Rebirth of Chinese Entertainment, starting with the strategy of 95 flowers to counterattack

Chapter 232 Should we not go back?

The spire of St. Ulric Church points straight to the blue sky, and its Gothic architecture appears solemn and sacred in the sunlight.

“This church was built in the 12th century,” the tour guide told the program, “and is one of the oldest churches in the Alsace region.”

Everyone looked up at the towering archway and stained glass windows. Zhou Ye suddenly pointed upwards and asked, "Isn't that statue missing an arm?"

Gu Yang followed her gaze.

Sure enough, the right arm of a stone saint statue was broken off, leaving only a broken mark.

“It’s a remnant of the war,” Zhang Jingyi explained softly. “In 1944, Allied bombing affected this area.”

Her voice was soft, yet it silenced everyone.

Gu Yang glanced at her with some surprise, not expecting her to know so much about history.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Tian Xiwei squeezed to the other side of Gu Yang: "Director Gu, let's take a group photo!"

Zhou Ye immediately raised his phone: "I want to take a picture too!"

The two men grabbed Gu Yang's arms from both sides, almost tearing him in two.

Zhang Jingyi was more well-behaved and didn't make a fuss.

However, when she takes photos, whether it's a technical issue or not, she always manages to make Gu Yang look exceptionally good.

Meanwhile, Zhou Ye or Tian Xiwei, who were beside him, either had their eyes closed, were making funny faces, or simply disappeared, turning into Gu Yang's solo photos.

……

After passing through the church, the group officially entered the town center.

Along the cobblestone streets, colorful 16th-century half-timbered houses are arranged like building blocks, each one vibrant in color.

The bright yellow walls are paired with dark brown wood trim, and the pink exterior walls are adorned with sky-blue window frames. Some houses even have blooming red geraniums on their windowsills, making them look like illustrations from a fairy tale book from afar.

"Wow!" Zhou Ye ran to a light blue wooden house. "This looks like the house in 'Howl's Moving Castle'!"

Tian Xiwei couldn't take her eyes off a dessert shop: "Director Gu! Those macarons are so pretty! Can I buy a few?"

Before Gu Yang could answer, Zhang Jingyi had already walked up to an antique shop and pointed to a set of retro coffee equipment: "This is suitable for a restaurant."

Su Youpeng shook his head with a smile: "The three of you have completely different focuses."

In front of a handicraft shop, the owner is demonstrating the traditional process of making stained glass.

"Who wants to give it a try?" Little Swallow looked around at everyone.

Tian Xiwei and Zhou Ye both took a step back; they didn't want to embarrass themselves in front of Gu Yang.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Jingyi stepped forward and said, "I'll do it."

She took the paintbrush and, under the shop owner's guidance, miraculously painted a lifelike Alsatian rose, with distinct layers of petals. Even the shop owner gave her a thumbs up: "Très bien! (Very good!)"

Gu Yang was somewhat surprised: "You've studied this?"

Zhang Jingyi lowered her head and chuckled softly: "I learned traditional Chinese painting from my grandfather when I was little."

Zhou Ye and Tian Xiwei looked at each other in bewilderment.

Why has this girl suddenly become so proactive lately?
While passing by a handmade ice cream shop, Tian Xiwei suddenly suggested, "Let's buy some ice cream! Director Gu likes vanilla, right?"

"Yes, that's right," Gu Yang answered instinctively.

Zhou Ye immediately retorted, "Nonsense! He clearly likes chocolate!"

Zhang Jingyi casually interjected, "It's matcha."

The three of them turned to look at Gu Yang.

Gu Yang: "???"

Is it too late for him to say he is lactose intolerant?

In the end, he bought three: vanilla, chocolate, and matcha, and ate them all while the three men were eyeing them covetously.

Watching this scene from afar, Xiao Yanzi sighed to Shu Qi, "It's so good to be young."

Shu Qi chuckled: "Weren't you the same back then?" In the evening, the group arrived at the vineyard on the edge of the town.

The setting sun bathed the entire hillside in gold, and the endless grapevines swayed in the breeze.

Gu Yang stood on the edge of the field, unconsciously relaxing his shoulders.

"Are you tired?" Zhang Jingyi stood beside him without him noticing.

“A little,” he answered honestly.

Tian Xiwei and Zhou Ye originally wanted to come over, but Xiao Yanzi called them over to help take a group photo.

In a rare moment of quiet, Zhang Jingyi suddenly asked, "Do you like it here?"

Gu Yang gazed at the setting sun in the distance: "Yes, it's more real than the world in front of the camera."

Zhang Jingyi softly hummed in agreement and secretly took his hand.

The two shadows were stretched long in the setting sun, overlapping each other.

After the tour, the production team arranged for everyone to have dinner at a local century-old restaurant.

The restaurant is located in a 16th-century half-timbered house with low-hanging wooden beams, yellowed old photos and brass cooking utensils on the walls, and the aroma of toasted bread and stewed meat in the air.

“Today we’ll try some authentic Alsatian cuisine,” Little Swallow said, flipping through the menu. “It’s a perfect fusion of French and German flavors.”

"Okay, okay," Tian Xiwei is always the first to agree when it comes to food.

The waiter first brought out a paper-thin tortilla, topped with butter, onions, and bacon, with crispy, slightly curled edges.

“This looks like the ancestor of pizza,” Su Youpeng said with a smile as he cut the dough, “but the crust is thinner and crispier.”

Tian Xiwei took a bite, and the creamy aroma instantly melted in her mouth: "Wow! I could eat ten of these!"

The main course was a feast served in a cast-iron pot.

The dish features a base of German sauerkraut, topped with smoked pork, sausages, pork knuckles, and potatoes, all served piping hot.

"The pickled cabbage isn't pungent at all," Zhou Ye said in surprise, poking at the pickled cabbage. "It's sweet and refreshing."

Gu Yang tasted a slice of sausage and nodded: "The smoky flavor is authentic."

Next up is beef stew in red wine. Although it originated in Burgundy, the Alsatian version incorporates more local spices, resulting in tender meat and a rich red wine sauce.

The dessert was a crown-shaped yeast cake, garnished with raisins and almond slices, and served with vanilla sauce.

Finally, a cup of coffee was served to everyone!
Everyone ate to their heart's content!

……

It was 21 p.m. when we came out of the restaurant. The night sky in Alsace was dotted with stars, and the sound of footsteps echoed on the cobblestone streets.

Gu Yang walked at the back of the group, holding a half-finished cup of coffee in his hand. The cool night breeze brushed against his cheeks, carrying the fragrance of vineyards.

He glanced at the three girls beside him.

Zhou Ye was hopping and skipping around, stepping on his own shadow, humming a tuneless rendition of "Misplaced Time and Space."

Tian Xiwei was holding a small box of unfinished macarons, glancing at him every now and then. When she saw him looking over, she immediately pretended to be nonchalant and popped one into her mouth, only to squint at the sweetness.

Zhang Jingyi walked on the outermost side, her long black hair gently lifted by the night breeze, the moonlight outlining the soft contours of her profile.

She seemed to notice Gu Yang's gaze, tilted her head slightly, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.

A strange feeling suddenly welled up in Gu Yang's heart.

This was the first time he had ever felt so relaxed.

There were no performances in front of the camera, no fans crowding around, no manager's schedule, only delicious food, beautiful scenery, and three girls who both gave him a headache and made his heart flutter.

I wish things could stay like this forever.

He even had a ridiculous thought: maybe we shouldn't go back?
Late at night, Gu Yang's door was quietly pushed open.
"Shh, it's me."

(End of this chapter)