Chapter 10 An Extraordinary Film Crew
When Shen Yu rushed to Su Yingxue's kitchen, the boxed lunches had just come out of the oven, and she obediently lined up. Zhu Xiaoxiao, who had been chasing after her, couldn't resist the sight of the glistening, tender boiled fish slices. But she still emphasized repeatedly, "Miss! Only half a bowl of rice today!"
Shen Yu nodded eagerly, looking at the line ahead, hoping it would go even faster.
As soon as Ye Lu saw that dinner was served, he quickly pulled Chen Ming and his group over to eat.
Chen Ming held the rice in his hands. He had originally thought that the other interview teams would eat at restaurants or nearby hotels.
Director Ye Lu, however, made them eat from the same pot.
The dining area was next to the small kitchen, beside a row of stone tables and benches. It looked quite simple, but the food was indeed very delicious.
Although Su Yingxue didn't cook anything special, she still thought that guests should come, so she decided to serve the dishes in advance and plate them.
Chen Ming sat at the table waiting for dinner. Everyone looked on with anticipation.
When the boiled fish fillets were served, the first thing you saw was a layer of red oil floating on the surface of the soup, so shiny it was almost reflective. The fish fillets were white, soaking in the red oil, with occasional glimpses of green chili peppers or Sichuan peppercorns, like seaweed at the bottom of a body of water.
The romaine lettuce was stir-fried, a vibrant green plate placed next to the red oil fish fillets, as if they belonged to two different worlds. The lettuce leaves still had a few drops of oil on them, stir-fried to a very tender texture, yet still retaining a slightly crisp feel.
The old duck soup was served last. The broth was milky white, with a few pieces of duck meat floating on top, along with some thinly sliced winter melon, their pale color almost melting into the soup. A few scallions floated on the surface, their green color almost translucent. One sip, and the soup was incredibly fresh; the gamey smell of the duck meat had long since dissipated, leaving only a mellow flavor, as if simmered over time.
The duck meat was stewed until it was extremely tender; it would fall apart with a touch of chopsticks and melt in your mouth, yet it still had a chewy texture, as if it had only given a slight resistance between your teeth before giving in.
The three dishes, arranged together, are vibrant red, refreshing green, and warm white, resembling a painter's palette.
Chen Ming eagerly picked up his chopsticks: "Let me try this fish slice first!" He picked up a slice; the fish meat gleamed like pearls under the light. "Mmm!" He closed his eyes and savored it carefully, "This fish is as tender as tofu, yet has a fresh sweetness, and the spiciness is just right!"
Fang Xiang was already wolfing down the food: "It's so delicious! How can this romaine lettuce be stir-fried so crisp and tender? The soup is so flavorful!"
Ye Lu watched the staff enjoying their meal, and a smile unconsciously crept onto his face. He Qianyu, in particular, had already drunk three bowls of soup, and her complexion was noticeably rosier than yesterday.
“Su Yingxue,” Chen Ming wiped the grease from his mouth and said seriously, “Your crew’s food standards are way too high, aren’t they? Are all these ingredients specially supplied?”
Su Yingxue had just finished getting her lunchbox and was about to call her grandmother to let her know she was safe when she heard this. She looked up and smiled, "It's just ordinary ingredients, but the key is to cook it with care. My grandmother always says that the most important thing in cooking is to put your heart into it."
"With heart?" Chen Ming nodded thoughtfully, then focused the camera on Su Yingxue's focused profile. Sunlight streamed through the kitchen window, casting a warm glow on her.
Chen Ming put down his chopsticks and gazed thoughtfully at the busy figure in the kitchen. Su Yingxue was tiptoeing down a jar of homemade chili sauce from the shelf, her movements as delicate as if she were handling a precious treasure. There were a few oil stains on her apron, her hair was casually tied back, and a few stray strands of hair were stuck to her forehead with sweat, but it did not affect the focused and gentle expression on her face in the slightest.
"Director Ye," Chen Ming suddenly spoke, his voice not loud but loud enough for his colleagues who had their ears perked up, "your crew's chef... is quite special."
Ye Lu was shoveling the last bite of rice into his mouth when he heard this and almost choked, quickly gulping down some soup. He Qianyu, on the other hand, put down her bowl and looked at Chen Ming with a curious expression.
Su Yingxue turned around, still clutching the jar of chili sauce in her hand, a faint smile playing on her lips: "Special? What's so special about it?"
“I can’t quite put my finger on it,” Chen Ming scratched his head, his gaze sweeping over the empty plates on the stone table. “It just… feels different from other film crews.” He pointed towards the kitchen. “The food, and the people.”
In the kitchen, Zhu Xiaoxiao was pouring the last half bowl of rice into Shen Yu's bowl, muttering, "I told you to eat less, look at you, your eyes are practically popping out!" Shen Yu pitifully shoveled at the rice in her bowl, muttering softly, "But the fish slices are so delicious... fish doesn't make you fat!"
Su Yingxue chuckled at Chen Ming's words. She took a few steps closer and placed the chili sauce on the stone table. "Our group is indeed a bit different." She pointed to her colleagues around her. "They all got together because they enjoy it, not for any kind of fame or exposure." Her gaze fell on Shen Yu, who was picking food in the small kitchen. "Like Shen Yu, she could have gotten better roles, but when she heard the director was going to make this, she came without hesitation."
Director Ye Lu wiped his mouth, rarely interjecting, "Xiao Su, what you're saying..." He glanced at the crew members who were eavesdropping, and shook his head with a smile, "We're just an ordinary small film crew."
"Ordinary?" Chen Ming shook his head, raised his phone and took a picture of the empty plate on the table. "Then why do other 'ordinary' film crews not even get a hot meal?"
Shen Yu suddenly interjected, "Because Su Yingxue insists on cooking fresh food every day! I don't eat pre-made meals!"
"I'm telling the truth!" Shen Yu straightened her back confidently. "Last time I visited another set, the boxed lunches they were eating...tsk tsk, the vegetables were cold, and there was hardly any meat!"
Chen Ming nodded thoughtfully, then turned the camera back to Su Yingxue: "So, this is what you meant by 'dedication'?"
Su Yingxue took the glass of warm water Xu Qingqing handed her and took a small sip. "My grandma used to run a small restaurant." Her voice was soft, yet it silenced the few colleagues who had gathered around. "She said that if the cook isn't attentive, the eater will taste it." She looked up and glanced around at the crew members who were listening attentively, her smile deepening. "The same goes for the other way around."
Director Ye Lu suddenly stood up and stretched: "Alright, alright, time to get back to work after lunch!" He glanced at his watch. "We can't let this afternoon's shooting schedule be delayed."
"Wait!" Chen Ming suddenly held up his phone. "Director Su, could you tell me more about your grandma? You mean... the story about cooking?"
Su Yingxue paused for a moment, then chuckled, "Just for this?" She leaned against the stone table, sunlight filtering through the leaves and casting dappled shadows on her face. "My grandma always said that food has a temperature." She gently shook her phone. "If you ask me, the temperature of our meal is probably thirty-seven degrees—the same as a person's body temperature."
Chen Ming blinked thoughtfully and quickly pressed the record button. In the shot, Su Yingxue's profile looked exceptionally soft in the sunlight, while the crew members around her were either clearing away dishes, joking with each other, or secretly glancing at the last wisp of aroma wafting from the kitchen.
Shen Yu suddenly leaned close to Chen Ming and whispered, "Hey, you guys aren't going to broadcast our daily lunch-eating routine on your show, are you?" She made an exaggerated expression. "I'm a big star, I don't want to debut as an 'actress who loves eating lunchboxes'!"
A burst of laughter erupted around them. Su Yingxue couldn't help but laugh too. She picked up the chili sauce on the table and gently unscrewed the cap: "Don't worry, the audience will remember how you snatched the fish slices."
Shen Yu glanced at Zhu Xiaoxiao with a mournful look and whispered, "I haven't eaten for three days..."
Director Ye Lu glanced at his watch, then at the crew members laughing hysterically, shook his head helplessly, but couldn't hide the smile in his eyes: "Alright, that's a wrap! Everyone better be on your best for this afternoon's shoot!"
Chen Ming turned off the recording and looked thoughtfully at the group of crew members enjoying themselves. The small kitchen in the sunlight, the stone table filled with the lingering aroma of food, and those sincere smiles—all of this was perhaps more touching than any meticulously crafted script.
This interview documentary is going to be a huge hit!
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