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

G.E.M. took the menu, flipped it open, and her eyes widened instantly.

The numbers on the menu made her wonder if she had added an extra zero.

"Teacher Xiao... this..."

Xiao Chen raised an eyebrow.

"You don't like the taste?"

She stammered, her face turning red.

"No, no, no! It's too... too expensive!"

Xiao Chen smiled.

"Don't worry, I can afford to treat you to a meal."

After he finished speaking, he looked at Ling Hua and Zeng Yi.

"You guys are the same, order whatever you want to eat, it's a rare opportunity to come all this way."

"Aunt Hua, you order too."

You've been working yourself to exhaustion lately.

Wang Jinhua shook her head helplessly.

This child.

He's always been this generous to his own family.

Seeing that they still didn't dare to move, Xiao Chen simply took the menu and quickly ordered a few signature dishes.

Then say to the waiter/

"Serve these for now, and add more if needed."

He handled it so naturally, without the slightest hint of showing off.

They instantly closed the distance between them.

The food arrived quickly, and it was as exquisite as a work of art.

Xiao Chen picked up a knife and fork first, cut a piece of steak, and talked as he ate.

"I know you have many questions and concerns."

The three of them immediately stopped what they were doing, sat up straight, and looked like students listening to a teacher's lecture.

Xiao Chen gestured for them to continue.

"Don't be nervous, let's eat and chat."

"What is your goal in participating in this competition?"

Linghua answered first, her tone full of determination.

"Of course I want to go further and get a good ranking!"

Xiao Chen nodded, then looked at G.E.M. (Deng Ziqi).

"Um."

"And you?"

G.E.M. pursed her lips and spoke softly but clearly.

"I want more people to hear my songs."

Xiao Chen smiled.

"A very good goal."

He put down his knife and fork, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and glanced at the three people in turn.

"I make you a promise."

"As long as you can rely on your own strength to make it all the way to the finals."

"I'll write the songs you sing in the finals."

These words left them all stunned.

Xiao Chen is going to write songs for them?

Xiao Chen, the author of "Baby" who won a Grammy Award?

Xiao Chen, the one who wrote "Red Bean" for Faye Wong?!

This isn't just a surprise, it's a windfall!

It's even studded with diamonds!

Zeng Yi's voice was trembling.

"Teacher Xiao, are you... are you telling the truth?"

Xiao Chen's tone was very calm.

"I never joke."

"But the prerequisite is that you have to be able to make it to the finals."

"My team doesn't want trash."

One second it's gentle encouragement, the next it turns into a stern demand.

This huge contrast did not put pressure on them; on the contrary, it aroused their boundless fighting spirit!

The three of them were so moved that their eyes welled up with tears.

They understood that this was Xiao Chen's way of showing respect to them, these younger generation from the East.

To pave a road to the world.

Linghua was the first to stand up and bowed deeply with emotion.

"Teacher Xiao, don't worry!"

"We'd rather risk our lives than let you down!"

G.E.M. also stood up.

"Yes! We'll definitely make it to the finals!"

A meal that started off awkwardly turned into a thrilling experience at the end.

Xiao Chen didn't spout any grand theories, but he gave them the greatest confidence and motivation in the most direct way.

After the dinner ended, Xiao Chen didn't linger for a moment.

Wang Jinhua had already arranged a private plane to wait at the airport.

He didn't even have time to say goodbye to Katie and the others before heading straight from the restaurant to the airport and flying back to China overnight.

The crew of "A Little Reunion" is still waiting for him.

Playing Fang Yifan, a high school student going through a rebellious phase, is a unique experience for someone whose mental age is already mature.

But for actor Xiao Chen, this is just another role that requires his full dedication.

Meanwhile, the pre-production work for Avatar was tedious and complicated.

He had to personally oversee every single detail.

Time flies by in this constant back-and-forth between two points.

One week later.

When Xiao Chen returned to Los Angeles to prepare for the recording of the second season of "The Voice of China".

The domestic entertainment industry has been thrown into turmoil by the premiere of a single drama series.

CCTV-1, prime time.

The spy drama "Lurking," which had been shelved for a long time and whose broadcast was repeatedly delayed due to censorship issues, has finally unveiled its mysterious veil.

Initially, not many people paid attention.

After all, the market is now flooded with all sorts of idol dramas and period dramas.

The spy genre seems somewhat out of place.

However, the first episode aired for less than half an hour.

Young people who were glued to the TV because of their elders, and viewers who were just casually changing channels, were all captivated.

A suspenseful plot, flawless logic, and textbook-worthy acting from veteran actors…

The quality of this show is shockingly high!

"Holy crap! This show is amazing! It's a hundred times better than those brainless idol dramas!"

"Yu Zecheng's acting is phenomenal! That look in his eyes is absolutely amazing!"

"The plot is amazing! It's high-energy from start to finish; I was too scared to even breathe!"

Online discussions about "Lurking" have begun to rise exponentially.

More and more people are being drawn into this trap by Amway.

The ratings soared, breaking CCTV's premiere record for the past three years!

exploded!

A spy drama series became an absolute sensation without any warning!

Just as the entire internet was buzzing about the plot and the actors' performances, a question gradually surfaced in the minds of all Xiao Chen's fans.

"Wait a minute, where's my Chen-ge? Wasn't it officially announced before that Xiao Chen is the lead actor in this drama?"

"Yeah! Where is he? I watched the whole thing, and I didn't see a single extra who looked like him!"

"Was it cut? I heard this show was under review for a long time, could it be that Xiao Chen's scenes were...?"

"Impossible! What's Xiao Chen's status now? Who would dare cut his scenes?"

Fans got anxious and flocked to Shiba Culture's official Weibo account to leave messages asking questions.

Passersby also became curious.

Yes, where is Xiao Chen?

With a face so handsome that you could recognize him even if he turned to ashes, how could he just disappear into thin air in a drama?

Just as various speculations were rampant, the first episode finished airing.

As the end credits roll, the cast list slowly scrolls by.

When the words "Yu Zecheng... actor: Xiao Chen" appeared on the screen.

The entire internet in the Dragon Kingdom seemed to have been muted.

one second.

two seconds.

three seconds.

Then, it exploded completely!

Holy crap!!!

"I'm blind! Yu Zecheng is played by Xiao Chen?!"

"Yu Zecheng, who looks at least forty years old, is Xiao Chen?!"

"This is a lie! This is absolutely a lie! What does that face have to do with Xiao Chen's face at all?!"

"My God! I really didn't recognize him! I swear! I'm a longtime fan who's watched Xiao Chen's dramas for ten years, and I still didn't recognize him!"

"This isn't acting anymore, this is disguise! This is a head transplant!"

"What kind of monster is this?!"

The hashtag #XiaoChenInfiltrating# swept across the trending topics lists of major social media platforms with unprecedented speed!

People were horrified by his terrifying ability to completely abandon himself and merge with the character when he played Yu Zecheng.

The most terrifying actor is one who can make the audience forget their face.

And Xiao Chen did it.

The uproar online continues to escalate.

The person who started all of this was sitting in the judges' seat of "The Voice of China," leisurely watching a new batch of contestants take the stage.