12: Green flashlight

The four chatted for a few minutes before footsteps sounded at the door.

The director and host He Xing also arrived, and the live stream merged again.

On the table directly in front of the multi-functional hall were four gift boxes. He Xing walked to the long table and smiled at the camera, saying, “Please invite our four guests to open their gift packages.”

Chen Fang walked to the golden gift box for the first-place winner and opened the lid. Inside were a flashlight and two envelopes.

Chen Fang picked up the envelope on the left, which read “Meal Improvement Voucher.” He tore open the hamburger sticker and pulled out a stack of cards—

6-inch cake redemption voucher * 1, three pounds of Sunshine Rose grapes, grilled fish * 1, Dali potato chips * 5 packs, grilled lamb chops * 1 serving.

Why did the production team specifically prepare this? Were they going to make them dig wild vegetables in the mountains for food?

Zhao Jin’s surprised voice came from the right, “Ah? Five customizable-flavor iced milk teas? That’s so fattening!”

Chen Fang calmly said, “It’s fine, eat it. Ice takes away heat, milk regulates the spleen and stomach, and black tea removes greasiness. Eat without worry!”

Zhao Jin blinked. Huh? Can iced milk tea be interpreted that way?

She continued to flip through the cards, a bit bewildered, “Hey, there are also fried chicken drumsticks and Coke chicken wings night redemption vouchers?!”

“Eat without worry. If you can’t eat at night, why does the refrigerator have a light?” Chen Fang raised an eyebrow. “Besides, you are what you eat. Chicken drumsticks and wings are the most exercised parts of a chicken, so eating them is like exercising.”

Zhao Jin laughed, “That makes sense, and if your mouth is exercising, how is that not losing weight?”

“Hmm, eating like this, wouldn’t you get emaciated?” Chen Fang flipped through his own cards, casually agreeing.

“I didn’t realize you had a talent for crosstalk.” Pan Pengpeng chuckled and said to the camera, “During the May Day holiday, all you little foodies in front of the screen, eat without worry.”

“This… everyone should still control themselves.” Chen Fang rubbed the cards, saying earnestly, “This is a world that judges by appearance. Someone good-looking like me is called a foodie, but someone not good-looking should be called a glutton.”

The multi-functional hall instantly dropped two degrees in temperature.

[Pan Pengpeng negative emotional value + 131]

[Zhao Jin negative emotional value + 166]…

A series of prompts sounded in Chen Fang’s mind. A faint smile hung on his face, but he sighed inwardly.

Why did he feel like he was using his life to boost data? This path wasn’t suitable for long-term travel. After a few days of boosting and getting useful things, he needed to quickly transition. If this continued, he might get beaten up.

The director gasped, scratching his hair. Seeing Chen Fang still smiling, he practically wanted to go over and pinch him.

He was speaking so well before, why did he suddenly hit a raw nerve?

The director quickly turned to look at the live stream on the computer screen.

[Hahahaha.]

[Is Chen Fang letting loose?]

[Damn? I came to scold him, why am I being scolded by him?]

[Is Chen Fang crazy? I’m not living tomorrow, and I wouldn’t dare do that.]

[Didn’t he say anything wrong? Why is this live stream so chaotic, scolding everything?]

It seemed everyone had low expectations for Chen Fang, and they didn’t explode when they heard this.

On the screen, Chen Fang slightly lowered his head, “Sorry, I misspoke.”

The director looked up at Chen Fang, relieved.

“Even numbers are very good and auspicious, so there’s no need to be sad if you have a double chin; it will definitely bring good luck.” Chen Fang looked at the camera with a sincere expression, “That’s called prosperity.”

“…”

The director held his forehead. Was he here to scold the audience?

The director walked to face them, desperately winking at the four. Change the subject quickly!

But instead, Chen Fang himself picked up the flashlight, examining it in front of his eyes. “What is this flashlight for? Do you all have one too?”

Seeing that the glutton topic had passed, the director felt a weight lift from his heart and sat down in a chair.

The other three also picked up their flashlights and turned them on one after another.

Four light circles, large and small, appeared on the ground.

Chen Fang’s and Xie Yunxuan’s were white light; Chen Fang’s light was brighter.

Pan Pengpeng looked at the green light on the ground, swallowed, and a bad feeling surged in his heart.

The flashlight was clearly for late-night travel, corpse driving, green light, night…

Did it have to be so infernal?

[Such a wicked flashlight, hahaha.]

[Add a pair of red embroidered shoes and a creepy red lantern.]

[Support changing Chen Fang’s to a red lantern!]

[And write ‘die’ on the wall with red paint.]

[What is that? Dad?]

[That’s English, meaning ‘death’.]

[I can’t wait for the evening activity, hurry up, hurry up!]

After distributing the gift packages, the production team ended the morning’s live broadcast, waiting to resume broadcasting after arriving at the filming location in Longshan County in the evening.

Pan Pengpeng was about to go to the restaurant when he saw Chen Fang walk over and whisper, “Pan Laoshi, are you not quite used to the green light? Then shall I swap with you?”

“Hmm?” Pan Pengpeng was slightly surprised.

Chen Fang looked calm, “I’m brave, I can swap with you.”

“No, it’s fine.” Pan Pengpeng gave an awkward smile. He wasn’t so scared that he needed to swap flashlights with someone.

Chen Fang said faintly, “In the pitch-black night, leaves rustle in the deep mountains. We’re carrying corpses, moving along a rugged mountain path, and then a face appears, eyes glowing green…”

“Swap, I’ll swap with you!” Pan Pengpeng swallowed, stuffing the flashlight into Chen Fang’s hand, “Thanks, brother.”

“It’s nothing, I’m also thinking about the production team and your image.” Chen Fang smiled faintly and put the green-light flashlight into the box.

…

At five in the evening, the sun set, and the afterglow sprinkled over the mountains of Xiangxi, draping the peaks in a golden glow.

On the winding mountain road, the production team’s bus and nanny van slowly moved forward, making a rustling sound as they rolled over the road.

Chen Fang sat in the second row of the nanny van. Outside the window, the roadside was covered with dense vegetation, appearing in varying shades of green under the setting sun. Occasionally, a few tall ancient trees could be seen, their bark covered with moss and vines.

Time passed bit by bit, and the mountain road became increasingly narrow. The vegetation gradually thinned out.

Finally, at half past five, under the afterglow of the setting sun, the production team arrived at Qingtan Village.

The village was built against the mountains and beside the water, with wooden stilt houses scattered in an orderly fashion on the hillside. The black-tiled wooden houses contrasted sharply with the surrounding green vegetation.

Under the curious gaze of the villagers, the production team’s vehicle stopped at the entrance of the largest stilt house, where seven or eight people stood at the door.

The director led Chen Fang and the others off the bus. After shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries with the blue-shirted uncle at the head, he introduced him to Chen Fang and the others: “This is the village chief. Everyone can just call him Uncle Peng.”

“Hello, Uncle Peng.” Everyone greeted him.

The director took a step forward.

“This is the old master, Tian Gangwu. Everyone can call him Master Tian, or Teacher Tian. He will lead everyone to experience the corpse driving culture.”

Tian Gangwu wore a gray linen top, with a full beard on his face, and his slightly bald head reflected a soft, bright light. He looked a bit fierce but gave a strange sense of security, reminding Chen Fang of the generals in door god paintings.

Hmm… the low-EQ way of saying it was that he looked a bit like he could ward off evil spirits.

Tian Gangwu’s serious face squeezed out a hint of a smile, “Good evening, everyone.”

“Hello, Teacher Tian.” Chen Fang and the others successively shook his hand.

In the industry, it is taboo to call them “corpse driving,” as this term carries bad luck, so they are generally referred to as Master.

After greetings, the production team had a simple meal together, then took the four of them to their guesthouse to settle down, instructed them to gather at nine o’clock, and then began free activities.

Without exception, all four chose to tidy their rooms and rest briefly.