Chapter 9
When Qi An and Lin Lai returned, Su Jue, Ning Nan, and the others had already prepared their meals: uniformly vegetable salads.
“Qi An, you guys had a good harvest,” Ji Muyulan said.
“Just luck,” Qi An smiled.
“But you’re eating only vegetable salad for dinner?”
“We’re on a diet; we can’t eat too much,” Ji Muyulan said.
“So Brother Nan is also on a diet?” Qi An looked at Ning Nan.
“Even though I’m not a fresh meat, I also pay attention to my figure,” Ning Nan smiled.
“Qi An, aren’t you afraid of getting fat?”
“Not afraid, I’m naturally thin,” Qi An said playfully.
“I’m naturally thin too,” Lin Lai added.
Qi An and Lin Lai’s statements made those present feel a pang of jealousy, especially Ji Muyulan. She loved sweets but gained weight easily, so she always ate sparingly.
“So unfair, so envious,” Ji Muyulan said sourly.
“Okay, let’s not talk about this. I’m going to cook,” Qi An said.
“Sister Qi, I’ll help.”
“Can you cook? Use this rice cooker.”
“I can.”
The chicken and fish were already cleaned. Qi An expertly chopped the chicken on the cutting board, her movements swift and skillful.
The rhythmic chopping sounds brought a touch of life to the castle.
Su Jue watched Qi An busy in the kitchen, with Lin Lai helping, and a strange feeling of blockage welled up in her heart, making her vegetable salad taste bland.
Gradually, a delicious aroma wafted from the kitchen.
“It smells so good,” Ji Muyulan sniffed.
Ning Nan couldn’t help but glance into the kitchen.
When Zhong Haoli and Fang Hua arrived, they smelled a strong fragrance.
“The smell of fish soup,” Fang Hua inhaled deeply.
“Zhong Haoli, Fang Hua, you’re back. Is your dinner grilled fish?” Ning Nan looked at the somewhat burnt fish Fang Hua held.
“Yes.”
Zhong Haoli nodded. He didn’t look at Ning Nan but at Qi An, busy in the kitchen.
Qi An had also brought him meals before, but it felt like a long time ago.
“Lin Lai, you can serve the dishes. Be careful, they’re hot,” Qi An said.
“It smells so good! Sister Qi, your cooking is amazing!” Lin Lai said.
“It’s just so-so.”
When Lin Lai and Qi An brought the dishes to the table, the aroma intensified.
The white fish soup exuded an alluring fragrance, and the reddish-brown chicken pieces looked incredibly tender.
Fang Hua stared at the dishes, swallowing hard. He looked at his grilled fish and felt he couldn’t eat it. He’d even let the crabs he caught get away.
“Sister Qi, this is delicious!” Lin Lai said, biting into a piece of chicken.
“If you like it, eat more.”
Qi An ladled a bowl of fish soup and slowly drank it.
Looking at Qi An’s and the others’ abundant dishes, Zhong Haoli looked at his own and found it unappetizing.
“Qi An, can I have some?” Zhong Haoli asked.
Zhong Haoli remembered Qi An’s words and didn’t call her “An An” anymore. He smelled the dishes and wondered if Qi An had cooked the meals she brought him before. The aroma was completely different, and the presentation was different too. The food before him now was far superior.
“No, you reap what you sow,” Qi An refused without hesitation.
The program crew also swallowed hard. They decided to have the braised chicken and fish soup tonight too.
“Okay, that’s it for today. Everyone, face the camera,” Li Xiang reminded.
Qi An and the others greeted the camera.
“Director, besides the scene of killing the chicken, should we not delete anything else?”
“No, we want authenticity,” the director laughed.
“Let’s finish this quickly.”
“Yes, Director.”
When the first episode of “Celebrity Love” was uploaded, everyone waiting was excited.
“Finally!”
“Wow, that scumbag is really here! What were the program team thinking? They actually invited him.”
“Scumbag, get out of the entertainment industry!”
“Scumbag, get out of the entertainment industry!”
Everyone was furious when they saw Zhong Haoli on screen.
“Fang Hua is so handsome.”
“Ning Nan is so gentlemanly.”
“Su Yinghou and Queen Ji are so beautiful.”
“Who is this cute little sister? She’s so close to Qi An.”
When they saw Qi An confronting Zhong Haoli, many people were excited.
“Yes, that’s right! Go for it! Sister Qi, you’re awesome!”
“Sister Qi, you’re awesome!”
“That look between Qi An and Su Jue… I’m imagining so much.”
“Me too.”
“That castle is so beautiful. I want to live there.”
“Unexpectedly, this little sister is a rich woman! So extravagant! She owns an island! Asking to be supported!”
“Asking to be supported!”
“Qi An’s movements are quite skillful. She must often hunt.”
“Zhong Haoli is so annoying! He doesn’t do anything, yet he’s bossing people around.”
“Zhong Haoli got a setback again.”
“Does Ning Nan have feelings for Su Jue? He’s so attentive.”
“Even though Ning Nan seems nice, I’m firmly Team SuQi.”
“Me too, Team SuQi.”
“What are you thinking? Supporting a same-sex couple is disgusting.”
“You’re disgusting! We support them, so what?”
“Get lost!”
Many people supported Qi An and Su Jue online, but some disliked Qi An.
Zhong’s mother also watched the show and was furious at the comments and Qi An’s disdain for Zhong Haoli, her makeup twisting in anger.
“Haoli is so good. Those people don’t know anything.”
“And that little star actually dared to snub Haoli! She’s just an actress! What’s there to be proud of?”
Su’s mother also frowned, watching the show, “How did Haoli become like this? He wasn’t like this when he was a child. Now he’s so arrogant and condescending.”
“We misjudged him,” Su’s father sighed.
“But that Qi An… her eyes are a bit dangerous. Will A Jue be alright?” Su’s mother worried.
“They’re on a show. How could anything happen?” Su’s father said.
“But that Ning Nan needs close observation. Although he hides it well, he’s still a bit green in front of me. He’s quite ambitious, towards A Jue, or perhaps towards Su’s Enterprise.”
“Why are there so many people in this show who are not good for A Jue? When A Jue comes back, I must tell her to stop participating in this lousy show,” Su’s mother said.
“But how did Lin’s Enterprise get involved? These days, everyone wants to be a star,” Su’s father said, looking at Lin Lai.
At this time, a handsome and elegant man was watching Lin Lai on the show with affection.
“Xiao Lai, she seems quite happy.”
“That Qi An is pretty good to Xiao Lai. We can look out for her in the future.”
After dinner, everyone chatted for a while before returning to their rooms to rest.
Su Jue returned to her room first. She took a lipstick from her bag.
From their few interactions, Su Jue found that Qi An’s attitude towards her was somewhat aggressive; aggressive in that Qi An liked to challenge her boundaries.
“I need to have a good talk with her.”
Su Jue opened the door and saw Qi An heading upstairs, so she said, “Qi An, can you come in and talk for a moment?”
“Of course.” Qi An looked at Su Jue in surprise.
She thought Su Jue would continue to avoid her.
Qi An followed Su Jue into the room. The room’s theme was swans, very fitting for her.
Su Jue wore a white dress, her black hair cascading down her back, her skin as white as jade, her waist slender, her gait elegant, like a swan.
“Qi An, this lipstick is for you,” Su Jue said.
“Oh, you’re serious.”
“Then I’ll accept it.”
Qi An took the lipstick from Su Jue and casually put it in her bag.
“Have a seat,” Su Jue pointed to the chair behind her.
“Okay. Is there something you need?” Qi An smiled at Su Jue.
“Qi An, I don’t have feelings for you. Don’t waste your time and emotions on me. And I don’t like flippant people,” Su Jue looked at Qi An calmly. “If your so-called love is just toying with me, I don’t want it.”
She had noticed that Qi An was partly playing with her.
Qi An looked at Su Jue’s exquisite and perfect face and thought: This is the real Su Jue. If she had remained a shy little rabbit, Qi An would have thought she had misjudged her.
“Su Yinghou, are you rejecting me because I’m a woman?” Qi An asked curiously.
“No, I don’t have strong opinions about love. I won’t casually criticize anyone’s views on love,” Su Jue said.
“If we have feelings for each other, I don’t mind,” Su Jue said frankly.
This was her true thought. She wouldn’t bother telling a lie.
“Do you know what I like about you?” Qi An suddenly asked.
“What?” Su Jue was surprised.
“I like your temperament; you give off a peaceful feeling. Being near you feels comfortable. You’re like a beautiful painting.”
“But I hope you can be more lively. If you’re quiet for too long, people will think you’re easy to bully.”
“Su Jue, this is the first time I’ve called you by your name. I hope you remember this: If you’re looking for a partner, don’t look in this circle. You know how chaotic this industry is.”
“And I hope you always act in roles you love.”
“Su Jue, good luck.”
“I’m sorry for bothering you recently.”
“And, I won’t bother you anymore.”
Qi An said this seriously.
Su Jue was lost in thought for a long time after hearing Qi An’s words. Looking at Qi An, who seemed to have let go, she opened her mouth.
“Good luck to you too!”
“I hope you find someone you love and who loves you back,” Su Jue said.
“Of course, you too,” Qi An smiled.
She had always treated Su Jue as a character from a novel. Out of a bit of pity, she chose to act out a play. It seemed she had become somewhat engrossed. Subconsciously, she still treated this world as a game, playing as she pleased. If this continued, she might get burned.
So, she should wake up. She wasn’t God, with no right to interfere in others’ lives. All she needed to do was live well in this world and incidentally fulfill her dreams from her angsty youth.
After Qi An had her epiphany, a relieved smile appeared on her lips.
Su Jue, who had been observing Qi An, also saw this smile. With her superb acting skills, she understood the meaning behind it.
Has she let go?
Su Jue saw Qi An to the door and only breathed a sigh of relief after watching her return to her room.
There was no clinging, no extreme behavior as she had imagined. It seemed she had overthought it.
Qi An’s words lingered in her mind. Why, after resolving this problem, did she feel a little depressed?
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