Read Novel Full Chapter 59 - Lotus Root and Pork Rib Soup
**Chapter 59: Lotus Root and Pork Rib Soup**
Translator: Namizaki
*********************
When the Calligraphy Teacher invited Chi Zhongqiao into his office, the live stream chat went wild:
“Holy shit, this handwriting is gorgeous! Is my baby really this amazing?”
“New fan alert! Qiao Bao’s calligraphy has always been top-tier.”
“Uh… being better than a training class Teacher isn’t exactly ‘amazing,’ is it?”
“Aaaah, he’s laying out the paper!”
Under the watchful eyes of countless viewers, Chi Zhongqiao picked up the brush. His slender fingers dipped the tip into the ink, and he lowered it to the paper.
The audience instinctively held their breath along with everyone in the office. Chi Zhongqiao seemed oblivious to the tense atmosphere, his expression serene as he wrote four characters:
[ 诲人不倦 ]
Tireless in teaching
The chat exploded:
“His posture is so elegant! His hands are so beautiful! I want to lick them!”
“To whoever said he used a ghostwriter earlier—come out and take your beating!”
“Waaah, Mom’s so proud! My Baby is amazing!”
This time was different from when he wrote for the little girl earlier. The camera captured not just his hand, but his entire figure. All those who had doubted him fell silent. When the camera finally panned to the finished characters, a chorus of “Holy shit!” flooded the chat.
Many of Chi Zhongqiao’s long-time fans modestly claimed it was “just normal for him,” while subtly praising him in their comments:
“Relax, Qiaoqiao already showed off his skills during a previous livestream.”
“It’s nothing special, no need to praise him. Otherwise, our Baby will get too proud.”
The other fans wanted to punch them.
Who’s the one strutting around like a peacock?!
Unfortunately, they couldn’t reach through the internet, so they could only grumble and secretly flirt with the idea of switching allegiances.
Aiya, this young man is so handsome, his handwriting is beautiful, and he’s so gentle… Should we give him a try?
The resource-grabbing segment quickly ended, and the five guests were summoned back to the Hotel.
When the Director announced how they would obtain dinner, it struck the five of them like a bolt from the blue.
After a flurry of pushing and shoving, Chi Zhongqiao raised his hand, volunteering to be the first to try the show’s new activity. He reached into a box, pulled out a slip of paper, and read the words aloud. His face nearly matched the green menu in his hand.
The comments flooded in:
“HAHAHAHAHA, what a scam! Has Qiaoqiao’s lucky streak finally run out?”
“Qiao Bao actually hates bitter melon? LOL!”
“He’s making a call! Who’s he calling? Oh my god, I see Film Empress Yan’s name!”
The camera swiftly scanned through the contacts list. Sharp-eyed viewers spotted Yan Qingbo and Fu Jingshen, but before they could get a better look, the Director had already swiped past the page, randomly selecting a number and dialing.
A deep male voice answered the call.
**Live Comments:**
“Wait, is that President Lu?”
“They’re actually really close in private! He even calls him ‘Brother Qiao’.”
“President Lu is so smart! He immediately guessed Qiao Bao was filming a show!”
“Holy shit! President Lu can cook? And he often makes soup for our Qiaoqiao?”
“Sister, you’ve spotted the real gem here.”
Many fans noticed that Chi Zhongqiao was still on the phone while eating, mostly listening quietly with a gentle, smiling expression. This smile was different from the flawless one he wore on camera; the latter was relaxed, barely lifting the corners of his lips, yet his eyes sparkled with amusement.
Though the camera only briefly focused on him before cutting to Ge Fangyu, who was also on a call, the moment left many viewers stunned.
After the broadcast, a small group of fans secretly created a private chat.
[ Group Admin: Now that everyone’s here, let’s get straight to it—do you guys have any CP pairings you’re really into? Like LuChi? ]
[ “Road Idiot CP is real!” ]1tln: 路痴 Lù chī~ ‘road idiot’ in english LOL.. these fans are really awesome in giving names
The next morning, Chi Zhongqiao woke up and checked the trending topics. He froze when he saw the top three.
#Chi Zhongqiao’s Calligraphy# was trending at number five—normal enough. But at number two was #Li Jinghong and Chi Zhongqiao’s Eternal Friendship#.
What?
Clutching his blanket, Chi Zhongqiao frowned in confusion. His relationship with Li Jinghong barely maintained a facade of cordiality. If his temper had flared even slightly, they would have torn into each other. Eternal friendship?
The trend stemmed from the reality show episode aired the previous night. During the final challenge, Chi Zhongqiao and Li Jinghong, the final guardian, had engaged in a round of mutual flattery. Many of Chi Zhongqiao’s compliments toward Li Jinghong were highlighted in red, presented as evidence of their close bond.
This kind of commercial praise was as fake as plastic flowers—merely a performance by two actors, their flattery polished to appear somewhat genuine.
The comments below were overwhelmingly harmonious:
[ Three-Haired Cat: Ah! My two favorites together! I’m so happy! ]
[ Salted Egg Yolk Mooncake: They collaborated on <April in the Human World>! Heart emojis for these two god-like brothers! ]
[ 1551: <A Sea of Falling Stars> and <Campus Prince and Campus Belle>! The male leads from my two favorite movies this year! Aww, I’m dying! ]
Chi Zhongqiao put down his phone with a blank expression. After washing up, he received a call from Du Yusheng.
Du Yusheng’s voice was gentle: “Did you see the trending topics?”
Chi Zhongqiao sat at the dining table. “Yeah, I saw them.”
He had overslept that morning. None of his six alarms had woken him up, and when he finally opened his eyes, it was already past nine. Yuzhou had long since left for work.
A sticky note was stuck to the dining table, its familiar handwriting reading: [Milk and sandwiches are in the insulation box. Remember to eat breakfast, Brother Qiao.]
Yuzhou had anticipated Chi Zhongqiao’s morning routine perfectly: Knowing he wouldn’t wake up early and would be too lazy to heat up porridge, he had prepared the simplest sandwiches instead.
Chi Zhongqiao took out a sandwich and ate it slowly. He wasn’t particularly fond of Western breakfasts, but he could tolerate them occasionally.
Du Yusheng asked, “Why haven’t you ever mentioned your calligraphy skills before?”
Chi Zhongqiao replied, “Because you never asked, Brother Du.”
Du Yusheng paused. “…I didn’t ask because you listed music as your hobby. I just assumed you were good at singing.”
In reality, this Little Prince’s singing was mediocre at best, barely staying in tune. Despite attending vocal lessons daily for over a year, he showed no improvement whatsoever.
Chi Zhongqiao declared confidently, “Calligraphy is a skill, not a hobby.”
Du Yusheng was speechless, finding himself strangely convinced by the logic.
He cleared his throat. “Anyway, this is a great angle for promotion.”
Chi Zhongqiao replied mildly, “Don’t overhype it.”
Someone truly skilled at something like this would naturally avoid flaunting it.
Du Yusheng understood. Such a skill shouldn’t be aggressively promoted; otherwise, it would come across as contrived and overly commercial. He made a mental note and changed the subject. “Regarding Li Jinghong’s trending topic, they’re probably using you to boost his popularity. If he makes any further moves, don’t worry about it—I’ll handle it.”
As he scrolled through the article, Du Yusheng nearly sneered. Mutual promotion was one thing, but the constant “junior-senior” references reeked of ulterior motives.
Chi Zhongqiao finished his sandwich, rested his chin on the chair back, and started watching anime. “Okay, I understand.”
“Hmm, I think I’ll do a live stream tonight,” Chi Zhongqiao added.
“What will you stream?” Du Yusheng asked. “Should I come over?”
Chi Zhongqiao picked through his wardrobe, selecting an outfit. “Just a casual cooking stream, nothing fancy.”
Du Yusheng nodded. “Alright, I’ll let Zhong Yin know to come to the office tonight.”
Chi Zhongqiao buttoned his shirt. “Don’t bother Zhong Yin. I’m streaming from home, not the office.”
Du Yusheng paused, surprised. “How will you manage alone?”
Chi Zhongqiao replied casually, “Yuzhou’s here. He’ll hold the phone for me.”
Du Yusheng was speechless. “…Fine.” You’ve got guts ordering the young CEO around.
Chi Zhongqiao’s decision to stream a cooking session wasn’t impulsive. While scrolling through fan groups, he noticed many followers were curious about his knife skills. He figured a live stream would be a good way to showcase them.
The real question was: What to cook? Milk Tea? He’d been spoiled by Lu Yuzhou and only knew how to make that.
But Milk Tea didn’t really count as cooking. After pondering for a while, he decided on lotus root and pork rib soup.
Truth be told, he’d been so pampered that he’d forgotten how to cook properly. He usually just helped Lu Yuzhou with simple tasks, so stewing soup seemed like the easiest option.
*****
On the other side,
Li Jinghong woke up and saw the trending topic. He was even more furious than Du Yusheng. Though generally mild-tempered, the moment he finished reading the article and seeing the accompanying images, he exploded.
Having long since outgrown the cautious newcomer phase with his Manager, he immediately called him. “Old Li, what’s with this trending topic? Did the studio buy it?”
The article itself didn’t directly disparage Chi Zhongqiao, but it subtly positioned the currently more popular Li Jinghong as the senior, implying that Chi Zhongqiao respected his senior while Li Jinghong cared for his junior.
The article seemed harmless now, but Li Jinghong knew it would soon backfire. <Campus Prince and Campus Belle> had already been released, dominating the box office for all films released in June. Moreover, it had surpassed most movies released in the first half of the year, including those so-called New Year’s blockbusters, making it the top-grossing film of the first half of the year.
As for critical acclaim, <Campus Prince and Campus Belle> had an 8.5 rating, while <A Sea of Falling Stars> scored 7.9.
When the domestic film festival in late October reviewed the year’s films, <Campus Prince and Campus Belle> would inevitably regain momentum. With all the films being compared, Li Jinghong knew he was in for a major embarrassment.
The more he gloated now, the harder the slap would sting later.
As his Manager, Li Fei understood this even better, and he was even more panicked than Li Jinghong. “Of course not! Would I ever screw you over?”
Li Jinghong suppressed his temper. “We need to figure out how this trending topic came about. Otherwise, I’ll end up being someone else’s stepping stone and needlessly antagonize Chi Zhongqiao. Old Li, Chi Zhongqiao has <Invisible Crime> coming out in the second half of the year. With Teacher Yan and Ge Fangyu involved, the drama can’t be bad. If Chi Zhongqiao delivers a decent performance, this series alone will catapult him into the ranks of first-tier young actors. But right now, how many of the four established first-tier actors can consistently outshine him in terms of project quality?”
Li Jinghong rubbed his temples. “Cutting his scenes in <April in the Human World> was my mistake—I was blind and offended the wrong person. But I have no intention of making that mistake again.” He made no pretense of denying his selfishness. The decision to adjust the scenes had been made by the company, and he had no authority to change it. But ultimately, he was the one who benefited. He refused to feign regret or pretend to be virtuous while reaping the rewards.
Li Fei understood this perfectly well.
If Chi Zhongqiao had risen to fame solely through hype and attention-grabbing scandals, Li Fei and Li Jinghong wouldn’t have given him a second glance. But was that really the case?
Chi Zhongqiao was different from other young actors in the industry. While most actors typically transition to more mature roles as they age and their acting skills develop, Chi Zhongqiao had been labeled a “method actor”2tln: an actor who aspires to complete emotional identification with a part to showcase more realistic and emotional performances. from his very first role.
With both popularity and genuine talent, how could he not become a star?
As Li Jinghong had initially pointed out, they had already made the mistake of offending someone due to their own blindness. One mistake was enough; there was no need to repeat it. If someone was about to take off, you couldn’t stop them anyway. Why bother making yourself a nuisance?
Li Fei reread the article several times before suddenly asking, “Could this be Fei Xi’s doing?”
Li Jinghong refreshed the trending topics, his expression blank. “Probably.”
The fifth trending topic read: #FeiXi’sNewDramaInDevelopment: Who Will Land the Male Lead?#
The post featured several young actors, with Li Jinghong and Chi Zhongqiao receiving the most attention. Combined with the previous trending topic, the effect was perfect. Anonymous accounts were already stirring up speculation about whether Chi Zhongqiao and Li Jinghong might turn against each other over the role.
Li Jinghong thought: Damn it, I’m going to die a wrongful death this time.
**********
Clutching his lunch, Chi Zhongqiao went to find Lu Yuzhou.
Lu Yuzhou was at the Lu Corporation headquarters. Afraid Chi Zhongqiao might get lost, he called him, but still worried, he came down from his office to meet him.
Chi Zhongqiao, carrying a thermos, pulled down his mask under the astonished gaze of the Receptionist. “Why didn’t you wake me this morning?” he asked softly, sounding like someone who had slept in complaining to their early-rising lover.
Lu Yuzhou quickly pressed his lips together to avoid losing his composure in this natural intimacy and kissing Chi Zhongqiao. He took the thermos from Chi Zhongqiao’s hand. “I didn’t want to wake you, Brother Qiao. You were sleeping so soundly. Besides, there wasn’t much to do today anyway…”
The Receptionist watched them leave, thinking numbly, Did President Lu take the wrong medicine today?
Chi Zhongqiao had already eaten before arriving. After handing Lu Yuzhou chopsticks, he rested his chin in his hand and watched Lu Yuzhou eat.
Lu Yuzhou hesitated before picking up a piece of red date rice cake. “Brother Qiao, try this.” Chi Zhongqiao wasn’t particularly fond of sweet dishes, but he loved rice cake.
Chi Zhongqiao froze, instinctively glancing at the closed door of Lu Yuzhou’s office. He pressed his lips together, leaned in to bite off a piece of the rice cake, then sat back down with feigned composure, chewing silently with downcast eyes.
Lu Yuzhou stopped Chi Zhongqiao from further charming him before calmly turning his chopsticks to eat.
Chi Zhongqiao quickly glanced up, watching as the chopsticks he had just touched picked up a red date and carried it to Lu Yuzhou’s mouth.
An indirect kiss.
Chi Zhongqiao blinked rapidly, lowered his head, and decided to just be a hamster for now.
Lu Yuzhou finished his lunch quietly before asking, “Brother Qiao, have you decided what to stream tonight?”
They had talked about streaming last night, but hadn’t settled on a topic.
“Cooking,” Chi Zhongqiao replied.
Lu Yuzhou: “……”
“Lotus root and pork rib soup,” Chi Zhongqiao added.
Lu Yuzhou: “……” Why did this Young Master suddenly want to cook?
“Is that a problem?” Chi Zhongqiao asked.
What could Lu Yuzhou say? He sighed helplessly, “Of course not.”
The cooking skills of the person at home were hardly presentable. Lu Yuzhou couldn’t understand why Chi Zhongqiao would choose to stream cooking.
To gain followers? More likely to lose them, right?
When Lu Yuzhou accompanied Chi Zhongqiao to the supermarket to buy groceries, watching his figure wander through the vegetable section, he finally understood—Chi Zhongqiao probably just wanted to play around.
Back home, Chi Zhongqiao once again “consulted” Lu Yuzhou about the recipe for lotus root and pork rib soup. After confirming he had memorized the steps, he started his livestream.
Lu Yuzhou held the phone steady. As Chi Zhongqiao adjusted the livestream settings, his hand accidentally brushed against Lu Yuzhou’s. He looked up and found Lu Yuzhou gazing at him quietly.
Chi Zhongqiao instinctively smiled, the corners of his lips curving upward, his eyes sparkling with delight.
Out of camera range, oblivious to the hundreds of thousands of viewers flooding the livestream, Lu Yuzhou gently hooked Chi Zhongqiao’s finger before releasing it in an instant.
Thanks to President Lu’s blessing, Chi Zhongqiao remained somewhat distracted throughout the rest of the livestream.
Fortunately, he had memorized the recipe well enough to avoid any major mistakes, except for forgetting to add the lotus root while simmering the soup.
Just as Chi Zhongqiao was about to put the lid on the pot, Lu Yuzhou had to remind him, “Lotus root.”
Speaking in a soft voice, Chi Zhongqiao didn’t quite hear him and turned his head. “Huh?”
Lu Yuzhou: “Add the lotus root, Brother Qiao.”
Chi Zhongqiao blinked and looked down. There, on the cutting board, lay Mr. Lotus Root, one of the main ingredients of lotus root and pork rib soup, looking utterly innocent.
Livestream comments:
“??? Who was that?”
“That voice…”
“Holy shit, was that President Lu?!”
