CHAPTER 232: CHAPTER 232 ORIGINAL SIN 41

As it turns out, there was no time to second-guess, because the other actresses had already finished their scenes, and the director Li Ming, who had become a tyrant on set as soon as filming started, did not even let anyone eat before he directly instructed Shuangshuang to hurry and film!

Shuangshuang felt a bit uneasy as she took the stage. Previously, for Red Dust, the guests, including her mother Feng Jinyan, all used Shuangshuang’s own clothes and accessories for filming. But when it came to Shuangshuang’s turn, Li Ming had her change into the clothes prepared by the crew.

The crew’s costumes couldn’t be compared to Shuangshuang’s custom-made ancient outfits; they were more intricately made, with more exquisite materials, fitting better on the body. Moreover, the professional makeup artists from the crew spent quite a while dabbing and painting on Shuangshuang’s face, and then brought out a bunch of wigs to start styling.

The process was lengthy, and Shuangshuang nearly fell asleep from boredom before she was ready. When she finally looked in the mirror—whoa! Even Shuangshuang was amazed by her appearance. If Shuangshuang was a six beforehand, then after makeup, she became a stunning ten!

Once she stood up, bearing a headful of wigs and various ornaments, Shuangshuang felt a tremendous weight on her neck! If she stayed like this for too long, she’d definitely end up with cervical spondylosis!

Standing and walking a few steps, Shuangshuang felt awkward, and on top of that, the film was being shot in an over-the-top manner. Such heavy makeup had an aroma that might affect a chef’s sense of smell, and once she started cooking, she was bound to sweat, which would instantly turn all the layers of makeup on her face into a mess!

However, Shuangshuang’s profession was cooking, not acting, so she had neither the qualification nor the standing to dictate Li Ming’s filming.

After makeup was done, Li Ming took Shuangshuang away from Red Dust and into a huge side shed! Shuangshuang was dumbfounded upon entering because inside was a replica of an ancient-style earthen stove kitchen, brightly lit with enormous set panels all around!

Li Ming brought over some ingredients and then pointed to the earthen stove, telling Shuangshuang that she was responsible for demonstrating cooking there!

Shuangshuang looked at the earthen stove and the firewood beside it, then glanced down at her own wide-sleeved long skirt cloaked in luxurious cloak, deeply doubting whether she might accidentally set herself on fire while lighting it!

With all the exhilarating jingle from her accessories and the swaying tassels on her head, Shuangshuang suddenly realized that cooking had unexpectedly become a challenge!

Yet obviously, Li Ming didn’t think that Shuangshuang couldn’t cook in such attire; he was quite enthusiastically adjusting the filming equipment and then sat down in the director’s chair, loudly shouting, "Shuangshuang, showcase your Kitchen God aura, cook with confidence and at your own pace, start!"

Shuangshuang (;¬_¬)

Aura of the Kitchen God, my foot! More like setting myself on fire! When did she become a Kitchen God? She never had the ego to call herself a Kitchen God. And they told her to go at her own pace; going at her pace she’d have to take off all this cumbersome stuff first!

Inwardly, Shuangshuang was sarcastically ranting a long list. Upon hearing Li Ming signal the start, she reached for the prop chopping knife, grabbed the soft tofu from the water, and placed it on the cutting board. The knife, dripping with water, went swish-swish-swish. After slicing, the tofu was placed in a basin of clean water, gently stirred with chopsticks until the tofu turned into thin strands, each as fine as a strand of hair; this was the delicate Silk Tofu, truly a test of knife skills.

She prepared the soup, lifted the tofu strands out of the water, drained them, and sprinkled them into the broth; before it even boiled, it was ladled into a white porcelain bowl.

Shuangshuang casually picked up a radish with a green heart, swiftly flipped a small knife, and soon, under her hands, a green peony slowly took shape, so beautifully sculpted it looked as real as a flower.

Carefully placing the carved green peony into the Silk Tofu soup, the verdant flower paired with the creamy white broth was a visual delight with an enticing aroma, fully worthy of the phrase ’color, aroma, and taste—it’s got them all!

At first, the surrounding crew were all quite calm. They’d shot food programs before, and while Shuangshuang’s knife skills were indeed impressive, they weren’t exactly stunning. However, when the fragrance of the Silk Tofu soup spread, everyone lost their composure—this was just too fragrant!

These folks had tasted Silk Tofu soup before, but none had ever been this aromatic! Plus, they had all missed lunch, so now, teased by this fragrance, they couldn’t quite hold back.

While watching the Silk Tofu soup Shuangshuang made, they swallowed hard, fighting the sudden hunger pangs in their bellies as they continued shooting Shuangshuang cooking the next dish.

This time, Shuangshuang made stuffed fish-skin lamb sachets, swiftly skinning and deboning a fish, while simultaneously pounding the flesh and sprinkling starch, turning the thick piece of fish into a thin, transparent dumpling wrapper in no time.

She cut the wrapper into square shapes, filled it with minced lamb stuffing, blanched and softened cilantro stems to tie the sachets, then steamed them in a basket. Soon, the room was filled with the robust aroma from the melding of fish wrapper and lamb stuffing.

"Cut! Well done, a one-take success!" After Shuangshuang finished the two dishes, Li Ming finally exclaimed with excitement, "Cut!" Shuangshuang was a bit surprised. It was that simple to get it right?! Others before her had been scolded harshly, but why was it so easy for her?!

In fact, not only was Shuangshuang surprised, but Li Ming was also astonished that someone like Shuangshuang, who had never acted before, could be so photogenic and pass with one take!

On camera, Shuangshuang’s focused movements and expressions, infused with emotion, were indeed very captivating. Initially, when Li Ming called Shuangshuang a Kitchen God, he had a hint of sarcasm, but seeing her performance in front of the camera, Li Ming truly felt the title of Kitchen God was well-deserved for Shuangshuang.

No matter the circumstance, when she began making food, she could forget all external factors, her eyes solely on the ingredients before her! Focused, earnest, and utterly charming!

With filming done, Shuangshuang left directly; this acting stuff was really not for just anyone—a hot day wearing several layers of period costumes, lighting the stove fire, yet unable to show how hot it was. It was practically like ninja training! Shuangshuang felt she was drenched in sweat but the crew’s makeup was really good and didn’t melt despite the heat.

Returning the costumes and accessories, Shuangshuang hurriedly ran back to Red Dust, eager to shower, the feeling of sweat-soaked was too uncomfortable!

Li Ming’s film only paused for lunch in the afternoon. The Silk Tofu soup and stuffed fish-skin lamb sachets Shuangshuang made as props were not eaten by anyone. It wasn’t until past three o’clock that the crew began to have their lunch.

Lunch was provided by Red Dust—a ying yang pot with one side clear soup and the other red, with various ingredients and meat rolls neatly arranged. Everyone ate with their heads down, partly because of hunger and partly because the hot pot base tasted so good.

Especially the star big shots who, to avoid putting on weight, ate the clear soup with vegetables. Who would have thought that the typically spicy hot pot would have such a deliciously flavorful clear soup at Red Dust!