After discussing Phoebe’s ambassadorship, Fei Yun seemed to suddenly recall something. She tapped her head and said, “Oh right, Yellow Peach channel is planning to invite the main actors from 《Investiture》 to participate in a variety show as guests. Director Qian Xubing asked me to tell you.”

Calculating the time, the later stage of the drama’s production should be almost completed. This time, the entire crew participating in the variety show was likely to promote it, and Meng Zhen, as one of the main artists, naturally couldn’t refuse.

“What show?”

“It’s a food-themed show called 《Flavor》. Food variety shows have always been popular domestically, so the viewership will definitely be high. Audiences watch these kinds of shows to see the genuine side of celebrities. Just follow the script content and there won’t be too much pressure.”

Although Meng Zhen had never been involved in such a show before, 《Flavor》 still fell under the category of variety shows. It has the same idea and the pattern was also similar. She nodded in understanding without saying much more.

———pr

The day of recording arrived in the blink of an eye. Meng Zhen came to the designated city by plane the previous night, and this morning, Fei Yun drove her to the location agreed upon with the program crew.

As soon as Meng Zhen got out of the car, she saw Jiang Lianqin in a light beige down jacket standing under a billboard. Quite a few passersby were looking at the other party, but due to the presence of staff, no one approached her.

At that moment, Jiang Lianqin also noticed Meng Zhen. As she looked at Meng Zhen’s face, her heart was almost filled with jealousy. Clearly, Meng Zhen’s skin condition hadn’t been so outstanding during their time on the drama crew. Jiang Lianqin wondered what skincare methods Meng Zhen had recently used to achieve such flawless and smooth skin.

Jiang Lianqin restrained her emotions and put on a faint smile. She quickly walked up to Meng Zhen and casually asked, “Zhenzhen, I heard you’ve been filming a movie recently. What genre is it?”

Meng Zhen had long ago seen through Jiang Lianqin’s true nature. She knew Jiang Lianqin was narrow-minded, greedy, and selfish, with a calculating heart that saw everyone as tools for her own benefit. Meng Zhen understood that getting deeply involved with such a person would ultimately bring bad luck to herself.

With that in mind, Meng Zhen casually replied, “It’s just a low-budget comedy film, nothing special.”

“No way?” Jiang Lianqin didn’t quite believe it. She thought Meng Zhen was lying and continued to press, “A few days ago, the crew posted the costume photos on Weibo. I saw that Movie King Gu also guest-starred in a role. His taste is good, so the script he picked must be extraordinary.”

Meng Zhen furrowed her brow slightly, just about to find an excuse to break away from Jiang Lianqin, when she noticed Lin Yu and Gu Ting approaching nearby.

Lin Yu was a popular actor with a significant fan following, often praised for his exceptional looks.

But standing next to Gu Ting, Lin Yu not only seemed completely overshadowed in presence, but even his appearance which he was extremely proud of paled in comparison to the movie king who was a few years older than him.

By now, the program crew had started recording. Meng Zhen walked up, smiling warmly as she greeted both Gu Ting and Lin Yu. She was dressed in Phoebe’s latest long coat, accessorized with a bright red cashmere scarf around her neck, which accentuated her fair complexion even more.

Gu Ting looked steadily at Meng Zhen and nodded at her in a very gentle manner.

Watching this scene unfold before her eyes, Jiang Lianqin stood on the side, silently gritting her teeth. She couldn’t understand what special abilities Meng Zhen possessed to catch the attention of these big shots. First Luo Yang, and now Gu Ting. It seemed so unfair!!

Like Meng Zhen, Jiang Lianqin also debuted through a talent show and had been in the industry for just over a year. Her ability to manage her expressions wasn’t quite refined yet. Now, her face contorted, making her look particularly fierce.

Catching a glimpse of Jiang Lianqin’s expression, Meng Zhen pursed her lips and quietly walked to the other side, pondering over the rough script she had reviewed the previous night.

In this episode of 《Flavor》, there were a total of six guests. Gu Ting, who played Bo Yikao, Lin Yu, who played Ji Fa, Jiang Lianqin, who played the Jade Pipa Spirit, Zhao Baoru, who played Queen Jiang, and Meng Zhen, who played Daji.

There was also a special guest invited, whose identity the program crew hadn’t disclosed. Meng Zhen only knew that this guest would appear midway through the recording, but she wasn’t sure exactly when.

The only fixed member on 《Flavor》 was a CCTV host named Ming Zhou, known for his strong hosting skills. At the moment, he was walking over in a military green coat and a snow-white chef’s hat atop his head, moving leisurely.

“Oh, everyone’s here. Your main task today is to explore the distinctive local cuisines of this city. The audience will vote in the end and the person with the highest votes wins. There’s a prize of 100,000 yuan which will be donated to a charity foundation under the winners’ name.” Ming Zhou explained the rules while adjusting his chef’s hat in front of the reflective glass door. “Did everyone hear clearly?”

Several guests nodded in agreement. Ming Zhou stood with his hands behind his back, carefully appraising them before suggesting, “Since our show is limited in resources, we don’t have enough equipment. How about pairing up? This arrangement would be more practical.”

Upon hearing that suggestion, Jiang Lianqin’s eyes suddenly lit up. She fixed her gaze on Gu Ting, her longing apparent to anyone who looked closely.

“Teacher Gu, I’m your fan and have always looked up to you as a role model even before my debut. I hope to better myself, so can I be in the same group as you?” Afraid of others seizing the opportunity, Jiang Lianqin raised her hand first, her cheeks slightly flushed. She deliberately put on a shy expression as she spoke.

Having debuted many years ago, Gu Ting earned the title ‘gentleman’ because of his particularly polite and distant demeanor towards others, especially women. The crew of 《Flavor》 had naturally done their research before inviting a celebrity of Gu Ting’s stature to the show.

At that moment, Ming Zhou cleared his throat lightly. “Xiao Jiang, we can’t just pick groups randomly. It would be difficult to ensure fairness. Let’s stick to the primitive way.”

Zhao Baoru had been married for some time now, with a child almost three years old. Even if she were grouped with a younger male star, it wouldn’t spark any scandal. Therefore, she didn’t mind the groupings and asked with a smile, “What primitive way?”

“Drawing lots. Isn’t it fair enough? Isn’t it primitive enough?” Ming Zhou was well-prepared. He took out six identical-sized pieces of paper from his pocket, each labeled with the letters A, a, B, b, C, c. He showed them to the five guests, then folded and mixed them up together, before gesturing towards the guests with a nod.

“Go ahead and pick. Whatever you draw is what you get, no take-backs. The person who doesn’t match with a corresponding letter will team up with another special guest. Even though I’m the host, the director hasn’t told me who the special guest is either.”

Jiang Lianqin hadn’t anticipated that the program team had already arranged the process. She felt extremely embarrassed and wished she could disappear on the spot, but with the exceptionally handsome Movie King Gu so close, she couldn’t bear to waste this opportunity. Gritting her teeth, she drew a piece of paper from Ming Zhou’s hand.

With her taking the lead, the remaining guests followed suit and drew one as well.

Meng Zhen unfolded the tiny piece of paper and saw the letter ‘a’ printed on it. Just then, Gu Ting looked up, his deep black eyes fixed steadily on her, and he said in a calm voice, “I got A.”

Upon hearing that, Jiang Lianqin wilted like an eggplant hit by frost. She looked at the paper in her hand with the letter ‘C’ printed on it, her eyes reddening with frustration. Yet, the results of the draw were set and she had no way to change them, no matter how much she wanted to.

Ming Zhou checked the draw results and announced, “Group A is Gu Ting and Meng Zhen, Group B is Lin Yu and Zhao Baoru, and Group C is Jiang Lianqin and the special guest for this episode. It’s now exactly noon, so hurry up and head out to find the local specialties you have in mind.”

Meng Zhen hadn’t expected such a fortuitous outcome, being grouped with Movie King Gu. At that moment, Gu Ting nodded slightly at her and began walking ahead with his long legs. Meng Zhen jogged to catch up with him, and once they left the street, Gu Ting slowed his pace. “This city is a renowned food capital in the country. What do you like to eat?”

In her previous life, Meng Zhen had grown up in Suzhou and preferred light foods. She thought for a while before tentatively suggesting, “I’ve heard that Chicken Tofu Pudding is quite famous. How about we go try it?”

It was a dish that represented the concept of ‘meat disguised as vegetarian’, characterized by ‘tasting chicken without seeing chicken, tasting meat without seeing meat’. It is mellow and delicious, distinctly different from the spicy and numbing flavors of Sichuan cuisine. In her previous life, when Meng Zhen was a singing girl, her neighbor was a cook from Sichuan who made this dish for her. The taste had left a deep impression on her young self, so much so that she never forgot it after just one try.

Gu Ting towered over Meng Zhen by a full head. As he looked at the bright-eyed young woman, a hint of warmth inexplicably welled up in his usually aloof heart. He nodded and said, “I remember there’s a private kitchen in here known for its authentic Chicken Tofu Pudding, which is considered unparalleled. It would be perfect for the program.”

To avoid drawing attention from passersby, Gu Ting and Meng Zhen wore masks. Since the program team didn’t provide transportation, they took the subway to the private kitchen named Lanting^[1]Orchid Pavillion.

Today was a workday so the subway was crowded with commuters. As soon as Meng Zhen entered, she instinctively moved towards a corner, her back against the car’s wall. With no handrails nearby, when the subway abruptly stopped, Meng Zhen stumbled and fell straight into Gu Ting’s arms.

Remembering Movie King Gu’s habit of avoiding physical contact, Meng Zhen quickly stood up straight, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “I’m sorry, Teacher Gu.”

Meng Zhen had a small face and now it was mostly covered by a mask that exposed only her watery almond eyes and the pinkish skin below, resembling peach blossoms in early spring.

Gu Ting subtly averted his gaze, reassuring Meng Zhen with an, “It’s okay.” He then positioned himself to shield her from the crowded commuters, maintaining this stance for a full forty minutes until the subway reached its destination. Only then did Gu Ting lead Meng Zhen out.