I Have Everything They Like - Chapter 5

Listening to Dr. Fu’s insistence on “thoroughly” washing the rice, You Tao opened her bright, deer-like eyes and gently reminded him, “But if you wash the rice too thoroughly, you’ll lose all the vitamins and nutrients on the surface.”

Idiot No. 3 is actually arguing with Dr. Fu about washing rice.

You laugh at No. 3 for being clueless, but No. 3 laughs at you for being a simp. Has anyone noticed that No. 3 is now the most popular person in the room? It feels like everyone instinctively gravitates toward her.

Fu Jinyan paused his rice-washing motions. After a moment, he decided against adding more water. He simply wiped the outer surface of the inner pot dry, placed it in the rice cooker, plugged it in, and pressed the cook button.

Meanwhile, Shen Mingrui, having secured You Tao’s permission, gracefully exited the kitchen like a victor. Given her reputation as a kitchen disaster—a reputation reinforced by past variety show clips of her cooking mishaps—only the two of them remained in the kitchen.

Having finished his task, Fu Jinyan stood quietly to the side, watching You Tao’s busy movements. Noticing her repeatedly pausing to brush stray strands of hair away from her face with her arm, he suddenly turned and walked out of the kitchen.

When he returned, he held a hair tie in his hand. As he reached forward to help You Tao tie her hair, the icy silk gloves, warmed by his touch, brushed against the nape of her neck, startling her.

“Dr. Fu, you… Huh? When did you go out?”

You Tao watched as his slender fingers stretched the black hair tie, recognizing it as the cheapest one she had bought at the supermarket that afternoon—plain and unadorned. Yet, against the white icy silk gloves, which concealed his delicate skin and revealed only the rough outline of his hand, the stark contrast of black and white created a striking visual impact.

Fu Jinyan didn’t answer her question. As soon as she finished speaking, he swiftly gathered her hair into a neat bun, his movements so deft that not a single strand tugged painfully.

Who’s swooning? Me!

Don’t let their icy exterior fool you—some icebergs have the deftest hands when it comes to braiding hair.

Deft hands, huh? He could probably make Taotao moan all over the ship without even trying!

Now free from the annoyance of stray hairs, You Tao happily thanked Fu Jinyan. As she began stir-frying the vegetables, he timed his movements perfectly, handing her the necessary seasonings at just the right moments. Though they exchanged no further conversation in the kitchen, the atmosphere remained remarkably harmonious and warm.

As dinner time approached, Jing Sinian arrived in the kitchen early, intending to help You Tao and Fu Jinyan carry the dishes to the table. But the moment she reached for a plate, Huo Lang stepped in and took over her task, even pressing her into a seat at the dining table.

“You sit down. I’ll handle it.”

The second-generation rich man had shed his usual arrogance, becoming unusually attentive as he played waiter for his beloved. He even produced a bottle of Romanée-Conti from who-knows-where, but as he prepared to open it, Jing Sinian gently raised a hand to stop him. “I won’t be drinking. My tolerance is low, and I’m acting as the homeroom teacher these days. If a student needs me tonight, it’ll be a problem.”

“Then I won’t drink either.”

Huo Lang casually set the tens-of-thousands-yuan bottle aside and sat down next to Jing Sinian. Ignoring the others who were still settling in, he picked up a piece of squirrel-shaped mandarin fish with his chopsticks and placed it on her plate. “You’re a local, so your palate should be lighter. Why don’t you tell us if Little Peach’s dish is authentic enough?”

At that moment, You Tao was removing her apron, about to go fetch Shen Mingrui for dinner. She paid little attention to the dining table arrangements. Only Fu Jinyan quietly pulled out a chair and sat down across from Jing Sinian, but he didn’t touch his chopsticks.

Teacher Jing’s gaze shifted from the distant scenery to the glistening rice in her bowl, topped with a vibrant piece of mandarin fish, its tender white flesh exposed. Recalling the flippant nickname Huo Lang had given You Tao, her smile remained warm as she softly replied, “Her cooking is naturally excellent.”

“You haven’t even tasted it yet! How do you know?” Huo Lang shook his head with a laugh. “I bet you’re just too soft-hearted to point out anyone’s flaws.”

I get the feeling… Teacher Jing is really protective of Taotao.

I thought accepting the second-generation rich guy’s gift would make this couple’s relationship progress quickly, but now it feels like things are moving slower than I expected. Did the Production Team learn to subvert expectations?

Meanwhile, at the same time…

When Shen Mingrui’s door was knocked, she still had her AirPods in. She glanced up as You Tao carefully opened the door and peeked her head in. The voice You Tao spoke overlapped with the audio streaming into Shen Mingrui’s ear:

“Dinner’s ready~”

Shen Mingrui paused, removed one earbud, and asked, “What did you say?”

Yet You Tao’s voice remained sweet and soft, bearing no resemblance to the female narrator’s voice in the story she was playing. The light in Shen Mingrui’s eyes dimmed momentarily. After You Tao repeated herself, Shen Mingrui removed her headphones, got out of bed, and slipped into her slippers, padding over to You Tao.

“Coming right away. Thanks for the heads-up, Taotao. Let’s go together,” Shen Mingrui said, skipping the semi-transparent sun-protective jacket. She moved close to You Tao, linking arms like close friends, instantly closing the distance between them.

You Tao noticed the gesture but didn’t pull away, nor did she even glance at Shen Mingrui. She simply allowed Shen Mingrui to lead her hand-in-hand down the long corridor and into the elevator.

Inside the elevator, Shen Mingrui leaned even closer, her face nearly touching You Tao’s, using the elevator’s mirrored walls to show them their reflections.

“We’re the same height!” she exclaimed.

What are you implying? That we’re a perfect match? You Tao’s eyes shifted slightly. Compared to Shen Mingrui’s perpetually perfect, saccharine smile for the cameras, her own expression seemed somewhat blank, like a small animal suddenly caught off guard.

She caught a whiff of Shen Mingrui’s scent—a unique fragrance created by harmoniously layering the base notes of several perfumes. If Fu Jinyan’s preference for the antiseptic and alcohol smell evoked a mechanical coldness, and Teacher Jing’s scent was as warm as a spring breeze, then Big Star Shen’s fragrance was like a riot of blooming flowers.

A single whiff was enough to convey the intoxicating, dazzling, and decadent extravagance of the entertainment industry’s elite—a world of gilded excess stripped bare of substance.

As if shy and unsure how to respond, You Tao remained silent. Shen Mingrui’s enthusiasm didn’t falter; from the elevator’s arrival at the first-floor restaurant, she eagerly shared stories about her magazine shoot that day, praising the editor-in-chief of the top-tier publication. Just as the restaurant came into view, You Tao suddenly heard Shen Mingrui ask in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear:

“Taotao, would you like to come? I have another day of shooting tomorrow, and I could bring you along!”

Everyone at the dining table heard her words.

Huo Lang, who had been impatiently leaning back in his chair—balanced precariously on one leg while waiting for Teacher Jing and the others—suddenly straightened up, the chair leg snapping back to the floor with a sharp thud.

She glared at You Tao again and snapped, “You’re so slow! I’ve been waiting so long, the daylilies are practically cold.”

Then she added, “What’s so interesting about a magazine office anyway? It’s small and stuffy.”

Boss Huo really doesn’t understand the struggles of ordinary people.

While the others might not know, Huo Lang was well aware that rising stars like Shen Mingrui relied entirely on their agencies for resources and had little personal connections. The so-called “visit” to the magazine office was just a way to give You Tao a staff badge, letting her hang around and watch—possibly even making her work as an assistant.

What was the point of that?

It would be better for You Tao to run errands for her. If You Tao could help her win Jing Sinian’s heart, Boss Huo might even introduce her to some film projects later on. For actors, solid work experience was the only real achievement.

Boss Huo had no idea that her disdainful remarks were the kind of opportunity countless people in the industry dreamed of but could never obtain. You Tao didn’t bother explaining, simply smiled and said, “Let’s eat dinner first. If we keep talking, the food will get cold.”

She spoke as if everyone had been having a perfectly harmonious conversation earlier.

You Tao took a seat at the narrow end of the long table, with Fu Jinyan and Jing Sinian on either side. The only spot left for Shen Mingrui was across from Boss Huo, next to Dr. Fu.

The meal passed harmoniously, with no overt conflicts or hidden agendas.

Jing Sinian, who had previously offered to do the dishes, took the initiative to clear the table. Boss Huo, frowning and awkwardly rolling up her sleeves, glared at the floral pattern on the dishwashing gloves as if they were her mortal enemies.

Fu Jinyan retreated to his room after finishing his meal, while You Tao, who had offered to help, was pulled away by Big Star Shen. “I wanted to help, but I don’t want to be a third wheel. It’s not even eight yet—Taotao, would you mind giving me some early script coaching?”

“Stop calling it ‘coaching’!” You Tao protested softly. “If you keep saying that, I won’t be able to study the script with you.” Shen Mingrui’s eyes deepened, and she finally relented, temporarily ceasing her teasing.

In the darkened screening room, the ceiling was illuminated with a projected starry sky.

Standing beneath the celestial expanse, they gazed only at each other.

Shen Mingrui sat on the viewing sofa, watching You Tao flip through the script on her phone. The actress’s usually vibrant features softened into quiet concentration. When You Tao signaled she was ready, Shen Mingrui’s lips curved into a sly smile. “This drama has quite a few intimate scenes,” she remarked. “I’ve never done anything like this before, and I’m worried I won’t be able to get into character. Taotao, could you share some of your experience with me?”

What “experience”? Just kiss her already!

What can’t the emperor of my live stream room see? Production Team rules? Don’t exist!

You Tao didn’t overthink it. With a serious expression, she explained to Shen Mingrui how film crews typically guide actors into character, such as having them spend time together, imagining each other as lovers, or filming slow-burn scenes first to gradually build romantic tension.

In short, she advised her to focus on honing her acting skills and not worry too much about the rest.

As she spoke, You Tao leaned closer, as if worried Shen Mingrui couldn’t hear her. But at the end, she felt Shen Mingrui’s pinky brush against hers. Smiling sweetly, Shen Mingrui asked, “Would you be willing to help me simulate this state?”

As she spoke, she glanced casually at the live stream camera, her tone suggestive:

“It’ll just be a trick of the camera angle. Dare you?”

What “trick of the camera angle”! I refuse!

Holy sh1t… I never expected the clout-chasing celebrity who came here to cash in would be the one pushing the romantic storyline the hardest in this variety show…