Yan Jiaojiao was the last to return to “Hope Home,” arriving at 11 o’clock. Zhong Qing noticed she was wearing a mask and asked with concern, “Jiaojiao, what’s wrong?”
Yan Jiaojiao touched her mask. “It’s nothing, just a slight cold. I don’t want to spread it to you.”
Liu Jinzi was busy handling chicken on the cutting board. The air conditioner in the room was broken, and as the first to arrive, she had coaxed Nana into playing by herself before starting work in the kitchen. Seeing Yan Jiaojiao arrive last, she couldn’t help but feel resentful.
“Jiaojiao, why don’t you rest today and just eat with us?”
She wiped her sweat, her expression sincere, but inwardly she was thinking that Yan Jiaojiao’s laziness would surely draw criticism from the audience.
Yan Jiaojiao set down the vegetables in her hands and replied casually, “Did you forget the rules the production team set this morning? Teacher Liu wasn’t paying attention, huh?”
Liu Jinzi’s expression stiffened, and she forced an awkward smile. “Look at my memory, I was so busy I forgot. Well, Jiaojiao, let me know if you need any help.”
Even though she was cursing Yan Jiaojiao inwardly, she still had to maintain a facade of kindness.
Yan Jiaojiao almost laughed at her two-faced attitude.
If Liu Jinzi weren’t an actress, it would be a great loss for the entertainment industry. Where else could you find someone who acted so naturally fake?
The crucian carp Yan Jiaojiao bought had been cleaned by the supermarket auntie, so all she needed to do was wash it at home before cooking.
While buying the fish, Yan Jiaojiao had listened to the aunties’ instructions on making crucian carp soup. She had been full of confidence, but when it came time to actually do it, she was all over the place.
Frustrated, she turned off the stove and followed Zhong Qing’s lead, copying her step by step. Although Yan Jiaojiao had little cooking experience, she found a bit of fun in studying it seriously.
Once the soup was ready, she eagerly picked up a small spoon to taste it and frowned. “Why is it so bland?”
Zhong Qing’s soup was also ready, and it looked infinitely better than hers.
“Add some salt, oh—”
Yan Jiaojiao found the salt and scooped a large spoonful. By the time Zhong Qing tried to stop her, it was too late. “Oh no.”
Yan Jiaojiao took a small sip and immediately spat it out. “Yuck, yuck, yuck, it’s so salty.”
She stared hopelessly at the crucian carp soup she had made. Meanwhile, Liu Jinzi had already started feeding Nana, making noises as if deliberately showing off to Yan Jiaojiao.
Zhong Qing said, “The soup is undrinkable now. You and Ling Yi can share ours. Since you bought the fish, it should be fine.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the director shook his head coldly and mercilessly.
Zhong Qing asked, “What should we do?”
Lin Qingfeng also noticed the situation and tried to persuade the production team.
“Can’t you make an exception?”
Yan Jiaojiao simply picked up her soup and, under everyone’s bewildered gazes, sat down next to the director. “Director Xu, how about a taste?”
Director Xu looked at her failed soup and shook his head.
“Alright, how about this? I’ll make you a deal. I won’t drink the soup, but look at Ling Yi—he’s so thin, a gust of wind could knock him over. Can you really bear to see him miss out on fresh, nutritious crucian carp soup?”
Director Xu was put on the spot, unsure whether to nod or shake his head.
Yan Jiaojiao turned up the pressure, deliberately raising her voice. “No way, Director, are you really that heartless?”
Her loud voice nearly made the director drop his megaphone, and his brow twitched.Yan Jiaojiao tilted her head, still muttering, “No way, no way, our Ling Yi won’t get to enjoy the delicious fish soup. How heartbreaking and sad. Hey, will the director eat with great relish later?”
“Director, will your boxed meal come with crucian carp soup?”
Director Xu’s face turned green with anger at Yan Jiaojiao’s incessant and subtly meaningful chatter, truly witnessing her talent for stirring up trouble.
Endless and without limits!
Everyone was amused to see the director nod in agreement. Satisfied, Yan Jiaojiao stood up and handed the crucian carp soup she had been holding to Director Xu. “I knew it—Director Xu is full of kindness. No need to thank me, here’s the soup for you. You’re welcome.”
Director Xu: …
Naturally, the audience in the live stream didn’t miss this scene.
“Threatening the director—Yan Jiaojiao has some nerve.”
“Isn’t Yan Jiaojiao afraid the director will make things difficult for her?”
“Is she the first in the entertainment industry to dare threaten a director?”
“Yan Jiaojiao is so bold.”
“Is no one going to criticize Yan Jiaojiao for breaking the rules? She’s so troublesome. She should just make her own show where everyone caters to her. Did she produce this program?”
“I do think Yan Jiaojiao is quite troublesome. It was obvious from day one.”
“Although, I feel like Yan Jiaojiao’s personality is very genuine—no hiding, no beating around the bush, daring to speak her mind. Isn’t that what a reality show is supposed to be?”
“Sis above must be Yan Jiaojiao’s simp, lol.”
“…”
Yan Jiaojiao returned to her seat, ladled a bowl of soup for Ling Yi, but didn’t drink any herself. After all, the fish was originally meant for Zhong Qing, and she already felt embarrassed enough for having taken a bowl.
Half an hour later, the director had just finished his meal when he received a call from his assistant. “Director Xu, we’re trending!”
He calmly took a sip of tea. “Didn’t we buy a spot earlier?”
In recent years, the shows he produced had been lukewarm at best. When filming Shining Week Eight, he had planned marketing from the start and bought a trending spot, but the discussion and buzz were quite awkward. Colleagues hadn’t hesitated to gossip about him behind his back.
Assistant: “Not the bought one—this time it’s organic! Our live stream viewership has stabilized at two million now!”
“What?”
Director Xu stood up excitedly, joy radiating from his brows. Over two million viewers?
And trending again? How surreal this all sounded. He stood up with such force that he accidentally knocked over the teapot, spilling hot water all over his foot.
Shaking his leg, he asked the assistant, “What’s the trending topic? Good or bad?”
The assistant chuckled. “The title is: Yan Jiaojiao Threatens the Director!”
“It’s already broken into the top ten on the entertainment chart. Everyone’s discussing how Yan Jiaojiao is the bravest person in the domestic entertainment industry. Her looks have also attracted a wave of traffic. Director Xu, Yan Jiaojiao is our blessing! An investor just called me.”
Director Xu: “Great, great. Hurry and communicate with the investor. Don’t let them change their minds later.”
Assistant: “Got it.”
After hanging up, Director Xu leaned back comfortably in his chair and checked the Weibo trending chart, refreshing it every minute, eagerly hoping to see the “Yan Jiaojiao Confronts the Director” topic climb even higher.
He also reposted an article using the show’s official Weibo account—no point in missing out on free traffic.
Watching the follower count skyrocket, he grinned from ear to ear. Glancing at the now-cooled crucian carp soup on the table, he grabbed it and gulped it down in one go. Catching his breath, he praised, “Not bad at all.”When he checked the Weibo hot search again, he was horrified to discover that the trending topic about Yan Jiaojiao threatening the director had disappeared!
He refreshed the page repeatedly for over ten minutes before finally giving up. The plastic water bottle on the floor crackled under his stomping feet as he radiated resentment. Which bastard was blocking his path to wealth?
Fortunately, the official account’s followers had grown to five digits, and the live stream viewership had reached five million. This was still a good start—as long as the show didn’t turn out poorly, the numbers were bound to keep improving.
Director Xu gave himself a mental boost and got back to work.