Swallowing the broken teeth along with the blood in silence

"But no one raised any objections at the time. I think that was a tacit agreement, wasn't it?"

Seeing Yin Shanshan cornered and facing collective mockery, Fang Wei couldn't help speaking up in her defense.

[What does Fang Wei even mean by this? Is she saying people gave her face only to end up being the suckers?]

[Why is Fang Wei acting like such a total bootlicker, jumping out to defend Yin Shanshan at every turn?]

[Can the haters from certain fanbases stop being so vicious? Shanshan was just thinking of everyone. Who could have foreseen the production team setting such a deep trap?]

[Exactly! Everyone clearly wanted to take advantage of the situation, but now they're shifting all the blame onto Yin Shanshan alone. Is that fair?]

[Brainless stans, stop trying to whitewash her.]

[Fang Wei really has no backbone of her own.]

[This is so boring. I only tuned into the show because Fang Wei finally made her comeback, but who would have thought she'd have so little to say.]

Yin Shanshan's fans had been deliberately managing the comment section, which gradually thinned out the malicious remarks against her, redirecting the netizens' hostility straight toward Fang Wei instead.

"You can't really put it that way, can you?"

Yu Xin frowned, clearly displeased, while Feng Rui quietly shut her mouth and stepped aside to watch the drama unfold.

Yin Shanshan had been keeping her eyes fixed on the live stream comments and the expression of her manager off-camera. Only then did she clear her throat and speak with an apologetic expression, "I'm sorry, everyone. This really was my fault. I acted on my own accord, thinking I could outsmart the production team, but I never expected the director to come up with such a brilliant countermeasure."

With that, Yin Shanshan offered a rueful, apologetic smile. Since the goddess had lowered her stance, the disgruntled voices in the comments naturally dwindled. Besides, her remarks had inadvertently flattered the production team, leaving Wang Zan with no intention of holding a grudge or making things difficult for her.

Seeing that the situation had calmed down, Yin Shanshan turned her attention back to Yu Xin.

"How about this? I will personally cover the cost of all the ingredients for tonight's dinner as compensation for everyone. Would that be alright?"

"Shanshan, you and Yangyang only have eighteen seashells in total, and a single chicken here costs five seashells alone. How could that possibly be enough?"

Fang Wei frowned slightly, tugging at Yin Shanshan's sleeve to dissuade her in a low voice.

Yin Shanshan patted her hand and smiled, saying, "It doesn't matter. We're all one big family filming this show together. Why bother drawing lines between yours and mine?"

[Our goddess is so magnanimous!]

[Look at what true generosity looks like! Why aren't those petty whiners jumping out to run their mouths anymore?]

[Shanshan always does things with such thorough consideration. I hope those haters will stop trying to smear her on purpose.]

[Anyone can talk a big game. After all, she only has eighteen shells. How is that going to be enough for everyone's dinner?]

[Exactly, in the end she'll just have to sponge off the others, and yet all the credit will be heaped on her alone.]

Sure enough, the moment Fang Wei heard this, she immediately declared, "Even if you give them all up, your shells won't be enough. Let's add mine and Xiaotian's to the pool as well."

Su Wanniang had long since lost the mood to listen to their tear-jerking melodrama. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a box sitting off to the side.

Taking advantage of the fact that everyone was distracted, she quietly walked over and took a look, only to discover it was a box of childhood bubble gum—colorful, vibrant, and packed with various flavors. The moment she lifted the lid, a sweet fragrance drifted up to greet her.

Su Wanniang's eyes lit up. She immediately raised her hand, called the two children, Suisui and Niannian, over, and stealthily stuffed a couple of handfuls of candy into their little palms.

"Suisui, Niannian, go share the candy with the older brothers and sisters."

"Okay."

The two children nodded, slipping the candy into their tiny palms just like a pair of little thieves, before turning around happily to hand them out. However, such actions were bound to be captured by the cameras.

[Director, hurry over here! There are candy thieves on the loose!]

[I'm dying of laughter, how does she manage to find food wherever she goes? Aren't those all just pictures over there? Why is there an actual box of candy?]

[Isn't she basically stealing this? Did she pay for it?]

[I used to eat this candy all the time when I was little. My favorite thing was blowing bubbles in class when the teacher wasn't looking. Core childhood memory unlocked.]

[Calling the director, calling the director!]

Before long, Su Wanniang, who was currently enjoying blowing bubbles, was caught red-handed by the director. Wang Zan looked at her with a helpless expression.

"Xiaoniang, this candy seems to have been taken from our Almighty Convenience Store. May I ask if you've paid for it?"

The bubble in Su Wanniang's mouth popped instantly. She shrugged with an innocent expression, spread her hands, and assumed a "what can you possibly do to me" posture as she replied, "I didn't see any price tag on this candy. Besides, everything else here is just a picture, and this was the only real box of candy. I naturally assumed it was a complimentary product included by your store."

Su Wanniang was blessed with a natural baby face, her long eyelashes fluttering over her eyes. Her adorable expression was so endearing that even Wang Zan found himself unable to scold her.

"But..."

Just then, Qin Jingchen also appeared by Su Wanniang's side.

"That's right, Director. Why isn't this candy a picture? There's no price marked on it either."

Seeing this, Yu Xin walked over and began singing a duet with Tian Boyu nearby.

"Still, since it's merchandise from their store, shouldn't people pay for things after eating them?"

"Maybe the staff just placed it here casually for workers to grab, like what many stores do during promotions."

Hearing this, Yu Xin nodded and turned back to look at Wang Zan.

"Director, what Tian Boyu said makes sense. Just treat this as a promotional traffic-driving event for your Almighty Convenience Store. After all, we're new customers, and furthermore, we're the only guests on this island. Can't you grant us a little welfare?"

Su Wanniang immediately nodded like a chicken pecking at grain: "Exactly! Besides, I don't even remember how many pieces of candy I took, and they've already been distributed by the kids. Are you going to search our bodies?"

Su Wanniang put on an innocent, brazen act, but matched with her breathtakingly gorgeous face, it failed to elicit any genuine annoyance. In the end, Wang Zan could only make a helpless concession.

"Alright, but this is a one-time thing. From now on, everything in the Almighty Convenience Store must be paid for before use, or else there will be corresponding penalties."

Meanwhile, seeing that everyone's attention had once again been stolen by Su Wanniang, Yin Shanshan felt a surge of dissatisfaction. She deliberately walked up to the vegetable and meat counter and called out loudly, "Everyone come take a look at what we'd like to eat tonight."

The moment food was mentioned, everyone perked up. They swarmed over and crowded around, especially the children, who pressed themselves against the counter, wishing they could glue their eyes to the displays.

The pictures provided by the production team were exceptionally gorgeous; even the most ordinary leafy greens looked dewy, fresh, and mouth-watering, instantly whetting everyone's appetite.

"Shanshan Auntie, I want to eat braised pork belly!" Mingming was the first to speak, pointing at the pork nearby as if he would start drooling in the next second.

The smile on Yin Shanshan's face froze. A single catty of that pork cost three seashells, and with so many people here...

"There are fresh bamboo shoots over here! I want to make stewed pork with bamboo shoots and salted pork, I just wonder if they have any salted pork..."

As soon as Yu Xin said this, the director immediately chimed in, "We do!"