Bai Jin silently complained in her heart — as if anyone didn’t care about gaining weight.
“Then…”
It wasn’t worth tearing into each other over a dish. Besides, she wasn’t the female lead who would be constantly provoked and targeted.
Just as she was about to hand over the steamed spare ribs menu, Ji Xiaoyun suddenly grabbed her hand and turned to an unknown celebrity beside them, saying coldly:
“Are you even a man if you can’t find your own menu?”
“S-sorry, we… we’ll find one ourselves…”
The unfamiliar male guest was so pressured by Ji Xiaoyun’s aura that he panicked and quickly pulled the female artist away.
“Wow, so manly!”
“Ridiculous. They asked someone else for a menu first, and now they’re acting superior? Where do they get the nerve?”
In the livestream chat, people who had just criticized Bai Jin for being stingy were now being attacked by her fans.
Bai Jin hadn’t expected Ji Xiaoyun to interfere. When she came back to her senses, she realized her hand was still in his grasp.
She tried to pull away — and he calmly let go.
At the same time, he handed her another menu with a picture of steamed fish on it.
【Fish… I don’t really like fish.】
It wasn’t that Bai Jin hated fish — she just hated the bones. She was bad at eating fish, and out of three times eating fish, she would choke on a bone at least twice.
Seeing her reaction, Ji Xiaoyun slightly frowned, glanced around, and went to get another menu.
【Boiled shrimp… peeling it is such a hassle, and my hands get dirty.】
Bai Jin kept a polite expression, but inwardly she was full of complaints.
Ji Xiaoyun silently went to look for more menus again. Bai Jin wanted to stop him, but since they weren’t close, she decided not to boss him around.
There were only so many menus in total, and Bai Jin’s group had already taken most of them — what were the others supposed to eat?
Soon, Ji Xiaoyun returned with two more menus — still nothing Bai Jin liked.
He almost looked like he wanted to call the hotel and book an entire banquet just so she could pick whatever she wanted.
Now Bai Jin had seven menus in her hands. The others who came back empty-handed looked at her resentfully.
She suppressed a laugh, kept two dishes she liked, asked Ji Xiaoyun what he wanted, and gave the rest to the others.
When the mission time ended, everyone returned to the hotel lobby.
Bai Jin and Ji Xiaoyun sat at the same table. To their right were Wang Shu and his partner; to their left, in the center, were Su An’an and Zhao Wenlong.
They were lucky — they had found steamed lobster and sirloin steak.
But the production team had only prepared one set of knife and fork.
Ji Xiaoyun stared at Su An’an’s steak thoughtfully. Bai Jin assumed he was bothered that the female lead had to share utensils with another man.
【Sigh, how pitiful. The woman you treasured like a jewel has already been crushed like a storm-beaten flower by the male lead… in all kinds of ways.】
In the original novel, Ji Xiaoyun respected the female lead so much that he wouldn’t even dare to secretly kiss her — yet in reality, she had already been with the male lead…
Bai Jin glanced at Ji Xiaoyun with pity in her eyes.
A vein twitched on his forehead.
Meanwhile, Zhao Wenlong cut the steak and romantically fed it to Su An’an. Pink bubbles practically filled the air.
Seeing Bai Jin watching them, Ji Xiaoyun silently began peeling the boiled shrimp in front of him.
It was his first time ever peeling shrimp for someone.
His expression grew darker and unreadable.
When Bai Jin looked back, there were already two peeled shrimp in her bowl.
She looked up and saw Ji Xiaoyun awkwardly peeling more with his long fingers — clearly inexperienced.
Bai Jin was so shocked she looked like she’d seen a ghost.
“Eat.” Ji Xiaoyun said calmly, placing another shrimp in her bowl.
【Eat? Ha. I don’t dare eat…】
【I’m about to be scared to death! Did Ji Xiaoyun’s brain short-circuit? Or is he provoked by the female lead?】
She sat stiffly, feeling like she was sitting on needles.
“Do you want me to feed you?” Ji Xiaoyun asked casually, but the pressure in his tone was unmistakable.
“I—I’m allergic to shrimp…” Bai Jin blurted out, pushing the bowl toward him.
Ji Xiaoyun narrowed his eyes. “Are you really allergic?”
“Mm.” She nodded vaguely.
【Whether I’m allergic or not, what does it have to do with you? Just go back to normal already — I’m just a side character!】
“If you’re lying to me…” Ji Xiaoyun smiled faintly without finishing his sentence — which somehow made it even more threatening.
Bai Jin panicked internally.
In the livestream:
“He’s so sweet! I wish someone would peel shrimp for me!”
“Tsk, Bai Jin is really ungrateful.”
“Is Bai Jin actually allergic to shrimp?”
“Still ungrateful!”
Ji Xiaoyun continued peeling shrimp. Once he got the hang of it, he quickly filled a small bowl.
He pushed it back to Bai Jin.
“Still allergic?”
Bai Jin: “……”
【Hmph. Fine, I’ll eat. You wore gloves anyway, I won’t mind.】
【Tsk, such good shrimp got ruined by bad peeling.】
She picked one up and took a bite.
The shrimp was sweet, tender, and springy. Her eyes narrowed slightly in delight.
Ji Xiaoyun watched her closely, clearly amused.
When Bai Jin looked up — she froze.
He was so close she could see her reflection in his eyes.
For a split second, she felt like she was the only person in his world.
Their eyes locked. Her lips were slightly parted and glossy with moisture, like a startled little deer.
Ji Xiaoyun looked deeply at her — almost affectionate.
After two or three seconds, Bai Jin panicked and looked away, her whole body stiff.
He chuckled softly and continued peeling shrimp.
The livestream exploded — people took screenshots like crazy.
Bai Jin finished the meal in a bizarre atmosphere. She felt like Ji Xiaoyun had been attentive to the wrong person.
She didn’t even want to continue this show anymore.
When the meal ended and filming wrapped for Episode 1, Bai Jin stood up to leave.
Ji Xiaoyun suddenly grabbed her wrist as if about to say something.
At that moment, a tall, imposing man strode into the lobby, causing a stir.
Bai Jin’s eyes lit up — she eagerly tried to look over.
But Ji Xiaoyun stepped in front of her, blocking her view.
“???”
Bai Jin was confused. “Do you need something?”
【The male lead is here — why are you wasting time with me?】
【The male lead has appeared, the second male lead is here too — this is the female lead’s battlefield! I’m so excited to watch!】
Her eyes sparkled with excitement.
Ji Xiaoyun was speechless. Without looking, he already knew who the “male lead” was.
On the other side, Su An’an turned pale when she saw Gu Zhan arrive.
She was secretly his mistress — and that must not be exposed.
Seeing her fear, Gu Zhan smirked coldly and fixed his icy gaze on Ji Xiaoyun’s back.