Ye Fan had told Dudu that she would be away for a while. Wanting to ease his mom’s worries, Dudu promised himself he wouldn’t think about her too much during those days.

But not long after Ye Fan left, Dudu already started missing her.

“Grandma, Grandma!” Dudu ran over to Aunt Li on his short little legs, bouncing anxiously in place and pointing at the television, looking as if he were in a hurry.

Aunt Li was folding freshly dried clothes when she noticed Dudu’s excitement. For a moment, she didn’t quite understand what he meant.

“Dudu wants to watch TV?” she asked, thinking he wanted to watch cartoons.

Dudu shook his head and said earnestly, “Mommy’s TV.”

He missed his mom so much that he wanted to sneak a look at her on television.

Dudu tugged urgently at Aunt Li’s sleeve. “Grandma, I want to watch Mommy. Mommy is on TV!”

It took Aunt Li a moment to realize what Dudu meant. He was talking about the drama Ye Fan had acted in—the one they had watched together. Dudu had remembered it clearly.

Undercover on the Bund, the most popular TV drama of the year, had been a massive hit.

The network that aired its premiere raked in huge profits, and after the show ended, many other stations bought the rights to broadcast it.

Now, it seemed like you could turn on the TV at any time and find Undercover on the Bund playing on multiple channels.

Aunt Li switched on the television and adjusted the channel. Then, she picked Dudu up and set him down on the sofa.

“Dudu, be a good boy and watch TV. Don’t run around, okay? I’ll be in the kitchen,” she reminded him several times.

Dudu nodded earnestly, promising to sit quietly and behave just as she asked.

He was a very well-behaved little boy and would never run around recklessly.

Dudu turned his attention to the television, where a scene featuring He Han was playing.

He Han was dressed in a perfectly tailored suit that accentuated his sharp, imposing demeanor. His gaze was dark and profound, like the depths of an unfathomable pool.

His eyes were fixed intently on the Japanese man in front of him.

The next second, the seemingly calm atmosphere shattered. He Han drew the gun from his waist and aimed it steadily at the man before him.

The tension in the air was palpable, ready to explode at any moment—but He Han remained unfazed. Faced with the perilous situation, his expression was composed, fearless, and utterly calm.

Dudu’s small mouth hung open slightly, and he stared at the screen, momentarily stunned.

He thought the uncle’s move just now was super cool!

Dudu kept staring intently at He Han on the screen. Since He Han was the male lead, he had a lot of screen time.

After watching for a while, most of the scenes still featured He Han.

Dudu pouted a little as he noticed something.

The uncle on TV looked really familiar… but how could that be? His mom had shown him this drama before, yet he had no memory of seeing this man.

What Dudu didn’t know was that, back then, Ye Fan had deliberately skipped all of He Han’s scenes when watching the show with him.

Just then, Aunt Li walked out of the kitchen, and Dudu pointed at He Han on the screen.

“Grandma, who is that?” he asked, his big, round eyes filled with curiosity.

Aunt Li glanced at the TV. “He’s the male lead in this drama. Like your mom, he’s one of the actors.”

Dudu tilted his head, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on the screen. He followed He Han’s every move, afraid to miss a single detail.

He was certain he had never seen this man before—so why did he feel so familiar?

Dudu had actually crossed paths with He Han once at the supermarket, but back then, He Han had been wearing a mask and disguised himself, so it was normal that Dudu didn’t recognize him now.

Curled up on the sofa, Dudu continued watching He Han’s scenes. Ye Fan, being only a supporting character, had far fewer appearances, with her role added later in production.

Even though Ye Fan hadn’t shown up on-screen yet, Dudu kept watching intently.

It wasn’t until Aunt Li noticed how much time had passed and decided that Dudu had watched enough TV that she turned it off. As the screen went dark, Dudu stared at it reluctantly, his face full of disappointment.

Dudu thought the man on TV was very handsome—but not as handsome as his mom.

Even though the TV was off, Dudu couldn’t stop thinking.

Who was that man he had just seen?

…

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world.

Ye Fan and her group had finally arrived at their destination.

When it came to accommodations, the production team didn’t make things difficult for them. They had already rented houses in advance, so the guests only needed to check in.

After the guests had settled in and unpacked their belongings, the director gathered everyone in the living room.

“During this trip, the show will provide a fixed budget. All guests must hand over their phones and wallets,” he announced.

Before joining the show, each guest had been briefed by their respective managers and was already aware that the production team would confiscate these items.

However, just because the guests knew the rules didn’t mean the audience did.

The camera zoomed in and cut to Tang Jin, who put on a surprised expression. Having been in the entertainment industry for years, she had mastered the art of maintaining a perfect facade.

To the viewers, it looked as though Tang Jin had never heard of this rule before.

A staff member stepped forward and collected everyone’s phones and wallets, which would be kept by the production team for the duration of the trip.

The director continued, “Here’s the money you’ll have for the next few days.” He held up a stack of cash. “Now, you’ll need to choose someone from among the five of you to manage it.”

“We’ll be conducting an anonymous vote shortly, and all decisions will be based on the voting results,” he added.

Like everyone else, Ye Fan received a piece of paper. Without hesitating for too long, she wrote down the name of the most experienced actor in their group—veteran actress Li Qiong.

Gu Yachen, having sided with Tang Jin from the very beginning, naturally wrote down Tang Jin’s name.

Ding Ruoyi, aware that Tang Jin was the most famous among them, also voted for her.

As for Li Qiong, she wrote down her own name. She was concerned that the younger girls in the group might lack the maturity needed to handle things properly and didn’t want any unnecessary mishaps during the trip.

After writing down their choices, each person took turns placing their paper slips into the box on the table.

A minute later, the production team had tallied the votes, and the director announced the result.

“It seems everyone was quite unanimous—Ye Fan will be in charge of managing the money.”

Gu Yachen frowned slightly.

She had caught a glimpse of some of the other votes and, by all accounts, it should have been Tang Jin who won.

Still, since the production team had made this decision, they clearly had their reasons. Gu Yachen wasn’t about to cause a scene by pointing it out.

Ye Fan raised an eyebrow.

She knew the voting results had likely been manipulated. There was no way the group trusted her that much after spending just one day together.

“Alright,” the director continued, “you can all take the afternoon to rest. Official filming will start tomorrow.”

The cameras were still rolling, but there wasn’t much interaction among the group. Without exchanging many words, everyone quietly returned to their rooms.

Back in her room, Ye Fan didn’t leave all the money in one spot. Instead, she took a portion and tucked it into a small bag she kept close to her body.

The remaining money was placed in the room’s drawer, which she locked securely. She kept the key on her at all times.

Naturally, Ye Fan didn’t trust the production team. While the cameras weren’t filming, she took the opportunity to hide the money properly.

After a brief half-hour nap, Ye Fan woke up and decided to head downstairs for some water.

When she opened her door, she noticed that the room across the hall had its door wide open.

There was no one inside, but she could hear faint sounds coming from the bathroom.

Frowning slightly, Ye Fan knocked lightly on the doorframe before stepping inside.

Ding Ruoyi was slumped over the toilet, her face flushed red, clearly in distress.

Since the show wasn’t filming that afternoon and there were no cameras in the rooms, none of the staff had noticed her condition yet.

“Are you okay?” Ye Fan quickened her steps and knelt down beside Ding Ruoyi, gently patting her back.

It seemed Ding Ruoyi had eaten something bad. She already had a weak stomach, and the unfamiliar food and water had only made things worse.

Ye Fan immediately went downstairs to get a cup of warm water, then returned and helped Ding Ruoyi onto the bed. Ding Ruoyi’s face had turned pale, and she curled up tightly, her body trembling slightly.

“I’ll go buy some medicine for you. Drink some warm water first,” Ye Fan said softly.

Leaning against the bed, Ding Ruoyi spoke in a weak voice, “There’s no need.”

She looked worried and added, “It’s your first time here. You might get lost.”

Ye Fan urged Ding Ruoyi to rest. “I’ve got this. You just sleep for a while.”

Ding Ruoyi had no choice but to nod weakly. “Sorry to trouble you.”

Without delay, Ye Fan informed the production crew.

The crew’s objective was to capture the celebrities’ authentic experiences during the trip. Unless it was an emergency, they rarely intervened or offered assistance.

In her past life, Ye Fan had visited Austria before. Since this world’s version of Austria was largely the same, she was confident she wouldn’t get lost.

Ye Fan left the house promptly and headed to a nearby pharmacy, where she bought anti-diarrheal and stomach medicine. She also stopped by a Chinese restaurant nearby to pick up a light meal—vegetable congee and a few mild side dishes.

The production team’s cameraman silently followed her the entire time, recording everything she did.

When Ye Fan returned, she handed the medicine and food to Ding Ruoyi. After taking the medicine, Ding Ruoyi felt noticeably better. Though her face was still pale, she kept murmuring thanks.

The crew’s indifferent attitude had left Ding Ruoyi deeply disappointed. For the sake of creating drama and maintaining the show’s “real” atmosphere, they had been willing to turn a blind eye to her suffering.

If it hadn’t been for Ye Fan’s help, Ding Ruoyi wasn’t sure how much more she would have suffered. They had only just met, yet Ye Fan had gone to such great lengths to assist her.

After ensuring that Ding Ruoyi had fallen asleep, Ye Fan quietly returned to her own room.

The moment she walked in, she noticed something amiss. The drawer where she had stored the money had clearly been tampered with. Although it was still locked, subtle signs made it obvious that someone had tried to access it.

Ye Fan remained remarkably calm. Without any hint of panic, she opened the drawer.

As expected, all the money was gone.

She had anticipated that the production team might pull some tricks. In fact, if they hadn’t done anything, she would have found it odd.

Still, she hadn’t expected them to go so far just for the sake of creating drama.

The production team’s intentions were obvious. They had deliberately assigned her to manage the money, only to steal it later and create the illusion that she had lost it.

Ye Fan quickly deduced their plan. The crew likely wanted to stir up drama by leaking the incident to the viewers, sparking public outrage. And just when the situation heated up, they’d casually brush it aside, leaving her to take the blame.

Still, Ye Fan had no intention of resisting the show’s flow.

She would let them expose the incident as planned—but how the situation unfolded after that? That was something the production team wouldn’t be able to control.

A cold smirk tugged at her lips.

Grasping the now-empty envelope, she headed straight for the production crew.

The moment Ye Fan reported that the money had gone missing, the team immediately had a cameraman capture the entire scene on film.

One by one, the doors of the other rooms creaked open. Tang Jin, Gu Yachen, and Li Qiong gradually stepped out into the hallway.

Tang Jin’s face remained indifferent when she caught sight of Ye Fan.

After the humiliating stunt with the body double, she already felt aggrieved. The fact that she wasn’t openly hostile toward Ye Fan was, in her mind, more than generous.

The production team had assured her that any footage unfavorable to her would be edited out. With that reassurance, Tang Jin saw no need to engage with Ye Fan at all.

She cast a brief glance at Ye Fan and noticed the bag in her hand. A faint, knowing smirk curved her lips. She had a clear idea of what had happened—and of what Ye Fan was about to do.

Ye Fan caught the subtle expression on Tang Jin’s face and instantly understood. Tang Jin was undoubtedly in on this whole scheme.

This was all a trap carefully set by the production team.

Tang Jin’s reputation had taken a nosedive lately, and she was merely using this show as a means to restore her public image. Meanwhile, Ye Fan had been cast as the stepping stone for her redemption.

Tang Jin fixed her gaze on Ye Fan’s expression, her lips curling into a smug, gloating smile. She was eagerly waiting to catch a flicker of panic or confusion on Ye Fan’s face.

But to her surprise, Ye Fan remained completely composed from start to finish. She even flashed a small, deliberate smile in Tang Jin’s direction.

Tang Jin’s smirk vanished instantly as her brow furrowed. What was going on? Hadn’t the production team set everything up properly?

Li Qiong noticed Ye Fan heading downstairs and asked with concern, “Is something wrong?”

Ye Fan replied calmly, “The money is missing.”

Then, with a meaningful look, she added, “Or perhaps someone took it.”

Hearing this, Gu Yachen immediately jumped in, her tone sharp. “How could you be so careless? You were in charge of the money—you should’ve kept it safe! Now that it’s gone, what are we supposed to do?”

Gu Yachen was well aware of Tang Jin’s dislike for Ye Fan. At the right moment, she would seize any opportunity to tarnish Ye Fan’s reputation—especially when there was such a convenient reason right in front of her.

The show Let’s Go Travel! had just started filming, with the full episodes scheduled to air in half a month.

During the recording period, the show’s official social media account regularly released short teaser clips to build anticipation.

That day, the production team posted a short clip featuring Gu Yachen harshly accusing Ye Fan of losing the money.

As soon as the clip went live, the comments section on Weibo exploded.

“I can’t believe Ye Fan is so careless. Doesn’t she know how important it is to keep money safe while traveling?”

“Reality shows always expose people’s true colors. You all were busy praising her for being gorgeous—well, guess what? She’s clearly just a clueless airhead in real life!”

“Can we all chill for a second? The show only posted a short clip. Who knows what actually happened behind the scenes?”

“Heh, haven’t you figured out how reality shows work by now? Y’all are so quick to criticize—just wait until the full episode airs, and you might end up slapping your own faces!”

While netizens were furiously berating Ye Fan, feeding off the heated outrage, the production team added fuel to the fire by posting another update.

“Tomorrow, Let’s Go Travel! will include a short livestream segment. The lost money will have to be earned back by the guests themselves!”

The announcement made it clear: during the next day’s livestream from Austria, the guests would be tasked with earning money within a limited time frame of one day.

They would be split into teams, competing to see who could make the most money.

As for how they would manage to earn it? That was entirely up to their own creativity and resourcefulness.

Within minutes, the Weibo comments skyrocketed once again.

“I knew it! This is just another one of the production team’s usual gimmicks. How about being a bit more genuine for once?”

“How do you know they’re not just staging this whole livestream to whitewash Ye Fan on purpose?”

“Oh, look who’s here—Ye Fan’s regular hater! I’ve seen you commenting on every post dragging her. I can’t wait for Ye Fan to turn things around and smack you in the face with her success!”

As netizens heatedly debated online, Ye Fan and the other guests, far away in Austria, had already been informed about the production team’s latest twist.

After the announcement, the guests returned to their rooms, each beginning to brainstorm ways to earn money the next day.

The night deepened, and outside, a bright, full moon hung high in the sky.

Inside the house, everything was still and silent, the quiet almost absolute.

Ye Fan sat quietly in her room, her gaze drifting far into the distance, her mind swirling with thoughts.

She knew perfectly well what the production team was up to. This entire setup was designed to bring her down while boosting Tang Jin’s popularity.

Tomorrow’s money-making task was nothing more than a staged opportunity for Tang Jin to steal the spotlight.

Ye Fan chuckled coldly.

Since they’d handed her such a perfect chance, how could she not use it to strike back and humiliate Tang Jin?

The rules were clear—each guest had to rely on their own skills to earn money. And Ye Fan already had a plan in mind.

During tomorrow’s livestream, she wasn’t just going to beat Tang Jin—she was going to crush her, gracefully and effortlessly, leaving Tang Jin speechless and utterly defeated.

=^_^=