CHAPTER 71: CHAPTER 71: YOU EAT THAT MUCH?

"Where are the others? Haven’t they come back?" Cheng Zhirang asked.

Guan Yu looked outside, "Seems like not, I didn’t see them."

Li Yang was puzzled and asked, "Sister Shu Ran hasn’t come back yet? I thought she’d be the first to return."

Guan Yu glanced over and silently clapped, she thought so too.

Cheng Zhirang: "Maybe their place is farther than yours, let’s wait a bit more."

He handed over a small bag of snacks: "Brought these for you."

Guan Yu cheered.

Mu Qiu came in at that moment.

She was sweating profusely, her back was soaked, her hands wrapped in bandages, and her makeup redone, looking sharp and aloof.

Cheng Zhirang looked up, just in time to catch her indifferent glance.

That look left him a bit stunned. He’s met people who get too into character during filming, unable to snap out afterward, but those were actors, and Mu Qiu was just a writer.

At most, she’s astonishingly bold.

He couldn’t help it and glanced at her again.

By then, Mu Qiu had already relaxed, rubbed her face, and sat down next to Guan Yu.

Guan Yu and Li Yang looked at her from both sides, "Mu Qiu, did you go to a training camp or a martial arts class?"

"Your hands are bandaged, you’re drenched in sweat, where did you go?"

Mu Qiu was as exhausted as overcooked noodles, slumped in the chair, weakly: "Boxing hobby class."

Cheng Zhirang’s gaze respectfully rested only on her shoulder, seeing her drenched in sweat, he gestured to the staff at the door.

"Everyone’s just been sweating, don’t set the temperature too low."

The staff nodded, not looking at anyone else, stepped back and adjusted the temperature.

The room’s temperature wasn’t as cold as before. A staff member brought in a box of wet wipes, and Mu Qiu, surprised, said thank you and earnestly wiped the sweat away. She thought it was brought by the staff themselves, so she didn’t think much after using it and started chatting with Guan Yu again.

"My character, after teaming up multiple times with some spirited youths to jump off buildings, has now started physical training. Then the teacher made me actually fight."

She raised her bandaged hand, holding it like a chicken claw: "See this? I think the bandage’s purpose is to keep my bones from breaking."

"..." Cheng Zhirang was quite amused by her repeated exaggerations, couldn’t help but say, "That’s to protect the knuckles and wrists, which teacher did you meet?"

Mu Qiu didn’t expect him to join the conversation like this, was momentarily stunned, then replied, "Teacher Cui Hua from the Yun City Film Academy’s acting department, along with a group of acting students."

"Teacher Cui Hua is famously demanding for all-around skills, doesn’t use stand-ins," Cheng Zhirang recalled, "Your task is indeed a bit difficult."

Mu Qiu showed a ’just as I thought’ expression.

Not long after, Shu Ran and Shi Yuhuai returned. Shi Yuhuai looked serious, while Shu Ran had a smile on her face.

"You’re all back, so we’re the last ones. Was yours difficult?"

Li Yang scratched his head again, "Difficult, quite difficult for me."

Shi Yuhuai sat down and asked Shu Ran, "Was yours simple?"

As soon as he spoke, Shu Ran’s expression became a bit forced. She tied her hair back, sat next to Li Yang, and said, "Didn’t I just tell you, mine was quite difficult too."

"That’s normal, I just comforted you earlier."

"..." She really couldn’t find anything else to say.

Guan Yu pretended not to hear or see, hurriedly unpacked the bowls and chopsticks, and asked the staff, "Is everyone back now? Can we eat?"

The staff nodded and got them some tea.

Having been running around all day, they could finally have some proper food; the table was filled with the sounds of unpacking utensils, urging voices, and sounds of people swallowing.

"Oh my god, I was just lying there pretending to be a patient, trying to project a ’help me, I can still save the world and save you’ vibe. I was so hungry I wanted to pull out a small snack to eat but didn’t dare. I was starving."

Guan Yu was the fastest at unpacking and immediately reached for the pumpkin cake closest to her.

Li Yang followed closely, extending his long arm to grab the crispy chicken leg in the middle.

Cheng Zhirang served himself a bowl of soup, seeing Li Yang struggling, even pushed the plate toward him a bit.

Mu Qiu’s hand hurt, she wasn’t really in the mood for big meals by then, so she also got a bowl of soup, blowing on it and sipping slowly, her gaze was, unconsciously and aimlessly, just fixed on Cheng Zhirang.

He really attracted her, not just as a source of inspiration; he just sat there quietly, having a sip of soup, pushing a plate, never failing to catch her eye.

She used to not understand the protagonist’s aura in many novels, that fatal attraction, the kind of charm that draws countless girls. Novels often use a lot of exaggeration, but the protagonist’s aura seemed nonsensical to her.

But now she started to get it.

Some people just appear in front of you, and you can’t help but see them as the unique being. It’s like having a pet; it’s not about being mean to other stray cats and dogs, but the one you chose and like becomes your treasure, occupying eighty percent of your attention. They receive different treatment from the basics, a distinct preference from other pets.

After finishing her soup, Mu Qiu finally had a craving for a hearty meal, reaching for the eggplant pot in front of Guan Yu. Guan Yu had already gone to get some rice, tilted her head to ask if she wanted some.

It seemed like only the two of them could eat rice so carefree. Mu Qiu nodded, "I’ll get it myself."

The rice was with Shi Yuhuai, she quietly called Brother Huai twice before Shi Yuhuai heard her.

"Want rice?" because that’s how Guan Yu got rice earlier, so Shi Yuhuai’s first response was those two words.

But those words really sounded, too poor, she quietly corrected, "I mean I want a bowl of rice, but not begging for food."

Shi Yuhuai didn’t expect his words to have this implication, coughed, and pushed the rice over.

She finally succeeded in getting a bowl of rice, I mean, she successfully got a bowl of rice.

Li Yang finished a big chicken leg and a pumpkin cake, envied them, "You eat so much?"

"... Do you even know how to ask questions?"

"Please look at the bones in front of you before talking about us, okay?"

[Yangyang! How can you ask like this?]

[Yangyang’s way of asking can easily offend people!]

[Fortunately, Guan Yu and Mu Qiu don’t seem to mind, judging by their swift sideways glance]

[I almost want to roll my eyes at him]

[But really, I’m so envious of the two of them, only they can eat rice like that, even Brother Long Legs only laid a base]

[So not everyone can be a star]

[Brother Cheng, eat more, you’ve lost weight again]

[Yangyang is still growing! Baby, mom won’t allow you to diet!]

[Is this really dieting? Feels like he’s being fed like a landlord’s son]

[Seems like their relationship has gotten much better, even having meals they can chat and laugh, previously there was still a bit of restraint]

[Brother Cheng has relaxed a lot, and this episode, I found he genuinely laughed many times]