Stop pretending, the fake heiress is actually a master of metaphysics.

The two returned to the village chief's house, where they would stay for the night.

The other two groups had not yet completed their tasks, so the two decided to start by arranging dinner.

Shen Nian had never cooked a meal since she was born. She thought that a celebrity like Mu Sinian, with his status and background, would never lift a finger to cook. However, she was surprised to find that Mu Sinian was quite skilled at cooking.

He told Shen Nian to just wash the vegetables.

After washing the vegetables, he began to process the ingredients, blanching, stir-frying, and stewing.

The ingredients were all fresh, purchased by the production team, and the seasoning only required simple salt and a little white pepper.

The ramen production team also bought fresh ramen. After cooking, the broth was golden in color with specks of oil floating on top. Paired with bright green bok choy, it looked and smelled delicious.

After the two finished preparing the meal, the other two groups had just finished their tasks and stepped into the village chief's hut.

"It smells so good! You've already prepared dinner."

Lu Mengmeng said, "Brother Mu, I didn't know you had this skill."

Mu Sinian handed the bowl of noodles to Shen Nian: "It's just noodles."

"The stove at the village chief's house is a bit small, so we'll finish cooking first. It won't stop you from using it."

Lu Mengmeng cried, "The production team is so mean! We carried bricks all day, and now we have to cook for ourselves! I'm starving..."

To be honest, the food my brother made really looked delicious...

[I envy Shen Nian; she gets to eat her brother's cooking.]

[I envy Mu Sinian; he can actually cook for Shen Nian.]

[I really want to be Shen Nian's dog.]

[Inner monologue: I'm the older sister's dog, you all get out of here.]

[Hahahaha, such drastically different art styles!]

Why am I getting a little hungry after watching this?

[This show has a really unique style. Usually, most shows feature ordinary people who can cook, while very few celebrities can. How come this show is the opposite?]

[Sigh, a master chef like him, it's normal that he can't cook.]

Have you ever seen a highly skilled person cook for themselves?

Putting aside other things, aren't most of the masters in novels fasting? It's normal that they can't cook.

[I guess these celebrities all rose from humble beginnings; it's normal that they can cook after working hard for so many years.]

[Zhang Xiaoling seems to be from the north? No wonder she can make noodles.]

To be honest, they all look pretty delicious.

[I'm hungry. Isn't this a paranormal show? Why did the tone suddenly shift to food?]

I don't know, maybe it's to let you relax before the scary parts come out.

I don't think this episode will be too scary...

[Hey, don't make any promises you can't keep!]

Isn't it said that what you fear most is what will happen?

[The current style is actually comparable to some travel and leisure variety shows.]

[That's great. There shouldn't be many people on the island; it'll be quiet and peaceful. I'll find a small island to retire on when I have money.]

However, the level of commercialization is too low; everything has to be transported by ship, making life quite inconvenient.

Yes, we have to fetch water ourselves. Staying for a couple of days is fine, but staying any longer isn't good either.

Yes, the other two groups also had their dinners prepared by celebrities.

Butterflies are spirits and monsters; they don't have a high need for human food and cannot cook for themselves.

Lin Xiyue had done it before, but what he made...

It's said to be able to poison an entire field team.

The guests ate their hard-earned dinner with laughter and conversation, while the village chief carried his fishing net home.

The village chief, a thin, bald old man, silently glanced at the celebrity in the house, coughed twice, and said, "Don't go to the ancestral hall on the island, or you'll face the consequences."

Then he went back to his own house.

The village chief never married and remained a widower; his temperament always seemed to be this eccentric.

The guests responded.

After he left, Lu Mengmeng whispered, "They claim to be descendants of mermaids, so there might actually be mermaid memorial tablets in their ancestral hall, right?"

Zhang Xiaoling said, "But I feel like the people on the island don't look any different from ordinary people. It's probably just a gimmick. Besides, what exactly is our mission? Are we really going to find mermaids?"

Where are they supposed to find things that only exist in phone stories?

Mu Sinian said, "Don't worry, the production team definitely has a plan."

After dinner, the group politely washed and dried the dishes.

Before long, the host led an elderly woman into the village chief's hut.

"This is Granny Fan, the oldest person on Mermaid Island."

The old man was over ninety years old, yet his eyes remained clear and bright, not cloudy.

It can be said that she was among the earliest residents of the island.

According to the host, this old woman did indeed see a mermaid in her younger years.

The guests greeted her with "Hello, Mother-in-law".

The host smiled and said, "Next, Grandma Fan will teach everyone how to make a mermaid lamp."

"It is said that in the past, mermaids traded with humans using mermaid lanterns as a means of exchange. If you learn how to make mermaid lanterns, it should be of some help to your journey in search of mermaids."

"In addition, you will also need to learn the mermaid song from Mermaid Island—it is said that this was one of the ways the islanders used to trade with mermaids."

The host spoke with great seriousness, and the guests nodded earnestly.

In reality, the mermaid lantern may simply be a unique local craft passed down through generations, similar to an intangible cultural heritage.

The Mermaid Song is probably just another folk song or ballad.

However, since it was a TV program, no one said it out loud.

Ultimately, even though the people on the island firmly believed in the existence of mermaids, the guests still didn't really trust what he said.

They may believe in ghosts, but mermaids...

forget it.

Just assume the production team wanted to make a more relaxed episode.

Both tasks were also divided into two groups: one person in each group learned the rhyme, and the other learned to make lanterns.

This task assignment is easier than the one in the afternoon; no matter which one you choose, it won't be too tiring.

Lu Mengmeng said, "Um, Teacher Hu Die, I actually sing the OSTs for the TV dramas I act in occasionally. Although I'm not a professional, I have studied singing a little. How about I go sing and you go learn to make lanterns?"

Hu Die had no objection and nodded.

Shen Nian and Mu Sinian exchanged a glance.

Mu Sinian: "I'm tone-deaf."

Shen Nian: "What a coincidence, me too."

Shen Nian can only chant incantations, but she's really good at singing...

Not much to show for it.

"When you cast spells, don't you chant? Just imitate that."

Shen Nian: "...We don't cast spells or chant, that's what wizards do."

"Oh, sorry for the missed message."

"How about we play rock-paper-scissors? The winner makes a lantern, and the loser sings a song?"

"You wouldn't be able to predict what I'm going to do, would you?"

Shen Nian: "...It's not that bad."

She's not that tasteless.