QWAPMP Chapter 55

Chapter 55: CEO Supporting Male Character

Back at the villa, everyone was happy for a short while, then they started worrying. They had the ingredients, but who would prepare them, and who would cook?

Yang Fan had rested well and came downstairs to see them bring back so many ingredients, so he volunteered to tidy up the kitchen.

Seeing this, Xie Jifeng got up from the sofa. He didn’t stop Yang Fan but said with a smile, “Then I’ll help you.”

Yang Fan didn’t refuse. Seeing the backs of the two going into the kitchen together, Song Yang’s eyes narrowed slightly. He wanted to pursue Yang Fan, but he couldn’t lower his status.

Besides, tidying up the kitchen was something a young master like Song Yang, who had never done manual labor, wouldn’t know how to do.

Huo Sang squatted outside the yard and asked the director, “How should we deal with these fish?”

The director asked him back, “You’re asking me?”

Qin Yan walked over and lightly kicked him, “If you don’t know how to handle them, stand aside.”

“You underestimate me?”

Qin Yan looked at him sideways, “Then you do it?”

Huo Sang chuckled awkwardly and backed away, “Let’s forget it. I’ll just wait to eat.”

Qin Yan scoffed at him, “You dream on.”

The two chatted back and forth. In the end, the director called the other guests over to discuss.

“Who can cook?” the director asked.

Huo Sang was the first to shake his head. He only ate food made by his family’s nanny.

He Lin also shook her head. She only ate diet meals made by professionals for her.

Thinking of something, He Lin raised a finger, “I remember Xiao Wen can.”

The director was delighted, fearing that none of the guests could cook, “That’s great, who else can?” It couldn’t possibly be just Xiao Wen cooking.

Only Qin Yan and Yan Ye were left to answer.

Xiao Wen’s ability to cook was just part of his persona. Hearing He Lin’s words and seeing the director say this, Xiao Wen panicked and quickly found an excuse, “I can only cook some ordinary home-style dishes.”

At this time, he couldn’t say he couldn’t cook, otherwise, his previous persona and the food photos posted on Weibo would all be seen as deceiving fans.

Everyone thought he was being modest. The director waved his hand indifferently. Yan Ye’s lips curved into a smile as warm as a spring breeze, saying, “I can also cook some home-style dishes.”

Qin Yan shrugged and chimed in, “Then Brother Yan and Xiao Wen, you two do the cooking, and the rest of us will assist you, dealing with these seafood items.”

With the division of labor clear—two tidying the kitchen, three assisting, and two cooking—the director was very satisfied. The cameras were also divided into three, and the director told the three cameramen to follow them separately.

In the bullet comments, Xiao Wen’s fans quieted down after being proven wrong earlier. Now, seeing their idol assigned to a familiar area, they immediately started praising him.

Although Xiao Wen didn’t catch many fish, he’s great at cooking.

I’m so envious they get to eat the food Xiao Wen makes.

Even with the best ingredients, without a good chef, it’s a waste.

The bullet comments in the kitchen’s live stream were full of praise for Xiao Wen, which made Yan Ye’s fans unhappy, as Xiao Wen wasn’t the only one cooking.

Home-style dishes? Who can’t cook them? Didn’t you see Yan Ye can cook too? Don’t talk like Xiao Wen is the only one cooking and no one else is helping.

No matter how good a chef is, without good ingredients, what kind of food can he cook?

Home-style dishes? Why don’t you go check Xiao Wen’s Weibo first before saying these are home-style dishes anyone can make?

As soon as this fan posted the bullet comment, other fans of Xiao Wen agreed.

Not long after, some viewers went to Xiao Wen’s fans’ Weibo, took a look around, and came back.

Just looked at Xiao Wen’s fans’ Weibo for a bit, and honestly, he really does cook a lot of dishes. They look delicious. They’re not just home-style dishes ordinary people can make.

This time I agree with Xiao Wen’s fans. The other guests are lucky.

Heh heh, our Xiao Wen is being modest, understand? Unlike others.

The bullet comments continued to argue. On Yan Ye’s side, he had already started heating the pot and oil. Xiao Wen was like a headless fly, pacing back and forth, not knowing what to do first.

The cameraman really wanted to remind him, “Brother Xiao, there’s another empty pot here.”

Xiao Wen put on a brave face and said, “Oh, I know. I’m just thinking about what dish to make.”

“Brother Xiao, didn’t you post a lot of delicious food on Weibo? Any few dishes you make should be great.” Having seen the food photos on Xiao Wen’s Weibo, the cameraman chose to trust him unconditionally.

Under the cameraman’s expectant gaze, Xiao Wen immediately spotted a plate of sea snails that had just been washed and brought in. He thought of something and said with a smile, “Seafood should be eaten in its original flavor. I’ll make a plate of blanched sea snails for everyone.”

Fortunately, he had watched a food show before and remembered a line from it, “High-end ingredients should be cooked using the simplest methods.”

To the cameraman’s surprise and the expectation of many netizens, Xiao Wen put a plate of sea snails into the pot. Because the pot wasn’t completely dry and still had water, it made a sudden splash. Xiao Wen was startled and instinctively stepped back.

The cameraman recorded this scene and broadcast it live, causing netizens to burst into a flurry of question marks.

Yan Ye’s fans were amused.

What is Xiao Wen doing?

I’m dying of laughter, is he doing a ritual dance? Is this what he calls cooking?

He fumbled for ages, only to pick the simplest dish. If you want to blanch sea snails, you need to add some water!

The cameraman looked at the bullet comments in the live stream and subtly tried to remind Xiao Wen, but then a burst of aroma wafted out, making him forget what he wanted to say. The camera shifted, and first, a section of slender, beautiful fingers appeared in the frame, followed by a dish of steamed grouper, perfect in color, aroma, and taste. Hot oil had just been drizzled over it, stimulating the fish’s fresh aroma, and the cameraman couldn’t help but swallow.

Yan Ye asked playfully, “Want to taste it first?”

The cameraman, highly professional, shook his head and then gave Yan Ye a thumbs-up.

At the same time, the director’s voice came through the earpiece, “Set up the camera properly and film both of them cooking.”

Just now, the director saw the netizens arguing heatedly in the live stream and looked at the kitchen’s camera feed, knowing that the topic’s popularity was rising.

Regardless of who ended up being proven wrong, it would bring popularity to the show.

On the other side of the yard, Qin Yan was using a knife to prepare fish. Huo Sang helped him take them, then washed them clean before sending them to the kitchen.

The two were constantly busy. He Lin seemed unsure what to do and just stood by the cameraman watching the bullet comments in the live stream. When she saw comments about her, she would smile and interact with her fans.

Qin Yan and Huo Sang didn’t necessarily need He Lin’s help, so they ignored her. That is, until a crab crawled out of the bucket. Qin Yan saw it and called out to He Lin, “He Lin, the crab crawled out, can you help catch it!”

“But I’m scared!” He Lin saw it was the same crab that had pinched Huo Sang earlier and immediately didn’t dare to go forward.

She was scared seeing those two large crab claws.

Huo Sang was amused. He hadn’t forgotten what He Lin had said before, and now he said the same thing, “It’s just one crab, is it that big of a deal?”

Although he said that, Huo Sang still stood up and didn’t intend for He Lin to catch it back.

Qin Yan put down the knife in his hand, caught the crab back one step ahead of Huo Sang, and ended its life with one cut.

When He Lin looked at the bullet comments this time, her face turned green with anger.

Hahaha, is it that big of a deal? Well done, Huo Sang.

Qin Yan’s hand went down, efficient enough.

Is He Lin here to help or to play? She’s even afraid to catch a single crab.

Both sides were bustling. Xie Jifeng and Yang Fan, who had finished cleaning the kitchen long ago, had already started setting the table with bowls and chopsticks. Dishes with tempting aromas were being sent out one by one. Even the director couldn’t sit still, smelling the food, and jogged over, ready to take the main seat.

Song Yang’s nose twitched slightly, and his throat bobbed up and down, “Cough cough…”

The director’s hand pulling out the chair paused, and a flattering smile appeared on his face, “Mr. Song, you sit. You sit first.”

Song Yang cleared his throat, “Since the director says so, I won’t be modest!”

All the staff members and the director, “…” When have you ever been modest with us?

Qin Yan and the others finished processing all the ingredients and also came in. Huo Sang sniffed with his nose, his eyes lit up, and he ran to the dining table, staring at the cooked dishes and asking, “Can we eat now? It smells so good, which one did Brother Yan make?”

Qin Yan was also pleasantly surprised to see several plates of dishes.

Yang Fan brought out the last dish and praised with a smile, “I didn’t expect Brother Yan’s cooking to be so good. We’re in for a treat tonight.”

Because they had to leave the kitchen for the cooks after tidying up, Xie Jifeng and Yang Fan were the first to finish their tasks. With nothing else to do, they stood by the kitchen door watching the people inside cook. If it weren’t for the live broadcast, Yang Fan would have wanted to sneak a couple of bites long ago.

Huo Sang was the third person to impatiently sit down after the director. Qin Yan sat down after him, teasing, “Hurry and wipe your drool.”

Huo Sang glared at him, then asked the director again, “Director, when can we start eating?”

“After our chefs change clothes and come back.” The director stared intently at the food, feeling hungry, but because the broadcast was still live, he felt awkward eating first.

Fortunately, Yan Ye came back quickly. Seeing everyone sitting properly without anyone picking up chopsticks, he asked curiously, “Aren’t you all hungry?”

“Brother Yan, everyone is waiting for you!” Huo Sang replied.

Yan Ye chuckled lightly, “Sorry, I forgot to tell you to eat first.”

The director waved his hand grandly, “It’s fine, it’s fine, hurry and sit down to eat.”

Seeing Yan Ye arrive, Song Yang slightly raised his eyebrows and frowned.

This person is so slow. He’s starving to death. Why doesn’t he hurry and sit down so he can start eating?

Song Yang’s slightly furrowed brows finally relaxed when he saw Yan Ye and Xiao Wen sit down one after another. The director was just about to stand up and say a few official words when he saw Song Yang had already started eating.

Hearing the sound of a chair being pulled back, Song Yang looked up again and met the director’s eyes.

An unknown sense of pressure filled the air. Seeing Song Yang stab his chopsticks into the fish’s eye and smile at him, the director’s back immediately bent.

“It’s fine, it’s fine, everyone eat quickly. I just sat for too long and wanted to move my joints.”

After a piece of tender fish meat went down, the smile on Song Yang’s lips became more genuine.

Not bad, not bad. This little actor cooks quite well. If he ever stops acting one day, he’ll poach him to be his personal chef.

Now that they could start eating, the first dish Huo Sang tried was salt and pepper crab. It was made using the crabs Huo Sang caught and the smaller crabs others had picked up.

Huo Sang tasted every seafood dish and praised them endlessly, except for one plate of yellowed sea snails which was different.

He was blunt and stopped his chopsticks halfway, “Can these snails be eaten?”

Xiao Wen’s face instantly darkened.

He Lin looked at the plate of snails with a critical eye and said regretfully, “Can these still be eaten? I think it’s better not to. Be careful of an upset stomach. It’s just a shame about the snails I picked from the cracks in the rocks.”

As He Lin spoke, her eyes frequently glanced towards Yan Ye.

She thought this was made by Yan Ye.

Little did she know, Xiao Wen’s face turned even darker when she said those words.

Yan Ye ate slowly and elegantly, his grace comparable to that of young master Song Yang. Hearing the veiled words, he wasn’t angry, but smiled and agreed, “Sister He, don’t look at me like that. The sea snails you picked weren’t cooked by me.”

He Lin’s gaze, which she hadn’t had time to retract, was immediately noticed by many people because of Yan Ye’s words.

Xiao Wen’s face turned green. He forced a smile, “Sorry, it’s my first time cooking seafood. I didn’t do very well and wasted such good ingredients.”

At this point, he didn’t forget to find an excuse for himself so that the persona he had built earlier wouldn’t collapse.

Yan Ye said indifferently, “It’s fine, you only made one plate of blanched sea snails. Not much was wasted.”

Director, “…” This is simply adding insult to injury.

Song Yang lowered his head to eat, as if he had heard something funny, and let out a snort.

And that snort of his sounded like a mockery of Xiao Wen’s easily broken excuse.

Afraid that someone else would say something, Xiao Wen put down his chopsticks, said he was full, and went back to his room first.

Netizens in the live stream saw Xiao Wen leave and went wild with laughter.

Can someone tell me, this is what’s called being good at cooking? Having superb culinary skills?

Putting everything else aside, just watching Xiao Wen’s face change, I’m dying of laughter.

Hey hey hey, where are his fans? Didn’t they say Xiao Wen was a great chef? How come he can’t even make one dish properly?

Dying of laughter, I don’t know who took advantage of whom today.

Huo Sang’s mouth was full of food, and his chopsticks didn’t stop, looking exactly like a starving ghost.

Qin Yan, sitting next to him, looked disgusted, but a piece of crab meat appeared in the bowl in front of him.

He looked at the person who withdrew their chopsticks and said with a disgusted tone, “I’ll get it myself, your chopsticks have your saliva on them.”

Disgusted or not, the crab Huo Sang served was still eaten by Qin Yan.

Song Yang saw this, silently switched to a clean pair of chopsticks, picked up a piece of whelk meat, and placed it in Yang Fan’s bowl.

For the first time serving someone, Song Yang saw the other person’s startled eyes and pursed his lips into a gentle smile.

Once a person who rarely smiles shows a smile, it always creates a sudden feeling of favor.

Yang Fan’s earlobes turned slightly red, and he softly said thank you.

Mr. Song smiles so gently!

Seeing the little rabbit about to fall into the big bad wolf’s trap, someone couldn’t sit still.

Some of the coconuts picked from the beach earlier were brought back by them. Thinking that Yang Fan hadn’t tasted them because he was resting in the villa, Xie Jifeng opened one for him, “Try this, it’s a wild coconut picked from the beach.”

“I’ve never tasted a wild coconut. Thank you, Brother Jifeng.” Yang Fan’s attention was immediately diverted.

“How are you feeling now, still uncomfortable?” Xie Jifeng asked thoughtfully, the concern in his eyes genuine.

The smile on Song Yang’s lips turned into a cold sneer. If his eyes were knives, Xie Jifeng would already be stabbed to death by him.

However, there’s always tomorrow. Since Yang Fan was someone he was interested in, he wouldn’t escape.

By the end of the meal, except for Huo Sang and the staff who were enjoying the food, everyone else had different thoughts.