Huo Mingjun was indeed persuaded by him. He flicked his fingers and said, “Alright, you can let go. The burden of being an idol is heavy, and I’ve never looked down on you.”
Xie Guan awkwardly released his hand, feeling that if he stayed any longer, he would definitely expose himself. And so, he slipped into the bathroom with his tail between his legs.
The cool water eased his tension. Xie Guan wiped his face with water, repeatedly self-hypnotizing himself, “Many people in this world have secret crushes on you, and you don’t have to take responsibility. Stay calm, don’t chicken out…”
But Huo Mingjun wasn’t “just anyone.” His usual accommodation towards Xie Guan came in handy at a critical moment. Whenever Xie Guan thought about not having to take responsibility, he immediately launched into a self-deprecating monologue: “No, that sounds too sleazy…”
In agony, he wanted to scratch the wall, wishing he could rush out and ask Huo Mingjun, “Can’t I just change whatever it is you like about me?” After much consideration, he felt there was still a chance to salvage the situation. He secretly thought, “What if it’s just a misunderstanding? Maybe he’s just lacking love, making friends for the first time, and has a little fledgling attachment to me. It’s completely understandable.”
Unfortunately, Huo Mingjun was neither a fledgling nor a bird. He was a big boss with a meticulous train of thought and actions. Xie Guan couldn’t just kick him out and let him figure out how to fly on his own. Being soft-hearted towards Huo Mingjun was his biggest weakness, and he really had no better way besides pretending to be ignorant.
Seemingly unfazed, Xie Guan finished breakfast with Huo Mingjun and was picked up by Huang Cheng to go for the recording. Before getting in the car, he pretended to casually look back. Sure enough, there was a blurry figure by the window.
So obvious, yet so nonchalant.
The psychological defense painstakingly built to withstand an earthquake of magnitude 8 crumbled after holding up for half an hour.
Upon arriving at the recording site, he met the other three guests. Gao Yong hosted several well-known TV programs in the early days. After gradually fading from the spotlight, he was invited by the program team due to his cooking skills. The other regular guest was the young artist Tan Xiaotian, who debuted overseas and returned to China for development. He accumulated quite a fan base through the program, specializing in Western cuisine and nicknamed the “Prince of Western Desserts.” The two temporary guests, Xie Guan and Wu Kai, were an actor and a family man respectively. Being married with children, Wu Kai was positioned as the “family-oriented good man.” Xie Guan replaced the original idol who was labeled as the “King of Dark Cuisine.”
Xie Guan thought, “Damn, this program team really knows how to play, even reserving a spot for dark cuisine. Aren’t they afraid of corrupting the audience?”
As the name suggests, Super Cook invited male guests who could cook. Each episode featured a theme and the guests had the freedom to showcase their skills. A heartwarming story was also required, making it the “most heartwarming food program.”
This episode was scheduled to air on Qixi, so the theme was “The Bridge of Love.” No restrictions on time, cuisine, or ingredients.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
The guests each chose their ingredients, and Gao Yong conducted random interviews. Tan Xiaotian selected mascarpone cheese, cocoa powder, and other ingredients, preparing to make tiramisu. It was a very suitable dessert because behind the dessert, there was a well-known love story. In Italian, tiramisu means “pick me up.” Tan Xiaotian shared a story about when he was courting his girlfriend, he made tiramisu for her. Later, the girlfriend decisively gave up her career overseas and returned to China with him.
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Xie Guan picked radishes, beef, flour, and winter melon. Gao Yong couldn’t figure out what he intended to make. The dark cuisine segment was always the most suspenseful part, and Gao Yong asked with interest, “What does Xiao Xie plan to make?”
Xie Guan replied while washing vegetables, “How about calling it ‘The Capsizing Ship of Love’? After all, I don’t have a girlfriend.”
The entire room burst into laughter, and Gao Yong raised his eyebrows, saying to the camera, “Dear audience, we have a traitor among us.”
As Xie Guan chopped the beef absentmindedly, he thought with a sense of despair, “I don’t have a girlfriend, but I might have a potential boyfriend.”
More than halfway through the show’s recording, Tan Xiaotian’s tiramisu already went into the refrigerator, and Wu Kai’s vegetarian shark fin was also fried. Only Xie Guan was still slowly carving the winter melon. He used to assist in the kitchen, carving flowers and preparing stews every day. Despite so many years, his skills remained sharp. However, Gao Yong looked at him with concern, “Xiao Xie, this is a serious culinary show. Are you planning to win the Best Side Dish Sculpture Award?”
Xie Guan mysteriously smiled, “Don’t worry, there will definitely be an edible part in this dish.”
After 40 minutes, the dishes of the three contestants were all completed. The program team played along with the suspense and arranged a reveal segment. Tan Xiaotian’s tiramisu and Wu Kai’s vegetarian shark fin were presented one after another. Finally, it was the most anticipated dish of the episode – Xie Guan’s.
As the lid was lifted, there was a simultaneous “Wow” from the entire audience.
He divided the winter melon into two halves. The upper part was carved with a small figure of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, and the lower part had a circle of magpies hollowed out in the green skin. The craftsmanship was extremely exquisite, reaching the pinnacle of the show’s technical level. The photographer couldn’t contain his excitement and rushed up to capture shots from various angles. Wu Kai asked in astonishment, “Xie Guan, is this at a professional level?”
Xie Guan modestly and jokingly replied, “I have to confess something to everyone. In fact, I am an outstanding graduate of New Oriental.”
After the photographer took enough shots, the group gathered again, eagerly awaiting Xie Guan to unveil the cover of the winter melon.
A delightful aroma of hot soup wafted from the melon. When everyone lowered their heads to take a look, they all exclaimed, “Huh?”
Gao Yong hesitated and asked, “Is this… wonton?”
Xie Guan nodded.
Unwilling to give up, Tan Xiaotian asked, “What’s special about these wontons?”
“Nothing,” Xie Guan chuckled, “it’s just ordinary wontons.”
While Wu Kai and Tan Xiaotian were still puzzled, Gao Yong already figured it out. “So your creative idea for this dish is to use such a beautiful winter melon to serve a bowl of ordinary wontons? Can you explain your thought process?”
“The Bridge of Love… it’s the process from being unfamiliar to familiar between two people. It can also be seen as the transition from the expectation and fantasy of love to gradually discovering its true nature,” Xie Guan organized his thoughts and explained with difficulty, “Maybe what I’m saying is a bit abstract. For this dish, the exterior is particularly gorgeous, like two young people who just met. They have mutual affection, and it’s full of romance, freshness, and variety. Both of them present themselves beautifully. However, just like this winter melon pot, it’s only for looking, and not for eating. When it comes to starting a life together, there won’t be so many fancy things. It’s just a very ordinary bowl of simple food.”
“After the weaver girl takes off her feathered robe, she becomes an ordinary person. A passionate love affair will eventually turn into mundane domesticity. That’s kind of what I mean.”
“Well said!” Gao Yong applauded and asked, “So, is this your philosophy of love?”
Xie Guan replied, “Currently, I only have Guan, not yet love.”
The guests burst into laughter, and Gao Yong said, “Now let’s taste this wonton.”
The staff brought small bowls, and Tan Xiaotian used a spoon to scoop up one and into his mouth with a hiss, “Delicious!”
The beef and radish dumplings had a delicious broth, the meat filling was firm and flavorful but not difficult to chew, and the slight sweetness of the radish was subtly present in the savory broth. The texture was rich, offering a homey flavor that one would keep reminiscing about.
Tan Xiaotian completely became a fan of Xie Guan, unable to stop eating, “This is the best wonton I’ve ever had!”
Xie Guan smiled and said, “Although it doesn’t look good, simple food can be delicious.”
He portrayed an air of profound contemplation, giving a sense of enlightenment as if he saw through the world and returned to simplicity. Later, the production team even added the soundtrack from “God of Cookery“. After the broadcast, it immediately peaked in viewership.
After recording the program, Xie Guan went down to wash up and remove his makeup. The program team and several guests praised him greatly, considering him not only skilled in cooking but also capable of stewing chicken soup. With his individual efforts, he elevated the program’s level. He not only had creativity but also maintained the image of “The King of Dark Cuisine.” Such a guest with a natural halo was a blessing for the production team.
Huang Cheng accompanied him throughout the entire recording and went to start the car first. Outside, the sun was shining brightly. Xie Guan hid in the shade of the building, recalling the recording process just now. Thinking about the philosophical nonsense he just sprouted about love, he couldn’t help but laugh. After laughing, an inexplicable melancholy washed over him.
What marriage and love? When he was cooking, all he could think about was Huo Mingjun.
There were so many variations of plain meals, and the winter melon bowl could be filled with fried rice, noodles, or congee. Why did he choose a bowl of wonton soup?
In selecting this symbolic image, he subconsciously chose the one that was closest to Huo Mingjun.
When they first met, Xie Guan prepared a restaurant-level six-dish and one-soup meal for him. At that time, he thought Huo Mingjun was a picky and difficult young master in terms of taste. As they became more familiar, he realized that all it took was a bowl of wonton to satisfy him completely.
Once stripped of external glamor, formal titles, and societal relationships, leaving only a warm and soft core, whose figure would be reflected on its surface?
Huang Cheng parked the car at the entrance, and Xie Guan got in, saying, “Go to Hengrui headquarters.”
Huang Cheng asked, “Aren’t we going to eat first?”
Xie Guan shook his head, “Go straight there.”
“I want to see him,” he thought silently, “right now.”
Is Xie Guan gonna confess finally?
Thank you for the chapter and Happy New Year!
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