Fake Cannon Fodder A Becomes a Sensation in Romance Variety Shows - Chapter 51

The sixth event kicked off.

This time, the pairings were assigned by the production team.

The principle was to group guests who hadn’t gone on a date together before, encouraging new interactions.

As per the usual rules, they wouldn’t know who their partner was until they met.

The car pulled up at the bustling Chuntang Park.

It was New Year’s Day, and as one of City A’s historic landmarks, Chuntang Park was adorned with festive lanterns and decorations, brimming with holiday cheer.

“Ms. Wen, we’re here.”

The production team’s driver kindly reminded her, “Please wait at the park square. The crew has already set up, and you’ll find your nameplate there.”

“Got it, thank you.”

Red lanterns hung from the tree branches, and stalls selling couplets and New Year paintings lined the streets.

A child in a red Tang suit gleefully ran past, holding a pinwheel. Walking through the crowd, Wen Huiyun felt a little dazed.

Last New Year’s Day, she had still been in her original world, preparing holiday feasts at the grand restaurant.

Business was always booming during the holidays, and Wen Huiyun’s culinary skills were renowned in the area. Reservations for her New Year’s banquets were hard to come by.

The restaurant was tall, and during rare breaks, Wen Huiyun would lean by the window to gaze at the night view.

It was just as vibrant then red everywhere, with “Happy New Year” playing on loop.

Ms. Wen. A slender hand extended toward her, offering a lit cigarette with an orange ember.

Wen Huiyun turned her head to see the pastry chef she had once helped. After rescuing her during a competition, the chef had quit her job and applied to work at Wen Huiyun’s restaurant. No special treatment, she got in on her own merit.

I don’t smoke, thanks. Wen Huiyun said, then added, No smoking in the kitchen.

The pastry chef sheepishly withdrew the cigarette and stubbed it out. She then asked, Ms. Wen, do you have a boyfriend?

Even you’re curious about gossip like this?

Wen Huiyun said no.

The pastry chef grinned. I get the feeling you’d prefer women.

I prefer fictional characters. Wen Huiyun stretched and shooed her back to work.

She wasn’t wrong.

In real life, she was practically incapable of love. Work alone was enough to crush her. Aside from cooking, her only hobby was reading a few cheesy romance novels before bed each night.

The female lead in the one she’d been reading recently was quite endearing.

What was her name again?

Ye Zhuoyan.

“Yunyun!” Jiang Yining’s enthusiastic call cut through the noisy crowd and cheerful music.

Wen Huiyun responded and walked over.

Her partner was Jiang Yining. She could breathe a sigh of relief, she had been worried the production team would pair her with Ke Yuxin.

The park’s main square was circular, surrounded by four food truck stalls two on each side, each with a distinct color scheme.

Barricades lined the square, and passersby watched curiously, some fans even stopping by. Staff reminded onlookers not to take unauthorized photos.

Each food truck stall had a unique color. Wen Huiyun and Jiang Yining’s was white and pink, giving off a particularly girly vibe.

Their nameplates sat on the table, and Jiang Yining fiddled with hers. I like the red-and-black one across from us. So much cooler.

Opposite them was a stall decked in bold red and black with gold accents. Just then, Ye Zhuoyan happened to glance over and flashed Wen Huiyun a sweet smile.

Wen Huiyun smiled back and waved. Behind Ye Zhuoyan, the back door opened, and someone stepped in.

Jiang Yining leaned in and remarked, Oh, Cheng Xiaoming. Someone got their wish.

Their wish?

Jiang Yining smirked. Didn’t she say she wanted a dutiful omega? Out of the four of us, Zhuoyan’s the most dutiful.

Wen Huiyun tried to correct her perspective. Yining, is it possible that… she might actually be more interested in you?

“Distinguished guests, good morning!”

The passionate broadcast announcement rang out.

Wen Huiyun swallowed the second half of her sentence and listened to the broadcast notification.

“Welcome to the sixth themed event of Love & Nest 4.”

“New Year’s Gourmet Festival!”

“Please collaborate with your partner to create a New Year’s dish and submit your ingredient list before noon.”

“Staff will deliver the required supplies in the afternoon. Participants are to prepare their dishes in the food trucks and begin sales promptly at 7 PM.”

“This event will run for three days during the New Year holiday. All visitors at Spring Hall Park will be voters, with one vote each, to cast for their favorite New Year’s dish.”

A gourmet festival? Wen Huiyun felt a sense of certainty.

Across from her, Ye Zhuoyan frowned.

She was confident in her culinary skills, but Sister Ming couldn’t even rinse rice properly…

Cheng Xiaoming sat at the back of the food truck, making a phone call.

“Pre-made dishes. Yes. Eight-treasure rice. I want to order 3,000 servings. I need them delivered to my food truck this afternoon.”

“Hello, no longer needed. Sorry for the trouble, goodbye.” A hand snatched the phone away. Click. The call was disconnected.

“Bo… President Bo!” The director trailed behind nervously.

Cheng Xiaoming looked up irritably. Cheng Wenbo smiled and said to the director, “I came specifically to inspect the site. This outdoor event has been praised by the Propaganda Committee, so we must take it seriously and make it grand.”

The director nodded eagerly, “Yes, yes, President Bo is so meticulous. We must learn from you!”

Cheng Wenbo glanced meaningfully at his elder sister, “And to supervise certain participants, ensuring no special treatment, opportunism, or falsification.”

Cheng Xiaoming wanted to scold him, how dare you, with your newfound authority, boss your elder sister around?!

The camera immediately zoomed in.

The director sternly reprimanded, “Xiaoming, now that President Bo has spoken, no more tricks. Additional rule: no pre-made dishes allowed in the competition!”

Ye Zhuoyan forced an awkward smile, “Sorry, we won’t do that.”

Cheng Xiaoming shot a glare sharp enough to cripple at Cheng Wenbo before turning to Ye Zhuoyan, “I should be the one apologizing. Sorry, Zhuoyan, I’ll be dragging you down this time.”

Ye Zhuoyan replied, “Not at all. Friendship first, competition second. Sister Ming, how about you handle the cash register?”

“Deal. I won’t mess up the math.”

As for what to cook, since it was just Ye Zhuoyan alone, she decided on something simple. Like sweet fermented rice with glutinous rice balls 0v0.

The other two teams were:

Gu Rufeng and Mi Tao (blue-purple food truck)

Ke Yuxin and Liang Yuan (yellow-green food truck)

Ke Yuxin said, “Let’s make hamburgers! They match our food truck’s colors. Sister Yuan, look at that blue truck across from us totally unappetizing.”

Hamburgers weren’t hard to make and were generally popular.

“Then hamburgers it is.”

Ke Yuxin deliberately spoke loudly, and Mi Tao overheard.

“How can she say our truck is unappetizing?”

Mi Tao was furious, “She shares a room with me and always makes these subtle digs. It’s so annoying.”

Gu Rufeng was stringing seashells and pearls into wind chimes and bracelets to give away as souvenirs.

“Ignore her. Karma will get her.”

Gu Rufeng suggested, “People love contrast. In this cold weather, how about we bring back summer vibes with a street food stall? I’ll call my band over tonight.”

Mi Tao was quickly charmed by the idea.

“Street food stalls?! Awesome! I’ll call my senior to deliver ingredients by car! And seafood too! Super fresh!”

“Great, let’s make a list.”

…

Scratch scratch scratch.

Colorful markers glide across white paper.

Hand-drawn posters and menus.

New Year’s Mini Hotpot – Ready in a Flash!

Multiple soup base options! Dozens of ingredients to choose from!

New on Orange Video and Worry-Free Eatery

Cozy Winter · Auspicious New Year · New Year’s Special

~Instant Mini Hotpot~

Fan Benefits ●▽● Follow Worry-Free Eatery

(~￣△￣)~ Purchase mini hotpot at Spring Hall Park to receive Yunyun’s special lucky bag o(^ω^) → Yunyun go go go!

→ Plus limited signed photos! Endless surprise gifts! Lucky diners #66, #88, and #520 get customized warm meal sets!

Yunyun fans gathering:

[Let’s freaking go! Buy out Spring Hall Park!]

[Where’s the fan group admin? No one organizing anything?! Why aren’t Wife and Dreamer here either? So anxious!]

[No need for organization, step aside, the limited edition photo is mine! #66, #88, and #520 are all mine!]

[Get lost! They’re mine!]

[I’m different though, I’m already at Spring Hall Park~ (smug)]

Several trucks arrive with ingredients.

Given the large quantity, the production team assigned logistics assistants to each guest group.

Jiang Yining finishes slicing shiitake mushrooms, carrots, and octopus-shaped sausages, instructing the assistant to follow her example.

Wen Huiyun prepares the soup base, watching her skilled movements in surprise. “You can cook? Your knife skills are amazing.”

Why did Cheng Xiaoming complain that Jiang Yining was kitchen-illiterate, unable to even prepare instant hotpot?

Jiang Yining marinates the meat, saying, “Anyway, we just need to wait for our victory.”

Having fended for herself since age ten, she would’ve starved long ago if she couldn’t even cook basic meals.

She tenderizes beef with the back of her knife. “This vote determines priority for date selection. I want to win.”

So serious?

Wen Huiyun asks gossipily, “Who do you want to date? Sister Ming?”

Jiang Yining bats her eyelashes: “You, of course~”

Ew!

Gotta go!

Wen Huiyun doesn’t buy it.

But Jiang Yining is right about one thing, they must win!

Win to date their wives!

Have romantic dates with their wives!

–

Ye Zhuoyan teaches Cheng Xiaoming how to knead dough balls, no technical skill required, so she picks it up quickly.

The food truck displays newly arrived osmanthus syrup, fermented rice wine, and various toppings.

“Simple just boil them in the pot. Sister Ming, watch the timer they’re done when they float up after a few minutes.”

“Got it.”

Someone approaches from the back.

“Wow, so cute. Sister Ming, your little buns look adorable.”

Ye Zhuoyan glances up Ke Yuxin here to butter up.

She lowers her head to sift flour silently, ignoring her.

Cheng Xiaoming sounds annoyed: “These are dough balls!”

Ke Yuxin quickly corrects herself: “Sorry Sister Ming, they’re so plump I thought they were little buns.”

“Nice save. Don’t speak next time.”

Ke Yuxin sulks, then calls to Ye Zhuoyan.

“Sister Zhuoyan, Sister Huiyun gave me some snacks. I came to share with you come out for a sec?”

Huiyun would never give Ye Zhuoyan snacks through someone else.

If she had any, she’d hand them over personally.

What nonsense is this annoying girl up to now?

“Coming.”

Ye Zhuoyan follows Ke Yuxin behind the food truck stall.

Ke Yuxin sports cute twin braids and a sweet dress, holding a bag of treats.

“Look, these are candy figurines Yun made for me. Aren’t they pretty? She’s never made any for you, has she?”

“I said no sweets, but Yun remembered I love fried rice cakes. She didn’t have any, so she specially asked someone to buy them. Honestly.”

“I thought, since Yun gave me so much, and you, sister, got nothing, how lonely that would be. So I asked her to make extra, and here, the leftovers are for you.”

Ye Zhuoyan glanced at the bag full of greasy fried food, which she couldn’t eat.

“Great.”

Ye Zhuoyan accepted it cheerfully. “You’ve got oil stains on your clothes. Might want to wear an apron.”

Ke Yuxin yanked her arm, her tone aggressive. “Don’t change the subject!”

Ye Zhuoyan stumbled a couple of steps. Ke Yuxin sneered, “Stop pretending.”

“Me, pretending? My acting can’t hold a candle to your fake tears.”

“Oh wow, learning to talk back now?”

Ke Yuxin flung the bag of fried food to the ground and stomped on it. “Ye Zhuoyan, you’ve really grown some nerve, using cheap tricks to seduce an alpha.”

Ye Zhuoyan looked toward a nearby security camera and started walking toward it, but Ke Yuxin yanked her back into a blind spot.

“Dare to do it but not own up? Yun used to love me so much, and you took advantage of her amnesia to seduce her, didn’t you?”

“Look at how shamelessly you cling to Yun, acting all high and mighty your fox tail is showing! If it weren’t for your family’s meddling back then, Wen Huiyun would never have married you!”

Ye Zhuoyan’s face was icy. “Oh? So you’re saying you’d be willing to marry Wen Huiyun? You two were so close before, why didn’t you marry her then?”

“Since when do you get to meddle in my business?”

Ke Yuxin grabbed Ye Zhuoyan’s hair, but Ye Zhuoyan slapped her hand away, glaring daggers at her.

Ke Yuxin’s face flushed with anger as she lowered her voice.

“Senior Ye.”

“Remember two months ago when Yun wanted to divorce you?”

Ke Yuxin smirked, her eyes glinting with malice.

“Care to guess why, after two years of silence, she suddenly wanted a divorce?”

Ye Zhuoyan’s gaze turned frosty, but she remained silent.

She was waiting for the idiot to make the first move.

Then she’d choke her with it.

Ke Yuxin gloated as she revealed,

“Because Yun slept with me.”

“She temporarily marked me.”

“All I had to say was that I was willing to date her seriously, and she went against her parents’ orders to divorce you.”

“Ye Zhuoyan, Yun loves me. Now that I’m back, just watch, she won’t give you the time of day anymore!”

Ye Zhuoyan lowered her eyes. So this was why Wen Huiyun (the original) had come back from her escapade a few days ago, suddenly acting all high and mighty about divorce, even driving Wen’s mother to the hospital.

“So that’s how it was.”

Ye Zhuoyan remained composed, as if discussing Aunt Wang next door buying a half-priced cucumber at the supermarket.

Ye Zhuoyan said, “Oh, Wen Huiyun loves you, and then she tore up the divorce papers I signed.”

“Blocked you.”

“That’s it?”

“Ke Yuxin, you disappoint me.”

Ke Yuxin froze. “What?”

Ye Zhuoyan’s lips curled into an inscrutable smirk. “You want to marry her, don’t you?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll divorce Wen Huiyun.”

“Ha… hahaha!”

Ke Yuxin had thought she’d infuriated Ye Zhuoyan, but instead, Ye Zhuoyan turned the tables.

She’d only wanted to provoke Ye Zhuoyan, who’d actually want to marry a jinx with a frozen company account? “What does your divorce have to do with me.”

Ye Zhuoyan looked down at her, her voice cold and aloof.

“Anything else?”

“If you’re free, why not help your dear Ming-jie roll some dumplings?”

“I’m busy!”

“It’s not that I won’t help Ming-jie, I just won’t help you.”

Ke Yuxin felt an inexplicable chill.

She kicked the pile of greasy trash on the ground in frustration.

“Ye Zhuoyan, you said you’d divorce her, right?”

“Then I’ll give you a hand. Right now, Wen Huiyun is fawning over you, foolishly thinking you actually like her. Just wait till she finds out you want a divorce…”

A pile of round, white little dumplings lay on the cutting board.

Ye Zhuoyan sat down, put on gloves, and began kneading the glutinous rice dough.

Her eyes lowered as she thought back to the evening she had spent on a date with Wen Huiyun.

Wen Huiyun had said: “The past doesn’t count. In the future, we’ll have a grand, spectacular wedding.”

Ye Zhuoyan had asked: “Will you personally make a sixteen-tier wedding cake?”

Wen Huiyun had promised she would, even if she had to learn how from scratch.

Ye Zhuoyan smiled softly and continued shaping the dumplings.

A sixteen-tier wedding cake, she could start planning the flavors for each layer now.