Chapter 57

Qin Su and Jin Xiao played a game for half an hour.

After the game ended, Jin Xiao's brows relaxed, and he felt that the distance between him and Qin Su had instantly shortened a lot.

Jin Xiao: "Let's meet up again next time. It's really great to be your teammate, unlike my sister, who always messes up when we play together."

Qin Su: "You have a younger sister?"

Jin Xiao: "Yeah, she's in college this year, but she's always called a primary school student when she plays games, which makes her look younger."

He spoke frankly, completely unaware that his words sounded like a lame joke.

Qin Su was amused.

Unlike Xu Shishi and Xue Jianxing, she always had a smile on her face.

Therefore, she looks especially stunning every time she smiles.

Her slightly upturned eyes and distant, mountain-like eyebrows were veiled in a smile, like a pearl emerging from its box, dazzling and mesmerizing.

The three people sitting around her suddenly felt that the room had brightened up several degrees.

People are completely captivated by absolute beauty.

Jin Xiao stared at her, his eyes wide, and said, "You really should smile more."

Qin Su snorted, "Why should I?"

Jin Xiao: "Why should we laugh? We just laugh when we want to."

Qin Su: "I can't even see it myself, but others have seen it all. It's such a loss."

What she said was both illogical and somewhat reasonable.

Jin Xiao was speechless for a moment.

"What do you mean by losing money?" Xue Jianxing walked over and handed Qin Su the freshly squeezed watermelon juice, thoughtfully adding a straw to the cup.

Qin Su took the cup, took a sip, and said contentedly, "I said that smiling at the stars is the only way to avoid losing out."

After saying that, she smiled sweetly at Xue Jianxing and said, "Thank you, Xingxing."

Xue Jianxing's ears burned, and he was too embarrassed to look at her.

"You're welcome," she said softly. "If you like it, there will be more later."

Jin Xiao retorted, "I can make watermelon juice too."

Qin Su said, "Then you can squeeze some juice tomorrow, and make lemon water too. These are perfect for summer."

Jin Xiao unknowingly took on the task: "What's so difficult about that? No problem."

[It's rolled up! It's rolled up!]

Ah, this makes me crave watermelon juice.

[If you don't understand, just ask: Will knowing how to juice a watermelon get you sweet pampering?]

Xue Jianxing and Cheng Fubai had already finished cooking dinner and, after setting out the dishes, called them to eat.

The past two days, Qin Su was on the edge, but today she sat in the very center.

Xue Jianxing sat to her left, Jin Xiao sat to her right, and Xu Shishi sat opposite her. Gu Chiyan and Cheng Fubai sat on either side of Xu Shishi.

As soon as they sat down, discussions broke out in the observation room and on the live chat.

“There’s an art to seating arrangements at the dinner table,” Zuo Fei said with a smile. “Xue Jianxing originally planned to sit on the right, but when she saw Qin Su sitting in the middle on the left, she naturally called out to Cheng Fubai, ‘You sit down,’ then went to get a pair of chopsticks, and when she came back, she sat down next to Qin Su.”

Xiang Shuangshuang also laughed: "If not all couples can be paired up at the end of the show, it would be good to make a pair of best friends."

Tan Ling calmly replied, "I doubt they are sisters."

The other celebrities immediately turned to look at him.

Tan Ling: "Why are you looking at me? Haven't some scientists said that everyone is a hidden bisexual? It's just that some people will be brought out, while others will never be brought out in their entire lives."

Zhang Wenyan quickly laughed and said, "Stop, stop, Teacher Tan, if we keep talking, our program won't be able to air."

The group burst into laughter and changed the subject.

A string of comments floated across the screen:

The lilies in my hometown are in bloom.

[I never expected that the first couple I shipped would be the Xingxiu couple, the bright and beautiful young lady x the gentle and doting older sister.]

A plate of hot and sour shredded potatoes was placed in front of Qin Su. She picked up a piece with her chopsticks and frowned.

Xu Shishi, sitting opposite, saw everything clearly and asked with concern, "Su Su, is it not to your taste?"

Qin Su answered truthfully, "Too much vinegar."

Cheng Fubai smiled apologetically: "It seems so. My hand trembled a little when I added the vinegar, and I didn't notice how much I added. I'm sorry."

Xu Shishi immediately blinked and said understandingly, "You've already worked so hard cooking, there's no need to apologize."

Although there was no open confrontation, in just a few words, Xu Shishi clearly presented the comparison between herself and Qin Su to everyone.

Xu Shishi thought Qin Su would be unhappy, or would argue with her like she did in the morning, so she was prepared. Unexpectedly, Qin Su just hummed in agreement with her.

Qin Su also said to Cheng Fubai, "Shishi is right. You've done a lot of work, even if you don't deserve credit. It's just that I'm a picky eater."

Xu Shishi and Cheng Fubai paused at the same time.

Qin Su's words seemed fine at first glance, but something just didn't feel right no matter how you thought about it.

Xu Shishi thought to herself, she didn't say that Cheng Fubai had no merit but only hard work. Qin Su's words made it seem as if she was indirectly saying that Cheng Fubai's cooking was not good.

She wanted to explain, but felt she didn't know where to begin.

Moreover, Qin Su's words were cleverly worded, and no one thought they were wrong; they all tacitly accepted her line of thinking.

What surprised everyone was that Qin Su herself said she was picky.

Jin Xiao laughed immediately from the side: "Oh, Miss, you know you're picky about food."

Qin Su said matter-of-factly, "It's the truth, there's nothing to be ashamed of saying it. It's you who are not being honest."

Jin Xiao asked in surprise, "How are we not being honest with each other?"

Qin Su glanced at Gu Chiyan: "Chiyan doesn't eat ginger. He'll avoid dishes if he sees ginger strips in them."

Gu Chiyan was taken aback, and his chopsticks stopped at the edge of his bowl.

Qin Su: "Fu Bai doesn't like carrots. He doesn't seem to eat any at all. You can see that he has deliberately picked out the carrots from his plate."

Everyone subconsciously looked at Cheng Fubai's plate and, sure enough, saw a few shredded carrots that had been pushed aside.

Qin Su: "Xingxing likes sweet food and is not fond of other flavors, so she mainly eats the same few kinds of food for each meal."

Jin Xiao turned to Xue Jianxing: "You like sweet things? Then why did you say spicy when we were talking about our favorite flavors on the first day we met?"

Xue Jianxing said softly, "I see everyone says they like spicy food, so I don't want to prepare anything special for me."

Jin Xiao was speechless.

Qin Su glanced at Xu Shishi: "Shishi doesn't eat fatty meat, she won't even touch pork belly with a little bit of fat, and if she does touch it, she has to wipe her chopsticks clean."

Xu Shishi held the bowl, her fingers a little stiff.

She never expected that the first person to notice her hobby would be not someone else, but Qin Su, whom she had been intentionally or unintentionally targeting.

"As for you..." Qin Su turned to Jin Xiao and said, "You eat everything, you're the number one guest on this episode's list of people who aren't picky eaters."

"..." Although it was a compliment, Jin Xiao still felt that Qin Su was being sarcastic.

Qin Su shrugged and smiled casually: "So, everyone except you is picky, but I'm just more honest and straightforward."

"You can actually speak up. It's not a matter of principle; it's something that can be easily understood and tolerated in daily life."

Qin Su picked up another piece of shredded potato with her chopsticks and showed it to them: "Like I said, although these shredded potatoes are a bit sour, I will still eat them. Saying it doesn't mean anything."

There was a few seconds of silence at the dining table.

I don't know if it's because of her accurate observation or her uninhibited expression.

Jin Xiao looked at Qin Su, his eyes shining. He suddenly smiled and said first, "You're right."

He raised his glass and laughed heartily, "Indeed, we are used to maintaining a perfect facade, unlike you who are frank and genuine. I'll toast you."

Qin Su snorted and lightly clinked her glass against his: "Let it go this time, but next time it's such a formal occasion, we'll have to open a bottle of good wine."

Jin Xiao humbly inquired, "What do you mean by 'good wine'?"

"Didn't you call me Miss?" Qin Su joked. "Miss only drinks 1982 Lafite."

Jin Xiao laughed and was about to speak when Gu Chiyan across from him suddenly said, "Sure, I have one at home. I can bring it over next week."

Gu Chiyan isn't usually one to talk much, so it's rare for him to take the initiative to strike up a conversation like this.

Xu Shishi glanced at him with a complicated expression.

Xue Jianxing said, "Then I'll benefit from it too."

Cheng Fubai chimed in, "I've learned a little about red wine, I can help you decan the wine."

"That's quite a generous gesture," Qin Su said with a smile.

She raised her chin and pointed at Gu Chiyan, then said to Jin Xiao, "You call me Miss, but he's so wealthy, why don't you call him Young Master?"

Jin Xiao blurted out, "Then aren't you two siblings anymore?"

Qin Su glanced at him sideways: "Why are you siblings? Can't you be brother and sister?"

As soon as she finished speaking, everyone in the observation room exclaimed "Wow!"

Xiang Shuangshuang slammed her hand on the table in agitation: "What does this mean! What does this mean! What does Qin Su mean?"

She eagerly turned to the other celebrity observers for analysis: "Has she completely given up on Gu Chiyan? Why is she even talking about siblings?"

Zhang Wenyan: "Not necessarily. Maybe she was just saying it casually."

“No, I didn’t just say it offhand.” Tan Ling frowned.

Zhang Wenyan: "Does Teacher Tan mean that she did it on purpose?"

Tan Ling pondered for a moment and said, "It's just a gut feeling."

Qin Su's expressions and movements were too natural; he couldn't tell whether she was doing it on purpose or not, including her previous words and actions.

However, from a results-oriented perspective, Tan Ling felt that Qin Su was intentionally controlling the emotional rhythm of other people.

Xu Shishi thought she was going head-to-head with Qin Su, but Qin Su's initial goal was probably to use this meal to improve her image.

Qin Su instantly transformed from "picky" to "straightforward," and even her "drama queen" traits became endearing.

Just as this thought crossed Tan Ling's mind, Shi Yi said, "I thought Qin Su was being quite annoying the other day, but after having this meal today, I feel that she is just more genuine and honest than the average person."

Tan Ling: "..."

“Yes.” Zuo Fei looked at Qin Su on the screen, a hint of envy and longing in her eyes. “She seems like the kind of person that’s hard to find in real life.”

Xiang Shuangshuang slammed her hand on the table: "Look, look! Everyone's reacting so strongly!"

After Qin Su finished saying "siblings," Gu Chiyan suddenly looked up at her.

Xu Shishi was taken aback, Xue Jianxing fiddled with his cuff, and Cheng Fubai pushed up his glasses.

Only Jin Xiao, the typical straight man, was completely oblivious and even frowned, saying, "That won't do. I'm definitely younger than Chi Yan. If he's already your younger brother, wouldn't my seniority be even lower?"

Qin Su looked at him with a half-smile: "I don't mind if you call me auntie."

Without a second thought, Jin Xiao said, "I mind."

Qin Su immediately asked, "Why do you mind?"

Jin Xiao: "I—"

He was stunned by the diverse gazes he met at the table.

“I…” Jin Xiao paused, then found a very convincing reason, “Who would want to have an extra aunt for no reason?”

Qin Su raised her eyebrows and said "Oh".

Jin Xiao felt inexplicably guilty, lowered his head and ate his rice, and stopped talking.

After dinner, the production team arranged an activity for them, asking them to guess each other's occupations and ages.

The group washed the fruit, set out the snacks, and sat on the terrace chatting while enjoying the evening breeze.

Cheng Fubai looked around: "Who should start?"

Jin Xiao said, "Let's start with the male guests, beginning with Chi Yan."

Gu Chiyan nodded: "Okay."

Xu Shishi first asked him, "It has something to do with management, right?"

Gu Chiyan didn't have the air of a typical working-class person at all.

Gu Chiyan: "Yes."

Jin Xiao asked, "Does it have anything to do with technology?"

Gu Chiyan replied, "No."

Xue Jianxing was quite observant and had noticed something: "Is there any risk in the industry you work in?"

Gu Chiyan thought for a moment and said, "You could say that."

Xu Shishi: "Financial Manager!"

Qin Su: "Venture Capital Management".

The two men spoke almost simultaneously, but venture capital is a more specialized sector within the financial field.

Xu Shishi bit her lip: "Su Su is more accurate than I am."

Qin Su calmly replied, "Because I've met him once before."

Several people turned their heads sharply: "What?"

Even Gu Chiyan asked in surprise, "Have we met before?"

Qin Su casually remarked, "I've met you before at some event, so seeing you on a variety show feels quite familiar."

She made no mention of the original owner's love at first sight for Gu Chiyan, and at the same time used this opportunity to explain the original owner's initial behavior of getting close to Gu Chiyan as the intimacy that arose when meeting a relatively familiar person in an unfamiliar environment.

Sure enough, Cheng Fubai suddenly realized: "No wonder you seemed to know Chi Yan quite well from the beginning."

What? It was all a huge misunderstanding?

[I was wondering why Qin Su suddenly seemed to dislike Gu Chiyan; turns out she never liked him in the first place.]

[My heart is broken. Does this mean the "natural beauty couple" never existed in the first place?]

[What a coincidence! We'd met before, and then bumped into each other on the show.]

Gu Chiyan pursed his lips even tighter, and the slight relaxed smile that had been in his eyes disappeared.

Qin Su naturally said, "Then guess me next. Here's a hint: it's related to elegance."

"Elegant?" Jin Xiao stroked his chin. "Is it related to music?"

Qin Su nodded: "That's possible."

Xue Jianxing asked in a low voice, "Is it related to fashion?"

Qin Su: "It doesn't matter much."

Cheng Fubai: "Do we need to use musical instruments?"

Qin Su: "You don't have to."

Jin Xiao guessed: "A pianist?"

Qin Su shook her head: "That's not right."

Xue Jianxing pondered for a moment: "Dance?"

Gu Chiyan: "Dancer."

Qin Su smiled and said, "That's right."

By asking questions and making guesses, the situation of all six people was clarified.

Gu Chiyan is currently the oldest, at twenty-eight years old. He owns a venture capital firm and has family support, making him sound like a rich second-generation heir.

Cheng Fubai is a magazine editor who also does some photography part-time. He is twenty-five years old.

Jin Xiao is the youngest, just nineteen years old this year, and is a prospective e-sports player.

Qin Su is twenty-two years old and about to graduate with a degree in dance.

Xue Jianxing and Xu Shishi are the same age, both twenty-four. Xue Jianxing owns a flower shop, while Xu Shishi works in the beauty and fashion industry.

When Cheng Fubai heard about Qin Su's school, his eyes lit up: "There was a book I really wanted to read before, but it's out of print now. When I was searching online, I saw someone say that your school library has it."

Qin Su: "Really? Then give me the name, and I'll see if I can lend it to you."

This was originally just a normal conversation, but Cheng Fubai smiled shyly and said, "I'll go with you then. If we can't lend it out, I'll just copy down the important parts."

Qin Su agreed: "Okay."

The production team didn't say that the guests couldn't meet in private, so this isn't against the rules.

The remaining people were jolted awake, a thought flashing through their minds:

Someone's going to make the first move!