The same.

Mu Qingxi returned to the dressing room once more; it was empty, the door left ajar. She hadn't rested well the previous night, plagued by nightmares, and now exhaustion weighed heavily upon her. She decided to lay her head down for a brief nap.

Half-asleep, she heard someone enter. She opened her eyes a sliver and saw Bai Fanhao. Unbothered, she ignored him and continued to sleep—she was certain he wouldn't dare to do anything. Settling in, she fell asleep quickly.

“Mu Mu… Mu Mu, wake up… Mu Mu, get up…” Qin Yu whispered in her ear.

Mu Qingxi struggled to open her eyes. Seeing who it was, she muttered softly, “Wei Yu, what is it? What happened?”

“Mu Mu, did everyone finish their performances?”

“Ha…” Mu Qingxi yawned carelessly, then said, “Wei Yu, what about our act?”

“Xi Haifei said there's no need to rehearse. He hasn't got the time, and he'll only arrive in the afternoon for the actual show. Let's go eat first,” Qin Yu replied.

“But what about the formal performance? Surely both female hosts can't be absent!” Mu Qingxi stopped and questioned.

This time, Bai Fanhao merely observed, saying nothing.

Now Mu Qingxi was troubled. What would happen if both female hosts weren't present? Bai Fanhao spoke up: “Mu Mu, don't worry. I've already arranged it. Guo Chen and I will do the introductions. Once you've announced the act, hurry off to change costumes.”

Guo Chen’s mouth twitched; inwardly, he cursed Bai Fanhao for being so enamored with women and neglecting everyone else.

“Don't worry, you two. Go eat now, and when you return, we'll go over the script,” Bai Fanhao instructed.

“Alright, we'll eat first. You two should come as well. It's already one o'clock. After lunch, we'll review the script, then get ready—otherwise, there won't be enough time. Don't refuse, let's go together.” With that, Mu Qingxi and Qin Yu left.

Mu Qingxi knew they'd follow. She was certain Bai Fanhao would come along—it was a feeling she couldn't explain.

Bai Fanhao and Guo Chen followed Mu Qingxi and Qin Yu into Qiu's Barbecue House. Wei Yu called out, “Chef Qiu, we're here!”

“Oh, Xiao Yu and Xiao Mu, you've come. The usual, I suppose?” Chef Qiu asked.

“Chef Qiu, don't forget me and Fanhao! The usual for all of us, but extra portions—we're all together today,” Guo Chen chimed in, flashing his signature smile and gentle voice.

Chef Qiu was easily won over, responding enthusiastically, “Alright, alright. Have a seat, it'll be ready soon.”

The four chose a spot by the wall. Qin Yu and Mu Qingxi sat with their backs to the door, Bai Fanhao and Guo Chen facing it.

“Should I plate everything according to your individual preferences?” Chef Qiu called out.

The four exchanged glances, nodded in unison, then all looked to Guo Chen. He rolled his eyes at them, then called out, “Chef Qiu, as long as you remember our tastes, just split them accordingly!”

Soon, Chef Qiu brought out a large platter. When he set it down, surprise flickered across their faces. The four servings of meat were nearly identical—only the fat content and cuts differed slightly. Yet, two portions were exactly the same.

Chef Qiu caught their puzzled expressions and laughed, “Hehe, your tastes don't differ much. Fanhao and Xiao Mu's are identical. Once you all started appearing together, I memorized your preferences—otherwise, I could never keep track. Eat up, and let me know if you need more.”

Flatbreads and grilled meat, a plate for each, though the two men had slightly larger portions than the two women.

“Alright, stop staring and eat. So what if they're the same? Plenty of people have similar tastes,” Mu Qingxi couldn't stand their stares any longer.

No sooner had she spoken than Bai Fanhao said, “Of course it matters, especially since the two of us have identical preferences.”

“Bai Fanhao, eat. Will you die if you stop talking?” Mu Qingxi glared at him.

What was wrong with him? He'd never been so talkative before—was he acting up or something?