CHAPTER 13: CHAPTER 13: OF COURSE TOP-TIER STARS WON’T ARRIVE SO SOON, HAHAHA

Bringing shocking news, everyone returned to the villa.

This time, the shock wasn’t just that Su Yan would be participating in the next episode, but — three of the roadside stall actors at the market had actually won major awards before.

Now, one is a fifty-year-old professor at the Hai City Film Academy, another is a regular teacher at an acting class in the entertainment industry who, it’s rumored, taught the acclaimed actor He Yunqi, and the last one is the Grand Slam actor, the sixty-year-old Guo Jinlin.

...A group of extras for a variety show — isn’t the quality a bit too high?

As someone who just took a photo with the veterans, Li Yang was in a daze of shock.

He kept asking Guan Yu and Mu Qiu, "I didn’t do anything wrong in the photo, right?"

"Did I say anything inappropriate just now?"

"Was my pose okay in the photo?"

"Ah ah ah Mu Qiu, do they arrange extras with identities like this in your books?!"

Mu Qiu almost swore to the sky: "I really didn’t know! Ideally, starting from the next episode, only the fixed and floating NPCs will occasionally have big shots showing up."

Li Yang was even more overwhelmed, "I can’t afford to be ranked last!"

Being ranked last means having to perform alongside a group of veterans. This wasn’t an educational show, but a fan-repelling machine!

Mu Qiu also didn’t expect the program team to be so ruthless, awkwardly chuckled, sat obediently on the edge of the sofa, putting her hands on her knees, expressing her innocence.

Blame it all on the program team.

Both legs straight, back straight, in the posture of a schoolchild listening to a lesson, attracting the cameras to focus on her for quite a while.

Everyone was still dazily immersed in the suspicion of being dominated by the big shots, while the accompanying director over there seemed oblivious, happily reminding everyone to continue completing their tasks.

What tasks?

Oh, pretending to skillfully and enthusiastically prepare lunch.

As the last two in the team-building task from the previous day, Guan Yu and Li Yang proactively took on most of the odd jobs.

There was no time now to worry about whether or not they performed badly in front of the seniors. Li Yang grabbed some carrots and tomatoes, earnestly asking Cheng Zhirang to teach him to make a soup.

Cheng Zhirang, being the gentle member of the small group of six, nodded in agreement to this small task in no time. Guan Yu saw that Li Yang had already found a way to avoid being last in ranking by being a sycophant, gritted her teeth, and moved all the vegetables from the basket to the kitchen counter.

"Brother Cheng, don’t worry about cooking; I’ll handle washing and chopping the vegetables!"

Cheng Zhirang gently nodded, pointing to the two pieces of meat wrapped in lotus leaves in the basket, "Then I’ll have to trouble the others to handle the meat."

Shi Yuhuai stepped up and took on this task.

Mu Qiu didn’t speak, silently focusing on Cheng Zhirang’s fingers, her mind crazily outputting a ten-thousand-word description of the male protagonist.

Last was Shu Ran, not failing her troublemaker persona, showing some dissatisfaction with being forced to accept the task of cutting meat, glancing disdainfully at the vegetable basket, stepping over, and smiling with a wink at Guan Yu, "Guan Yu, it’s not good for you to handle all these vegetables alone, I can help you."

Washing vegetables is much easier and cleaner than cutting meat.

Guan Yu glanced at the camera, having said as much, she couldn’t refuse, so she had to agree, sharing half of her "odd jobs."

With tasks distributed, everyone quickly started working.

Li Yang, following Cheng Zhirang’s guidance, seriously peeled the carrot. Shi Yuhuai placed the chicken breast on the counter, holding the knife and looking where to start, while everyone was there, cameras aimed at each one, Shu Ran suddenly spoke, whispering to Guan Yu and Mu Qiu as if sharing a secret.

"Do you think Su Yan will really be here in the next episode?"

This whisper was a bit on the loud side, and the camera cooperated by moving over.

Guan Yu always had a cheerful smile, eyes full of hope, saying: "He should be right? If I could be on a show with Su Yan, I’d be thrilled to death."

Shu Ran seemed to have found her long-lost parents, immediately dropping the green vegetable she held, forcibly grasping Guan Yu’s hand.

The tomato Guan Yu had just put in the basin rolled out.

With a dull thud, it fell to the ground.

The closest person, Shi Yuhuai, squatted down, picked it up, turned it around and looked at it seriously, "It’s damaged, Sister Shu Ran, you wasted a tomato."

"......"

Dude, you’re brutally honest.

Shu Ran awkwardly forced a smile, her tone quite apologetic, "Sorry, I didn’t notice. How about I go out and see if I can get another one?"

Saying so, she really began to wipe her hands and prepare to go out.

"No need," Cheng Zhirang turned around, stopped the precursor to this public opinion storm, his voice was gentle: "The damage isn’t too serious, you can make candied tomatoes."

Shu Ran didn’t nod immediately, but looked at Shi Yuhuai anxiously.

The kitchen was silent for a moment, Shi Yuhuai thought for a while, carefully said, "Seems possible," then continued to ignore Shu Ran completely and went back to figuring out how to slice the meat.

Shu Ran: "......"

Mu Qiu thought if she had to subtitle it, now it would be Shu Ran’s inner monologue—Maddening meeting someone like you who doesn’t have any rip-off intentions, sister’s all abilities have no room to exert!

Fortunately, Shu Ran had been in the entertainment circle for a few years, so after a few minutes, she acted like nothing had happened, laughing and chatting with the people beside her.

"Brother Cheng, I really like watching you act; I went to the cinema to see ’Destruction’ three times, and ’Reversal’ is a must-recommend to everyone I meet!"

Cheng Zhirang replied to show he was listening, taking the cut meat from Mu Qiu, continued chopping the bamboo shoots with the knife, responding as he chopped, "Thanks, actually ’Candle South’ is quite good too."

Mu Qiu glanced again at Shu Ran’s expression, felt she probably hadn’t watched that Candle South.

[All are great! Cheng Zhirang’s face alone made me watch ’Candle South’ five six seven eight times!]

[Dammit, when will Brother Cheng’s Q&A habit ever apply to me]

[Why does this feel like a love triangle where the couple torn apart by parents can only communicate secretly in the presence of a match chosen by the father?]

[Really, there’s a feeling that Shu Ran shouldn’t exist]

[I just want to ask Shi Yuhuai, why is cutting half a chicken breast harder than changing clothes and walking the runway???]

[Uh, just passing by silently... Shu Ran’s cabbage is about to be ripped beyond cooking]

[Sorry, on behalf of Lian Yi from Qinhuai River, I’d like to apologize for Shi Yuhuai, my brother just tends to speak frankly, sorry]

[Li Yang’s hand next to Cheng Zhirang’s hand... slurp, my mind must be tainted by you guys]

[I also want Brother Cheng to teach me cooking! Hand-in-hand kind!]

[When filming ’Nong Xia’ a couple of years ago, Brother Cheng learned culinary arts for quite a long time!!!]

[Jealous tears once again flow from my mouth, trickling over my fair skin, flat stomach, firm thighs, elegant calves, and dripping to the floor]

[OMG, Teacher Guo Jinlin made it to the hot search!]

[This variety show is phenomenal, I’m a prophet, it will definitely explode]

[The program team must have a major sponsor, really daring in ideas and actions]

[Can someone tell me if Su Yan will really be on the next episode!!?]