Chapter Forty-Six: Slaughtering the New Year's Pig, An Unexpected Incident Occurs

Bai Ling, in truth, wasn’t rushing to finish the task. How many mushrooms does one meal require, after all? To be frank, the so-called division of labor was simply a means for the guest celebrities to have some presence on the show. The workload wasn’t significant. Bai Ling’s real reason for leaving was to escape the relentless gaze of the cameras, allowing herself a moment of relaxation. She also avoided spending too much time with the second male lead. She firmly believed that as long as she kept her distance from Wen Yan and the others, trouble would stay away. Whether this notion was right or wrong, she couldn’t say, but after hastening up the mountain, Bai Ling felt infinitely more comfortable, her spirits visibly lifted.

As for the mushroom gathering, it posed no real difficulty. By the time Zhuge Ming and the filming crew caught up, Bai Ling had already completed her basic task—a small basket of mushrooms, enough to last several days. When Bai Ling began descending the mountain, Zhuge Ming’s expression turned grim. He had been assigned to assist Bai Ling, but in reality, he had become little more than a useless burden. The viewers in the livestream were in stitches. Even though Bai Ling had ceased her witty remarks, Zhuge Ming’s expressions alone brought a delightful effect to the show. Thus, Zhuge Ming ended up merely touring the mountain, following Bai Ling back down.

Though descending was easier, Zhuge Ming still used up a fair amount of energy and couldn’t keep pace with Bai Ling. Everyone could see Zhuge Ming and the crew trailing far behind Bai Ling as she made her way lightly downhill. Perhaps, sensing the need to preserve Zhuge Ming’s dignity, Bai Ling gradually slowed her steps. The staff breathed a sigh of relief—they could finally relax a bit. Bai Ling even wandered about the mountain, admiring the scenery, feeling the fresh breeze on her face, basking in an indescribable sense of ease.

In her previous life, as a homebody, she had rarely had the chance to embrace nature. Now, though she was filming a show, time was abundant, and she could finally savor the moment. Her spontaneous actions, though, were a golden opportunity in the eyes of the crew.

It was simply breathtaking! Beautiful scenery, beautiful woman—the perfect fusion of both, making the audience forget the very theme of the program. Many even felt Bai Ling seemed as if she was there to paint from nature. She wore no glamorous attire, wasn’t the radiant presence she’d been during the Girl Group Assembly, nor did she dazzle with the striking effect of ancient costumes.

Yet, even in casual everyday clothes, simply standing amidst the forest, there was a pure, natural beauty—a tranquil grace of time itself—that left countless viewers enchanted.

“So beautiful, unbelievably beautiful.”
“Just standing there, she’s a perfect landscape painting.”
“I’m once again captivated by Bai Ling’s beauty.”
“Wow, now I understand why so many are fans of her looks.”
“Count me in as a fan of her beauty!”
“The scenery is picturesque, I envy the staff on site.”
“To be fair, Bai Ling’s looks are unimpeachable.”
“Among all the current celebrities, she’s certainly top-tier—calling her divine is no exaggeration.”
“Though such excessive praise might seem inappropriate, it feels justified when it comes to Bai Ling.”

Since cameras tend to make people look heavier, if she was already considered “top-tier” by the audience, in reality, she was nothing short of a celestial being—almost flawless. Even Zhuge Ming found himself in a daze. Before joining the show, his elders had encouraged him to spend more time with Wen Yan. During their interactions, he found himself somewhat taken with Wen Yan, open to his family’s arrangements. But now, he felt a slight resistance. With such a perfect person standing before him, even if Wen Yan weren’t present, her radiance would be entirely eclipsed.

Yet, Zhuge Ming wasn’t the type to act on mere attraction. He could sense Bai Ling’s subtle avoidance and indifference toward him, which puzzled him. He wasn’t universally adored, but he was fairly popular—why did Bai Ling seem to evade, dislike, and distance herself from him? Zhuge Ming was beginning to question himself. Being shunned by someone as stunningly beautiful as Bai Ling left him feeling defeated. At least, he didn’t develop the mindset of “woman, you’ve caught my attention.”

After enjoying the breeze for a while, Bai Ling headed down the mountain, her mood bright, unmistakably happy. Zhuge Ming and the others rested briefly, regaining their strength. Then, they skirted a meadow and farmland, preparing to return to the guesthouse.

However, on their way back, Bai Ling and her companions encountered a lively crowd.

It was quite the scene. Bai Ling glanced over and spotted Ouyang Ruofeng. Ouyang Ruofeng also noticed Bai Ling—they were hard to miss, given the entourage of filming crew.

“Zhuge!”
“Miss Bai, you’re back already?”
“Hey!”

Ouyang Ruofeng was far more cheerful than the pretentiously elegant Zhuge Ming or the unsteady Lin Yubai. He was friends with Zhuge Ming, often discussing script writing and other creative pursuits. So it was only natural for him to greet them.

Bai Ling admired him, especially since Ouyang Ruofeng, while greeting them, was helping villagers hold down the New Year pig. The pig wasn’t particularly fat—after all, it wasn’t the ideal season for slaughter. But the production team had bought the pig for the show, hoping to create a memorable segment, even inviting villagers to participate. With money and pork to share, the villagers were pleased.

Thus, it had become an event: a dozen people restraining a pig, preparing it for slaughter. Ouyang Ruofeng, though male, wasn’t raised in the countryside, and likely had never done such work. He was simply following along, lending a hand.

But as he called out to them, his grip slipped. It seemed minor, but in that instant, the clever pig, sensing its fate, began to bolt.

Despite the saying “pig-brained,” pigs are far from stupid. This was a chance for survival!

Snorting, it kicked into high gear—breaking free from several hands restraining it. Though the rope was still wrapped around it, and in the chaos a few managed to grab hold, a several-hundred-pound pig rampaging was not something one or two people could easily control.

The scene immediately descended into chaos.