Kong Mingyan nodded: "If there is a contract renewal, it will only be for you."
Cheng Qing touched her forehead and drank a cup of tea to clear her head. Then she asked, puzzled, "I don't really understand. Why only me? Under what pretext? For what purpose?"
This is really unreasonable. The amateurs are not famous, and the show is changed because of them. It just doesn't make sense.
"Cheng Qing, in this industry, everything boils down to one sentence: traffic is the key." Kong Mingyan said with a smile, and Cheng Qing immediately realized what he meant, momentarily unsure if Kong Mingyan was joking.
Kong Mingyan was not joking, he said seriously: "In terms of the effect of last week's broadcast, the one with the fastest growth in popularity is you."
Despite Kong Mingyan's assurance, Cheng Qing did not immediately agree but said, "...I'll think about it."
Kong Mingyan patted her on the shoulder with a smile and said, "Young man, you're very patient! I have high hopes for you and I hope you can think it over carefully. Anyway, the notification from above hasn't come down yet, so there's still time."
Cheng Qing nodded, thanked him, and left.
Outside, Zhang Lingling was teaching the three men how to make a cake because the two men couldn't learn no matter what they tried and had even started taking their anger out on Zhang Lingling.
As Cheng Qing passed by, seeing Zhang Lingling's utter helplessness, he couldn't help but say to the group, "Do you think you'll learn anything by scolding her a couple of times?"
Ye Lingyun was taken aback by her sudden retort and felt extremely uncomfortable: "It's because she didn't teach us well. Look at the three of us, which one of us can learn it?"
Cheng Qing: "I'm not qualified to criticize these things, but let's respect our teachers!" Because the two teams had been practicing together, Cheng Qing naturally saw whether the three of them were learning seriously.
Zhang Lingling glanced gratefully at Cheng Qing, who simply nodded at her and then went into the kitchen.
Sure enough, the kitchen was already stocked with all the ingredients the production team had bought. Cheng Qing smiled wryly, rolled up her sleeves, and prepared to start preparing the ingredients. Since she was going to help Luo Xi cook, she also wanted to teach Luo Xi some simple dishes.
This way, when Losi is home alone, she can order less takeout.
Lunch for more than 10 people, especially a big meal, naturally meant a huge workload.
Cheng Qing carried all the vegetables from the kitchen doorway inside and began washing them one by one...
About 10 minutes later, Zhang Lingling suddenly came in. Cheng Qing was alone in the kitchen preparing vegetables, and her figure looked dreamlike in the sunlight.
Although there were many vegetables, Cheng Qing worked very efficiently. In no time, she had washed a large basketful before setting it aside.
Zhang Lingling stood at the door and whispered to Cheng Qing, "Do you need my help?"
Cheng Qing was taken aback, turned to look at her, and said with a smile, "It's okay, this wasn't your job to begin with."
Seeing that she didn't refuse, Zhang Lingling also stepped forward to help move the washed vegetables to the kitchen counter.
She explained in a low voice, "Thank you for speaking up for me earlier. They quieted down a lot afterward."
Cheng Qing paused for a moment, then said, "I didn't do anything."
Zhang Lingling smiled and looked up at Cheng Qing with a hint of admiration in her eyes: "You might just be saying it casually in your mind. Before I came here, I thought I would feel some pressure, but what job doesn't have pressure? Coming here will attract customers and make the store famous. It's just... I always feel like I'm from a different world from them."
These past few days, both she and Zhou Yong have been under invisible pressure, something Cheng Qing probably doesn't know!
“Zhou Yong and I don’t have your abilities, Cheng Qing… It’s just that we don’t know how to get along with students.”
Cheng Qing said helplessly, "Lingling, it's fate if we get along, and it's just that our time together hasn't come yet. Why worry so much? To put it bluntly, two weeks is like a fleeting romance. If we break up, we may never see each other again in this lifetime."
After hearing this, Zhang Lingling smiled happily: "Cheng Qing, you really are...too gentle."
Cheng Qing: "Huh? No way?"
Because Zhang Lingling was repaying a debt of gratitude, she spent the morning in the kitchen preparing vegetables for Cheng Qing.
Luo Xi, Liu Suoyu, and Lin Shandie returned the car, covered in a light sweat, and were extremely proud.
Losi pushed the door open and shouted as she came in, "Teacher, come and check the homework!"
However, Cheng Qing was not in the living room; only three students from the dessert group were watching TV.
Luo Xi was taken aback, then frowned and asked, "Where is Teacher Cheng?"
The dessert team had just been humiliated by Cheng Qing today, and Li Mingyao couldn't help but mock them, "They're cooking for you in the kitchen just to curry favor with you!"
Losi was taken aback at first, then flew into a rage, shouting furiously, "What did you say!"
Li Mingyao turned his head away from her. Luo Xi was a person who couldn't control her temper, and Li Mingyao, a man, didn't want to argue with her.
Upon hearing Li Mingyao mock Cheng Qing, Liu Suoyu knew she was in trouble.
Sure enough, Losi rushed over to confront him, but Lin Shandie pounced on her and hugged her, shouting, "Calm down! Calm down! Calm down, Princess!"
Luo Xi pushed Lin Shandie aside and pointed at Li Mingyao, saying, "How can anyone remain calm when she insults a teacher like that! She's giving him face!"
Ye Lingyun frowned and interjected, "She's always been particularly kind to you, hasn't she? There has to be a reason, right?"
Luo Xi scoffed, rolled her eyes, and glared at Ye Lingyun, shouting, "Can't you like me? You're the one who lacks charm, and you're blaming me for being irresistibly charming!!!"
Ye Lingyun: "..."
Not to mention Ye Lingyun, everyone else was also feeling a bit stifled by Luo Xi's sudden praise of them.
"What's all the noise about?" Cheng Qing, who came out of the kitchen, frowned deeply. Seeing the tense scene in the living room, she couldn't help but speak up to stop it.
Upon hearing Cheng Qing's voice, Luo Xi felt particularly aggrieved. Her eyes reddened, and she turned to look at Cheng Qing.
Cheng Qing was taken aback, wiped her hands, and came out.
She walked over to Losie, pulled her behind her, and then looked coldly at Li Mingyao: "You insulted her?"
That icy look in her eyes was something no one present had ever seen before. Everyone was taken aback; so Cheng Qing could get angry too!
Li Mingyao gasped, “...I...I’m the one who got scolded.”
Cheng Qing: "..."
Perhaps influenced by her, she knew that Losy had suffered a lot of grievances on the show, so she absolutely did not want Losy to end up like that. When she came, she had already made up her mind that if Li Mingyao and Ye Lingyun ridiculed Losy like they did in the show, she would not let it go.
But unexpectedly, it was Losi who swore?
Cheng Qing looked bewildered and turned to Luo Xi, asking, "You're swearing... then why are you crying???"
With tears welling in her eyes, Luo Xi hugged Cheng Qing tightly and loudly accused her, "He insulted you!!!"
Losi was devastated. In her heart, Cheng Qing was truly wonderful. She was gentle, always smiling, and incredibly tolerant of everyone.
But Li Mingyao called her a sycophant who fawned over him, and she felt so bad that she wanted to go over and scratch Li Mingyao's face!
Cheng Qing then realized what was happening and was both amused and exasperated: "Let them scold me, it won't hurt me."
When Luo Xi heard that Cheng Qing was so indifferent, she was even angrier than Cheng Qing. She looked up at her and said loudly, "No way! What right does he have to scold you? Who does he think he is! This is too much. I'm going to report him."
Li Mingyao: "-_-||"
When Cheng Qing saw that Luo Xi was so angry with him, his heart felt a little itchy, and he just wanted to hug Luo Xi tightly to express his joy.
But she simply raised her hand to pat Losi's head, comforting her, "It's alright, Losi."
Lossie turned and glared at Li Mingyao: "Is it really that simple? If he doesn't apologize..."
Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Lingling suddenly came out of the kitchen, looking puzzled, and asked, "What's wrong, everyone?"
Losi was stunned, staring at her blankly for a while before grabbing Cheng Qing by the collar and asking anxiously, "What are you doing in the kitchen?"
Cheng Qing: "???" What are you doing?
Cheng Qing was completely stumped by her question. What else could she be doing in the kitchen? Wasn't it just cooking and washing dishes?
Then, because Losi suddenly grabbed his collar, he couldn't help but cough twice.
Both annoyed and amused, Cheng Qing reached out and took Luo Xi's hand, saying helplessly, "Preparing ingredients in the kitchen!"
Losi pointed at Zhang Lingling and demanded, "Why is she in the kitchen too?"
Cheng Qing asked, puzzled, "Is this important?"
Seeing that she didn't seem to care, Rossi felt even more aggrieved. She went outside to run, cycle, and run again, and when she came back, she stood up for her.
She actually hid in the kitchen, having a romantic time with a young girl—it's absolutely outrageous!
Losi's eyes reddened: "Of course it's important!"
Cheng Qing: "...She's helping me prepare the food."
Losi: "I don't believe it." Losi's anger immediately shifted from Li Mingyao to Cheng Qing.
Cheng Qing was completely stunned by these words. What was there to disbelieve about preparing ingredients?!
Zhang Lingling then said weakly, "Or should I bring out all the dishes for you to see?"
Cheng Qing: "???"
Kolosi still didn't know what she was angry about. Even though Zhang Lingling brought out all the prepared dishes, she still felt uncomfortable.
From the start of filming, Zhang Lingling repeatedly expressed her desire to be with Cheng Qing. In Luo Xi's view, she naturally harbored some hostility towards Zhang Lingling.
Just as Zhang Lingling was wondering what to do, she suddenly saw Cheng Qing lower her head, sniff Luo Xi's neck, and then leave with a smile, saying to Luo Xi, "Luo Xi, you've completed your mission. Go take a shower! We still need to cook together!"
Lossie's anger reached its breaking point, but it suddenly dissipated at that moment.
Her face flushed red as she hugged herself, her fingers trembling as she pointed at Cheng Qing: "You, you, you..." She stammered for a long time before finally turning around and running upstairs.
"Phew~" Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, including Cheng Qing.
She clapped her hands, a smile spreading across her face as she recalled Losi's earlier aggressive behavior.
But she still reassured the others, saying, "It's alright, it's alright, everyone, let's continue! Go do what you were doing."
Meanwhile, Losi rushed back to her bedroom upstairs, clutching herself, her face flushed.
The sensation of Cheng Qing suddenly lowering his head and burying his face in her neck, the breath he took, sent a shiver down Luo Xi's spine.
She was so shy that she forgot everything, including her anger and jealousy.
"Cheng, Cheng Qing is really too much. I'm going to report her." Alone in the bedroom, he could only say these words weakly.
Author's Note:
Happy New Year everyone! May you all be healthy, safe, and happy in the new year!!!
Just to say that, I frantically wrote an extra chapter _(:з」∠)_
Chapter 38
After being angry for a while, Luo Xi remembered that she smelled terrible, so she quickly got up and took a shower. When she came out, she saw Cheng Qing push the door open and come in.
Seeing Luo Xi emerge from the bathroom soaking wet, Cheng Qing quickly smiled ingratiatingly at her and asked in a low voice, "Are you still angry?"