Chapter 89: I lost a pound!
Yang Shuyi was both surprised and delighted. This was something that had never happened before. After indulging in a feast, she hadn't gained weight; in fact, she had lost weight! Even though she had exercised for an extra half hour at the gym last night, it was still quite amazing!
After her initial shock, she cheered. "This is amazing! I ate so many delicious meat dishes yesterday and felt so happy all day. I even lost a pound today. It's like a double blessing of happiness! I'm so happy!"
After stepping off the scale, she jumped up and down twice, then grabbed her phone and opened WeChat to send a message to Sister Li.
[Shuyi: Hehehehe, Sister Li, look how amazing I am! I've lost a pound!]
After sending it out, feeling that she had no proof, Yang Shuyi stood back on the scale, took a picture of her weight with her phone, and sent it to Sister Li.
Sister Li gets up early. Besides her, there are several other artists under her management. She has a lot to deal with every day, but Yang Shuyi, as her most popular artist, is the most valued. She also replies to messages instantly.
[Sister Li: Wow, Xiaoyi is amazing! You've lost a pound all at once!]
[Sister Li: It's not easy to lose weight when you're already at a low weight, you've worked so hard these past few days (pats head.gif)]
[Sister Li: It seems this restaurant's weight-loss meals are quite effective. Combined with your self-discipline and daily exercise routine, you've naturally lost weight (thumbs up.gif)]
[Sister Li: Losing two or three pounds is enough. We should try our best to get close to the character, but we can't harm our health, understand?]
Seeing the messages from Sister Li, Yang Shuyi smiled happily. It seemed that the other party was also surprised and happy that she had lost a pound all of a sudden.
She's 1.67 meters tall and previously weighed 90 pounds. Recently, to match her high school self, Qiu Siying wants to lose another 5 pounds. Losing weight from a low starting weight is indeed difficult; she had endured so much before and only lost two pounds, but this time she lost a pound in just one day—it's amazing!
Yang Shuyi looked at her phone keyboard and replied to the message.
[Shuyi: Yes, it's a super surprise! I didn't expect to lose a pound so suddenly!]
[Shuyi: It was indeed a bit tiring. Sister Li, please treat me to a big meal later (anything you want)]
[Shuyi: That's right! I'm very disciplined every day, eating low-fat meals and exercising. If I don't lose weight, who will!]
[Shuyi: Okay, then I'll maintain my weight. If I can lose another pound or two after it stabilizes, that would be perfect. I remember the original novel said Qiu Siying weighed 85 pounds in high school (to perfectly match the character's image) (cat pouting with hands on hips.gif)]
She replied to each of the messages sent by Sister Li, and when talking about how disciplined she was in sticking to a low-fat diet and exercising, she wasn't ashamed at all, as if she had completely forgotten that she had just eaten a big meal yesterday.
Sister Li replied to her with a smile, promising to treat her to a meal after filming wrapped up, whatever she wanted to eat. She added that it would be best if she could lose another pound or two, but not to force it. She didn't want to see paparazzi report that she had starved herself to the point of being hospitalized for filming, otherwise her fans would probably tear her apart.
Yang Shuyi laughed out loud when she saw this, and couldn't help but send a message to defend her fans, saying that they were all reasonable people and she was too grateful to Sister Li to criticize her. She also assured Sister Li that she would definitely do what she could and prioritize her health, so she could rest assured.
The two chatted for a while. After the conversation ended, Yang Shuyi wondered why she had suddenly lost a pound.
Based on her years of experience in controlling her weight, it's difficult to lose weight from a low starting point. At this stage, the main focus is on shaping the body. It's hard to lose weight by just controlling your diet; you have to combine it with exercise. That's why she eats a low-fat diet and works out at the gym.
At the same time, fat loss has a lag effect and it is easy to enter a plateau. For example, if you stick to controlling your diet and exercising for a period of time and your weight does not change, you may have entered a plateau. At this time, you should not indulge yourself, because you may lose weight in a few days.
Of course, there's another method: try indulging in a cheat meal, and maybe your weight will drop the next day. However, most of the time you'll likely gain some weight.
Thinking about this, Yang Shuyi suspected that it was thanks to the private meal she had at Gu's restaurant yesterday. Weren't those rich meat dishes a kind of indulgent meal? Losing a pound after indulging was novel, but not impossible.
After figuring it out, she was even happier. Yang Shuyi picked up her phone, opened Weibo, and started browsing entertainment gossip. Even though she was in the industry, there was still a lot of unknown gossip to see.
Moreover, people in the industry may have some inherent advantages; sometimes they even know some inside information about gossip, making it even more interesting to watch netizens analyze it like Conan.
Around 7:30, Xiaoyun came over with the breakfast she bought: "Sister Xiaoyi, breakfast is ready."
"Okay, it's here." Yang Shuyi got up and walked over to the dining table, thanking Xiaoyun for her hard work.
Breakfast was simple: a sweet corn cob, two eggs, and a cup of freshly ground, unsweetened soy milk—still a healthy, low-fat breakfast.
She excitedly shared with Xiaoyun that she had lost a pound, emphasizing that it might be an unexpected surprise from yesterday's indulgent meal at Gu's Private Kitchen.
Xiaoyun's almond-shaped eyes widened, and her mouth slightly agape: "That's amazing! So, not only did you not gain weight, you actually lost a pound? I never thought that the indulgence meal would actually work..."
His words were filled with disbelief.
Yang Shuyi nodded and took the opportunity to say, "So we can still eat Gu's private kitchen from time to time, just treat it as a indulgence. We should cherish the days we're filming in Jiang City, because once we get back to Beijing, we won't be able to eat it as often as we want."
Xiaoyun turned around, understood, and quickly smiled and brushed it off: "We'll see about that later. We'll continue to eat the weight-loss meals that Sister Li ordered. Once we get through this period, you can eat as much as you want. We'll have a big meal before we go back."
"You clever little devil, does that mean I can only eat one meal?" Yang Shuyi said with amusement, secretly sighing that her little assistant was becoming harder and harder to fool.
She was actually half-joking and half-truthful. She genuinely wanted to eat Gu's Private Kitchen more often, but she also knew rationally that eating it frequently would only make it harder to lose weight. After all, not every indulgent meal would lead to a plateau, and indulgent meals are usually eaten only once every ten days or so.
Xiaoyun chuckled: "Gu's Private Kitchen is located there. We can eat there again when we come to Jiang City after we finish this meal."
Looking at Xiaoyi's face, she felt that Xiaoyi's skin was in particularly good condition today, fair and rosy, full of collagen, making her look very young and beautiful. Xiaoyun immediately praised Yang Shuyi to hear these words.
"Really? I put on a face mask before bed last night, and then did my usual skincare routine." Yang Shuyi said, touching her face. She hadn't looked closely when she washed up in the morning, so she went to the bathroom to look in the mirror.
She came out happily: "I think I look a little better than usual. My skin is so radiant. I guess I slept well last night. I look a bit like a high school girl."
Xiaoyun opened the breakfast bag and smiled in agreement.
The two chatted while eating breakfast. Yang Shuyi was used to having two eggs for breakfast, alternating between corn or sweet potato, and usually had a cup of black coffee. During her period, she would switch to freshly ground unsweetened soy milk.
For a slightly more elaborate breakfast, you could have a bagel with crab sticks and a soft-boiled egg, or a muffin with bacon and cheese. The choice is flexible and the nutrition is good. It's perfectly fine to have a decent breakfast.
After breakfast, Xiaoyun packed some things she needed and followed Sister Xiaoyi downstairs to the film studio.
In the dressing room, Yang Shuyi sat in her seat playing on her phone while the makeup artist applied her base makeup.
The makeup artist kept working and couldn't help but exclaim, "Shuyi, your skin is so good, so smooth and delicate. The foundation goes on so well, it feels like you don't even need concealer or contouring. After applying the primer and patting on the blush, that pure and light makeup effect comes out perfectly."
High school girls typically wear light makeup, even their lipsticks are usually the kind that closely match their natural lip color.
Yang Shuyi thought the makeup artist was just being polite, and casually replied, "Sister Zhen, you flatter me. I'll have to trouble you to brighten up some of the darker areas for me, after all, Qiu Siying is the school beauty."
The makeup artist noticed her laughter and emphasized, "I'm serious, look at you now, what part of you needs highlighting? You already look so fresh and pure after applying the foundation. If I were to apply the rest of the products, I would think it would be superfluous."
It's amazing, really. Yang Shuyi has delicate features and good skin. Although there aren't many female celebrities in the entertainment industry who aren't good-looking, she had an easy time putting on this kind of campus makeup a few days ago, but today it was exceptionally easy. A simple base was enough. Looking at her pure and bright face, her complexion was rosy, and she even felt that blush was a bit unnecessary.
Hearing her say that, Yang Shuyi looked directly at the mirror on the dressing table.
She knew, of course, that she had only applied foundation, but looking at her makeup in the mirror, it did indeed look better than when she had applied full light makeup yesterday.
And just like the makeup artist said, my whole face was already perfect after applying the primer; I couldn't see any areas that were dull and needed brightening.
She exclaimed, "So what you said, Sister Zhen, was true! I feel like this makeup is perfect for today."
The makeup artist laughed, "When have I ever lied? Shuyi, did you use some kind of face mask last night? It looks so good! Can you recommend one? You went to bed early, didn't you? Your face doesn't look sallow at all."
Yang Shuyi named a face mask brand she often uses, then nodded: "I went to bed quite early last night, and slept well."
The makeup artist looked like she knew it: "As expected, people really need to go to bed early and get up early for better sleep quality. This kind of beauty sleep is the most comfortable." She then added that she would buy this brand of face mask to try later.
Yang Shuyi smiled and agreed, but in her heart she was thinking that she had used this mask before, so why was her skin in such good condition today, as if she had a beauty buff, and even her bare face looked better than usual.
No girl can resist becoming more beautiful, and she was secretly delighted.
Xiaoyun admired Xiaoyi's beauty from the side, finding it endlessly captivating. She quietly took out her phone to take a picture and sent it to Sister Li, smiling as she shared the makeup artist's compliments with her, looking quite proud.
The makeup artist was about to finish Yang Shuyi's makeup when she took a closer look and thought, "Shuyi, your complexion is too good. It's the kind of healthy and happy rosy glow that looks good. It's a little different from the character. I need to tone down your complexion."
Yang Shuyi recalled that Qiu Siying was very thin in high school. Because of poor nutrition, her skin was very white but looked more like pale. Her complexion was not very good. So she let the makeup artist continue to work on her face.
Going back to yesterday, Gu Qingqiu was most satisfied with this pork rib stew with osmanthus and lychee.
She didn't think much when ordering the menu, but suddenly wanted to cook a meat dish with a fruity flavor. She had already made sweet and sour pork with pineapple, and sweet and sour pork ribs were too similar. While browsing Xiaohongshu, she came across this stewed pork ribs with lychee flavor and immediately ordered it.
There weren't many lychees on the market this season, and many varieties were sold out. Gu Qingqiu wandered around the market before finally finding some pretty fresh lychees at a fruit stall. After returning to the restaurant, she prepared the dishes and started by making this meat dish.
While it was cooking, the sweet and sour aroma of meat wafted from the pot, and the sweet fragrance of lychee was irresistible, filling the air and making people feel happy. She was really looking forward to this dish.
When it was lunchtime, Gu Qingqiu didn't even bother to drink the soup; she immediately picked up this dish and started eating. The ribs were stewed until tender, and each bite was filled with a rich, sweet, sour, and salty flavor. The meat was very tender and not tough, and the sweetness of lychee lingered in every bite of the rib meat, making it incredibly flavorful.
She ate two pieces of pork ribs and a bite of rice. Then she picked up a piece of lychee flesh. The lychee is suitable for soups or meat dishes. The lychee flesh is white as jade, and it looks even clearer after the pit is removed. It tastes as sweet and juicy as she imagined. Because it is coated with orange-red sauce, it also has a sweet and sour taste. Together, they are a unique and delicious combination.
Sister Zhou, Sister Tang, and Wang Meiyu also really liked this dish. One said she never expected that lychees could be stewed with pork ribs, another said that this dish was better than the common sweet and sour pork ribs, and yet another added that lychees really did taste better than pineapples at this moment.
Gu Qingqiu smiled after hearing this and told them to eat more if they thought it was delicious.
Sister Tang was serving customers in the dining area just now, and she heard many customers praising this dish of lychee-braised pork ribs with Osmanthus flavor. She picked out some of the comments to share with everyone.
"One customer said that he was a little tired of eating lychees last month, but after eating this dish here, he rediscovered his love for lychees. He said he would go back and buy some more lychees to eat, lest they be out of season and he really can't get them anymore."
"Another customer said that when they first saw this dish on the menu, they were a little skeptical, wondering if it would be a culinary disaster. But they thought that the owner's cooking skills were so good that it was impossible for it to be a disaster, so they boldly ordered it. After eating it, they fell in love with the dish. The sweet and sour ribs were very appetizing, and the lychee pork was also very sweet. After they finished eating, they even packed a portion to take to their family members who couldn't come."
"There was another customer who said this dish made her fall in love with lychees, and that it was the last lychee season, so she had to enjoy it more. She ate the whole plate of braised pork ribs with lychees by herself, and even said she wanted to go back and buy lychees and pork ribs to try making it herself. She asked our restaurant to pray that she wouldn't mess it up!"
Speaking of this, Sister Zhou couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Tang Jie and Wang Meiyu chuckled quietly, finding the customers at the restaurant quite amusing.
Gu Qingqiu couldn't help but laugh and shook her head: "I can only guarantee that the pork ribs stewed with lychee that I make for my customers will be delicious, but I really can't guarantee that the ones she makes will be delicious, haha."
She was quite pleased to hear many customers praise the lychee-flavored meat dish.
Of course, the taro paste crispy duck was also very popular today. Everyone praised the dish for its innovation while enjoying its sweet and fragrant taste. The duck meat was tender and savory, the taro paste was rich and flavorful, and the outer skin was crispy.
Wang Meiyu loves fish and ate two soles in a row. She said, "I've never bought soles before and cooked them at home. I didn't expect them to taste so good after being pan-fried. The fish meat is tender and there are few bones. It's so enjoyable to eat."
She was already thinking that she could buy some sole to fry for her child later. Her child loves fish just like her, so she was sure he would like this dish.
Sister Zhou and Sister Tang also thought the fish was good; no wonder the boss makes everything delicious.
Gu Qingqiu also ate two pan-fried sole fish. The skin was crispy and the fish meat was tender. Sometimes she would bite and swallow the fish bones along with the fish, and her mouth was full of fresh flavor.
In her memory, her mother would often buy mackerel, ribbonfish, and sole. All three could be pan-fried. The first two were pan-fried until golden brown and then simmered in water with scallions, ginger, garlic, and chili peppers. The latter didn't taste good when soaked in water; it was best to pan-fry it directly for the crispiest texture.
It's worth it to exchange the potential for internal heat and inflammation for such a delicious pan-fried sole. She and her parents used to share this sentiment, and they still feel the same way now.
When Gu Qingqiu saw that the sole fish at the fish stall was fresh enough while shopping at the market in the morning, she immediately bought enough for lunch and dinner, replacing one of the fish dishes on today's menu with pan-fried sole fish.
So far, the results seem to be quite good. Customers have given it a lot of praise, and she and her staff all love it.
Jade Pillow Cabbage is light and delicious, with the sweetness of cabbage, the savory pork filling and the sweetness of shrimp paste, and the celery bits add a touch of texture, and the flavor is savory and delicious.
Needless to say, the loofah and three-delicacy soup is even better. Its fresh, fragrant, and sweet flavors blend together, making those who drink it feel relaxed and happy. After finishing the soup, they let out a satisfied sigh and savor the lingering aroma in their mouths.
The soup is rich and flavorful, with sliced meat and shrimp that taste similar to the filling in the Jade Pillow Cabbage soup, but the texture is slightly different due to their different shapes—both are delicious. The seafood mushrooms are tender yet slightly chewy, with a rich mushroom aroma, and the poached egg is tender and slightly charred.
Zhao Yongnian ate the meal prepared by the nanny at home that evening, still savoring the taste of lunch, feeling somewhat bored.
But he knew it wasn't a problem with the nanny's cooking skills. He had hired this live-in nanny because she was a good cook and knew how to prepare nutritious meals. He had been used to the food over the years and had never complained. It was just that the meat dishes at Gu's Private Kitchen were so delicious that he couldn't stop eating them.
During this period, he, Feng Jianguo, and Xu Shiren often went to Gu's Private Kitchen for meals, and the messages in that group chat never stopped. It would definitely become lively around ten o'clock every morning.
After looking at today's menu posted on the official account of Gu's Private Kitchen, the three of them unanimously sent messages in the group to discuss today's dishes, which one they were most looking forward to, which one looked quite novel, and which one sounded like it had some special ingredients just from its name.
In short, there were no dishes I was dissatisfied with. Looking at today's menu on Xiaohongshu, I felt that every dish would be delicious and fragrant.
Occasionally, when the three of them got excited, they decided to have a meal together. They put on their shoes, went downstairs, and headed to Gu's Private Kitchen for a delicious meal.
Zhao Yongnian has lost count of how many times he has told the nanny not to cook so much food for lunch, that she should eat out, and that any extra ingredients should be saved for dinner or the next day.
I've eaten at Gu's Private Kitchen so many times, and every time the experience has been exceptional. The dishes are so fresh and delicious that I almost swallowed my tongue. The staff are also very friendly. Sitting in the dining area, you can naturally feel the lively atmosphere. Everyone is happy to enjoy the food, but it's not too noisy.
Even though they were all elderly people who valued health, they would remind each other, or rather, themselves, to eat in moderation before entering Gu's Private Kitchen, and that eating until they were only 70% full was the best way to go in the long run. However, by the end of the meal, Zhao Yongnian and the other two had such full stomachs that they had to sit or stand up for a while to recover.
Zhao Yongnian now brings a thermal lunchbox from home when he goes to Gu's Private Kitchen. After the three of them have eaten their fill, they pack up their favorite meat and vegetables together with the lunchboxes brought by Feng Jianguo and Xu Shiren. This way, they save money on takeout boxes, avoid wasting food, and can still enjoy Gu's Private Kitchen's dishes in the evening.
As he went out to eat with Feng Jianguo and Xu Shiren, he gradually became more shameless. The staff treated them as always, even jokingly saying that they were thrifty. Zhao Yongnian became even more at ease bringing his own lunchbox to pack up leftovers.
It's worth mentioning that the three men, who had worked together for decades and had a great working relationship, still have a good relationship after retirement. But no matter how good their relationship is, they still have their own lives. Men aren't that clingy; they only contact each other when they want to get together.
Unlike now, people chat in group chats all day long. After talking about the dishes at Gu's Private Kitchen, they gossip about this family and that family, and they make plans to eat out every few days. They're not even this close to their own children.
Thinking of this, Zhao Yongnian smiled, and his face, which had been somewhat dejected and aged due to long-term illness, became even more rosy and energetic, vaguely resembling his energetic appearance when he worked in the procuratorate in his youth.
The nanny was eating at the same table, and seeing Uncle Zhao's smile, she didn't know what happy thing he was thinking about, but she didn't ask.
As she ate, she thought to herself that Uncle Zhao had been smiling a lot lately. She wondered if it was because he was often going out to eat with his old friends and was in a good mood, and his health had also improved a lot. Naturally, she was happy for her employer.
After dinner, Zhao Yongnian took a walk in his living room to aid digestion.
Around eight o'clock, Zhao Yuanzheng's son and his family came over. When his grandson Xuanxuan saw his grandfather, he rushed over like a little cannonball with his short legs, but stopped in front of his grandfather in time. He looked up and said in a childish voice, "Grandpa! I missed you so much!"
Zhao Yongnian always doted on this grandson. He first stroked the boy's soft hair and said with a smile, "Xuanxuan, Grandpa missed you too." Then he bent down and picked him up, "Come on, Grandpa will carry you over to sit down."
Zhao Yuanzheng and his wife Zeng Musi were startled when they saw this and quickly spoke up to stop them.
One of them said, "Dad, take care of yourself. How can you carry Xuanxuan?"
Another person said, "Yes, Dad, Xuanxuan has gained a lot of weight. He must be tiring you out."
Zhao Yongnian had already sat down on the sofa with his grandson in his arms, letting Xuanxuan sit between his legs, and said nonchalantly, "It's nothing, don't worry."
Seeing how anxious his parents were, Xuanxuan realized that it wasn't right for his grandfather to hold him earlier. So he looked up at his grandfather and said solemnly, "Grandpa, next time don't hold me. Just hold my hand. When I grow up, I'll hold you."
Zhao Yongnian laughed heartily and replied, "Okay, Grandpa will remember that. I'll wait for you to grow up and come hug me."
Zhao Yuanzheng and Zeng Musi were also amused, their faces full of smiles.
The family sat chatting and laughing for a while. Xuanxuan ran to find the toys he had left at his grandfather's house to play with. Zhao Yongnian took a medical examination report from the cabinet under the coffee table and handed it to his son and daughter-in-law: "You two take a look at my recent medical examination report."
The son, Zhao Yuanzheng, is the deputy director of the Yunjiang District Public Security Bureau in Jiang City. He is usually very busy. His daughter-in-law, Zeng Musi, is an English teacher at Jiang City No. 1 Middle School. She is teaching the second year of high school this year and is also busy during the final exam season. The couple has not been here for more than half a month.
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