The contrast isn't exactly obvious, but rather quite stark.
Even Luo Tian's own fans were silent for several seconds before quickly changing the subject and asking in the comments whether Luo Tian had been burned.
Oh, that was so scary! Did the oil splash on your brother?
I saw my brother pressing his arm. Quickly wash it with cold water; if it's serious, he'll need to apply medicine.
[This looks dangerous]
Luo Tian gritted his teeth inwardly, but put on an apologetic face: "I'm sorry, I haven't cooked for a while. The fire here is bigger than the one at home, so I didn't control the heat well."
The audience has eyes.
Who are you trying to fool? This shows you've never cooked before.
[Even if you're not used to changing the stove, it shouldn't be this bad, right? Didn't you know how to adjust the flame if you realized it wasn't the right size?]
[This was also Xiao Shulang's first time using this stove; how come he didn't burn the pot?]
[Putting everything else aside, only Xiao Shulang rushed over to turn off the stove immediately, which was the correct way to handle it. What was Luo Tian, who was closest to the stove, doing? Saying he can cook? You must be joking.]
Amidst the heated discussion in the live chat, Xiao Shulang finished his first dish of sweet pepper and pork slices. The red sweet peppers paired with the glistening, golden pork slices were bright in color and smelled incredibly appetizing.
Although the audience couldn't smell it, the presentation was so appealing that tears involuntarily streamed down their faces.
And You Ziang and Xu Baichang were also there to chime in, taking a deep breath and saying, "It smells so good!"
It's obvious who can actually cook and who's just pretending.
A note from the author:
If you don't drain the water after putting something in the oil, it will sizzle!
Chapter 4 The paper doll I was chasing has come to life!
Xiao Shulang peeled a few more potatoes and deftly sliced them into strips.
The knife made a rhythmic "thump-thump" sound as it quickly touched the cutting board, turning the potato into thin shreds with a swift stroke. This knife skill, while not exactly legendary, was certainly something only a seasoned cook could achieve.
After all, people who can't cook chop vegetables by pausing after each cut, and they can't achieve this kind of rhythm.
You Ziang was eager to try it out from outside the kitchen counter, but the kitchen wasn't suitable for too many people, as Yin Xingzhi and Luo Tian were still standing there.
Although Yin Xingzhi said he would help out, he clearly moved closer to Luo Tian after entering the kitchen. Luo Tian had made a fool of himself, but it didn't matter to him.
After all, he was targeting Luo Tian, not judging whether he could cook.
But the two of them needed to find something to do in the kitchen; they couldn't just stand there doing nothing or talking. Yin Xingzhi immediately said, "Brother Luo, I just saw you get splashed with oil. Are you alright? Quickly rinse it with cold water."
Luo Tian immediately took the opportunity to back down, saying that it would be more effective for someone else to bring it up than for him to do it himself, since playing the victim silently was more profound.
Luo Tian also made a discovery: the friendly signals Yin Xingzhi was sending him were all too obvious.
Luo Tian hurriedly went to the pool to wash his arm, which was indeed quite red. His fans immediately flooded the screen with messages of sympathy and mockery, creating a chaotic online battle.
At this moment, Xu Baichang couldn't ignore it. Seeing his red arm, Xu Baichang said, "How does it feel? If it's not good, ask the production team for some burn ointment to apply."
Luo Tian dodged quickly; the large red mark on his hand wasn't from the oil burn, but from the pressure he had just applied so tightly.
The splashed area felt much better after rinsing it with water, but he was ready to play the victim to the end, forcing a smile at Xu Baichang: "Yeah, thanks for your concern."
That smile looked like he was enduring pain; honestly, it was even better than his acting in TV dramas.
Seeing his expression, Xu Baichang believed him and said, "Come on, let's go find some medicine to apply."
Luo Tian took the opportunity to leave the kitchen, a place rife with trouble, and walked to Xu Baichang's side, raising his arm with the red skin facing out: "Hiss—"
Before Xu Baichang could say anything more, Yin Xingzhi followed, not giving them a chance to be alone: "I'll help too."
As soon as they left, the kitchen became empty. You Ziang rolled up his sleeves and walked into the kitchen: "I just learned a couple of moves from watching. Is there anything else I need to cut? I'd like to try it too."
Xiao Shulang chose an easy one: "Then please cut the washed tomatoes into chunks."
The five people who had been huddled together finally separated noticeably, and the live stream cleverly used a split-screen format, showing both the busy kitchen scene and the scene of applying medicine in the living room.
Viewers finally felt like they were watching a dating reality show.
[You Ziang seems pretty good right now, stay away from Xiao Shulang, he's not a good person!]
[They looked quite pleasing to the eye when they were together, but the thought of Xiao Shulang's scandals makes me feel terrible.]
[Hiss, does anyone else think the three-person team applying medicine has already created a chaotic scene?]
[I noticed! Yin Xingzhi's affections are clearly on her side!]
[Sigh, it's only the first day, who knows how things will turn out? But I love this chaotic scene, give me more!]
If there wasn't enough food, it definitely wouldn't be enough for five people. Since all the steaks had already been taken out to thaw, Xiao Shulang cooked them as well, and everyone finally got to see the correct way to pan-fry steaks.
When Xiao Shulang poured the sauce he had prepared onto the table, many people's stomachs rumbled.
Damn, it looks really delicious!
The audience who were just advising You Ziang to stay away from Xiao Shulang were also attracted by the food, and the number of cursing comments decreased significantly.
If the living room is a battleground for emotions, the kitchen becomes a haven for food lovers. Even though being alone together would be a perfect opportunity for flirting, they actually end up with one cooking and the other seriously studying.
The handsome guy is very pleasing to the eye, and the food looks very tempting, but there is not a hint of romance between the two.
The audience who criticized Xiao Shulang had mixed feelings: it seemed that they didn't need to worry about it, at least for now, Xiao Shulang hadn't shown any interest in You Ziang.
Even if Luo Tian dawdles, applying medicine won't take too long. The three of them returned to the dining room, and with medicine on his hands, Luo Tian had a legitimate reason not to go into the kitchen.
He originally planned to talk to Xu Baichang again, but unexpectedly Xu Baichang got up and went into the kitchen to help, leaving only him and Yin Xingzhi sitting at the table.
Luo Tian was speechless, but Yin Xingzhi was delighted; he had been looking forward to this development.
As one appetizing dish after another was served, dinner was finally about to begin.
Yin Xingzhi and Luo Tian were already sitting together, so there was no need for them to get up and change seats. There were only six seats around the table, which was obviously arranged by the production team.
Xiao Shulang washed his hands in the kitchen and waited until everyone else was seated before coming out and sitting down in a corner away from Luo Tian.
The food was incredibly delicious, and You Ziang praised it after almost every dish. Xu Baichang also toasted Xiao Shulang to thank him for his efforts. However, some people didn't enjoy the food, such as Luo Tian.
The steak was tender and smooth, with a delicate texture, cooked to perfection, and the delicious sauce burst in your mouth, making it so delicious that you'd want to devour the whole plate.
Ke Luotian choked on his food; the more delicious it was, the harder it was to swallow.
Luo Tian thought he understood Xiao Shulang very well, knew what he was thinking, and had him firmly under his control. During their three-year relationship, he was the one who had the absolute advantage.
But now, he suddenly realized that he didn't even know Xiao Shulang could cook, and that he could cook so well!
During their relationship, they either ate fancy meals outside or had a housekeeper cook for them; he never actually saw Xiao Shulang cook.
Where did Xiao Shulang train? His boyfriend hasn't even tasted it, so who did he cook it for? What else did Xiao Shulang do behind his back?
Knowing that Xiao Shulang was hiding something from him, Luo Tian was extremely unhappy!
It's like you think you've kept a canary securely in its cage, only to find out it can unlock itself and go out for a stroll when you're not looking.
Everyone enjoyed the meal immensely. Others might not know, but Xiao Shulang certainly ate with great relish. The ingredients prepared by the production team were all high-quality, so he didn't have to spend any money and could still have a full meal. It was much better than eating instant noodles every day!
Moreover, you don't have to wash the dishes after meals. Participating in this program really improves your quality of life.
You Ziang and Xu Baichang kept their word and took charge of cleaning up after the meal. Yin Xingzhi didn't go up again, instead taking the opportunity to make his presence known to Luo Tian.
At 7 o'clock sharp, everyone needs to choose a partner and send them a text message expressing their feelings.
Each person had to return to their own room for individual filming, take out the phone provided by the production team to send text messages, and the screen was split into multiple split screens, with different staff members holding cameras to film.
Xiao Shulang didn't hesitate and sent the text message to Xu Baichang.
"I really enjoy Mr. Xu's film and television works, and I am very happy to meet him in person today."
His choice of content was very safe, and he was able to answer very smoothly why he chose Xu Baichang in the interview.
Xiao Shulang: "Today is the first day, and we don't know each other very well yet. I feel honored to meet Teacher Xu, so I sent him a text message on the first day."
Xu Baichang still sent the text message to Luo Tian.
Despite Xu Baichang sending the message to Luo Tian, the events of the day had already planted a seed in his heart. He had listened to Luo Tian's sweet words for two months, and it wasn't that he wasn't tempted. But as expected, you have to use your eyes to see how people get along.
After meeting him today, Xu Baichang felt it was necessary to learn more about Luo Tian and what kind of person he really was.
Luo Tian sent the message to Xu Baichang without a doubt, Yin Xingzhi sent it to Luo Tian, and to Xiao Shulang's surprise, You Ziang sent the message to him.
You Ziang: "Dinner was delicious, thank you, you're amazing!"
Xiao Shulang raised his eyebrows slightly. You Ziang did not give him any signals that he wanted to flirt. The kitchen was such a good opportunity for them to be alone, but You Ziang did not overstep the bounds at all. It would have been easy for them to start a conversation with just a little interaction, but neither did he, nor did You Ziang.
After sending the text message and sharing their thoughts, the camera was turned off, the live stream ended, and the staff left the bedroom. Their filming for the day was complete, and they could finally use their own phones.
Xiao Shulang had barely picked up his phone when Wang Hao's call came in, indicating that Wang Hao had been following the entire live stream today.
Wang Hao sounded very happy on the phone: "The results are good. Although some people are still cursing because of the previous scandals, there are significantly fewer people cursing in the second half. Keep it up!"
Luo Tian was humiliated, but Xiao Shulang was in a good mood. After chatting with Wang Hao, he went downstairs to the kitchen to get some water and ran into You Ziang, who was also rummaging through the refrigerator for drinks.
You Ziang changed into his sportswear and looked ready to leave. The two greeted each other, and now they could say things that couldn't be said in front of the camera. You Ziang said, "Actually, I saw you at a banquet a few years ago. I wanted to go up and say hello, but I was held up by other things and couldn't get to know you properly."
So when You Ziang first saw Xiao Shulang during the day, he hesitated to speak, and sending a text message to Xiao Shulang expressing his feelings was actually a polite option.
Xiao Shulang also revealed his identity: "You are from the You family."
You Ziang nodded: "Yes. My family is pressuring me to go on blind dates, so I just came to this show to try my luck."
The Xiao family's affair had already spread throughout the city's business circles, but You Ziang had no intention of kicking them while they were down: "I can't reveal my profession on the first day. I'll give you my business card tomorrow, and we can chat sometime."
Making more friends is a good idea, Xiao Shulang said, unscrewing the bottle cap. "Okay. Are you going out?"
"Yeah, going for a night run, wanna go together?"
"No, thank you." Xiao Shulang shook the water in his hand. "I like morning runs."
You Ziang was fine with being rejected: "A morning run is nice too. I'm off then, see you later."
Xiao Shulang carried the water upstairs and happened to run into Yin Xingzhi, who was about to knock on Luo Tian's door. When Yin Xingzhi saw Xiao Shulang, he simply nodded slightly as a greeting, showing no embarrassment at being caught.
Having read the original novel, Xiao Shulang knew that Yin Xingzhi was a true villain and had no intention of ruining his "good deed," so he simply nodded and returned to his room.
Luo Tian is probably discussing with his team because of his performance today, so he doesn't have time to go out and have fun right now.
After the variety show started filming, the production team would pay an initial fee, with the remainder settled on schedule. When Xiao Shulang returned to his room and saw the payment notification on his phone, which was enough for two or three months' living expenses, he felt even better.