Chapter 38 The Chick Breaks Free

Lin Jia happened to be nearby. With a gentle smile, she offered an explanation.

“The barren land in the courtyard is all planned out for you to grow vegetables and fruits. You wouldn’t want to keep spending your Love Cards on buying ingredients, right? Consider this a convenience prepared for you.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Yunyu placed her hands on the hoe and laughed. “If we really end up eating the things we grow ourselves—natural, organic fruits and vegetables—that would actually be wonderful. After all, living in the city, it’s rare to find such clean produce.”

“Mr. Si, letting a young lady do all the hard work—don’t you feel the least bit guilty?” Lin Jia chided him with a smile.

Si Shaozhe was clearly reluctant to help, but seeing Lin Yunyu growing more energetic as she worked, he didn’t want to be accused of loafing around. So, with great reluctance, he stood up and made a half-hearted attempt at tilling the soil.

But it wasn’t long before he started looking for excuses to stop.

“I’m tired. I need some water and a break.”

Lin Yunyu already didn’t think much of him, and seeing him quit so quickly after barely any work, she was naturally displeased. “If you can’t handle it, just say so. No need to make excuses.”

Si Shaozhe’s face darkened instantly. He hadn’t expected a newcomer he looked down on to laugh at him in front of so many people.

Trying to save face, he forced himself to stand and, determined to prove his strength, brought the hoe down with force—only to feel a sharp pain shoot through his leg, cold sweat breaking out across his forehead.

“Damn! That hurts! Help!”

The staff rushed over in a panic to support him. Lin Yunyu stepped forward, glanced at him for a few seconds, and mocked him with disdain. “Well, well, looks like our young master broke himself on his first try?”

Fortunately, the production team had arranged for a medical crew in advance. After a brief check-up, it turned out to be nothing more than a scraped shin.

Still, the area was swollen and looked quite serious, mainly because Si Shaozhe kept crying out in pain, irritating everyone. The crew hurried to carry him off on a stretcher.

Lin Jia herself stepped in to console him. Seeing this, Lin Yunyu curled her lip in scorn. The pampered young master—hurting himself on his first go, acting like a fool.

Si Shaozhe kept howling. Lin Jia had no choice but to let the crew carry him away.

But the livestream comments exploded in outrage.

“What are you people doing? You let my idol get hurt! Can you afford to pay for that?”

“Damn, you can’t even apologize? Come on, everyone, let’s flood their social media!”

“Director Lin Jia, right? Issue an apology right now, and make a statement that he’ll never be made to do such dangerous work again, or you’re done for!”

“If anything happens to him, your production team will pay!”

“Hurry up and apologize! Or we’re going to start cursing you out!”

“What’s going on here? Is this really necessary? The medical staff was on scene in no time—what’s there to be so angry about? These brainless fans are too much!”

“To be fair, these fans are scary, but I’m just here for the comments—don’t come at me.”

“Are these people all crazy? If their own parents fell ill, I bet they wouldn’t be half as dutiful as this!”

“He just hurt himself a little. Is all this drama really necessary? So many brainless fans—it’s hilarious. You all act like Si Shaozhe is your ancestor. Why not just build a shrine and burn incense for him daily?”

“We care about our idol. You’re just jealous because no one cares about you!”

“A bunch of rabid dogs—one punch and you’d all be down!”

“No words, just a bunch of idiots. I feel sorry for your parents!”

“If you’re the rabid dogs, you know it in your hearts. Enough said!”

“Lin Yunyu, who do you think you are? How dare you bark at our idol?!”

“Better apologize to him now, or we’ll destroy you and your company!”

“…”

…

Only a small section of the garden had been tilled, and Lin Yunyu looked at Lin Jia somewhat helplessly.

“If I manage to do all this alone, will there be a reward?”

Lin Jia paused. The original plan was for both participants to complete the task and then each receive a Love Card reward.

But she knew these entertainers were all spoiled—they couldn’t be expected to do all the work. Rewards would be based on how much they accomplished.

Just now, Si Shaozhe had barely touched a small patch. That level of effort was as good as nothing.

As for Lin Yunyu? Lin Jia thought for a moment, then reminded her, “Yunyu, this isn’t a hard requirement. Do as much as your strength allows—don’t push yourself.”

“But if you manage to finish tilling both the flowerbeds and the land, I’ll award you eighty Love Cards.”

Lin Yunyu broke into a radiant smile. “That sounds fantastic.”

With so many Love Cards on the line, her motivation soared, and soon the courtyard was filled with her busy figure.

…

Meanwhile, Lin Yu’s group wasn’t having much luck with fishing. Half an hour had passed with no movement at all. Just as he was about to doze off, Ji Ya suddenly called out.

“Lin Yu, there’s a bite!”

Ji Ya excitedly pointed to the float bobbing in the water. Though the movement was slight, it was clear—a fish had taken the bait.

Lin Yu: … Seriously?

He’d been fishing for ages with not so much as a nibble, and Ji Ya, a complete novice, gets a bite just like that? So beginners really are lucky? Then why wasn’t he? It made no sense—absolutely none!

Despite his inner complaints, he dutifully went over to help. In no time, a white bream was hooked. Seeing this, Ji Ya’s eyes sparkled with delight. She didn’t care if the fish was clean or not; what mattered was that, as a girl who knew nothing about fishing, she’d caught a fish before Lin Yu.

The white bream was estimated to weigh about four or five pounds. Pride was written all over her face as she looked at Lin Yu.

“Well, well, who’s the lucky one now? I thought you’d catch one before I did.”

“Aren’t you always bragging? Turns out you’re nothing, huh?”

Ji Ya had just finished teasing him when she noticed, out of the corner of her eye, that Lin Yu’s rod had started to twitch as well. Lin Yu put on a smug face, looking at Ji Ya with disdain.

“Relax, boss. Mine’s going to be bigger than yours.”

He pretended to reel in with great effort, though the resistance wasn’t nearly as much as he made it seem. He was just showing off.

But when he finally pulled up a fish weighing barely half a pound, Ji Ya burst out laughing.

“Oh my, is this what you meant by ‘bigger than mine’?”

The difference between their catches was obvious at a glance—there was no comparison.

Mocked into silence, Lin Yu could only accept the truth. He looked at the laughing Ji Ya, speechless. “I know you’re proud of yourself, but don’t get ahead of yourself just yet.”