The second day of the dating show’s live broadcast.
Jiang Qiyu was woken up early by the program team’s broadcast. After closing her eyes and tidying up briefly, she stretched lazily and went downstairs.
When she reached the first floor, she found that everyone else had already finished their makeup and styling, gathered energetically around the semi-open kitchen.
Apart from the first meal they had at the apartment last night, for the next month, unless there were special segments, everyone had to prepare their own food.
Zhou Shun and Song Yan were working together to figure out how to add eggs to instant noodles.
Lu Heng held a cup of strong, pure Americano, standing seemingly unintentionally beside Jiang Mian as she spread jam on toast.
Meanwhile, Jiang Ling took a frozen steak from the refrigerator and deliberately inserted herself between the two, feigning innocence:
“Brother Heng, Mianmian, would you like steak for breakfast?”
Fang Xubai stood alone, holding an egg with a hesitant expression.
“…”
Watching these pampered young masters and misses “clumsily and adorably” preparing breakfast in the kitchen, Jiang Qiyu felt a headache coming on.
Just as she was about to turn around and go outside for some fresh air, the sharp-eyed Fang Xubai called out to her:
“Teacher Changmao, good morning!”
“…”
She rolled her eyes inwardly, feeling that this title carried an indescribable flavor.
“Teacher Changmao!”
Fang Xubai walked out from the semi-open kitchen, holding the egg in his hand and flashing his signature smile at her:
“Want to have breakfast together?”
Jiang Qiyu glanced at him, then looked somewhat uncertainly at the egg in his hand:
“…Just this?”
“Fried eggs.”
“You’re making them?”
“Don’t worry.” Fang Xubai shook the egg in his hand confidently. “I’ve watched the tutorial.”
“…”
I don’t believe it.
Whether Jiang Qiyu believed it or not, she couldn’t let down the kid’s good intentions. She graciously sat down at the dining table and fiddled with her phone for a while.
Not long after, two plates of something vaguely recognizable, black and yellow in color, and of questionable edibility were pushed in front of her.
“This is…”
Fang Xubai had even put on a little bear apron to fry the eggs, looking both cute and gentle. His round, puppy-like eyes stared at her unblinkingly:
“Try it quickly! I made these fried eggs following the program team’s tutorial!”
“…”
Hearing this, Jiang Qiyu widened her eyes instantly. Under his expectant gaze, she stiffly turned her neck and slowly looked down at the “solid substance” on the plate in front of her.
Her face showed no expression, but her mind raced through the original plot like a revolving lantern.
Only after confirming that the original character had never offended this egg assassin did she manage to swallow nervously:
“Have you tried it yourself?”
Fang Xubai seemed to understand her concerns and explained earnestly:
“Teacher Changmao, these fried eggs might not look great, but the taste is definitely fine. Try them!”
Under his enthusiastic urging, Jiang Qiyu forced an awkward smile, picked up her chopsticks, and tentatively poked a piece from the edge that didn’t look completely charred, putting it into her mouth.
“…”
“How is it? Does it taste okay?”
Facing Fang Xubai’s sincere gaze and expectant expression, Jiang Qiyu solemnly put down her chopsticks and looked at him:
“Fang Xubai, has anyone ever told you that your cooking is delicious?”
“This, not yet.” Fang Xubai scratched his head somewhat sheepishly. “It’s my first time making it. If you like—”
“Then don’t ever make it again.”
“…Huh?”
To ensure her words carried weight, Jiang Qiyu spoke again with a serious expression:
“This fried egg you made falls somewhere between delicious and disgusting.”
“Which is?”
“Disgusting.”
While most cooking aims for a balance of appearance, aroma, and flavor, Fang Xubai’s cooking seemed to have forfeited all three.
As soon as Jiang Qiyu said this, the live-stream viewers who had been following their interaction burst into laughter again.
【I’m dying of laughter, hahaha, even though Baibai is really adorable, your fried egg is definitely not.】
【Fang Xubai, debuted two years ago, scandal: fried eggs.】
【Teacher Changmao: You did great. Let’s pretend we never ate this, and don’t ever make it again.】
Just as the hope in Fang Xubai’s eyes completely vanished and he hung his head, preparing to pack away his culinary showcase, Jiang Ling, who had been dismissed by Lu Heng with a few words, seemed to notice that this area had more camera focus and approached with a smile:
“Qiyu, Xiaobai put in so much effort, ruining four or five eggs just to make this special breakfast for you. You shouldn’t let his good intentions go to waste~”
She emphasized the words “special breakfast” heavily, subtly criticizing Fang Xubai for wasting ingredients while also implying that Jiang Qiyu was being ungrateful.
Jiang Ling had always been this way since childhood—seemingly smooth and well-intentioned, but every word carried a subtle sting that made people uncomfortable without being able to pinpoint exactly what was wrong.
In stark contrast, Jiang Qiyu had no filter and was much more straightforward:
“Then you eat it.”
Seeing the charred mess Jiang Qiyu pushed toward her, Jiang Ling’s face immediately turned green, and she waved her hands repeatedly:
“N-no, that’s not good. This is something Xiaobai made especially for you. I—”
“Forget it.”
Seeing Jiang Ling’s evasive expression, Fang Xubai felt even more disheartened. He picked up the plate of fried eggs that had forfeited all culinary merits and said dejectedly:
“I guess I really don’t have any talent in this area. I’ll just throw it away.”
“……”
Jiang Qiyu quietly watched his desolate and lonely figure, sighed deeply, and decided to go to the kitchen herself to make something barely edible to fill her stomach.
When it came to cooking, her greatest skill was ordering takeout, but as a former low-tier entertainer, instant noodles were a necessary life skill.
However, as soon as she entered the kitchen, she was drawn to a strange and pungent smell.
“Who in their right mind eats stinky tofu first thing in the morning?”
As soon as she said this, Lu Heng, who had been rolling up his sleeves to cut cheese while constantly finding angles to show off his biceps and jawline, froze in place.
The knife in his hand slipped slightly.
“Ah!”
Jiang Mian, standing beside him, immediately exclaimed, “Brother Lu, are you okay?”
Jiang Qiyu followed the sound and looked over.
Well, there was a cut as long as a fingernail. That old rascal Lu Heng seemed afraid it would heal too quickly, squeezing his left hand tightly to force out two drops of blood.
As everyone scrambled to find the first-aid kit, the live-stream comments immediately erupted with criticism toward Jiang Qiyu.
【Why is Jiang Qiyu’s mouth so sharp? It’s all her fault for causing our handsome Heng to get hurt!】
【That attention-seeking woman probably made a fuss just to get our Heng’s attention. I feel so bad for Heng, having to deal with a woman like her.】
“Can Jiang Qiyu just get the hell out of Love Knows? Is her role on this show just to disgust the audience?”
Amidst the chaos, none of the seven noticed the living room door opening.
A clear, magnetic voice cut through the noisy commotion, tinged with a hint of disdain as it reached everyone’s ears:
“Who’s eating shit in the kitchen this early in the morning?”