Chapter 31: "A Genius of Performance"

“Hello there, little Ran?” Zhang Xiaofeng still found it hard to believe that the man standing before her was actually three years younger than herself.

In Zhang Xiaofeng’s mind, Zhou Ran had always been the image of a cool, aloof idol. On the show “Who Is the King of Singers,” Zhou Ran barely spoke, which led her to assume he simply didn’t like talking. In reality, the other contestants on the show often chatted about things Zhou Ran didn’t quite understand, so he naturally didn’t join their conversations.

But meeting Zhou Ran today shattered that image of the distant, high-and-mighty idol she’d built up in her mind. Instead, a new impression formed: a genius singer, the sweet boy next door.

Although, at first, Zhang Xiaofeng found the idea rather absurd, thinking it over made it all the more exciting and fun. After all, who wouldn’t like their favorite idol to be their younger brother?

“Hello! Little Ran, little Ran!” Zhang Xiaofeng called out several times in a row, making Zhou Ran blush with embarrassment.

“Oh, come on now! Let’s eat quickly, or the dishes will get cold,” the chef, Mr. Huang, chimed in.

“Ran, don’t you love sweet and sour pork? Hurry and eat while it’s still hot! It won’t taste good if it cools down, and you’d better not leave any leftovers,” Chef Huang reminded them.

“Alright, I got it!” Zhou Ran, hearing Chef Huang’s words, stopped bantering with Zhang Xiaofeng for the moment.

He turned his attention to the meal, eating with focus. As he ate, he didn’t forget to praise Chef Huang’s cooking. “Mmm, Teacher Huang, your sweet and sour pork is delicious!”

“Hahaha, if you like it, eat more!” Chef Huang watched Zhou Ran eat with a smile.

The way Zhou Ran ate was so appetizing that it made Chef Huang hungry too. Chef Huang thought, if Zhou Ran ever stopped singing, and started streaming as a food blogger, he’d do well—he’d make good money, and people would love to watch him eat.

After all, Zhou Ran’s eating was pleasant to watch; it made others’ mouths water.

Later, when it came time to clear up and wash dishes, Zhou Ran volunteered right away. He hadn’t helped much during cooking and had even accidentally turned the tomato scrambled eggs into tomato egg soup. Feeling a little embarrassed, he decided to make up for it by helping clean up.

…

“Ah, that was such a satisfying meal!” After eating and tidying up, the four of them headed to the porch to sit and digest for a while.

“Ran! Have you ever thought about acting in a movie?” Chef Huang brought up the idea as they chatted outside, curious about Zhou Ran’s thoughts.

“Ah? Have I ever thought about making a movie?” Zhou Ran was caught off guard by the question.

He had, in fact, dreamed of being in movies. Who hadn’t imagined themselves as a white-robed hero on the silver screen? Films could make that fantasy come true. Before crossing over into this world, Zhou Ran had been a movie buff, always watching films to cleanse his spirit.

But he had no professional training at all. He didn’t want to be like some pretty-boy celebrities, lacking in skill yet starring in bad movies just to milk fans for money. So, even though many companies had offered him high pay to make films, Zhou Ran had politely declined every invitation.

This conflict weighed heavily on his mind.

After sorting out his thoughts, Zhou Ran replied to Chef Huang, “I’ve thought about it, but so far, no good scripts have come my way! Besides, I’ve got no acting skills yet, so although I do plan to try someday, it’ll have to wait a while.”

“Hmm, that’s a good attitude,” Chef Huang said with satisfaction. It was exactly the same as his own thinking back in the day. As a former heartthrob himself, Chef Huang had turned down plenty of film offers, always insisting on quality, never just cashing in.

“Then you should really learn from your big sister Xiaofeng!” Teacher He, who was sipping tea nearby, pointed to Zhang Xiaofeng, who was lost in thought beside them.

“Huh? How did this become about me?” Zhang Xiaofeng, unexpectedly mentioned, was a little stunned.

Though she sometimes seemed a bit absent-minded, Zhang Xiaofeng was a true prodigy in acting. Her debut film had been an instant hit, earning her the Best Newcomer award at the Huaguo Film Festival.

That award was highly prestigious—many Best Actor winners had never received it.

Directors who had worked with her all praised her talent, saying she could memorize scripts in one go and always grasped the director’s desired mood perfectly.

And she remained humble. Whenever praised for her talent, she’d insist it was just hard work, nothing more than diligence making up for any shortcomings.

“My, is she really that amazing?” Zhou Ran was genuinely surprised—he’d never realized this before. Now, he saw Zhang Xiaofeng in a whole new light. “Sister Zifeng, you have to teach me your skills!”

“Oh, that’s easy! Leave it to me—I’ll take care of you,” Zhang Xiaofeng patted her chest, seizing the rare chance to show off in front of her idol.

The other three burst out laughing at her performance.

“Alright, alright, stop laughing! I was just saying, maybe exaggerating a little!” Zhang Xiaofeng protested, embarrassed by their laughter.

Time slipped quietly by amid the group’s merriment. Soon, it was well past ten at night. One by one, they returned to their rooms to rest or busy themselves with their own activities.

Zhou Ran’s usual routine was to sleep at midnight, but tonight, he couldn’t fall asleep at that hour.

At eleven, after getting ready for bed, Zhou Ran was about to lie down when he suddenly heard a knock at the door.

“Who is it? Hold on a moment,” Zhou Ran called out, quickly slipping on his shoes to open the door.

“Oh! Teacher Huang, what brings you here so late?” Zhou Ran asked, seeing Chef Huang outside.