According to the program’s rules, each group would divide the work and cook two dishes, so with four groups, there would be a total of eight dishes. In the end, everyone would sit down and eat together.
As the sun began to set, the kitchen grew lively.
Zhou Yichen said, “I can make stir-fried cured pork with tofu!”
Carrying the cured pork and tofu, he walked into the kitchen and got to work.
Five minutes later, he came out with a plate of stir-fried cured pork and tofu that looked fairly decent.
Liu Yinuo leaned over to take a look. “Hey, not bad!”
Zhou Yichen puffed up with pride. “Of course. I had Grandpa Village Chief guiding me!”
The Village Chief hadn’t left yet and stood nearby, smiling warmly as he watched.
Shen Ci stood to the side giving instructions, while Liu Yinuo handled the actual cooking. Even though she kept saying she didn’t know how, her hands moved with surprising efficiency.
“Blanch it first. Right, skim off the foam. Then add water, ginger slices, scallion segments—”
“I know, I know, stop nagging,” Liu Yinuo cut him off.
“I’m worried you’ll burn the chicken soup.”
Liu Yinuo shot him a glare.
In the end, the chicken soup they brought out was golden and clear, its aroma rich and inviting.
Zhou Yichen exclaimed, “Sister Liu, you’ve been hiding your skills!”
Liu Yinuo smiled smugly. “Of course.”
As for Zhao Muyan and Jiang Nian’s group, Zhao Muyan took charge of the wok while Jiang Nian assisted at his side.
The fish soup they presented at the end was milky white, with tender, fresh fish.
Su Qinghe looked at the pile of vegetables in the basket, thought for a moment, and decided to make a classic Northeastern home-style dish—Di San Xian, using eggplant, potatoes, and green peppers.
She also traded vegetables with Zhou Yichen for some meat, planning to make another dish: minced pork with eggplant.
Liu Yinuo asked from the side, “Can you manage?”
Su Qinghe hesitated. “I… should be able to.”
Recalling the techniques Zhao Muyan had taught her the day before, she began.
She cut the eggplant into chunks, sliced the potatoes, and chopped the green peppers. Heating the wok with cool oil, she fried the potatoes first, then the eggplant.
When the oil splattered, she instinctively stepped back, but this time she didn’t cry out like before.
Zhao Muyan watched from the side and said, “You’ve improved.”
Su Qinghe smiled. “Of course. I can’t let what I learned go to waste.”
Finally, she prepared the classic sauce for Di San Xian—light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and a starch slurry, then poured it into the wok and stir-fried everything evenly.
Done!
A plate of Di San Xian sat on the stove, its colors looking quite appealing.
Liu Yinuo leaned in for a closer look. “Looks good!”
Su Qinghe tasted a bite herself, her eyes lighting up. “Hey, it’s delicious!”
Zhao Muyan took a bite as well and nodded. “Not bad. You pass.”
Su Qinghe was so happy it felt like she’d found money on the ground.
After she finished cooking, he walked into the kitchen.
Su Qinghe was cleaning up the stove when she noticed him and paused. “You’re cooking?”
Lu Zhiheng nodded. “Mm.”
She stepped aside, watching as he began.
“Help me,” he said.
Su Qinghe paused mid-step, then turned back to look at him.
Lu Zhiheng had already placed the eggplant on the cutting board and picked up a knife, but hadn’t started yet, as if waiting for her.
After a moment of silence, she walked back. “What do you need?”
“Dice the eggplant. Mince the meat.”
She nodded, took the knife, and began cutting the eggplant.
Lu Zhiheng minced the meat beside her.
After a while, he spoke.
“Salt.”
Su Qinghe looked up and saw him focused on the wok. At some point, he had already heated the oil, and the minced meat was sizzling as he stir-fried it.
She turned, took the salt from the spice rack, and handed it to him.
He sprinkled some in and passed it back.
She returned it and continued cutting the eggplant.
A moment later, he said, “Light soy sauce.”
She turned again, fetched it, and handed it over.
He poured a little, then returned it.
She put it back and kept cutting.
Then, “Garlic.”
Su Qinghe: “…”
Taking a deep breath, she grabbed two cloves and handed them over.
He glanced at them. “Peel them.”
“…”
She started peeling the garlic.
After finishing, she handed it to him. He sliced it and tossed it into the wok.
Then he said, “Water.”
She turned to pour some and handed it to him.
He added a bit to the wok and covered it to simmer.
Standing by the stove, Su Qinghe silently complained in her mind.
Was he treating her like a maid?
Salt, soy sauce, garlic, water… Did he not have hands or legs?
But complaints aside, she obediently handed him everything he asked for.
After all, he was the investor.
And he had just pulled her back earlier so she wouldn’t fall into the mud.
She told herself she was simply returning the favor.
Once the eggplant was cut, Lu Zhiheng took it and added it to the wok, beginning to stir-fry.
His movements were unfamiliar, but at least he didn’t fling the spatula out of the pan.
Watching from the side, Su Qinghe thought that he actually learned pretty fast.
After simmering for a while, Lu Zhiheng turned off the heat and plated the dish.
A plate of minced pork with eggplant sat on the stove, and surprisingly, it looked quite good. The eggplant was soft, the minced meat evenly distributed, and the color rich and glossy, making it very appetizing.
Lu Zhiheng picked up a clean pair of chopsticks, took a small bite, and held it out toward her.
“Try it.”
Su Qinghe froze for a moment.
He wanted her to taste it?
She glanced at the chopsticks, then at him.
Without a word, he extended them a little closer.
She leaned forward and took the bite into her mouth.
The eggplant was soft and flavorful, the minced meat savory and fragrant. The taste was unexpected… very good.
Her eyes lit up. “It’s delicious!”
Lu Zhiheng looked at her, the corner of his lips curving slightly.
Su Qinghe froze. Was that… a smile?
She had known him for some time, though not that long, and this was the first time she had seen him smile.
Not the polite, businesslike, formulaic smile, but a real one—subtle, faint, yet undeniably genuine.
Sunlight streamed through the kitchen window, falling across his profile, and that smile seemed touched with warmth.
Su Qinghe’s heart skipped a beat, then started racing.
So when he smiled… he actually looked quite handsome.
She blurted out, “You should smile more.”
Lu Zhiheng looked at her but said nothing.
She continued, “You look much better when you smile than when you’re always wearing that serious face. Really.”
His gaze shifted slightly.
Then he spoke in an even tone.
“So I’m not an iceberg face anymore?”
Her smile froze. Her mind buzzed.
Iceberg face.
That morning, she had stood under the eaves, looking at his back, and muttered those three words softly.
Iceberg face.
So he had heard it. He had heard it!
Su Qinghe stood there, completely frozen.
Lu Zhiheng glanced at her, picked up the plate of eggplant with minced pork, and walked out of the kitchen toward the table in the courtyard.
Leaving her standing there, stunned.
He heard it. He really heard it!
So what was his attitude now?
Mockery? Revenge? Or was he just trying to make her embarrassed?
No, no, no… he had just let her taste the food, and he had smiled…
So was he doing it on purpose? Waiting until now to bring it up?
Covering her face, Su Qinghe wished she could disappear into the ground.
[In the courtyard]
Lu Zhiheng placed the dish on the table.
Zhou Yichen leaned over. “President Lu, what dish is this?”
“Minced pork with eggplant.”
“Looks great! Did you make it yourself?”
Lu Zhiheng gave a quiet “Mm.”
Liu Yinuo raised a brow. “President Lu can cook too?”
He didn’t answer, but the faint curve of his lips remained.
Liu Yinuo caught that expression sharply, then glanced toward the kitchen, where Su Qinghe still hadn’t come out.
She smiled thoughtfully.
When Su Qinghe finally came out, her expression had already returned to normal.
But Liu Yinuo immediately saw through her forced composure.
She walked over and asked softly, “What’s wrong?”
Su Qinghe shook her head. “Nothing.”
“I don’t believe you. Your face is practically spelling out ‘something’s wrong.’”
After a brief pause, Su Qinghe whispered, “Sister Liu, if you say something bad about someone and they hear it… what should you do?”
Liu Yinuo blinked, then laughed. “That depends on what you said, and how they reacted.”
Su Qinghe thought about it.
What had Lu Zhiheng’s reaction been?
He let her taste the dish, he smiled, and then he left.
It seemed… like nothing really happened.
Her heart settled slightly.