Starlet Taotie Chapter 1
TL Note: Hi yalls! Surprise! Even I didn’t think I would pick up another novel so soon, but here we are~! This is my newest project, commissioned by Jay! I’m actually super honored as it's my first ever commission, truly. Everyone, please thank Jay for their generosity!
That said, since you are here reading my blurb, I’m sure you’re anxiously eager to delve in. Well, before doing that, I want to first clarify some terms so you can fully enjoy the novel (for old readers, you know how much I love to clarify and explain things lel).
As you noted from the title and synopsis, our mc is a taotie. ‘What’s that?’ You may ask, well…a 饕餮 (tāotiè) is a mythical beast from the ‘Classic of Mountains and Seas’. It’s one of the ‘Four Perils (四凶)’ and symbolizes extreme greed and gluttony. This creature is described as having a sheep’s body, a human face, eyes under its armpits, tiger fangs, and human-like claws. Yes, they also eat humans. Here’s some pictures to help with visualization:
As always, I’ll try not to add too many in-text notes, but if I do, I’ll keep the length to the minimum. I’ve seen enough people complaining about it on Chang’an Small Restaurant…sobs… I’ll continue to include footnotes, but only for terms most have seen in other novels, those will be expanded at the end of each chapter. Yep. Ok, I think I’ve taken enough of yall’s time. You can go read now, hehe, enjoy!
Chapter 1 Insatiable Appetite
“Isn’t it just accompanying someone for drinks and a meal?”
“Why act all chaste and virtuous, like it’s the end of the world…”
“You should feel honored that Young Master Lu has taken a liking to you!”
Jiang Tao stirred awake in a daze, only feeling an overwhelming clamor by her ears, as if a hundred guanguan birds were shrieking at once.
(TLN: Guanguan (灌灌) is a mythical bird recorded in the ‘Classic of Mountains and Seas’. It resembles a turtledove in appearance, but its cry sounds like a human shouting or scolding.)
She furrowed her brows tightly. “Shut up! Make another sound and I’ll eat every last one of you!”
The surroundings fell silent in an instant.
Jiang Tao slowly opened her eyes, only to find herself in a completely unfamiliar place.
Could it be that she had broken out of the place she was sealed in?
She had originally been a taotie, sealed away ten thousand years ago and watched over by a minor immortal. Not long ago, that immortal had grown careless, allowing a sliver of her divine consciousness to slip free.
At that moment, a flood of memories that did not belong to her surged into her mind.
This was a feel-good, mary sue entertainment industry novel, and she had transmigrated into the body of a minor antagonist who shared her exact name.
The original host was pure and sweet in appearance. From her debut, she had been hailed as the ‘nation’s first love’, with a brilliant future ahead of her. Yet for some reason, she insisted on going against the no-name, D-list heroine Su Yingxue, suffering repeated losses but continuing her futile resistance.
In the end, she single-handedly pushed the female lead to stardom, while she herself became mired in scandals. Her endorsements were terminated one after another, and even her secured roles were handed off to others.
Seeing that she had lost all value, her manager deceived her into attending drinking engagements.
After being plied with alcohol, she not only lost her chastity but was also secretly photographed by paparazzi, the images spreading across the internet.
Ultimately, she fell into anguish and depression, and took her own life.
When Jiang Tao transmigrated in this body, the plot had already reached the point where the minor antagonist was being forced to accompany others for drinks. Just moments away from being secretly photographed by paparazzi outside, pushed onto trending searches, and condemned by the entire internet when—
Gurgle-gurgle—
A loud rumble shattered the silence.
So hungry.
Jiang Tao savored the long-lost sensation of hunger. Ever since she had been sealed, she had not eaten in ages. Now that she had finally escaped, she would eat her fill, no matter what.
She licked the edge of her teeth.
Her disheveled black hair spilled over her shoulders, voluminous and untamed. Long, thick lashes drooped slightly, veiling the indifferent glint in her eyes. Her lips were vividly red, full and glistening.
She exuded a dangerous charm that nonetheless held one’s gaze captive.
Her manager, Sun Jianxian, snapped back to his senses.
As if unable to believe it, the Jiang Tao who had always obeyed him without question was now daring to resist. “How dare you speak to me like that!?”
That, coincidentally, was exactly what Jiang Tao wanted to ask.
Most prey trembled at the mere sight of her. It was rare to encounter one as lively and animated as Sun Jianxian.
Sun Jianxian barked, “Jiang Tao! If you walk out today, do you think you’ll still be able to survive in this industry?!”
Jiang Tao asked curiously, “What happens if I don’t survive?”
Sun Jianxian choked on his words, then grew even more furious. “Jiang Tao! Stop playing tricks with me. Don’t forget, you’re still under contract. Whether you like it or not, you’re going today!”
Jiang Tao narrowed her eyes.
Completely unaware that danger was about to descend, Sun Jianxian kept rambling on. “I’m doing this for your own good, you know that?!”
“You’re fully aware of your current situation; there’s practically no chance of a comeback. Even if you terminate your contract, no one would dare take you, a hot potato.”
“The only one who can help you now is Young Master Lu. Follow him, and you’ll have resources and enjoy good food and drink, what’s not to like?”
Jiang Tao suddenly stopped, a spark of interest lighting up her expression. “Food?”
Sun Jianxian choked. Of everything he had just said, had she really only heard that one word?
But in order to coax her into going, he hurriedly played along. “That’s right! Young Master Lu invited you to Léaia Lagoon Hotel. He’s hired a top-tier French chef; every ingredient is air-flown in. As long as you behave and keep him happy, you’ll have anything you want!”
Jiang Tao immediately stood up. “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!”
She looked as eager as if she were heading to an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Sun Jianxian: “…?”
Although he had achieved his goal, something felt… off.
…
After delivering Jiang Tao to the venue, Sun Jianxian made an excuse and slipped away.
In the vast presidential suite, only Jiang Tao and Young Master Lu remained.
Young Master Lu looked decent enough on the surface, but that blatantly debauched expression of his was deeply off-putting.
He rubbed his hands together. “Miss Jiang, you look even more pleasing in person…”
Yet after all his compliments, Jiang Tao showed no reaction whatsoever.
Puzzled, Young Master Lu glanced over.
Jiang Tao irritably ordered, “I’m hungry. Hurry up and have the food brought in.”
Young Master Lu froze.
What an attitude… Who exactly was the sponsor here?!
But he quickly reassured himself.
Beautiful women were bound to be a little temperamental. That was normal.
Suppressing his displeasure, he said, “Please wait a moment, Miss Jiang. I’ve already placed the order, they’ll bring the dishes up shortly. Perhaps… we could enjoy some alcohol first?”
Jiang Tao had heard of alcohol before. It was said to be something humans brewed from food. Unfortunately, before she ever had the chance to try it, she had been sealed away.
Hearing his offer, her curiosity was immediately piqued.
Young Master Lu brought over two glasses of wine.
In the crystal glasses, the deep red liquid gleamed like gemstones, exuding an intoxicating aroma.
As he gazed at Jiang Tao’s delicate, porcelain-white features, his thoughts stirred, yet he maintained a pretense of solemnity. “I specially prepared this bottle of Chateau Lafite for you, Miss Jiang. A beauty as pure and elegant as you—”
Before he could finish Jiang Tao had already downed the entire glass in one go.
The red wine was smooth and rich; even after swallowing, a faint berry fragrance lingered on her lips and tongue.
The unsophisticated little taotie narrowed her eyes in bliss, then extended her empty glass forward. “Another.”
Young Master Lu: “?”
Seeing that he did not move, Jiang Tao simply took matters into her own hands. She grabbed the entire bottle and drank straight from it.
Young Master Lu was dumbstruck.
He had originally planned to get Jiang Tao drunk first, then coax her into bed.
But now, the very first step had already gone wrong.
Jiang Tao had already finished an entire bottle yet showed not the slightest sign of intoxication!!
Unwilling to accept such a result, he took out a bottle of high-proof vodka.
Jiang Tao accepted it and, once again, gulped it all down in one sitting. “Delicious! Another!”
Young Master Lu: “!!!”
He couldn’t risk letting Jiang Tao drink more. Otherwise, she might stay perfectly sober while demolishing his entire liquor collection.
Gritting his teeth, he persuaded her, “Drinking on an empty stomach is bad for you. Why don’t we eat something first?”
Under his relentless urging, the waiters finally wheeled in the dining food trolleys.
In order to flaunt his wealth, Young Master Lu had ordered only the hotel’s most extravagant signature dishes.
Juicy and tender Kobe steak rich with aroma, plump and briny caviar bursting with savory flavor, and soft, sweet avocado tarts… each dish was a top-tier delicacy in both appearance and taste.
Jiang Tao’s eyes went wide, completely transfixed.
Seeing her stare unblinkingly at the lavish spread, Young Master Lu let out a knowing scoff.
This trick never failed him—after all, women were just this materialistic and shallow.
He cleared his throat, a hint of smugness in his tone. “Miss Jiang, as long as you stay with me, I won’t treat you poorly. You can buy whatever you want. I can take you to Paris for fashion shows, to Australia for lobster, what do you think—”
Mid-sentence, he suddenly felt something was off and turned to look at Jiang Tao.
She had her mouth wide open, and with an “ah-woo,” swallowed the last avocado tart in a single bite.
In just that short span of time, Jiang Tao had already finished everything. Every dish, every garnish, not a single bite left behind.
What remained was a stack of exquisitely plated… empty dishes.
Young Master Lu: “!!!”
He looked at Jiang Tao’s impossibly slim 57cm waist in shock and disbelief.
Is this enormous appetite really something a female celebrity should f**king have?!
Did she have a black hole in her stomach? Where on earth had all that food gone?!
Jiang Tao licked her lips, still savoring the food. That had only been enough to take the edge off her hunger.
But aside from Young Master Lu, there was no more food in the room.
She hesitated.
After all, she had just eaten such high-quality, top-tier ingredients. Downgrading now felt like a serious grievance. She really didn’t want to compromise herself.
At that moment, Young Master Lu finally snapped.
Dropping all pretense of gentleness, he lunged at her with a ferocious expression. “Do you take me for a f**cking restaurant?! Dare to mess with me?! Once I get you on the bed—”
Bang!
A small, beautiful fist smashed directly into the bridge of his nose.
Young Master Lu’s head rang violently. He reached up, only to find both nostrils streaming with blood. Before he could even scream, his vision went black and he collapsed.
Jiang Tao shook her hand in disgust.
Deciding she wouldn’t deprive herself, she began wandering around the room.
Unexpectedly, she actually found a double door refrigerator.
It was fully stocked, so full it was almost overflowing. In the freezer, there was even an entire cured ham leg.
Jiang Tao’s eyes lit up instantly.
…
The elevator doors slid open.
Two men wearing baseball caps and sunglasses stepped out furtively, each carrying a camera.
They were paparazzi from Orange Daily.
Having received a tip that Jiang Tao had been kept by a wealthy sponsor, they had specially come to capture evidence.
The two checked the room number against the key card, then pressed their ears against the door.
But the inside was eerily quiet.
“Damn, the hotel’s soundproofing is way too good…” one of them complained, pulling out a stethoscope and pressing it against the door instead.
This time, there was sound—but not the kind of steamy, ambiguous noises they had been expecting.
Instead, there was only a dull, rhythmic bang-bang-bang.
The more they listened, the more wrong it felt.
“Doesn’t that sound like… a kitchen knife on a chopping board?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Who would be cooking right before hooking up with a sugar daddy? And the sound is too close, it doesn’t sound like it’s coming from a kitchen, does it?”
The two fell silent for a moment.
“…Do you smell something?”
“Y-yeah… I think I do…”
They both looked down.
A dark red liquid was slowly seeping out from beneath the door.
Thick. Sticky. Faintly nauseating.
Along with that steady, dull banging from inside the room, gruesome images of dismemberment and cannibalism began uncontrollably flooding their minds.
“…Don’t tell me… Jiang Tao snapped and killed her sugar daddy… and is dismembering him right now?”
“T–That’s not funny…”
They held their breath and waited.
Then, from inside the room, came more sounds:
Gulp! Gulp!
Crunch! Crunch!
Crack! Crack!
Every sound from inside the room was chilling in a way that made one’s imagination spiral out of control.
A piece of scandalous gossip had instantly turned into what felt like a crime scene investigation.
The two paparazzi couldn’t stay a second longer. They bolted into the emergency stairwell in a panic.
Under the faint green glow of the exit sign, they could clearly see the fear mirrored on each other’s faces.
“…Are we still filming?”
“L-let’s hide first and observe the situation.”
“Y-yeah… safety first. Safety first.”
Carefully, they leaned out again and stared at the door.
Not long after, Jiang Tao finally came out.
There were a few dark brown stains on the hem of her dress, and a suspicious red smear at the corner of her mouth.
She looked completely satisfied… and even let out a small burp.
She! She! Had she really dismembered the sugar daddy and eaten him?!
This time, both paparazzi were completely terrified out of their minds. Forget the scoop of a lifetime, they didn’t even think about news anymore.
They scrambled down the stairs in a panicked mess.
Meanwhile, Jiang Tao licked the ketchup residue from the corner of her mouth, still savoring the taste of the cured ham leg.
Delicious, just a bit too frozen.
Hard on the teeth.
And that bottle of deer blood…
She had accidentally knocked it over.
What a pity.
…
On the other side, the two paparazzi fled back to their car, huddling together and trembling uncontrollably.
Suddenly, their phones rang.
Both of them jumped in fright. Shaking, they opened the call and saw it was the person who had tipped them off about Jiang Tao.
The caller sounded urgent: “Did you get Jiang Tao’s scandal?”
The two paparazzi were still shaken to the core. Hearing this, their anger immediately flared. “Scandal my ass! Don’t ever contact us again for something this dangerous!!”
The caller: “???”
TL Note: Thank you again, Jay, for commissioning me!
Also, since there’s some supernatural elements in this story, I think it also wouldn’t hurt to brief y'alls of the ‘Classic of Mountains and Seas’. You can skip this if you want, but I have an inkling this classic will be referenced quite often in this novel:
The Shan Hai Jing (山海经; aka Classic of Mountains and Seas) is an ancient Chinese text compiled between the Warring States period and early Han Dynasty. It consists of 18 sections, including the Mountain Classic (山经), Sea Classic (海经), and Great Wilderness Classic (大荒经). It is often described as an early encyclopedia of myth and early Chinese knowledge and especially known for its 异兽 (otherworldly beasts), many of which have hybrid forms and supernatural traits tied to specific regions.
The text also includes accounts of gods, spirits, and ancient rituals, reflecting the rich tapestry of early Chinese mythology and folklore. I think the one most of you would recognize would be the nine-tailed fox. It gets referenced quite often in anime, dramas, and novels.
Anywhos, don’t wanna drag this tln for too long, so you can read more about this classic here - https://chiculture.org.hk/en/china-five-thousand-years/4443
