A song called "The You of the Past" has prompted the entire internet to beg me not to leav

Xinghai City, hillside villa.

Lin Yan leaned against the security door, turned around and tightened all three hidden locks, then let out a long sigh of relief.

Through the screen of the doorbell monitor, the dozen or so Peking Opera masters dressed in long robes and mandarin jackets were still stubbornly guarding the door.

The white-haired old man Qi sat down directly outside the iron gate, giving off an air of "If you don't agree to take me as a disciple, I'll ascend to immortality right here."

"What a tragedy..."

Lin Yan slid down the door panel and sat on the ground, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.

What he feared most in his life was trouble. If he accidentally became the founder of the Mei School of Peking Opera, how could he live a peaceful life afterward?

The problem is, he doesn't know how either.

"What's wrong?"

Shen Qingqiu came downstairs carrying two freshly made iced Americanos, wearing a loose silk nightgown, looking languid.

She had clearly heard the booming cry outside, "Please, Mr. Lin, accept me as your disciple!"

She glanced down at the monitor screen, raising an eyebrow slightly.

She knew very well how terrifying her husband's talent was, but to be able to force an eighty-year-old national treasure to kneel down at the door was something that was unique in the entire country.

Lin Yan took the iced Americano and gulped down a huge mouthful, like a cornered groundhog: "Qingqiu, no, we have to run. These old men are too fierce! I just saw someone setting up a tent outside!"

Shen Qingqiu suppressed a laugh, walked to the sofa, sat down, crossed his legs, and leisurely sipped his coffee.

"Run? This villa is already the most secure place in Xinghai City. Where else can you run to? Go abroad? You just offended all the masters of the European classical music scene last week. Going out now would be like walking into a trap."

Lin Yan slapped his thigh: "Then let's go somewhere deserted! Deep in the mountains, in remote, impoverished areas, the kind without even internet!"

Shen Qingqiu gently stroked the rim of the coffee cup with her fingers, waiting for him to say those words.

She put down her cup, pulled a contract from under the coffee table, and slowly pushed it in front of Lin Yan.

"What a coincidence. I just signed a notice yesterday."

Lin Yan leaned over suspiciously for a look. It was written in black and white: "Contract for Regular Guest of Season 2 of Leisurely Days".

Location: Mushroom Village, deep in the mountains of western Hunan.

"That old bastard Wang Ping?"

Lin Yan's eyelids twitched as he recalled the director from the first season who had been ripped off by his 100,000 yuan breach of contract penalty.

"Um."

Shen Qingqiu nodded, his slender fingers tapping lightly on the table.

"This time, the production team secured sponsorship from investors, which not only upgraded the entire set of equipment but also transformed it into an international version. In addition to us, Teacher He, Teacher Huang, and Zifeng, we've also invited two foreign friends to be part of the regular cast."

She paused for a moment, observing Lin Yan's reaction.

Given Lin Yan's usual lazy and unambitious nature, he could always find a million reasons to refuse any variety show offer.

But this time, the situation is different.

"I was worried about how to tell you this terrible news," Shen Qingqiu sighed softly, looking helpless.

"Since you don't want to go, I'll have the legal department pay the penalty for breach of contract. It'll be hundreds of millions, but we can afford it. As for those old gentlemen outside... you can deal with them yourself."

"Don't!"

Lin Yan pressed down on the contract, glanced at Old Qi on the screen, and said decisively, "Go! I must go! I'll go through fire and water to support your cause!"

"Deep in the mountains of western Hunan, right? Transportation is inconvenient, isn't it? Great! Quickly pack your things, let's go through the back door, we're off right now!"

After half an hour.

A black Mercedes-Benz van slipped away silently through the freight access road behind the villa.

Inside the carriage, Lin Yan held the Samoyed "Oscar" in his arms, with two huge suitcases beside him. One was his own, and the other was stuffed with all sorts of extremely extravagant seasoning packets and dried goods.

Shen Qingqiu leaned back in her seat, watching Lin Yan peek at the rear windshield like a thief every now and then, and couldn't help but chuckle.

This man, who can command respect and dominate capital giants outside, is always the lazy bum in front of me, always thinking about how to slack off.

The car sped along, heading straight for the airport.

The next afternoon.

Mushroom Village, deep in the mountains of western Hunan.

At the end of a winding dirt road is a large courtyard that retains its original wooden structure.

The courtyard is surrounded by endless terraced fields, with distant mountains shrouded in mist, creating a stunning landscape.

The production team had already set up dozens of cameras.

The live stream had barely started when the number of viewers instantly surpassed ten million.

[They're back! The missing person has returned!]

[I heard that Lin Shen just released "The Red-Clad Lament" the day before yesterday, which moved even a Peking Opera master to tears, and then he came to record a slow-paced variety show?]

This guy really doesn't play by the rules! I thought he was going to start his own school of thought, but he just retired to the countryside with his wife!

Look, all the guests have arrived!

In the lens.

Teacher He and Chef Huang stood at the gate of the courtyard, smiling as they welcomed the guests who had come from afar, while Zhang Zifeng stood obediently to the side.

Two SUVs were parked at the intersection.

Two foreigners got out of the first car. One was Tom, a tall, blond, blue-eyed young actor, a second-tier Hollywood actor; the other was a middle-aged French man wearing a snow-white chef's uniform and sporting a neat mustache.

"Welcome, welcome!" Teacher He warmly stepped forward to shake hands.

The French man proudly raised his chin and introduced himself in broken Chinese: "Hello everyone, I'm Anthony, a three-Michelin-starred chef in Paris."

Holy crap, Michelin three stars! The production team really went all out!

Is this season focusing on cultural exchange between China and the West? That's interesting.

Just then, the door of the second SUV opened.

A fluffy Samoyed jumped down first, wagging its tail and sniffing around everywhere.

Immediately afterward, Lin Yan, wearing a tattered straw hat and carrying an extremely exaggerated oversized black airline case, strolled over slowly.

Shen Qingqiu followed behind, dressed in a refreshing casual outfit and wearing sunglasses, holding the leash for him.

At that moment, the chat in the live stream went wild.

Hahaha! This outfit makes me feel like I'm back on Coconut Island!

Director Wang's PTSD is acting up again.

Behind the monitor.

When the chief director, Wang Ping, looked at the familiar black box in Lin Yan's hand, he felt his heart skip a beat.

He took a deep breath and raised the megaphone.

Welcome to Season 2 of "Leisurely Days"!

"As per regulations, a surprise baggage check will be conducted before entry! All electronic devices and prohibited food items will be confiscated!"

After Wang Ping finished speaking, he stared intently at Lin Yan.

Last season, he was badly burned by Lin Yan's "liquidation penalty contract" with a lawyer's seal. This season, he had his legal team revise the contract to be watertight, and he absolutely wouldn't allow that kid to bring in any more personal agendas.

Several burly staff members came up carrying plastic baskets.

Tom and Anthony readily handed over their belongings.

Anthony opened his exquisitely crafted silver briefcase, inside which were neatly arranged various precious Western spices, as well as three black truffles tightly wrapped in vacuum packaging.

"Director," Anthony said arrogantly, gesturing to the box, "these are my personal cooking tools and ingredients. I imagine it's difficult to make truly delicious food in your kitchens. I need these to ensure my taste buds remain untainted."

Wang Ping coughed twice, and to save face for his international friends, waved his hand and let them pass.

Finally, the staff approached Lin Yan.

"Teacher Lin, let's open the box."

Lin Yan pushed up his straw hat, then unlocked the latch and opened the box with a "click".

The scene was quiet.

There was no deck chair, no lure fishing rod.

There was only one large box full of dry goods.

Hazel mushrooms from Northeast China, dried chili peppers from Sichuan, Sichuan peppercorns from Yunnan and Guizhou, and even two pieces of fermented cured pork that were dark in color.

At the very bottom, there was a huge iron pot!

Wang Ping's eyes widened: "You... why did you send over an iron pot?! We have a stove in our yard!"

Lin Yan shrugged confidently: "Director Wang, this pot is different. It's an old iron pot I found in the kitchen of a traditional Beijing hot pot restaurant. It was seasoned with lard for half a month before it was ready. It's the best for stewing meat. Your new pots are soulless."

The viewers in the live chat were laughing so hard they were practically rolling on the floor.

[He brought his own giant iron pot! Is Lin Yan planning to open a farmhouse restaurant in western Hunan?!]

[Anthony brought black truffles, Lin Yan brought a giant iron pot. This cultural clash is amazing!]

[Lin Yan: What Michelin three-star restaurants? They're all no match for my black iron wok!]

Wang Ping was furious, but the contract did not stipulate that he could not bring an iron pot, so he could only grit his teeth and wave to let him go.

The group entered the mushroom house.

Anthony glanced at the earthen stove made of red bricks and yellow mud in the corner of the yard, and the pile of firewood next to it, and his brows immediately furrowed into a deep "川" character.

He turned to look at Chef Huang, quickly muttered a few words in French, and the translator on his chest immediately broadcast: "This primitive method of starting a fire makes it impossible to precisely control the temperature. Cooking here is simply a desecration of food."

Chef Huang looked a little embarrassed, but he couldn't say anything.

Lin Yan placed the large iron pot in the middle of the yard, yawned, and stretched.

"Um, Teacher He, I just got off the plane and I'm a little sleepy. I'm going to take a nap first. Wake me up when dinner is ready."

After saying that, he took Oscar's hand and turned to walk into the house.

Anthony snorted and said in broken Chinese, "You rude young people. Tonight, I'll show you what true top-level culinary art is. That's the point of this show."

Lin Yan paused in his steps.

He didn't turn around; he just turned his back to Anthony and casually waved his hand.

"Alright, Chef An. You'll be in charge of high-end art tonight."

Lin Yan pointed to several large white geese leisurely strolling in the corner of the yard.

"Keep those geese for me. Tomorrow, I'll show you what real Eastern magic is."