After a D-List Celebrity and Their A-List Ex-Partner Join a Travel Reality Show - Chapter 22

The other three were drawn by the noise, stopping what they were doing to look over at him.

Sensing the silence in the room, He Lan tapped the vegetable knife against the cutting board and looked up with a smile: “What is it?”

Duan Nan watched the person who had already turned back to continue chopping vegetables and, for a moment, did not know what to say. He always felt that He Lan’s smile hid a blade.

The netizens watching the livestream were looking at these three people staring blankly at each other, and they were already laughing hysterically.

【He Lan’s words just now seemed to have a hidden meaning, hahahaha.】

【I really cannot take it anymore. They finally have some alone time, and there just had to be two people coming to disturb them.】

【But do you not think He Lan is being a bit rude? I do not mean to hate on him.】

【I get it now. The people above love to find a few friends to spice up their dates.】

【But on a side note, did anyone see the look in Shen Shiqin’s eyes? It felt like he was looking at an idiot, hahahaha.】

Zuo Jiaxi did not feel that anything was wrong and asked carelessly: “Brother He Lan, what are you guys planning to cook?”

“We are planning to make vegetable soup.” He Lan shifted his focus back to the cutting board, but remembering that no one had answered the previous question, he turned around again and asked: “By the way, are the others coming? I can make a bit more of the vegetable soup.”

Duan Nan noticed Zuo Jiaxi’s lack of social awareness and spoke up to break the slightly awkward atmosphere: “Xiao Yuan just sent a message. He is busy with work and told us not to wait for him.”

Upon receiving the reply, He Lan was visibly more relaxed.

Duan Nan and Zuo Jiaxi had brought two large bags of ingredients. Shen Shiqin looked puzzled and pulled a bag of hot pot base out: “This… where did you guys get this?”

Zuo Jiaxi patted his chest, looking proud: “I brought this especially from back home!”

He walked over, rummaged through the bag, and introduced another one: “I brought many bags of hot pot base, hehe. I took one mild and one spicy bag from the suitcase today. It is really, super, super fragrant!”

Under Shen Shiqin’s impressed gaze, he rummaged out a bag of vermicelli and a bag of dried bean curd skin, shaking them in his hands: “Oh right, there are these too, all brought by me.”

Shen Shiqin also loved hot pot. He looked into the bag, which contained many items clearly brought from back home. His eyes gradually lit up, and he pointed to a few of them: “This is delicious, and this one too.”

Finding common ground, Zuo Jiaxi nodded excitedly: “Yeah, yeah! And there are mustard greens; they are super crunchy! The best choice for hot pot!”

Shen Shiqin completely agreed and asked: “But why bring so many domestic ingredients here?”

Zuo Jiaxi put the things in his hands down and said a bit embarrassedly: “My family was afraid that I would not be used to the food here. I told them not to bring any, but they still stuffed half a suitcase for me.”

Shen Shiqin: “Your family seems very worried that you would not eat well.”

Hearing this, Zuo Jiaxi’s ears turned red: “No.”

His skin was thin, and his ears were noticeably red. Shen Shiqin realized something and did not continue to ask.

—

The few people had a clear division of labor: He Lan continued to simmer the soup, while the other three prepared the hot pot items.

Four people were far livelier than two. Even someone like Shen Shiqin, who did not talk much and appeared cold to outsiders, could now be infected by the lively atmosphere.

The other three were very easy to get along with, and they could talk about any topic. Since they were all in the same industry, the conversation inevitably drifted toward exclusive news.

For example, who was secretly doing something despicable behind the scenes, or which rising star had successfully transformed, or which minor actor had failed their transition but successfully latched onto a big shot.

As soon as they talked about these things, several of them would immediately look at the livestream with extreme caution, then automatically lower their volume and secretly change the subject.

【Is there something that I, a noble non-VIP user, cannot hear!】

【Hey, hey, hey! What do you guys mean? What do you mean!?】

【Am I not a person? Can I not listen?】

【Sister who can read lips through a palm, come here for free! Urgent.】

【Who are you guarding against? Who are you guys guarding against? Is it necessary? Where did the trust between people go?】

The three automatically ignored the frantic crowd in the livestream room, chatting and laughing as they prepared all the ingredients.

He Lan’s vegetable soup had also begun to simmer, and its rich aroma soon filled the entire room.

Making the vegetable soup was simple: heat the pot and brush it with oil, fry three poached eggs, then cut the eggs into small pieces with a spatula and set them aside. Sauté the green onions in the bottom of the pot, pour in the poached eggs and water, boil on high heat for a few minutes, then add various vegetables. Once they were cooked through, just add an appropriate amount of salt and white pepper to season.

Zuo Jiaxi smelled this alluring fragrance and swallowed: “Brother He, I did not know your cooking skills were this good!”

He Lan put his hands on his waist proudly, “Of course. After all, the method is very simple. There is a saying that goes, the highest-end ingredients often require the most primitive cooking methods.”

Duan Nan asked from the side: “I did not know you could cook. Did you learn for a long time?”

He Lan picked up the ladle and stirred. Hearing this, he replied casually: “I used to make this dish often. It is not me bragging, but if I claim to be second, no one dares to claim to be first. If you do not believe me, ask Shen Shi, cough. But it has been too long since I made it, so I might be a little rusty.”

Seeing him want to say something but stopping, Duan Nan immediately picked up: “It looks very appetizing, so it must taste good too.”

Only Shen Shiqin, who was silent on the side, felt his heart skip a beat, and his fingers tightened around his water glass.

He Lan looked up, his gaze sweeping over the water glass in his hand, then falling back to the vegetable soup.

“But you can also add some tofu; it will be fresher. However, considering that some people might not like tofu, I did not add any.”

Zuo Jiaxi had been shopping all afternoon and had come a long way with heavy bags to He Lan’s place, and was already starving: “It really smells so good. Can I have a taste?”

He was about to grab a spoon from the side to take a taste when He Lan pressed a finger against his forehead, stopping him just in time.

“What are you rushing for? This soup needs to wait a while longer to get richer.”

“Hmm, alright.”

Zuo Jiaxi retracted his hand regretfully.

The room was really too small, and the power cord was short, so they placed the hot pot on the bar.

Although Duan Nan and the others brought a lot of things, they were not as abundant as back home, and there were not many types of seasonings. They bought fresh mutton and fresh beef that had already thawed at the supermarket.

Shen Shiqin used light soy sauce, oyster sauce, and starch to mix the beef and mutton, then set them aside. His fingers were wrapped in transparent disposable gloves, mixing nimbly and skillfully in the bowl with even force.

Unlike He Lan, who was back to the screen, Shen Shiqin was on the side of the bar, half his body exposed to the camera. His fingers were slender and fair, with well-proportioned joints.

【Gospel for hand-control lovers QwQ】

【Hungry… so hungry.】

【Looks so easy to use 0vo】

【Sister in front, you are a bit off… but then again.】

Shen Shiqin placed the mixed meat aside, walked to He Lan’s side, and asked: “Do you still need the cutting board?”

He Lan was adjusting the dipping sauce and moved aside without looking up.

“Do you need to chop ingredients?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” He Lan responded subconsciously, putting down the bowl in his hand.

He found green onions, ginger, and garlic, and after washing what needed washing, he put them on the plate.

It was not until he handed out the bowl and met eyes with a complex-looking Shen Shiqin that He Lan realized what he had done.

His hand shook, and the plate almost slipped.

Damn, it became a habit again.

He said dryly: “Teacher Shen’s ability to find things… I really cannot praise.”

Shen Shiqin took the plate without expression and returned to the cutting board. He chopped the green onions, ginger, and garlic, making a rhythmic sound.

Zuo Jiaxi turned his head, suppressing a laugh, wanting to see if there was anything else in the room to pass the time, and then he noticed that there was only one stool in this homestay.

Looking around the room, except for one stool, the only place to sit was a small sofa that could only hold one person. Only the bar area could seat all four of them.

So pitiful.

Zuo Jiaxi looked at the two with a hint of sympathy and said: “There are not enough stools. Why do not we go to our place to move a few over? It is not far from here.”

“Okay, I will go with you.”

He Lan immediately took off his small pink apron and walked quickly toward the door.

—

It was already night at three or four o’clock in Tromsø. Thick snow had accumulated on both sides of the small path, and a path for people to walk had been cleared in the middle. The snowmen on both sides were still holding light strings, which, together with the street lamps, lit up the road.

It was not snowing at the moment, but waves of cold wind still crept in everywhere, blowing people’s hair into a mess.

Zuo Jiaxi shrank his neck, turned his head to look at He Lan, and then was surprised to find that although he also had his hands stuffed in his pockets, he was strolling as if he were taking a walk.

“Brother, are you not cold?”

“It is okay.” He Lan shrugged, “I am not really afraid of the cold.”

The two left uneven footprints on the path.

The phone in his pocket vibrated. Zuo Jiaxi took it out to look at the message, put it back in his pocket as if nothing had happened after reading it, without replying. It was just that the smile he had been wearing disappeared at some point.

“What is wrong?” He Lan asked.

“Huh?” Zuo Jiaxi suddenly returned to his senses, turning his head to look at the person walking beside him.

But He Lan was looking straight ahead, still appearing nonchalant.

Zuo Jiaxi sighed very lightly, staring at his toes: “Nothing, just family.”

He Lan did not ask in detail; he just saw that Zuo Jiaxi’s mood had dropped suddenly, and when he came to their room just now, Zuo Jiaxi had already seemed a bit off. However, he never liked to pry too much if others did not want to say more.

Zuo Jiaxi was a bit surprised that He Lan did not ask further, and said a bit tanglingly: “Brother, can I ask you a question?”

“Ask away,” He Lan said.

“It is just,” Zuo Jiaxi closed his eyes and made a determined effort, “How did you use to coax Teacher Shen when he was angry?”

The question came suddenly, and He Lan’s footsteps came to a sudden halt.