Fish-Fragrant Shredded Pork with Tofu - Chapter 2
Just as the internet was buzzing with confusion, Lin Qianyu posted another Weibo update:
[My hubby treats me the best.]
The comments section instantly filled with pink, heart-shaped emojis.
[I'm shipping this couple so hard.]
[This love is killing me, so beautiful, I'm crying.]
[You two have to get married, right? There's no other way this ends.]
[Don't move, I'm bringing the marriage registry office right over.]
Suddenly, the whole internet started calling Lin Qianyu "Sister-in-law."
My manager, Qiao Nan, glanced at her phone and said to me,
"Did you know Lin Qianyu and Guo Zeyan are both signed to Emerald Sky Entertainment? When they debuted, the company tried to pair them up as a CP, but Guo Zeyan refused."
She shook her head, sighing dramatically.
"Who would've thought they'd end up together anyway. It's fate. Lin Qianyu marrying Guo Zeyan....what a windfall."
I put my phone down and shot her a look.
"Ha, even if you handed me that windfall, I wouldn't want it."
Qiao Nan gritted her teeth. "Yichen, please get a grip on yourself, okay? Why would Guo Zeyan ever be interested in a man?"
"Interested? It's more like..."
I stopped myself.
"More like what?" Qiao Nan pressed, curious.
"Nothing. Why would a superstar like Guo Zeyan ever fall for a regular guy like me?" I patted my chest, feigning righteousness.
She burst out laughing, nearly falling off her chair. "Come on, you don't even have abs. All the rich ladies want abs these days. Maybe you should start working out."
I rolled my eyes so hard it hurt.
After she calmed down, Qiao Nan suddenly turned serious.
"Yichen, are you really not renewing your contract after this one ends?"
We'd joined the company at the same time—she as a manager, me as an actor.
By some cosmic joke, two average, unambitious people ended up paired together.
I slacked off.
She took long breaks.
Neither of us made much money.
But unlike me, Qiao Nan never seemed short on cash.
As for her background, she never said, and I never cared enough to ask.
"Yeah, I'm not renewing."
The ten million yuan reward had already hit my account.
If not for the penalty fee, I would've said goodbye long ago.
Qiao Nan stared at me like she'd discovered a new species.
"Lin Yichen, don't tell me..."
Her gaze turned strange, and she covered her mouth, speechless.
She only called me by my full name when it was serious.
"Yeah, it's exactly what you're thinking," I nodded.
She gaped.
"No way! Did you finally get a sugar mama to sponsor you?"
She looked at me like a proud parent whose child had finally grown up.
I blinked, then snapped out of it.
"I won the lottery, okay? Who's getting sponsored here."
"Alright, alright, no need to get defensive."
This dating reality show split each episode into two parts.
The first half was for intimate CP interactions, the second for cooking together as a couple.
At the end, each pair could choose to stay together or switch partners.
Guo Zeyan would join as a guest next episode; this time, he could only watch.
Almost every celebrity struggled with the cooking segment.
Most had never done any real chores, let alone cooked a meal.
But to keep up appearances, everyone tried to show off at least a little.
The first couple gave up right away.
The live barrage was ruthless.
[Seriously? They can't even make instant noodles?]
[This is so boring.]
[Not even scrambled eggs?]
The second couple tried boiling noodles.
They dumped the noodles in before the water boiled, tossed in a couple of greens, and a few minutes later, the whole pot turned blue.
To hide their embarrassment, they tried heating rice in the microwave.
The male guest even put a whole egg in the microwave—thankfully, the director stopped them in time.
Their stream was cut off immediately.
The chat went wild:
[You can't put eggs in the microwave.]
[That almost exploded.]
[How do they not know this? I learned this in elementary school.]
[And those weren't even real greens they used—some root! No wonder the soup turned blue.]
The third male guest must've done some homework before the show.
He tried stir-frying pork. At first, it was going well, but then he realized he hadn't used enough oil and poured in more.
The next second, the pan caught fire.
Luckily, the crew rushed in to put it out.
The chat was frantic.
[Bro, buy a fire extinguisher next time.]
[This is pointless—none of them can cook, but they're still trying.]
Then it was our turn.
Even though it was supposed to be a team effort, I ended up doing all the cooking.... Luckily, I cooked at home a lot.
My shredded pork in garlic sauce was my specialty.
Back when Guo Zeyan stayed at my place, he always wanted to learn my recipes.
But he spent more time sticking close to me than actually cooking.
In no time, I had a plate of shredded pork in garlic sauce ready.
The chat scrolled non-stop:
[Wow! Lin Yichen can cook.]
[Honestly, that looks as good as a restaurant dish.]
[I want to try it, it looks delicious.]
Some fans noticed Lin Qianyu was missing.
[Where's Qianyu? If Guo Zeyan loves her so much, her food must be amazing.]
[Why isn't she on camera?]
Suddenly, Lin Qianyu appeared, carrying two dishes, smiling apologetically.
"Sorry, everyone, my camera broke earlier, so you didn't see me cooking. These are the two dishes I just made."
The chat went wild:
[Sister-in-law is amazing—two dishes in no time.]
[I'm officially calling her sister-in-law now.]
But I saw her manager in the background, tossing out takeout boxes.
So she'd bribed the crew to order food for her.
Lin Qianyu smiled sweetly.
"At home, I always cook. It's healthier when we make our own food."
She was clearly hinting at something.
The chat was full of praise:
[So virtuous!]
[Guo Zeyan is so lucky to have her.]
[You two must stay together forever.]
[Can't wait to see what your babies look like.]
[When are you getting married, sister-in-law?]
Lin Qianyu blushed, lowering her head.
"We're still young, we want to enjoy life for a few more years."
Of course, someone caught a video of me smirking in the background and posted it online.
The chat was quick to mock me:
[Someone's jealous.]
[Can't win over our girl, so he tries to ruin the mood.]
[Next episode, Guo Zeyan will be here, Lin Yichen won't have a partner anymore.]
Guo Zeyan appeared as a guest on the next episode.
The live chat was like a wedding banquet.
[Finally, a real couple! I'm so excited.]
[Got my popcorn, beer, and soda ready.]
[Guo Zeyan is so handsome! Ahhh!]
I glanced up at the stands.
Guo Zeyan wore a black tracksuit, casual, but stylish.
Wait a minute.
Wasn't that the same style as mine?
Mine was white, his was black.
[Guo Zeyan and Lin Yichen are wearing matching outfits!]
[Wow, but Guo Zeyan pulls it off better.]
[Guys, maybe we should start shipping a different CP.]
[Careful, don't ship too hard.]
I glared at Guo Zeyan, who met my gaze with a sly, fox-like smile.
My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly looked away.
Damn it.
He was really going for it.
Lin Qianyu, of course, seized the moment and waved at Guo Zeyan.
He walked right over.
And stood between me and Lin Qianyu.
"Zeyan, long time no see," Lin Qianyu greeted.
Guo Zeyan nodded politely.
The chat couldn't hold back.
[Why does it feel awkward between Guo Zeyan and Lin Qianyu?]
[Did they have a fight?]
[Probably just couple drama.]
[Black and white always make a great CP. Actually, Guo Zeyan and Lin Yichen are kind of shippable.]
Lin Qianyu forced a smile, but her eyes flickered with uncertainty.
I could sense the tension in the air.
Guo Zeyan's attention was clearly elsewhere.
The director announced the next challenge.
A three-person team task, with each group having to complete a trust exercise.
Guo Zeyan turned to me, his gaze unwavering.
"Yichen, want to team up?"
Lin Qianyu's smile froze, but she quickly recovered,
"Sure, let's all work together."
But Guo Zeyan didn't even glance at her.
He reached out, gently but firmly, and pulled me to his side.
The chat exploded.
[Wait, is this a love triangle?]
[Guo Zeyan is so obvious.]
[Lin Qianyu's face says it all, she's not happy.]
[I'm switching ships, Guo Zeyan and Lin Yichen are my new ship.]
I felt my ears burning, but Guo Zeyan leaned in and whispered,
"Relax, just follow my lead."
I shot him a look, but he only smiled, his eyes full of mischief.
The challenge began, but all I could think about was the warmth of his hand and the chaos brewing online.
And somehow, in that moment, I realized my life was about to get a whole lot more complicated....
[My hubby treats me the best.]
The comments section instantly filled with pink, heart-shaped emojis.
[I'm shipping this couple so hard.]
[This love is killing me, so beautiful, I'm crying.]
[You two have to get married, right? There's no other way this ends.]
[Don't move, I'm bringing the marriage registry office right over.]
Suddenly, the whole internet started calling Lin Qianyu "Sister-in-law."
My manager, Qiao Nan, glanced at her phone and said to me,
"Did you know Lin Qianyu and Guo Zeyan are both signed to Emerald Sky Entertainment? When they debuted, the company tried to pair them up as a CP, but Guo Zeyan refused."
She shook her head, sighing dramatically.
"Who would've thought they'd end up together anyway. It's fate. Lin Qianyu marrying Guo Zeyan....what a windfall."
I put my phone down and shot her a look.
"Ha, even if you handed me that windfall, I wouldn't want it."
Qiao Nan gritted her teeth. "Yichen, please get a grip on yourself, okay? Why would Guo Zeyan ever be interested in a man?"
"Interested? It's more like..."
I stopped myself.
"More like what?" Qiao Nan pressed, curious.
"Nothing. Why would a superstar like Guo Zeyan ever fall for a regular guy like me?" I patted my chest, feigning righteousness.
She burst out laughing, nearly falling off her chair. "Come on, you don't even have abs. All the rich ladies want abs these days. Maybe you should start working out."
I rolled my eyes so hard it hurt.
After she calmed down, Qiao Nan suddenly turned serious.
"Yichen, are you really not renewing your contract after this one ends?"
We'd joined the company at the same time—she as a manager, me as an actor.
By some cosmic joke, two average, unambitious people ended up paired together.
I slacked off.
She took long breaks.
Neither of us made much money.
But unlike me, Qiao Nan never seemed short on cash.
As for her background, she never said, and I never cared enough to ask.
"Yeah, I'm not renewing."
The ten million yuan reward had already hit my account.
If not for the penalty fee, I would've said goodbye long ago.
Qiao Nan stared at me like she'd discovered a new species.
"Lin Yichen, don't tell me..."
Her gaze turned strange, and she covered her mouth, speechless.
She only called me by my full name when it was serious.
"Yeah, it's exactly what you're thinking," I nodded.
She gaped.
"No way! Did you finally get a sugar mama to sponsor you?"
She looked at me like a proud parent whose child had finally grown up.
I blinked, then snapped out of it.
"I won the lottery, okay? Who's getting sponsored here."
"Alright, alright, no need to get defensive."
This dating reality show split each episode into two parts.
The first half was for intimate CP interactions, the second for cooking together as a couple.
At the end, each pair could choose to stay together or switch partners.
Guo Zeyan would join as a guest next episode; this time, he could only watch.
Almost every celebrity struggled with the cooking segment.
Most had never done any real chores, let alone cooked a meal.
But to keep up appearances, everyone tried to show off at least a little.
The first couple gave up right away.
The live barrage was ruthless.
[Seriously? They can't even make instant noodles?]
[This is so boring.]
[Not even scrambled eggs?]
The second couple tried boiling noodles.
They dumped the noodles in before the water boiled, tossed in a couple of greens, and a few minutes later, the whole pot turned blue.
To hide their embarrassment, they tried heating rice in the microwave.
The male guest even put a whole egg in the microwave—thankfully, the director stopped them in time.
Their stream was cut off immediately.
The chat went wild:
[You can't put eggs in the microwave.]
[That almost exploded.]
[How do they not know this? I learned this in elementary school.]
[And those weren't even real greens they used—some root! No wonder the soup turned blue.]
The third male guest must've done some homework before the show.
He tried stir-frying pork. At first, it was going well, but then he realized he hadn't used enough oil and poured in more.
The next second, the pan caught fire.
Luckily, the crew rushed in to put it out.
The chat was frantic.
[Bro, buy a fire extinguisher next time.]
[This is pointless—none of them can cook, but they're still trying.]
Then it was our turn.
Even though it was supposed to be a team effort, I ended up doing all the cooking.... Luckily, I cooked at home a lot.
My shredded pork in garlic sauce was my specialty.
Back when Guo Zeyan stayed at my place, he always wanted to learn my recipes.
But he spent more time sticking close to me than actually cooking.
In no time, I had a plate of shredded pork in garlic sauce ready.
The chat scrolled non-stop:
[Wow! Lin Yichen can cook.]
[Honestly, that looks as good as a restaurant dish.]
[I want to try it, it looks delicious.]
Some fans noticed Lin Qianyu was missing.
[Where's Qianyu? If Guo Zeyan loves her so much, her food must be amazing.]
[Why isn't she on camera?]
Suddenly, Lin Qianyu appeared, carrying two dishes, smiling apologetically.
"Sorry, everyone, my camera broke earlier, so you didn't see me cooking. These are the two dishes I just made."
The chat went wild:
[Sister-in-law is amazing—two dishes in no time.]
[I'm officially calling her sister-in-law now.]
But I saw her manager in the background, tossing out takeout boxes.
So she'd bribed the crew to order food for her.
Lin Qianyu smiled sweetly.
"At home, I always cook. It's healthier when we make our own food."
She was clearly hinting at something.
The chat was full of praise:
[So virtuous!]
[Guo Zeyan is so lucky to have her.]
[You two must stay together forever.]
[Can't wait to see what your babies look like.]
[When are you getting married, sister-in-law?]
Lin Qianyu blushed, lowering her head.
"We're still young, we want to enjoy life for a few more years."
Of course, someone caught a video of me smirking in the background and posted it online.
The chat was quick to mock me:
[Someone's jealous.]
[Can't win over our girl, so he tries to ruin the mood.]
[Next episode, Guo Zeyan will be here, Lin Yichen won't have a partner anymore.]
Guo Zeyan appeared as a guest on the next episode.
The live chat was like a wedding banquet.
[Finally, a real couple! I'm so excited.]
[Got my popcorn, beer, and soda ready.]
[Guo Zeyan is so handsome! Ahhh!]
I glanced up at the stands.
Guo Zeyan wore a black tracksuit, casual, but stylish.
Wait a minute.
Wasn't that the same style as mine?
Mine was white, his was black.
[Guo Zeyan and Lin Yichen are wearing matching outfits!]
[Wow, but Guo Zeyan pulls it off better.]
[Guys, maybe we should start shipping a different CP.]
[Careful, don't ship too hard.]
I glared at Guo Zeyan, who met my gaze with a sly, fox-like smile.
My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly looked away.
Damn it.
He was really going for it.
Lin Qianyu, of course, seized the moment and waved at Guo Zeyan.
He walked right over.
And stood between me and Lin Qianyu.
"Zeyan, long time no see," Lin Qianyu greeted.
Guo Zeyan nodded politely.
The chat couldn't hold back.
[Why does it feel awkward between Guo Zeyan and Lin Qianyu?]
[Did they have a fight?]
[Probably just couple drama.]
[Black and white always make a great CP. Actually, Guo Zeyan and Lin Yichen are kind of shippable.]
Lin Qianyu forced a smile, but her eyes flickered with uncertainty.
I could sense the tension in the air.
Guo Zeyan's attention was clearly elsewhere.
The director announced the next challenge.
A three-person team task, with each group having to complete a trust exercise.
Guo Zeyan turned to me, his gaze unwavering.
"Yichen, want to team up?"
Lin Qianyu's smile froze, but she quickly recovered,
"Sure, let's all work together."
But Guo Zeyan didn't even glance at her.
He reached out, gently but firmly, and pulled me to his side.
The chat exploded.
[Wait, is this a love triangle?]
[Guo Zeyan is so obvious.]
[Lin Qianyu's face says it all, she's not happy.]
[I'm switching ships, Guo Zeyan and Lin Yichen are my new ship.]
I felt my ears burning, but Guo Zeyan leaned in and whispered,
"Relax, just follow my lead."
I shot him a look, but he only smiled, his eyes full of mischief.
The challenge began, but all I could think about was the warmth of his hand and the chaos brewing online.
And somehow, in that moment, I realized my life was about to get a whole lot more complicated....
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