Leisurely Traveler with Check-in System-Chapter 40: Background Actor

Li Younan was busy in the kitchen. Originally, Li Juhong planned to make a tomato and egg stir-fry, pair green peppers and beef for a green pepper beef stir-fry, and make a pot stew with pork belly and cabbage, which is a dish many Northerners like to make. This way, there would be both meat and vegetables, and it would look colorful.

But when Li Younan saw these ingredients, his inner chef’s soul burned intensely, compelling him to create some new dishes. He made tomato-braised beef with tomatoes and beef, stir-fried pork belly and green peppers for a simple stir-fry, and with cabbage and eggs, he made steamed eggs and a famed Western Xinjiang dish — spicy sour cabbage.

It’s not that his four dishes were extraordinarily upscale, but whether it was controlling the heat or flavoring the dish, Li Younan was confident that, aside from chefs at high-end restaurants, ordinary people probably couldn’t match him in skill; otherwise, Li Juhong wouldn’t be helping out at their hotel, but would be the chef.

Li Younan was busy inside, while the recently returned Li Juhong quietly complained to Xie Lin: "Why didn’t you stop Brother Li earlier? How could our guest be working in the kitchen while we’re resting outside?"

Xie Lin said with a straight face: "What’s the big deal? My relationship with Li Younan is no problem, if he wants to be busy, let him. But let me say this first, once his dishes are served, no matter how they taste, you have to praise him."

Li Juhong lowered her head and curiously asked: "You two were middle school classmates, it’s been so many years, how close can middle school classmate relationships be?"

These words made Xie Lin silent for a moment; there were some things he didn’t know how to explain clearly. Li Younan was popular in their class, whether among those with good grades or poor grades, boys or girls, students or teachers, everyone liked him. To be honest, becoming friends with someone like Li Younan was quite incredible in itself.

Actually, Xie Lin also knew that, to Li Younan, he was just one of his many friends, nothing special; if it were someone else, Li Younan would probably have called up to meet as well. But to Xie Lin, Li Younan meant something different.

Back then in middle school, when he wasn’t mature, he’d say funny things and make exaggerated gestures in class, as long as he could make classmates laugh, he’d be satisfied. Someone laughed at him or teased him, he didn’t mind. But in hindsight, Xie Lin knew that those who laughed at him didn’t treat him as a real friend.

Only Li Younan was different.

So even if Li Younan was just a middle school classmate, to Xie Lin, it was still significant. Moreover, in his circle of friends, there wasn’t anyone like Li Younan, such a high-quality guy. Maybe, subconsciously, he thought having a friend like Li Younan would be quite prestigious.

He said profoundly: "You don’t understand male friendship, not like you girls with your fake friendships."

Li Juhong deeply lowered her head, thinking to herself that her boyfriend was truly masculine, that male friendship is really cool, and she was being shallow.

Not long after, the noise in the kitchen quieted down, and Li Younan opened the door saying: "Dinner’s ready."

Li Juhong hurried to serve the dishes, her mind etched with Xie Lin’s reminder: to praise Li Younan’s cooking skills. It was just that as she stepped into the kitchen, she froze. A rich aroma filled the air, so much so that, with no exaggeration, her cheeks felt a bit sour, causing her mouth to water.

The planned tomato and egg stir-fry was replaced by a dish with thick gravy and vibrant colors, tomato-braised beef. At this moment, Li Younan took the spicy sour cabbage off the heat and served it.

Xie Lin poked his head in and exclaimed: "Wow, dude, did you really make this?!"

Li Younan calmly untied his apron and said: "It’s no big deal, just serve and eat."

...

After dinner, they chatted a while.

Li Juhong focused on eating, noticing that both Li Younan and Xie Lin had set down their chopsticks, seemingly satiated, she went ahead with the tomato-braised beef and finished all the rice in the pot.

The other dishes had been polished off long before.

Li Younan spoke of wanting to experience being an extra here.

Xie Lin understood this quite well, as many tourists have similar desires. For tourists, being an extra can be quite interesting, fulfilling a dream of acting in a TV drama, as long as it isn’t a long-term way to make a living, it might indeed be a bit of fun.

Xie Lin, patting his chest, assured: "Don’t worry, brother, that’s a minor issue for me. Haha, having worked here for so many years, I have some connections."

To showcase his network, Xie Lin immediately picked up the phone and made a call to someone he knew.

On the phone, Xie Lin briefly explained the situation. Due to the phone volume, the response from the other end was audible: "No actor’s certificate, right? I have two spots tomorrow, but they’re just foreground roles, and the camera time might be significant. How does your friend look? If he’s as scruffy as you, that won’t do."

Xie Lin looked at Li Younan with some embarrassment, coughed, and quickly replied: "Rest assured, Brother Zhou, my buddy here is a handsome guy over six feet tall; he could even play the lead for you."

The person on the other end snorted: "I’m not joking here. Bring him for a casting tomorrow. Again, if his looks or height aren’t up to par, it won’t do."

Xie Lin thanked repeatedly before hanging up, telling Li Younan: "Brother, it’s settled. Don’t worry; you certainly can pass tomorrow."

Li Younan replied: "Thanks, brother."

Xie Lin feigned seriousness: "What are you talking about? That’s just a trivial matter for me; after all, I’ve been around here for years, and I do have some connections, heh heh." Xie Lin added, "If it were anyone else, coming over, they’d need to schedule actor’s certificates in advance; otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to do it. Joining a guild would be necessary. Without any connections, it’d be impossible to get roles."

Li Younan was somewhat aware, although Xie Lin was somewhat boastful, what he said was largely true. Li Younan was quite expectant, wondering what it would be like to be a crowd extra.

The work started earlier than expected.

The next morning at 6, Li Younan followed Xie Lin to Hengdian again.

As they arrived at the casting area, they heard the casting director cursing: "Damn it, are you guys mistaken? My drama depicts a scholarly gathering, a congregation of handsome men! Why did you bring me all these misfits? Recasting!"

Xie Lin and Li Younan hadn’t even entered, when a man with glasses and a cap rushed out and bumped into Xie Lin, instantly grabbing him: "Xie Lin, you’re just in time, where’s your guy? Director He is furious, don’t mess this up for me!"

Meanwhile, Li Younan was looking around with great interest.