280: Best Actor

Chen Mo's appearance was like a giant rock thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples in the previously quiet resting area.

A few extras who recognized him excitedly covered their mouths, not daring to approach. They just secretly took photos with their phones from a distance, whispering among themselves.

"Emperor Chen! Why is he here?"

"Could he also be interested in this bento box vendor?"

"Impossible, right? Emperor Chen is famously picky about his food, and at his level, how could he eat from a street stall?"

Chen Mo seemed oblivious to the commotion around him. His gaze swept over the simple, unadorned sign of "Lu's Bento Box." After lingering for a moment on the price list, his eyes moved to Lu Chuan and the two others behind the stall.

Lu Chuan also noticed this guest with an extraordinary aura.

The calm composure that Chen Mo exuded, tempered by experience, and his sharp gaze that seemed to perceive every detail, made Lu Chuan inwardly sigh with admiration, realizing he was indeed an Emperor of Film.

In any industry, those who reach the pinnacle are never simple individuals.

His heart stirred slightly, but he showed no emotion on his face, continuing with his packing-up duties.

At this moment, Chen Mo finally walked over.

He approached the food truck with unhurried steps, his gaze under the brim of his hat calmly fixed on Lu Chuan, his voice deep and magnetic.

"Boss, do you still have bento boxes?"

His assistant also added:

"Teacher Chen would like to know more about your bento boxes here."

Lu Chuan met Chen Mo's gaze and smiled:

"Sorry, the Basic Version and Essence Version are already sold out. Currently, there are only two reserved portions of the Advanced Custom Version left, but those are pre-ordered by customers."

He pointed to two noticeably more exquisite meal boxes placed separately in the insulated container.

Chen Mo's gaze fell on those meal boxes. He nodded slightly, then pondered for a moment and asked:

"Could you spare one for me? I'm willing to pay double the price to try a portion."

As soon as he said this, several crew members and a few scattered diners who hadn't left yet secretly gasped.

Double the price, that would be eighteen hundred!

Just for one bento box?

The Emperor of Film's style was indeed extraordinary.

Lu Chuan shook his head and apologized:

"I'm sorry, the customers who pre-ordered the bento boxes have already paid. If you're not in a hurry, you can come earlier tomorrow, or I can prepare a fresh one for you now, but it will take about fifteen minutes."

A flicker of surprise and appreciation crossed Chen Mo's deep eyes.

He had seen too many people easily change their principles for profit; Lu Chuan's refusal, on the contrary, made him feel a bit more favorably towards him.

"Prepare it fresh?" Chen Mo asked with interest, "Right here?"

"Yes," Lu Chuan nodded, "The ingredients are all pre-processed, so it will be quick."

Chen Mo glanced at his watch, then smiled and nodded:

"Alright, then I'll trouble the boss to prepare a fresh Advanced Version. I'm not in a rush."

"Please, have a seat."

Lu Chuan gestured towards the nearby parasol and chairs.

However, Chen Mo did not sit down immediately. Instead, he stood in front of the food truck, intently watching Lu Chuan's operations.

Lu Chuan didn't mind. He took out the pots, ingredients, and seasonings from under the food truck.

He also brought out a chef's tool case from underneath and took out a mystic crystal kitchen knife from it.

After cleaning the pots and the mystic crystal kitchen knife with clean drinking water, he began to cook.

Heating the pan, adding oil—a set of movements as smooth as flowing clouds and water.

When the mystic crystal kitchen knife began to process the ingredients, Chen Mo's gaze suddenly sharpened.

The knife work was fast, precise, and steady. The handling of each ingredient was as accurate as a machine, yet it carried an indescribable artistic beauty.

Especially when dealing with precious mushrooms and delicate meats that needed to maintain specific shapes, the effortless control displayed made Chen Mo secretly astonished.

He himself had considerable skill in cooking, so he could naturally tell that this was by no means a technique that an ordinary street vendor could master.

And when Lu Chuan began to cook, as the rich and mellow complex aroma, slightly enhanced by the trace addition of thousand-year stalactite marrow, burst forth, Chen Mo's nostrils couldn't help but subtly flare, and a hint of emotion began to appear on his usually calm and unruffled face.

The layers of that aroma were simply too rich.

Moreover, there was a strange soothing power that invigorated his spirit, which had been somewhat fatigued from days of continuous filming.

The surrounding air seemed to become viscous because of the aroma, and several people who were about to leave couldn't help but stop, greedily inhaling.

In less than fifteen minutes, a steaming hot, artfully arranged Advanced Custom Version bento box, with harmonious color coordination, was freshly prepared.

The rice was crystal clear, the main and side dishes were artfully arranged, and especially the bowl of clear soup, dotted with a hint of milky white marrow fluid, exuded a refreshing aroma that uplifted the heart and mind.

Lu Chuan packed the bento box, handed it to Chen Mo, and said with a smile:

"Please enjoy."

Chen Mo took the heavy bento box and walked to a chair to sit down.

He didn't open it impatiently like others. Instead, he first carefully examined the material and seal of the meal box, then observed the color and plating of the dishes before picking up his chopsticks.

He first scooped a small spoon of the clear soup, gently blew on it to cool it, and then brought it to his mouth.

The soup was warm and smooth upon entry, an indescribably sweet and refreshing taste instantly glided down his throat, like a clear spring flowing over parched land. The fatigue accumulated from days of filming and the slight discomfort in his throat were greatly relieved in that instant.

What followed was a strange sense of tranquility, as if his soul had been cleansed.

Chen Mo's hand, holding the spoon, paused, his eyes filled with an unbelievable glint.

This soup... He suppressed the shock in his heart and then picked up a piece of rib marinated in you lan honey.

The ribs were tender and flavorful, the cool, delicate orchid fragrance perfectly blended with the ultimate meaty aroma. They were fatty but not greasy, lean but not dry, with layers of texture that were exquisite to the extreme.

Even more miraculously, after eating, what remained in his mouth was not a greasy sensation, but a refreshing aftertaste.

Next were the glazed salt and black pepper beef tenderloin, the stone marrow braised lion's head... Each dish brought him a brand new taste experience and sensory impact.

The taste was not merely "delicious"; it was an ultimate harmony and sublimation, as if the potential of every ingredient had been unleashed to its limit and combined in the most perfect way.

Chen Mo's eating posture remained elegant, but his speed noticeably increased.

He was no longer just tasting, but truly enjoying the meal. The expression on his face, which started as serious scrutiny, gradually softened, then revealed a sense of immersive pleasure and satisfaction.

He ate with great concentration, even forgetting his surroundings, forgetting about his assistant and bodyguards not far away, and forgetting about the possibility of being secretly filmed.

As he ate with gusto, he would occasionally squint his eyes slightly, let out a soft, satisfied sigh, and the corners of his mouth would unconsciously turn up.

When the last bite of rice was finished, he put down his chopsticks and looked at the clean, new meal box in front of him, remaining silent for a long time.

He had worked for decades, traveled all over the world, and tasted countless delicacies—Michelin three-star restaurants, state banquets, private chefs... But never had a meal, like this seemingly simple bento box today, brought him such comprehensive and profound comfort and enjoyment on a sensory, physical, and even spiritual level.

This had already transcended the realm of food, approaching a kind of artistic cultivation and spiritual healing.

Chen Mo slowly raised his head and looked at Lu Chuan, who was wiping the stove, his eyes extremely complex, filled with shock, admiration, and a hint of imperceptible emotion.