Chapter 19: Crazy Thursday

“It should be hypoglycemia.” A member of the medical team removed their stethoscope and took a bottle of glucose from the medical kit.

A high-budget production like *The Story of a Noble Family* would always have medical personnel on standby to handle any emergencies.

“The child is only 14 or 15, she's still growing and developing. Plus, acting is physically demanding, so she needs more nutritional supplementation,” the medical officer said sincerely to Liu Xiaoli.

“Phew, you scared me to death.” Liu Xiaoli patted her chest, taking a long time to recover her composure.

Her daughter was her whole world; when Xixi fainted just now, she felt as if the sky were falling.

After sipping a bottle of glucose, Liu Xixi’s complexion improved significantly.

The crew members who had learned of the incident all gathered around, and Zhang Yuan was among them.

When Xixi first arrived at the set, she had an oval face, but after this past week, she had almost slimmed down to a melon seed shape.

To control her figure, her mother had been feeding her like a rabbit.

“Sister Xiaoli, Xixi is too thin. You can't control her diet like this,” the director, Li Dawei, said helplessly.

Since the director had spoken, Liu Xiaoli could only nod reluctantly, though her eyes still seemed to say

*As if I’d ever do anything to harm my own daughter.*

When lunchtime arrived, the catering for the crew was quite good: four dishes, one soup, and an extra large fried chicken drumstick for everyone.

The crew had a large dedicated table for the main actors to eat at. Today, Zhang Yuan happened to be sitting right next to Liu Xixi.

Liu Xixi opened her lunch box, and her eyes lit up when she saw the large chicken drumstick. But before she could even reach for it, her mother snatched it away.

Liu Xiaoli deftly picked out all the meat dishes, leaving only two vegetable dishes. She even picked the shredded meat out of a semi-meat dish, and finally pushed the rice aside, leaving only a tiny mound barely larger than a one-yuan coin before returning it to Xixi.

Even so, she was still following the doctor's advice to give her more food.

Xixi pouted and ate her food in silence; with only that little bit, she finished in a few bites.

“Xixi, once you're done eating, use the lunch break to memorize your lines. The movement coach is also here, so make use of the time!”

The young girl’s brow furrowed so tightly it was almost a knot. She dropped her chopsticks and turned her head, only to see Zhang Yuan sitting beside her, holding a glistening, oily chicken drumstick, leaning sideways to chat with Chen Kun.

Xixi stared at the tempting fat on the chicken skin, her nose filled with the aroma of fried food...

After saying a few words, Zhang Yuan turned back and raised the drumstick to take a bite, but he suddenly froze.

“Why is a piece of meat missing?” Zhang Yuan flipped the drumstick over and discovered a row of fine, neat teeth marks on the side of the piece he hadn't even bitten into yet.

Looking up, he saw Liu Xixi’s retreating figure drifting away in the distance.

“The poor girl must be starving herself blind.”

Filming continued. For the next period of time, Liu Xixi’s performance failed to satisfy the director; she frequently mispronounced lines or stumbled over her words.

Furthermore, already thin, she was visibly losing even more weight.

“Ugh!” During lunch that day, upon seeing the boiled sea cucumber her mother had prepared for her "nutritional supplementation," Xixi vomited directly.

Li Dawei hurriedly called someone to help the girl go back and rest.

“What are we going to do?” Li Dawei was full of worry. “She just fainted a few days ago, and now she’s throwing up everything she eats. Her acting state is terrible.”

“Could this child have developed anorexia?” After thinking for a while, Li Dawei reached a very grim conclusion.

“If her health really becomes an issue and she can't film, we'll have to replace her and reshoot. That would be a massive headache.”

As the director was muttering to himself, Liu Xiaoli happened to return after seeing her daughter off and heard everything.

Her face instantly turned pale!

Replace her!

Then all this effort would be for nothing!

She was counting on this film to help her daughter successfully enter the entertainment industry—ideally, to become an overnight sensation.

“Director Li, give Xixi a few days to adjust. She can definitely do it,” Liu Xiaoli hurriedly negotiated with Li Dawei.

“You’ve seen Xixi’s current condition. The crew can't wait. I can give you time, but what if there is no improvement?”

*Yes, you and your daughter do have a good relationship with my mother, but I am the director of this film!*

*I am the one responsible for the filming and the quality of the final product.*

*Li Dawei will not compromise the quality of the entire series for the sake of an individual!*

As the director and Liu Xiaoli argued incessantly, Zhang Yuan, who was eating quietly nearby, heard it all. He thought back to that tooth-marked chicken drumstick from a few days ago.

“Excuse me, sorry to interrupt.” Zhang Yuan put down his chopsticks and spoke steadily.

The two arguing parties stopped simultaneously and turned to look at him.

“Director Li, Auntie, what you are both worried about is that Xixi’s physical condition will affect her performance.”

“And currently, Xixi is showing signs of anorexia, is that correct?”

The two nodded, not understanding the point of Zhang Yuan's interruption.

“Actually, I know a master who specializes in treating anorexia.”

“What!” Liu Xiaoli’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You know a doctor?”

“Western medicine or Traditional Chinese Medicine?”

“Uh...” Zhang Yuan thought for a moment. “Let's call it an integration of both.”

“Is he experienced?”

“White hair and a grizzled beard,” Zhang Yuan described briefly.

*White beard, white hair... he must be an old TCM practitioner,* Liu Xiaoli thought.

“Why don't you give me the doctor's contact information? I'll take Xixi to see him.”

“No, this doctor has a very strange temperament. Only I can take Xixi to see him.”

Liu Xiaoli fell into a dilemma.

It wasn't surprising; her daughter was so beautiful that she was constantly on guard, terrified of her being snatched away by someone with ill intentions.

“Sister Xiaoli, just let Zhang Yuan try. You don't have a better option anyway,” Li Dawei said. After interacting with Zhang Yuan for these past few days, he had developed an unconditional trust in him.

Since the director said so, Liu Xiaoli had no choice but to agree.

The crew gave Zhang Yuan and Liu Xixi half a day off. After the lunch break, he took Xixi away from the set.

“Driver, to the city center,” Zhang Yuan led Xixi into a taxi.

“Zhang Yuan, you aren't taking me to some weird place for medical treatment, are you?” Xixi said with a bitter face. “Right now, just looking at food makes me want to vomit. Don't make me eat Chinese herbal medicine again; I'm afraid of the bitterness.”

“Herbal medicine is still better than the food you usually eat.”

“That’s true.” Xixi swayed her head and looked out the window. Occasionally, without her mother around, she felt very relaxed.

Before long, they arrived. Zhang Yuan led her to a building with red walls.

“You brought me here for medical treatment?” Liu Xixi looked at the KFC in front of them, her small mouth forming an 'O' shape.

“Just tell me, does he have a white beard and white hair?” Zhang Yuan pointed at the Colonel Sanders logo.

The two entered the store. He settled Xixi in a quiet corner and went to the counter to order a bucket of chicken.

In the early 2000s, KFC was considered a high-end restaurant. A bucket cost 59 yuan, while an average worker's monthly salary was only a few hundred to a thousand yuan.

He laid out the original recipe chicken, wings, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes, and cola in front of Xixi. The girl's mouth was still hanging open in shock.

“What, did your jaw dislocate?”

Zhang Yuan made a joke, but unexpectedly, two lines of hot tears suddenly fell from Xixi's eyes as she sat opposite him.

*Waaaah...*

*You can't even cry during filming, but seeing a few pieces of fried chicken makes you cry like a kitten whose milk was stolen. How pathetic.*

【Received gratitude from Liu Xixi, Appearance +5!】

*This attribute is a first...* Zhang Yuan touched his own face.

Meanwhile, Xixi grabbed a piece of original recipe chicken and took a huge, hearty bite. With a quick slurp, she rolled the entire piece of chicken skin into her mouth.

*Slurp...* In less than a minute, a piece of chicken breast was gone. Xixi licked her fingers and reached for another piece.

*She must have been starving...* Seeing her eat so happily, Zhang Yuan's appetite was also piqued. He reached for a chicken wing.

*ROAR!!!*

To his surprise, Xixi made a sound like a puppy guarding its food. He pulled his hand back just in time, otherwise, he would have lost a few fingers!

“Here.” Xixi handed him a corn on the cob.

“Thanks... wait, no, I think I'm the one who paid.” Zhang Yuan took it, set it aside, and rested his chin on his hand, watching her eat.

*What anorexia? If you follow Liu Xiaoli's diet, anyone would develop anorexia!*

Zhang Yuan had long realized that Xixi didn't actually have anorexia. The reason her state was poor on set and she couldn't remember lines was very simple.

She was hungry!

Why do office workers easily gain weight? On one hand, they use food as psychological compensation; on the other hand, without the energy provided by food, the brain can't function!

A 14-year-old girl is still growing. If she eats nothing but boiled vegetables, boiled cabbage, boiled carrots, and boiled sea cucumber every day... it would be a miracle if she could act well.

Liu Xiaoli, like most parents, wanted her child to become successful, but she had clearly gone too far.

After a full meal, Liu Xixi let out a burp and said, “Can we sneak out to eat fried chicken again tomorrow?”

“Watch your image.” Zhang Yuan handed her a tissue to wipe her oily little mouth.

“Eating it every day is impossible. Once your mom finds out, there won't be a next time.”

“Then... how about once a week?” Liu Xixi rolled her eyes. “Today is Thursday. Next Thursday, we'll pretend to go for a medical checkup and come out to eat chicken!”

“Fine, then from now on, we'll have a 'Crazy Thursday' every week.”

(End of Chapter)