Yu Shuman was so proactive in helping out that Qin Ran found it almost ridiculous. She couldn't figure out if she had agreed to let her senior join this variety show to enjoy rural life or to volunteer for hard labor.
Not only was Yu Shuman diligent, but she was also extremely methodical. After entering the kitchen and noticing there were no gloves, she quickly wrapped a cloth around the edges of the plates before carrying them out. Yu Shuman had done her homework and knew that the show usually served meals in the courtyard, which had a ready-made shelter, tables, and chairs. If they weren't going to eat there, then where else?
With swift and nimble movements, Yu Shuman soon brought out several dishes. When Zeng Qian came downstairs and saw how eager Yu Shuman was, she quickly joined in, picking up a dish without even bothering to use a cloth.
But after only three or four steps, Zeng Qian let out a yelp, carefully setting the dish down on the stove before blowing on her hand. The two veteran cast members gathered around her, but Yu Shuman remained calm, quickly running upstairs to her room and returning with a small green glass bottle in hand.
Once she reached the others downstairs, who were still fussing over Zeng Qian, Yu Shuman decisively led Zeng Qian outside and instructed her to soak her hand in the freshly drawn well water. "Soak your hand for a bit, and I'll be back after I finish setting the table."
She left Zeng Qian there, who was a bit stunned, and then watched as Yu Shuman continued to bring out the dishes.
By the time the others who had gone upstairs to sort out their rooms came down, they found Zeng Qian squatting by the well, her hand soaking in a small bucket of water.
Ling Miaohan was the first to approach, asking what had happened. Zeng Qian, with tears in her eyes, explained, "I wasn't careful while carrying the dish and got scalded. It's a little red, so Manman told me to soak it in water for a while."
After she explained what had happened, Ling Miaohan and the other three looked puzzled. "She just left you here? Where is she?" But before the words were fully out, they turned to see Yu Shuman carrying another dish. At that moment, they understood—Yu Shuman was busy working.
The live stream viewers were equally confused, with comments popping up:
[What's going on? She just left her there?]
[Didn't she take something? Why didn't she give it to Zeng Qian?]
[Maybe she's afraid that if Zeng Qian does the work, she'll steal the spotlight, so she's working extra hard to stay on camera.]
But many others defended her and offered explanations:
[Manman isn't like that.]
[Even if someone gets hurt, the work still needs to get done. It's not like the chores will magically disappear.]
[I'm sure Manman went upstairs to get something for Zeng Qian.]
Qin Ran scoffed. It was clear that many people lacked basic life knowledge. Normally, when someone gets scalded, you don't apply burn ointment right away—you cool the burn first. Well water, which is generally cool in summer and warm in winter, was the best option since there were no pre-chilled ice cubes in the fridge, as Yu Shuman had noticed earlier. Cooling the burn with well water was the best course of action.
Cooling takes time, and during that time, Yu Shuman made good use of it by continuing with the work.
Of course, Qin Ran had only learned these basic tips in this lifetime. When she worked in a restaurant during middle school, she often carried dishes and got scalded. The older workers had taught her to cool the burn in cold water before continuing with work, telling her, "Just soak it for a while—I'll be back later."
For poor people, every minute counts. Yu Shuman was the same.
After setting the table, arranging the chairs, and placing the utensils, Yu Shuman figured enough time had passed. She walked over and saw everyone gathered around Zeng Qian. Curious, she asked, "Why aren't you helping? Come on, let's eat—I've set everything up."
Some people were indignant: "Zeng Qian is hurt, and all you care about is eating?"
Yu Shuman found this even more puzzling. "She just got scalded a bit by the dish, right? I checked, and it wasn't that serious. The cooling should be enough by now." She hadn't yet fully adjusted to the entertainment industry, unaware that even minor injuries among celebrities could be treated as a big deal. There were cases where actors rushed to the hospital for a splinter, sparking jokes among netizens: "Good thing they got to the hospital fast—otherwise, the wound might have healed."
The same thing applied here. Celebrities, used to being pampered, often overreacted to even the smallest injuries.
Ling Miaohan was no different. She frowned and said, "But Manman, she was really in pain. When we came over, she was almost crying."
With this statement and Yu Shuman's apparent indifference to Zeng Qian's injury, Zeng Qian began to feel embarrassed. It was true—in the face of Yu Shuman's calm demeanor, her own reaction seemed a bit overblown.
As a veteran cast member by the third season, she shouldn't be making a fuss over such a minor injury.
Zeng Qian prided herself on being a senior and felt she should set a good example by leading the others in choosing rooms and taking charge. But being scalded hurt, and Zeng Qian couldn't help but tear up. To be honest, after Yu Shuman had instructed her to cool her hand in the well water, she felt much better. But she had been pampered for so long that even this small incident almost brought her to tears.
Seeing her like this, Yu Shuman sighed, as if remembering someone. Without saying anything to the others, she walked over, squatted in front of Zeng Qian, and said, "Let me see your hand."
Zeng Qian took her hand out of the bucket and opened it, showing Yu Shuman her reddened fingers.
Fresh out of the water, her fingers were still a bit red, indicating that the burn had been a bit severe. But it wasn't too bad. Yu Shuman gently blew on them, then took out a napkin to dry Zeng Qian's fingers.
The skin on Zeng Qian's scalded fingertips looked thin and delicate. Yu Shuman blew on them again to cool them further, causing Zeng Qian's cheeks to flush—what was Manman doing? This was so embarrassing!
But Yu Shuman didn't care what Zeng Qian was thinking. She pulled out the burn ointment she had been carrying in her pocket, opened the lid, and applied it to Zeng Qian's fingers. The burn ointment was a minty green herbal balm, cool and refreshing, with a fresh scent.
After applying the ointment, Yu Shuman said, "Alright, don't work for the next couple of days. Rest your fingers until they heal." In Yu Shuman's mind, such a minor injury wasn't worth much care—Zeng Qian could wash the dishes later. But after seeing how the others reacted, Yu Shuman realized they weren't as tough as she was, so she offered this advice.
Seeing what Yu Shuman did and hearing her words, Zeng Qian's eyes lit up, and she looked at Yu Shuman with admiration.
Normally quite cutesy, Zeng Qian had been trying to act like a senior on the show, guiding the others in choosing rooms and leading by example.
But now, with someone like Yu Shuman taking care of her, Zeng Qian's true, more dependent nature emerged.
One look at her eyes was enough to guess what she was thinking: Manman, you're the only sister for me!
The live chat went wild:
[Ladies, who else feels that blow wasn't just on Zeng Qian's hand but on my heart as well?]
[I'm crying! I need Manman to blow on my hands too!]
[Shut up! We're all fans of the cool older sister—let's not act too cutesy! But… heh, sister, sister!]
[Look at Zeng Qian's expression—another softie has fallen under the older sister's charm.]
[Who gets it, family? This is the power of the older sister type!]
Qin Ran understood all too well.
Seeing Yu Shuman blowing on someone else's fingers, Qin Ran's jealousy flared—her eyes practically turned red. She had never experienced Yu Shuman's gentle care for a burn!
The main issue was that back when she first started working in middle school, she made too many mistakes. After gradually learning the ropes, she got used to the work. Now, even though she was just learning to cook, she was careful enough not to burn herself, so Yu Shuman never had the chance to show her care.
After Yu Shuman finished treating Zeng Qian's injury, the group had nothing more to say and sat down to eat. The earlier incident had caused Zeng Qian to stick close to Yu Shuman, making the meal a bit awkward for the others.
After dinner, everyone headed to their rooms early to rest. Yu Shuman interacted with her fans in the live chat, answering questions. When someone asked what unusual items she had brought along, like burn ointment, Yu Shuman smiled.
"I didn't plan on bringing burn ointment originally, but someone at home recently started learning to cook, and I was worried she might get scalded or splattered with oil. So I bought some burn ointment just in case. She's had some cooking mishaps, but nothing serious so far. When I was packing, I grabbed some insect repellent and herbal balms, and when I saw the burn ointment, I thought I might as well bring it along. I didn't expect it to come in handy today."
The chat was full of questions about who this person at home was, but before Yu Shuman could answer, other fans jumped in:
[Are you new? Didn't watch this morning's live stream, huh?]
[Who else? Of course, it's her ultra-rich bestie!]
[I'm tired of saying how jealous I am. Not only does the rich bestie give her clothes and jewelry, but she's also learning to cook for her. How do you even get such a great friend?]
Yu Shuman answered casually, but her eyes softened with warmth. At that moment, Qin Ran's earlier jealousy and resentment melted away. She chuckled to herself, realizing that Yu Shuman had brought the burn ointment because of her.
It was her own fault for not getting accidentally burned to give Yu Shuman a chance to show her care. Now, someone else had taken what should have been her moment.
Qin Ran sighed, feeling both regretful and amused. The thought of Yu Shuman holding her hand and gently blowing on a burn made her break out in goosebumps.
She couldn't handle this side of Yu Shuman at all.