Chapter 17: Reference Image 1

Luo Ning was cooking rice when Bo Xiangxiang returned.

She had run out earlier out of an instinctive reaction to being choked by the smoke, but seeing that Luo Ning had helped Wei Yao and the other person tend to the fire, she felt a bit of regret, fearing the audience would gossip about her.

Thus, she walked back in with an apologetic expression on her face. "I'm so sorry, teachers. I have bronchitis, so I had to step out for a moment."

Wei Yao and the other person naturally wouldn't blame her for this. "It's fine. Anyway, Teacher Luo helped us get it sorted out."

Bo Xiangxiang felt a secret resentment; Luo Ning had gained an advantage this time.

She said with a smile, "Then I'll start cooking first."

"Okay!" Wei Yao and the other person went out to help.

Bo Xiangxiang picked out a few ingredients and said to Luo Ning, "Teacher Luo, while you're cooking the rice, I'll start stir-frying the dishes?"

"Go ahead," Luo Ning said, scanning the remaining ingredients. "I'll go process the fish."

Bo Xiangxiang was quite clever; she picked away the easier items like pork, chicken, eggs, tofu, and baby cabbage, leaving only the fish, a piece of cured meat, green beans, and mustard greens.

However, Luo Ning didn't care; she had never lost to anyone when it came to culinary skills.

Bo Xiangxiang had originally intended to provoke Luo Ning's emotions. It would have been perfect if the other woman had mocked her on the spot or refused; she would have definitely been scolded.

But she hadn't expected Luo Ning to agree so good-naturedly. It felt like punching a ball of cotton, which was incredibly frustrating.

She just couldn't show it. Feeling stifled, she began working with the ingredients. She planned to make spicy chicken, poached pork in chili oil, tomato scrambled eggs, and tofu with cabbage soup.

Luo Ning, meanwhile, washed the fish again and then picked up a knife, skillfully slicing it into thin fillets. She looked like a seasoned professional.

【Luo Ning's knife skills look amazing!】

【This doesn't look like someone who can't cook. Her ingredients aren't as good as the ones Bo Xiangxiang picked, but I'm suddenly looking forward to her food.】

On the other side, Bo Xiangxiang began stir-frying the chopped chicken. Because the iron wok was large and the spatula was long, she was very unaccustomed to it. Combined with the fact that she hadn't cooked for herself in over a year, she looked somewhat flustered.

【Bo Xiangxiang looks a bit clumsy.】

【It's mainly because this stove is too old and the iron wok is so big. Anyone would be unaccustomed to it. How is our Xiangxiang clumsy?】

【This stuff is indeed hard to operate. I wonder if Luo Ning will struggle like this too.】

There were only two burners on the stove: one for the rice and one for Bo Xiangxiang. While she was stir-frying, Luo Ning finished cutting all the other ingredients.

Su Qinglan had washed the vegetables, but she didn't seem able to help with anything else, so she just stood aside watching the two of them work.

She noticed that Luo Ning was very serious and proficient when processing ingredients, whereas Bo Xiangxiang was far inferior.

After a while, Bo Xiangxiang scooped up the stir-fried chicken, but because she lacked control over the heat, it was somewhat burnt.

She was unhappy in her heart, but she didn't show it on her face, instead acting as if she were continuing very earnestly.

The tomato eggs weren't burnt, but the presentation was mediocre, and the poached pork in chili oil was also somewhat unsatisfactory.

Once she finished, Luo Ning took over.

There had been a similar segment in her previous life. Originally, she had wanted to take the initiative to cook, but Bo Xiangxiang had made her accompany Ji Xingheng to chop wood, ostensibly to catch up and resolve conflicts.

At that time, due to the trending search topic, she and Ji Xingheng had had an argument and were in a cold war.

She felt it was inappropriate and wanted to refuse to go cook, but because of the constraints of the "Book's" power, an unseen force compelled her to choose to accompany Ji Xingheng.

The fire-tending incident also happened. After Bo Xiangxiang ran out, she brought back three wet towels to maintain her image and stayed by Wei Yao and the other person's side to cheer them on. In the end, after a long time, they finally succeeded in starting the fire.

Because of this, Bo Xiangxiang not only gained favor with Wei Yao and the other person but also successfully established an "angel" persona, gaining another wave of favor from the audience.

Meanwhile, she—the "vase" who went wood-chopping with Ji Xingheng—served as a perfect contrast to Bo Xiangxiang. She was thoroughly scolded, and even passersby had a bad impression of her, thinking she was intentionally trying to leech off Ji Xingheng's traffic.

Now, without the constraints of the Book's world power, Luo Ning could act according to her own will. This time, she would not let Bo Xiangxiang successfully stabilize her angel persona.

She would provide a contrast as well. Everything she had once suffered, Bo Xiangxiang would experience it all.

Luo Ning found some pickled vegetables in the kitchen, so she made a pickled vegetable fish first.

Soon, a pot of pickled vegetable fish that looked incredibly appetizing appeared on the screen.

【It looks so appetizing; I wonder if it tastes good.】

【I'm quite good at making pickled vegetable fish myself. Luo Ning's steps and seasoning are all correct. I'm certain it won't taste bad.】

【I'm suddenly a bit hungry.】

【Eh, why did she leave half in the pot?】

Seeing that Luo Ning had served half the fish and left the other half in the pot, everyone was curious about what she intended to do next.

Su Qinglan was also curious and asked aloud.

As Luo Ning put the initial batch of red oil and dried chilies back into the pot, she said, "I'm afraid some people don't eat spicy food, so the portion I served first is only mildly spicy. This portion will be spicier."

Only then did Su Qinglan realize. "You've thought very thoroughly."

She herself didn't like spicy food, and for celebrities like them, besides maintaining their figures, they also didn't dare eat much spice for fear of breaking out in acne.

When Bo Xiangxiang was stir-frying the spicy chicken and making the poached pork, the smell was so spicy that Su Qinglan thought she wouldn't be able to eat the chicken or the meat slices.

Smelling the fragrant aroma of the pickled vegetable fish, she suddenly felt very hungry. She had just been worried about the spice, but she hadn't expected Luo Ning to separate the fish into spicy and non-spicy versions.

Originally, she had no feelings toward Luo Ning, but at this moment, she couldn't help but feel a sense of goodwill.

The bullet comments were also full of praise.

【Luo Ning is so attentive and thoughtful. My Chai Chai can't eat spicy food, and Tong Tong loves it. I was worried about that just now, but now they can both eat.】

【Yeah, details determine success or failure. I see that besides not wanting to deal with a certain someone, Luo Ning is very polite to everyone. Most importantly, she's so thoughtful. She's not as bad as the internet says!】

【The spicy chicken Bo Xiangxiang made just now looked very spicy, and she even put bird's eye chilies in the poached pork. Even if she likes spicy food, isn't she being too inconsiderate of others?】

【And her chicken was too burnt, and the poached pork didn't look appetizing at all. Negative review!】

【Luo Ning is much more considerate. Comparing them, looking at just the first dish they made, Luo Ning's is clearly more beautiful in color, aroma, and taste.】

Bo Xiangxiang was also watching Luo Ning cook from the kitchen. Hearing the conversation between Su Qinglan and Luo Ning, her expression changed slightly, feeling annoyed that she hadn't thought of this.

She herself loved spicy food, and Ji Xingheng could eat it too. More importantly, she had heard that Lu Xun seemed to like spicy food. So, wanting to gain their attention and favor, she had made two spicy dishes.

Lu Xun was her idol, the male god she had desired but could not reach before she transmigrated into this body. And for a man like Ji Xingheng, who had background, traffic, and good looks, she naturally liked him as well.

If she could snatch Ji Xingheng away from Luo Ning, she would feel a great sense of achievement.

Moreover, there was an indescribable premonition in the depths of her soul that if she truly succeeded, it would be a huge boost to her luck and future.

Looking at the pickled vegetable fish Luo Ning just served, she knew that she had failed at the task of gaining favor through cooking, allowing the other woman to seize the initiative. It was hateful.

(End of Chapter)