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

Old Wang came closer, and when he saw the large wild seafood in the wooden bucket, his eyelids twitched wildly.

These things would definitely be very expensive if bought on the market.

"Ahem, what is that?"

"According to our new rules, these can only be exchanged for two bowls of rice and a plate of cabbage."

Old Wang started lying through his teeth without batting an eye.

Leslie Cheung immediately objected.

"Old Wang! Is this your unscrupulous workshop?"

"So many wild blue crabs, and you're only trading them for two bowls of rice?"

Anita Mui also gave a cold laugh.

"Looks like someone doesn't want a peaceful life anymore."

Old Wang stubbornly refused to listen, like a dead pig unafraid of boiling water.

"Rules are rules. Unless you have other tricks up your sleeve, I am the price bureau here."

Dilraba's face turned bright red with anxiety.

She looked at Xiao Chen for help.

Xiao Chen calmly sat down on a bench in the courtyard. He crossed his long legs, exuding a relaxed air of authority.

"Director Wang, don't worry."

Xiao Chen took a clean cucumber out of his pocket and took a bite.

"You just said that I'm forbidden from teaching older women how to do square dancing, right?"

Old Wang nodded cautiously.

"That's right! Wordplay won't work either!"

Xiao Chen swallowed the cucumber and spoke slowly and deliberately.

"What if I went to repair the diesel engine of the fishing boat at the edge of the village? Would that count as earned income?"

The courtyard fell into a deathly silence.

Old Wang's large Coke cup fell to the ground with a thud.

The assistant director and cameraman on set looked at each other in bewilderment.

Leslie Cheung was stunned.

Anita Mui's mouth was slightly open.

Dilraba was an absolute fan.

"You...you can even repair diesel engines?!"

Old Wang's voice changed. He never expected that Xiao Chen could even do such manual labor.

Isn't this guy an artist who acts and writes songs?

Xiao Chen dusted off his hands and stood up.

In his previous life, he spent half a year learning in a factory in order to play the role of a low-level mechanic well.

"I know a little."

Xiao Chen grinned at Lao Wang, revealing his white teeth.

"The engine of the trawler owned by Grandpa Wang at the village entrance has been broken for three days."

"I was just passing by while beachcombing and took a look."

"Director Wang, what do you think? Should I go get the car fixed, or stay and eat your cabbage?"

Old Wang's face turned ashen.

He knew that he had lost this round completely again.

Old Wang slumped back into his wicker chair, the half-eaten iced cola in his hand suddenly losing its appeal.

The air under the pergola was so thick it felt like it was about to drip water, and dozens of cameras were all pointed at Xiao Chen.

"You win."

Old Wang gritted his teeth and squeezed out those three words.

"Xiao Wu, go and get the seafood noodles that the logistics department prepared!"

Old Wang turned around and yelled at the assistant director, his voice full of frustration.

Xiao Chen casually tossed the half-eaten cucumber into the air and caught it steadily.

"Thanks, Director Wang."

He laughed, his face full of the roguish air of someone who had successfully pulled off a prank.

The last rays of the setting sun fell on Xiao Chen's face.

The young female cameramen on site even held their breath, afraid of disturbing the scene.

"The noodles are here!"

Assistant director Xiao Wu jogged along, carrying several large bags of hand-pulled noodles in his arms, a fawning smile plastered on his face.

"Xiao Shen, I've given you all the ingredients."

"Tonight, our entire crew will be eating our lunchboxes with the aroma of your food."

Xiao Chen took the noodles and weighed them.

"Barely enough to eat."

He glanced at Old Wang sideways, his eyes saying, "You're smart to know what's good for you."

Dilraba ran over in her beach shoes and snatched the wooden bucket from Xiao Chen's hand.

"Brother Chen, let me wash the seafood!"

Her beautiful eyes sparkled with adoration, almost to the point of tears.

"Be careful not to get your hand caught."

Xiao Chen gave a casual remark, but it warmed Dilraba's heart.

Leslie Cheung rolled up his shirt sleeves, leaned against the stove, and laughed heartily.

"Old Wang, you've been fighting this kid for a whole season, how come you still haven't learned your lesson?"

Mei Yanfang also came over and poked the plump blue crabs in the wooden bucket.

"Yes, back in the days of the film crew of 'Farewell My Concubine'."

"This kid can even talk director Chen Kaige into submission, what are your little schemes compared to him?"

Old Wang rolled his eyes from a short distance away and simply covered his face with his hat, pretending to be dead.

The kitchen in the Mushroom House is semi-open, and smoke quickly rose from the earthen stove.

Xiao Chen stood in front of the stove and began to process the ingredients with practiced ease.

In his previous life, he was a low-level actor who did everything to make a living.

Although he became a superstar in this life, he didn't lose any of the skills that were ingrained in him.

The crabs were shelled and cut into pieces, the prawns were deveined, and several plump oysters were skillfully pried open.

Dilraba watched with wide eyes, forgetting to wipe the table with the rag in her hand.

"Brother Chen, your technique is even more authentic than that of the head chef at a seafood restaurant."

Xiao Chen didn't speak, but simply raised an eyebrow, deftly twirling the kitchen knife between his fingers.

"boom!"

A few sparks flew from the firewood in the stove, and the oil in the iron pot heated up.

Xiao Chen grabbed a handful of scallions and sautéed them until fragrant, then poured all the prepared seafood into the pot.

"Sizzle—"

The intense, fresh aroma exploded in the air, carrying the salty freshness of the sea and the fragrance of oil, sweeping through the entire courtyard like a hurricane.

The onlookers all swallowed hard.

"Oh my god, this smells amazing!"

A young man carrying a camera murmured a mournful voice, his stomach rumbling in perfect unison.

Xiao Chen poured spring water into the pot, and the fire raged.

The originally clear water was instantly washed into a rich, milky white by the protein from the seafood, bubbling and steaming.

Hand-pulled noodles are put into the pot, where they tumble and swirl in the milky white broth, absorbing every bit of its delicious flavor.

"Dinner is served."

Xiao Chen turned off the stove and deftly ladled out four large bowls of noodles.

Each bowl of noodles is covered with bright red crab shells, curled-up plump shrimp, and vibrant green scallions, creating a visually striking effect.

"Wow! Let's dig in!"

Dilraba couldn't wait to pick up her own bowl and slurped up a big mouthful without any regard for her image as a female celebrity.

The noodles were chewy, and the broth was so rich and sweet that she stomped her feet in delight.

"Mmm! This is so delicious!"

Leslie Cheung ate with his mouth full of oil, nodding repeatedly.

"Ah Chen, tell us the truth. After the first season ended, did you secretly go to New Oriental for further studies behind our backs?"

"This skill has improved a lot since the first season; it's practically leaving no room for Cantonese chefs to compete."

Anita Mui pulled out a tissue and wiped her mouth, smiling gently.

"If Huimei saw how well you take care of yourself, she would definitely nag you less at home."

Upon hearing his mother's name, a gentle smile appeared on Xiao Chen's face.

Yeh Hui-mei is now an enviable celebrity mom in the industry, as her son is not only filial.

They also turned Shishiba Culture into a leading entertainment giant in China.