Chapter 117 Have You Finished Your Summer Homework?

At dinner time, nearly all the visitors had gathered near the cafeteria.

All the temporary workers had been called over to help, but it was still overwhelming. The waiting list had already reached beyond table number 100.

Even the staff cafeteria that had been specially set up was now being prioritized for visitors.

Although Miao Yunyou had urgently purchased 100 sets of wooden outdoor tables and chairs, it still wasn’t enough.

By the time it was her turn to eat, Miao Yunyou herself couldn’t find a free seat. She carried a bowl of fragrant egg fried rice—golden rice topped with a soft-centered fried egg, sprinkled with chopped green onions and a bit of pickled mustard, the aroma irresistible. Turning around, seeing no seats available, she finally sat on a large stone. Warm from the sun, it made for a cozy spot. Holding her bowl, she dug in happily, eating with delight.

Next to her sat a group of visitors waiting for their turn. Seeing the boss eating on a stone like everyone else, they couldn’t help laughing, and their impatience eased. They began chatting with Miao Yunyou.

“Your egg fried rice smells amazing!”

“Boss Miao, next time you have to prepare more seats!”

Miao Yunyou chewed her food and replied with a smile: “Don’t worry, don’t worry. Next time we’ll have plenty of tables and chairs so everyone can eat comfortably!”

Lu Yunxiao and Li Mancang, like two nimble little mud eels, darted through the crowd. They carried a large thermos and a stack of disposable paper cups, busy pouring water for the waiting visitors.

“Have some water!”

“Don’t worry, it’ll be your turn soon!”

Some visitors, bored from waiting, teased them. A man in a floral shirt asked with a smile: “Hey kids, who sent you here to work?”

Li Mancang stopped in his tracks, still holding the unfinished thermos. Shy yet earnest, he answered: “It was the county magistrate who brought us here. The harvest hasn’t been good lately, the crops are dying from the drought, and the taxes from the government are too heavy—we just can’t pay. The county magistrate said that as long as we work for Sect Leader Miao, we’d have enough to eat. Sect Leader Miao is very kind, and the people here are all very nice too.”

He spoke sincerely, his eyes honest, his tone earnest—there was no hint of lying.

The visitors laughed and commented: “This little actor’s performance is amazing! He makes it sound so real, totally getting into the role!”

Another visitor wearing a hat joined in the teasing, pointing at the kids’ clothes: “No wonder there are so many extra staff today. According to your ‘storyline,’ are you all from the same county?”

Li Mancang nodded enthusiastically, eyes sparkling: “Yes! We’re all from the same county. I know a lot of people here, and my dad is working here too!”

A young visitor suddenly pointed at Lu Yunxiao and asked Li Mancang jokingly: “Since you’re from the same county, why do his clothes look nicer than yours? Look at how neat and well-made his outfit is, while yours even has patches!”

The surrounding visitors burst into laughter, echoing: “Yeah, yeah, you’re all in the same ‘crew,’ so why does he get the fancy clothes? Did he bring money to join?”

Li Mancang froze, not understanding what “bring money to join” meant. He sneaked a glance at Lu Yunxiao’s clean, tidy outfit, then looked down at his own patched coarse cloth clothes, scratching his head awkwardly and biting his lip, not daring to answer.

Lu Yunxiao, however, stood tall and confidently replied in a crisp voice: “Because my dad is the county magistrate!”

The visitors exclaimed in amazement—

“Wow, what kind of setup is this?”

“I get it! They don’t want everyone to have the same character setup.”

“Exactly, even the kids’ roles are divided into ordinary children and rich-kid children. The level of detail is really impressive.”

Someone laughed and asked, “Then if you’re the county magistrate’s son, why are you still working?”

Lu Yunxiao replied, “I have hands and feet, so why can’t I work? My dad taught me since I was little that even if you’re young, you should do as much as you can.”

Miao Yunyou held her bowl, chewing on her egg fried rice, and couldn’t help thinking: No wonder he’s a second-generation official kid—the way he carries himself is different. So confident, speaking so smoothly… much better than honest little Li Mancang.

Later, some visitors asked more questions, like, “Is your county far from here?” or “What kind of work do you usually do?” Both kids answered as best they could, giving short, halting replies.

Until a female visitor wearing glasses laughed and asked:
“By the way, we’re already halfway through summer vacation. Have you two finished your summer homework yet?”

“???” Lu Yunxiao and Li Mancang froze at the same time, their faces blank with confusion.

Miao Yunyou nearly choked on her egg fried rice, coughing several times before she could swallow. She quickly put down her bowl, ran over, and waved at the female visitor with a helpless smile, her voice carrying a mix of amusement and exasperation: “Hey, dear guest! Can you please ask happier questions in front of the kids?!”

The female visitor laughed heartily: “Sorry, sorry! It’s a habit—I can’t help asking about summer homework when I see such big kids!”

That night, the resort’s signature iron flower performance went on as usual.

As night fell and darkness blanketed the sky, molten iron exploded into the air, scattering into countless dazzling sparks. They fell like a meteor shower or blossomed like golden fireworks, breathtakingly beautiful.

Judging by the stunned expressions of the visitors, their involuntary exclamations, and the countless phones recording videos, Miao Yunyou knew that this round of publicity would definitely go viral.

Even the experienced Jiu’er watched with eyes shining, holding her phone and video-calling Zhang Mo, her voice full of excitement and rapid-fire words: “Look! Look! This is so romantic! Next time, I have to bring you here in person!”

Around midnight, as the last batch of visitors gradually returned to their accommodations, the resort that had been lively all day slowly quieted down. Moonlight poured softly over the forested mountains, with only the occasional chirping of insects in the distance.

Lu Cheng’an led thirty villagers, standing neatly on a patch of open ground outside the kitchen, quietly waiting for Miao Yunyou.

The villagers’ faces showed no fatigue—only nervous anticipation.

It was so good here that they worried whether their performance today had been good enough, and whether they would have the chance to come back in the future…

When Miao Yunyou approached, she cleared her throat, her voice gentle yet firm: “Thank you all very much for your efforts today. As for the other matters…”

She paused, then turned to Lu Cheng’an, standing at the front: “I will discuss them with your county magistrate.”