Finally, they’ve reached this part of the plot.
Halfway through the time, the rainy season arrived, and everyone went up the mountain to pick mushrooms.
On that day, the original character completely broke down and cursed at Yangyang, leading to her being kicked out from the show. After that, her reputation plummeted, ultimately ending in her committing suicide.
According to the original storyline, the original character, as the foil to the female lead, would encounter a rainstorm during the mushroom picking, and the elderly lady assigned to her, who had previously been helped by Mo Wanwan, would secretly give the mushrooms she picked to Mo Wanwan.
The original character saw all this, and couldn’t tolerate it, so she lost her temper when the elderly lady once again handed the mushrooms to Mo Wanwan, threw away the basket, and quit.
By this point, the original character had been tormented to neurosis by the bratty kids and online negative comments. Now faced with her partner—the elderly lady siding with the outsider—she directly went on strike and walked away.
The internet was flooded with insults towards her, claiming she was not only rude but also loved to put on airs and act like a diva. Under the arrangement of the assistant director, the audience never saw the scene of the elderly lady handing the mushrooms outside; they only saw Jiang Lai acting like a lunatic, throwing the basket and leaving.
Mo Wanwan took the initiative to support the elderly lady, picking mushrooms with her. As a result, she gained widespread praise and a big wave of fans.
After returning, Jiang Lai caught a fever from the rain and had her face painted with a ghost while she was asleep by Yangyang.
Thinking of this, Jiang Lai glanced at the bratty kid beside her, sticking close, and the corner of her mouth lifted slightly.
As expected, the elderly lady paired with Jiang Lai this time was indeed the one recently helped by Mo Wanwan.
After the pairing was over, everyone went back to change clothes. Mo Wanwan, knowing the process in advance, quickly changed into rainproof clothes and boots, and brought Hengheng to the meeting point.
Seeing Grandma Yang, she actively brought the child forward to greet her.
"Grandma, is your leg feeling better?"
"Much better. If you hadn’t helped me carry the water back that day, I’d still be stuck in bed today. The ointment you gave me was very effective; my waist doesn’t ache anymore."
Mo Wanwan smiled with relief and then asked.
"That’s good. Oh, by the way, who are you paired with?"
"I think it’s a girl named Jiang Lai."
"Oh, what a coincidence. She’s my sister. She hasn’t done much hard work in the past and has a bit of a childish temper. I hope, Grandma, you could take care of her."
Grandma Yang couldn’t help but frown.
"She’s even older than you."
"Yes, although we’re not blood sisters, everyone says we look alike."
"I think you’re prettier and more mature."
As they chatted, seeing everyone coming over, Mo Wanwan quietly distanced herself from Grandma Yang and stood to the side with Hengheng.
Jiang Lai wore a simple raincoat and boots, and the yellow raincoat stood out brightly in this dreary and damp weather. Yangyang was also dressed in yellow, insisting on matching Jiang Lai, in a girlish chick-style coat, while Tangguo unexpectedly preferred blue. So, the two kids swapped clothes, perfectly creating matching parent-child outfits with their moms.
In the footage, Jiang Lai hadn’t even put on makeup, her hands resting on Yangyang’s shoulders, smiling brightly and happily. The bright yellow raincoat contrasted her white and clean face, with two neat braids falling over her shoulders, making her look just like Yangyang’s sister.
Mo Wanwan stood next to her, also bare-faced, wearing a white raincoat, occasionally glancing into the distance. When her gaze accidentally lingered on Jiang Lai’s face, she couldn’t help but pause for a moment.
Jiang Lai actually didn’t wear makeup.
The rain splattered on her face, making it clear whether any makeup was applied. To differentiate herself, Mo Wanwan had only applied a bit of BB cream, not expecting Jiang Lai to be completely makeup-free. At close range, even the mist on her eyebrows was visible.
Mo Wanwan withdrew her gaze, feeling inexplicably uneasy, like a heavy stone pressed on her chest, making it difficult to breathe.
A strange sense of crisis welled up in her heart, urging her to smile at the camera, presenting her best self.
Because she knew, Ling Han was definitely watching her now.
What was he busy with? Didn’t he say he would help her solve all problems? So why wasn’t Jiang Lai affected at all? Instead, she seemed to be getting more popular?
But that was just an illusion. The director had just approached her, informing her that a new show preparation was short of a female guest and asking if she was available. Mo Wanwan immediately nodded in agreement.
It’s an S-Class variety show, and becoming a permanent guest would definitely send her popularity skyrocketing.
Besides, she confirmed with the director—only she was confirmed.
With this realization, she didn’t need to worry about Jiang Lai. No matter how popular Jiang Lai was now, it was just a temporary matter; the director could see who was more outstanding.
Mo Wanwan finally regained her composure, and her smile became more relaxed.
As they set off, the children were very excited, and Yangyang kept asking questions along the way.
"What is this twisty grass?"
"In our hometown’s dialect, it’s called artichoke grass, used for feeding cattle."
"What about over there? What is that big black grass?"
"It’s cow hoof grass; when dried and brewed into tea, it can lower blood pressure."
"What about that one..."
Yangyang kept asking, and Jiang Lai patiently answered. The comments were full of curiosity and amazement.
[Why do I feel like Jiang Lai is making it all up?]
[She’s not making it up at all. I’m from the countryside, and she’s right about these plants.]
[Fewer and fewer people recognize these things nowadays. Nature is indeed the best textbook.]
Grandma Yang, following beside them, was also listening. Initially, she thought Jiang Lai was just lucky to guess one or two correctly. To her surprise, as they ventured deeper into the mountains, Jiang Lai genuinely recognized most of the wild plants on the land.
She couldn’t help but ask.
"Kids your age don’t usually recognize these things anymore. Who taught you to identify them?"
"I lived with my grandma in the countryside for a while as a child. There wasn’t much to play with then, so I liked going into the mountains with her. Whenever I saw something unfamiliar, I’d ask. Over time, the memory stuck with me."
Grandma Yang nodded repeatedly, her gaze at Jiang Lai filled with appreciation and astonishment.
"Is your grandma still in the countryside?"
"My grandma lived a long life. She passed away at the age of eighty-eight."
"Oh, she had a joyful passing. As descendants, you don’t need to feel sad."
Jiang Lai nodded, naturally taking the basket from Grandma Yang’s hands and placing it on Yangyang’s back.
"Though I can identify some wild plants, I still have to rely on you for mushroom picking."
Grandma Yang laughed heartily and nodded.
"Don’t worry. I’m very familiar with this mountain. Follow me, and I’ll make sure your basket is full."
Watching Jiang Lai and Grandma Yang chatting and laughing, Mo Wanwan felt a tinge of sadness.