Shen Shiqing got up, took the ingredients from the table, and went into the kitchen, followed by Shi Xia.
"Sister Shi, let me help you. It's all my fault, it's my fault." Shi Xia said dejectedly.
"It's alright, you go and rest first, I'll take care of things here." Shen Shiqing's tone softened; she was always powerless against sweet girls.
"No, I want to help too."
Seeing that Shi Xia was about to cry, Shen Shiqing said helplessly, "Why don't you go and pick some vegetables for me?"
Shi Xia was overjoyed at the order, grinned from ear to ear, and "ran" out with the basin of vegetables in her hand.
There was too much mud on the vegetables, and Shi Xia felt they needed to be taken outside and rinsed with water.
Shi Xia is truly adorable, and Shen Shiqing genuinely dotes on her.
[Sobbing, my eyes are all wet, Xia!]
To be fair, Shen Shiqing seems like a decent person?
Shen Shiqing stared at the fish in the basket, lost in thought.
What should I make? Steamed fish? Braised fish? Fish soup?
Fish soup is a must; I've already promised Shi Xia, so I can't go back on my word.
Let's do both.
Shen Shiqing made up his mind and acted immediately.
First, we need to process these fish.
Shen Shiqing poured the fish into the sink to wash it first, then grabbed one and put it on the cutting board to scrape off the scales.
They started gutting the fish.
With a swift and decisive stroke, Shen Shiqing cut open the fish's belly, reached inside, emptied its contents, and then cleaned it again.
He didn't care at all that his hands were covered in blood; he would just rinse them with water and continue killing the next one.
[Not to be rude, but Shen Shiqing is more like that guy who's been killing fish at RT-Mart for twenty years, isn't he?]
[Shen Shiqing, a professional fish killer in the Chinese entertainment industry for twenty years]
[Click to watch a female celebrity's mass fish slaughter scene; the scene is too beautiful for me to watch.]
[Actually, it's not a big deal. I see the aunties at the market cleaning fish like this too—quick and precise.]
Little did these netizens know that in the real world, Shen Shiqing actually spent a month watching an auntie kill fish at the market for a small role in a movie.
In the end, he became the last apprentice of the fish-killing aunt at the market, and eventually portrayed the role perfectly.
Even if Shen Shiqing forgets everything else, he will never forget her fish-killing skills.
Shen Shiqing's hair started to fall loose again, but she was busy cleaning fish and couldn't free her hands, so she had to call Shixia.
"Xiaoxia, come in and help me tie my hair."
Shen Shiqing called out and then started killing the fish again.
Until someone appeared behind her.
"Xiaoxia, just help me tie all my hair up behind my ears and secure it. It doesn't have to be too complicated."
A pair of hands gathered the hair that had fallen across her forehead, wrapped it around her back, and tied it into a simple low ponytail.
"Okay, thank you, Xiaoshixia."
Shen Shiqing was still struggling with her fish.
But the shadow reflected in front of her was so tall that it didn't seem to be Shi Xia.
So who is it?
Shen Shiqing turned around and met Lu Jingchu's gaze again. Although this was not the first time they had looked at each other, Shen Shiqing's pupils still contracted.
After all, it can be a little scary to suddenly appear behind someone.
Shen Shiqing was so frightened that he dropped his knife to the ground.
The sound broke the silence.
"I apologize for taking the initiative just now," Lu Jingchu said first.
"It's nothing, it's nothing. I wasn't paying attention. I thought it was Shi Xia. Thank you just now."
Shen Shiqing squatted down and picked up the knife from the ground.
[Tying hair?! This is something only seen on dating reality shows like "Kitchen"! Lu, are you sure you're on the wrong show?!]
[I suggest that Actor Lu should just go to the dating reality show next door, hahaha!]
Does a movie star still need to do dating reality shows? I'm already won over by him.
[I'm laughing so hard I'm rich! Shen Shiqing appears calm on the surface, but he's actually so scared he's dropped his knife.]
It's strange, my boyfriend also likes to suddenly appear while I'm cooking, giving me a fright.
【It's strange, my boyfriend is the same.】
[Hahahaha, seeing Shen Shiqing pick up the knife, I was really afraid she'd just stab Movie Emperor Lu! Hahahaha]
[To those in the previous post: I feel the same way. I have a feeling the next second the Best Actor will end up like a fish on a chopping board.]
...
"Are you hungry? It's not ready yet, you'll have to wait a little longer." Shen Shiqing couldn't guess why Lu Jingchu had come in.
Perhaps he was hungry?
"No, I'm just here to see if there's anything I can do to help, even just lending a hand."
Shen Shiqing thought for a moment, then realized, "Wait a minute, if Lu Jingchu were to assist me, I'd get a lot of flak, wouldn't I? And the production team said that others can't help out?"
"No, don't worry, no, the production team didn't say we can't bring in outside help, did they?"
Lu Jingchu's words dispelled Shen Shiqing's objections. He was right; it seemed the production team hadn't said anyone couldn't help.
If someone helps, it will be faster.
But how did Movie Emperor Lu know what I was thinking?
Shen Shiqing glanced at the remaining cutting board and knife beside him and had an idea.
"Then I'll trouble Actor Lu to chop these scallions, ginger, and garlic for me."
Lu Jingchu picked up the knife and began to cut, her movements appearing very skillful.
While pondering the knife fish, Shen Shiqing couldn't help but glance at him a few more times, and for a moment he became mesmerized.
Lu Jingchu bent over with his head down, the light falling on his hair. His features were very handsome, with sharp angles and thick eyelashes, casting a shadow.
She's really good-looking, Shen Shiqing has said it countless times, from the first time they met until now.
Lu Jingchu was always the most handsome man she had ever seen.
[I never imagined I'd live to see Actor Lu chopping vegetables in the kitchen! This life is truly worthwhile!]
[Thanks, I've got material for my dreams tonight, hehehe (perverted face)]
Let's say, thank you, Shen Shiqing. Sister Shi, you are my goddess.
[This believer has done good deeds and accumulated merit throughout her life; everything she sees today is what she deserves.]
My good fortune, my good fortune.
Hey Shi, what's wrong? You're also captivated by our movie star Lu's good looks, oops, I mean, his handsomeness?
[I'm telling you, who wouldn't like Actor Lu? That face of his, wherever it is, wouldn't it be a masterpiece of Nuwa?]
Lu Jingchu finished cutting the fish and looked up. Shen Shiqing had just come to her senses and continued killing the fish.
Lu Jingchu helped her clean and gut the fish.
When Shi Xia returned after washing the vegetables, she found Lu Jingchu inside. She looked at him with a hint of resentment.
Shen Shiqing noticed that Shi Xia had returned, so he told her to put down her things and go out to rest.
Shi Xia, however, dawdled and refused to leave.
Lu Jingchu took the vegetables from Shi Xia, washed them, and began to chop them.
Shi Xia subtly glared at Lu Jingchu from behind.
The Empress is here; you shall not be so presumptuous.
[I always found the way Shi Xia looked at Lu Yingdi a bit funny; her eyes seemed to say: Why is he with my sister? Shouldn't I be the one with her?]
[This little girl's possessiveness; she loves her older sister more than the movie star.]
[Oh, I just noticed, Actor Lu is wearing blue casual clothes today, while Shen Shiqing is wearing light red. You know what, they actually match quite well.]
[Red and blue have always been a classic color pairing; those in the know understand, and the sensible ones have already recorded screenshots and started shipping them.]
[Please don't ship any of these characters together, and avoid any forced pairings. The Best Actor deserves all the credit.]
[Seriously, Shi Xia, the movie star, and Shen Shiqing together really look like a family of three, hahaha!]
When Shi Xia left, she was still a little worried and looked back again.
...
The kitchen is fully equipped.
Shen Shiqing was making braised fish with one hand and steamed fish with the other, while also making fish soup on another stove.
Add ginger slices to remove the fishy smell, simmer the soup until it turns white, add some freshly picked wild vegetables, and garnish with some chopped green onions. The soup is fragrant and delicious.
Lu Jingchu was washing the plates and dishes on the side, taking her time.
Once the fish was cooked, Shen Shiqing began to stir-fry the vegetables.
Two dishes, mushrooms and wild vegetables, not much, can be cooked up quickly.
Shen Shiqing noticed a figure out of the corner of his eye.
It wasn't Lu Jingchu or Shi Xia.
It is Xing Jianan.
"What are you doing here? Cough cough, what are you doing?" Shen Shiqing was choked by the cooking fumes; he had just forgotten to turn on the range hood.
"Let me see if it's ready to eat?" Xing Jianan's expression remained indifferent, but he looked somewhat unnatural.
Shen Shiqing thought to himself, "No wonder. Why would he have come in to help?"
"Wait a little longer, it will be soon."
Xing Jianan stood to the side, his tall stature quite conspicuous, but to Shen Shiqing, he was somewhat in the way.
Xing Jianan's eyes darted around, and she looked somewhat hesitant. "Do you need my help?"
Shen Shiqing wanted to say that it wasn't necessary, but then she thought that there was nothing wrong with having one more person to do the work.
"Then take the dishes out," Shen Shiqing said.
Xing Jianan hummed in agreement, carrying the dishes in her hands, and prepared to leave, but then remembered something and turned back.
"Isn't Actor Lu coming out with us?"
Xing Jianan felt a little uneasy, as Lu Jingchu had just acted as if he didn't exist.
"You go first, I'll take the soup out later." He tilted his head again, "I'm learning how to cook."
Xing Jianan didn't believe him and turned to leave.
For some reason, Lu Jingchu's appearance always gave him a strange sense of crisis.
[Xing Jianan's usually cold face suddenly showed a hint of hesitation? It was clear he really wanted to help.]
So, is Xing Jianan cold on the outside but warm on the inside? I absolutely love this type!
[A love triangle involving three people, and I've ended up shipping three couples. I have to say, this is quite something.]
Looking at Lu Yingdi, Xing Jianan felt a sense of unease, as if someone was trying to steal her away.
[But what about Shen Shiqing and Xing Jianan? They don't seem to have had a direct conversation, do they? You're overthinking it.]
[Hahahaha, the actor's performance was so perfunctory! Did he really want to learn how to cook?]
Yes, after my husband learned how to make it, he cooked it for me every day.
[That's my husband. Please don't claim him as your husband in public. Thank you.]
When Shen Shiqing heard Lu Jingchu say he was learning to cook, he thought it was a joke. What kind of dish would require a movie star to cook it himself?
Besides, what's so interesting about cooking for yourself? What is Lu Jingchu thinking?
"Your cooking looks great," Lu Jingchu said, his voice lighter than before.
Like water crashing against stones in a stream, or like a gentle breeze making a wind chime ring.
"Does my cooking look better than the dishes I cook?" Shen Shiqing asked casually.
Suddenly she realized what she had just said. She had asked the movie star such a question?
They really do talk faster than they think.
Were you dizzy from the cooking fumes?
"They all look good." Lu Jingchu chuckled, and Shen Shiqing wanted to disappear into the ground for a moment.
If all else fails, you can crawl into the cooking pot.
[What the hell, Shen Shiqing, do you even know what you're saying?]
[Sister Shi, you're too brave! Hahahaha!]
Shen Shiqing's beauty—a beauty certified by Shi Xia—a beauty certified by the Movie Emperor.
[They're all so beautiful, waaaaah! The Best Actor is so gentle, I wish he could praise me too!]
What virtues or abilities does Shen Shiqing possess?
[Thank you, Shen Shiqing! I have another source of material to edit my video. I feel so happy!]
[The celebrities themselves are feeding us sweet moments, how can we not ship them?]
[How many times have I said it? Don't drag our movie star into this. Do you think our fans are easy to bully?]
[I'd like to say to Shen Shiqing's fans, don't be so smug. Is it trendy now to deliberately create couple pairings to leech off others' popularity?]
[Hey, don't go too far. Who said shipping this couple makes you a fan of Shen Shiqing? Can't even a random passerby take a quick dose of medication to save their life?]
[I'm naturally rebellious, and from now on, I'm a fan of Shen Shiqing. (hehehe)]
...
Seeing that Shen Shiqing did not respond, Lu Jingchu stopped talking and just stood aside and watched, but he felt that his temperament was out of place in the kitchen.
It exudes elegance and nobility in every aspect.
Shen Shiqing was sweating after cooking the dishes.
"Wipe it off." Lu Jingchu was very meticulous and always did things in a thoughtful and proper manner, leaving no room for criticism.
"Thank you." Shen Shiqing politely accepted the gift. After finishing in the kitchen, the two of them took the dishes out.
Five or six dishes were placed on the table.
Although it wasn't a lot, it was enough for the group of them to eat.
Shi Xia, Du Hewen, Qin Shiyue, Xing Jianan and others were sitting in the living room when the food was served. Wen Xinran and Xia Chun then leisurely walked out, seemingly having already showered and changed their clothes.
Wow, Ran-jie looks so beautiful! She probably isn't wearing makeup, right? I can't see a single trace of it.
【Of course she's without makeup! Our Ran-jie has never been good at doing her own makeup since her debut, what a silly beauty!】
[Wow, I really do have skin that good! I'm so envious! She's truly beautiful, like a lotus emerging from clear water, naturally beautiful without any artifice.]
[What do you mean "completely bare-faced"? I've been a professional makeup artist for twenty years. Didn't she get her eyebrows tattooed and false eyelashes done? She also had her eyes widened and her jawline refined.]
[Xia Chun is amazing too, she has a hot figure, and that red dress she wore is absolutely stunning.]
[It matches Lu Yingdi's blue perfectly! I said the two of them are a perfect match.]
Is she dressed like this for a red carpet event? This is clearly just a meal.
Look at Shen Shiqing, she's still so beautiful after cooking, and she exudes a down-to-earth charm when she comes out of the kitchen.
...
It was getting late, and everyone was hungry, so they sat down to eat.
Shi Xia ate two bowls of rice in a row.
"Sister Shi, I feel like I'm doomed. I ate too much. I'm worried my manager will beat me up. But I haven't even had my soup yet."
"It's okay, I can exercise with you later."
"Waaah, Sister Shi is so nice." Shi Xia was practically ready to snuggle into Shen Shiqing's arms and act all cute.
No one could understand how the two had become so intimate in less than a day.
Shen Shiqing didn't understand either; perhaps it was because magnetic fields attract each other.
Everyone stopped talking and focused on eating. Before long, the dishes on the table were all gone, and even the fish soup was almost gone, with only half a bowl left.
"It looks good and tastes good." Lu Jingchu gave a brief review after finishing her meal.
“It’s really good,” Du Hewen echoed.
"Wow, Sister Shi, your fish soup is really delicious! You really didn't lie to me!" Shi Xia said, holding Shen Shiqing's hand with a happy expression.
"I didn't expect Sister Shiqing to be such a good cook! That braised fish was so delicious, and those mushrooms, which I picked, were also very tasty!" Qin Shiyue eagerly offered her opinions.
"It still tastes just as good." Xing Jianan looked at Shen Shiqing, a hint of sadness flashing across his face.
Although it was brief, Wen Xinran keenly noticed this.
There's no other reason than that she's the female lead.
"Shi Qing, are you such a good cook? I've never heard you mention it before," Wen Xinran said gently.
"Some people probably just want to keep it a secret, who knows if it's really delicious?" Xia Chun said with slight dissatisfaction, the two of them echoing each other.
Xia Chun refused to eat the food Shen Shiqing cooked and drank only water all night.
Take it or leave it. Luckily she didn't eat it, otherwise there wouldn't be enough to go around.
“There’s nothing special about it. I thought everyone would know how to do it. Hmm, don’t you know how?” Shen Shiqing asked directly.
Wen Xinran choked on her words when asked, "Shiqing is joking, of course I would too." She hadn't expected Shen Shiqing to ask so directly, which caught her off guard.
I'm not joking. Shen Shiqing chuckled.
"Who are you calling incapable? Who are you looking down on, Shen Shiqing?" Xia Chun's temper is truly easily provoked.
Wen Xinran comforted her, once again displaying the demeanor of best friends sticking together.
So, is it really that delicious? Everyone seems to be enjoying it so much; my mouth is watering.
[Everyone's reviews are pretty good, so Shen Shiqing really does have some skills?]
[You swept everything away with the speed of a whirlwind, you guys really know how to do it.]
[Let's fight! Let's fight! (No offense intended, just a girl who wants to watch the excitement~)]
[I seem to have caught a whiff of gossip; there's definitely something going on between Xing Jianan and Shen Shiqing.]
[Why does she seem so gentle and innocent? Shen Shiqing is just so cool. No wonder she's a professional female celebrity in the Chinese entertainment industry who loves to fight back against haters.]
[Xia Chunzhen isn't eating? Can she really resist? Does she really look down on what Shen Shiqing made? I told her not to be so delicate; I'm starting to doubt her "mature and sophisticated" persona.]
Our sister is just managing her figure, unlike some people who eat so much and don't look like female celebrities at all.
【No, wait, are you out of your mind? Who says female celebrities can't eat more?】
...
The comments section was buzzing with excitement, but the eight guests were completely unaware of it.
"Alright, everyone has finished eating. The taste was so enticing! Now let's talk about the reward for the first person to come back. The winner of the first group can make requests of the losing group, but they can't be too unreasonable. This is the reward for the winner."
Directors who are reckless are always like this; they suddenly say things that catch people off guard.
"Hmm, let me think... how about letting Sister Shiqing make breakfast tomorrow?" Qin Shiyue looked at Shen Shiqing and winked.
Shen Shiqing glanced at Qin Shiyue and said, "I knew the food shouldn't be too delicious."
They've been targeted.
"I see there seems to be some fresh fish in the refrigerator. Teacher Shen, could you make some fish soup tomorrow? I'd like to take it home for my wife," Du Hewen said, using the same recipe and tasting the same flavor.
The people at the scene cheered, and those watching the live stream online were just as enthusiastic.
Wow, his opening line is just like Johnnie To's.
I was just wondering if the request made by Actor Du might be related to his sister-in-law, and sure enough, it was.
[Actor Du loves his wife so much. If I remember correctly, he once said that his wife loves to eat fish and will drink the whole fish soup.]
I was just sunbathing by the roadside when someone kicked me. I looked down and, lo and behold, it was Actor Du showing off his love!
[When the camera focused on Actor Du, I wanted to tell everyone that single people should step aside, but I didn't have time. Please be more careful next time.]
It seems the novel was true; Du Hewen really is a doting husband.
Shen Shiqing agreed; she would have agreed even if it weren't for the mission.
After all, Actor Du has connections in the entertainment industry, and it's never a bad thing to be on good terms with him.
Shen Shiqing has always been an ambitious person, both in the past and now.
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