How to become an ACE of a top boy group

ILetter's official account suddenly posted a mysterious live stream link on Weibo and its official fan cafe, with the message: "Come quickly and watch this drama of life and death."

[Just arrived, what's going on?]

The three of them blocked the doorway, confronting Gu Minxing, who was carrying a travel bag.

Hahaha, what kind of situation is this?!

Gu Minxing has a new recording schedule, and the other three won't let her leave.

[Bai Xia Yin Tan is short-staffed, so Mo Ri sent Gu Minxing to fill the position. What a crazy Mo Ri!]

[The other three: Don't even think about leaving us to enjoy life!]

They've been locked in a stalemate for almost half an hour.

“Even if you do this, it’s no use. Sister Bai Ke is in the hospital, and I really have to go back to take over the shift…” Gu Minxing’s voice was full of helplessness, but no matter how he tried to persuade them, those who tried to stop him remained unmoved.

"No! Minxing, don't go! Don't leave us!" Luo Xi reluctantly pulled on Gu Minxing's arm.

Song Chuchu remained silent, simply sitting on Gu Minxing's suitcase and coldly holding onto the suitcase handle.

Lee Yong-hyun crossed his arms and blocked the doorway. "If you leave, are the three of us supposed to farm? How are we supposed to cook? And I don't even want to talk about that task you invited us to do. Are you just going to dump it all on us? Either the production team gives us a reasonable solution, or the four of us will just quit filming and go back together."

Gu Minxing looked at the camera with a troubled expression: "...Should I just not leave?"

I haven't watched the live stream for a while. I know about the farming mission, but what's the deal with the invitation mission?

[The invitation task is the weekly lucky wheel at Ouyuan. The night before last, Gu Minxing hit the invitation task with his dart.]

However, Gu Minxing is leaving today.

I won't say who it is, but three out of the four people broke down.

【Ha ha ha ha】

With the situation at a standstill, the Ouyuan program team had no choice but to negotiate with the three people via broadcast: "The amount of farming tasks will be adjusted according to the number of you. There is no such thing as three people doing the work of four."

Lee Yong-hyun said, "What about the invitation task? The only one who can cook is gone. Doesn't that mean three people are doing the work of four?"

Luo Xi chimed in, "It's like three people doing the work of five. Minxing can do the work of two people."

"We can compensate you for the invitation task; we'll send a professional chef to help you cook."

Song Chuchu said, "Is the compensation just a one-time chef? And the ingredients also need to be bought with labor currency, right? We have fewer people, so we can't earn that much labor currency. Are you just going to ignore that?"

"We will provide the ingredients for the qingtuan that the mystery guest wants to eat. At the same time, based on the loss due to the reduced number of people, we will compensate you with 250 labor coins per person per week, based on the standard of 50 labor coins per person per week... Given that Gu Minxing's labor capacity is equivalent to that of two people, we can compensate you double... 500 labor coins."

Song Chuchu was not satisfied: "500 labor coins... that's not even enough to buy meat, okay?"

The production team said, "You'll need to weigh the pros and cons yourselves. There are also many tasks each week that earn you 'labor coins,' and you'll get them as long as you complete them."

Lee Yong-hyun said, "Let's finish the invitation task first. 500 labor coins can't even buy meat. The mystery guest can't possibly cook a bland meal, right? Shouldn't the compensation be enough to cover this meal?"

"Let's add another form of compensation: you can provide a list of ingredients needed for the invitation mission, and we'll pay for all the ingredients on that list. Is that alright?"

Luo Xi and Song Chuchu both released their force at the same time.

Song Chuchu stood up from her suitcase: "Oh? This sounds pretty good."

Lee Yong-hyun walked up to the camera and asked, "Where's the list? Give it to me."

Luo Xi wiped away non-existent tears: "Minxing, I'll miss you."

Gu Minxing: "..."

[That's it? Where's your team spirit?]

【Ha ha ha ha】

[ILetter seems to lack team spirit]

The child has been hungry for many days, we've tried everything to give them something good to eat, what's wrong with that?

[ILetter is all about hard work, so what if they have their own little tricks up their sleeves?]

……

On the day Gu Minxing left, the three of them wrote down a list of ingredients together, including meat, shrimp, salmon, lemon honey, chicken legs and wings... They even added "a refrigerator" at the end, which was naturally rejected by the production team.

They had no choice but to rewrite the menu and honestly ask for ingredients according to the instructions. In the end, they only got a few items for free, so the production team asked them to try to get the ingredients from the mountain.

These days, besides planting rice seedlings to complete their farming tasks, Luo Xi and his friends either go fishing or dig bamboo shoots in the bamboo forest with bamboo baskets.

The newly sprouted bamboo shoots make a crisp, pleasant sound when rubbed against a knife. Bamboo shoots must be harvested fresh; once dug up, the outer skin is peeled off, sliced, boiled, and then dried. Sometimes you can also find one or two bamboo fungus, a type of fungus with a white, spongy, umbrella-like stem and a dark gray cap; more mature ones will have a layer of net-like white mycelium growing under the cap. After harvesting, these are dried for later use.

On the day the mystery guest visited, the professional chef sent by the production team quickly transformed the collected ingredients into a large plate of bamboo shoots and shredded beef, a large pot of bamboo fungus and chicken soup, cold fern salad, braised bamboo shoots, wild vegetables, shrimp, and small fish mixed with egg and fried, and stir-fried eggs with chives.

Luo Xi tried to cook a dish, but she was too scared to flip the pan after pouring in the egg mixture and chives and looking at the open flame. She almost burned the dish, so she left it to the chef in the end.

The three of them made qingtuan (a type of glutinous rice dumpling).

Wash the mugwort, blanch it in salted water, let it cool, and then crush it. Filter the green, slightly bitter juice through white gauze, then mix it with a certain amount of glutinous rice flour and sugar, and knead it into a dough.

Stuff the filling with pork floss and salted egg yolk, wrap it up, steam it for a few minutes, and the fragrant and sticky green rice dumplings are ready.

Li Longxuan brewed a pot of ordinary barley tea, while Song Chuchu picked a few flowers from the courtyard gate and arranged them in a vase. With everything ready, the three of them waited in front of a table laden with delicious food for the arrival of their mystery guest.

Wow, so organized!

I want to eat it too! I want to eat it too! I want to eat it too!

It's so satisfying to cook food with ingredients you've picked yourself.

[Warning: High Alert!]

Finally, I heard a knock on the door.

"Hello, is anyone in there?"

Luo Xi and Song Chuchu went over to open the door.

A woman dressed in a light brown dress walked in, her well-made-up face beaming with a smile, her eyes bright and alert. The newcomer was none other than Zhu Chunfeng.

"Congratulations, Teacher!"

【Wow, wishing you a blessed spring breeze】

I just listened to "Like Smoke" last night.

[The original singer of "Like Smoke" is here!]

[Isn't the teacher supposed to be in seclusion preparing for a new album? Why is he still coming to the show?]

Zhu Chunfeng was also pleasantly surprised: "Oh my god, it's you guys! We really have a great connection. What show are we filming now? Ah, is it 'The Idol's Rural Life'?"

"Teacher, we thought you knew everything. How come you're even more surprised than us?"

"I don't know. My agent asked me if there was anything I wanted to eat recently, and she said she would arrange a program for me to eat and chat, hahaha." Zhu Chunfeng laughed heartily.

I really like the teacher's personality.

Our Aunt Chunfeng is such a good person.

[With Teacher Zhu here, there's no need to worry about running out of things to say; Teacher Zhu can chat with everyone all day long.]

Zhu Chunfeng walked in and sat down in a chair, saying, "Wow, so much food! Did you make all of this?"

Luo Xi agreed, and Zhu Chunfeng gave a thumbs up, "Amazing!"

She tasted the qingtuan (sweet green rice dumplings) made by the three of them. "Delicious! Just what I wanted to eat! You guys should eat some too!"

Luo Xi and Li Longxuan then picked up their chopsticks and started eating. Song Chuchu picked up a large handful of bamboo shoots and shredded beef, eagerly put them into her mouth, and chewed them happily.

"When did you guys get here? I haven't been watching any variety shows lately..."

Hearing their story about the past week, Zhu Chunfeng sighed, "It's really not easy. Eat more, eat more. Sigh, I knew you were having such a hard time, so I brought you some good food. I really thought this was a regular food talk show."

Luo Xi laughed and said, "Didn't you find it strange that the interview program's car drove into the mountains when you were in the car?"

"That's weird! I just called Sister Zhao to ask if there was a mistake. The moment you opened the door, I thought it was a prank show! Thank goodness it wasn't. At my age, shows like this, where we eat and watch cute kids, are just what I like, hahaha."

"Haha, thankfully it really is just a dinner show. As for the interview, teacher, how's your new album coming along? I'll urge it on behalf of the fans!" Luo Xi asked.

"It's still early. I'm currently in the process of finding inspiration. My creative work really needs inspiration. Even if someone else writes a song for me to sing, I won't be able to sing it well if I can't find the right feeling."

Lee Yong-hyun asked, "After creating a hit song like 'Like Smoke,' do you feel pressure when creating new songs, Mr. Zhu? Are you afraid that your new works won't be as popular as your previous ones?"

Zhu Chunfeng thought for a moment: "To be honest, not at all. It probably won't be a hit. 'Like Smoke' was my peak."

Luo Xi immediately said, "How could that be? Good songs become hits, and all of the teacher's songs are great."

"I put my heart into writing it, how could it not sound good, hahaha. I'm not trying to deny myself; I'm confident I can create better, more mature works that satisfy me more than 'Like Smoke,' but whether it becomes a hit is another matter entirely."

"What you like may not be liked by everyone," Song Chuchu said, chewing her food.

"Moreover, sometimes even if you try to catch up with the trends, you still can't keep up." Zhu Chunfeng recalled, "When I was young, I really wanted to be famous. When I came to Haicheng and saw so many stars, I wondered if I could become one of them. I did have the capital of singing and songwriting, right? Some of my songs were even featured on the New Song Concert, which was pretty good at the time. But when my first album was released, nobody listened to it."

"Part of the reason was that there were too many talented singers at the time. Senior Qingna, Teacher Zeng Changsheng, Teacher Chang Fengnian, Teacher Xia Yu, and Teacher Xu Tan were also very popular. I was completely buried in the background. My second and third albums, which I prepared with great care, were also ignored."

Zhu Chunfeng's tone unconsciously softened: "At that time, I was feeling very down and confused. I made a lot of works that catered to the market, some of which had some effect, but overall I didn't gain much popularity. Mainly, I was also very tired, so I just let it go. I just sang the songs I liked, and it didn't matter whether they became popular or not."

【Wow……】

[Such a deep conversation, Airi Toru did a great job]

I love you, Aunt Chunfeng!

[I recorded the screen and sent it to my mom; she's a fan of teacher Zhu Chunfeng.]

Song Chuchu wiped her eyes: "I feel so touched."

Lee Yong-hyun rested his chin on his hand, deep in thought.

Luo Xi handed Song Chuchu a tissue, then took a few herself to wipe her tears: "That period must have been very difficult for the teacher."

"Well... unlike people who succeed quickly and easily, I accepted that it takes a very long time to reach even a small step like others, perhaps a very long time. It's about creating one piece of work after another, slowly gaining fans, and finally having my own concerts. Although it's been tough, looking back, I feel like this is my story, a unique one. I think these experiences have shaped who I am today."

"Yes." "This is Teacher Zhu Chunfeng!"

The three people clapped, and Zhu Chunfeng couldn't stop laughing.

"It's really not easy to make a fire," Song Chuchu sighed as she drank her soup.

Luo Xi said, "I have an older brother I know. When I was promoting Treasure, we were initially assigned to Group E. But he is really good. I don't know why he is always unlucky. He caught a cold during the qualifying selection and did not perform well, so he was assigned to Group E. He was almost able to debut in the company before, and he was just a little bit short in the show as well."

Who is this? I've heard of them but haven't seen the gem I recommended.

[Lejing Bar]

[Lejing, our forever elder brother of Group E]

【We miss our Brother Hua so much!】

When Song Chu first heard Luo Xi mention this, he asked, "Is it Lejing?"

Zhu Chunfeng reacted even more strongly: "Le Jing? Isn't that Hao Tian from 'Twins'?"

Luo Xi nodded: "Yes, yes, Brother Hua... Brother Le Jing's real name is Hua Le, we're used to calling him Brother Hua. After finishing the treasure I recommended, he switched careers to become an actor. 'Twins' is his first drama, and it seems to have just started airing. Teacher, have you seen it? What do you think?"

Zhu Chunfeng clapped her hands and said, "I've been watching this show recently—it's so good! So good! The casting of Haotian is perfect, he's so handsome!"

"No wonder we found such a handsome guy. They said he was an idol turned actor. Turns out he was on my show 'Treasure Trove' too. I need to catch up on that." Zhu Chunfeng said, searching on her phone. "Does your show invite people to dinner every week? I think we should invite Le Jing over next week, and I can come over again, okay?"

[Hahaha, Teacher Zhu is obsessed!]

[I hope Teacher Zhu isn't just sitting around doing nothing, friend.]

[The twins are all beautifully and handsomely filmed, I recommend them to everyone.]

Song Chuchu felt a headache coming on as soon as she heard about the invitation task: "Let's just skip the invitation, it's really tiring!"

Lee Yong-hyun jokingly said casually, "Has Teacher Zhu stopped writing songs?"

Zhu Chunfeng jokingly said, "I'll stop writing for now and look at these handsome young men; inspiration just comes to me!"

Luo Xi laughed and said, "Hahaha, Long Xuan is also very handsome. I hope Teacher Zhu can sit closer to him."

"Wow, he's so handsome I don't even feel anything. I just prefer Haotian's approachable kind of handsome."

"Haha—" Song Chuchu laughed too.

……

Under Zhu Chunfeng's enthusiastic, humorous, and charming influence, the four of them happily finished the dinner they were invited to.

After declining Zhu Chunfeng's offer to stay and help clear the table, Luo Xi brought out a bundle of freshly packaged vegetables, which they had picked that day. She wrapped them up as a gift and presented them to Zhu Chunfeng like flowers.

Zhu Chunfeng laughed as she accepted the gift: "This isn't right. I didn't bring anything with me, and I'm taking it with me."

Luo Xi said, "It's okay, we have more vegetables than we can eat."

"Teacher, teacher, remember to give us a perfect score for the task!" Song Chuchu said.

"I'll definitely give it to you!" Zhu Chunfeng said with a smile, "I'll treat you to a meal after we finish filming the show."

After seeing Teacher Zhu Chunfeng off, Luo Xi and the other two began to divide the tasks. Li Longxuan cleared the dishes and wiped the table, Luo Xi washed the dishes, and Song Chuchu was responsible for putting the dishes in the cupboard.

Luo Xi was washing dishes when she heard a tapping sound. Song Chuchu ran in with a bag.

Before Luo Xi could speak, Song Chuchu opened the bag and showed her the bag full of red plastic coins, saying happily, "Teacher Zhu gave us a perfect score on the task! The production team just settled the task reward, 2000 coins! A whole 2000!"

Luo Xi dried her hands and pinched his fair and soft cheek: "Yes, we're finally 'rich' now."

【You babies are amazing!】

The cat's eyes lit up when it got the money.

[Support Aisin's right to freedom of purchase]

[Let's hope the children in our kindergarten can have a better life; it breaks my heart to see them like this.]

……

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Comment area:

Watching the live stream and then watching the abridged version again still makes me laugh so hard, hahaha!

Is Gumi Xing really not coming back for dinner? It's not like Baiyin has to be here 24/7. He can come back occasionally, right?

This episode made everyone cry; it's tough being alive. Let's all keep going and live our lives well, just like how the three of us at Iltett struggled to finish even a few acres of land [doge emoji].

Will Rakkyung really come?! I just became a fan of his!

Looking to buy Ronshii photocards and stickers, high price.