CSGM - Chapter 17
Chapter 17: Flying Guest
The reality show Our Restaurant had a smooth launch, and its live broadcast revenue even exceeded expectations by a fair margin.
Now that the show intended to invite flying guests, the major entertainment companies were starting to take the project a little more seriously.
But Star Han Agency had gotten ahead of the curve, securing the first flying guest spot before any of its competitors had even reacted.
Hu Lan sat in her office chair, pinching the contract for Our Restaurant between her fingers as she spoke to the female artist across the desk. "I fought to get this opportunity for you. I'm giving it to you because I have expectations. You can't let me down."
The office door was closed. The female artist alone with Hu Lan was named Zhao Shiqing. She was twenty-three this year and had gotten her start on a talent show. Although she hadn't achieved a high rank, she was still considered an idol.
She had a small, almost melon-seed-shaped face, but her skin wasn't fair and her features were plain. Her overall looks weren't that striking; she was only presentable under the lens of a heavily edited camera.
But Zhao Shiqing never thought her lack of looks was a major problem. To make it big in the entertainment industry, the most important thing really wasn't your face...
Compared to resources, connections, tactics, luck, and marketing... looks didn't even make the list!
She looked at the document in her agent Hu Lan's hand, her expression full of longing. "Auntie Lan, don't worry. I won't waste this chance!"
Hu Lan's lips curved into a smile, her intentions malicious.
"You've looked into the show, right? There's an artist on it named Chu Xi. She used to be under my management, but she's broken ties with me. You know what you have to do... Don't worry, she's very stupid, definitely not your match... If you just put in a little effort on the show and do a good job, I won't treat you unfairly... I'll help you with publicity, topics, press releases, and the water army."
So that was it.
One look was all it took for Zhao Shiqing to understand what the scheming agent across from her wanted.
Hu Lan wanted Chu Xi to be thoroughly humiliated on the show, to have her reputation ruined—the more dirt, the better.
If a minor celebrity with no backing lost all their public goodwill and was swamped with negative press on a single variety show, their career in the entertainment industry was basically over.
Hu Lan had made it crystal clear: as long as she stepped on Chu Xi, there would be plenty of promotion to boost her up.
In that case... Zhao Shiqing thought, Chu Xi, I'm sorry, but you'll just have to be my stepping stone.
"Auntie Lan, I understand. I will cherish this opportunity and perform well!"
On the sixth day of Our Restaurant's live broadcast, the show welcomed its first flying guest.
"Hello, teachers. I'm Zhao Shiqing. It's my first time here, so please take care of me."
Zhao Shiqing smiled sweetly and waved at the live broadcast camera.
The audience seemed to have a vague impression of this face, but not a strong one. Some of Zhao Shiqing's die-hard fans were enthusiastically making introductions in the bullet comments—
【Singer and dancer Zhao Shiqing! Her performance on The Trainees' Summer was outstanding, everyone go watch it!!】
【Is she the contestant who was eating jelly before going on stage? I think I remember her.】
【YES!!! You won't regret investing in Little Jelly! She's definitely a stock with potential~~~】
【Go go go, Little Jelly, I'm here just for you.】
Because of her characteristic habit of eating jelly before every performance during the competition, Zhao Shiqing was affectionately nicknamed "Little Jelly" by her fans.
Chu Xi glanced her over.
Name: Zhao Shiqing.
IQ: 106.
So stupid. So low.
But from another perspective, she was a target with room for improvement.
However, flying guests on variety shows usually didn't stay for long. Chu Xi didn't know if she would have the opportunity to develop anything with this person and give her a thorough, enlightening transformation.
But she quickly dismissed this superfluous thought.
Because she soon discovered that Zhao Shiqing, just like Xiao Han, was an idiot not worth wasting her time on.
The RV restaurant's next destination was Jinwu Mountain, once a tourist attraction, but now desolate and deserted due to its remoteness and age.
Although they hadn't arrived yet, the cast members could already feel Jinwu Mountain's isolation as if they were there.
Because today, the RV was merely parked halfway to Jinwu Mountain, yet they had the illusion of having stepped into a city from twenty years ago.
Inconvenient transportation, sparsely populated, desolate scenery, old tiled houses, and a complete absence of entertainment facilities...
Even Li Xiling couldn't help but complain, "Director, are you sure we can attract any customers in a place like this?"
On the street where the RV was parked, the only people in sight were the elderly, children, and a few sallow-faced women who clearly never bothered with skincare.
And in the distance behind the main street, one could see low, white buildings, their paint having peeled off long ago.
Xiao Han frowned as he looked around. "I'm afraid the spending power here will make it very difficult to run a restaurant."
The Director replied, "If you can't even find customers here, then you can forget about the next few days. We're going to be heading into even deeper towns."
The implication was that the further they went on this journey, the more remote their destinations would become.
The Director continued, "Instead of wasting time complaining to me, you'd be better off chatting with the locals and asking about their dietary preferences."
Zhao Shiqing feigned self-blame. "Wow, could it be because my luck is too bad? We ended up in such a remote place as soon as I arrived."
Luo Yangtian joked to ease the pressure on her, "You're overthinking it. The Director is this mean whether you're here or not."
Xiao Han agreed wholeheartedly. "You're right, little brother."
The Director was indeed mean, deliberately stirring up trouble.
But they had already boarded this pirate ship, so even though they were being messed with, they could only bite the bullet and carry on.
Today's customer recruitment team—Xiao Han, Luo Yangtian, and Zhao Shiqing—expended a great deal of effort to invite over a dozen tables of guests who fit the day's theme: "Family gathered around, the lamplight feels warm."
The RV restaurant gradually grew lively. It was a moderately successful opening, with decent business.
During dinner, a discordant, grumbling voice suddenly erupted in the restaurant.
"Can't you see there's a child here... Didn't I say &***%¥##@^!"
At one of the tables, a man in his fifties, tall and thin with a similarly sharp, monkey-like face and rough, dark skin, was pointing at a plate of chicken wings and yelling in heavily accented, non-standard Mandarin.
The chef who had made the braised chicken wings was called out—
Chu Xi stood before the customer, glanced at the leftovers on the table, and asked, "What's wrong?"
The man, thin as a bamboo pole, had a surprisingly loud voice when he got angry.
"Didn't I say our kid can't eat spicy food, and to not put chili in the chicken wings? But you made them so spicy! Look, he can't even eat them now!"
"I'm so sorry. How about this, we'll immediately replace it with a non-spicy plate, okay?" Ren Zhi stood beside them, smiling apologetically and trying to soothe his temper.
Chu Xi, however, didn't indulge him. She asked coldly, "Who did you tell?"
She hadn't heard anyone in the back kitchen say that this table's chicken wings were supposed to be non-spicy.
The man looked left and right, momentarily stunned. "I forgot... Anyway, I said it when I ordered!"
Just then, Zhao Shiqing heard the commotion and trotted over. After getting a grasp of the situation, she looked at Chu Xi, her tone tinged with blame.
"Sister Xi, you really didn't consider the child's feelings this time. If it were me, I would have at least asked if the child could eat spicy food first."
Chu Xi's gaze shifted to her. "...?"
"I was in the kitchen the whole time. How would I know if there were children among the guests?"
If your IQ is low, you should talk less, lest you expose the holes in your brain every time you open your mouth.
She picked up the menu from the table and looked at the name of the person who had taken the order.
As expected—
Zhao Shiqing.
"I think I remember now... Weren't you the one who took our order? I even told you the chicken wings for my kid shouldn't be spicy," the thin man said, looking at the increasingly familiar Zhao Shiqing with a flash of realization.
Chu Xi looked at Zhao Shiqing, who had only just remembered herself and was now frozen with embarrassment.
But she quickly recovered, smiling as she apologized. "I'm sorry, big brother, I forgot to tell the kitchen... I'm sorry, Sister Xi. I had too many miscellaneous things to do, and I was running all over the place... Unlike you in the kitchen, who only has to focus on one thing, so your memory is better... You won't blame me, right?"
Chu Xi was hit with the overwhelming scent of green tea.
Zhao Shiqing was busy? And she was idle? Was she trying to put her down?
And she shouldn't blame her?
Why were there always people in this world who spoke so despicably?
Chu Xi gave Zhao Shiqing a deep look, a cold glint passing through her eyes.
However, after his outburst, the thin man had mostly calmed down.
He waved his hand. "Forget it, forget it. Don't make another one, we're full..." But a trace of displeasure still lingered on his face.
Ren Zhi simply took him to the cashier, and after a word with Xiao Han, they deducted the price of the braised chicken wings from the bill.
The thin man was satisfied with this resolution.
The small incident came to an end, and Chu Xi and Zhao Shiqing returned to their respective posts.
Before heading back to the kitchen, Chu Xi heard Zhao Shiqing sidle up to Ren Zhi and whisper a few words—
"Sister Zhi, don't take it to heart. Sister Xi just has a bad temper, confronting a customer like that and causing you trouble. If it were me, I definitely wouldn't have done that..."
She scoffed, glanced at Ren Zhi, and walked away.
If Ren Zhi actually fell for those words, Chu Xi would have to pour at least ten bottles of brain-boosting supplements down her throat tonight to save her mind from the green tea's poison.
At nine o'clock that night, the live broadcast ended.
When it was time to assign tents, Zhao Shiqing finally learned that Chu Xi and Ren Zhi shared a tent every night. Since she had arrived late, she could only stay in Li Xiling's tent for the time being.
How infuriating.
She hadn't forgotten her purpose for coming here. It wasn't just for her agent, Hu Lan; she had her own selfish desires—
If she could win the favor of the Director and Ren Zhi, two big shots, during this show, she would have two more powerful connections in the future.
But to her surprise, Ren Zhi, this huge thigh to cling to, had already been claimed by Chu Xi.
Zhao Shiqing didn't even have to think to be certain that Chu Xi must have been trying every trick in the book to please Ren Zhi. A minor artist like her would definitely use this opportunity to latch onto Ren Zhi's thigh! Who knew, one day she might just ride on her top-tier friend's popularity!
And she had some damn good luck, too, getting to be alone with Ren Zhi every single night!
Upon realizing that Chu Xi was very likely doing exactly what she wanted to do and walking the very path she wanted to walk, the way Zhao Shiqing looked at Chu Xi changed...
As Chu Xi and Ren Zhi returned to their tent after showering together, she inadvertently caught Zhao Shiqing's envious and hateful glare from a distance.
Tsk... that little green tea. Wasn't she just following Ren Zhi around all day, calling her "Sister Zhi," "Sister Zhi"?
She smiled, walked into the tent, and teased, "Hey, Sister Zhi, you seem to be very popular."
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