Chinese Entertainment King: Starting as a Fat Boy and Becoming a Singing King

The hot pot restaurant that Liu Yifei mentioned is not located in the business district.

The car started from the North Third Ring Road, passed through most of Beijing, and finally stopped in a quiet street in Chaoyang District.

There was no large signboard, just a small bronze plaque above the door with two characters engraved on it: Jingge.

Xu Yao followed Liu Yifei through the door.

The air was filled with the aroma of butter and Sichuan peppercorns, but there was no pungent smell of cooking oil.

A manager in a black uniform came forward, bowed slightly, and led them through the lobby, turning into a private room at the far end of the corridor.

The door closed behind me, shutting out all the sounds from outside.

"I come to this shop often; their sesame sauce is delicious."

Liu Yifei sat down and began to introduce herself.

"The owner is from Chongqing, and the hot pot broth is authentic. The waiters are discreet; they won't take photos or leak customer information."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Liu Yifei put down her chopsticks, placed her hands on the edge of the table, and looked at him through the steam from the copper pot.

"How many years has it been since we last saw each other?"

Xu Yao swallowed the meat in his mouth, put down his chopsticks, and started cracking his knuckles.

"Let me count. From when you started elementary school until now, one, two, three, four..."

"Stop." Liu Yifei raised her hand and pressed down on the finger he was counting down. "Stop counting. Your counting is making me anxious, and I suddenly feel old."

Xu Yao looked at her and said with a smile, "Sister Qianqian, age is just a number; mindset is the soul of the body. In my eyes and in my heart, you will always be eighteen."

Liu Yifei paused for a second, then her lips curved into a smile, and her eyes followed suit.

"My God, is this how you talk to yourself now? You were such a quiet person when you were little."

Not long after they met, Liu Yifei had a very good impression of Xu Yao.

During the audition, Liu Yifei was thinking that Xu Yao must have felt bad hearing people pointing and whispering that he got the role through connections.

He didn't take it seriously and even retorted on the spot with the excuse of "grape stems".

Liu Yifei put down her cup, leaned back in her chair, and looked at Xu Yao with a newfound scrutiny.

"Nana is so unfair! She has such a fun younger brother, but she's been keeping it a secret from me."

Xu Yao picked up a piece of shrimp paste and put it in his mouth.

"My cousin wasn't hiding anything; it's just that we didn't actually see each other very often. She was busy with performances, and I was busy with school. Later, her health deteriorated, and we saw each other even less."

"Speaking of Sister Nana, I can't help but think of my childhood."

Liu Yifei's expression was filled with longing and reminiscence.

"You were only this tall back then."

She gestured with her hand at the edge of the table, indicating it was roughly waist-high.

Then she said something that made Xu Yao freeze in mid-air: "Run after me and Sister Nana, chasing after us and calling 'Mommy, Mommy, Mommy...' If we don't let you play, you sit on the ground and cry."

Xu Yao's chopsticks hovered above the copper pot, somewhat embarrassed: "Sister Qianqian, you tricked me into calling her 'Mom'... Let's not bring it up again now."

Why?

"I have an image to maintain."

Liu Yifei laughed so hard she almost dropped her chopsticks into the pot.

A top-tier actress.

A talent show contestant who was sidelined by her company.

Logically speaking, with a nearly blank period of more than a decade between them and a huge difference in their social status, they should feel somewhat awkward at this moment.

But strangely, there wasn't.

Liu Yifei placed the cooked tripe into his bowl, her movements as natural as if they had just eaten together yesterday, not at all like it was their first meal together after many years apart.

Xu Yao took it, dipped it in the oil sauce, and said, "Thank you, Sister Qianqian," speaking as if he were talking to a family member.

It wasn't just polite talk; it was the kind of familiarity that didn't need explanations about where to begin.

This strange feeling left Liu Yifei somewhat dazed, completely unexpected.

Does Xu Yao just take the role of his younger brother for granted?

He just couldn't understand why this big star in front of him should maintain a sense of distance or propriety.

"Sister Xixi," Xu Yao placed his chopsticks on the rim of his bowl, "I've been wanting to ask you this for a while. Why did you help me so much?"

The private room suddenly fell silent.

The entertainment industry has always prioritized profit over interpersonal relationships.

This question is not just something the company is curious about.

Xu Yao had always been curious about this.

The hot pot broth was still bubbling away, with the red oil side churning even more vigorously.

"Because you convinced Sister Nana to accept treatment."

Liu Yifei put down her cup, looked at Xu Yao, and for the first time showed seriousness and earnestness.

"You know what? I've been trying to persuade her for years."

"Every time we get together, every year when I go home for Chinese New Year, I bring it up with her. I say, 'Sister Nana, the doctor said chemotherapy can extend life by five to ten years.' Every time, she just smiles and says, 'I know,' and then changes the subject."

She paused for a moment.

"I really consider her my own sister."

Xu Yao listened attentively without saying a word.

"I helped her find hospitals and specialists abroad, and explored the most advanced treatment options. My mother also tried to persuade her, as did her parents. Everyone told her to accept treatment, to suffer a little, and to live many more years—how wonderful that would be! But Sister Nana just wouldn't agree. Her stubbornness since childhood is different from others; she wants to live a brilliant life, like a flower, to come into this world perfectly and leave perfectly."

Thinking of all that had happened in her past life, Xu Yao couldn't help but sigh, even though it would never happen again: "Yes, she's always been that kind of person, her life as brilliant as a summer flower."

Liu Yifei nodded, sighed, and then smiled: "But you did it."

She looked up.

"You participated in The Voice of China, you won the championship, you were the general in front of the whole country..."

Liu Yifei recalled the scene from the live broadcast of The Voice of China's championship, and her eyes held a look of something she couldn't quite define as either admiration or emotion when she looked at Xu Yao.

"Nana's at her wit's end, really. Her stubbornness is something her parents can't handle. You're amazing at getting her to obey; you're so clever. You knew she wouldn't go back on her word, right? You figured it out."

Xu Yao shook his head.

"Sister Sisi, you've romanticized me too much. The reason I participated in The Voice of China is because I want to debut as a singer step by step. It wasn't entirely because of my cousin that I was working so hard. The bet with her was just a side thing; I wasn't really sure about it. After all, we've tried everything from all the relatives, but my cousin is very stubborn, and she's not so easy to persuade."

"Then why did she agree to make the bet with you?"

"I have to thank my cousin for her experience participating in The Voice of China."

"She knew the show's producers had planned and predetermined the winner step by step, she knew I had no background or connections, and she knew I weighed over 250 pounds at the time. If you were in her shoes, would you think I could win the championship?"

"impossible."

Liu Yifei put down her soup spoon; she had also heard about the show's unspoken rules.

"Yes, that's why she agreed to the bet, because she knew it was impossible."

"So you risked your life to lose 100 pounds in a few months just to make a miracle happen."

She looked at him, her tone filled with admiration, and gradually a hint of warmth.

"You're still the best."

"So, I was moved by the promise between you and Sister Nana. At that time, I felt that this younger brother was really responsible, and your image suddenly became much taller in my mind."

Xu Yao stopped quietly, his doubts gone.

It's also clear that Liu Yifei and her cousin have a truly special relationship; her own treatment is simply a result of being favored by her cousin.

Then Liu Yifei casually asked, "How many days are you staying in Beijing this time?"

"I have an interview with the Spring Festival Gala directing team. After that, I'll go back to the main tour group," Xu Yao answered truthfully.

"Xiao Yao, you've finally come to Beijing, stay a few more days..."

Liu Yifei tried to persuade him to stay, and even she was surprised when she said it.

Today's meeting was originally intended as a polite reception, but I never expected to feel so much warmth and goodwill towards Xu Yaosheng after meeting him.

Is this the magical charm of childhood playmates?

It's simply unbelievable.

"Stay a few more days?"

Xu Yao was taken aback. Was Liu Yifei going to introduce him to friends in the entertainment industry and help him expand his network?

Liu Yifei nodded and said, "To be honest, I think you'll be quite fun to watch when you grow up. I have very few interesting people around me. When I'm not filming, I just read books and play with my cats every day. It's actually quite boring being alone."

Xu Yao added, "Sister Qianqian, you're not bored. Taking such good care of the stray cats is a fulfilling thing for you."

Liu Yifei's eyes lit up: "You knew that too?"

"I've seen your Weibo posts," Xu Yao said. "You've adopted so many cats and taken such good care of them. The poor little ones have become princess cats, and the ugly strays have become elegant prince cats. You've even found them homes and given them airline crates and cat food as dowries."

"That's right."

Liu Yifei's voice now carries a softer and more self-satisfied quality.

"There are still many in the yard. Each one has its own personality; some are affectionate, some are aloof, and some need to be fed separately. Every day when I go back, they are waiting for me in the yard. Seeing them makes the noise outside quiet down."

"Every day is so wonderful," Xu Yao said.

"But cats can't talk," Liu Yifei said with a smile, shaking her head. "It's rare to meet a younger brother I can chat with. Xiao Yao, why don't you stay in Beijing a few more days?"

Xu Yao shook his head: "Sister Qianqian, I have a contract, I can't do what I want. Have you forgotten that I'm just a newly debuted talent show singer?"

Liu Yifei thought for a moment and came up with a good way to persuade them to stay, so she said, "I know you've been wanting to terminate your contract with the company lately. You don't want my money. But I have a friend named Zhang Liangying, who was the only Super Girl to successfully terminate her contract for zero yuan—zero yuan! Are you sure you don't want to meet her?"

Xu Yao immediately raised his glass: "Sister, meeting an old friend in a foreign land, two childhood sweethearts. I feel that nothing is more important than chatting with my childhood playmate, Sister Qianqian. I'll drink this, you can drink as you like."

"you……"

Caught off guard, Liu Yifei burst into laughter again, her body trembling with mirth.

Hmm... a little trembling... Xu Yao looked at it calmly, but Liu Yifei's next sentence completely stunned Xu Yao.

"Xu Yao, your mention of childhood playmates brings back memories of the East Lake. How about you call me 'Mom' so I can relive my childhood?"

How could Xu Yao let a woman control him?

Liu Yifei, no, not.

"Sis, calling me 'Mom' gets you a hundred million, WeChat or Alipay?"

Hahahahahaha...

Liu Yifei laughed so hard she almost choked, her body trembling violently like a hurricane, unable to stop shaking.

Xu Yao sighed, quietly observing and waiting, recalling a children's song from his childhood: ABCDEF...

(P.S.: For each potential female lead, I will do my best to devise the plot and interaction between her and the male lead during their first encounter. After writing about Liu Yifei, the next one to appear will be Ju Jingyi. Please look forward to it.)