s going on?"

Qi Pei’er’s face was taut.

"The production team is being inhumane! Of course we’re going to demand an explanation!"

It was only then that Nan Zhi realized—

When Qi Pei’er was truly angry, she didn’t get loud and flustered. Instead, she became exceptionally quiet. Only the fire in her eyes revealed the storm raging within.

Nan Zhi couldn’t help but be touched.

She’d had a good impression of Qi Pei’er before, but had mostly seen her as just another colleague on the show.

’A friend...’

In her two lifetimes, she had never had a true friend.

Now, she was feeling a sincerity from Qi Pei’er that was unique to friendship, and her heart couldn’t help but soften.

Even her tone became much gentler as she softly comforted Qi Pei’er.

"It’s not a big deal. It just needs a little work, and it’ll be fine."

Qi Pei’er immediately shot her a disapproving look.

But having been in the entertainment industry for years, she also knew that forcing the production team to switch houses would easily stir up public controversy.

She didn’t care about herself; if people flamed her, so be it.

But what about Nan Zhi?

Would she have to get flamed along with her?

At this thought, Qi Pei’er’s fiery resolve deflated.

She let go of Nan Zhi’s hand and said reluctantly,

"...Then I’ll help you."

"Okay."

This time, Nan Zhi agreed with a smile.

[Pei’er is genuinely standing up for Nan Zhi!]

[The bond between girls is so beautiful, wuwuwu, let them be close!]

[Who knew the usually sassy Qi Pei’er could be so well-behaved? Tsk tsk tsk.]

[Is Qi Pei’er being overly dramatic? It’s just an old house, she’s acting like it’s a death sentence for Nan Zhi!]

[How about you take on this ’blessing’ then?]

[Mind your own business and stay out of the pretty girls’ affairs!]

...

Seeing that Nan Zhi had made up her mind, Xie Yu didn’t try to persuade her further. He just said he would help along with Qi Pei’er.

As he spoke, he held out the small pot in his hand.

"Have you eaten breakfast? I made some hot and sour rice noodles."

Only then did everyone notice that Xie Yu had been holding a small clay pot the entire time.

Nan Zhi paused, just about to say that she was already eating.

Qi Pei’er let out a cry of realization.

As if reminded by Xie Yu’s gesture, she immediately pulled two eggs out of her pocket.

...Wait, eggs?

"HISS, they’re still hot! Here, Zhizhi, I boiled some eggs for you! I just got these from the chicken coop this morning!"

It seemed Qi Pei’er had gotten a pretty good house; it actually had a chicken coop in the yard!

However, the image of Qi Pei’er furtively raiding a chicken coop made Nan Zhi unable to hold back her laughter.

"Thank you, but I..."

"We’re here!"

Along with a boisterous shout, Fu Chao came striding down the path, with Qing Xi trotting along behind him.

The most eye-catching thing was the plastic bags Fu Chao carried in both hands, stuffed with all sorts of breakfast foods—

Sticky rice balls, scallion pancakes, vegetable buns...

It looked as if he had bought out an entire breakfast shop!

But where would a small, impoverished mountain village even have a breakfast shop?

Qi Pei’er exclaimed in surprise,

"Did you go down the mountain to the town?"

’The time for a round trip...’

’Could Fu Chao have left in the wee hours of the morning?’

This perfectly hit Fu Chao’s prideful sweet spot.

He lifted his chin, unable to hide his smugness, looking as if a tail were wagging behind him.

"I bought them from the neighboring villagers. This is all their own homemade breakfast. Even the vegetables are grown in their backyards—absolutely natural and pollution-free!"

He had expected everyone to praise him for being quick-witted and clever.

Instead, Qi Pei’er’s first reaction after hearing him was:

"...As expected of the rich bro with a 10,000 allowance."

Xie Yu nodded in agreement.

Fu Chao was so mad he almost rolled his eyes.

It was a single sentence from Nan Zhi that saved him:

"You went to a lot of trouble, Fu Chao."

Fu Chao was healed in a second, and he started chuckling happily.

Beside him, Qing Xi couldn’t take it anymore.

"Little Uncle, I’m so hungry!"

He had been dragged from neighbor to neighbor to buy food ever since he woke up, and he still hadn’t had a single bite. He was so hungry he was dizzy!

Fu Chao’s smile vanished, and he quickly tried to placate his little overlord.

"Don’t worry, don’t worry, there’s plenty for you to eat."

Seeing this, Nan Zhi went ahead and invited them inside.

"As it happens..."

Before the words left her mouth, she glanced at Nan Yi.

—Previously, Nan Yi had expressed some slight displeasure about others sharing his food, so now Nan Zhi always asked for his opinion before offering to share.

And so, Nan Yi gave a slight nod.

Nan Zhi, who had paused, then continued,

"...I just made breakfast. It might not be a large portion, so why don’t we all share a little?"

No one could resist this suggestion!

After all, the breakfast spread was already more than lavish—

Nan Zhi had personally made millet porridge and egg crepes;

Xie Yu had brought his hot and sour rice noodles;

Qi Pei’er had shared her boiled eggs;

And needless to say, what Fu Chao alone had brought was enough for everyone.

In the blink of an eye, the breakfast was laid out on Nan Zhi’s bare dining table, every corner filled to the brim.

Everyone gathered around the table.

The table wasn’t large, so it was a bit of a squeeze, but everyone was happy.

It was like they were back in the last season, running Nan Family’s Small Restaurant—those precious moments before and after a busy day when they could soothe their exhaustion with delicious food.

At first, Fu Chao had been furious when he saw the leaking kitchen.

Later, after a few words of persuasion from Nan Zhi, he reluctantly accepted the situation.

He thumped his chest and promised,

"We’ll absolutely fix this house up and make it beautiful for you!"

「Twenty minutes later.」

Fu Chao stood in front of Nan Zhi’s house, shouldering a ladder he’d borrowed from a neighboring villager, completely dumbfounded.

’How am I supposed to fix this? I’ve never done anything like this before!’

Xie Yu stood with his arms crossed, stating calmly,

"We’ll probably need to replace the roof tiles."

Obviously, they didn’t have any.

Qi Pei’er declared righteously,

"Then make the production team do it! Ensuring the guests’ basic living conditions is their responsibility!"

That actually made a lot of sense.

Before long, the production team heard the news and rushed over with some people, stating they would repair the broken tiles.

But that was all.

Qi Pei’er was immediately dissatisfied.

"How can that be..."

"It’s okay. We’ll handle the rest ourselves."

Nan Zhi stopped Qi Pei’er.

Since the biggest problem was already solved, the remaining small troubles were nothing to worry about.

However, for Fu Chao and the others, they were still completely in the dark.

In the end, it was Nan Zhi who personally came out to direct them—

Scraping off the moldy wall skin;

Thoroughly cleaning the wooden sofa, inside and out;

Sweeping the filthy floor until it was spotless;

...

And as for the broken furniture, this was carpentry work that Nan Zhi tackled herself.

She had already repaired a cabinet during the first episode’s recording, so fixing a table corner or a stool was, of course, a piece of cake for her.

Of course, that didn’t stop Fu Chao and the others from watching in utter amazement.