Chapter 65: 第 65 章

Before this year, Yu Zhitao was a nobody in Domestic Entertainment who blew up from one idol drama.

Nobody saw it coming.

After all, she's "getting old."

That stunning qipao photoshoot that wowed Domestic Entertainment?

Ancient legend-tier nostalgia now.

Twenty-nine.

Few more years, she'd play moms to new-gen actresses, wives to male leads.

Ten years ago, missed her window.

Ten years later, grabbed it.

Call it fate — landed The Favored One.

Fresh face, solid acting, good persona — Yu Zhitao's rise felt accidental, yet inevitable.

But there's the classic idol-drama curse: deep CP entanglement with her co-star.

CP chemistry gets fans hooked.

That's the secret sauce for a drama blowing up.

Yu Zhitao doesn't mind feeding fans sugar — they eat it up.

Only... she and Jiang Yang have a slight... ideological mismatch.

On the surface, they need to cut the CP.

But Jiang Yang's desperate to untangle it — milking fans at peak popularity.

Everyone knows drama CPs only burn so long.

Once goals are hit, they'll split for sure.

But—joint endorsements still running, yet he's rushing the breakup.

Even said no second pairing.

Jiang Yang's side is moving too fast.

Gives Yu Zhitao major "eat then trash-talk" vibes.

Plus he's backed by Hongming TV — platform versus lone wolf.

He'll step on her.

His side played dirty — steered CP fans against her, so they'd naturally swing his way.

Maybe platform pressure forced Jiang Yang's hand.

Doesn't matter — Yu Zhitao owes him no defense.

Mind her own business.

In Domestic Entertainment, dating's a luxury.

Better stay solo.

So Yu Zhitao decided: cling to Aurora Entertainment, no matter what.

Lead, supporting, cameo — she'll try anything.

Stability means no missteps.

Aurora Entertainment's output?

The most stable island in Domestic Entertainment.

Joining Tongue Tips of the Immortal Realm?

Critics called it a waste — a star judging an amateur cooking show.

Yu Zhitao smirked.

First off — it's Sang Yu's show.

Guests just eat?

No reviews, no opinions?

That stuff creates highlights.

She won't just sit there chewing, mumbling two words.

She did her homework.

Aurora Fairyland's lore dropped on the official account — beast and spirit herb looks, stats, growing conditions.

The show's charm rides on that lore.

She memorized all of it.

Memorizing hurt.

Yu Zhitao rarely reads novels.

Xianxia lore?

Mostly from dramas she acted in.

But she gritted through.

Yu Zhitao's not a chef.

Heat control tips?

Two pro chefs beat her easy.

So she pivoted.

Beyond lore, she studied creative dish references.

Combined both, added her own spin.

Makes her sound informed, shows expertise elsewhere — not just clocking in for a paycheck.

A unique angle, different from the pros.

Safe play locks in fans.

Lucky?

Her "highlight" clips might pull new ones.

Yu Zhitao's prepped solid.

No cramming panic — more like "teacher, watch me!" energy.

Whole vibe: poised, calm, classy.

Maybe her disguise worked too well — Yu Zhitao didn't even notice Sang Yu at first glance.

She sat down, graceful.

The host kept pushing the flow.

Maybe the earlier stumbles flipped a switch — host smiled through the flubs, no more tense face.

Rules time.

First: draw lots.

Think "assigned essay topic"—unlike before, where contestants cooked then named dishes, this round has preset dish names.

Draw a topic, get think-time, design the recipe.

First recipe done?

First pick at the ingredient vault.

Recording runs long.

While contestants design, judges head to another studio for reaction shots.

Judge seats used tall stools for camera angles.

Long sitting hurts — sofas in the other studio.

Like a dating show observation room?

Live feed cuts between contestants hearing "explanations," judges react to their concepts.

Drawing lots?

Pure luck.

No idea what dish...

Quick — contestants who'd drawn saw their topics—1.

Crying Grief Silk Threads.

Base lore: A snack from outside the Demon Wastes.

Wicked qi and resentment as seasoning.

Demon cultivators' favorite bar food.

Crunchy, fragrant, spicy, chewy — with a faint wail.

Perfect rice-killer. 2.

Qingfeng Sect Canteen Flatbread Set.

Base lore: Qingfeng Sect canteen special.

Sword cultivators' white moonlight.

Taste?

Some learned sword-flying just to grab a bite. 3.

Duo'e Spirit Stone Shards.

Base lore: Scraps from spirit stone mining.

Crack 'em open, eat straight.

Loaded with qi, sweet on the tongue.

When cultivators crack these like sunflower seeds — wait, crack Duo'e Spirit Stone Shards — liquid spirit power might drop out.

Huge tonic! ...

Contestants held their breath, reading.

Dish names all derive from Aurora Fairyland lore.

Easy to grasp.

But beyond "base lore"?

No extra hints.

No specific ingredients listed.

No pictures either.

Just... riff on this? ...

Tough as hell!

Some contestants couldn't wait — started designing immediately, racing others.

What if someone grabs their ingredients first?

Others exchanged glances.

Too hasty backfires too.

One ingredient grab only.

Miss something?

Being first means nothing.

Host: "Contestants, look behind you—" Boom.

Wall panel dropped.

Revealed a passage.

Back there: contestant design rooms.

Each booth: tablets for research, paper, pens, supplies.

Live feed followed contestants into booths.

Host hit the script, sent judges off first.

The cameraman — one Mr.

Sang — randomly picked a contestant and followed.

Filming just one.

Netizens didn't know Sang Yu's "infiltration."

Survived the host, finally got the actual competition.

Excited now. [This cooking show beats mine by a mile, ahhhh—!] [Never watched cooking shows, but I read xianxia novels.

Love this format!

Reignited my love for the genre!] [Sang Yu must stay on this path, keep doing variety shows... dramas who cares... besides Golden Spoon, this is my favorite... not that dramas are bad... variety just hits different with food...] [?

Love to Watch fans didn't start this] [Can you not trash one to hype another???] [Love to Watch fans who skip variety (like me) only tried this because Sang Yu's stuff delivers.

Paid money, got scolded.

Wow.] [Stop fighting.

That person is trolling.

Anyone in Domestic Entertainment wouldn't want Sang Yu to stop making dramas, right?] [Thought I only loved dreamy idol dramas.

Then realized I watch male-lead shows too.

Then short dramas.

Then variety.

I get it now — I'm an Aurora Entertainment solo stan.

Whatever they drop, I eat up.] [It's Pavlovian now.

Hear "Aurora Entertainment"?

I taste-test immediately.] [+1+1+1] [Actually, Sang Yu's budget version — Starlight Entertainment has a drama dropping.

Go check it out, taste-test?

Preview looks decent.] [Yeah, the two leads are sweet.

Yu Zhitao and Jiang Yang's breakup was ugly.

Found a substitute fast!] [Anlan is genuinely gorgeous leads] [...?] [Honestly, Starlight Entertainment's boss suffered from bad hype.

The Anlan remake's quality is legit good] [??] [What kind of comment is this?] [+1, thought it glitched.

Why randomly bring up unrelated stuff?] [Look at the bots self-promoting.

Wow, what a move.

How low can you go — promoting in a rival's livestream, hilarious] [Huh?!

Who wants that drama?

The real deal's right here — why chase a knockoff?] · Xiao Zhai Zong split from the old Guangwen Entertainment — now Shaoguang Entertainment — and built his own: Starlight Entertainment.

Per netizen intel, he copied Aurora Entertainment's playbook: a remake pipeline for butchered old dramas.

Anlan was the first.

Perfect timing — The Favored One, Anlan's template, was misbehaving.

Yu Zhitao and Jiang Yang, all smiles, no trust.

CP fans heartbroken.

Anlan could scoop up the heartbroken CP fans, inherit The Favored One's heat.

That's how Xiao Zhai Zong played it.

But feedback was "la" — could mean "pulled" or "trash."

Official account followers?

Pathetic.

"Jiang Ye" CP fans?

They'd rather cry and fight solo stans 800 rounds than unfollow.

Money on The Favored One's duo, likes thrown in, but Anlan?

Not even a glance.

Xiao Zhai Zong raged.

Brain-dead fans!

What about viewers wanting remakes?

Donkeys?!

Of course — the loudest ones pay nothing.

Lesson learned.

Later, rode Aurora Entertainment's trending waves, hired famous promo teams, burned cash — Anlan still flopped.

So Xiao Zhai Zong had a brainwave: promote directly in others' "homes."

But the hired actors sucked — viewers spotted the plant.

Xiao Zhai Zong's blood boiled — embarrassed.

Threw a tantrum, dumped Anlan.

But reality hit.

Back at Guangwen, the former "crown prince" nearly bankrupted them on one project.

All execs silently sidelined him.

Small stunts that didn't hurt the core?

They let it slide.

Starlight Entertainment's different.

His company, his projects — no safety net.

Especially after piggybacking Aurora Entertainment's launch hype, got decent buzz.

Some saw potential, invested in Anlan.

Can't run now.

So he gritted his teeth and pushed through. ...yeah.

More viewers, that's all.

Laugh all you want, whatever — click Anlan once, Xiao Zhai Zong guarantees the plot hooks you.

That Sang Yu trolled him on Weibo when he launched.

Now?

Dead silent.

Maybe... he actually feels threatened.

Xiao Zhai Zong's genuinely proud of the trailer — a full high-quality, high-investment work.

Could replicate The Favored One's glory.

So Anlan only lacks promo.

Maybe Sang Yu's suppressing it on purpose?

Otherwise, why multiple trending spots but terrible conversion?

Anlan's definitely being suppressed.

Shady competitor! · Back to Tongue Tips of the Immortal Realm.

Sang Yu suddenly felt... his nose itch.

He sniffed.

The chef being filmed heard it, looked up from her draft: "You okay?"

"Fine, keep going."

Cong Xiaqi: "Maybe take some medicine.

Season change, easy to catch cold..."

She caught herself.

"Sorry, I'm nagging!"

Three kids at that "hated by cats and dogs" age at home.

Nag or no one listens.

Sang Yu knew she meant well.

Her vibe made it hard for Sang Yu to dislike her.

Round build, rosy cheeks, natural curls, every detail immaculate — a chubby auntie.

That type radiates safety — her cooking can't be bad.

When Aurora Fairyland opens, Sang Yu's inviting her as an NPC.

NPC plus chef, double salary.

Perfect fit!