The four groups of guests arrived in the city by plane in the afternoon. After filming the "competition" segnt and taking over two more hours to reach their location, it was almost evening.
Xia Siyu had long anticipated the program team might throw in all sorts of unexpected issues. Besides instructing Bo Yan to bring a heap of food, she also ate thoroughly at the airport, her belly round with food, just in case the program team skimps on providing enough. The weather was still hot; Xia Siyu had tea ti in the afternoon and drank a stomachful of coffee and tea, so she wasn’t very hungry. They didn’t have dinner and just bought a ten yuan waterlon from a roadside vendor, which she and Bo Yan split and ate.
After dinner, they found themselves near the Ancient City District. While the program’s filming did attract a crowd of onlookers, Xia Siyu and Bo Yan had a trick up their sleeve: they borrowed uniforms from the crew, blended into the crowd, and went for a stroll outside.
With masks and hats on, no one could recognize them. The evening breeze was gently blowing; there was an urban central park nearby and a large body of water. The cool breeze from the water was distinctly refreshing.
Maybe it was the exhausting journey here today, compared to the more comfortable previous reception, it was tougher. Plus, Bo Yan and Xia Siyu had packed a lot of things, which the program team hadn’t anticipated, so the two had skipped making dinner. While other groups were still busy in the kitchen, they had already co out for a walk.
This was the Ancient City District, known now as a shopping area. All of China’s ancient city districts are essentially the sa, filled with souvenir shops, clothing stores, and snack shops. Apart from so unremarkable local specialties, everything else was identical.
But after a few steps, Xia Siyu found her clothes unattractively ugly, so when she spotted a simple white T-shirt in a small shop, both went inside to take a look.
"Welco," said the not-so-crowded small shop, with a total of three including the caraman. The caraman wasn’t carrying a big cara on his shoulder but a smaller one. Yet, the shop owner politely asked them to leave: "Sorry, no filming here."
Oh, got it, to avoid competitors comparing rchandise. The caraman wanted to reveal their identities, but Xia Siyu stopped him: "We agreed this was private shopping. If you intervene, I can’t continue."
If the caraman explains, most shop owners usually won’t refuse filming, but that also reveals Xia Siyu and Bo Yan’s identities. These two, in the center of the ancient city with no other staff or bodyguards, could cause quite a scene.
The caraman hesitated, and Xia Siyu said, "I’ll just look around quickly and co out."
The caraman thought for a mont and nodded: "Alright then."
So, he fild from outside, as through the window, Xia Siyu and Bo Yan’s figures were still visible. They hadn’t removed their microphones, so their conversation was transmitted back.
The shop owner was a bit curious, but there were many online influencers visiting, and since Xia Siyu and Bo Yan weren’t showing their faces and were dressed in staff uniforms and flip-flops, they resembled university students out for a stroll. Although both had decent figures, who could tell who they were?
The store didn’t have any particularly novel clothes, and after a quick tour, Xia Siyu set her eyes on a white T-shirt. It looked ordinary at first glance, but when turned around, there was a high slit at the back extending to the waistline. With the V-neck in front, when worn with a breeze, it fluttered lightly and looked quite graceful.
Though seemingly versatile, due to the back design, if soone was slightly overweight, had a thicker waist, or poor posture, it wouldn’t look good on them.
Xia Siyu tried it on. Her figure was impeccable, very striking. Under normal circumstances, she would buy it without a blink, but this ti she checked the price tag and silently put the shirt back.
Bo Yan asked her, "What’s wrong?"
Xia Siyu shook her head and simply said, "Thanks, but it doesn’t fit well."
Then she walked out.
Bo Yan followed her and asked, "But I thought it looked great on you."
Certainly better than the work clothes she was wearing now.
Xia Siyu straightforwardly said, "Too expensive, it’s over a hundred."
To hear Xia Siyu call a one-hundred-yuan-plus piece "expensive," even though most people could afford it, and a nicely designed one in the mall easily costs four or five hundred yuan at full price, felt oddly a bit pitiful.
Not just Bo Yan, even the caraman was speechless. Bo Yan said, "If you like it, buy it."
Xia Siyu shook her head again: "What if the program team sets a 300 yuan budget for us again? Buying a hundred-plus dollar shirt, how will we eat tomorrow?"
Previously, Xia Siyu bought several cups and got roasted online as being "tragically petty." It’s not like she lacked clothes; she just changed into work clothes today to avoid the crowd. She could change back into sothing nice when they returned; it wasn’t necessary.
Bo Yan felt sympathetic and said, "Buy it. I want my partner to look nice, if worst cos to worst, I’ll handle the tasks tomorrow."
"No way. We are a team," Xia Siyu smiled and refused. She had only spent ten yuan from the program’s money to buy a waterlon and gnawed it for dinner, all in fear of the program’s surprises.
She had to save over a hundred, what if they ended up having to get to the airport by themselves? She checked today, a taxi from here to the airport would cost at least 150 yuan. She didn’t want to endure the crowding of buses or subways again, especially given today’s capriciousness of the program team; she’d have to lug her baggage through the buses and subways, it was a hassle.
Her plan was to resolutely avoid doing the program’s tasks, better to save money than perform them.
"But..."
"No buts," Xia Siyu glanced around and suddenly smiled, "Look, over there."
She pointed to a night market stall, "If you really want to spend money, buy so food. Dinner was just waterlons, walking out now and starving."
Bo Yan nodded, and they walked forward together.
All over China’s night markets, they essentially look the sa. Even if they claim to have local specialties, apart from a few stalls selling local snacks, everything else is skewers, spicy pots, grilled sausages, etc. Xia Siyu wasn’t very hungry initially, but as they approached the entrance and the aroma wafted, her mouth watered automatically.
But rather than going directly up and buying imdiately, she stood still: "Wait a minute!"
Bo Yan halted with her, watching as Xia Siyu took out her phone and began using an app to search for nearby food, choosing places with high sales and ratings above four stars, picking several: "This one will do!"
After all, money had to be spent wisely, such a bittersweet task.
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