Starlet Taotie Chapter 28 (Part 1)
Chapter 28.1 Only One Who Got Hurt
Shen Zhiyan’s agent was Du Chong. He had been with Shen Zhiyan since his debut and was a top-tier agent in the industry.
A while ago, he got married, so Shen Zhiyan gave him a month off.
But when Du Chong returned from his vacation, he discovered that the entire world seemed to have changed.
He sat dazedly in the passenger seat.
Out of the corner of his eye, he stole a glance at Shen Zhiyan.
Although Shen Zhiyan did not say anything and his expression looked no different from usual, Du Chong knew him well enough to tell that he was in an exceptionally good mood.
That happiness radiating from the inside out was enough to make Du Chong’s heart tremble with unease.
Moreover, Shen Zhiyan was professional, but he was not so professional that he would come this early for nothing more than a cameo role. Judging by the way things looked, he was practically planning to live on set.
Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.
Du Chong silently recited one of Sherlock Holmes’s famous sayings to himself.
Shen Zhiyan had probably fallen in love.
There was no mistaking it.
Du Chong screamed silently in his heart for a good while before cautiously observing Jiang Tao through the rearview mirror.
She looked quite young, probably only in her twenties.
She was very beautiful, but more importantly, there was something special about her.
Du Chong could not find the right words to describe it yet.
She was just a little cold in manner.
They had been in the car for quite a while, yet she had not even tried to chat with Shen Zhiyan.
Could it be… that this was still just Shen Zhiyan pouring all his enthusiasm into a one-sided pursuit?
Du Chong was even more shocked by this revelation.
He looked back and forth and decided that his artist was, hm… just a bit more handsome, just a shade more skilled, just a little more well-off… and really, not much else.
The most important issue was their age difference.
Shen Zhiyan had just turned thirty. Sure, there was the saying that a man was in his prime at thirty, but compared to this young woman, he was definitely an old cow eating tender grass.
(TLN: 老牛吃嫩 is a centuries-old Chinese idiom for an older man dating/marrying a much younger woman. It started as farm talk, became a folk saying, and is now a popular internet joke. While often used lightly, it also stirs real social discussion about age, love, and modern relationships.)
Du Chong worried about it the entire journey.
By the time they got out of the car, he felt as though he had aged ten years.
The place Shen Zhiyan had brought them to this time was a hotpot restaurant.
He had already reserved a private room. Once the four of them were seated, a server came over to take their order.
However, Shen Zhiyan did not even look at the menu. He simply smiled and said, “Bring us all of your specialty dishes.”
His gaze fell on Jiang Tao, and he added, “Eight servings worth.”
The server: ?
“Sir, are you expecting more friends to join you?”
Shen Zhiyan shook his head. “No.”
The server tactfully suggested, “Sir, our portions are quite generous.”
Shen Zhiyan said, “I know. That’s exactly why I chose this place.”
The server: “???”
After sending the server away, they finally took off their masks and hats.
Du Chong was both touched and helpless as he said to Shen Zhiyan, “You think way too highly of my appetite. How are we supposed to finish eight servings?”
He did have a fairly large appetite. Otherwise, he would not have developed his broad, well-fed build. But even he usually ate no more than two servings.
Still, he appreciated the thought Shen Zhiyan had put into it.
Who knew Shen Zhiyan would glance at him. “It wasn’t ordered for you.”
Du Chong: “???”
He followed Shen Zhiyan’s gaze.
Good grief! How had he never realized before that Shen Zhiyan was such a guy who valued romance over friendship?!
While they waited for the food to arrive, everyone remained somewhat silent.
Du Chong complained inwardly about Shen Zhiyan.
You’ve played so many romantic leads, yet at a time like this, you don’t even know how to take the initiative and chat with a girl. No wonder you’re still single!
At the same time, his motherly instincts kicked in.
I guess I’ll just have to step in and help!
So he put on the amiable smile he usually used to sweet-talk producers and advertisers and asked, “Xiao Jiang, can I call you that?”
Jiang Tao had actually been secretly sizing up Du Chong as well.
Tong Tong had a small appetite, and although Shen Zhiyan competed with her for food, he did not actually eat much either.
Only Du Chong looked like he could eat a lot just from looking at him. She had to be on guard.
Du Chong was still wearing his harmless, friendly smile.
Over the years, countless producers and advertisers had suffered losses at his hands. He refused to believe he could not even handle a young girl.
He would probe around a little, figure out what kind of man the girl liked, and give Shen Zhiyan some pointers.
However, no matter how he tried to question her, Jiang Tao remained as tight-lipped as a clam.
Du Chong had no chance to show off his skills.
He never imagined that he would meet his waterloo in a place like this.
Just then, the servers began bringing out the dishes.
Dignity saved.
Du Chong breathed a sigh of relief. People tended to relax more while eating, making it the perfect opportunity to coax some information out of her.
He refused to believe it.
He could handle those sly old producers and advertisers. How could he possibly fail to handle Jiang Tao?!
Completely absorbed in his own world, he failed to notice that the other three people had already picked up their chopsticks, their eyes fixed on the food on the table.
Tong Tong had originally been so excited about having a meal with Best Actor Shen that she did not know what to do with her hands and feet, and her heart was beating so fast it was practically going to burst.
However, the moment she saw her jie pick up her chopsticks, she immediately calmed down.
She had eaten with Jiang Tao before. There had once been a table piled high with food, yet Tong Tong could only enjoy its presentation. After a long, desperate fight, she had only managed to secure a single strip of pickled vegetable. Her meal that day was that single pickled veggie with a bowl of plain rice.
It was a painful memory.
No matter how amazing a Best Actor was, in front of a plate of beef tripe, he was nothing!
The crisp, springy beef tripe bobbed up and down in the piping-hot, spicy hotpot, cooked just right while still retaining its crunchy texture. Then it was dipped into a sesame oil sauce before going straight into the mouth. All kinds of flavors burst forth alongside the crisp beef tripe. After just a few quick chews, it slid down the throat, so satisfying it nearly sent the top of one’s head flying.
However, just as Jiang Tao picked up a mouthful of beef tripe with her chopsticks, another pair of chopsticks followed right behind.
With a swift swish, they snatched away all the remaining beef tripe, leaving behind nothing but the ice underneath.
Jiang Tao: “!!!”
Her angry eyes widened wide.
However, Shen Zhiyan, the culprit himself, merely gave her an innocent smile before reaching for a plate of sliced lamb.
Whatever Jiang Tao picked up, he followed suit.
Du Chong was utterly stunned.
Was this childish elementary-schooler of a man really Shen Zhiyan?!
The whole ‘I like you, so I’ll bully you and steal your things’ routine was something even his six-year-old nephew had already outgrown!!
If this guy could actually manage to win a girl over, Du Chong would wash his hair upside-down!
But soon, something even more shocking happened.
Shen Zhiyan was actually eating on his own initiative!
Du Chong had been with Shen Zhiyan for many years, so he knew exactly how severe his eating disorder was. They had seen doctors from all over the country and even abroad, yet not a single one had been able to find anything wrong.
For Shen Zhiyan, eating was as painful as being put through torture.
Every time, he would only eat enough to meet his body's basic needs, then refuse to touch another bite.
Other agents worried about their artists eating too much and being unable to lose weight. He was the exception, always worrying that his artist might one day starve himself to death.
Seeing Shen Zhiyan eating with such relish, Du Chong was so moved he nearly burst into tears.
Then, a sudden flash of inspiration struck him.
Could it be that Shen Zhiyan had invited this young woman out to eat not because he wanted to pursue her, but to treat his eating disorder?!
That would explain why he had shown up at the production set right on schedule and seemed intent on practically moving in!
Everything made sense now!
Du Chong let out a long sigh of relief.
He knew it. Shen Zhiyan wouldn’t be that much of a jerk.
