CHAPTER 14: CHAPTER 14: BROTHER CHENG, YOUR FIGURE IS AMAZING

In Shu Ran’s forced awkward chat, Cheng Zhirang finished a few simple dishes. Li Yang excitedly carried his soup outside. Everyone was either serving dishes or getting bowls.

Mu Qiu tiptoed to grab some chopsticks from the holder. As soon as she got them, Cheng Zhirang, who had already taken food out and come back to help, said, "Let me," and tried to take the chopsticks from her hand.

But... they didn’t move.

Cheng Zhirang looked down at her and, without any concern, tried again, but the chopsticks still didn’t move.

"What’s wrong?" he asked gently.

Mu Qiu, holding the chopsticks, stared directly at his hand, then looked up and asked without changing her expression, "Brother Cheng, how did your hands get like this?"

Long, white, with distinct joints, they seemed to have no excess flesh—like jade or porcelain, perhaps.

Cheng Zhirang didn’t expect her to hold onto the chopsticks just to ask such a question, so he looked at his own hand in line with her words.

"Born this way."

There was no way to continue the conversation. Mu Qiu, regretfully, released the chopsticks, allowing him to successfully take them away.

Cheng Zhirang glanced at her with his eyelids lifted, his voice warm, "We can eat now."

Mu Qiu sighed with a little disappointment, following him out of the kitchen, her eyes "naturally" landing on Cheng Zhirang’s waist and hips.

This waist-to-hip ratio...

"Mu Qiu, why are your ears so red?"

Guan Yu, holding a bowl, leaned back in her chair and looked at her, puzzled.

Under everyone’s gaze, Mu Qiu touched her ear, "Brother Cheng’s figure is perfect."

Cheng Zhirang’s figure at the front froze for a moment.

[Hahaha, suddenly flattering]

[She spoke my mind, I’ve long admired Brother Cheng’s figure!]

[I looked carefully!! Brother Cheng’s expression still hasn’t changed!]

[Disappointed +1]

[It seems we still need a representative of ordinary people to express our widespread fan feelings!]

[My best friend says that every time I see a picture of Brother Cheng, my gaze looks like a starving person craving meat]

[Enough ogling, suddenly I feel this show doesn’t have any highlights?]

[This is just the pilot to let you know who’s on the show]

[Seeing the looks of these people is enough, I’m really impressed by your self-control]

Cheng Zhirang probably also didn’t expect that after finally participating in a variety show, the only ordinary person he met was so bold.

Not only did she say those random things to him as soon as she arrived, but she also openly ogled his body in front of all the cameras.

Even someone as calm as he couldn’t have predicted that.

But what he didn’t expect even more was that this bold ordinary person would later have even bolder actions.

After generously finishing lunch, the last task of the pilot came. Each person had to record a section individually with their thoughts on joining the program and opinions on the guests.

Mu Qiu expanded the inspiration she hurriedly noted down today into five hundred words in her room before the accompanying director and videographer came in.

She greeted the director and videographer, quietly sat in the chair, and waited for them to ask questions.

Director: "Why did you decide to participate in this program?"

Mu Qiu glanced at the camera, deliberating: "Because the director said there would be another paycheck."

Director: "......Everyone thought it would be because the show was based on your original work, so you would participate."

"I’m pretty lazy. Except for joining tour groups, I only travel for work, and participating in a program based on my book doesn’t fall in my work category, I believe. Besides, I had another book signed for a movie before this, so I’ve lost that initial exciting feeling towards adaptations."

Director: "So it’s just because there’s money involved? After recording the pilot today, do you still feel that way? Is there anything that makes you want to stay?"

Mu Qiu very honestly followed her heart: "Brother Cheng."

The accompanying director opened his mouth, "...Brother Cheng?"

Isn’t that a bit too direct!

Mu Qiu was completely unaware of the director’s implication, still seriously thinking about the attraction Cheng Zhirang held for her, then organizing her words: "Because I didn’t follow stars before, so I’m not very familiar with Brother Cheng. The first time I met him, I was amazed. As a novelist, I’m afraid of meeting such good-looking people. I’m afraid in the future, I’ll end up using him as a blueprint for all my male protagonists."

She spoke earnestly, her face full of sincerity, and the director swallowed the words please stop your targeted ogling behavior, replacing it with a gentler, "Is it only Brother Cheng who attracts you?"

Could it be that the program team’s meticulous planning, perfect creativity, and attentive service have no attraction at all?

Mu Qiu thought for a moment, nodding affirmatively.

The director looked hopeful, indicating the cameraman to get closer.

Then she heard Mu Qiu genuinely say: "And Brother Huai’s legs, Li Yang’s cuteness, Sister Shu Ran’s elegance, Sister Guan Yu’s comedic talent."

"......"

On the bullet screen, someone was already shouting to put the words fan representative on the public screen.

[This is literally my truest feelings]

[Can’t believe the most charming aspect of my Yangyang is actually cuteness...]

[As a sunshine fan, I seriously thought about Yangyang’s performance over the past two days, and it seems, indeed only cuteness can describe it]

[Hahaha Huai Bao’s legs! This is just too real!]

[Shufu Jia notes that Shu Ran still has more shining points waiting for the sister to discover]

[She’s genuinely working hard to find everyone’s strengths]

[Cheng Zhirang’s face really, this person has good taste]

[Why do I feel she’s not just into Brother Cheng’s face, but the whole person...]

[The one before knows the truth, after all, an hour ago she publicly praised Brother Cheng’s physique]

[Seeing her, I feel like a large group of us fans have infiltrated the idol world]

[Fan representative! Please, Mu Qiu, genuinely engage and utilize those eyes to their fullest capacity in discovering beauty!]

Mu Qiu considers herself a person as honest as can be, so she really couldn’t understand the director’s melancholy.

She proactively asked, "Is there anything else you need to ask?"

The director gave her a long look, taking out his phone: "There are a few questions fans want to ask."

Mu Qiu had a bad feeling.

Sure enough, the first question was—

"Book fans ask you, promised to break updates to find the true meaning of life, why are you appearing on a variety show."

She touched her nose, feeling a bit guilty, "There are reasons, it’s a long story, I think I’ll just explain this later on Weibo."

The director was not worried about her changing the topic, promptly asked the second question.

"Book fans say, if your answer to the first question is that it’s a long story, please make sure to answer directly this time."

...The targeting is quite strong.

She sighed, saying, "I was writing a tear-jerking tragedy novel at the time, my mood was very down, and I couldn’t continue writing, so I posted saying I wanted to take a break for two months to travel. But I didn’t expect the first movie contract to come, and then the program’s signing followed closely, because of the project’s confidentiality, I couldn’t tell everyone."

Director: "The third question, oh, not a question, everyone asks you to spare some time even when going to the bathroom to quickly jot down words."

Mu Qiu:... So cruel, so heartless, so overbearing.

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Sigh, I didn’t write today, using the drafts, I’m just too lazy (self-directed criticism)

I must make up for today’s work tomorrow!!! (Brimming with ambition and determination)