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

He changed the subject abruptly, winking and making faces.

"Since you're an international superstar, I'll give you a 20% discount... no, I mean, you can take the photo for free!"

"Take any picture you like! Just make me look handsome!"

Filming begins.

Boss Li instantly stopped joking and his expression became extremely focused.

Kneading the dough, preparing the filling, rolling out the wrappers... every step is done meticulously.

Xiao Chen's camera closely followed his hands.

Those hands moved swiftly across the dough, as if they were alive.

The most amazing thing is making steamed buns.

I watched as Boss Li held the dough in his left hand and quickly pinched out exactly eighteen pleats with his right, each one perfectly even and beautiful, like a white chrysanthemum bud about to bloom.

While kneading the dough, Boss Li also made sure to interact with the camera.

"See that?"

"These pleats, not one less, not one more, that's the rule!"

After taking photos of the steamed bun shop, it was getting late.

Xiao Chen then moved on to that small pancake stall.

The stall owner was a woman in her forties, quick and efficient, with a cheerful personality.

Upon learning that Xiao Chen was going to film her, the older sister was overjoyed, practically dancing around with the shovel in her hand.

"Hey! A big star's here to eat our pancakes!"

"Today, I must make you a pancake with a dragon and phoenix design!"

She scooped a spoonful of mung bean paste, poured it onto the scalding hot iron plate, and gently turned it with a small wooden spatula, instantly forming a thin and even round pancake.

Crack an egg on top, spread it out quickly, and sprinkle with chopped green onions and cilantro.

Once the egg mixture has solidified, quickly flip the pancake over and brush it with the secret-recipe sweet bean sauce, fermented bean curd, and bright red chili sauce.

The most crucial step has arrived.

The older sister picked up two freshly fried, golden-brown, and crispy fried dough sticks, placed them in the center of the pancake, wrapped them with the pancake skin, and then folded them in half.

The entire sequence of movements was completed in just over a minute.

"Everything's ready!"

The older sister packed the steaming hot pancakes into a paper bag and handed them to Xiao Chen.

Xiao Chen did not answer immediately, but instead signaled the photographer to continue.

What he wanted was not just the production process, but also the everyday life and warmth of these stalls and alleyways.

He patted the sweat on the older sister's forehead, the expectant expressions on the faces of the diners waiting in line, and the bustling street scene around them.

Only after he had filmed all the footage did he take the pancake and take a big bite.

The soft and chewy dough, the savory aroma of eggs, the salty and sweet sauce, and the crispy pastry—all these flavors intertwine and explode in your mouth.

"tasty."

Xiao Chen sincerely praised.

The two simple words made the older woman beam with joy, even happier than if she had received a hundred yuan.

After spending nearly a week traveling between Beijing and Tianjin and shooting a massive amount of footage, Xiao Chen finally dragged his exhausted body back to his courtyard house.

Although it was just filming snacks in two cities, he did everything himself.

From selecting materials and communicating with others to personally directing the film, the effort required is no less than that of making a movie.

He sat in front of the computer and quickly reviewed the footage he had shot.

The food in the photos looks incredibly appealing and is full of life.

The ordinary people captured on camera—Grandpa Zhang's simplicity, the humor of Boss Li and his son, and the cheerfulness of the pancake vendor—are all vivid and authentic.

He is satisfied.

He packed up all the hard drives and called Wang Jinhua over.

"Aunt Hua, everything is here."

Wang Jinhua felt a pang of heartache looking at the faint dark circles under his eyes.

"Is it really necessary to work this hard for a final assignment?"

Xiao Chen handed her a hard drive.

"If you're going to do something, do it to the best of your ability."

"Find the best editors and voice actors in China; I want that CCTV documentary feel."

Wang Jinhua took the hard drive and nodded solemnly.

Don't worry.

She knew that the final assignment this kid was talking about, once released, would probably cause a stir in the industry.

After handing the materials over to Wang Jinhua, Xiao Chen was finally able to catch his breath.

But he didn't sit idle; he quickly packed his luggage and set off again.

Next stop: Yunnan, the filming location for the second episode of "Back to Field".

……

In Yunnan, the land of colorful clouds, the weather is mild and sunny.

The mushroom house, carefully selected by the production team, is located halfway up the mountain, backed by lush greenery and facing a field of golden rapeseed flowers.

A wooden fence encloses a small courtyard, in which several fruit trees whose names I do not know are planted.

Golden corn and strings of bright red chili peppers hang under the eaves, creating a peaceful and idyllic pastoral scene.

As Xiao Chen dragged his suitcase along the pebbled path, he saw Leslie Cheung dressed in casual cotton and linen clothing.

Sitting on a small stool under the eaves, holding a palm-leaf fan, he slowly fanned himself.

Mei Yanfang stood nearby, carefully watering the newly planted flowers in the corner of the yard.

The two heard the sound of wheels turning and looked up at the same time.

Under the sunlight, the boy wore a simple casual suit, his figure was tall and slender, and his hair was slightly messy in the breeze.

Yet it did not diminish the exquisite handsomeness of his face in the slightest.

A faint smile played on his lips, and his eyes shone like stars, as if they had gathered the brightest light in the mountains.

In that instant, even the air seemed to become a little fresher.

"Brother, Sister Mei, I'm back."

Xiao Chen's voice was clear and melodious, with a slight hoarseness from his journey, yet it was exceptionally pleasant to listen to.

Leslie Cheung's smile widened instantly, and he stopped fanning himself with his palm-leaf fan, standing up to greet her.

He affectionately punched Xiao Chen's shoulder.

"You little rascal, you've finally arrived!"

"I even told Amei that if you didn't come soon, the two of us would finish all the work in the yard."

Mei Yanfang also put down the kettle and came over, her eyes full of doting affection.

She reached out and helped him tidy up his hair that had been blown about by the wind.

"Look at you, you look so travel-worn. Come in and rest."

"Ah Hua is really something, she didn't even say she'd bring you over."

Xiao Chen made a joke and casually took the water bottle from Mei Yanfang's hand.

"Aunt Hua is busy counting money for me, she doesn't have time to worry about me."

"Let me do it, Sister Mei, you rest."

This feeling is wonderful.

To the outside world, they are superstars who are the focus of everyone's attention, and legends in the Chinese music and film industry.

But in this small courtyard, they shed their glamorous aura.

Like older siblings in an ordinary family, waiting for their younger brother to come home late.

The last time they recorded the show, it deeply moved Leslie Cheung and Anita Mui.

That kind of life—working at sunrise and resting at sunset, farming and cooking with their own hands—brought them a long-lost peace and sense of security.

Although they had to do farm work, they also had to outwit the production team to find ingredients for a meal.

But that sense of relaxation that comes from within is something no luxury vacation can match.

Therefore, when the notification for the second recording came, the two of them almost immediately canceled all their other plans.

They rushed over immediately.

They truly fell in love with this place.

Behind the monitor, the director looked at the three people on the screen, seemingly enjoying themselves, but felt a throbbing pain in his temples.

Especially when his gaze fell on Xiao Chen's excessively handsome face, all sorts of nightmares from the last recording instantly flooded his mind.