Changsha Huanghua Airport.
The flight from Beijing was only two hours, but the second they stepped off the plane the whole vibe changed.
The air felt wetter, warmer, and carried the faint smell of chili stir-fried pork.
Might've been in their heads.
The show sent a van straight to a hotel near Hunan TV headquarters.
On the ride over, the segment producer, Xiao Zhao, started running through the schedule. "Cass-ge, everyone, we record the day after tomorrow in the afternoon."
"Flow is opening skit, games, movie promo, and a heartfelt segment at the end—"
Cassius translated on the fly. "Super relaxed, so don't stress."
Paul slung an arm around Cassius's shoulders. "With you here, we're not worried at all."
Gal was already taking notes. "Any physical games? Should I switch to flats?"
"No no, mostly brain games," Xiao Zhao said quickly. "Just have fun. The whole point of our show is happiness."
They dropped their bags at the hotel. It was only four in the afternoon.
Cassius was about to crash for a bit when someone knocked on his door.
He opened it to find four people standing there in a perfect line.
Vin: "Hungry!"
Paul: "Heard Changsha street food is insane."
Gal: "I already looked up the best spots. So many good things!"
Tyrese: "Today I'm getting my revenge!"
Cassius looked at the four of them and sighed. "Fine. But three rules: don't go full spicy at once, and if anyone recognizes us, stay calm—"
He pointed at Tyrese. "And you—no more power-chugging. Everything in small bites!"
Pozijie Street.
The old alley was already buzzing.
The Fire Palace sign glowed bright, red lanterns swaying above the door.
But Cassius didn't head straight inside. He turned into a smaller side lane first.
"Real old-Changsha flavor is always in these little alley spots."
They crammed around a plastic table in a tiny noodle shop and ordered five bowls of beef rice noodles.
The bowls arrived swimming in red-oil broth, loaded with thick slices of braised beef, pickled beans, and peanuts.
Vin had learned. "Spicy?"
"Mild spicy," Cassius said. "Hunan heat is fragrant, not just burn."
Paul took a sip of the broth and his eyes widened. "This is really good. Richer than any Chinatown noodle soup I've had back home."
Gal ate carefully and nodded. "The noodles are so smooth—nothing like Italian pasta."
Tyrese was cautious this time. He blew on it forever before taking a bite… then cried again.
"Why is it still spicy?!"
He chugged some iced soy milk. "But it's actually delicious! This beef is more tender than my mom's pot roast!"
The second they stepped out of the noodle shop, Tyrese spotted the stinky tofu stand and declared he was facing his demons.
Changsha stinky tofu was different from Shanghai's.
Cassius tried a piece first, then explained to the four pairs of eager eyes watching him. "Changsha version has a crispier skin, softer inside, and the dipping sauce is garlic-chili."
Tyrese took a deep breath, grabbed a piece like a man marching to war, and bit off a corner.
He chewed.
Paused.
Chewed again.
"This one's good!"
He took a bigger bite. "Way friendlier than bean juice! Crispy outside, tender inside, and that sauce is spicy but smells amazing!"
Gal tried it too and nodded. "This is better than the Shanghai one!"
Cassius led them down the street, eating as they walked.
By the time they got back to the hotel everyone was holding their stomachs.
On the ride back Paul was scrolling his phone. "My video of peeling shrimp already has twenty thousand likes."
Gal: "These flavors are so layered. I need to talk to my nutritionist about adding some of this to my meal plan. My current diet food is disgusting."
Vin suddenly turned to Cassius. "Cass, the show tomorrow really as chill as you said?"
"Even more chill than you think."
Hunan TV building, Happy Camp backstage.
Shen Man clutched a fresh stack of printed run sheets and jogged down the crowded hallway.
The printer had jammed for ten minutes, so she was now rushing copies to every host lounge and guest dressing room.
"Excuse me! Coming through!"
She squeezed past two tech guys adjusting light rigs, almost dropping the sheets.
Three months in Changsha. From USC film directing grad to bottom-rung variety segment producer at Hunan TV.
Huge drop.
But she wasn't complaining.
Steady paycheck, real production experience—she was grateful.
Her movie dream?
Long gone.
Still, this was the perfect time to be making variety shows, especially ones with their own style.
She had studied dozens of successful domestic and international programs and filled three notebooks with notes, just waiting for her shot.
"Xiao Shen! Run sheets are late!"
Program director assistant Sister Wang shouted from down the hall. "Teacher He and the others have been here a while—hurry!"
"Coming!" Shen Man sped up.
She dropped the sheets at the Happy Family lounge first.
Teacher He was running lines with Xie Na. When Shen Man walked in he looked up and smiled. "Thanks for the hard work, Xiao Shen."
"No problem, Teacher He." She set the sheets down and quietly closed the door.
Next stop: guest dressing room.
Today's episode featured the main cast of a hot new palace drama.
When Shen Man walked in, two young actors were getting touch-ups while their assistants fanned them.
She set the sheets down and was about to leave when she heard one of them complain, "Ratings for this episode are probably gonna suck again. No big names."
The other guy replied, "Heard some Hollywood crew is coming tomorrow? True or fake?"
"Of course it's true. Fast & Furious 5 cast, but it's not our episode. If we pull a 0.8 rating we should be grateful."
Shen Man closed the door, heart skipping.
Hollywood crew?
Fast & Furious?
She shook her head. No way it was that big a coincidence.
Hollywood promo tours usually stuck to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou. They almost never came to Changsha for a variety show.
Even if they did, it wouldn't involve a newbie segment producer like her.
Back in the producers' office, everyone was rushing around.
Shen Man's desk was in the corner by the water cooler.
"Xiao Shen, come here." Sister Wang waved her over. "Tomorrow's Fast & Furious 5 outdoor segment—you're on car duty. Confirm the location today."
Shen Man blinked. "Me?"
"Yeah, you're the best English speaker in the group. Overseas returnee and all." Sister Wang handed her a folder. "Here's the outdoor plan. Quick flash-mob at Orange Isle. You'll need to coordinate with the guests. You got this."
Shen Man took the folder, nerves and excitement mixing.
Direct contact with a Hollywood crew—this was a real opportunity.
"Thanks, Sister Wang. I'll do my best."
"Good girl." Sister Wang patted her shoulder. "Also, after today's taping stay back and learn switching desk ops from the tech team. Never hurts to know more."
"Got it."
Three p.m. Today's recording started.
Shen Man was stationed in the backstage monitor area, logging any on-stage issues and audience reactions.
She wore her headset, eyes on six screens, notepad ready.
Halfway through, a prop in a game segment jammed—the machine that was supposed to shoot confetti got stuck.
The floor director was panicking. Shen Man grabbed the backup prop from backstage and sprinted it up, her quick thinking earning an extra glance from the control room director.
Four-twenty p.m. First half wrapped. Break time.
Shen Man went to the tea room for water and overheard two executive producers chatting.
"Next week's episode is the big one. Station bosses are all coming to watch."
"Heard Universal is treating it like a priority. That actor Cassius personally suggested coming on our show."
"Cassius? The guy who blew up in Hollywood? Did Thor and 2 Broke Girls?"
"Yeah, him. Oscar nominee now. Super hot."
Shen Man's grip tightened on her cup.
Ever since she watched Cassius's movie she had thrown herself into studying directing books, ignoring everything else, just so she could get into Hunan TV.
And now, out of nowhere, her old classmate was coming back as a huge star, bringing an entire Hollywood cast to the show.
"Xiao Shen? You zoning out?"
Colleague Xiao Liu tapped her. "Sister Wang wants you to inventory next week's props. List is here."
"Oh, right." Shen Man took the list and pushed the thoughts aside.
The props warehouse was in the basement of the main building, full of old equipment and dusty set pieces.
Shen Man pushed a cart downstairs. The hallway lights were dim; only her footsteps echoed.
She had counted over thirty items and was sweating a little when the warehouse door suddenly opened.
"Is this the place?"
A man's voice.
"Should be. Director said to check the props first."
Another voice.
Shen Man straightened up and looked toward the door.
Then she froze.
Five people stood in the doorway.
The one in front was a young Asian man in a simple black T-shirt and jeans, turning to speak to a bald, muscular guy beside him.
That face—she knew it instantly.
Cassius.
It really was him.
He looked more mature than three years ago, sharper features, steadier eyes.
But the same face. Same little habit of raising one eyebrow when he talked.
Cassius saw her too.
He stopped mid-sentence. Surprise, then recognition.
Ten meters apart, surrounded by old props, the fluorescent lights buzzing overhead.
"Shen Man?"
Cassius spoke first,.
The bald guy—Vin—looked between them, confused, and asked in English, "Cass, you know her?"
Paul, Gal, and Tyrese stepped inside too. Tyrese coughed the second he entered. "How long has this place been closed? Feels like a horror movie set."
Shen Man took a deep breath, set her clipboard down, and walked over.
"Cassius. Long time no see." She kept her voice steady.
"Long time!" Cassius stared at her, expression complicated. "What are you doing here?"
"I work here. Segment producer."
Shen Man kept it short, then switched to fluent English for the others. "Hello, I'm Shen Man, segment producer for Happy Camp. I'm handling the outdoor coordination for tomorrow's recording. Didn't expect to run into you all down here."
Vin smiled and shook her hand. "Nice to meet you. Vin Diesel."
Paul, Gal, and Tyrese greeted her one by one.
They were all friendly, but clearly curious about the sudden connection between Cassius and this producer.
After the quick hellos, Cassius told the group, "You guys head up. I'll talk to Producer Shen for a minute about the outdoor shoot."
Vin nodded, clapped him on the shoulder, and led the others out.
The door closed. Just the two of them in the quiet warehouse.
"You've changed a lot," Cassius said first, leaning against a prop crate. "Short hair looks good on you."
Shen Man touched her bob cut self-consciously.
She'd chopped it short after moving to Changsha for convenience.
"You've changed even more," she said, looking at him. "Big star now."
"Just lucky," Cassius said lightly. "What about you? How'd you end up producing variety? I thought you were directing films."
"Film industry is tough." Shen Man leaned against the opposite crate. "Did two crews after I got back—both disasters. Figured it out eventually. Variety isn't bad. At least I get to make real content."
She paused, then added, "And a successful variety show can reach way more people than some small art-house movie."
Cassius nodded. "Makes sense."
He almost brought up the future hits Running Man and Extreme Challenge from his last life, but footsteps echoed outside—someone was coming.
"I should head up," Cassius straightened. "See you at tomorrow's recording?"
"See you then." Shen Man stood tall too. "I'll have the outdoor segment fully prepped. Don't worry."
Cassius reached the door, then turned back. "Shen Man."
"Yeah?"
"Starting over here and making it work… that's impressive," he said. "Really."
Shen Man felt her nose sting, but she held it together. "You too. Keep killing it."
Cassius gave her one last long look, nodded, and stepped out.
Shen Man stood there listening to his footsteps fade.
She looked down at the prop list in her hands, then up at the dusty warehouse full of old gear.
Then she went back to work, checking each item one by one, careful and focused.
The corners of her mouth lifted just a little.
Two p.m. the next day, Hunan TV studio backstage.
Shen Man wore the black crew T-shirt, work pass hanging around her neck, palms a little sweaty.
She took a deep breath and silently ran through the rundown she'd memorized ten times last night.
This was her first time stepping on stage to give cues. Even though it was just a simple intro and guide, for someone used to staying behind the scenes it felt like stepping into the spotlight.
"Don't overthink it. Pretend the audience is pumpkins."
A veteran floor director patted her shoulder. "Teacher He is a pro. He won't let you crash and burn."
Shen Man nodded, but her eyes kept drifting toward the guest lounge.
Cassius and the Fast & Furious 5 team had arrived half an hour ago. They were probably in makeup right now.
Just then laughter rolled down the hallway.
Cassius walked at the front, chatting in English with Paul.
Vin's bald head gleamed under the backstage lights. Gal adjusted her earpiece as she walked. Tyrese filmed everything on his phone like a tourist.
"Shen Man!"
Cassius spotted her and walked straight over. "Who goes on first, us or the hosts? Any topics we should avoid? Like… bean juice?"
He shot Tyrese a look. Tyrese immediately made an exaggerated gagging face, cracking up the whole crew.
Shen Man's nerves eased the second he started joking. She slipped into work mode. "Hosts open, then they intro you guys. You start the chat. Taboo topics are marked on the sheet—no politics, no religion, no badmouthing other studios."
"Got it!"
Cassius gave her a thumbs-up.
Shen Man ran the quick outdoor segment with the group.
The five of them goofed around and had a blast.
After outdoor filming wrapped, everyone headed back to the main studio for the full taping.
The opening music blasted. The Happy Family ran out from both sides of the stage. The five hundred audience members exploded into cheers.
Today's crowd was packed with hardcore movie fans and Cassius stans.
He Jiong took the mic. "Welcome to Happy Camp! Today we have five very special guests. They're from Hollywood. Their movie has already made billions worldwide. And today—they're here in Changsha!"
The lights swung to the side entrance.
"First, please welcome the cast of Fast & Furious 5!"
The door opened. Cassius led the way, followed by Vin, Paul, Gal, and Tyrese.
The five of them were dressed casually but still carried massive star power. The screams from the audience nearly lifted the roof.
Cassius took the mic from He Jiong and opened with a line that made the whole studio laugh. "Teacher He, hello everyone. Backstage Tyrese asked me what in Changsha is spicier than bean juice. I told him—after the show I'll take you for stinky tofu with chili stir-fried pork. Guaranteed to change your life."
Tyrese nodded hard and shouted , "I can do it!"
He Jiong played along perfectly. "Looks like Changsha food is already world famous. Cassius, as the only ember of the cast, you brought your teammates for promo. How does it feel?"
"Feels like—"
Cassius paused and looked at Vin. "I finally get to take revenge. When we were shooting in L.A., Vin made me eat those healthy meals—chicken breast and broccoli until I turned green. Now that we're back, I'm feeding them red-braised pork, soup dumplings, and hotpot every day. Yesterday Vin stepped on the scale and said he gained five pounds."
Vin spread his hands in mock defeat and said in English, "He calls this cultural exchange. I suspect he just wanted an excuse to eat."
Paul jumped in. "But I have to say—this barbecue beats American barbecue."
Gal nodded. "And the night market vibe is amazing. Everyone just sitting by the street, super relaxed."
The translator behind them was laughing while she translated.
The energy in the studio was electric.
Shen Man stood off-stage, watching the monitors, a small smile on her face.
She never thought she'd see Cassius again like this—on her own show, bringing Hollywood stars to the city she now called home.
Life really did have a sense of humor.