Chapter 9
Lin Yi and Huo Mianmian, father and son, squatted on the ground, staring at the pile of fresh ingredients before them, then exchanged bewildered glances.
So, how were they going to solve their dinner problem?
At this moment, He Nian also received his and Hao Hao’s share of ingredients.
He was somewhat dissatisfied that Hao Hao had lost to Huo Mianmian earlier, but now he held the ingredients in one hand and patted Hao Hao’s head with the other, praising him proudly, “Hao Hao is really amazing, second place!”
Hao Hao involuntarily shrank back when He Nian touched his head.
He still remembered the cold, disdainful look He Nian had given him earlier, full of disappointment.
After patting Hao Hao, He Nian walked towards the kitchen with the ingredients.
Seeing Lin Yi’s predicament, he mockingly muttered to himself, “Looks like my cousin’s dinner is going to be a problem. But it’s normal; my cousin has always been pampered by his parents, so it’s understandable that he doesn’t know how to cook. But Mianmian is still so young; he can’t go hungry…”
“Aww, our Nian Nian is so kind, even thinking about the little kid.”
“Indeed, Lin Yi has been spoiled into uselessness by his family.”
“Lin Yi truly can’t compare to our Nian Nian in any way.”
He Nian wanted to show off his cooking skills, so he started preparing once he reached the kitchen.
He actually didn’t know how to cook either, but before the show, he had guessed there would be a cooking segment, so he learned a few dishes just for this occasion.
On the other side.
After staring at the fresh ingredients in the bag for a while, Lin Yi suddenly had an idea.
Since they had so many ready-to-use ingredients, why not have hot pot?
Hot pot is incredibly simple; anyone can do it.
With this thought, Lin Yi immediately said to Huo Mianmian, “Mianmian, how about we have hot pot tonight? I’ll have the spicy oil broth, and you can have the tomato broth.”
Huo Mianmian wasn’t particularly interested in food, but seeing Lin Yi’s excitement, he nodded cooperatively, “Hot pot!”
Lin Yi, seeing his obedient cooperation, reached out to rub his chubby little face and said, “Alright, I’ll find a pot and some hot pot base. Can you help wash the vegetables?”
Huo Mianmian pursed his lips, nodded solemnly, and clenched his tiny fists, indicating he could handle it.
“Aww, little Mianmian is too cute.”
“I want to rub Mianmian’s face too, ugh!”
Soon, Lin Yi brought a basin of water for Huo Mianmian to start washing the vegetables.
Lin Yi himself went to the kitchen to find a pot and hot pot base.
In the living room.
Huo Mianmian sat on a small stool, rolled up his sleeves, and prepared to wash the vegetables.
He made a good show of it, but encountered difficulties right from the start. He stared at the vegetables in the bag and tilted his head.
How do you wash vegetables?
After a few seconds of contemplation, he struggled to lift a large cabbage from the bag.
He looked at it for a long time, then put it back.
It was too big; holding it was exhausting.
Huo Mianmian rummaged through the bag and finally found something easier to clean-a box of cherry tomatoes.
Huo Mianmian finally cheered up a bit and started washing the cherry tomatoes.
He picked up a cherry tomato, placed it in the water, and rubbed it vigorously with his little hands.
The scene was incredibly adorable.
Huo Mianmian was already very beautiful and delicate, with soft wisps of hair and a very white face like a snowball.
Moreover, he was wearing suspenders today, making him look even cuter.
The sight of him hunched over, rubbing the tomato, was so adorable it left people speechless.
“Aww, I want to give Mianmian a big hug and kiss!”
“I could watch Mianmian wash cherry tomatoes all day.”
“Human babies are so healing!!”
“Haha, does Mianmian have a bit of OCD? He keeps washing the same cherry tomato, almost breaking its skin.”
Huo Mianmian washed the cherry tomato for quite a while, ensuring it was spotlessly clean, then placed it on a clean plate nearby.
Then he started on the next one.
He did this quietly, showing no signs of impatience.
By this time, Lin Yi had found a pot, and it was even a yin-yang pot, perfect for two different flavors of hot pot.
He brought the pot out and placed it on the table in the living room, then prepared to return to the kitchen to find the hot pot base.
Passing by where Huo Mianmian was washing vegetables, he saw the clean cherry tomato and casually popped it into his mouth before heading back to the kitchen.
Huo Mianmian didn’t notice his dad sneaking a tomato until he finished washing the second one. When he turned around to put it on the plate, he was suddenly struck with confusion, his round eyes widening.
Hmm, where did the one I just washed go?
Why is the plate empty now?
“Ha ha ha! Oh my god, this is hilarious!!”
“Mianmian, your dad ate that little tomato!!”
Though Huo Mianmian was a bit puzzled, he didn’t dwell on it, thinking he might have remembered wrong. He placed the second little tomato on the plate and continued washing the third one.
A moment later, Lin Yi came out with two packets of hot pot base.
Seeing another washed tomato on the plate, he casually took it and ate it.
The little tomatoes were quite delicious-sweet and tangy, making them hard to resist.
The production team had said they were natural and organic, and it seemed they weren’t lying.
When Huo Mianmian finished washing the third tomato and turned around, he was genuinely stunned.
The plate was empty again!
Where did the second tomato go?
He clearly remembered placing it on the plate.
Huo Mianmian looked at the empty plate, blinking in confusion, unable to figure out what was going on.
“Ha ha ha! Help, why is this so funny!!”
“Warning Lin Yi, stop stealing Mianmian’s little tomatoes!”
“Ha ha ha, this is my daily dose of joy.”
Huo Mianmian placed the third washed tomato on the plate for the third time.
This time, he kept an eye on the plate while washing the fourth tomato.
Suddenly, he noticed a hand reaching for his little tomato out of the corner of his eye.
Huo Mianmian’s spirits lifted.
Caught you!!
He turned around and met Lin Yi’s gaze.
Huo Mianmian blinked, still a bit dazed.
It was his dad who ate his little tomato.
Unaware of Huo Mianmian’s mental turmoil, Lin Yi asked, “What’s up?”
Huo Mianmian shook his head and handed the fourth tomato to Lin Yi, saying softly, “Dad, eat~”
Lin Yi happily accepted it. “Thanks, little Mianmian!”
Called a little treasure, Huo Mianmian smiled sweetly, his dimples showing.
He needed to wash more tomatoes quickly to give to his dad.
“A’Wei died!!”
“Mianmian is such an adorable little angel!”
“So heartwarming, I’m tearing up.”
“So, the question is, where can we get such a cute kid?”
In the end, Lin Yi and Huo Mianmian finished washing the remaining vegetables and sat down at the table to enjoy their hot pot.
At this point, the hot pot broth was bubbling vigorously, emitting an enticing aroma.
The spicy red oil pot and the fragrant tomato pot both smelled delicious.
They had prepared a variety of ingredients: fatty beef slices, pork loin, fish meat, and vegetables like hot pot noodles, lettuce, and potatoes. Though not as extensive as usual, it was still quite satisfying.
Lin Yi, eager to start eating, added some ingredients to both pots and said to Huo Mianmian, “Kid, just wait a bit longer, and we can eat soon.”
Huo Mianmian held his small bowl and nodded seriously, waiting for Lin Yi to serve him.
While Lin Yi and Huo Mianmian were enjoying their hot pot, the other teams were struggling.
First, Zhou Ke and Xiao Niangao.
Zhou Ke could cook, but as the third-place team, they received very few ingredients: only a handful of vegetables, some scallions, and a few eggs. They had no idea how to make a proper dinner.
Similarly, Shen Feng and Song Yutao, also in third place, had been upset since arriving at the farm and were still sulking, completely ignoring dinner.
Even if they weren’t sulking, they wouldn’t know how to prepare dinner.
As for Zhao Jin, as an intern dad without a child, he received no ingredients and was contemplating drinking water to fill up.
Thus, when the aroma of Lin Yi’s hot pot wafted over, all of them turned their gazes towards them and swallowed their saliva.
“Ha ha ha! I declare Lin Yi the cooking god!”
“Our Lin Yi may not know how to cook, but he has plenty of tricks-hot pot perfectly solves the problem of not knowing how to cook.”
“I want to join in for hot pot too!!”
Over here, the food in the pot was already cooked.
Lin Yi first served some food into Mianmian’s bowl, then picked up a slice of fatty beef from the red broth, dipped it in the sauce, and put it in his mouth.
In the next second, he sighed contentedly.
Hot pot is truly yyds!
While Lin Yi was engrossed in eating, Xia Niangao walked up to him and eagerly requested, “Big Brother Lin Yi, can my dad and I join you for hot pot? We can share the ingredients we got.”
As he spoke, he held up the ingredients in his hand.
Lin Yi casually nodded, “Sure, no problem.”
After all, as the first-place winners, they had an abundant supply of ingredients; even adding five or six more people wouldn’t be an issue.
Xia Niangao immediately thanked him politely, “Thank you, Big Brother Lin Yi!”
Then, he went to pull his father, Zhou Ke.
Unlike his son, Zhou Ke was very introverted and blushed as he stuttered, “I’m sorry for the trouble.”
Lin Yi waved his hand nonchalantly, “It’s nothing, just a small matter.”
Zhou Ke looked at Lin Yi with gratitude and envy; he could never be as carefree and natural as Lin Yi.
Once the Zhou family joined them, another person arrived. Zhao Jin already had a bowl ready and said to Lin Yi, “Can I join in for a meal too?”
Lin Yi naturally agreed.
For a moment, the dining table became lively.
Here, only Shen Feng and Song Yutao were left without a place.
Shen Feng watched the lively scene of eating hot pot and thought, hmph, he didn’t want to join in.
As the proud eldest son of the Shen family, asking to join others for a meal would be too embarrassing.
Thinking this, he took the bottled water provided by the show and drank half of it in one go.
Drink more water, and you won’t feel hungry!
“Hahaha, what’s this called? Saving face at the cost of suffering!”
“Maybe Shen Feng should learn about the ‘true aroma’ principle.”
“Just go eat, or there won’t be any left!”
Although Shen Feng usually participated in entertainment shows for fun, his good background and unique personality attracted many fans who liked his style.
Fans often both loved and teased him.
A few minutes later, Shen Feng couldn’t hold out anymore, his stomach growling.
At this moment, his distant nephew, Song Yutao, also couldn’t bear the hunger anymore and forgot about their cold war, looking pitifully at Shen Feng, “I’m starving, can’t you do something?”
Shen Feng glared at him, “Scram, what can I do?”
After a few more minutes, Shen Feng finally made up his mind and walked over to Lin Yi with a sullen face.
Upon reaching Lin Yi, Shen Feng straightened his posture and walked around him, occasionally throwing a glance at Lin Yi.
He seemed to be waiting for Lin Yi to notice him and invite him to join in.
However, Lin Yi was so engrossed in his hot pot that he didn’t bother to give him a glance.
Shen Feng: “…”
Shen Feng covered his mouth and pretended to cough.
Lin Yi finally glanced at him.
Shen Feng’s heart jolted, and he stared at Lin Yi proudly, clearly waiting for Lin Yi to invite him to join.
But Lin Yi only glanced at him before returning to his hot pot.
Shen Feng: “…”
Hey, wasn’t he being obvious enough?!
He was sure Lin Yi understood his hint but simply ignored it!
“Hahaha, these two are killing me with laughter!!”
“Lin Yi indeed specializes in dealing with all kinds of stubbornness.”
“Sisters, oh no, I think I’m starting to like Lin Yi!!!”
“Me too! He’s completely different now!!!”
Lin Yi slowly savored his hot pot.
Shen Feng watched him resentfully from the side.
As the host, Zhao Jin naturally tried to smooth things over.
He asked Lin Yi, “Why don’t we let Shen Feng and his nephew join us? They’ve been hungry for a while.”
Lin Yi swallowed the food in his mouth calmly before saying, “They didn’t say anything themselves. Who knows if they want to eat?”
Zhao Jin glanced at Shen Feng.
Shen Feng was being proud and didn’t want to ask first, but now that he had a chance to save face, he could only force himself to open his mouth and ask, “Can we have some?”
Lin Yi finally showed mercy and nodded, “Sure, trade with your ingredients.”
Shen Feng: “…”
This guy really doesn’t lose out on anything!
But right now, they couldn’t afford to be picky; eating was more important.
So after a while, Shen Feng and the others handed over their ingredients and finally got to taste their first bite of food tonight, almost moved to tears.
This was definitely the best hot pot they had ever tasted!!
Meanwhile, He Nian was still busy in the kitchen.
He had indeed learned some cooking skills before the show.
But he wasn’t very skilled, and he was trying hard to perform well in front of the camera, taking nearly half an hour just to cut potato shreds.
At this moment, he heard laughter from the living room outside. Looking through the window, he saw Lin Yi and the others enjoying the lively hot pot scene.
The key was that everyone was talking to Lin Yi, making him the center of attention.
He Nian hadn’t expected things to turn out this way. Turning to look at his still cold ingredients, he felt deflated.
In the end, he managed to make a stir-fried potato dish and tomato egg soup, but the potatoes were burnt.
But there was no time for that now. He put on a friendly face and invited Hao Hao to eat, even putting some potato shreds on his plate. “Eat up, we still have tasks to do after this.”
Hao Hao didn’t really want to eat, but looking at He Nian, he silently started eating.
He Nian kept asking if it was good.
Hao Hao could only nod, “It’s good.”
“Ah, the potato shreds are burnt. How good could they be?”
“Why does Hao Hao seem so uncomfortable around He Nian?”
“He Nian still has the nerve to criticize Lin Yi’s cooking when his own isn’t much better?”
“Nie Nie tried his best, okay? Haters get lost!”
“Nie Nie was so meticulous cutting those potato shreds. Are you guys being too harsh?”
“Protect the best Nie Nie in the world!”
Regardless, everyone finished dinner.
Then, the production team announced the task.
The adults needed to move some quilts and bedding from the nearby road to the farmhouse for sleeping.
As for the children, the production team had hidden some small gifts around the farmhouse, which they needed to find.
After giving Mianmian a quick hello, Lin Yi headed out.
Stepping outside, he took the flashlight provided by the production team and shone it ahead.
By now, it was completely dark.
The farmhouse was in the suburbs, with no lights around, making it even darker.
Lin Yi stood still for a moment, then lifted his foot to walk.
Just then, Shen Feng walked up beside him, hands in his pockets, chin raised arrogantly, and said, “Are you scared?”
Lin Yi raised an eyebrow, “Scared of what?”
Shen Feng went on, “I understand it’s peaceful around here. If you’re feeling uneasy, I can reluctantly accompany you to shift the items.”
After saying that, he seemed worried Lin Yi might misunderstand and quickly added, “Don’t get me wrong. I’m just doing this because I ate your hot pot, giving you a chance.”
Being used to being a rich young master, he naturally carried an air of pride.
Lin Yi: “??”
Looking at Shen Feng, Lin Yi smiled slightly and slowly said, “Have you heard any rumors about this place?”
Shen Feng dismissed it, “What rumors?”
Lin Yi lowered his voice as if afraid to disturb something and said, “I heard it gets a bit eerie around here at night, with some strange occurrences.”
When Lin Yi spoke in a low voice, it sounded quite convincing.
Shen Feng felt a chill run down his spine but still tried to act tough, “Who would believe that?”
Lin Yi continued, “Don’t dismiss it. Listen carefully, can you hear some odd sounds…”
Shen Feng actually did listen closely.
At that moment, the night wind was blowing, and the nearby woods rustled.
Once someone starts thinking about something, it really does become scary.
The key moment came when Lin Yi suddenly pointed at some dark object not far away and exclaimed, “Look, what’s that?”
Shen Feng nearly jumped out of his skin, his face turning pale. “S-S-Should we move the stuff during the day tomorrow instead?”
At that moment, Lin Yi burst into laughter and said, “You actually believed me? Oh my god, you’re hilarious! Hahaha!!”
Shen Feng: “…”
Damn it!!
If he believed Lin Yi again, he’d be a fool!!
“Hahaha, I’m dying of laughter! Shen Feng’s face turned white with fright!!”
“Someone like Shen Feng needs Lin Yi to keep him in check!”
“I can’t help but ship them- one is so calm, while the other is like an easily riled puppy!”
“You have to admit, they’re quite a good match!!”
In the end, Lin Yi and Shen Feng still went to move the things together. After all, if they didn’t bring over their blankets, they wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight.
As they walked, Shen Feng stayed close to Lin Yi, following him step by step, afraid that Lin Yi would leave him behind.
Lin Yi looked at Shen Feng, who was still a bit pale, and said in surprise, “It’s not that bad, are you still scared?”
Shen Feng replied irritably, “Who told you to say those things earlier? Let’s just hurry up and get this done so we can go back!!”
By then, they had arrived at the place where the blankets were piled.
Lin Yi was about to start moving them, but Shen Feng picked up both their shares.
Lin Yi raised an eyebrow, looking at him in confusion. “What are you doing?”
Shen Feng tried to act nonchalant as he explained, “You’ll be slow if you carry them. Don’t worry about it, let’s just go back quickly!”
He thought Lin Yi seemed lazy and slender, tall but fragile, surely unable to carry these things.
Since he exercised regularly and had great strength, carrying two people’s worth of items was no problem for him, so he decided to do it all.
With someone helping to carry the load, Lin Yi was happy to be free, only needing to shine the flashlight on their path back.
However, he felt Shen Feng was too close, almost pushing him into the nearby rice field, so he said helplessly, “How scared are you? Can you give me a little space?”
Shen Feng stubbornly replied, “Who told you to scare me? You brought this upon yourself!”
Lin Yi: “…”
Why did he feel like dealing with a rebellious child?
“Hahaha, Lin Yi looks like an exhausted father right now.”
“This is the first time I’ve seen Shen Feng being so easily riled and proud. Amazing!”
“That’s true; Shen Feng usually acts like a cold and arrogant rich kid, never backing down, and always throwing tantrums when upset. Now he’s finally met his match.”
“Looking forward to how these two develop!!”
Meanwhile.
A few children gathered together to find the small gifts given by the show’s crew.
They searched the courtyard of the farmhouse for a long time without success.
Niangao, an outgoing little boy, ran to ask a staff member, “Uncle, where are the gifts?”
The staff member replied, “You need to find them yourselves. Good luck!”
Niangao was a bit disappointed. “Okay.”
Over here, Mianmian was getting tired and sat down on a pile of hay. Suddenly, he felt something poking his bottom.
Confused, he stood up and shone the flashlight on the pile of hay, then used his small hands to dig through it. He found several tiny gift bags.
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