Chapter 131. Becoming a Celebrity? The Fought-Over-by-Big-Shots Kind (7)
“The flavor at this barbecue place is really excellent. Actress Fu and I have been here several times. We always eat until we’re stuffed, but we still want to come back next time.”
Shen Wan and Fu Qingman led Jing Ge into a barbecue restaurant, bringing over plate after plate of meat and arranging them on the table.
As she placed the meat on the grill, Shen Wan told Jing Ge how delicious the barbecue was here.
Jing Ge watched as the perfectly sliced meat was placed on the grill. In no time, the meat changed color, glistening with oil and making sizzling sounds. The aroma wafting to his nose made Jing Ge realize just how hungry he was.
As a male artist who had achieved the status of an award-winning actor, his success was due not only to his acting skills but also to his outstanding appearance.
Like female artists, he didn’t dare eat too much to maintain his figure. If he ever indulged, he’d spend the next few days practically living in the gym.
During filming periods, he wouldn’t dare eat freely to maintain his physique.
Filming schedules were already tight. If he really gained weight or upset his stomach, the impact would be significant.
High-calorie foods like barbecue, especially in such large quantities, were something he only allowed himself when he wasn’t filming and had no public appearances scheduled. Even then, he wouldn’t dare eat only meat like Shen Wan was doing, with barely any greens on the entire grill.
“We still have filming tomorrow, and this movie will take at least a month or two to shoot,” Jing Ge said, watching Shen Wan dip a freshly grilled piece of meat in sauce before popping it into her small mouth, which somehow managed to envelop the entire piece. She chewed quickly, her eyes bright – that piece of meat must have been particularly delicious.
No matter how tasty it was, he felt he should remind Shen Wan. If she gained weight from eating like this and couldn’t fit into the costumes provided by the crew, it would be terribly embarrassing. If her face became puffy and didn’t look good on camera, that would be even more troublesome.
In this industry, no female artist disregarded how they looked on camera.
Even when playing less attractive roles, they never truly made themselves too ugly. Even a scar could be crafted in various ways to ensure the audience didn’t find it unappealing.
Jing Ge looked at the two plates of food he had chosen: cucumber, winter melon, pumpkin, lotus root slices, bamboo shoots, konjac, and a few spinach leaves. Of course, he had also taken some meat – a piece of chicken breast, a slice of fish, and two thin slices of fatty beef.
In contrast, Shen Wan’s table was covered with plates of various meats. The only non-meat item was a plate with three or four cucumber slices, which stood out conspicuously among the sea of meat dishes.
When Jing Ge saw Fu Qingman bringing over plate after plate of meat as well, he felt distinctly uncomfortable.
Fu Qingman had also taken a plate of vegetables, but it was just lettuce, apparently meant to be eaten with the grilled meat.
“Yes, we still have two months of filming,” Shen Wan responded to Jing Ge, putting another piece of grilled meat in her mouth, chewing and swallowing before continuing, “So I must eat a lot while I have the chance. It’s fine for now since we’re not filming on location. Once we move to actual locations, it won’t be so convenient to eat barbecue.”
Jing Ge’s mouth twitched momentarily. “You should at least take some vegetables. Aren’t you afraid of gaining weight eating like this?”
Shen Wan pinched her pointed chin and raised her slender, fair arm. “Do I look fat?”
“I’ve been eating like this every day for the past week, sometimes even having a late-night snack, and I haven’t gained weight,” Shen Wan said proudly. “Since I don’t gain weight, I can eat to my heart’s content!”
Jing Ge felt a twinge of regret. The winter melon slice in his mouth seemed tasteless, as if something was missing.
Both Shen Wan and Fu Qingman were eating meat in large mouthfuls. Why was he eating vegetables?
If his willpower weren’t so strong, he might have been led astray and started feasting heartily.
No, he absolutely couldn’t give in. This Shen Wan must have a grudge against him. She knew very well that they needed to watch their diet during filming, yet she deliberately brought him to eat barbecue. He had thought she genuinely felt bad and wanted to treat him to a meal, but now he was beginning to understand. She brought him here to watch them eat while he could only salivate, unable to indulge. She was trying every possible way to torment him.
Jing Ge maintained a smile on his face as he ate his vegetables politely. As for the few pieces of meat he had taken, he ate them extremely slowly. He was afraid that if he finished them, he wouldn’t be able to resist taking more.
Shen Wan paid no attention to this, eating plate after plate, completely unconcerned about gaining weight. Watching her eat with her mouth full of oil, Jing Ge couldn’t help but silently curse, hoping she would be fat as a pig tomorrow!
As for Fu Qingman, Jing Ge couldn’t understand how she had gotten mixed up with Shen Wan and dared to eat like this. He felt puzzled.
But seeing Fu Qingman savoring the delicious food at a leisurely pace, he felt incredibly envious.
“Actress Fu, try this. It should be good,” Shen Wan used tongs to place a well-grilled piece of meat into Fu Qingman’s sauce dish. “The meat is very tender. It’s really delicious, give it a try.”
Fu Qingman picked up the meat and put it in her mouth, nodding. “It is indeed delicious. Is this a new dish at this restaurant?”
“I think so. It wasn’t here when we came two days ago.”
Jing Ge silently ate his vegetables, occasionally taking a piece of meat, looking somewhat reluctant. He watched as the plates beside Shen Wan piled high before being taken away by the waiter, only for her to bring over several plates of seafood, asking Fu Qingman if she wanted some.
He thought Fu Qingman would say, “No need, I’ve had enough.” After all, she had already eaten quite a lot. Fu Qingman was an award-winning actress; she would surely manage her figure well and not eat without restraint like Shen Wan, a small-time artist.
Unexpectedly, Fu Qingman wiped the corner of her mouth with a napkin. Hearing Shen Wan mention seafood, her eyes lit up instantly. “I do! Could you bring me some scallops and clams?”
Jing Ge’s chopsticks trembled, and he looked at Fu Qingman in disbelief. When Shen Wan left the table, he quietly asked, “Fu Qingman, aren’t you afraid of gaining weight eating so much? I remember when we worked together before, your meal was just a few broccoli florets and an egg, with dinner being just an apple.”
When did Fu Qingman become so indulgent?
Fu Qingman smiled gently, blinking her eyes. “Because I don’t want to deprive myself anymore. I’ve missed out on too many delicious foods in the past. Now I must make up for it.”
“Be careful not to become as round as a ball. Then no director will want you for their films,” Jing Ge said, somewhat jealously. Who doesn’t like good food?
This meal was thoroughly enjoyable for Fu Qingman and Shen Wan, but for Jing Ge, it was pure torture.
When it was time to leave, he discovered that Shen Wan had even gotten ice cream for herself and Fu Qingman, casually asking if he wanted some too.
Jing Ge, of course, had to refuse such temptation. He wanted to leave these two immediately, fearing he might not be able to resist if Shen Wan asked him again.
“Today’s ice cream is really good,” Shen Wan said, linking arms with Fu Qingman as they walked to the parking lot. Jing Ge watched them get into their car, bid them farewell, and hurriedly drove away.
He had eaten quite a bit today. After resting for a while, he’d need to go to the gym to burn off some calories.
For several days in a row, Fu Qingman came to eat with Shen Wan.
Each time, Shen Wan would ask Jing Ge if he wanted to join. For the first few times, he went along. He wanted to see if they really ate like this every day or if Shen Wan was deliberately tormenting him. Finally, he realized that this kind of eating had become quite normal for Shen Wan and Fu Qingman.
These two women didn’t behave like typical female artists at all. Since entering the industry, he had never seen female artists eat so extravagantly.
Later, as Jing Ge watched the two women consume various high-calorie foods day after day without seeming to gain weight, he felt both jealous and envious. Finally unable to endure it any longer, he gritted his teeth and refused Shen Wan’s invitations. Although he was still somewhat interested in Shen Wan, now when he thought of her, all he could picture was her voracious eating, which made him shudder uncontrollably.
No matter how interesting a woman might be, if she constantly ate high-calorie foods in front of him while claiming not to gain weight, he simply couldn’t tolerate it.
It wasn’t until half a month later, when Fu Qingman became busy again, that she stopped coming to see Shen Wan.
Even though she no longer came, everyone in the crew understood that Fu Qingman and Shen Wan had a good relationship.
With Fu Qingman gone, Shen Wan didn’t settle down on set. When not filming, she would sit on the sidelines watching, while munching on various snacks.
Seeing that she didn’t gain weight no matter what she ate, Jin Peiquan didn’t interfere.
As for Shen Wan’s agent, Su Jiali, she wasn’t present on set. She had come once on the first day of filming and then assigned a young assistant to follow Shen Wan. She only inquired about matters when necessary.
She managed quite a few artists, including several with decent fame whom she had high hopes for. Since things were going smoothly with Shen Wan, she naturally didn’t need to worry too much and focused on overseeing those promising artists she favored.
Therefore, Su Jiali was unaware that Shen Wan had become a major investor and was eating extravagantly on set. The young assistant she had assigned to Shen Wan had long been won over and now followed Shen Wan’s lead.
“Little Zhuzhu, go buy me an ice cream cone, and pick whatever flavor you like for yourself.”
The female assistant, nicknamed Little Zhuzhu, nodded quickly, not minding at all being called Little Zhuzhu by Shen Wan every day. As she was about to leave, Shen Wan stopped her. “Wait, let me ask if anyone else wants some.”
“Who wants an ice cream cone?”
The crowd fell silent: “…”
Jing Ge: “…” Eating ice cream easily leads to weight gain, really.
“Bring one for me,” Director Jin Peiquan spoke up. “I want strawberry flavor.” After saying this, Jin Peiquan felt the strange gazes of the male and female artists in the crew upon him.
“Then let’s buy some iced water for everyone,” Shen Wan waved her small hand. “Ask a few staff members to go with you, and they can pick whatever they want to eat. As for Actor Jing and the others who are afraid of gaining weight, just bring them two bottles of iced water each.”
Jing Ge: Drinking iced water while watching others eat ice cream? How miserable.
Female artists: They wanted ice cream too.
Mu Linshi sat in a corner, watching Shen Wan’s popularity, especially how the director favored her, feeling incredibly jealous. But there was nothing she could do. Now Shen Wan was the mascot of the entire crew and so close with the award-winning actress Fu. Everyone was speculating whether she had someone backing her, so Mu Linshi didn’t dare act rashly.
Seeing Jing Ge’s displeased expression, she unconsciously moved closer to him. Although she had been forced to follow a certain boss, her admiration for Jing Ge hadn’t diminished.
Jing Ge noticed Mu Linshi and remembered certain past events, naturally leaving him with a poor impression of her.
“Shen Wan is really nice. It’s so hot, and she knows everyone is working hard, so she specially asked someone to buy iced water. Actually, in this weather, drinking iced water is better. Eating ice cream not only makes you gain weight but also makes you thirsty.” She didn’t dare say anything negative about Shen Wan in this situation. She wasn’t a fool; saying nice things was always safe.
Jing Ge glanced at her. “So do you prefer ice cream or iced water?”
“Iced water, of course,” Mu Linshi said, against her true feelings.
Jing Ge watched the staff members return with iced water and ice cream cones. He said quietly, “But I want ice cream. How could iced water possibly taste better than ice cream?”
Mu Linshi: ???
“Eating one occasionally shouldn’t be a problem.”
Jing Ge had already walked over and unceremoniously took an ice cream cone, unwrapping and eating it. The sweet and cold flavor in his mouth was indeed refreshing to the extreme.
Mu Linshi walked over, and Jing Ge casually handed her a bottle of iced water. “Here’s the iced water you like.”
Then Mu Linshi discovered that many people had taken ice cream cones, quietly comforting themselves: “Eating one ice cream cone occasionally won’t make you fat. Having just this one this week shouldn’t be a problem.”
With everyone eating ice cream, Mu Linshi holding her iced water felt particularly wronged, yet she couldn’t go and take an ice cream cone.
Looking at Shen Wan again, it was really too much – she actually had one in each hand, one blueberry flavor and one strawberry. How excessive!
During this filming period, the people in the crew experienced a mix of pain and joy.
Shen Wan’s presence brought a lot of fun to everyone. She was very willing to share delicious food with everyone, and although they tried hard to control themselves, they occasionally couldn’t resist tasting. But once they tasted, the cravings in their stomachs were truly awakened.
When Shen Wan’s scenes were finished and she wrapped up filming, everyone felt both reluctant to see her go and relieved. This little princess was finally leaving. If she had stayed any longer, they might have gained ten pounds, which would have been terrible.
Because Shen Wan had been working hard recently, and Su Jiali was quite busy, she was given a week’s vacation for the time being.
Taking advantage of this break, Shen Wan naturally wanted to go find her future wife, Fu Qingman.
Of course, she couldn’t visit her future wife empty-handed. Thinking about how Fu Qingman was currently filming in a desert location, she probably hadn’t eaten well in a long time. So, she decided to bring lots of good food.
Shen Wan very generously rented a large truck to carry her to Fu Qingman.
As for the truck, it was filled with frozen meats and fruits, along with cooking utensils – everything one could need.
188, observing Shen Wan’s massive shopping spree, felt a bit envious of Fu Qingman. Only this woman could make his Wan Wan spend money as if it weren’t money at all.
Now he fully understood this feeling. Since getting a partner, he too wanted to give his core programming to his significant other.
The conditions in the desert were extremely harsh. Even though Fu Qingman was treated well, after staying there for so long, her skin had darkened considerably, though this didn’t affect her beauty.
Shen Wan’s arrival was a pleasant surprise for Fu Qingman.
“Why are you here?”
“I’ve never really seen a desert before in my life. My scenes have just finished filming, and I don’t have anything to do for now, so I thought I’d come and take a look around the desert.”
Fu Qingman looked at the large truck. “Did you hitch a ride?”
“No, I rented this truck.”
Fu Qingman was curious. “Why rent such a big truck?”
“Because I’m carrying a lot of things.”
Shen Wan took Fu Qingman’s hand. “Since I’ve run into you, let’s make something to eat.”
Fu Qingman had a premonition. Could the truck be full of food?
When Shen Wan took out a large watermelon, Fu Qingman’s eyes showed an “as expected” look. She couldn’t help but climb up to take a look. The cold air that hit her face and the dazzling array of food inside the truck left her stunned.
Now she fully believed that Shen Wan was truly wealthy. Who else would come to such a place for tourism, rent a large truck, and bring so much food with refrigeration capabilities?
Shen Wan: Only her, of course. After all, she was visiting her future wife. She couldn’t come empty-handed, right?