Chapter 4: Woke up by the craving for a boxed lunch
Shen Yu was awakened by a rich and mellow aroma. She was lying on the chair in the nanny van, which was meant for catching up on sleep. She was half asleep when the aroma, like an invisible hand, went straight into her nostrils and forcibly pulled her out of her drowsy state.
This taste, like a magic key, instantly unlocked the door to her memories, making her involuntarily recall the times she spent visiting her maternal grandmother in the countryside when she was a child. Every time she went to her grandmother's house, her grandmother would magically make braised pork for her. Back then, she would always stubbornly insist on not eating fatty meat, and her grandmother would coax her with a smile, "Good girl, fatty meat is very fragrant, eating it will make you grow tall and become more beautiful." She would always shake her head proudly, and her grandmother would gently smile and pat her head.
"Xiao Zhu, what's that smell?" Shen Yu asked groggily, nudging her assistant Zhu Xiaoxiao, who was still engrossed in checking the schedule. Zhu Xiaoxiao sniffed around, then looked towards the small kitchen in the distance, a puzzled expression on her face.
Zhu Xiaoxiao also caught the scent. Looking at Shen Yu, this small business owner, Shen Yu seemed quite good in every way. When she was the lead actress, she never acted like a diva. Just yesterday, for example, she stayed up until 3 a.m. to film a night scene. Zhu Xiaoxiao greatly admired her dedication.
The only thing that made Zhu Xiaoxiao a little helpless was that she was too picky about food; she would resolutely refuse to eat anything that didn't taste good. Like now, Shen Yu hadn't eaten properly for several days. As an actress, she always felt fat when she was on camera, even though she actually only weighed over 80 pounds. She was still worried about looking 10 pounds heavier on screen.
Unlike me, although my salary is low, at least I don't have to worry about food, as you can tell from the plump white fat on my belly.
"Sister Xiaoyu, it smells like it's coming from the small kitchen." Zhu Xiaoxiao sniffed hard, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. At the same time, she checked the time on her phone; it was already 5:40 PM, just when her stomach was starting to rumble.
"And there's a really nice, fresh smell." Shen Yu felt like she hadn't had a proper meal in days. The lunchbox she had for lunch consisted of whole, wilted chicken wings and boiled vegetables, with no flavor at all. She had lied to herself that it was a weight-loss meal, but she couldn't eat any more after just one bite. She had even planned to have some coffee in the afternoon to tide her over.
She vaguely remembered the assistant director saying that he would introduce a new cook, but she had fallen asleep at noon and only vaguely heard a few excited shouts from the extras. She couldn't make out what they said, and she didn't know if she was too hungry or too sleepy.
She hadn't eaten properly for the past few days; it felt like the last meal she had was that apple Xiao Zhu had given her. Now, the aroma was growing stronger, like an invisible hand gripping her stomach, making her eager to find out what it was.
"Sister, I'll go get some food. You can stay in the car and catch up on some more sleep," Zhu Xiaoxiao said, seeing Shen Yu's movements, as if she wanted to get out of the car. After all, her sister had just stayed up all night and finally had some time to rest.
Shen Yu ignored Xiao Zhu's advice and got out of the nanny van. As she walked towards the small kitchen, she recalled the unpalatable boxed lunch she had eaten at noon, and her pace quickened unconsciously.
As Shen Yu walked through the deserted filming location, past the prop room filled with props, and through two side streets, she saw a long queue in front of the small kitchen, with a bustling crowd.
It turned out the extras were already getting their meals. She saw one of the extras playing a beggar, his clothes tattered and patched, looking disheveled and pitiful. But when he grabbed the lunchbox, his expression instantly brightened, filled with anticipation.
The lunchbox only had two dishes—braised pork with preserved mustard greens and a family-style soup. Shen Yu's eyes were immediately drawn to it.
On the plastic lunchbox sat two neatly arranged square pieces of pork belly. After being fried, steamed, or boiled, the skin gleamed with an enticing amber sheen, glistening like it was coated with honey-colored glaze, radiating a mouthwatering glow. The preserved mustard greens gathered beneath the pork belly were quite different from their usual dry appearance; they had absorbed the meat juices, turning a dark, oily sheen. Spread over the pork slices, they resembled a thick layer of black velvet, making the dish exceptionally tempting.
Then look at the family-style soup. The broth is clear yet rich, with a plump beef ball floating on top, exuding a subtle and enticing meaty aroma. Wood ear mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms float in the soup, their dark brown hues blending together. A few small shrimp appear pink and adorable, and there's also white squid, enoki mushrooms, and tender yellow and green bok choy, like springtime decorations in the soup, making it incredibly appetizing.
"More if it's not enough!" Su Yingxue wielded her large ladle steadily, giving everyone a generous amount of food.
"Sister, give me more meat!" A tall, burly man in the front row, dressed in imposing government official robes, shouted at the top of his lungs, his eyes fixed on the braised pork with preserved mustard greens.
Su Yingxue was both amused and exasperated. Looking at the big man, she said, "You finish eating first. We have another big bowl in the back. If you're still hungry, we'll get more!"
The big man saw there was another bowl of meat behind him, grinned, took the plastic lunchbox, and quickly found a place to feast.
Shen Yu stood at the back of the line. Hearing that familiar voice, she thought she had misheard and didn't pay much attention. She lowered her head and continued to queue to get her food.
"Half a portion of rice, extra soup, and one piece of meat, please!" When it was Shen Yu's turn, she looked at the fragrant dishes in front of her and muttered to herself, "They do look good, but I'll gain weight if I eat too much at night. I'll just try them first. Or maybe I'll just eat a couple of bites of rice soaked in soup to fill my stomach."
"Okay." Su Yingxue smiled and continued serving the food, getting the dishes Shen Yu had requested. "Here you go!"
Shen Yu turned her gaze away from the food and towards Su Yingxue, blurting out, "Thank you, eh??? Senior?"
"Hey! Xiaoyu." Su Yingxue smiled at Shen Yu. They graduated from the same school; Shen Yu was two years younger than her, but they had collaborated on a stage play once at school, so they were fairly familiar with each other. She only discovered the female lead was her junior when she searched for "Chang'an Banquet" online.
"What are you doing here? Didn't the internet say you terminated your contract and retired from the entertainment industry? Are there cameras around? What are you doing? Filming a variety show?" Shen Yu's slender figure turned around, looking at the surrounding situation.
Although there were cameras around, the person carrying the camera was still eating heartily and kept talking to the production assistant next to him: "It's so delicious, I'll go get another bowl of rice later!" This made Shen Yu even more puzzled.
"Let's eat first, we'll talk later!" Su Yingxue smiled at her, then went to greet the extras queuing behind her.
"Okay." Shen Yu took the boxed lunch and didn't make any more fuss. She was starving, so she found a step in a nearby corner and sat down to eat.
There were only two dishes, which looked simple, but after taking a bite, she realized that the taste was absolutely amazing. She picked up the beef balls first. She's always been a picky eater and hates the smell of fish, but these beef balls seemed to have magic, "dancing and bursting with juice" in her mouth. After taking a light bite, she had only one thought in her mind: "Explosively delicious!"
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