Huayu Chef

023 Food Connoisseur

In the warm spring of March, the scenery is just right.

Today the weather is sunny and bright. The winding river flows quietly, and the surface of the river sparkles in the widest places. Willows sway on both banks, and thousands of willow branches sprout in spring, creating a vibrant scene of life and everything thriving.

It was early, and there weren't many pedestrians along the river. Zhang Jinxuan, Huang Mengying, and Zhuangzhuang got out of the car with their cameras and baskets and randomly found a spot to film the opening scene.

According to the shooting script, Zhang Jinxuan appeared on camera first, said a few words, then invited food critic Huang Mengying to appear. The two then joked around and happily picked willow catkins together.

After adjusting the microphone, Zhang Jinxuan saw Zhuangzhuang give an OK sign, indicating that Huang Mengying should temporarily step out of the camera's view.

He waved to the camera and smiled, "Hello everyone, I am Zhang Jinxuan, the head chef of Wild Kitchen, and an actor who is both beautiful and talented."

"It's been a week since the last episode of 'Wild Kitchen' aired online. Do you know how I've been doing this past week?"

"Time flies, and that doesn't even begin to describe how long it feels. I miss you all so much!"

This remark successfully tickled Huang Mengying and Zhuangzhuang's funny bone, and the two laughed heartily. Senior brother is indeed talented.

"Do you all miss me? If you don't say anything, it means you do, and I'm very happy about that. I especially love this harmonious atmosphere where everyone is actively engaging with each other. When I'm happy, I can't help but want to bring you new surprises."

"This episode of 'Wild Kitchen' has made a slight change, adding a guest food taster. Who is she?"

"Please welcome our food critic, Huang Mengying, to the stage."

Huang Mengying walked over with light steps and appeared in the camera's view, greeting Zhang Jinxuan generously: "Hello, Senior Brother Zhang Jinxuan."

"Wow, our food critic is so beautiful! She's like a goddess descending to earth! Aren't you all surprised? Huang Mengying, please say hello to our audience."

"Hello everyone, I am Huang Mengying, a student of the 09 undergraduate class of the Performance Department of Beijing Film Academy, and also an actress. I am very happy to be a food taster on 'Wild Kitchen' and I am looking forward to cooking delicious food with my senior brother."

Representative works and a detailed resume will be added later, making the filming process simpler.

Zhang Jinxuan teased, "Junior sister is looking forward to eating, isn't she?"

Huang Mengying chuckled and said, "Senior brother, it's good that you know, don't expose me."

"I understand, life is tough, but you can't come to 'Wild Kitchen' without eating. Where is Mengying from?"

I am from Chengdu, Sichuan.

"As we all know, Sichuan is a culinary oasis in my country, and Sichuan cuisine is one of the eight major cuisines of my country. You can find Sichuan restaurants all over the country. Mengying, do you believe me? I can guess which Sichuan dish you like without even trying!"

"Really? I don't believe it. I love so many Sichuan dishes."

"You must like hot pot."

Huang Mengying covered her mouth and laughed, "You guessed it right, senior brother. I really like hot pot. I go out to eat it with friends every now and then, and I eat it every time I go back to Chengdu."

"There are many hot pot lovers like Mengying now. I guessed it by chance. It's hard to guess the other dishes. Mengying, tell us about them."

"Okay, I also like to eat braised pork intestines and blood curd, braised vegetables, boneless meat, tofu pudding, maocai (a type of Sichuan hot pot), skewers, shredded pork with garlic sauce, twice-cooked pork, mapo tofu, spicy chicken, pickled fish, boiled fish, maoxuewang (a Sichuan hot pot dish), and sliced ​​beef and tripe in chili sauce... The taste is absolutely amazing."

She also showed off her acting skills, reciting nearly thirty Sichuan dishes in a row, with clear pronunciation and a smooth delivery, which was quite impressive.

Zhang Jinxuan stared at Huang Mengying in disbelief, then suddenly remarked, "Mengying, I've noticed we're quite alike."

Huang Mengying, the straight man, chimed in: "How is it similar?"

"We could easily make a living based on our looks, but we choose to rely on our talent."

"Haha." Huang Mengying laughed so hard she almost fell over, not forgetting to stab Zhang Jinxuan in the back: "Senior brother, we're not like that, I'm not as narcissistic as you."

"Mengying, it's not right for me to put you in my pocket and then kick me into a ditch, is it?"

"Ha ha."

Huang Mengying laughed so hard she was shaking, waving her hands repeatedly and saying, "I can't take it anymore, senior brother, you're too funny, let me catch my breath before we start filming again."

"It's okay, keep laughing, we can just cut it out later."

This girl has a low threshold for laughter, so Zhang Jinxuan stopped making jokes and said seriously, "I just said that Mengying could make a living based on her looks, but she insists on relying on her talent. It's because of the part where she recited the names of the dishes. Hey, her pronunciation was clear and accurate, her enunciation was precise, and she finished it in one breath. Her breath control was strong, and it resonated with the audience. Her acting skills are very strong."

"When we study acting, voice, stage presence, physical expression, and performance are the basic skills. Voice refers to vocal music, stage presence refers to dialogue, physical presence refers to physical form, and performance refers to acting. Good dialogue can be seen through breathing, pronunciation, pauses, rhythm, as well as facial expressions and movements."

As he spoke, Zhang Jinxuan gave a thumbs up and praised, "Mengying, you do have real talent."

Huang Mengying had just calmed down when she couldn't help but burst into laughter again.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I really couldn't help it."

Zhang Jinxuan praised, "You did a great job. You were generous and cheerful, and you handled a few parts particularly well. You have a real talent for hosting."

Huang Mengying took out a tissue and carefully wiped the corner of her eye, saying, "Actually, I wanted to apply for broadcasting and hosting in college. I came to Beijing for half a month during the summer vacation to study hosting. I really like it, and I passed the entrance exams for the broadcasting and hosting majors of the five media universities I applied to."

"Wow, how did you get into the Beijing Film Academy?"

"After careful consideration, I felt that studying acting might be more suitable for me, so I applied to the Beijing Film Academy."

"Got it, being talented means you can be willful."

"Ouch." Huang Mengying lightly hit Zhang Jinxuan and said coquettishly, "Senior brother, don't keep making me laugh."

Zhang Jinxuan said helplessly, "Mengying, your threshold for laughter is a bit too low."

"Am I easily amused? No, Zhuangzhuang is laughing too."

That's a motherly smile.

Zhuangzhuang grinned and couldn't help but tease, "You two seem to be having a lot of fun. How about you consider developing a relationship?"

Huang Mengying smiled shyly without saying a word, while Zhang Jinxuan pointed at Zhuangzhuang from afar, implying, "Focus on filming your video, don't try to play matchmaker, I'm not a good person."

While the moral standards and emotional boundaries of people in the entertainment industry differ greatly from those of ordinary people, it's not like just any female star can be seduced. Huang Mengying comes from an extraordinary family background, so it's best to make some things clear beforehand to avoid getting into trouble.

Zhuangzhuang, with a good sense of propriety, said seriously, "Stop for a moment, or continue filming?"

Huang Mengying's smile faded, and she nodded, saying, "I can take the photos now."

Following Zhang Jinxuan's words, Huang Mengying also praised his acting skills.

Zhang Jinxuan waved his hand, gesturing: "Mengying, let's stop with this mutual flattery and get down to business. Let's get to today's topic."

"Senior, what dishes are we making today?"

"In each episode of 'Wild Kitchen,' we have to personally gather the ingredients. Mengying, look around, which plant by the river do you think could be used for cooking?"

Huang Mengying shook her head and said, "My cooking skills are terrible, I can't guess."

"Here's a hint: what's the tallest thing along the river?"

"Streetlights."

Zhang Jinxuan: "..."