“Together,” Qin Shuang said, “I can cook too.”
Upon hearing this, everyone except Xiao Shulang looked at Qin Shuang in surprise.
Qin Shuang: "..."
Is it strange that he can cook?
Xiao Shulang: Who says that most aloof and handsome men can't cook? Qin Shuang is a leading man who can be both elegant in public and skilled in the kitchen!
They set up a makeshift table and put out the cutting board. As Yin Xingzhi saw Qin Shuang and Xiao Shulang in their places, he couldn't help but say, "But aren't we divided into groups?"
"The group purchasing task is complete," said You Zi'ang. "Everyone's back now, so we don't need to worry about the group work anymore, right?"
After all, the others don't know how to cook either;
Yin Xingzhi gave a dry laugh: "That's true."
He looked around: When will it finally be time for a date? As soon as he got back, Luo Tian was already clinging to Xu Baichang again!
Xiao Shulang and Qin Shuang prepared the ingredients, chopped them, and seasoned them. The rest of the people helped to skewer them so they could be grilled on the rack later.
You Ziang and Xu Baichang seemed to have developed a strong interest in cooking. You Ziang stood next to Qin Shuang, learning step by step, while Xu Baichang stood next to Xiao Shulang, skewering the food while watching and learning.
With him there, Luo Tian was naturally there as well, and Yin Xingzhi also had to come over, which resulted in Xiao Shulang being surrounded and having his actions hindered.
He said helplessly, "Everyone, this is not convenient for me."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
Xu Baichang was the first to apologize and stepped back slightly, while Yin Xingzhi rolled his eyes and came up with a plan.
"Xiao Shulang." He tiptoed back a little, looking dejected, and said, "Do you have a problem with me and Luo Tian?"
Good grief, even though Xiao Shulang was speaking to everyone, he deliberately singled out Xu Baichang, connecting it to what happened between the three of them during today's shopping trip, and insisted on making it seem like Xiao Shulang was still sulking.
Those who outwardly appear weak easily evoke sympathy, and given that many viewers firmly believe the rumors about Xiao Shulang are true, someone commented in the live chat:
[Is it really that big of a deal? Getting so angry about grocery shopping is so petty.]
Yes, yes, what's past is past, why dwell on it?
Some of Luo Tian's fans took advantage of the situation. Although Luo Tian's performance has been inconsistent these past few days, how could his "die-hard fans" possibly unfollow him over such a trivial matter?
It's all Xiao Shulang's fault for mentioning the movie "Sorrow," it's all Xiao Shulang's fault for being petty, it's definitely not their brother Luo Tian's fault!
Luo Tian thought to himself that Yin Xingzhi was not bad, and he adopted a "let's have a good show" attitude.
Xu Baichang frowned, just about to smooth things over, when he saw Xiao Shulang slam the cleaver on the cutting board, stretch his tired shoulders and neck from chopping vegetables, and speak slowly.
"As long as you don't provoke me, whatever you do is none of my business."
As for him—
Xiao Shulang turned his gaze directly to Luo Tian, a cool smile curving his lips. Luo Tian's eyelids suddenly twitched violently, sensing something was wrong.
His premonition came true, because Xiao Shulang actually bluntly said: "You're right, I do have a problem with exes who didn't break up amicably."
Upon hearing this, everyone present fell silent instantly.
"Clatter".
Xu Baichang dropped the kebab in his hand to the ground.
The chat exploded!
A note from the author:
The title has been changed to "After Being Scumbagd, I Became an Internet Sensation Through My Own Talent," a result of my terrible naming skills QAQ
Chapter 10 "Some things can pass, some things cannot."
[Holy crap, holy crap, what did he say?! His ex?!?]
[It was a serious breakup, not an amicable one!!]
The barrage of comments almost completely covered the screen. Some people originally opened the live stream at noon just to watch their meal, but now... they can eat several more bowls of rice!
The director was also dumbfounded: Wang Hao didn't tell him! But... the show has become even more marketable!
Running into your ex on a dating reality show? How exciting! He's already thinking about adjusting the next steps.
No wonder everyone vaguely felt that Xiao Shulang's attitude towards Luo Tian was a bit off; now they know what it was all about!
Xu Baichang then realized that Xiao Shulang had said the two knew each other yesterday, and it turned out they were indeed acquaintances.
Luo Tian never expected that Xiao Shulang would actually dare to expose their relationship in front of everyone on the show. He was quite surprised, but in his panic, his mind raced, and his instinct to seek advantage and avoid harm made those points that were beneficial to him pop up one after another.
Calm down! Just as I thought, Xiao Shulang could only reveal that he was an ex at most. He would never dare to say anything else without evidence. What's there to be afraid of? He's just an ex.
As long as Xiao Shulang doesn't provide concrete evidence that he's a scumbag, what's wrong with his ex! He'll insist it was just a normal breakup and refuse to budge.
Moreover, since he's already participating in a dating reality show, those fans who couldn't accept him dating had already unfollowed him before the show even aired. Even if he accepts Xiao Shulang as his ex, it shouldn't have a significant impact on his current fanbase.
After all, Xiao Shulang might still have chat logs or photos from their relationship. If he denies it, it will only cause more trouble.
For example, he thought Xiao Shulang would never mention their relationship, but he did. After just two days on the show, Luo Tian realized once again that the Xiao Shulang standing in front of him was indeed quite different from before.
Having figured this out, Luo Tian put on an even more superb acting performance than when he was acting in TV dramas. He pretended to be annoyed and rubbed his forehead, then sighed deeply: "Let's part amicably. You bringing this up... do you feel that we can't be friends, and are you still complaining?"
Luo Tian's team has members who specifically monitor his shows and react very quickly. Their PR team has long-term partners who hire online trolls to flood the screen with comments, trying to steer the narrative in a direction favorable to Luo Tian.
[It's not a big deal, it's just an ex, you've already broken up.]
[A dignified breakup and a dignified life—I think Xiao Shulang can't let go, and he even wants to speak ill of Luo Tian?]
Thanks to the efforts of online trolls and Luo Tian's fans, some casual observers were also drawn into their line of thinking, shifting their initial shock to another direction.
[This wasn't an amicable breakup; maybe there's something wrong with Xiao Shulang?]
[This is exciting! I'm in for a juicy story! Quick, can anyone find out when they started dating and when they broke up?]
"I really don't think we can be friends." Xiao Shulang retorted firmly without backing down. "I don't hold any grudges, I just simply can't stand you."
Resentment is also an extremely strong emotion. Xiao Shulang is not the original owner of this body, and he has no feelings for Luo Tian. He simply dislikes him.
What people watch on dating reality shows is the interpersonal relationships. Sweet romances and intense conflicts are both highlights. Many people are hesitant in front of the camera, and even though the struggles are often subtle and require the audience to figure them out, these direct confrontations and open displays of affection are incredibly satisfying for viewers!
While online trolls and Luo Tian's fans are still working hard in the comments, many more people have already opened Luo Tian's social media accounts, ready to look for clues. Many media outlets have also started to take action, hoping to capitalize on the opportunity to generate buzz.
Luo Tian gritted his teeth, but dared not show it on his face, forcing a smile through his muscles: "I thought it was all over."
Xiao Shulang: "Some things can pass, some things cannot."
Luo Tian and the original owner's relationship is over, but the scumbag hasn't suffered yet, so the matter isn't over.
Xiao Shulang picked up the cleaver again, and with a swift stroke, he cut a cucumber off the cutting board with a "snap." Then, he used the back of the knife to smash the cucumber into pieces in no time.
For some reason, Luo Tian's eyelids twitched wildly amidst the "snap snap" of the kitchen knife.
"Add some smashed cucumber as a side dish." Xiao Shulang slammed the back of his knife down. "Let's eat quickly. We can talk about our business later. Don't spoil everyone's appetite."
"you--"
Luo Tian swallowed the rest of his sentence. His previous remarks must have earned him points, and he couldn't afford to lose here. Xiao Shulang was trying to provoke him, so he had to stay calm and discuss it with his team later tonight.
Don't forget that quite a few people still believed those fabricated rumors about Xiao Shulang!
Luo Tian walked away angrily to the side.
Although Qin Shuang and You Ziang were surprised, they quickly composed themselves, especially Qin Shuang, who returned to normal almost in the blink of an eye.
The barbecue grill was already filled with charcoal, and Qin Shuang skillfully lit it. Everyone could pick out what they wanted to eat and put it on the grill.
There were three barbecue grills in a row. Xiao Shulang seemed completely unaffected by what had just happened. He was turning over the food being grilled on one of the grills. Watching the heat is something only someone who knows how to cook can do.
When the first batch of food was cooked, Xiao Shulang took it down and placed it on the plate handed to him by You Ziang. He explained to You Ziang, who wanted to learn to cook, "The current color means it's cooked. You can bake it for another minute or two, but if you bake it any longer, the meat will become tough and burn easily."
You Ziang nodded hurriedly. Holding the plate, he looked at Luo Tian, who was trying to grill something on another rack, and couldn't help but whisper, "Are you alright?"
Seeing his expression, Xiao Shulang couldn't help but chuckle: "It's nothing, really."
Qin Shuang was right next to him, placing a new batch of skewers on the rack and brushing them with oil: "You go ahead and eat, I'll take care of things here."
Xiao Shulang: "It's not good to leave you busy alone."
"I'm not hungry yet." Qin Shuang flipped the skewers on the grill. "Try them and see if they're right. If not, I can adjust the seasoning."
The marinade for the ingredients was made by the two of them, and they even added some extra flavorings. They hadn't actually tried it out yet after it was cooked, so Xiao Shulang had no reason to refuse Qin Shuang's suggestion.
"Okay, I'll try it first."
Xiao Shulang picked up a skewer of pork belly with chili peppers, took a bite, and the spicy and fragrant flavor exploded in his mouth. The meat was chewy and juicy, plump but not greasy, spicy and fresh, with an unforgettable aftertaste.
The spiciness was prepared by Qin Shuang. Xiao Shulang finished the whole skewer in one go and said with satisfaction, "Delicious!"
Qin Shuang: "That's good."
Xiao Shulang boldly revealed on the show that Luo Tian was his ex-girlfriend, but Qin Shuang was only surprised for a moment, and his attitude towards Xiao Shulang was not affected by this.
It's not appropriate for outsiders to comment on other people's past experiences. Since they've both broken up, it's fine for them to participate in a dating reality show.
Qin Shuang simply felt that, as things stand, Luo Tian was indeed not a good match for Xiao Shulang.
He once encountered a neighboring film crew with Luo Tian on set and witnessed firsthand what it meant to be a real diva. Moreover, once Luo Tian shed his charming persona, his acting was truly unbearable to watch.
The difference between arrogance stemming from competence and conceit from incompetence is enormous.
Xiao Shulang probably discovered Luo Tian's character after they started dating, which is why they broke up? It's probably for the best.
Qin Shuang wasn't really hungry, but Xiao Shulang ate so deliciously that the food, which might have been worth seven or eight points, suddenly became extremely delicious. He took a skewer of freshly grilled sweet and sour pork from the shelf, let it cool slightly, and then tasted it.
It's sweet and sour, with a lingering fragrance in your mouth. The flavor is just right; not a bit more or less would be perfect.
This has a sparse and elegant flavor.
Qin Shuang: "Mmm, delicious."
After finishing what he was doing, Xiao Shulang wiped his mouth and stood back in front of the shelf: "Now it's your turn to eat, I'll grill it."
Although their conversation was ordinary and casual, You Ziang inexplicably felt that he couldn't fit into the atmosphere, so he took some of the skewers and walked away. He looked around and found that Xu Baichang was sitting alone at the table at some point, so he took his things and went over to him.
"Bai Chang, the food's ready! Eat it while it's hot!"
Xu Baichang seemed to be thinking about something, but was brought back to his senses by You Ziang's voice. He immediately collected his thoughts and pretended to be nonchalant: "Ah, okay."