The waiter, with his standard smile and impeccable manner, led the group to a room marked "Autumn Equinox," and said with a smile, "Please come in."
Upon opening the door, one is greeted by the room's elegant decor. From the mirrors and paintings to the hanging ornaments and decorations, everything exudes a sense of ingenuity.
Unlike the opulent decor of the main hall, the private rooms are decorated in a more traditional Chinese style. The aim is to make guests feel as if all the hustle and bustle and fatigue of the outside world vanish the moment they enter.
The team had obviously come before, and the big stars seemed used to it, each finding a seat.
Only Zhou Yong and Zhang Lingling remained reserved; they didn't feel like they were part of the group.
Cheng Qing glanced at the corner seat and simply went to sit down.
Kong Mingyan looked at her and called out with a smile, "Cheng Qing, sit here!"
Cheng Qing smiled and shook her head: "Thank you, this is fine."
Kong Mingyan didn't force them. There were nine celebrities and three ordinary people, and they probably didn't want to steal the spotlight.
As a result, when Luo Xi saw Cheng Qing sit in the corner, she followed suit.
Cheng Qing choked: "...You don't need to."
Losi said with a serious face, "Didn't you ask me to take care of your meals?"
Cheng Qing frowned and smiled, looking utterly helpless: "I was just teasing you, there's no need for that."
Losi remained serious: "No, I mean what I say."
Cheng Qing: "...I really don't feel any pain."
Losi turned to look at her, her face serious: "You're in pain."
Helpless, Cheng Qing finally relented: "Fine! It hurts." Luo Xi then smiled.
Liu Suoyu and Lin Shandie, always eager for excitement, immediately claimed to be on the fencing team and squeezed in next to Luo Xi as soon as she sat down.
Zhang Lingling and Zhou Yong, who came in from outside, could only move aside and sit on the other side.
Once everyone was seated, Kong Mingyan called the waiter, ordered the food, and then passed the menu down: "Take a look and add anything else you want."
Everyone was quite open-minded, and by the time the food reached Luo Xi's side, they had already ordered quite a bit. Only Zhang Lingling and Zhou Yong didn't order any more food, probably because they felt they weren't entitled to it!
Luo Xi thought that Cheng Qing was also an ordinary person, and given Cheng Qing's temperament, he would definitely be polite.
She simply took the menu and asked Cheng Qing, "What do you like to eat?"
Cheng Qing shook her head: "No need, we've already ordered quite a lot."
Losi immediately frowned: "Don't try to save money for Director Kong, he's very rich."
Cheng Qing: "..."
Kong Mingyan: "...Lossie, I'm very poor."
Losi stuck out her tongue at him: "Director Kong is a great director, with a broad mind."
Kong Mingyan was speechless after hearing her words and couldn't refuse. He looked at Cheng Qing and said, "Point, point hard."
Cheng Qing was amused by Kong Mingyan's generous gesture and words. She turned to look at Luo Xi, glanced at the menu, and finally compromised, saying, "Then order me a plate of eggplant!"
Lossie's eyes lit up: "You like eggplant?"
Cheng Qing nodded slightly with a gentle expression.
So Losi opened the menu and ordered three dishes: stir-fried eggplant, fish-flavored eggplant, and dry-pot eggplant.
Cheng Qing: "...No need..."
Luo Xi turned to look at her as if she were taking credit. Cheng Qing choked for a moment, then smiled and said to her, "Thank you."
Losi nodded in satisfaction: "You're welcome."
Kong Mingyan: "..." Hey you two, I'm paying!
Lossie put away the menu, then rested her chin on her hands and waited for the food to be served. That morning, the group got up very early and went to the beach for several matches.
They only drank milk in the morning, and they were all starving.
Soon, the dishes began to arrive. Luo Xi said she would take care of Cheng Qing, and she really did.
Cheng Qing had only reached halfway with her chopsticks when Luo Xi blocked her with her own chopsticks: "You're injured, let me help you pick it up."
Cheng Qing took a deep breath, seemingly surprised: "...I'm not injured." She shouldn't be unable to even pick up food.
Losi turned to look at her, her eyes filled with grievance.
Cheng Qing choked again, and finally put down her chopsticks and said, "Could you get me some eggplant?"
Losi said cheerfully, "Okay!"
Cheng Qing was very worried and secretly asked Lin Shandie next to her, "If your fans see this, will they dox me?"
Lin Shandie: "...I think you're overthinking it."
My agent secretly contacted me and said that your CP (couple) fanbase is almost a million. You're about to break the record for the fastest CP fanbase to reach a million, and you're afraid of being doxxed?
I had no idea if the CP fans were celebrating the New Year after this episode aired.
However, Cheng Qing recalled his past life, where if fans saw their idol serving an ordinary person like this, they would probably really... be doxxed.
And you get to be subjected to online bullying for free! The thought is terrifying! -_-||
Author's Note:
Chapter 23
Luo Xi, of course, had no idea about Cheng Qing's troubles. She only found it very interesting to help Cheng Qing serve the food and take care of her.
He'd gotten addicted to helping out; serving food wasn't enough, so he'd pour drinks, and he'd look at Cheng Qing with his bright, starry eyes, smiling happily as he asked, "What else do you want to eat? What else do you want to drink? Is there anything else you'd like to add? I'll order it for you!!!"
Cheng Qing pressed down on her restless hand, both amused and exasperated: "Luo Xi, you eat it yourself!"
Cheng Qing only had a slight pain in her sphenoid bone when she got out of the car, but it was fine after a while. However, seeing that Luo Xi was unusually enthusiastic, she let her be.
With Luo Xi feeding him, Cheng Qing was already full.
Seeing that Losi was still in high spirits, he could only stop her, saying, "I'm full!"
Losi didn't believe her: "You've only eaten so little, how could you be full? Are you just being polite?"
Cheng Qing raised an eyebrow, pressed down on Luo Xi's hand, and asked, "Do you want me to feed you?"
Losi's breath hitched: "..."
Her fair face slowly turned red at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Upon hearing this, Liu Suoyu choked on her soup and coughed for a while before she could react.
Lin Shandie smiled slightly: "Teacher, why don't you feed her one?"
Cheng Qing: "..." These two really love making a scene!
Luo Xi blushed and scolded Lin Shandie, "What are you saying! Why would I need someone to feed me? Humph. I'll eat by myself!!!"
Then, with a haughty air, she withdrew her hand and began to shovel rice into her mouth.
Lin Shandie immediately looked up and burst into laughter. The most effective way to deal with a proud and arrogant person is to use reverse psychology.
Helpless, Cheng Qing put some chicken pieces and poached chicken into Luo Xi's empty bowl.
Luo Xi put down her chopsticks, looked up at Cheng Qing, her eyes shimmering.
Cheng Qing smiled slightly, finding Luo Xi both adorable and beautiful. That's why she said she was someone who entered the top tier of the entertainment industry solely based on her looks.
That's what they say, but Cheng Qing knows that Luo Xi actually works very hard in the entertainment industry.
Cheng Qing gestured slightly with her chin towards the chicken: "Eat some meat too! Even if you're on a calorie diet, chicken or shrimp are low in calories."
Losi blushed and lowered her head, saying, "Thank you."
Cheng Qing casually hummed in agreement, picked up the serving chopsticks, and said, "You took care of me while I ate, now I'll take care of you."
Lossie blushed even more, suddenly understanding Cheng Qing's shyness from earlier.
Kong Mingyan simply winked at the cameraman beside him, signaling, "It's done recording! It's done recording for me!!!"
Cameraman: "..." I'm so pitiful that I can't even afford to eat.
Sitting directly opposite Cheng Qing were Ye Lingyun and the others. She turned to look at Li Mingyao with a wronged expression, only to see him eating with gusto, just like a typical straight man.
Ye Lingyun sighed deeply. That's right, they were facing two women. After all, President Li was a man; he wasn't that observant.
But who wouldn't want to be taken care of? Ye Lingyun is also starting to think about finding a woman! o(╥﹏╥)o
After lunch, Kong Mingyan went to pay the bill, and then led a group of people back onto the bus.
Besides the team vehicles, there are also three guest vehicles, so they usually just sit in groups according to the team.
Cheng Qing has strong self-control when it comes to food; she usually stops eating when she's about 60-70% full. Luo Xi is different; her manager often stops her from eating, and when she's allowed to, she eats until her belly is round and full.
Today was the same. When I left home, I felt both regretful and upset, but at the same time, I felt great about having a big meal.
Therefore, Cheng Qing, whose face was truly conflicted, followed beside him, trying to suppress her laughter.
In the morning's scrimmage, each team had wins and losses, and the points earned varied from team to team.
In the afternoon, Kong Mingyan didn't let the group off the hook either. He glanced at his watch and said, "I remember there's a famous haunted house in Fanhe City, right? Let's go check it out."
A group of people turned pale instantly: "Director!!! Are you still a child?! What's so fun about a haunted house?!"
In response, a few of the more timid individuals couldn't help but shout loudly.
Zhang Lingling was also scared and asked the director, "Do we have to go too?" People like to see celebrities screaming and howling, but it's unnecessary for ordinary people, right?
The director hesitated for a moment, then heard Zhang Lingling ask, "Won't the audience be interested in our reactions as ordinary people?"
Kong Mingyan immediately said, "Go, all of you go!" Yes, the audience is definitely very interested in Cheng Qing's reaction.
He turned to look at Cheng Qing, who looked calm but was scratching her hair with a hint of distress.
Kong Mingyan: "..." Is this guy not even afraid of haunted houses?
Kong Mingyan was a man of action, and he insisted on leading these people all the way to the renowned Green Forest General Hospital.
This hospital, built during the Republic of China era, was once a renowned institution. Later, it was seized by invaders, and the once life-saving hospital became a living hell.