76: Give me a bowl

When the camera was shoved in their faces, Shen Lian was still chatting with Chang Qing.

"I didn't expect you to participate too," Shen Lian whispered. "I didn't see your studio release a statement."

"You even follow my studio?"

"Yeah."

Chang Qing chuckled. "The Agent arranged it. What else could I do?"

The two of them didn't know the livestream had started. Over there, Wei Kan had already raised a standard smile, intending to introduce himself, but the livestream channel broadcasted the sound of Shen Lian and Chang Qing whispering first.

Big-name variety shows really have good equipment; the audio pickup was so clear.

【Oh my, he even follows their studio~~~】

【No way, brother, starting off with this right away?】

Wei Kan gave a light cough and immediately entered professional mode. As soon as he spoke, Shen Lian and Chang Qing fell silent simultaneously.

【If you lack talent, make up for it with looks. Shen Lian's face is not at all inferior even when standing next to Chang Qing.】

【More than that... [Link] Sisters, do you want to see the two of them in the same frame from the side profile?】

【I didn't want to either, you forced me!】

After the self-introductions, Wei Kan took on the role of team leader and, following the task cards handed out, led them to an ancient town for sightseeing.

It definitely wasn't that simple; the tasks were likely hidden within, but for Shen Lian, this was very relaxing.

The ancient town wasn't far from here, and the production team had thoughtfully rented a sightseeing vehicle, so they sat down directly.

【I really like the attitude of the sea god descends officials; they treat people like human beings.】

The men uniformly let the girls choose their seats first, followed by the seniors. Shen Lian and Chang Qing consciously took the last spots, sitting at the very back, even facing backward, but the two didn't mind at all and continued chatting once they sat down.

【Wait, Chang Qing wasn't a chatterbox before.】

【Qingfeng reporting in, confirming the statement of the sister above. Indeed, in previous variety shows, my Chang Qing liked to be a background prop.】

"Qingfeng" is what Chang Qing's fans call themselves. It was no secret that Chang Qing would rather release works than appear on variety shows, preferring to stay at home when free, but today, upon meeting Shen Lian, his mouth hadn't stopped.

What else? The Agent was already very understanding of Chang Qing, only arranging a variety show appearance after a long time, but that didn't prevent Chang Qing from feeling like he was visiting a grave. He really didn't like the feeling of being constantly watched by cameras; it was different from filming.

It was rare to meet Shen Lian, and Chang Qing felt his spirit relax.

"What is this?" Chang Qing pointed to the purple flowers passing overhead as they moved backward, hanging in clusters like firecrackers.

"Wisteria." Shen Lian was quick-eyed and nimble-handed; he plucked a branch with tender leaves and handed it to Chang Qing. "The stamen is orange. It can be used as medicine and can promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis. See it?"

Chang Qing leaned in. "It really is orange."

The comments section was flooded with a uniform stream of question marks and exclamation points.

Although there wasn't a single word, it made Chu Yilan, watching from behind the screen, very uncomfortable.

Just then, his phone vibrated. Chu Yilan picked it up and took a look; it was a message from Xu Jingge: 【Does your man know how to avoid suspicion?】

Chu Yilan: 【I have enough time to drive to Lin City and beat you up right now.】

The ancient town happened to be in the off-season, so there weren't many tourists, and most of those surrounding the area were fans who had heard the news and rushed over.

Everyone held up their phones, occasionally waving their support signs.

Shen Lian had originally cast a casual glance, but ended up seeing headbands with his name written on them in the crowd. Two or three Young Girls were wearing them, and seeing him look over, they waved vigorously.

Shen Lian pursed his lips and smiled, raising his hand to wave back.

The fans of the other celebrities around were incredibly envious.

A real person, eh? Shen Lian felt he hadn't seen this kind of spectacle in a long time; between his past life and this one, there was a chasm of difference.

The snack stalls in the ancient town extended forward from the entrance, long and winding, with no end in sight. The production team was footing the bill, and the guests could eat whatever they wanted, provided they didn't waste anything.

Several girls needed to maintain their figures, so they were quite cautious in their selection of food.

Wei Kan and Ren Yanfei grilled two skewers of squid and didn't take anything else. The one with the heaviest celebrity baggage was Yu Ming; this person hadn't taken his sunglasses off his face once, almost constantly striking poses.

"Where's Shen Lian?" Shu Mingyue turned back.

Shen Lian and Chang Qing had already sat down in front of a rice noodle stall.

"You guys go ahead and look around; I'm hungry," Shen Lian said to Shu Mingyue.

Wu Shengsheng didn't say a word, walking with heavy steps over to the two of them, then found an empty seat and sat down.

Shen Lian always felt her gaze was sharp, as if she were here to catch something.

"Want a bite?" Shen Lian asked tentatively.

"No," Wu Shengsheng said. "High carbohydrates. You guys eat."

Shen Lian had seen many female stars who were strict with themselves, so upon hearing this, he didn't force the issue. He and Chang Qing unwrapped their chopsticks, and as soon as the shop owner served the rice noodles, they slurped them up in big mouthfuls.

Wu Shengsheng swallowed her saliva.

"Just eat until you're full and worry about it after the show. Can you really gain ten pounds in one sitting?" Shen Lian muttered. "Besides, with your build, even with ten extra pounds, you'd still look great."

Wu Shengsheng closed her eyes, and after opening them, she firmly told the owner, "One bowl, please."

【Hahahaha! Is that all it took to convince you, my Shengsheng?】

【Shengsheng closed her eyes thinking she couldn't eat, but opened them and ordered a bowl.】

The result was that Liu Tang and Shu Mingyue also gathered around, and after a bit of struggling, they all surrendered and gathered there to eat rice noodles.

Wei Kan and Ren Yanfei looked helpless.

"Let's continue looking around," Wei Kan said.

Ren Yanfei: "Okay."

Only Yu Ming stood in place, looking not very happy.

Yu Ming's gaze fell on Shu Mingyue. Since the broadcast started, he had tried to talk to Shu Mingyue several times, but had been cleverly avoided each time.

"Does he want to manufacture a CP with you?" Liu Tang had just asked Shu Mingyue in a very low voice. She always felt Yu Ming was weird, insisting on trying to latch onto her while standing with one hand in his pocket, looking pretentious.

"I think so," Shu Mingyue replied. "But I don't want to."

Shu Mingyue was long past the stage of needing hype for exposure. Now, she had a strong fan base and had won several prestigious awards, giving her the capital and confidence. If Yu Ming were an interesting person, Shu Mingyue might have accepted it as a gimmick, but she had seen too many handsome men; Yu Ming was not only nothing special, but he also didn't suit her taste.

【Who is Yu Ming waiting for?】

【I don't know, but he always holds the same pose. Isn't he tired?】

Yu Ming's fans immediately jumped out to speak, saying he often stood like that and was used to it, and so on.

The comments were still harmonious; it wasn't worth arguing over such a small matter.

It was just that Shu Mingyue's fans hadn't yet seen through Yu Ming's intentions.

After eating the bowl of rice noodles, everyone was satisfied. Shen Lian also asked the owner for a portion of red date rice cake, cut into small pieces to eat while walking.

Chang Qing asked, "How is it?"

Shen Lian offered it to him. "Try it. I saw the landlady making it by hand just now; it should be good."

Chang Qing picked up a toothpick and speared a piece. After tasting it, he nodded repeatedly. "The date aroma is rich."

Wu Shengsheng gritted her teeth. "Aren't you two afraid of gaining weight?"

Shen Lian: "I'm trying to gain weight; I haven't reached my target weight yet."

Chang Qing: "I don't gain weight."

【Alright, alright, we get it, we get it. You two eat, you two eat slowly.】

【One is gaining weight, the other can't get fat. I'm looking at the grilled cold noodles in my hand and laughing in anger.】