the two-faced Adopted Girl Who Melted CEO's Ice-Cold Heart

Chapter 267: Digging Ginseng, Digging Holes to Catch Fish

The film production titled *A Branch of Pear Blossoms Pressing Down on Crabapples* finally wrapped up half a month later, after a two-month shooting process. When the production ended, the director was so enamored with Delphine Carter, the female lead, that he wished he could immediately arrange for her to star in his next film. The crew, despite having worked on numerous productions, had never experienced anything quite as luxurious and enjoyable as this one.

Every aspect of their daily lives—clothing, food, accommodations, and travel—was of the highest standard, and nearly everyone on the team gained around two pounds. But that wasn’t the most astonishing part. During filming, the director noticed one important prop from the screenplay had been replaced with a priceless authentic piece. The realization hit him like a thunderbolt; he was so cautious that he held it as if afraid to drop it and guarded it like it was a precious treasure.

Over time, the director became desensitized to such extravagance and even began suspecting he was filming a fake production. Despite its budget being capped at one hundred million yuan, the mysterious sponsor showered the crew with funds and resources that likely exceeded the total investment. The most perplexing part? The director had no clue who the sponsor was.

After wrapping up the final scene, the crew celebrated with a bonfire party in the freezing snow. Everyone savored some barbecue, drank local ice-cold beers, and then went their separate ways.

Delphine, exhausted from weeks of filming, skipped the bonfire celebration and stayed back at the hotel with Leah, enjoying a small hot pot together. Griffith Squire had left three days ago due to a prior engagement, so the two women were left by themselves.

"I haven’t had enough fun yet—why did the shooting end so quickly?" Leah pouted, cocooned in a fluffy coat that made her look like a fuzzy snowball. Over these past few days, she’d been indulging herself to the fullest—either playing around the set or dragging people into the mountains to hunt for winter game. She even managed to find wild chickens and rabbits along the way.

This was a girl who spent much of her past confined to a sickbed. Experiencing such lively adventures now was enough to make her overjoyed and almost lose her sense of restraint.

The Squire siblings had accompanied Delphine for nearly half a month, and her complexion was radiant as a result. Her large, watery eyes sparkled as she joked, "We’ve been filming for almost two months now—it’s time to head home for the New Year. This isn’t even considered the cold north yet; once we reach the far northern regions, there’ll still be ginseng to dig up and ice holes to fish from."

"I want to go! I want to go!" Leah exclaimed excitedly, sitting up straight like an elementary school kid, raising her hand eagerly, her eyes gleaming as she playfully begged, "Delphine, let’s go and have some fun together!"

"Once your body is fully recovered and you’ve had your final surgery, I’ll take you," Delphine replied calmly, resolute in her decision. She had traveled to many places before, but she hadn’t had the heart realm to truly soak in the joy of those experiences. Once Leah’s health was completely restored in the future, Delphine planned to introduce her to every wonder and delight she had yet to explore.

"Alright," Leah agreed, aware of her own physical limitations. Finishing their hot pot, the pair lazed around until Kyla Zamora came to look for them. Only then did they separate and retire early for the night. The next morning, they boarded their flight back to South Asia.

By the time they returned to South Asia, it was already afternoon.

Dongzi came to greet them at the airport, cheerful and eager as he loaded their belongings into the car. His round, lovable face beamed with a smile as he scratched the back of his head and joked, "Miss Delphine, if you’d stayed away any longer, I might’ve ended up out of a job!"

Delphine chuckled and asked, "Anything major happening in South Asia lately?"

Dongzi mulled it over. Was Stone Leclair’s foul mood every day considered a major event?

"Nothing big, Miss Delphine. Your return is the most important thing," Dongzi replied with an earnest grin. For the past half month, not just major events—there hadn’t even been the tiniest incidents in South Asia. Stone Leclair’s dark expressions had everyone treading carefully, staying out of trouble.

Delphine dozed off in the car on the way back and soon arrived at Leclair Manor. She had barely stepped inside when Mrs. Carter spotted her with sharp eyes and came rushing over with a delighted smile. Grasping her hand enthusiastically, she said in high spirits, "Delphine, you’re back! Your aunt has something important to tell you."

Delphine nodded, but as soon as she caught sight of Stone Leclair in the side hall, an uneasy premonition welled up inside her.