Witty Wife, Better Life-Chapter 850 - 840 officially starts filming

The next day, Shen Yunfang took a special day off to go with Wang Dan and her future mother-in-law, Cui Ying, to the city’s largest department store. Since the wedding was fast approaching and the mother-in-law was visiting, it was definitely time to buy some gifts for her future daughter-in-law.

How could you not say Cui Ying was savvy? She had just met her future mother-in-law, representing the type of rural girl Wang Dan didn’t quite approve of, and yet, in just one day of shopping, she managed a full 180-degree turn in her future mother-in-law’s perception. By the end, Shen Yunfang heard nothing but Wang Dan affectionately calling her "Ying’er" this and "Ying’er" that, like they were the best of friends.

The following day, Shen Yunfang simply refused to join them. The in-laws were getting along famously, so she thought it best to stay out of their way where it was "cooler."

Also, that afternoon a guest from Stick Country, Mr. Han Yinhao, was due to arrive, signaling the start of "The Life We Long For." As the temporary host, Shen Yunfang needed to be meticulous; after all, the show’s exposure affected the international sales of her farm’s produce.

That very evening, as the host, Shen Yunfang treated Mr. Han Yinhao to an authentic farmhouse meal in the courtyard—stewed in an iron pot. The main dish was chicken stew with mushrooms, accompanied by a selection of over ten side dishes including potatoes, eggplant, tofu, kelp, and glass noodles. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

Of course, it wasn’t just the two of them at the dinner table—a singularity that wouldn’t reflect favorably on the nation’s conservative customs. So, Li Tuo, Zhang Chunwang, Director Yuan, and a few camera operators were all part of the dining entourage.

You have to admire the depth and breadth of Chinese culinary culture. The simple dish of chicken stew with mushrooms conquered Mr. Han Yinhao. At the beginning of the meal, he maintained the poise expected of a celebrity, barely touching his chopsticks. But once he really started eating—boy, oh boy—Han basically never looked up again, his face buried in his bowl.

Zhang Chunwang, leaning in subtly, whispered to Shen Yunfang, "Sister-in-law, is Stick Country really that poor? Look at him go. It’s like he’s never tasted chicken in his life."

Shen Yunfang gave him a reassuring look and whispered back, "You wouldn’t know, but their country is just a tiny place, teeming with people and barely any land for farming. So even though it may seem they’re doing better than us, their ordinary folk don’t eat as well as we do. That’s why I chose Stick Country for our first stop. Once we open this market, the potential is endless." Shen Yunfang’s knowledge came from TV shows she saw in her previous life; she had never actually been to Stick Country.

Zhang Chunwang nodded in understanding, his patriotic sentiment surging again. Indeed, a "golden house or a silver house does not compare to one’s own doghouse"; no matter how bad things were at home, it was still better than theirs.

When Mr. Han finally looked up from his bowl, Director Yuan found his chance to discuss the next day’s shoot with him. Although it was just one episode, the lack of experience might extend filming over two to three days. If complications arose, it could even take five to six days, so they couldn’t afford to waste any time. Filming would start the next day.

The first episode’s planning brief had already been faxed to Mr. Han, who had viewed it before agreeing to participate in the show. Now, it was mainly a matter of discussing specific shooting segments in person, as well as having him briefly communicate with the host Shen Yunfang. After all, the two adults and two children needed to fill the entire day with their lively interactions.

As for the two children, they were a spontaneous idea by Director Yuan. Having only a host and a guest seemed too plain—both spice and humor would be lacking. Adding two cute, mischievous, lively kids would make a world of difference, especially since the boss’s kids were bilingual, which was crucial.

For the sake of business, Shen Yunfang truly went all out. She pulled her kids out of school, requesting a week off from their teachers, and offered up her children’s time for free. Naturally, her own contributions were also pro bono.

This meal concluded with both host and guest thoroughly pleased, setting a positive tone for their collaboration.

Bright and early the next day, filming officially commenced.

Shen Yunfang essentially copied the format and rules from others’ ideas, just replacing the corn husking with wheat harvesting as the ingredient exchange activity.

It happened to coincide with the maturity of the wheat in the fields, so the first episode’s main scene was set in the wheatfield.

Mr. Han, as a dedicated actor, moved into a small farmhouse. After a simple tour and mutual introductions, he picked up a sickle and took two children down to the fields, unabashedly proclaiming in front of the camera that he would like to treat his new friends to a meal of chicken stewed with mushrooms with his own labor.

He was utterly conquered by the pot of chicken stewed with mushrooms the night before; his mind was still on it even a day later.

Two adults and two children, armed with sickles and straw hats, arrived at the wheatfield.

This year, Feiyang Farm had planted five hundred acres of wheat, which looked stunningly golden in the vast expanse, giving Mr. Han from the tiny Stick Country quite a shock as he exclaimed loudly without any image-consciousness.

In the wheatfield, the group didn’t start working right away. Shen Yunfang timely shared some information about Feiyang Farm, which could be seen as subtly starting to advertise.

Then, as if on a sudden whim, Mr. Han suggested that the vast wheatfield was like a canvas, and the four of them could collaborate to create a painting on this large canvas.

So, per Mr. Han’s plan, the four individuals labored together, and after more than two hours, a large wheatfield painting was finally created.

Of course, they couldn’t see the whole effect by themselves, which could only be seen later through aerial photography.

The group was exhausted and had no image lying on the ridges with their limbs sprawled out, looking up at the blue sky, breathing in the fragrance of the wheatfield, with Mr. Han feeling deeply sentimental.

After enough rest, they pushed the harvested wheat with a wheelbarrow to Director Yuan’s place, which was the small farmhouse, to measure its weight. Then Chef Shen Yunfang, based on the quantity of food they could exchange, got a young rooster, ten eggs, four potatoes, half a squash, a bunch of glass noodles, a sheet of bean jelly, two cucumbers, and so forth.

During cooking, Shen Yunfang was explaining the steps of cooking to Mr. Han while preparing the meal.

When it came time to eat, Mr. Han was genuinely amazed by each dish, his exaggerated expressions had the two children laughing uncontrollably throughout the meal.

After the meal, Mr. Han took the initiative to do the dishwashing. In the evening, with the weather hot inside the house, they set up a bamboo bed in the courtyard, where they lay gazing at the stars, and Mr. Han eagerly taught the children to sing.

Children learn quickly; after a few times, they could sing the Stick Country anthem nearly perfectly.

Gradually, the moon climbed over the hillside, marking the completion of that day’s filming.