A top star in the Chinese entertainment industry, but also a Taoist priest.

When Chen Shouyi returned from the scenic area, the sky had already begun to turn yellow.

Inside the shed, Old Zhou was directing several workers to make a final adjustment to the incense and candles on the offering table. Shou Zhuo squatted beside him, holding a compass in his hand. He would occasionally look up at the central axis of the offering table, then look down at the compass, muttering incantations.

As Chen Shouyi walked in, Shouzhuo immediately stood up and jogged to greet him:

"Master, you're back!"

"Hmm." Chen Shouyi's gaze swept around the shed. The offering table was set up properly, the incense and candles were neatly arranged, and the newly opened gap behind the rockery was covered with green plants, making it look much more natural.

The water circulation system for the water feature has also been installed. The red carp in the pond are swimming happily, the water is gurgling, and the airflow in the shed is much smoother than before.

"Have you tested the water feature pump?"

"I've tried it, Master," Shouzhuo reported earnestly from the side.

"It ran continuously for more than an hour, the water flow was stable, and there were no leaks. Master Zhou said he would try it again tonight to make sure there are no problems tomorrow."

Chen Shouyi nodded, then walked around the offering table again, squatted down to check if his four feet were on the same level, stood up and took two steps back, squinting at the position of the incense burner and the central axis of the offering table.

Old Zhou rubbed his hands together, watching nervously until Chen Shouyi nodded slightly, at which point he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Alright. Just have someone keep an eye on things tonight." Chen Shouyi withdrew his gaze. "Tomorrow morning, at 3:45 AM, the altar will be set up promptly."

"Understood!" Old Zhou replied quickly.

Chen Shouyi gave a few more instructions and was about to call Shouzhuo to leave when he saw Shouzhuo come over with a strange expression on his face.

"What's wrong?" Chen Shouyi glanced at him.

Shouzhu scratched the back of his head and chuckled, "Master, Brother Hu is treating me to dinner tonight."

Chen Shouyi raised an eyebrow: "Guo Hu?"

"Yes, yes, it's Benefactor Guo." Shouzhuo nodded with a grin.

As Chen Shou walked, he asked, "Why did he invite me to dinner?"

"You asked me to help him improve his health, right? Yesterday I taught him that set of meridian-clearing and guiding exercises. He practiced it all day and said his shoulders felt much more relaxed. He was overjoyed and came to see me today specifically to say he wants to treat me to dinner tonight to thank me properly."

Chen Shouyi couldn't help but laugh when he saw his apprentice's smug expression.

Guo Hu, that burly man, with his thick muscles and straightforward temper, was able to take the initiative to treat everyone to a meal, which shows that the Shouzhuo teachings are indeed effective.

Chen Shouyi reached out and patted his shoulder: "That's perfect, go ahead, I have some things to arrange on my end too."

Shouzhuo paused for a moment, then asked curiously, "Master, what are your plans?"

"The benefactor Jin has invited me to dinner."

Shouzhuo's smile froze instantly. He opened his mouth, but the image of Guo Hu's burly figure flashed through his mind, and he felt completely horrified.

He stood there, looking at his master's calm and collected face, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He was going to have dinner with a burly man, while his master was with a beautiful woman—the difference was just too great.

"Master—"

"Um?"

"Can I switch with you?"

What do you think?

Shouzhuo looked dejected. Chen Shouyi smiled, patted the back of his head lightly, but the sound was quite clear.

"Alright, go ahead. They've sincerely invited you, so don't put on airs. Teach what you should teach, and don't say what you shouldn't say."

"Understood, Master." Shouzhuo covered the back of his head, his aggrieved expression still lingering, but a hint of anticipation had already crept in.

After all, this was the first time he had been invited to dinner as Master Shouzhuo, not as Master Qingquan's disciple. This feeling was quite novel.

Chen Shouyi didn't say anything more and walked out of the shed. As he stepped out of the shed, the evening breeze blew in his face, and the sleeves of his Taoist robe swayed slightly.

He looked down at his Taoist robe, thought for a moment, and instead of heading straight to the restaurant, he turned and walked towards the hotel.

Wearing this to dinner is too conspicuous.

Back in his hotel room, Chen Shouyi opened his suitcase and rummaged through it.

He didn't bring many clothes with him this time. Apart from the Taoist robe and ceremonial robe used for the ritual, he only had a few casual clothes.

He pulled out a navy blue cotton-linen shirt. The fabric was crisp but not stiff, and the fit was loose, making him look much more relaxed after wearing it.

He gathered his hair back up, and instead of using a wooden hairpin, he casually tied it into a low ponytail with a dark-colored hair tie.

After changing his clothes, Chen Shouyi looked at himself in the mirror twice before taking his room key, closing the door, and going downstairs.

Jin Chen booked a place called Zhangfuyuan, which is a private restaurant specializing in local dishes, located in an alley diagonally opposite the Hengdian Town Government.

The decor isn't luxurious, but it's quiet and the private rooms are far apart, offering good privacy. People in the industry often choose this place for private gatherings.

The distance wasn't far, so Chen Shouyi quickly walked over.

Meanwhile, in a private room at the end of the corridor, three people were sitting around a table.

Jin Chen sat near the door, arms crossed, his expression a mix of speechlessness and helplessness.

She went back to change into a fitted black knit sweater, her hair was casually draped over her shoulders, and her makeup was lighter than during the day, but she changed her lipstick to a brighter shade.

She was sitting opposite Gulnazar and Chen Yao.

Naza was holding a thick menu, flipping through it with great interest, occasionally pointing to a dish and discussing it with Chen Yao next to her.

She changed out of her floral dress from the daytime into a loose white T-shirt, casually tied her hair into a bun, revealing a section of her fair neck, making her look refreshing and relaxed.

Chen Yao sat next to Nazha, still as plain as ever, wearing a light gray long-sleeved cotton shirt, her hair down and unkempt.

But her expression was different from usual. She leaned forward slightly, her eyes fixed on the menu in Nazha's hand, looking quite serious.

"This Dongyang clay pot chicken looks good, shall we have one?" Nazha pointed to the picture on the menu.

Chen Yao leaned over to take a look and nodded: "Okay, and let's also have some vegetable soup, a good mix of meat and vegetables."

"Okay. And... how about this honey-glazed ham?"

What is honey-glazed ham?

"It's ham, stewed in honey, it seems to be a specialty of Jinhua."

"Then let's have one."

"Okay."

The two of them chatted back and forth in perfect harmony, showing no intention of seeking Jin Chen's opinion.

Jin Chen sat opposite them, watching the two of them ordering food with great enthusiasm, and his lips twitched repeatedly.

Gulnazar is one thing, she never knows what politeness is, but Chen Yao, didn't you say you weren't hungry? How come you're ordering food more enthusiastically than Gulnazar?

Jin Chen mentally complained for a long time before finally unable to hold back and spoke up.

"Hey, you two, haven't you forgotten something?"

Naza didn't even look up: "What?"

"I think I paid for this meal, didn't I?"

Naza finally raised her head, glanced at Jin Chen, and blinked innocently.

"Yes, you're treating, we'll order. Is there a problem?"

"..."

Jin Chen opened his mouth, but couldn't find any words to refute it.

After Nazha finished speaking, she lowered her head and continued flipping through the menu, even pulling Chen Yao along to study a dish called something like "Immortal Chicken".

Chen Yao leaned closer to look at the picture and nodded seriously: "We can give it a try."

Jin Chen took a deep breath and decided not to lower himself to their level.

After a while, Nazha and Chen Yao finally finished studying the menu, and then closed the thick menu with satisfaction and pushed it in front of Jin Chen.

"Here you go, see if you want to add anything else," Nazha said generously.

Jin Chen rolled her eyes, took the menu and glanced at it. It was covered with checkmarks, with cold dishes, hot dishes, soups and desserts all available. Even if she wanted to add something, there wasn't much left for her to add.

She put the menu aside and pressed the service bell on the table.

After the waiter cleared away the menu, Nazha picked up her teacup, took a sip, and suddenly seemed to remember something, saying:

"I heard K-sister is coming tomorrow too."

Jin Chen texted Chen Shouyi on her phone, casually replying, "With such a big investment in this drama, how could she not come?"

Chen Yao nodded in agreement.

Sugarman really spent a lot of money on "Legend of Nine Tails Fox" this time. From set construction to costumes and props, from the cast to post-production, everything was configured to the highest standards.

Apart from Hu Ge and Liu Shishi, two big names who couldn't participate due to scheduling conflicts and project reasons, almost everyone who could participate did, and several other talented actors were also brought in from outside to form the cast.

For Sugarman, this project is more than just a TV series; it's an opportunity to prove themselves. To demonstrate that, after "Chinese Paladin" and "Xuan-Yuan Sword," Sugarman can still produce a major series that can withstand market scrutiny.

As the leader of Sugarman, it's impossible for Sister K to be absent from such an occasion as the filming of the first episode.

Naza twirled the teacup in her hand and suddenly asked, "When Sister K comes tomorrow, she'll definitely run into the Taoist priest, right?"

"Of course," Jin Chen replied without hesitation. "The Taoist priest will be presiding over the opening ceremony tomorrow and will be there the whole time. As long as Sister K isn't blind, she'll definitely be able to see him."

Naza shook her head, then leaned forward again: "That's not what I meant. I meant, Sister K will definitely be very interested in seeing the Taoist priest, right?"

Chen Yao thought for a moment and nodded slightly.

"K-sister's opinion... is true. She has always liked people with good temperament."

She's known K for quite some time and understands the boss's aesthetic preferences very well.

When judging people, K-sister always prioritizes looks first, followed by temperament; those who possess both are treasures in her eyes.

The Taoist priest's appearance and demeanor were practically sculpted from K-sister's aesthetic template.

"However," Chen Yao paused, "K-sister is, after all, quite old... well... even if that's the case, it's not suitable for a Taoist priest, is it?"