Chapter 229: Once a Photo Is Taken, the Taste Changes
"So… who exactly is Zhang Zuting?"
When Pei Qian saw Lin Wan's message, his first reaction was complete confusion.
He'd never even heard of the guy.
After doing a quick search online, he finally found out—apparently, Zhang Zuting was a washed-up Hong Kong star.
Lin Wan sent another message:
"President Pei, we looked at quite a few Hong Kong and Taiwanese stars. Some of them were asking for over five million. We thought that wasn't very cost-effective, so we picked Zhang Zuting instead. He's not as famous as before, but we can get him for around two million."
Pei Qian was immediately unhappy.
He'd said it countless times—why were they still pinching pennies over two or three million?!
Five million was fine! Just spend it!
But then he thought about it a bit more and decided to let it go.
After all, the more expensive a celebrity was, the more popular they tended to be—which meant more exposure and potentially more players being drawn in. If that ended up reducing his losses, it would defeat the purpose entirely.
Two million was fine. He could always find other ways to burn the leftover money.
Lin Wan followed up:
"President Pei, Zhang Zuting is expected to arrive in Jingzhou the day after tomorrow. Do you plan to visit the set during the commercial shoot?"
Pei Qian instantly replied:
"Mm, I'll stop by. I heard he's an experienced actor and even won a Best Actor award once—I'd like to observe his performance up close."
"Wait, how's the reception plan coming along?"
Lin Wan: "Don't worry, President Pei, everything's arranged. We'll have a business car pick him and his agent up, and they'll be staying in a five-star hotel. No issues there."
"And meals?" Pei Qian asked.
Lin Wan:
"Uh… we planned to have them dine at the hotel. During filming, we'll provide high-end catered meals."
"That's too casual," Pei Qian said. "He's come a long way to work with us. Even if this is just a standard business partnership, we should still show proper hospitality."
"Here's what we'll do—I'll give you the number of Manager Lin from Mingyun Private Kitchen. Make a reservation there. Once Zhang Zuting arrives, take him to Mingyun Private Kitchen for a welcome dinner. You can talk about the shoot afterward."
Pei Qian reasoned that this counted as legitimate business hospitality—bringing a client to dine at Mingyun Private Kitchen shouldn't raise any eyebrows.
Of course, funneling every business reception through Mingyun Private Kitchen carried a bit of risk. Someone might eventually catch on.
But Pei Qian already had a plan to handle that risk.
Lin Wan quickly replied:
"Ah, got it, President Pei. I didn't think that far ahead—I'll make the reservation right away!"
. . .
August 14th, Saturday.
At the airport.
Zhang Zuting stepped off the plane, setting foot in Jingzhou for the first time.
As a second-tier inland city, Jingzhou didn't have much national presence. Zhang Zuting didn't know much about it, either.
Still, earning two million for a single trip? He certainly wasn't going to complain.
At forty-one, Zhang Zuting had once been the poster boy for handsome young leads, but time spared no one. He was now transitioning into more mature roles, polishing his acting skills and trying to reinvent himself as a seasoned "veteran actor."
Unfortunately, the film industry had changed drastically. His generation of stars was falling out of favor, and "washed-up" was a label he couldn't quite shake.
That made opportunities like this all the harder to turn down.
Unlike the current wave of spoiled idols who traveled with entourages, Zhang Zuting kept things low-key—this time, he only brought one assistant along.
The client had told him that the commercial shoot would only take a day: arrive in Jingzhou on the 14th, have a welcome dinner that evening, rest overnight, then finish all filming the next morning and fly home that afternoon.
Zhang Zuting wasn't expecting much from this trip.
After all, how big could a "game company" in a place like Jingzhou really be?
He figured this gig would just be a simple formality—smile, pose, collect his paycheck.
"Mr. Zhang, please get in the car. President Pei has already arranged a welcome dinner for you," said Lin Wan politely, standing by the business van.
. . .
Mingyun Private Kitchen.
When Zhang Zuting stepped out of the car, he froze.
What was this place?
Where exactly had they brought him?
In front of them stood a villa that didn't look particularly distinctive.
Although to Zhang Zuting, the house was quite large, spacious, and luxuriously decorated, he also knew that such a place wasn't rare inland—it wasn't surprising that a game company owner could afford something like this.
But the question was, why hold the welcome dinner here?
Could it be that this boss planned to host him at his own home?
While Zhang Zuting was still confused, Lin Wan had already led him inside, all the way to a private room with the best view.
The private room was on the third floor of the villa, with a large floor-to-ceiling window that perfectly framed the sunset.
The sun was slowly sinking, golden light spilling across the infinity pool outside, scattering a faint shimmer of gold.
Around them, the trees along the hillside were lush and green. Framed by the foliage, the distant villas of the entire neighborhood were visible at a glance—giving off the feeling of "seeing all mountains small from the summit."
At the center of the room stood a dining table—not one of those oversized tables that could seat a dozen people, but one just right for four.
The room was clearly arranged with care. From the furniture and the paintings on the walls to the napkins and flowers on the table, everything harmonized perfectly with the surrounding environment.
This was the result of the careful preparations made by the staff of Mingyun Private Kitchen after the reservation.
Zhang Zuting suddenly understood—this wasn't a private residence at all, but a high-end restaurant disguised as a villa!
Pei Qian rose to greet him, shaking his hand warmly.
"Mr. Zhang, welcome! You've come from far away—thank you. Jingzhou is just a small place with nothing particularly special, so all I can do is treat you to a simple meal. Please, have a seat."
Zhang Zuting returned the greeting with equal enthusiasm and sat down with his manager.
At the table were only four people: Pei Qian, Lin Wan, Zhang Zuting, and his manager.
Aside from them, waiters came and went at steady intervals, serving dishes in a carefully timed rhythm.
Pei Qian had considered inviting a few more people to join—after all, more people meant more food to share—but he ultimately decided against it. Too many guests might make the atmosphere chaotic or oppressive. Fewer people meant Zhang Zuting could relax and simply enjoy the meal.
The group chatted idly as they ate.
Pei Qian actually knew nothing about Zhang Zuting—not what shows he'd acted in or what kind of roles he played. But that didn't matter. Zhang Zuting, in turn, had no idea what kind of games Pei Qian had made either. It was all just polite business talk; no one took it too seriously.
Fortunately, Lin Wan had done her homework. She brought up a few anecdotes from Zhang Zuting's early, glorious years in showbiz, which immediately lifted his mood.
After a few bites, Zhang Zuting was astonished.
The food here was extraordinary.
Over the years, he'd attended countless dinners—whether casual gatherings with friends or formal business banquets—and had tasted all sorts of fine cuisine.
But rarely had he ever eaten anything this exquisite.
Of course, the excellence of these dishes didn't come from an overload of seasonings or additives, but from the pure flavor of the ingredients themselves—the kind of depth that only top-grade ingredients could provide.
The more he ate, the more amazed he became.
Who would have thought that this little city could hide such a gem of a restaurant?
And this Mr. Pei was treating him to such rare delicacies—what sincerity!
Zhang Zuting had never been the type to put on airs. Known in the industry for his easygoing nature, he soon found himself chatting happily with Pei Qian, the conversation flowing effortlessly.
The first few courses were all delicate and refined—small portions, beautifully plated.
Each time they finished a dish, the waiter promptly cleared it away and brought in the next.
Everything was delicious, but still left them wanting more.
Then, the main dish arrived.
After a series of elegant appetizers, a waiter carried out a massive king crab—easily ten catties judging by the size. The ingredient alone must have cost at least six or seven thousand yuan!
Zhang Zuting took it in stride, being a man of the world, but his young assistant was clearly overwhelmed.
His eyes went wide, and he seemed on the verge of taking out his phone for a picture—though he hesitated, knowing it wouldn't be polite.
Pei Qian smiled and said gently, "Only by tasting with your heart can you capture every nuance of the flavor. Once you take a photo… the taste will change."
<+>
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