CHAPTER 42: CHAPTER 42: BROTHER CHENG, YOU INSPIRE ME

Mu Qiu returned to her room and opened the small box, revealing a tiny piece of sandwich inside. It mostly contained vegetables with just a small piece of chicken breast.

It was really tiny. She could hold it with two fingers and finish it in about two bites.

Cheng Zhirang must have lowered his head and carefully cut these two small pieces, Mu Qiu thought while taking a bite. The gloom in her heart vanished, and a sense of curiosity and secret excitement bubbled from within.

How should one write to portray the tenderness of a man privately cutting sandwiches for a child? Is his gentleness the kind of serene existence, spending a day sipping tea and reading on a rattan chair at home? Or is it the kind where a thirty-year-old man finds nothing to care about?

Once she started imagining, she couldn’t stop. The excitement drove her to keep thinking, constantly revising an image, and then thinking again.

But imagination felt too feeble, so she moved to the corner of the room and, gathering courage, sent a message to Cheng Zhirang.

Nervously waiting, like waiting for her parents’ reaction to her exam results as a child, huddled near the phone.

A message came in.

[Cheng Zhirang: I cut off two corners of my sandwich; there are no snacks at home, so I used this instead.]

She quickly edited a message, [Does holding such a small piece of sandwich in your fingers make you want to laugh? Or think it’s cute?]

[Cheng Zhirang: Like last night, are you gathering inspiration?]

[Yes, Brother Cheng, you give me so much inspiration.]

From head to toe, her entire being was filled with boundless inspiration.

Cheng Zhirang thought this person was rather bold and straightforward.

But perhaps all novelists have some similar behavioral habits?

He wasn’t quite sure, and after a few polite exchanges, he stopped talking, put down the phone, touched the corner of the half-open book, and unusually curious, emptied his gaze, pondering what kind of inspiration he could give her.

Assistant Wen had just finished a call with the Big Agent Chen, and upon entering from the balcony, he saw the actor zoning out, the phone left glowing on the small wooden table beside.

He poured a glass of water, sneaked a peek.

The chat partner turned out to be [Variety Show Author Mu Qiu/Pen Name Fire Man].

After spitting out this note, Assistant Wen noticed that the chat content actually filled the entire screen!

When did Brother Cheng become so close with that amateur author? To the point where they fill a screen with conversation?

He found it a bit troublesome; this might even affect Big Agent Chen’s satisfaction with his work evaluation.

So, after slowly filling the glass, Assistant Wen pretended to casually ask, "Brother Cheng, what are you thinking about?"

Cheng Zhirang withdrew his empty gaze and vaguely said, "The job of a writer, seems very special."

Relieved, Assistant Wen realized it was merely a role exploration of a special profession.

This time, he asked casually, "How special?"

"Their lives seem very interesting."

"So, Brother Cheng, do you want to take on such a role in your next play?" Assistant Wen asked joyfully.

Cheng Zhirang thought for a moment, "Could be."

He also wanted to know if everyone who likes writing is this bold and direct.

After thinking for two minutes, Cheng Zhirang picked up the book again and quietly continued reading on the sofa by the window.

The light spilled onto one side of his face, revealing his superior profile line without a doubt.

Assistant Wen tiptoed out but glanced back, his heart itching, quietly took out his phone and snapped a picture.

Cheng Zhirang noticed immediately, but without lifting his head, casually asked, "Didn’t you have enough pictures stored?"

"Not enough." Just kidding, as fans would say, how could one ever have enough of such images?

Cheng Zhirang said nothing further, so Assistant Wen managed to capture a nice photo, did some simple editing, and posted it on the studio’s Weibo.

Below, fans swarmed to praise it.

[Brother Wen’s candid shot skills are getting better and better!]

[Thanks to Brother Wen for giving us this benefit again!]

[My Brother Cheng’s perfect features! Long eyelashes and high nose bridge, I’m in love!]

[Feels like even the light favors him]

[Is Brother Cheng reading? What book!]

[Please let Brother Cheng sign this variety show fully! Finally a feast for the eyes program!]

[Sister Chen must not be around; otherwise, you wouldn’t need to sneak shots]

[I love wet/hair Brother Cheng so much in the show! Can we have more of such scenes!]

[After reading the comments, I finally know why Brother Cheng doesn’t read studio comments]

[Ahhhhh brother I love you!]

Assistant Wen flipped through joyfully and suddenly noticed a strange comment.

[The way Brother Cheng looks at that woman is too real, he must have helped her get this resource because there’s something real, right?]

Assistant Wen frowned, quickly replied: [What are you thinking, how can that be]

The fan replied, that’s good, that’s good, and after Assistant Wen checked it over again, not noticing any interference from paid posters, he quickly swiped it away without paying further attention.

Unexpectedly, by dinner time, a small-scale rumor spread online; someone said the way Cheng Zhirang looked at Mu Qiu was too real and that they must have a relationship.

[Cheng Zhirang and Amateur Author have long been in love]

The spread of this rumor caught Assistant Wen off guard.

Cheng Zhirang has been in the industry for nearly ten years, and in the early years, there were forcible rumors because of his face, but later, as he became an "old acting pro" and with Chen Song’s strict management, there were rarely any unfounded rumors.

And now, just one variety show appearance, and because of getting too into character, a romance rumor arises.

Assistant Wen was so upset with this false news that he didn’t want to speak, donned his sock puppet, rushed to the front line to clarify. Even while clarifying, he thought those defamers had some issue, feeling beyond words when reporting to Cheng Zhirang.

"Brother Cheng, people online are spreading rumors about you and Miss Mu."

Cheng Zhirang raised an eyebrow in the middle of dining, "With whom?"

"......With Miss Mu."

Cheng Zhirang put down his bowl and chopsticks, leaned against the chair back, "What kind of scandal can there be between me and Miss Mu?"

"They say you played the role too realistically in the show."

"......" Even Cheng Zhirang was speechless.

"Ignore it," he said, "Ask Sister Chen to inform Miss Mu, she doesn’t need to pay attention either."

"Alright." Assistant Wen agreed.

In fact, such nonsensical rumors, those who have watched the show and remain rational know what’s going on, and naturally, the hype would die down. But the worry lies in the newly joining fans who, on seeing a rumor with Cheng Zhirang’s name, might not remain rational.

Just like that incident a few years ago.

Assistant Wen shook his head, and went to call the Big Agent Chen.

When Mu Qiu received the call from Chen Song, it was already evening. This was her inspiration-gathering time.

In simple terms, it meant scrolling through Weibo, watching movies and TV dramas, scrolling through Douyin, browsing forums, lounging on the sofa with headphones on, not moving.

No hands, no brain, no temper involved.

She enjoyed looking forward to the various stories coming out from paparazzi and marketing accounts in the entertainment industry. If a show hit big, and the guests were of heavyweight standards, there would undoubtedly be many messages, which was her learning opportunity.

But she didn’t expect the first message to be about herself.