My Former Colleague Wants to Fake a BL Comeback Again - Chapter 5

【Chu Xingyun, I admit it, you are a master at flirting. [Kneels]】

【God knows how many scenes I just imagined because of those two words.】

【So our ‘Gaoshan Jingxing’ didn’t break up; they were just forcibly separated by evil Capital, and now they can finally meet again… [Tears up]】

【Capital: Guess who made them meet again?】

【This kid just knows what you love to see; he’s acting on purpose. Don’t fall for it!】

“Ahem, it seems some guests are looking forward to our show after all…” The PD gave a meaningful smile and turned his gaze to the only person who hadn’t spoken yet, Jiang Xun. “Jiang Xun, what’s your answer?”

Jiang Xun raised his hand to brush back the black hair falling over his forehead, saying with a hint of irritability: “…Bulls**t.”

Lin Shen reminded him solemnly: “He asked you to describe the feeling of seeing your former friend, not to critique the PD’s nonsense.”

PD: “…?”

“Don’t make it hard for a brainless illiterate.” Chen Shu gave Lin Shen a thankful smile, then looked at the camera. “Coming up with that word was already the result of his best effort.”

Jiang Xun: “…”

“They speak so harshly.” Chu Xingyun leaned over toward Cen Jing and whispered, “We’re much more civilized, aren’t we, Ge?”

Cen Jing instinctively turned his face, meeting Chu Xingyun’s deep eyes. He could clearly see his own reflection in the other’s pupils, along with the tiny, flickering sparks of light in their depths.

“It’s not convenient for us to be uncivilized,” Cen Jing whispered back, slowly withdrawing his gaze.

Lin Shen and Ye Hancheng held high status in the industry; they were born with the “privilege” of speaking their minds. Jiang Xun and Chen Shu were from the e-sports world and weren’t bound by the rules of the domestic entertainment industry, so they could naturally be reckless.

He and Chu Xingyun were in the middle of the entertainment ladder neither at the top nor the bottom. If they acted the same way, they would certainly be the ones judged most harshly.

…Of course, the most fundamental reason was that their past relationship was fundamentally different from the other two pairs; they simply couldn’t say those kinds of things.

“Oh…” Chu Xingyun slowly sat up straight.

On the other side, the brief clash between Jiang Xun and Chen Shu stopped.

Seeing an opening, the PD spoke: “Actually, before you arrived, I was worried that it would be too cold and that the show wouldn’t be able to proceed. Now it seems I don’t need to worry… This is a lively big family.”

【”Lively” “Family”】

【No comment.】

【He’s not wrong; whose family isn’t a mess? (Not)】

No one refuted the PD’s polite talk, so he continued: “We previously launched a poll online asking which scenario makes it easiest for ‘strangers who are familiar’ to open their hearts.”

“The results showed that nearly 50% of people chose ‘at the dinner table.'”

“Therefore, our first task is for the six guests to cooperate in preparing and finishing their lunch. The production team has provided cookware and seasonings, but you need to purchase the ingredients yourselves. You can buy whatever you want to eat; the budget has no ceiling.”

Cen Jing was the first to raise his hand: “Can we only buy enough for one meal, or can we buy more?”

PD: “The task only requires one meal, but guests can buy more to have extra snacks for themselves anytime.”

Jiang Xun followed by raising his hand: “I don’t know how to cook. Can I purchase a chef to come back with us?”

“No, you can’t.” The PD maintained his smile and wagged his finger at Jiang Xun, preemptively blocking his other route: “Purchasing pre-made dishes is also not allowed.”

“Fine.” Jiang Xun lowered his hand in disappointment. “Neither Chen Shu nor I can cook. Are you telling me these celebrities can?”

“I can,” Cen Jing interjected. “As for the taste, it should be alright.”

“I can too,” Ye Hancheng said. “I once played a Master Chef and specifically learned a bit. Later, I found cooking quite stress-relieving, so I make meals for myself from time to time.”

Jiang Xun didn’t care about the reasons; he was simply shocked. “You celebrities have to cook for yourselves too?”

“Are you trying to say they aren’t doing very well in their careers?” Chu Xingyun added slyly.

Chen Shu spoke coldly: “That’s what being ignorant looks like. Besides, I can cook a little bit now too.”

“Oh.” Jiang Xun pulled his head into his collar, acting as if he had never been there.

…

Since it was nearing lunchtime, the six split into three teams to save time.

As the primary cooks, Cen Jing and Ye Hancheng formed a group to buy groceries. Chu Xingyun and Jiang Xun were responsible for fruit and snacks, while Lin Shen and Chen Shu were in charge of daily necessities. This division allowed the guests to get to know each other quickly while avoiding unnecessary conflicts.

“I learned for a role,” Ye Hancheng chatted with Cen Jing while holding a large white radish. “How did you learn to cook?”

“When I was a kid at my grandma’s house in the countryside, I helped her with the stove, and she taught me along the way. I built a foundation then.” Cen Jing picked a few potatoes and put them in a small bag. “Later, after debuting and living with the members, there was always someone who wouldn’t eat properly and gave themselves stomach aches, so I started cooking.”

Ye Hancheng: “Did you keep doing it after the group disbanded?”

“Of course.” Cen Jing smiled gently. “When we were in the group, they ordered a lot of dishes I didn’t know how to make. I kept thinking about them later, so I slowly learned them all.”

“They?” Ye Hancheng said thoughtfully. “Actually, most of them were probably ordered by that kid sitting next to you, right?”

Although he didn’t know the details between Cen Jing and Chu Xingyun, judging by his own experience, anyone who came to this show must have been very close in the past. When people are very close, their requests are often endless and lacks boundaries.

Cen Jing’s upturned lips lowered slightly, but they quickly rose again. “…Sort of. He’s a bit of a picky eater.”

“I’ve cooked for Lin Shen too.” Ye Hancheng didn’t find anything odd. “Him? He’d practically eat the plate too.”

“Hmm… since you put it that way, I’ll take the liberty of looking forward to it.”

“Look forward to it all you want.” Ye Hancheng wasn’t humble at all. “I’ll make you my specialty, Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish. Let’s go! Let’s buy the fish.”

Cen Jing: “Okay! Wait for me to pick out two good-looking eggplants.”

【This scene is so warm. The two of them are quite in sync.】

【So, when will these two in-sync people collaborate on a movie for the public’s benefit? [Starry eyes]】

【After this variety show ends, there should be no shortage of scripts~】

On the other side, Chen Shu and Lin Shen were picking through the daily necessities section. Their task wasn’t heavy; they were just supplementing things people had missed or forgotten to bring.

But there was one “god-tier” individual who treated this like a hotel and brought nothing but a few pieces of clothing not even a phone charger. So, they had to hit every section without missing a single thing.

“Xiao Chen, let me ask you, do you mind being observed?” Lin Shen suddenly asked.

“No.” Chen Shu deleted an item from his memo and pushed the cart forward. “If I minded, I wouldn’t have come to this show.”

“True! I’m getting old and muddled.” Lin Shen walked side-by-side with Chen Shu. “I didn’t talk much earlier because I was observing.”

Chen Shu stopped, bending down to pick the cheapest towel from the bottom shelf for Jiang Xun. “Did you reach a conclusion?”

“The personalities of you four are all different.” Lin Shen rubbed his chin. “Different from the young people in my day… I think I’m starting to understand why I can’t write movie plots that young people like anymore.”

Chen Shu: “Why?”

Lin Shen: “To use a trendy phrase… I haven’t been able to sync up with your young people’s brainwaves.”

“…” Chen Shu thought for a moment and decided to be honest. “That ‘brainwave’ phrase is also outdated.”

Lin Shen: “…”

He was deeply wounded.

【Chen Shu, don’t bully the elderly!!!】

【Only an outsider who doesn’t understand Lin Shen’s status would dare speak the truth.】

【Hahaha, Lin Shen has a better temper than I thought; he didn’t even pull a face.】

“Are you a Taotie (gluttonous beast)?” Chu Xingyun asked, looking at the shopping cart piled high like a small mountain.

Seeing Jiang Xun ignore him, he asked with feigned concern: “Do you even know what Taotie means?”

“…I’m not a real illiterate!” Jiang Xun stuffed the snacks in his hand into the cart and emphasized fiercely.

“…Oh.” Chu Xingyun remained noncommittal. “Then I apologize for the offense.”

Jiang Xun: “It’s fine.”

“Heh… I’ve found that your temper is actually quite good.” Chu Xingyun subtly put the potato chips Jiang Xun had just added back onto the shelf. “You’re flammable, but you don’t explode.”

“I’m used to it.” Jiang Xun waved his hand. “I’m surrounded by jerks.”

Chu Xingyun: “?”

“I mean…” Jiang Xun’s brain spun for a few seconds. “People who like to act like jerks.”

Chu Xingyun roughly understood. “So that’s the vibe in the e-sports circle.”

“Pretty much. Some people get an itch if they don’t act like a jerk twice a day.” Jiang Xun pursed his lips. “But I used to take things very seriously. I once fought hater trolls online for hundreds of rounds.”

【This is true; I was there at the time.】

【I think they lost a regular-season match, causing their undefeated streak to end. His fans felt Chen Shu dragged him down and flamed Chen Shu to pieces.】

【I heard he was afraid of being caught by the coach, so he specifically hid in the restroom to flame people back. Finally, his phone died, so he had to come out. The result was a 20,000 yuan fine from the league.】

【Ugh, our best bot lane duo.】

“I was like that too,” Chu Xingyun replied instinctively, then paused. “You didn’t use your main account, did you?”

“I act upright and sit straight; of course, I used my main account.”

“Oh, then I was too devious.”

Jiang Xun glanced at him. “As long as you know.”

Chu Xingyun: “.”

…

Half an hour later, the three teams finished their shopping and returned to the villa.

Ye Hancheng took on the role of head chef, with Cen Jing as the sous-chef responsible for washing and prepping the vegetables. Chen Shu picked some fruit to slice into platters and make juice.

Under Lin Shen’s lead, the other three asked the production team for a mobile TV and started watching Ye Hancheng’s new drama in the living room.

After watching for a while, Jiang Xun tilted his head and quietly fell asleep.

Chu Xingyun used the excuse of going to the restroom and casually wandered into the kitchen.

“Need help?” He squeezed in beside Cen Jing, his tone natural.

Before Cen Jing could speak, Ye Hancheng, on the other side of the kitchen, spoke first: “Come and help peel some garlic.”

“Okay, Senior.” Chu Xingyun looked at Cen Jing, his eyes curving into crescents, smiling like a cat that had just caught a fish. “Just tell me what to do.”