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

Jin Chen immediately nodded in agreement: "That's right, the Taoist priest doesn't seem to like older people."

As soon as she finished speaking, Nazha turned her head sharply, pointed at Jin Chen, her eyes wide open, her mouth agape, and then burst into laughter.

"Huh? Hahahaha, Jin Daxi, you're finished! How dare you say Sister K is old!"

Jin Chen's expression shifted from bewilderment to speechlessness, then from speechlessness to anger: "Nazha, can you please keep your voice down! That's not what I meant!"

"That's exactly what you mean! I heard you clearly, I'm going to tell on you tomorrow!" Naza laughed so hard her shoulders shook, she covered her mouth with both hands, and her eyes curved into crescent moons.

Chen Yao couldn't help but laugh, but she laughed very restrainedly, only her lips were turned up high.

"That's enough!" Jin Chen quickly regained her composure, glaring at Nazha with annoyance. "Are you going to eat or not? If not, get out of here!"

"Eat, eat, eat, I was wrong, okay?" Nazha stopped laughing, clearly not intending to actually complain, but she could tease Jin Chen about this for a long time.

Chen Yao watched the two bickering from the side, couldn't help but smile, picked up her teacup and took small sips, without interrupting.

After laughing enough, Nazha waved her hand and brought the topic back on track:

"Oh, what I mean is, do you guys think that after K-sister sees the Taoist priest, she might want to sign him to our company?"

There was a moment of silence in the private room after he said that.

Jin Chen and Chen Yao were both stunned for a moment, and then almost simultaneously showed a thoughtful expression.

Jin Chen was the first to react, slamming his hand on the table, his eyes lighting up:

"I really hadn't thought about that! But now that you mention it—"

She paused, Chen Shouyi's image flashing through her mind, then wondered what he would look like in ancient costume.

"The Taoist priest's appearance is absolutely perfect for a period drama!"

Naza nodded repeatedly, her expression saying, "I knew it!"

"Right, right! The first time I met the Taoist priest, I felt that he was particularly suitable to be an actor. His temperament was so good, better than many male actors."

"It's because you guys keep asking him to tell fortunes and read faces, so I've been too embarrassed to bring it up."

After she finished speaking, she turned to Chen Yao and asked, "Yao Yao, what do you think?"

Chen Yao thought about it seriously for a moment, then nodded: "I think that makes sense, the Taoist priest is indeed very suitable. But—"

She paused, carefully choosing her words, "Even if Sister K really has this idea, the Taoist priest wouldn't agree, would he? He doesn't seem interested in acting."

Jin Chen and Nazha both looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

"Besides, I don't think the Taoist priest wants to sign with a management company. He's fine as he is now, free and unrestrained."

After signing with the company, his schedule, publicity, and acting roles were all arranged by them, which might have been a bit too restrictive for him.

Jin Chen listened, seemingly lost in thought.

Naza paused for a moment, then pursed her lips, agreeing with Chen Yao's assessment.

The Taoist priest clearly wasn't the type to be controlled, so signing with a company probably didn't hold much appeal for him.

"Forget it, forget it." Nazha waved her hand. "Why don't we just ask the Taoist priest directly later? There's no point in us guessing here."

After she finished speaking, she turned to Jin Chen and said, "Hey, why hasn't the Taoist priest arrived yet?"

Jin Chen took out his phone and glanced at WeChat. There was a message on the screen, sent a few minutes ago.

"I just asked, and the Taoist priest said we're almost there."

No sooner had he finished speaking than there was a knock on the door of the private room.

Naza stood up as if by reflex, her quick movement startling Chen Yao who was standing next to her.

"It must be the Taoist priest. I'll go open the door!"

She rushed to the door and opened it. Chen Shouyi stood there in the dim light of the corridor.

A navy blue cotton-linen shirt, the collar slightly open, the sleeves casually rolled up to the forearms.

Dark gray casual pants, dark cloth shoes, black hair casually tied into a low ponytail with a dark rubber band, hanging down the back of the head, with a few wisps of hair falling naturally in front of the forehead.

Gone is the solemnity of the purple Taoist robe, gone is the neatness of the wooden hairpin binding her hair; she looks like she has stepped out of a painting and changed into a worldly person.

His eyebrows and eyes still had that refined and indifferent look, but the navy blue shirt made his skin look even whiter, and added a touch of casual youthful charm.

Naza's hand was still on the doorknob, and she stood frozen at the doorway.

Inside the private room, Jin Chen was holding a teacup, ready to drink, when his gaze passed over Nazha's shoulder and landed on the person at the door. The teacup hovered in mid-air, and he forgot to bring it to his lips.

Chen Yao also looked up and saw the person at the door through her glasses. Her lips parted slightly, but she didn't make a sound.

All three of them were stunned.

Chen Shouyi stood at the door, looking at the expressions of the three people, and raised his eyebrows slightly.

"What's wrong? Don't you recognize me just because I changed my clothes?"

Naza then snapped out of her daze, took a half-step back to let him in, and smiled with her eyes crinkling:

"Come in, come in quickly, the food is all ordered."

He bowed slightly: "May the Heavenly Venerable grant you boundless blessings. I apologize for keeping you all waiting."

Chen Shouyi stepped into the private room, his gaze sweeping over the several cold dishes already laid out on the table, and then looking at the teacups in front of the three girls.

Jin Chen was moving the menu aside to make room for him. Chen Yao gave a slight bow as a greeting.

He sat down in the empty seat and placed his phone on the table.

Jin Chen's gaze never left Chen Shouyi from the moment he entered the room; he was a completely different person from the purple-robed Taoist priest she had met during the day.

She looked him up and down several times before speaking, "Master, why aren't you wearing your Taoist robe tonight?"

Chen Shouyi replied unhurriedly, "It's time to get off work and change into something casual."

Chen Yao quietly poured Chen Shouyi a cup of tea and pushed it in front of him.

Chen Shou nodded his thanks, picked up his teacup, and took a sip. The tea was also Longjing, but it was clearly not as well-brewed as the one Fang Xu had treated him to last time.

Naza returned to her seat, her gaze lingering on Chen Shouyi for a few moments before she couldn't help but smile.

"Master, you don't look like a Taoist priest at all dressed like that."

"What does that look like?"

Naza thought for a moment and answered seriously, "Like college students, like... well, art school students, studying acting or fine arts."

Chen Yao whispered from the side, "He's better looking than a lot of the boys in our school."

Jin Chen immediately turned to look at Chen Yao, her eyes filled with "Why are you starting too?" Chen Yao felt a little embarrassed by her gaze and lowered her head, pretending to drink water.

Jin Chen withdrew her gaze and looked back at Chen Shouyi, clearing her throat: "Daoist Master, we've already ordered the dishes. Would you like to add anything else?" As she spoke, she handed over the menu.

Chen Shouyi took the menu, glanced at it, and his eyebrows twitched slightly.

The restaurant was packed with dishes, including cold dishes, hot dishes, soups, and desserts. The three of them ordered more than a dozen dishes.

He put down the menu, his gaze sweeping over the three faces, and a slight twitch appeared at the corner of his mouth:

"Are you three inviting me to dinner, or are you inviting the entire film crew?"

Naza burst out laughing, and Jin Chen couldn't help but laugh too, patting Naza on the shoulder: "It's all her fault, she ordered so enthusiastically."

"Why are you blaming me again? Yao Yao ordered a lot too!"

Chen Yao blinked innocently: "I... I only ordered a vegetable soup and a sweet fermented rice ball."

"Who ordered the honey-glazed ham?"

"...It was me, but the clay pot chicken was ordered by Gulnazar."

"Look!"

The three of them started arguing back and forth, making the private room quite lively. Chen Shouyi sat to the side, holding a cup of tea and watching them bicker with a smile.

After a while, the waiter brought in cold dishes, interrupting the three of them pointing fingers at each other.

Half the table was covered with cold dishes, including braised duck, smoked fish, malan mixed with dried tofu, and osmanthus-flavored lotus root, each one exquisite.

Jin Chen picked up his chopsticks, took a slice of cucumber salad, chewed it a couple of times, and then, as if remembering something, looked up at Chen Shouyi:

"By the way, Master, is there anything we need to do to cooperate with the filming starting tomorrow?"

"Just do as usual," Chen Shouyi said. "Whatever I do, you benefactors will follow."

"Should we prepare anything in advance? Like fasting and bathing?" Nazha asked curiously.

"No need."

"Are there any taboos? For example, what colors of clothing can't be worn? What words can't be said?"

Chen Shouyi glanced at her: "Benefactor, what I am presiding over is a blessing ceremony for the opening of a machine, not a sacrificial ceremony."

Nazha pouted and said, "I was just asking."

Jin Chen laughed from the side, "Are you asking so many questions because you want to get more good luck tomorrow?"

"Is it not possible? I haven't been having much luck lately."

"You're not just unlucky, you're just getting too many negative comments about you online."

Naza pretended to hit her with her chopsticks, and Jin Chen dodged backward, causing her chair to wobble.

Chen Yao reached out and held onto Jin Chen's chair until she was settled before letting go.

After settling in, Nazha picked up a piece of braised duck and mumbled between bites, "By the way, Taoist priest, we were just talking about you."

Chen Shouyi glanced at her: "What are you talking about?"

Naza and Jin Chen exchanged a glance, then looked at Chen Yao.

Jin Chen put down his chopsticks and asked, "Daoist Master, have you ever thought about becoming an actor?"