The Ex's Tears Are So Hot - Chapter 19

The scene fell into silence. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on Lin Qi and He Chengcheng.

Most shocking of all—Lin Qi didn’t hit back or even say a word in response. He merely waited in silence for He Chengcheng to vent, wiped his face, and when he looked up again, he was still wearing a calm smile, continuing to film as if nothing had happened.

Guan Jinnian and Xie Zhixin exchanged a glance, just in time to see Xie Zhixin wink at him, a mischievous look that said: I know something you don’t. Guan Jinnian’s curiosity was piqued.

“I’ll tell you when we get back,” Xie Zhixin whispered, hand covering his mic.

Guan Jinnian glanced subtly at Lin Qi, then gave a barely perceptible nod.

It wasn’t just them—even the viewers had noticed something was off.

Especially after that vague comment from Professor Hu in the analysis room…

【He’s still not snapping? What kind of dirt does He Chengcheng have on Lin Qi?! I’m dying of curiosity over here.】
【No way even the calmest person could act like this… I’m starting to believe those fans saying Lin Qi has ulterior motives.】
【But He Chengcheng was way out of line! Throwing food at someone’s face? That’s beyond disrespectful.】
【Nobody’s saying what He Chengcheng did was okay. We’re just talking about Lin Qi’s strange reaction—two different things.】
【Lin Qi’s fans pretending to be neutral are hilarious. We see you. Don’t hop around too much or someone will drop receipts~】

The comment section was chaos. Fans of Guan & Xie and their shippers looked at each other, even their haters had nowhere to start.

Before joining the show, most people thought the most controversial couple would be Guan and Xie—they were braced for drama.
But unexpectedly, it was Lin Qi and He Chengcheng who were imploding. With their large fanbases, the fallout was explosive.

The production team, although tempted to milk the buzz, decided against fanning the flames for fear of offending all their cast.

So, host Wang Yue stepped in to smooth things over. “Has everyone picked their ingredients?”

Lu Yue, a seasoned veteran of the industry, instantly understood the situation. Even if she didn’t know the full story, she knew enough to shift the focus. Playing along was good for her image too.

“Got ours. But… what if neither of us knows how to cook?”

“We don’t either,” Wu Yi chimed in with a raised hand.

Wang Yue laughed, “Well, we do offer kitchen assistants—50 points per session.”

Lu Yue: “???”

President Qin frowned. “That’s expensive.”

【Oh no, production team, you’re in trouble now. Even Qin thinks you’re overcharging. Reflect on your choices.】

【LOL who can afford 50 points?!】

It was true. Everyone had already spent their points on food. Even the first-place team, Guan Jinnian and Xie Zhixin, didn’t have extra to spare.

Wang Yue shrugged. “Then I wish you all luck. Do your best.”

Guan Jinnian knew how to cook. He wanted to offer help to the others but hesitated, unsure if it would come off as trying too hard.

Xie Zhixin saw his hesitation and gently patted his lower back, encouraging softly, “If you want to, then do it. Don’t overthink. If anyone dares talk sh1t, I’ll talk back for you.”

“…Okay.”

Instinctively, he leaned a little closer to Xie Zhixin, took a deep breath, and addressed the group. “I can cook. If you’d like, we can all eat together?”

The other cast members, familiar with Guan Jinnian’s quiet personality, were surprised by his initiative.

Lu Yue responded first, “Then we definitely say yes! Are you sure it’s not too much trouble?”

President Qin added, “We can chip in some points.”

“I’d rather give mine to Mr. Guan than the production team!” Qi Ming joked.

“No need!” Guan Jinnian smiled in relief at the positive reactions. “We can’t be eating well while the rest of you chew raw meat, can we?”

Wu Yi chimed in, “We’ll help too!”

Then, everyone glanced over at Lin Qi and He Chengcheng.

【Please tell me Guan Jinnian doesn’t have to cook for He Chengcheng too…】

【I can’t take it. Please no.】

【Not trying to be mean, but their vibe is just too weird. They don’t seem like exes—more like a business deal gone wrong.】

【Y’all bold, saying stuff like that so directly…】

Lin Qi, to his credit, was aware enough not to push it. And perhaps not in the mood for awkward pleasantries either. He declined politely: “I can cook, so no need to trouble Mr. Guan.”

Immoral as it may be, Guan Jinnian couldn’t help but secretly sigh in relief.

Since filming together might yield better footage than eating apart, the crew actually provided a shared dining area.

Guan Jinnian, ever thoughtful, asked about dietary restrictions and planned a menu based on everyone’s ingredients. He even gave out tasks, and soon everyone was busy.

He and Xie Zhixin stood at the sink washing vegetables. While the cameras were turned away, they muted their mics to whisper in private.

“You know something, don’t you?”

“Just bits and pieces.” Xie Zhixin nodded slightly. “When I was helping deal with Wu Zhaoyan’s drugging attempt, I accidentally learned some stuff about Lin Qi.”

“What did he do?” Though no one was nearby, Guan Jinnian automatically whispered.

Xie Zhixin was a little amused by the reaction. Smiling, he whispered back, “Same as Wu Zhaoyan—birds of a feather.”

“So… he’s been with a bunch of executives too?” Guan Jinnian’s eyes widened. “Then He Chengcheng…”

“Just one of the stepping stones he used to climb up.”

As he said this, Xie Zhixin’s expression turned cold, as if he’d long since grown used to the rotten core of the glitzy entertainment world.

“He even had a thing with that Du guy. He Chengcheng found out and escalated it to his father. Naturally, a father would want to stand up for his son. That’s when I struck a deal with Mr. He. I’d help bring Lin Qi down, and in return, he’d help me crush Du.”

Guan Jinnian asked curiously, “Why didn’t he just blacklist Lin Qi himself? One word from him, and Lin Qi would be done in this industry.”

Xie Zhixin patiently explained, “It’s considered unsightly for capital to directly intervene like that. Those with reputations to maintain prefer to act indirectly—hence, someone like me, a player inside the industry.”

Guan Jinnian listened quietly, but his mind wandered.

He knew Xie Zhixin was trying to explain things for his sake, trying to teach him. But this world felt so far away from him. All he felt was… lost.

He’d only ever worked in small productions. The worst he’d seen was that drugging incident. That was already his darkest moment.

Watching Xie Zhixin speak so easily about these dealings, so composed and in control—Guan Jinnian suddenly felt worlds apart from him.

No—he had always been from a different world.

Guan Jinnian pressed his lips together, silently washing vegetables.

Halfway through, Xie Zhixin noticed something was off. For once, he was quick to pick up on the shift in mood.

“Are you scared?” he asked gently, drying his hands and placing one on Guan Jinnian’s back.

“I’m here. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

That wasn’t exactly what Guan Jinnian was thinking, but the warmth of those words—and the comforting hand on his back—calmed him.

“…Mm.” He gave a soft reply.

With everyone’s help, dinner came together quickly.

The beautifully arranged table was full of colorful, delicious-smelling dishes. The production team even surprised them by offering custom mocktails—for free.

【Whoa!! That looks so good!】

【I’m drooling. /crying /hungry】

【Wife-core Guan Jinnian, I’m in love. No wonder his coworkers say he’d make a great husband~】

【Okay, okay, fine. As a hardcore Xie Zhixin-only fan, I’m still a little jealous of my boy. This man is dreamy…】

Lu Yue raised her glass, first to Guan Jinnian, then to everyone present. “A toast to our head chef!”

“Thanks! It smells amazing!” Wu Yi was already swallowing down saliva, eyes glued to the food.

“Chef Guan, say a few words!” someone urged.

Everyone cheered, egging him on.

Guan Jinnian wasn’t exactly shy, but he was embarrassed. Still, not wanting to spoil the mood, he smiled and complied.

“You all helped too. I just cooked a few dishes, nothing major. Since we’ll be filming together for a while, I hope we can all take care of each other.”

“Well, that’s all from me. Let’s eat and drink well tonight—and may Reunion Project have sky-high ratings!”

With everyone gathered around him, Guan Jinnian raised his glass—

“Cheers!”

“Cheers!”

Xie Zhixin stood by his side, a soft smile on his face. He also murmured, “Cheers.”

He’d always thought he liked how Guan Jinnian revolved around him—how it felt like he was the center of Guan Jinnian’s world.

But now, watching Guan Jinnian standing at the heart of the group—relaxed, joyful, eyes gleaming…

He was still the same person. But in that moment, he glowed.

A warm, gentle glow.

A side of him Xie Zhixin had never seen before—and found utterly captivating.

He realized, maybe chasing after Guan Jinnian wasn’t the only reason he joined this show.

【This scene is so healing… I hope the production team stops being messy and just films properly. I’ll watch every episode!】
【Even if none of these couples reunite, at least we’ll have beautiful memories.】
【Oof. Why’d you have to go and say something that painful at a moment like this… /cry】
【Look at Xie Zhixin—that is love. You can’t fake a look like that. It’s in his bones.】
【Ladies, go check your man’s eyes—does he look at you like that?】
【Stop projecting onto reality—I can’t handle the letdown, I’m begging.】

Noticing the intense stare, Guan Jinnian tilted his head. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Xie Zhixin leaned in, bumping shoulders. “Let’s eat.”

“Okay, okay, I can’t wait anymore!” Wu Yi eagerly sat down.

Qi Ming followed, sighing. “Take it easy—you’ve got a concert tour next month.”

“I knowww, I’m just tasting~”

Qi Ming sighed. “You’re impossible…”

The time for speeches was over. Everyone dug in—and instantly, the table erupted in praise.

“I knew it’d be good, but this? This is amazing!”

“Oh my god, I can’t stop eating—send help!”

The compliments rained down on Guan Jinnian’s cooking.

Qi Ming, seated next to him, casually threw an arm around his shoulders and shook him playfully. “You’re incredible, Chef Guan. We’re relying on you for every dinner from now on!”

Smack—

Xie Zhixin swatted Qi Ming’s hand away.

“Compliments are fine. Hands off.”