In her memory, this variety show seemed to be called Gourmet's Here. The Fruit Channel would invite some mildly well-known celebrities to jointly run a farmhouse-style restaurant, aiming to promote local tourism.
Because of its clever concept and positive impact on local economic development, the show even received heavy promotion from government departments.
After sorting out her thoughts, Feng Wan directly contacted the editor who had invited her before.
"Sister Lin, about that Gourmet's Here program you mentioned earlier—I'm willing to be a guest. Oh, understood. I'll definitely arrive at your station on time to sign the contract in three days."
After hanging up, Feng Wan was in a rather good mood. Unfortunately, her spirits dampened again when she saw the pile of unwashed pots and pans.
She did enjoy cooking, but she really disliked washing dishes—no particular reason, she just simply hated it.
Once the kitchen was tidied up, Feng Wan sat back down at her computer desk and began editing the one-hour video she had just filmed. She cut and trimmed, added subtitles and music, and it took her three hours to finish the job.
If not for the computer skills she had honed in her past life, the original host would've needed six hours to get the same thing done.
Stretching her slightly sore arms—the result of prolonged time spent at the keyboard—she stood up to get her body moving a bit.
Although the video had already been successfully uploaded, Feng Wan didn't leave her desk.
She still needed to check the comments left under her latest few videos, pick out a few to reply to as a way to engage with fans and strengthen her follower base.
"Miss, I really love watching your videos, but I totally mess up every time I try to cook along!"
Ah, this was an old fan—definitely worth a reply.
"Don't worry! The dishes I've made recently have been a bit complicated. I'll be releasing a beginner-friendly recipe soon that even 'kitchen disasters' can easily follow."
Feng Wan was quite familiar with her fans, so calling someone a "kitchen disaster" wouldn't offend them.
"Blogger, I hope you can update more often. I often use your videos as mealtime background—if I don't have food in hand, I don't even dare click play!"
Feng Wan immediately replied beneath the comment: "Thank you, sweetie, for the support! I'll be returning to last month's upload schedule soon. I really appreciate your encouragement."
Sigh, that one was the original host's fault. After falling into a "love brain" phase, she went from posting once every two days to once every four days. Even the fans in the backend were starting to get restless.
If Feng Wan hadn't come along, things probably would've ended up just like in her last life—live fans all gone, and her career slowly fading away.
Of course, there were haters bouncing around in the comments too.
"I'm telling you, this blogger never dares show her face. Must be because she's too ugly to be seen!"
Feng Wan swiftly scrolled past it. No need to stoop to their level—it'd only lower her own standards and turn the comment section into a toxic mess.
"This video's not even that good. Her fans must have some thick filters. I recommend checking out 'Green Smoke Gourmet' next door—that's what I call quality content."
Alright, this one was obviously someone from a competing account trying to steal fans.
With some free time on her hands, Feng Wan went ahead and searched up that account. And wow—it turned out to be one of those borderline-content foodie vloggers. The visuals really were more "exciting" than hers.
The host regularly appeared in her own videos, always wearing heavy, flaming red lipstick and extremely suggestive outfits.
She'd flirt and pose while cooking, making all the male fans in the comments howl like wolves.
Okay then, this kind of "foodie blogger" had no bottom line. She dressed her channel up as a cooking vlog, but was really using the videos to gain followers—streaming live every night and raking in massive tips from fans.
The platform hadn't done anything about it yet—probably because short video content had only recently become a trend in the past couple of years.
Still, Feng Wan figured people like that wouldn't last long. Once the government stepped in, it'd be game over and account banned.
Exiting that eye-burning video, she returned to reading her own fans' comments to cleanse her eyes.
"After I made your recipe, even my picky-eater kid asked for a second bowl of rice!"
"I like you, sis, because you only make videos. You don't do product placements or try to sell things. Unlike other bloggers who start cashing in the moment they get popular."
The original host had actually received a lot of partnership offers from brands, but since food was something people put into their mouths, she didn't dare accept lightly.
She was afraid of not knowing the background of the product and possibly harming her fans—or worse, damaging her own reputation.
That caution, she had to admit, was a smart move. Many in the industry had stumbled when tempted by quick profits.
Unknowingly, the sky had turned dusky. Her breakfast from earlier that morning had long since digested, and her stomach was starting to loudly protest for food.
It was already dinnertime, and Feng Wan had no plans to cook—after all, she had been working all afternoon.
So, she opened a food delivery app and quickly placed an order for a bowl of mala tang (spicy hot pot).
To be honest, the original host had a rather bland palate, while Feng Wan herself was a die-hard spice lover—she felt off if she went a day without chili.
Twenty minutes later, staring at the bright red chili oil and the spicy aroma of the mala tang, Feng Wan eagerly took a bite.
Yes—this was the flavor. That numbing, tingly sensation and the explosion of spice in her mouth—it totally awakened her taste buds. So satisfying.
The only problem was, the spice level was still a bit too mild. If not for the fact that the original host's body wasn't used to spicy food, she would've ordered the extra spicy option.
One more downside: the delivery food had too many artificial flavorings. That was a letdown.
It couldn't compare to the original host's cooking skills. In the future, Feng Wan planned to recreate this dish herself—it'd definitely taste even better.
Just like that, three days flew by, and it was finally time for Feng Wan to head to the Fruit Channel to sign her variety show contract.