When Kong Rui's assistant rushed into the lounge in a panic, phone in hand, both he and Yuan Huihui were visibly displeased.
Kong Rui was especially annoyed. This assistant didn't even know how to knock—clearly a failure in his own management. And now, in front of the person he liked, he was utterly embarrassed. He was already thinking about firing the assistant on the spot.
But when he saw the glaring red headline labeled "Breaking News," Kong Rui instantly shot to his feet with a loud crash, his chair scraping sharply against the floor.
Yuan Huihui, startled by his sudden reaction, also began to feel inexplicably anxious. She craned her neck to glance at the screen, and the content of the post made her panic. She couldn't even imagine what would happen if the article outright named her.
Absolutely not. She, Yuan Huihui, could not be publicly tied to Kong Rui. After all, he had never been her first choice.
"Kong-ge, you have to do something to clarify this! We're just friends. If my fans find out about this…"
Before she could finish, she suddenly bowed her head and began to sob dramatically. The sound of her crying made Kong Rui's heart twist with distress—he couldn't bear to see the person he loved so heartbroken.
Without hesitation, he dialed the editor-in-chief of the gossip site.
"Editor Zhou, this is Kong Rui. May I ask where you got that false information?"
"Oh my, if it isn't the famous Director Kong. All I can say is—you were too high-profile. That's how someone got HD photos of you visiting your girlfriend's variety show set."
Upon hearing they had concrete photographic evidence, Kong Rui was like an ant on a hot pan, pacing around in panic—especially after seeing Yuan Huihui's distraught face.
"Look, we're all in the same industry. Let's not beat around the bush. Just name your price!"
"Haha, I like how straightforward you are, Director Kong. Not much—just four million to keep this under wraps. Think of it as a favor between old acquaintances."
"…Fine. Send me your account details."
Kong Rui said the words through gritted teeth, his heart bleeding. Even though he'd finally started making good money as a director in recent years, dropping millions in one go still stung.
But in front of his goddess, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and keep up appearances, not daring to show even a trace of reluctance.
Meanwhile, Yuan Huihui, who had been listening to everything, had a flicker of something unreadable in her downcast eyes. So this man actually had quite a bit of money after all.
Later, Kong Rui left the filming set fully disguised. Before leaving, he even specially reminded the director of Food's Here to look after Yuan Huihui during the next shoots.
The director, out of respect for Kong Rui, naturally agreed.
Although the scandal was temporarily suppressed, the filming location was crowded, and gossip was bound to spread.
The director, worried about the reputation of his show, issued a gag order to the staff, strictly forbidding anyone from discussing what had happened that day while the show was airing. Anyone who violated this would face legal action from the TV station.
Once the ban was issued, everyone kept their mouths shut. It also served as a warning to those with loose lips.
While a scandal might boost short-term buzz, it inevitably brought questions—about casting decisions, about the station's control over the show…
The director wasn't exactly thrilled about cleaning up other people's messes, but from a big-picture standpoint, he had no choice.
Fortunately, the rest of the shoot went smoothly, and Yuan Huihui didn't stir up any more trouble.
The first four episodes of the show wrapped up successfully, and the guests returned to their original jobs. Feng Wan had stayed for a full week.
Finally back home, she felt truly at ease. After exchanging check-in messages with her new friend Xu Lijun, she decided to tidy up the house.
After all, she hadn't been home for a week, and the place had gathered some dust. Not wanting anyone invading her private space, she opted to clean by herself instead of hiring a cleaner.
Meanwhile, at the First People's Hospital of Beijing, the nurses were all gossiping about the newly hired Deputy Chief Physician, Nie Shuyuan.
"Dr. Nie is amazing! I heard he has a PhD from overseas and was personally recruited with a high salary by the hospital director."
"Exactly! I'm so jealous of the nurses in his department."
"Shh! He's coming!"
He had sharp, defined features, a cool gaze, and a tall, upright figure. Clad in a white lab coat, he radiated an air of detached restraint.
Nie Shuyuan had just finished several surgeries that morning and was heading to his office for lunch.
Opening the meal he had gotten from the hospital cafeteria, he played a video from the food channel Wan in the Moonlit Water—and only then did he feel a flicker of appetite.
He had only recently discovered this food vlogger. Watching her videos had noticeably improved his appetite, which had been poor for quite some time.
In truth, while studying abroad, he had developed chronic stomach problems due to differing food habits, and now, with an erratic work schedule, his meals were irregular too.
Ever since stumbling across this "divine" channel, Nie Shuyuan frequently revisited her videos. Her latest upload was titled Cooking for Clumsy Hands, which he found especially intriguing.
He decided that once he got a break, he'd follow along and try making those simple dishes himself.
Back at home, Feng Wan had just finished cleaning and decided she didn't want to cook. She planned to eat out and pick up some ingredients afterward for future videos.
She ended up at a Sichuan hotpot restaurant. Dining solo, she was soon drenched in sweat—but her heart was full of satisfaction.
During the show's shoot, the meals had been tailored for a general audience and were far too bland. For someone who loved spicy food like Feng Wan, it had been torture. She survived by secretly munching on spicy snacks in her room.
There was even a funny little side story: she had gotten Xu Lijun hooked on spicy snacks too. Their shared love of spice had deepened their bond.
At 7 PM, carrying two large shopping bags, Feng Wan was trying to shift the bag in her right hand to her left so she could press the elevator button.
Just then, a long, well-defined hand reached out and pressed the button before her. Once inside the elevator, Feng Wan noticed something surprising: the man had pressed the button for her floor.
That meant… he was her neighbor.
She glanced over at the man wearing a mask.
He had a cool, aloof aura and strikingly good looks. Though half of his face was covered, his eyes and brows alone gave it away.
Still, Feng Wan only gave him a quick glance before looking away. She'd seen plenty of handsome men—no need to gawk like some lovestruck girl.
Nie Shuyuan, for his part, also gave her a quick glance before averting his gaze.
In his mind, he was
Chapter 168: The Stunt Double Lover of a Maverick Director (Part 9)
When Kong Rui's assistant rushed into the lounge with his phone in hand, both Kong Rui and Yuan Huihui looked displeased.
Kong Rui was especially annoyed. He thought this assistant didn't even know to knock before entering — clearly his lack of discipline was showing, and it was embarrassing in front of the person he liked. He'd definitely have to fire him later.
But when he saw the glaring red headline labeled "Breaking News," Kong Rui instantly shot to his feet with a loud clatter, the chair scraping harshly against the floor.
Yuan Huihui, startled by his sudden reaction, instinctively leaned over to take a look. The content of the post made her heart race in panic. She didn't even dare to imagine what would happen if a journalist outright named her.
Absolutely not. She, Yuan Huihui, could never be tied to Kong Rui. He had never been her first choice.
"Brother Kong, you really have to clarify this situation quickly. We're just friends. If my fans find out about this…"
Before she could finish, Yuan Huihui lowered her head and began sobbing uncontrollably. The sound of her weeping sent Kong Rui into a flustered mess — he couldn't bear to see the woman he loved in such distress.
Without hesitation, Kong Rui called the chief editor of the gossip outlet.
"Editor Zhou, this is Kong Rui. May I ask where your team got this false information?"
"Oh, if it isn't the famous Director Kong himself. Let's just say you weren't exactly subtle — someone caught you visiting your girlfriend on the set of her variety show. High-def pictures and everything."
Upon hearing they had solid photographic evidence, Kong Rui began pacing like a cat on a hot tin roof — especially when he saw Yuan Huihui's devastated expression.
"We're all in the same industry, no need to beat around the bush. Just name your price."
"Ah, that's the kind of straight talk I like, Director Kong. We won't ask for much — just four million yuan in hush money. Consider it a token of our shared acquaintance."
"Fine. Send me your account details."
As Kong Rui spoke those words, his heart bled. Even though he had only started making money in recent years, losing millions in one go was a painful blow.
Still, in front of his goddess, he could only put on a brave face and pretend he wasn't hurting in the slightest.
Meanwhile, Yuan Huihui, who had been silently listening to the entire exchange, lowered her gaze — a flicker of unreadable emotion flashed in her eyes. So this man actually did have a lot of money after all.
Later, Kong Rui left the filming location in full disguise. Before going, he made sure to pull the director of Gourmet Arrival aside to request that Yuan Huihui be given extra attention in future shoots.
Out of respect for Kong Rui, the director agreed without hesitation.
Although the scandal was temporarily suppressed, with so many people on set, rumors were bound to spread.
The director, concerned about the show's reputation, immediately issued a gag order: no one was to discuss the incident while the show was airing, or they'd face legal action from the network.
That warning was enough to silence everyone — it even scared a few people who were harboring guilty consciences.
While such a scandal might temporarily boost the show's popularity, it would also raise questions about the program's casting choices and the network's ability to manage its shows…
So, the director wasn't helping out of goodwill. It was a calculated move in the show's best interest.
Fortunately, the remaining shoots went smoothly, and Yuan Huihui didn't cause any more trouble.
The first four episodes wrapped up without a hitch. The guests returned to their regular jobs, and Feng Wan had spent about a week on-site.
Once she got home, she finally felt comfortable again. After exchanging "I'm back safe" messages with her new friend Xu Lijun, she started cleaning up the house.
After all, it had been a week since she'd been back — the place had gathered dust. She didn't want to hire a cleaner to intrude on her private space, so she did it all herself.
Meanwhile, at Capital City First People's Hospital, the nurses were buzzing with gossip about the newly hired Deputy Director of Surgery, Dr. Nie Shuyuan.
"Dr. Nie is so impressive! I heard he has a PhD from abroad — the hospital director personally headhunted him with a high salary!"
"No kidding. I'm so jealous of the nurses who get to work in his department."
"He's coming! He's coming! Let's stop chatting."
The man who arrived had sharp, refined features and a cool, distant gaze. His tall figure, wrapped in a white coat, radiated an almost ascetic aura.
Nie Shuyuan had just finished several surgeries that morning and was heading to his office for lunch.
He opened the meal he'd gotten from the hospital cafeteria and played a video from the food channel Wan in the Moonlit Water as he ate. Only then did he feel a little more like eating.
He had only recently discovered this content creator. Watching her videos had genuinely helped improve his appetite, and his chronic stomach issues were easing up too.
You see, Nie Shuyuan had developed chronic gastritis while studying abroad, due to the unfamiliar diet. And now, with his hectic work schedule, his meals were often irregular.
But ever since he found this "miracle" channel, he'd been a loyal viewer. Lately, he noticed the newest update was a "Cooking for Clumsy Hands" series.
That intrigued him. He decided to spend his next day off learning some of those simple recipes — they really appealed to him.
Meanwhile, back at home, Feng Wan had finished cleaning and didn't feel like cooking. She decided to eat out and buy some ingredients on her way back for her next video shoot.
She ended up at a random Sichuan hotpot place, sweating buckets as she ate alone — but she was thoroughly satisfied.
During the days of filming, the meals had all been kept mild to suit the guests' tastes. For someone like Feng Wan, who loved spicy food, it had been absolute torture. She had to secretly snack on spicy sticks in her room just to survive.
There was even a funny story behind that — she had gotten Xu Lijun hooked on spicy sticks too. The two of them grew closer thanks to that guilty pleasure.
At around 7 PM, Feng Wan returned home, carrying two large bags in her hands. She was just about to transfer one bag to the other so she could free a hand to press the elevator button.
Unexpectedly, a large, well-defined hand reached out and pressed the button before she could.
They entered the elevator together, and to her surprise, the man had selected her floor. Which meant… he was her neighbor.
This realization made Feng Wan glance sideways at the man in the mask.
He was a cool, aloof-looking guy. Even with half his face covered, his eyes and brows were enough to suggest he was handsome.
Still, she only looked briefly before turning away. She'd seen plenty of good-looking guys and wasn't the type to gawk like some lovestruck fangirl.
Nie Shuyuan also glanced at her briefly before looking away. In his mind, he was still thinking about those delicious food videos.