By noon, Gu Mingyan finally made a leisurely appearance, descending the spiral staircase alone.
Meng Xian, who had been watching upstairs, secretly rejoiced, assuming Gu Mingyan had thrown a morning tantrum and argued with Yun Qingqing.
She quickly composed herself and approached: “Mingyan, why didn’t I see Qingqing? You two didn’t fight, did you?”
She put on the “caring big sister” act: “When filming a show, harmony comes first. Any small friction should be tolerated…”
Gu Mingyan gave her a baffled glance, brow slightly furrowed: “What are you talking about? Yun Qingqing and I didn’t fight.”
Meng Xian, momentarily stunned, pressed on: “Then… why didn’t you come down together?”
“She got up too late, doing her makeup upstairs. I came down to see what the production team is planning,” Gu Mingyan said lazily.
Seeing her so calm, Meng Xian felt uneasy.
Taking advantage of a moment alone, she secretly checked her phone for the livestream.
Her heart sank—the Gu Mingyan and Yun Qingqing stream had somehow overtaken theirs in popularity, full of laughing comments.
Meng Xian put away her phone, biting her lip.
A little while later, Yun Qingqing, sporting a perfectly done face, cheerfully came downstairs.
Gu Mingyan merely raised her chin lazily, signaling her to stand by. The atmosphere between them was natural, no distance whatsoever.
Once everyone was gathered, the director picked up the megaphone: “Attention, all guests. This morning’s meal is the last provided by the production team. The castle kitchen has plenty of fresh vegetables, but unfortunately, the chef in charge had a family emergency and is absent. From now on, you and your partners will need to figure out meals on your own.”
“What? Do it ourselves?” Ji Sihan wailed first.
He pulled out his phone to order delivery, then quickly frowned.
The nearest delivery service was in a tourist town at the mountain’s base, over ten kilometers away—no deliveries possible.
“I can’t cook…” he said, pained.
Nan Xu shrugged helplessly: “I can make a simple dish or two, but it won’t be enough for everyone.”
Meng Xian smiled and reassured them: “It’s fine. Each pair can make one or two signature dishes, and together we’ll have plenty. Eating together will be fun anyway.”
Her suggestion immediately won everyone’s approval.
The group then moved to the castle’s kitchen—a space so large it defied imagination. Fully equipped with every imaginable utensil and several modern stovetops, it could accommodate multiple teams cooking at once.
Everyone quickly claimed their spots and got to work.
The main camera first focused on Ji Sihan and Nan Xu’s team.
After some discussion, they decided to make a relatively simple dish: braised eggplant.
Ji Sihan volunteered to pour the oil. Lacking experience, he ignored the droplets of water still clinging to the pan. As the oil heated, the water instantly splattered, sending hot oil flying!
“Ahhhh! Hot! Hot!” Ji Sihan yelled in panic, almost flinging the spatula across the kitchen.
Nan Xu, horrified, quickly dumped the sliced eggplants into the pan. With a loud “sizzle,” the oil finally calmed down.
The livestream comments erupted:
【LOL Ji Sihan’s reaction is hilarious—so me the first time I cooked!】
【Nan Xu: surviving with my clueless teammate.】
【I can almost smell the burnt…】
【It’s okay, looks a bit messy but should still be edible.】
The camera then shifted to Jiang Mingqian and Yu Ran’s team.
Yu Ran, wearing an apron, confidently handled the wok, while Jiang Mingqian prepared ingredients on the side.
Wanting to show off his knife skills, Jiang Mingqian confidently picked up a piece of fish and began slicing. His hands moved quickly, but the slices were so fine they almost turned into fish paste.
Yu Ran stared at the pile of minced fish, paused for a moment, then said nothing, silently heating oil in the pan.
【Jiang Ge, are you making fish balls?】
【Slices like that will probably turn into mush in the pan, right?】
【It’s okay, as long as it tastes good, appearance doesn’t matter (wink)】
【LOL consider it an innovative dish.】
Finally, the camera turned to Meng Xian and Ding Manni.
Meng Xian, apron tied, moved skillfully between stove and counter.
Ding Manni admitted she couldn’t cook, helping only by washing vegetables and passing plates.
Meng Xian stirred the vegetables deftly, introducing to the camera: “I’m making three vegetarian dishes: a stir-fried seasonal vegetable, a cold salad with three shredded ingredients, and a mushroom soup.”
She smiled, a gentle compassion on her face: “I personally eat vegetarian—it helps maintain my figure and aligns with my non-violence philosophy.”
The livestream erupted with reactions:
【Wow, Meng Xian is so kind—she’s vegetarian to avoid killing!】
【Hmm… but, aren’t plants alive too? Anyway, respect personal choice.】
【Someone’s being pedantic, right? PS: Xianxian is my goddess, perfect inside and out!】
【Beautiful and kind, making vegetarian dishes look so appetizing, love it!】
With swift, precise movements, Meng Xian finished all three dishes. Compared to the other teams’ chaotic efforts, she looked calm, composed, and effortlessly graceful.
As in the original storyline, Meng Xian and Ding Manni’s combination of kindness and skill made them the audience’s favorite team.
Meanwhile, in the novel, Zhang Ying was still struggling to act for the camera, turning her station and ingredients into a mess. Her conflicts with Gu Mingyan couldn’t compete with the serene, efficient scene on Meng Xian’s side, and the audience naturally preferred Meng Xian.
When the camera shifted to Gu Mingyan and Yun Qingqing, their designated stove area was empty—no one was there.
The cameraman, puzzled, scanned the spacious kitchen and finally found them in the dining area.
There, Gu Mingyan and Yun Qingqing sat side by side on high-backed chairs, heads together, watching lowbrow videos on their phones.
They giggled together at something on the screen.
The cameraman couldn’t resist: “Teacher Gu, Teacher Yun, what are you cooking?”
Yun Qingqing looked up, honestly answering: “Don’t know.”
Gu Mingyan replied coolly: “I just told her to wait.”
Just then, Meng Xian brought the first of her stir-fried vegetables to the table and softly said: “It’s fine if you didn’t cook. I made extra, so there should be enough.”
Ding Manni, trailing behind, pouted: “We’ve been working our butts off, and they just sit there waiting to eat. Such a life of luxury.”
Meng Xian gently pulled her aside: “Maybe Mingyan and Qingqing don’t know how to cook. It’s understandable. Just make extra for them.”
Her words sparked disapproval in the livestream:
【Wait, Gu Mingyan really won’t lift a finger?】
【Gu dog really is a total heiress. Yun Qingqing, foolishly following her…】
【If you can’t cook, at least wash some vegetables! Sitting there playing on your phone?!】
【Meng Xian is too kind, defending them. If it were me, I’d let Gu Mingyan starve!】
【Feeling sorry for the others… all that work and some people get free food.】
After a busy stretch, everyone finally placed their dishes on the long European-style dining table.
Ji Sihan and Nan Xu’s braised eggplant looked uneven, slightly burnt on the edges; Jiang Mingqian and Yu Ran’s fish slices clumped together, unappetizing.
In contrast, Meng Xian’s three neatly plated dishes stood out amid the “battlefield” of other dishes.
Out of politeness, everyone praised her cooking.
Meng Xian accepted the compliments with a humble smile: “You flatter me. They’re just ordinary dishes, nothing special.”
Ding Manni glanced at Gu Mingyan and Yun Qingqing still playing on their phones, and sneered loudly: “Miss Gu, need us to serve the food for you?”
The sarcasm was obvious to everyone.
Gu Mingyan finally put down her phone, raising an eyebrow: “Who said I’m freeloading?”
Ding Manni taunted: “Oh, so you’re determined? Going hungry on principle, or just eating fruit to tide you over?”
Before she finished, a loud roar accompanied by a strong gust of wind came from outside the castle.
“What’s that sound?” Yu Ran asked, looking out the window.
Curious, everyone went to the door to investigate.
A helicopter was slowly landing on the castle lawn. The doors opened, and two uniformed staff walked out carrying several exquisitely packaged food boxes.
The lead staff bowed slightly to Gu Mingyan: “Miss Gu, your meal has arrived.”
Everyone gawked at the lavish spread. Suddenly, their own handmade dishes seemed pitiful.
Yun Qingqing blinked and asked: “Mingyan, this is what you had me wait for?”
Gu Mingyan reached out, pinching her soft cheek casually: “Yep. Why bother cooking yourself when someone can just airlift it here?”
Everyone else: “……”
That’s not the airlifting problem—they just didn’t have a helicopter!