I became a movie star at the age of three; Dilraba and I are childhood sweethearts.

He made everyone laugh again.

Xiao Chen just smiled and added some more soup to each of them.

"Eat slowly, there's more in the pot."

Wang Han and Teacher He were too busy eating to talk, their slurping sounds echoing throughout the courtyard.

One bowl wasn't enough.

"Xiao Chen! Another bowl, please!"

Wang Han held up the empty bowl, his eyes full of anticipation.

"Me too!"

Teacher He followed closely behind.

The two of them devoured the food in a flash, finishing two large bowls and not leaving a single drop of soup.

Only then did he put down his chopsticks with satisfaction, slump in his chair, and happily burp.

Wang Han touched his round belly, looking on with a sigh.

"I'm alive again, completely alive again."

"Xiao Chen, just for this bowl of noodles, I'd do anything you asked me to level that mountain this afternoon!"

Teacher He wiped his mouth, looked at Xiao Chen, and his eyes were full of appreciation and affection.

"You're such a good cook, you're so talented!"

He couldn't think of any more eloquent words.

But in this most basic context, the word "all-around" is perhaps the highest praise one can give to a person.

Dilraba sat to the side, eating in small bites, but her eyes never left Xiao Chen.

She saw his gentle profile as he added soup to his brothers' bowls, and the faint smile on his lips when he heard praise.

Seeing him quietly clearing away the dishes and tidying everything up so neatly.

This man, on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, is a king admired by all.

In this small farmhouse, he is a comforting and warm presence.

She suddenly realized that her previous admiration for him was too superficial.

His true charm has never been just his stunningly handsome face.

The afternoon sun shone through the mottled wooden frame of the mushroom house, casting its light on Xiao Chen's almost translucent white profile.

He was bending down, slicing fresh Fuji apples, each slice so thin it looked as if it had been measured with calipers.

Wang Han patted his belly, stood up with some difficulty, and gave Xiao Chen a thumbs up.

"Chenzai, this isn't a TV show recording, it's a mission to save all living beings."

Teacher He smiled and agreed, his eyes filled with undisguised wonder.

"Alright, my two brothers, you can't be too nice to someone who gives you a gift."

Xiao Chen didn't even look up, his tone carrying the mischievousness of a typical Beijing man.

"We'll have to rely on those two strong men to clear that barren mountain this afternoon."

Wang Han was overjoyed and pointed at Xiao Chen, saying to Zhou Xingchi.

"Look at this child, sweet-talking but bitter-hearted."

Stephen Chow finished the last sip of his noodle soup, looking as solemn as if he were attending the Hong Kong Film Awards.

"Xiao Chen, if you really go into selling fan products, I'll definitely invest in you."

Xiao Chen casually uttered a witty remark, but his hand movements were extremely steady.

"Mr. Stephen Chow, my salary is very high, I'm afraid you can't afford it."

After a round of laughter, the group, led by Leslie Cheung, resignedly picked up their hoes.

Before leaving, Leslie Cheung even ruffled Xiao Chen's hair, as if he were handling a rare treasure.

"Ah Chen, don't overwork yourself. Just make the fruit platter a little something."

Anita Mui rolled her eyes and teased him on purpose.

"Just keep spoiling him. That kid's worth hundreds of millions now, he's richer than you."

Xiao Chen smiled and saw off this group of "laborers" before turning and going into the kitchen.

The Mushroom House returned to tranquility for a moment.

He placed the wok on the stove and poured in a large bowl of raw melon seeds.

He could have easily done what other big stars do: find a deck chair and relax, since the cameras would always be focused on him anyway.

After all, he was the prodigy who won the Golden Rooster Award for Best Supporting Actor at the age of nine and went on to win the Oscar for Best Actor later in life.

But he refused.

He enjoys this down-to-earth atmosphere and seeing these superstars become like ordinary people in his presence.

The spatula was rhythmically stirred in the pot, and the aroma of sunflower seeds gradually filled the air.

Xiao Chen's agent, Wang Jinhua, once said that this child was born to do this job.

Whether standing on the podium or squatting in front of the stove, he can be a sight to behold.

Meanwhile, on the village paths, Mei Yanfang was leading Dilraba from house to house.

Sixteen-year-old Dilraba, with her hair in a ponytail, exudes youthful energy.

She held the registration book in her hand, but her eyes kept glancing towards the Mushroom House.

"Sister Mei, what do you think Brother Chen is doing right now?"

Mei Yanfang glanced at her sideways, her tone mocking.

"If you miss him, go back to see him. Who are you trying to impress by being so absent-minded here?"

Dilraba's face flushed red, and she stammered an explanation.

"I...I was worried he cut too much fruit."

Mei Yanfang sighed, a hint of emotion flashing in her eyes.

"He sent us out to run errands because he was worried that your big party tonight wouldn't have any performances."

This Xiao Chen is frighteningly meticulous.

He knew there were many elderly people and children in the village, and he wanted to use the occasion of the big celebration to give everyone some benefits.

But he didn't say it outright, only that it was for the sake of the show.

Two hours passed, and the sun gradually began to set in the west.

When Leslie Cheung and the others returned, they couldn't even straighten their backs.

Wang Han lay down directly on the bamboo mat in the courtyard, too weak to even move a finger.

"I'm dying, Teacher He, please bury me here."

Teacher He wasn't in much better shape; he was covered in mud and looked like an old farmer who had just come back from the fields.

Xiao Chen, however, remained remarkably clean-cut.

He came out carrying several plates of cut fruit, his face beaming with a bright smile.

"Teachers, you've worked hard. Please have a good drink to soothe your throats."

This fruit platter is extremely elaborate, with watermelon cut into triangles and cantaloupe carved into flowers.

"Chenzi, you're a natural at serving people's lives."

Leslie Cheung ate while sighing with admiration.

Xiao Chen casually grabbed a handful of freshly roasted sunflower seeds and handed them to Zhou Xingchi, who was standing next to him.

"Mr. Stephen Chow, would you like to try some?"

"I added butter and salt on purpose."

Stephen Chow peeled one and popped it into his mouth, his eyes instantly lighting up.

"From now on, when you're filming, you have to join my crew and be my production manager."

"Then you'll have to ask Aunt Hua if she agrees."

Xiao Chen smiled, turned around, and went back into the kitchen.

The afterglow of the setting sun stretched his shadow long.

When Dilraba and Anita Mui returned, this was the scene they saw.

The kitchen was filled with the enticing aroma of meat.

That's the taste of braised pork, a little sweet, a little greasy, it's irresistible.

Mei Yanfang walked into the room and suddenly froze as she watched Xiao Chen's busy figure.

She seemed to see something called "belonging".

"What's wrong, Sister Mei? Are you exhausted?"

Xiao Chen turned around, holding a rag in his hand.

Mei Yanfang sniffed and spoke somewhat absentmindedly.

"Now I understand why those men want to go home after get off work."

"Having a virtuous wife and loving mother at home, cooking meals and waiting for you, this kind of life is something even a god wouldn't trade."

Everyone laughed.

Xiao Chen calmly set out the bowls and chopsticks, his voice gentle.