Chapter 82: More Please – Love and Stars
The cameraman was very perceptive. When he arrived with his equipment, he deliberately didn’t film the intimate scene, only starting to record when their actions could be interpreted as those of close friends.
After settling in, everyone started preparing dinner.
The guests gathered in a room, enjoying a hot pot, a winter essential.
This hot pot was different from the ones they were used to, it was called a “fire pot,” with firewood crackling underneath, the special iron pot steaming hot.
The soup base was made with locally grown vegetables, dried wild mushrooms and herbs collected from the mountains, the flavor rich and savory.
Dong Ling ladled a bowl of soup and drank it first, the warm and delicious broth flowing down her throat, warming her stomach, making her feel incredibly comfortable in the winter chill, she couldn’t help but give a thumbs-up.
“The texture of these wild vegetables is so unique.”
Dong Ling felt like she was eating fish roe-like vegetables, not in terms of taste, but texture, as if they would burst in her mouth.
“Really? Let me try.”
Tang Nuo also ladled a spoonful, and after eating it, nodded in agreement.
“It’s truly special, you guys should try it.”
Long Ji chewed thoughtfully and said: “I just asked the villagers, they said these wild vegetables grow between rocks, they originally have thorns, after being dried and boiled, the texture becomes very unique.”
The guests expressed their amazement, Wen Tianzi also scooped some up, but immediately regretted it when she picked it up with her chopsticks, because there wasn’t much left, and she had taken the last piece, Song Jie hadn’t even tried it yet.
“Xiao Tian, what’s wrong?”
Ran Lin, sitting next to Wen Tianzi, noticed her hesitation.
Wen Tianzi, seeing everyone looking at her, answered honestly: “Teacher Song hasn’t tried it yet, but there’s none left.”
Tang Nuo and Ran Lin exchanged glances, their hearts screaming “Disaster!”
They didn’t save any for the boss’s wife!
Tang Nuo, who had eaten two pieces, cried inwardly, her awareness still not good enough.
Seeing Wen Tianzi’s apologetic look, Dong Ling comforted her: “It’s okay, you can have it, I’ll share with her.”
Song Mingzhi swallowed the words “I’m not eating” and held her bowl, waiting for Dong Ling to share with her.
“This is your dipping sauce, it’s better to eat it plain, and I want something spicy, let’s switch.”
Dong Ling wanted to switch bowls with Song Mingzhi, but Song Mingzhi remained unmoved.
“You had a stomach ache just the other day, you can’t eat spicy food now.”
“Just a little bit.”
“No.”
Dong Ling pouted and gave up, putting some of the food from her bowl into Song Mingzhi’s.
The two Canghai Entertainment groups were used to this, Yun Jie smiled politely, Long Ji focused on eating silently, Wen Tianzi almost dropped her bowl.
Help, seriously, help! So the domineering canary and the adorable CEO trope was real!
The cameras were rolling! Could this really be broadcast?!
The production team also wondered, could this really be broadcast? But this was their big boss, CEO Dong, what could they do? They could only let them be.
After finishing the hot pot, everyone didn’t leave immediately, but continued sitting around the fire, enjoying the winter tranquility.
This program didn’t have a script, and no one knew what they were supposed to do, so they just chatted casually.
Yun Jie started the conversation, asking about interesting things that happened during filming, subtly promoting the movie “The Legend of Liang Jin’an,” which was scheduled for release during the Spring Festival.
Everyone was relaxed, trying their best to be entertaining, after Dong Ling and Song Mingzhi shared some anecdotes, Ran Lin and Tang Nuo also shared their own experiences, Long Ji talked about the inspiration for one of her songs, and Yun Jie talked about an incident she encountered during an interview.
The cheerful and peaceful atmosphere, mixed with the winter wind and the crackling fire, made everyone feel very comfortable.
“Xiao Tian, have you encountered anything interesting lately?”
Dong Ling looked at Wen Tianzi, who hadn’t spoken, thinking she might be feeling reserved because of her lower status and being from a different company, so she encouraged her to speak and get more screen time.
Wen Tianzi was still inwardly screaming “I’m dead from the sweetness,” when she heard Dong Ling’s voice, she replied a little slowly: “I’ve been staying home, doing nothing, lately.”
CEO Dong called her Xiao Tian and even specifically cued her, her wife was so beautiful and kind, wuwuwu, no, wait, someone else’s wife.
Sigh, forget it, who didn’t like someone else’s wife? She was just like Cao Cao.
My wife, come to me!
“Being on this show is the most interesting thing that happened to me recently, I get to meet everyone.”
Wen Tianzi cringed inwardly, she felt her answer was so lame, even after trying to salvage it, it was still awkward, she embarrassed herself in front of her idols.
“Hahahaha, you’re so cute, I understand, I also stayed home doing nothing when I first started.”
Tang Nuo pinched Wen Tianzi’s face, helping her dispel the awkwardness.
Wen Tianzi was very grateful to Tang Nuo for speaking up. Yun Jie then naturally steered the conversation towards everyone’s early career struggles, lamenting the hardships of their younger days.
Tang Nuo and Ran Lin started from small roles, compared to Tang Nuo being forced to accompany investors for drinks by her previous unscrupulous company, Ran Lin wandered around film studios for several years, even working as a stunt double.
Yun Jie, when she first started as a reporter, was constantly ordered around by a celebrity’s assistant, and then stood up, she had encountered many strange things. Long Ji, before becoming famous, wrote songs in a damp basement, her knees still ached when it rained.
Wen Tianzi worked as a trainee for several years without pay, her shining moment was during the talent show, but because of her personality and overlapping image with another member, she didn’t get any resources, and remained unpopular.
When the topic turned to Song Mingzhi, Yun Jie’s high EQ was on full display, she smiled and asked why Song Mingzhi initially chose to enter this industry.
After all, everyone knew that Song Mingzhi debuted with a famous director and a good project, Dong Ling had been spending money to promote her, she had endorsements and appearances, she didn’t even care about her long absence from the public eye, and upon her return, she was immediately cast as the female lead in a renowned director’s movie, how could someone like her have a difficult beginning?
Normally, when faced with this question, people would talk about their passion or dreams or the desire to shine, but Song Mingzhi didn’t answer that way.
“Partially because I was interested, but the main reason was because someone encouraged me and hoped I would pursue my interests, because of her support, I entered this field without hesitation.”
As for who this “someone” was, was there a need to elaborate?
Hearing this, everyone looked at Dong Ling and Song Mingzhi.
They all thought Song Mingzhi wanted to act, so Dong Ling was promoting her, but it turned out that Dong Ling wanted to see Song Mingzhi act, so Song Mingzhi became an actress.
Tang Nuo, shocked, pinched Ran Lin’s hand, was this them coming out?
Yun Jie hesitated, should she block the door or not?
Wen Tianzi was stunned, she couldn’t handle this level of sweetness, it was a level that ten shots of insulin couldn’t cure, where were the heart-saving pills?!
Aaaaaaaaaa, what a beautiful love story, you entered the industry for me, I gave you the crown, who dared say this wasn’t real?!
The only one who seemed out of sync was Long Ji, she said enviously: “You two have such a good relationship.”
Long Ji didn’t realize the implications, she just thought Song Mingzhi and Dong Ling were very close friends, no wonder Song Mingzhi, despite being a successful businesswoman, would enter this unfamiliar field and become an actress.
Dong Ling put her arm around Song Mingzhi’s shoulder and said cheerfully: “Of course we have a good relationship.”
Song Mingzhi saying that made her feel a little embarrassed, it was actually because of the system’s task, but it wasn’t wrong to say that Song Mingzhi hoped for that, setting aside the system, she did want Song Mingzhi to shine in her destined field.
Long Ji brought her guitar and, in this atmosphere, played an impromptu piece.
She was truly talented, the music beautiful, a perfect ending to this cozy night.
Everyone returned to their rooms, the cold wind outside making Dong Ling shiver, she put on the hood of her down jacket, looking like a little penguin, and huddled next to Song Mingzhi as they walked.
The night sky was like a canvas sprinkled with stars, shining brightly.
There were no clouds, everything clearly visible, the vastness boundless.
Song Mingzhi went to her telescope, searching for familiar sights in the vast universe.
Dong Ling waited obediently, stargazing was a very immersive activity, she wouldn’t disturb Song Mingzhi.
Song Mingzhi wouldn’t look for too long, if it was going to take a while, she would definitely tell her first.
Dong Ling looked down at her phone and found a weak signal, the internet was very slow, it took her a long time to load a message.
But she wasn’t in a hurry to do anything else, so she patiently waited for the webpage to load.
After a while, Song Mingzhi, holding the telescope, softly called Dong Ling.
“Baby, come and take a look.”
Dong Ling immediately put her phone in her pocket, stood where Song Mingzhi had just been, and looked through the telescope.
The psychedelic red shape looked like…
“Mingzhi! It looks like a flower!”
Dong Ling was a little excited, she couldn’t look away, and the hand that wasn’t holding the telescope waved excitedly in the air, then was held by Song Mingzhi.
“This is NGC 2244, in the Monoceros constellation, located within a molecular cloud complex, it’s called the Rosette Nebula, also known as the Rose Nebula.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever given you flowers before, if I were to, I would want to give you this never-fading flower, even if we turn to dust, it will still exist.”
“Do you remember the nebula we talked about before? The one we looked at together?”
Dong Ling’s gaze had already left the cosmic rose, she nodded at Song Mingzhi’s gentle, clear voice.
“I remember, the M27 nebula, you said it was the first planetary nebula observed by humans, also one of the brightest, red and blue, very dreamy.”
Dong Ling’s eyes also seemed to hold stars, her long, loose hair as beautiful as the night sky.
She kept the things Song Mingzhi shared with her in her heart.
The beautiful journey of love was always a two-way street.
“The maximum lifespan of M27 is 9800 years, but my love for you is far longer than that.”
This long-planned confession, Song Mingzhi finally delivered the rose to her beloved’s eyes.
Dong Ling cupped Song Mingzhi’s face, their lips meeting, intertwined and lingering.
Dong Ling murmured: “Watching the stars with you, and watching you with the stars.”
This was the love language Song Mingzhi spoke to her in her drunken state, and at this moment, Dong Ling felt there were no more fitting words to respond with.
Under the vast sky, by the cliff’s edge, love and stars.
Even if they eventually turned to cosmic dust, their romance would be eternal.
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