After My Cross-dressing Cover Was Blown, the Movie Star Became My Accomplice - Chapter 5

Chapter 5

◎ The Piercing Cry of a Child ◎

The inn was located deep within the village. On the way there, one could see the stilted buildings characteristic of the ancient settlement.

The roofs of these stilted houses were covered in blue-gray tiles, with pillars made of ancient fir wood supporting the structures. On the second floor of some houses, indigo-dyed traditional garments were hung out to dry, their silver ornaments jingling melodiously as the clothes swayed in the wind.

Passing by a dye workshop, they could see the busy figures of workers inside, with bolts of dyed cloth fluttering in the breeze. Bi Tu unconsciously peeked inside, wanting to observe the workers’ movements.

Piles of chopped bamboo lay at the entrance of a bamboo weaving workshop. An old craftsman sat at the door, his fingers flying with agility; soon, the bamboo strips were transformed into the shape of a winnowing basket commonly used in households.

Qu Fu’s thoughts were similar to Bi Tu’s, though while her eyes saw and her brain understood, her hands were a different story.

When passing the mineral shop, Kong Yanfei was instinctively drawn to the various ores on display, beginning to fantasize about the scene of her picking out stones.

The villagers here woke up very early. An elderly woman in primitive clothing sat on a doorstep sorting vegetables, the silver bracelets on her wrists clinking and clanging. An old man walked along the road carrying firewood; the blue flagstone path had long been worn smooth and warm. Looking down, one could see the traces left by time.

Mu Yao followed the group of guests, his gaze scanning over Cheng Zeyì, Qu Fu, Bi Tu, and Kong Yanfei one by one. His gaze lingered on Bi Tu for a moment, and then he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

‘The ghostly qi on Bi Tu seems to be suppressed by the Yin energy of the village. It looks like Bi Tu won’t be able to cause much trouble during the shoot here. I can relax a bit.’

Having ruled out internal instability among the guests, Mu Yao felt relieved.

The group crossed half the village to arrive at the inn. The inn staff had been waiting at the door to receive them. They took everyone’s luggage but smiled and shook their heads when the guests tried to check in.

“We are very sorry, but guests must provide a check-in voucher to process the check-in! Without a voucher, we cannot check you in.”

“A check-in voucher?”

Cheng Zeyì was slightly stunned. He knew the crew would arrange tasks, but he hadn’t expected the tasks to come so quickly.

“Yes. If you guests wish to obtain a check-in voucher, you need to complete the task inside the envelope.”

The female employee behind the wooden counter tried her best to suppress her excitement. Her slightly flushed face still wore a proper smile as she handed a special task envelope to Cheng Zeyì with both hands.

Cheng Zeyì took the task card and turned around. He found everyone’s eyes gathered on this thin envelope.

“This should be our task. Brother Cheng, hurry and open it to see.”

The “we” Qu Fu spoke of did not include Cheng Zeyì. On the day they drew identities, the staff had specifically pointed out that only the guests present then had identity tasks; this newly appeared guest star did not need to do them.

Which made sense—as long as the great Movie King Cheng participated in the show, the production team was guaranteed a profit. There was no need to arrange tasks that might make him unhappy.

Seeing that the four were indeed concerned about the task, and knowing it was tied to their accommodations, Cheng Zeyì didn’t delay and quickly opened the envelope so they could check in early.

“Check-in Task: If you want the room keys, exchange them for vouchers! How to get a voucher? Go ask the village’s Bamboo Weaver! Friendly tip: The weaver only works in the morning. If you miss the time, you won’t be able to find him!”

Upon seeing the content, everyone’s first thought was to check the time. Seeing it was 9:00 AM, they all breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, they had started recording very early; there was still time to find the weaver and inquire about the task. They still had a chance to get the vouchers.

“A weaver? That means it’s Sister Qu Fu’s task! Sister, we’re counting on you for our vouchers!”

Kong Yanfei looked at Qu Fu, whose identity was the Bamboo Weaver. Her innocent eyes were full of trusting light, making Qu Fu feel a bit guilty.

“Uh, if I can complete it successfully.”

Qu Fu’s heart was pounding. She had just seen the master weaver’s fingers flying earlier; she was fine at acting, but she didn’t dare boast about making things.

“Let’s leave our luggage here and head to the workshop unburdened. I’ve checked—the inn can store luggage even if we can’t check in yet.”

Unnoticed, Mu Yao had quietly approached the counter. While the others were still discussing the task, he had already found a temporary home for the suitcases.

“Thank you. Mu Yao, you are very thoughtful.”

Cheng Zeyì turned and smiled warmly at Mu Yao.

“Indeed. Dragging luggage back the way we came wouldn’t do.”

Bi Tu nodded in appreciation. He wanted to reach out and pat Mu Yao on the shoulder, but then he remembered Mu Yao was currently disguised as a girl and it wasn’t convenient to touch him directly, so he awkwardly withdrew his hand.

The group left their suitcases in the lobby and headed back to the workshop they had just passed.

Outside the workshop, the old craftsman already had several completed bamboo baskets, hampers, and conical hats piled beside him. Though they were simple prototypes, the complex craftsmanship was evident.

“Hello, Master. We are here to do the task for the check-in vouchers.”

Since Qu Fu was the weaver, the task of communicating with the old master was handed to her. She stepped in front of him and spoke calmly.

The old craftsman looked up, glanced at the clothes Qu Fu was wearing, slapped his thigh, and stood up, pointing at the handicrafts beside him.

“Oh, the little apprentice is here. Come, take the things and follow me inside.”

“O-okay.”

Qu Fu froze for a second, then reacted by quickly bending down to pick up the baskets and hampers. There were too many for her to carry alone, so Mu Yao silently picked up several hampers and hats to help. Kong Yanfei and Cheng Zeyì also helped carry a few, while Bi Tu was the last to walk over and take the final two hats.

Inside the workshop, the old craftsman tapped the table, signaling them to put the items down. He pulled out another envelope from somewhere and handed it to Qu Fu.

“This is your task. See which one you can do?”

“Thank you, Master.”

The old craftsman was clearly an honest man; he didn’t understand the show’s gimmicks and didn’t make things difficult for them, handing over the task card quite bluntly.

“Congratulations to the guests for finding the weaver within the time limit. The ‘Beginner Weaver’ among the guests must personally craft a handicraft. You may choose from: Bamboo Coaster, Mini Fish Trap, Bamboo Wind Chime, or Zodiac Outline. Please complete it within three hours and obtain the Master Weaver’s approval. Upon completion, the guests will receive five check-in vouchers!”

Qu Fu’s expression didn’t change much after reading, but the pressure in her heart had peaked.

‘Heavens, one task for five vouchers. The pressure of everyone’s check-in is all on me! I… I don’t know this craft. Can I really complete it and get approval?’

“I have a question. Can I help Sister Qu Fu complete the task?”

While Qu Fu was feeling anxious, Kong Yanfei raised her hand toward the camera.

“It’s unfair to let Sister Qu Fu carry the burden for five people alone. I feel we should all help.”

To prevent Cheng Zeyì from discovering his gender, Mu Yao stood furthest away from him—right next to Qu Fu. When she asked, everyone looked over. Mu Yao once again felt Cheng Zeyì’s gaze; he pretended not to notice and echoed Kong Yanfei.

“I’m also willing to help.”

“Mhm. Since the little champion and Xiao Mu have both offered to help, I can’t fall behind.”

Bi Tu actually wanted to see Qu Fu struggle, but he knew he couldn’t go against the grain now, so he spoke up quickly.

“Speaking of which, I’m currently a free man without an identity. Does that mean I can help anyone?”

Cheng Zeyì laughed, shaking his jacket to show he wasn’t wearing anything representing a specific identity. As a free man, his main feature was freedom; helping Qu Fu certainly wouldn’t violate the rules.

“Haha, don’t worry, teachers! Our tasks are meant to experience the crafts of Xiantao Village. We don’t force the identity holder to complete tasks alone. If you all want to experience making handicrafts, we are very supportive!”

A staff member with a megaphone laughed and explained off-camera. As if to prove their words, the old craftsman appeared right then carrying a large bundle of processed bamboo strips.

“Thank you, everyone.”

Qu Fu brushed a stray strand of hair from her temple. She handed the task card to Cheng Zeyì and asked, “The card says we can choose from the coaster, fish trap, wind chime, or zodiac outline. Which one do you think I should pick?”

“These all seem quite small; they shouldn’t take too much time.”

Cheng Zeyì pondered the size of the items and estimated the production time.

“Zodiac outline? What zodiac animals are there?”

Kong Yanfei’s focus was on the zodiacs; she wanted to see if they were easy to make.

“Fish trap? Can it hold water and little fish?”

Bi Tu was more interested in the fish trap, rubbing his chin in thought.

Mu Yao didn’t speak, but his eyes were fixed on the words “Bamboo Wind Chime.”

“You can choose by looking at the real things.”

The old craftsman tidied the table again and laid out the coasters, fish traps, wind chimes, and zodiac outlines. The zodiac outlines had the most varieties. He introduced them as he set them out.

The Bamboo Coaster used a hexagonal hole weaving method—a basic technique for beginners. Those who learn quickly can finish in two hours, and the result is immediately usable.

The Mini Fish Trap demonstrated 3D weaving techniques and was slightly difficult. The twisted-thread closing technique required focused learning. This trap couldn’t hold water or fish; it was for decoration only.

The Bamboo Wind Chime only required weaving simple bamboo rings, which were then assembled with ready-made bells. It was a relatively easy craft to start with.

The Zodiac Outline involved bending thick bamboo strips into shapes and embedding a cross-weave pattern. it tested the tolerance of the bamboo, and using a blowtorch to heat and set the bamboo was somewhat difficult.

“An additional rule for the guests: since you all intend to participate, we won’t require everyone to pick the same item. Guests without the weaver identity can pick whatever they want to try. Once you learn, you can teach or help the ‘Weaver’ guest complete the final product. We believe you can produce a qualified work together!”

With this additional rule, everyone relaxed. Cheng Zeyì looked at Qu Fu. “You choose first.”

“I’ll go with the Bamboo Wind Chime. It’s simpler to make, so the success rate is higher.”

Even with the help of her fellow guests, Qu Fu remained cautious.

“How about Senior Bi Tu?”

“I’ll challenge the fish trap?”

Helping Qu Fu with a wind chime would have been more efficient, but Bi Tu thought that if everyone did the same thing, the show would be boring. He chose the item he was interested in.

“I’ll choose the wind chime. I’ll research it with Sister Qu Fu.”

Before Cheng Zeyì could ask, Kong Yanfei spoke quickly. She had originally wanted to do the zodiac, but gave up when she heard the craftsman mention using fire.

“Mu Yao, what do you plan to choose?”

Cheng Zeyì looked at Mu Yao. His gaze lingered on Mu Yao’s face for a moment, then shifted away with a complex look. Mu Yao noticed the complex emotion in his eyes but couldn’t quite figure it out, so he decided not to overthink it.

“The zodiac outline. I’ll try that.”

“In that case, as a free man, I’ll choose more variety. I’ll take the coaster and the wind chime. I can pick two, right?”

Cheng Zeyì looked at the camera, and the staff confirmed from off-frame. “Yes, other guests can choose more than one as well.”

Once the crafts were selected, the old craftsman began to demonstrate for them with a smile. His fingers were extremely flexible; bamboo strips bent and straightened at his whim. In no time, they became a coaster, a wind chime, a fish trap, and a zodiac animal. Everyone’s eyes widened in awe.

After watching the demonstration, Qu Fu finally breathed a sigh of relief. The wind chime was indeed the simplest. With her, Kong Yanfei, and Cheng Zeyì researching together, they could definitely finish in three hours!

As it turned out, the eyes, brain, and hands—those three important parts of the body—sometimes fail to coordinate. No matter how Qu Fu tried, she couldn’t weave a proper circle.

“…Strange. This is exactly how the Grandpa Master did it!”

Human struggles are sometimes universal. Not only was Qu Fu uncoordinated, but Kong Yanfei was too, and Cheng Zeyì, who had boasted about researching two items, was much the same.

“So hard.”

Bi Tu, rarely without his smile, complained with a look of deep resentment.

“Eh, little girl, you’re quite skilled. Have you done bamboo weaving before?”

While the others were moping, the old craftsman’s praise came from Mu Yao’s direction. The group looked up and saw a small dog zodiac outline sitting next to Mu Yao.

“I used to work in a shop.”

“Mhm. Your skill isn’t exactly exquisite, but it’s presentable. A pity you aren’t the ‘Weaver’ guest.”

The old craftsman nodded, effectively validating Mu Yao’s skill. Mu Yao’s expression softened for a moment; he truly cherished the feeling of being recognized.

“Mu Yao! Can you help me see how to do the wind chime?”

Qu Fu looked as if she had seen a savior. Dropping her star persona, she grabbed her materials and stool and scurried over.

“Me too!”

“Then I’ll…”

“And me!”

Kong Yanfei, Cheng Zeyì, and Bi Tu all crowded around. Suddenly, Mu Yao became the center of attention.

With Mu Yao’s help, Qu Fu finally produced a decent-looking bamboo wind chime. Hearing the tinkling sound and seeing the vouchers handed over by the craftsman, she finally felt at ease.

“Mu Yao, thank you so much! When we get back to B City, I’m treating you to dinner!”

As they left the workshop, Qu Fu expressed her gratitude generously. Mu Yao nodded slightly but didn’t say much.

On the way back, the sky suddenly changed, and a torrential rain began to pour. Filming had to be suspended. The staff hurriedly packed up the cameras and water-sensitive equipment, and everyone rushed toward the inn.

Back at the inn, they briefly filmed the check-in material. The director complained about the inaccurate weather forecast and had to temporarily change the itinerary; the afternoon was changed to free time.

Mu Yao wiped the rain from his face. Fortunately, the crew used waterproof makeup, so his look hadn’t smeared. He looked at the curtain of rain outside the window, frowning thoughtfully.

Just now, while running through the rain, he seemed to hear the piercing cry of a child coming from within the downpour.