Chapter 80: I’m Wang Baochuan the Vegetable Digger

By the time Su Tao led the streamer Qiqi to the vegetable garden in the orphanage’s backyard, they were greeted by quite the scene…

Everyone else was already squatting in the garden, busily digging up vegetables.

Some of them had been moved by the orphanage’s sincerity. They felt that being invited to dig up vegetables grown by the orphanage itself was a genuine gesture of goodwill and hospitality.

No matter what the vegetables were like, they were willing to come take a look. Taking home some fresh produce was a way to reciprocate the kindness and build a friendly connection.

Some were simply intrigued by the rumors that the orphanage provided meals and wanted to stick around to see what the food was like. Curiosity had brought them here.

Others, however, were silently complaining in their hearts. Seriously? Was this orphanage for real?

Giving vegetables from their own garden as a return gift?

How stingy and ridiculous was that?

And the worst part? They had to dig the vegetables themselves?

Why not just have everyone cook their own meals in the canteen while they were at it?

Ridiculous!

Fine then. When it was time to dig, they’d take plenty of photos and post them online to rant. Who knew, maybe it would even go viral.

Lu Fangyuan didn’t know what everyone else was thinking.

At this moment, she had only one thought in her mind: to be the first and best at digging vegetables.

She honestly hadn’t expected the orphanage’s backyard garden to be this big!

The vegetables here were lush, vibrant, and incredibly fresh. Just looking at them made her happy.

They were far better than anything she’d managed to grow during her month in Peach Blossom Village.

Dig, dig, dig. She had to give it her all and dig with heart!

【At first, I was so full of myself. I thought, hey, I grew up in the Lu Family, pampered and adored. Of course I’d be better than the True Young Miss.】

【Turns out, I really can’t compare. e=(′o｀*))) Sigh】

【She’s not only prettier than me, she’s better at growing vegetables too (#`o′)!】

【Just look at these veggies. Aren’t they just delightful (???)!】

【If she had grown up in the Lu Family from the start, imagine how dazzling and carefree her life would be now!】

【Too bad, I stole that from her?? (?? ￣??￣? )?? ??】

【Ugh! I’m terrible. I actually felt bitter and resentful in the beginning. That sense of unfairness and imbalance was so strong.】

【Thank goodness for President Feng’s guidance, or else… I’d have turned into one of those vicious supporting characters in a novel.】

【I need to dig more vegetables and bring some to President Feng.】

【Sigh, I’ve been working so hard. I wonder if the True Young Miss has noticed me?】

【Maybe I should pretend to be scared by a little green worm on the veggies. That’d definitely get her attention, right?】

【Hehe, I’m such a clever girl!】

【But wait, there are so many people around. If I act too dramatic, won’t I just become the center of attention?】

【She probably doesn’t like unexpected drama during events like this.】

【Ugh, what’s wrong with me? Why am I overthinking everything again?!】

【After today, I’ll be leaving Jiang City to go film on location.】

【Given our relationship and identities, I should just do what President Feng said—be distant acquaintances who are aware of each other’s existence, nothing more.】

【Why am I so desperate for her attention?!】

【I know why. It’s because the pretty boys in the film crew aren’t handsome enough. They’re not strong enough to lift me during scenes.】

【That’s why I’ve been charmed by the True Young Miss’s embrace and the sense of security she gives me.】

【Turns out, I’m just that shallow o(╥﹏╥)o】

【Ah! Ugh! Sigh! Whew! Boohoo!】

【Why am I thinking so much? I should just keep digging!】

【I love digging vegetables. Digging makes me happy~ (*^▽^*)】

【La la la, I’m Wang Baochuan the vegetable digger, but I’m not some lovesick fool. Digging and singing, today’s veggies are so fresh, stir-fry them all day long and still not done~】

【La la la, I’m not scared, not scared at all~ If I see a green worm, I’ll just pretend I didn’t~】

“………” Lu Qingqiang.

Well then. She was putting on a whole one-woman show all by herself.

Incredible. Truly incredible.

Who would’ve thought Lu Fangyuan was like this?

By all appearances, she seemed like a good person.

The Lu Family was reasonable too, with decent values and no sudden personality shifts.

Even her adoptive parents were honest folks who just wanted a peaceful life, not the scheming type.

So why, in the novel, did the real Fake Heiress end up tearing everything apart and meeting such a tragic end?

Lu Qingqiang couldn’t figure it out no matter how hard she tried.

She racked her brain for the plot, but the harder she tried to remember, the fuzzier the details became.

Unable to hold it in, she called out to the system.

“Xiao Yi, something feels off!”

“What’s wrong, Host?”

“I came into this book to complete a mission, right?”

“That’s right, Host.”

“If I’m not mistaken, I read this novel before. The supporting female character—me, the so-called True Young Miss—ended up miserable and dead.”

“But from what I’ve seen and experienced, Lu Fangyuan, the Lu Family, even my adoptive parents, none of them are bad people.”

“The original host—well, she was just a little sensitive and prone to overthinking, but not some evil villain.”

“So how did it all go so wrong in the end? It doesn’t make sense,” Lu Qingqiang said.

“Host, the world inside a novel is crafted by the author. Sometimes, to heighten drama or create emotional payoff, the author will introduce plot points that don’t necessarily follow logical consistency. That’s normal.”

“Even if the characters themselves wouldn’t act that way, they can’t escape the author’s ‘parental’ control.”

“That’s also why you were sent into this world for a rescue mission.”

“Just because the kids in the orphanage were abandoned and suffered hardship doesn’t mean they’ll all turn out bad.”

“Not necessarily. Sometimes, flowers bloom from adversity.”

“But in the novel, they were all portrayed as villains.”

“So unfortunately, the world of this novel has collapsed. There’s a lot of resentment lingering here.”

“From now on, Host, don’t treat the original story as your guide anymore~”

“Just think of this as a complete, wholesome, brand-new world~”

“Your mission is to raise the children in the orphanage well, and walk the path you believe in.”

“Once your mission is complete, you’ll be able to return.”

“Good luck, Host! I believe in you!”

“I see. I think I understand now. Thank you, Xiao Yi. I’ll do my best!” Lu Qingqiang said with determination.

【Huh? What’s up with the True Young Miss?】

【Why does she suddenly look so serious, like she’s about to join the Party?】

【Well, maybe after I pass the civil service exam, I’ll become a proud Party member too.】

【Let’s go, let’s go, I’m the best! Fang Yuan, Fang Yuan, you’re the fattest!】

【Ack, slip of the tongue! I don’t want to be the fattest! Heaven, please ignore that last part, pretend you didn’t hear it.】

【Forget it, I’ll just keep digging. La la la, I’m Wang Baochuan the vegetable digger~】

“……” Lu Qingqiang.

— Translator’s Notes —

– Wang Baochuan: Wang Baochuan is a legendary figure from Chinese folklore in the tale of Xue Pinggui and Wang Baochuan, symbolizing unwavering loyalty. She endured 18 years of poverty, digging vegetables to survive while waiting for her husband, who was away at war. Here, the character humorously compares her vegetable digging to this enduring hardship without the romantic longing.