Chapter 1
When the invitation to All in the Family arrived, I was playing a corpse in Hengdian.
A very peaceful corpse, too.
My agent crouched beside me.
“Want to do it?”
I kept my eyes shut.
“Who else is on it?”
“Lu Ling.”
I didn’t move.
“Shen Fan.”
One eyelid twitched.
A superstar and an award-winning actress.
I’d been in the industry five years, and my best-known role was “sect disciple stabbed to death with a sword.”
What exactly did the producers see in me?
My agent was silent for two seconds.
“Maybe they need a normal person.”
“…”
Thanks, but I’d pass.
Except I wasn’t in much of a position to pass on anything.
After work that night, I went home and asked Grandma.
“Grandma, a reality show wants me to bring a family member. Interested?”
Grandma was playing Fight the Landlord on her tablet. She didn’t look up.
“How many days?”
“Seven.”
“Do they pay?”
“Yes.”
She slammed down her last joker.
“Then yes.”
I was a little touched.
“You’re pretty supportive of my career, Grandma.”
“Don’t flatter yourself.”
She pushed her reading glasses down her nose.
“I just want to see what kind of show makes people work seven days straight.”
“…”
Right.
We hadn’t even started filming.
I already had a faint sense of impending doom.
As it turned out, my instincts were as reliable as ever.
On the first day of filming, the three pairs of guests gathered outside the guesthouse.
Lu Ling arrived first.
She wore a cream-colored maxi dress, her hair loosely pinned up, and wheeled a twenty-inch suitcase.
Her mother followed.
She was wheeling just one suitcase, too.
I was about to marvel at them.
So this was how a pampered heiress from Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai traveled.
Seven days away, and so little luggage.
So refined.
Then the crew pointed out another six suitcases in the courtyard.
“Ms. Lu, these are yours too.”
Lu Ling blinked.
Her mother reminded her gently:
“The white one has clothes.
“The green one has medicine and skincare.
“Silver is shoes.
“The two small ones are food.
“And the last one is bedding.”
Lu Ling was quiet for a moment.
“Mom.”
“Yes?”
“I’m only filming for seven days.”
Her mother nodded.
“I know, sweetheart.
“That’s why I didn’t pack much.”
Lu Ling had no answer.
The livestream audience was already in hysterics.
[An only daughter from Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai goes away for seven days: packing light, just seven cases.]
[Mom: My baby can endure hardship. A tiny little bit.]
[Lu Ling: I’m twenty-four. Mom: I know, baby. You’re 288 months old.]
A crew member opened one suitcase to check for prohibited items.
Inside were seven neatly arranged clear bags.
Monday.
Tuesday.
Wednesday.
And so on.
Even the socks were matched to each outfit.
At the bottom lay an envelope.
The director had just picked it up when Lu Ling’s mother remembered something.
“Oh, you don’t need to film that.”
He paused.
“What is it?”
“Cash.”
“…”
“Not everywhere near the guesthouse will necessarily take mobile payments. I was afraid she wouldn’t have any money.”
Lu Ling closed her eyes briefly.
“Mom.”
Her mother looked at her at once.
“Is it not enough?”
“It’s enough.”
“Tell Mommy if you need more.”
Lu Ling stopped trying.
[I’m dying. My mom: Text me when you get there. Her mom: Text me your bank details.]
[As an only daughter from that region, I solemnly declare that my family is not this extreme.]
[Neither is mine.]
[So is this a regional thing, or a rich-people thing?]