CHAPTER 140: CHAPTER 125: ISN’T IT OVER? CLASHING WITH THE FISH_2

Tilting his head back while reveling in the tender and flavorful fish, he shook his head and swaggered back to his seat.

Chu Tian and Yiyi, who had been watching him, now suspected that the other party held a high status. Plus, the people over by the road were probably from the film crew, right?

Could this be the director?

At this thought, Yiyi immediately became subdued. She bowed her head and focused on eating her fish without uttering a word.

Chu Tian, on the other hand, felt indifferent. However, his boss was working there, and he definitely didn’t want to offend the director for no good reason. Luckily, he had brought some beverages with him.

He casually picked up two bottles and placed them on the table.

"You two shouldn’t just eat. Have some drinks. I’ve quit drinking, so I only have beverages. Don’t mind."

"PHEW. Thanks. I don’t drink either. This fish is so delicious! Do you have a secret recipe?"

"No secret recipe. It’s just the usual way of cooking, with a few spices. Besides, it’s about getting the technique and the heat control just right."

The two of them chatted occasionally. Lit by the lights from the building, it really felt like a roadside barbecue stall.

Back at the guest house, as the aroma wafted over, everyone’s stomachs rumbled again. But this was a show recording, so they couldn’t just run out and find food.

Especially with cameras all around, they had to maintain their public personas. So, they only chatted briefly before returning to their rooms to rest early.

Though they said ’rest,’ these people were either playing on their phones or finding their secretly stashed snacks to fill their stomachs first.

However, Xu Qingqiu, lying on her bed, couldn’t stand it any longer.

She took out her phone and sent a message to Yiyi.

[Yiyi, are you and Chu Tian grilling fish?]

Yiyi hurriedly picked up her phone when she heard the notification sound. After seeing it was a message from Sister Qiu, she glanced up at the two people chatting, then, squinting like a thief, stealthily typed a reply.

[Yes, yes! Sister Qiu, let me tell you, the fish Chu Tian grilled is so delicious! I’ve never eaten grilled fish this tasty! By the way, what did you all have for dinner tonight?]

As Xu Qingqiu read this reply, her entire face scrunched up.

She pitifully recalled her own dinner. Apparently, apart from plain noodle soup, she’d only had a few bites of those two fish, right?

These guests all acted politely, but when it came to eating, none of them held back. In the blink of an eye, everything was gone.

She had been busy for so long and hadn’t even eaten her fill, let alone anything delicious.

[I had plain noodle soup for dinner. I really want to eat grilled fish~]

[Ah? How come? Didn’t Chu Tian say you all had a feast?]

[Chu Tian?? HMPH!]

Xu Qingqiu had been hesitating, but when she saw Chu Tian claimed she’d had a feast? That was slander! I definitely have to go and make it clear to him that I didn’t have a feast! Yes, just like that!

[? What’s wrong, Sister Qiu? Did Chu Tian say something wrong?]

Looking at Yiyi’s message, Xu Qingqiu quickly straightened her clothes, thinking, You’ll see in a moment.

She tiptoed out the door. Seeing no one had noticed her, she cautiously went downstairs and then jogged along the path toward where Chu Tian and the others were.

"Hmm? Isn’t that Xu Qingqiu? Where is she going so late?"

Lin Xiangqun, who was on the third-floor balcony enjoying the evening breeze and stargazing, suddenly saw Xu Qingqiu sneaking around downstairs. He was instantly puzzled, but quickly, an idea struck him.

Could it be... she’s going to the barbecue to find something to eat? Then, what about me...

No one has made the first move yet, so it’s fine. Since someone’s starting, what am I waiting for? Anyway, I’m an old-timer; I don’t care what others say. Even Diva Xu, who’s at the height of her popularity, isn’t afraid. What do I have to fear?

So, he also got dressed, quietly went downstairs, and followed her.

"Teacher Lin, where are you going?"

Xu Wanrong, wearing a face mask, had just opened her door to go downstairs for something when she saw Lin Xiangqun’s hurried retreating figure...

Meanwhile, back with Chu Tian, nobody anticipated what was about to happen.

Yiyi looked at her phone, which hadn’t shown a reply for a while. Her little head was filled with big questions. Perhaps Sister Qiu has fallen asleep?

"Yiyi, are you done eating? It won’t taste as good when it’s cold. If you can’t eat anymore, that’s fine. If it gets cold, I’ll heat it up for you."

Chu Tian saw her daydreaming and thought she was full.

"Ah? No, it’s fine! I can still eat!"

"Alright then. My fish is ready too. If yours is cold, you can put it on the stove to warm it up."

After Chu Tian spoke, he placed the fish he had just grilled onto a plate, feeling a little anxious.

My cooking skills, just by the smell, are exceptional. Truly worthy of master-level barbecue technique! The only regrettable thing is that since I got this skill, I haven’t even tasted my own cooking yet. I’ve grilled three fish in a row. Now it’s finally my turn. I absolutely must enjoy this!

He set the grilled fish down at the other end of the table, first placing a pair of chopsticks beside it. Then, he got up to get a drink from the other side to have with his meal.

However, when he turned back after grabbing the drink, he suddenly felt something wasn’t right.

Hmm? One, two, three? Why is there an extra person? Are my eyes playing tricks on me?

Count again! One, two, three? What the hell? No, who the heck is eating my grilled fish? Who’s so shameless? Are they tired of living?!

He stormed over. Before he even got close, he saw someone sitting at the table, chopsticks in hand, feasting on the fish he had painstakingly grilled.

"Stop! You..."

He forcibly swallowed the rest of his words because the person looked up—it was none other than Xu Qingqiu.

"Mmm, Chu Tian, your skills are amazing! I had no idea you could grill fish! Oh, were you calling me just now?"

"Uh... yes. I, uh, wanted to say, have a drink so you don’t choke. By the way, how did you get here?"

Damn it, this isn’t scientific! Where did my boss just pop out from? Isn’t she filming the show?

As he thought this, Chu Tian’s gaze slowly shifted to the other person, who looked like a director. Are you the director? Or did I get it wrong?

Little did he know, at that very moment, the director was also completely baffled.

He had even forgotten to drink the beverage he’d raised to his lips. He stared wide-eyed at Xu Qingqiu, who was sitting next to him wolfing down fish, his brain momentarily short-circuiting.

What’s going on? Isn’t the show still being filmed? How did Xu Qingqiu get here? Where did she come from? When did she arrive? A series of questions flashed through his mind, yet it felt as if they hadn’t registered at all.

Only after Xu Qingqiu had taken several more bites of fish did she have time to catch her breath and answer Chu Tian’s question.

"HMPH, HMPH~ Chu Tian, you have no idea how awful this show is! For dinner, I only had a bowl of plain noodle soup. And the fish I ’borrowed’ from you? I only got a few bites before it was gone!"

"It wasn’t a big deal at first, but the aroma from your side was too enticing! I could smell it from far away. Lying in bed, my stomach was growling with hunger. I really couldn’t stand it, so I had to sneak out to scrounge a meal from you~"

After finishing her explanation in a rush, she quickly took a large gulp of her drink, let out a playful burp, then giggled foolishly at Chu Tian before lowering her head and continuing to eat.

"Wait a second, let me get this straight. You said you ’borrowed’ two fish? Where did you ’borrow’ them from?"

After he said this, his eyes naturally shifted to Yiyi’s face.

"Yiyi?"

"Ah? I don’t know! Don’t ask me! I didn’t see anything!"

Alright, no need to ask anymore. Chu Tian pretty much guessed what had happened. It was just two fish, not a big deal, so he didn’t dwell on it.

Perhaps realizing they had accidentally let something slip, Xu Qingqiu and Yiyi kept their heads down and ate. Under the table, their feet tapped back and forth, as if they were communicating something secretly.

For the sake of his own stomach, Chu Tian could only resign himself to grilling more fish. I feel like I’m jinxed with fish today. I’ve worked hard all afternoon and still haven’t eaten a single one.

At the dining table, the director, who had been ignored for quite some time, felt the atmosphere was too stiff. Also, as a form of protest against Xu Qingqiu’s behavior, he extended a hand towards her and said unhurriedly,

"Teacher Xu, hello. I am Yu Cheng, the chief director of this variety show. I didn’t expect we would meet in such a manner."

"Oh, oh, hello."

Hearing someone greet her, Xu Qingqiu quickly looked up to respond. Seeing the formally extended hand, she straightened up, intending to shake it so as not to be impolite.

But she soon froze on the spot.

"I’m sorry, did you just say you are the chief director of *this* program?"