The Film Queen Is Cold and Ruthless, Only Sends Money - Chapter 43.2

Hearing this, Jing Chaochao and Su Xue hurried over and finally spotted the fish they needed.

At that moment, the fish were still lively and splashing around in a bucket. Because it was tucked away in a corner of the kitchen, hidden from their line of sight, no one had noticed them earlier when prepping ingredients.

“These fish are still alive?” Su Xue hesitantly poked one in the bucket, only to get flicked by its tail.

Well, that confirmed it, the fish were even more energetic than she was.

Xu Zhi chimed in, “The production team probably wouldn’t prepare frozen fish. Live ones are fresher.”

The crew’s intentions were good, but this wasn’t exactly friendly for Jing Chaochao and Su Xue!

Su Yun put the lid on her pot and glanced at the two still standing by the bucket. “Don’t tell me you’ve never killed a fish before?”

Jing Chaochao: “…We really haven’t.”

They didn’t cook often, and something as skill-intensive as gutting a fish was still beyond their experience.

[HAHAHAHAHAHA! The fish just blew a bubble in the water, it’s outright mocking them!]

[Ooooh! I wanna see them try to gut the fish! I can already picture the chaos!]

[How do you guys manage to turn a simple lunch prep into such a comedy show?! I’m eating lunch right now and haven’t been able to look away for ages!]

Hearing their conversation, the others quickly covered their own dishes to simmer and crowded around, eager to witness Su Xue and Jing Chaochao’s first attempt at fish gutting.

Liu Yangran: “I’ve never handled live fish either, but I think it should be pretty simple. You just do this and that, then that and this, and it should be done!”

Su Xue, still pondering how to tackle the fish, frowned. “…Could you elaborate?”

She felt like Liu Yangran’s explanation was utterly useless!

“Never mind, ignore the nonsense,” Su Yun interjected kindly, stopping Liu Yangran from further misleading them.

She really wanted to see them try gutting the fish!

Jing Chaochao, sensing a last chance to escape, asked, “Can we switch to another dish?”

Where there’s a will to quit, there’s a way!

But the moment she said it, the others answered in unison: “No.”

Ye Ying: “I’ve actually been craving braised fish since we started filming. If you two give up now, I’ll be heartbroken!”

“Exactly! And all the ingredients are ready plus, your fish are full of energy,” Lin Yan added, her enthusiasm for the spectacle undeniable. “Go for it! We’ll cheer you on!”

Su Yun: “If we don’t get to taste your delicious fish, we might not even have the strength for this afternoon’s tasks.”

The gist of their words was clear: they had to have braised fish for lunch today.

Jing Chaochao: “…”

When she’d suggested making braised fish earlier, no one had seemed this excited.

With no way out, Jing Chaochao and Su Xue had no choice but to give it their best shot.

Su Xue remembered that Su Yun and Jiang Zhi had handled this before and turned to them for help: “What should we do first?”

She looked utterly sincere, though it seemed her brain wasn’t quite up to speed.

Su Yun felt that if she gave the answer, the other person might just tell her to shut up.

She could only tactfully remind her: “First, take the fish out of the water?”

[Snow, don’t cover your face, hahaha! Wasn’t that the question you asked yourself? Hahaha!]

[I’m just like Snow, I was waiting to hear what Su Yun would say the first step should be! I was so serious, how did I not think of that at all!]

[But Su Yun’s teaching is spot on! Were they supposed to process the fish while it was still in the water? Hahaha!]

Jing Chaozhao prepared to take the fish out and asked Su Xue for help.

Lin Yan was still standing nearby, brainstorming what they should do next: “You can use the back of the knife to knock the fish unconscious that should make handling it easier.”

Before she could even finish her sentence, she saw the slippery fish leap out of Su Xue and Jing Chaozhao’s hands.

Jing Chaozhao: “Why did it escape?!”

Su Xue: “No idea! I had a grip on its tail, but it just slipped right out of my hands, I didn’t even have time to react!”

The fish, now out of water, moved noticeably slower, but thanks to its natural slipperiness, Jing Chaozhao had to grab at it two or three times before finally recapturing it.

Even then, the fish refused to surrender, flinging droplets of water from its tail onto Jing Chaozhao.

The others couldn’t stop laughing, too amused to even offer help as they watched the two struggle against the fish.

Jiang Zhi gently steadied Su Yun, who was doubled over with laughter. “Careful, don’t bump into the counter.”

She was holding Su Yun’s arm, but perhaps because of their earlier conversation, Su Yun didn’t shy away as she usually would, calmly shifting aside at Jiang Zhi’s touch.

She even made more room for the fish-catching spectacle.

“Got it, but this is just too funny!” Su Yun glanced over to make sure she wasn’t blocking Jiang Zhi’s view and asked, “Do you think they’ll actually succeed in making braised fish today?”

With such a rocky start, not to mention the whole gutting process still ahead, how could they possibly pull it off?

“They might,” Jiang Zhi said, perhaps the kindest of them all. “They’ve already caught the fish now.”

Jing Chaozhao, upon hearing this: “…”

What a monumental step forward in the cooking process!

They finally placed the hard-won fish on the cutting board, ready to follow Lin Yan’s earlier suggestion and knock it out with the back of the knife.

But before striking, Jing Chaozhao eyed the laughing crowd and negotiated, “Shouldn’t you all check on your own dishes? I’d still like to have lunch on time, you know.”

All six of them were gathered around the cutting board and the fish anyone watching would think they were master chefs giving a live demonstration!

Who could’ve guessed they’d even failed at catching a fish on the ground? So please, stop spectating!

They had no idea what other embarrassing mishaps awaited, and without an audience, at least their dignity might remain somewhat intact.

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Jing Chaozhao just wanted to dig a hole and bury herself, along with the fish.

Liu Yangran: “Our dishes are simple and almost done, so don’t worry about us. Watching you cook the fish is way more important!”

Su Yun nodded in agreement. “With us here keeping an eye out, we can help if you run into any trouble.”

“Compared to lunch, our friendship is obviously what matters most!” Lin Yan found their fish-cooking far more entertaining than eating.

“Friendship” and “bond”, these were words rarely, if ever, heard on this show.

Jing Zhaozhao: “…Take that back. It sounds way too fake!”

–

An hour later, after much trial and error, all their dishes were finally ready!

They plated the food and carried it out to the dining table.

Su Yun eyed the well-presented dishes. “It actually smells pretty good.”

“Of course! We made it all ourselves!” Lin Yan handed out chopsticks and bowls, not forgetting to praise herself. “No way it’ll taste bad!”

As they spoke, the camera zoomed in for close-ups of each dish, giving the live audience a clear view.

[The presentation looks amazing! If I hadn’t watched them cook it step by step, I’d never believe it!]

[Why’d the camera suddenly get so close? I just finished eating, and now I’m hungry again!]

[Honestly, your cooking looks pretty average, probably not tasty at all! Tell you what, send it to me at XX address, and I’ll taste-test it for you!]

[Hahahaha! That “Yan State map” is way too short! My address is XX, don’t forget to send me a portion too!]

The rich aromas filled the air, completely overpowering the lingering traces of morning wasabi. The guests were brimming with a sense of accomplishment.

Of course, they hadn’t forgotten their original goal to make the director drool with envy!

Lin Yan asked the director with feigned concern, “Have you had lunch yet?”

As she stepped out of the kitchen with a plate, she caught the director’s gaze, unmistakably drawn by the delicious smells.

Though he tried to hide it, he failed spectacularly!

Especially after her question, when the director stubbornly avoided looking at the table. “I already ate!”

So he definitely wasn’t hungry no way the aroma would tempt him now!

“You might’ve eaten earlier, but you could be hungry again by now!” The group had already started digging in. Liu Yangran went straight for the braised fish made by Su Xue and the others. “This is actually really good! The fish is tender, the sauce is perfectly balanced, and it’s still piping hot!”

She’d only been curious about how the two had managed, given their struggles from the very start, catching the fish. But the result completely blew her away!

Her vivid description made even the text-only viewers imagine just how delicious the fish was, let alone the director standing right beside them, inhaling the mouthwatering scent. The temptation was unbearable!

He could only console himself with the fact that he’d eaten lunch earlier at least his stomach wouldn’t betray him with an untimely growl. That would’ve been mortifying!

After Liu Yangran’s praise, everyone else tried the braised fish too.

Xu Zhi: “It really is good. The sauce has just the right color and consistency.”

“It’s even better than the steamed fish we made last time!” Su Yun didn’t hold back her praise, then turned to the director: “Director, come try it too. With these extra dishes you brought, there’s plenty to go around. Director Lin just happened to grab an extra pair of chopsticks earlier!”

With chopsticks, bowls, and everyone’s invitation ready, all that was missing was the director taking a seat.

Hearing this, the crew members who had been watching the fun started egging her on: “Go on, Director! We’ll keep an eye on the equipment for you!”

Director: “???”

How come everyone around me has rebelled!

Wang Yue was even bolder: “Director, if you don’t want to go eat, can we go instead?”

She had been drooling over the aroma for a long time. Since the guests mentioned that adding one more person wouldn’t be a problem at all, she genuinely wanted to join!

Other crew members chimed in, as the drama of betraying the director for a table of delicious food was about to unfold.

Hearing their voices, the guests laughed and said, “If the director isn’t coming, you all can still join!”

By the time these words were spoken, the director had already taken a seat beside Su Yun, chopsticks in hand.

He moved just as quickly as he had when leaving the amusement park that morning.

[Hahahahaha! Director, just admit you’re craving the food! Why wait for the guests to invite you?]

[This show is getting funnier by the minute! First Su Yun, then the guests, and now even the crew members are joining in on the hilarity!]

[No one can stop us working folks from eating good food not even the director, hahaha!]

[Director, be honest with me during the break from filming, were you waking up at 3 a.m. every day to secretly jog downstairs? This teleportation speed doesn’t match the panting mess you were while climbing that mountain!]

[+1, I was thinking the same thing! Maybe the director planned all the tasks for this episode while jogging, which is why we got today’s options!]

The director first tried the braised fish from Su Xue’s team. While cooking, they had simmered it longer out of fear that the fish might be undercooked.

But this turned out to be a blessing the fish had absorbed all the savory flavors of the sauce, and even the bones had softened to the point of melting in the mouth.

Director: “So delicious!”

Su Yun: “It seems everyone in this lifetime is destined to say those words.”

With the director here, Jing Zhaozhao remembered she could now delegate the food-tasting duty to him.

She brought over the stir-fried tomatoes and eggs and the sautéed greens made by Ye Ying’s team. “Director, try these dishes too.”

Liu Yangran and her team were confident about these dishes, they had even insisted Jing Zhaozhao take the first bite.

But Jing Zhaozhao trusted her instincts. She believed it was better not to take the risk and let the director handle this task instead.

“Yes, Director, try ours too!” Liu Yangran and Ye Ying put down their chopsticks, eagerly awaiting his feedback.

This was their first attempt at cooking on the show after practicing their culinary skills. They were determined to redeem themselves from their previous humiliation!

Besides, after hearing the director praise Jing Zhaozhao’s team so highly, they couldn’t help but feel envious.

Now officially promoted to judge, the director felt inexplicably satisfied and didn’t hesitate. He scooped portions of both dishes into his bowl.

Both dishes looked appetizing, especially the vibrant green sautéed greens.

Despite knowing Liu Yangran and Ye Ying’s cooking skills, the director didn’t suspect anything and ate without hesitation.

Su Yun was curious too, but she held back, waiting for the director’s verdict before trying anything.

When it came to Liu Yangran and Ye Ying’s cooking, caution was absolutely warranted!

A few seconds later, Su Yun didn’t hear the director speak but the expression on his face told her everything she needed to know.

The familiar expression of tightly pursed lips, closed eyes, and furrowed brows was exactly the same as when they had eaten the wasabi sandwiches before!

“I feel like something’s not right?” Su Xue noticed the director’s expression, especially since she seemed unable to even speak.

Jing Zhaozhao, aside from curiosity, now felt a sense of relief. “It must be really not right.”

It seemed her decision to let the director try first was correct.

Liu Yangran looked at the vibrant green vegetables and the seemingly flawless tomato and egg stir-fry, hesitantly saying, “It can’t be that bad, right? It should still taste good?”

The director had eaten without hesitation, swallowing it immediately, which was why she could now speak: “How did you make this?”

Though she hadn’t had the wasabi sandwich in the morning, she now shared the same experience as the guests!

She didn’t even need to say the words “it’s terrible” her reaction was proof enough.

Despite the evidence, Ye Ying and Liu Yangran still tasted the dishes they had just made.

After a moment, Liu Yangran finally spoke: “It does taste a bit weird, huh?”

Ye Ying also coughed twice from the overpowering flavor. “We made this dish together. Maybe there was a mistake during the process?”

That was putting it very mildly.

The others couldn’t resist their curiosity and tried the dishes as well.

Lin Yan: “The vegetables seem coated in salt, but the tomato and egg stir-fry has none at all.”

Liu Yangran thought there was an explanation: “Maybe we mixed them up while cooking?”

If averaged out, both dishes should have tasted normal!

Xu Zhi: “The vegetables don’t seem fully cooked?”

Ye Ying: “I thought they looked the most vibrant this way, so I took them out immediately!”

The others: “…”

After hearing their explanations, no further questions were needed!

The good presentation had its reasons, and the bad taste had its reasons too. Clearly, one shouldn’t easily trust others’ promises!

Su Yun had one last question: “You said your family members also tasted your cooking before. Did they not notice any problems?”

“Right!” Su Xue recalled this detail too. Hearing that had boosted her trust in them significantly. “If it turned out like this, didn’t they have any complaints?”

Both Ye Ying and Liu Yangran shook their heads: “No complaints. Pi Dan finished everything.”

Su Yun caught the keyword in their answer: “Who’s Pi Dan?”

The director, still recovering her taste buds, knew the answer: “Their family’s Husky.”

Su Yun: “That does count as a family member.”

The final mystery was solved!

Jing Zhaozhao: “Even if Pi Dan had complaints, he probably couldn’t voice them, right?”

[Poor Pi Dan, hahaha! Pi Dan: After all these days, someone finally speaks up for me!]

[Looks like Yangran and Ye Ying can’t shake off their title as kitchen disasters!]

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