Chapter Ninety-Six: Return to Xiaoxiang

Ae Hehua stared at the overwhelmingly positive comments online and nearly twisted his nose in rage, but there was nothing he could do about it.

"Liu Guoqiang, if that's how it is, then let's settle this when the show airs and see whose results are better!"

"Hmph!"

...

"Cut!"

"That's a wrap!"

Liu Guoqiang was holding the script, a sun hat perched on his head. It was already afternoon; he took off the hat and held it in his hand. "Jiang Yun, good work. I'll give you an extra chicken drumstick today."

Jiang Yun rolled his eyes.

"Wrap!"

Jiang Yun went to the makeup room and began removing his makeup.

He took off the black costume, changed back into his own clothes, and washed the makeup from his face.

He wore jeans, a blue striped T-shirt, and a bright red jacket.

Jiang Yun found Liu Guoqiang. "Director Liu, I'm off tomorrow!"

Liu Guoqiang nodded. "Good. Come back early and get to work!"

"Mhm!" Jiang Yun nodded.

Back at the hotel, Jiang Yun casually packed his luggage, then flopped onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep.

Early the next morning, Jiang Yun boarded a plane bound for Xiang Province.

An hour later, he got off the plane.

He walked out of the airport and saw the pickup staff holding a sign.

Jiang Yun went over to him.

"Teacher Jiang Yun? Please get in the car!"

The staff member opened the door, and Jiang Yun climbed in. The man started the engine.

The Cadillac drove out of the airport.

Five days later, Jiang Yun returned to the Mushroom House once more. His schedule was now packed tight: three days of filming, two days recording Longing for Life, and one day recording The Voice. Jiang Yun had filled every hour of his calendar.

"Jiang Yun, you finally made it!" He Ling greeted him warmly.

"Teacher He Ling, long time no see!"

"Give me your backpack." Huang Kang came over to take the bag from Jiang Yun. Jiang Yun did not stand on ceremony and handed it over. "Thank you, Teacher Huang Kang!"

Huang Kang took the backpack. "No need to be polite!"

"Haha!" He Ling stood nearby with his hands on his hips and laughed uproariously.

The three of them chatted for a while.

"Jiang Yun, keep watch here. Huang Kang and I are going to pick apples!"

Jiang Yun nodded. "All right!"

Huang Kang and He Ling put on work gloves and went to the field to pick apples.

After this episode was filmed, there would probably be no apples left to pick.

With nothing to do, Jiang Yun simply steamed the rice for dinner that evening.

Then he started washing vegetables. He still did not know what dishes this episode's guests would order.

Longing for Life was filmed over two nights and one day. The guests would arrive to film today and leave tomorrow morning.

Jiang Yun washed several vegetables, then started sweeping the living room.

Ding-a-ling!

Jiang Yun answered the phone.

A man's voice came from the other end. "Hello? Which one of you is from the Mushroom House?"

Jiang Yun replied, "Jiang Yun."

"Jiang Yun, wonderful! I really like you."

"You are..."

"I am Cai Kun!"

Jiang Yun suddenly understood. So it was that singing-and-dancing idol. Cai Kun had rather a bad reputation, but Jiang Yun did not look at people through tinted glasses.

Jiang Yun asked, "Hello, Cai Kun. What dish would you like to order?"

"I'd like Braised Eight-Treasure Duck. Is that okay?"

Jiang Yun was a little speechless. That was indeed a challenging one; it was fit for a state banquet.

"Can't do that. Pick something else."

"Oh? It can't be done? All right then."

"Mhm!"

Cai Kun seemed to be thinking about something, and Jiang Yun waited patiently. In truth, the ordering segment was meant to make things difficult for Huang Kang, but a touch of drama was fine; too much would backfire.

"I've decided. I want Pearl Cabbage!"

Black lines seemed to descend over Jiang Yun's forehead. Wasn't that still a state-banquet dish?

After thinking it over, Jiang Yun had an idea. "All right, then that's the one."

"Thank you, Mr. Jiang Yun."

"Mhm!"

The two hung up. Jiang Yun took out a cabbage and, humming a little tune, washed and trimmed it clean.

Ding-a-ling!

Jiang Yun wiped his hands on his apron and answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Is this Jiang Yun? Hello, I'm Chen Long!"

"Brother Chen Long?" Jiang Yun nearly jumped straight up in shock.

"Haha, that's me."

"The production team really splurged this time!" Jiang Yun said.

"Not at all. They didn't have to work very hard to invite me," Chen Long said on the other end. "I mainly wanted to come myself. I heard you know kung fu, and I came specifically for you!"

"Brother Chen Long, you're flattering me too much." Jiang Yun spoke modestly. "Brother Chen Long, what dish would you like to order?"

"I'd like egg waffles!"

"This..." Jiang Yun was a little helpless, because egg waffles required special equipment.

"What? Is that not allowed? Then I'll choose something else!"

"No, no, Brother Chen Long. Egg waffles it is!"

"Good, egg waffles then!"

Jiang Yun hung up and began preparing dinner. Today he did not intend to let Huang Kang cook.

He planned to have all the food ready before Huang Kang returned.

Inside the Mushroom House, the production team held up cameras and captured every move Jiang Yun made.

"Pearl cabbage is easy, egg waffles are easy too. It's just the tools that are hard to find."

Ding-a-ling!

Jiang Yun answered the phone. This might be the last guest.

Jiang Yun picked up the phone. "Hello?"

A girl's voice came from the other end. "Hello, Senior Jiang Yun. I'm Zhao Mai."

Jiang Yun paused. The little girl was quite clever; she had recognized him at once.

"Hello, Zhao Mai. What dish would you like to order?"

"I'd like braised shrimp with tomato casserole!"

The girl had good taste. Jiang Yun said, "All right."

"Then that's all. Thank you, Teacher Jiang Yun!"

"Mhm, goodbye!"

"Goodbye!"

Jiang Yun hung up and started cooking.

He obtained the ingredients from the production team.

"Jiang Yun, are you sure you don't want to wait until Teacher Huang Kang gets back before you cook?"

"No need. I'll give him a surprise!"

"All right then. Please wait a moment."

After waiting twenty minutes, the staff brought over the fresh shrimp.

Jiang Yun took the shrimp and got to work.

In the kitchen, he busied himself while glancing at the camera. "I've always wondered, this little mountain village is so remote even the birds won't poop here—where on earth do you get your ingredients?"

"We buy them at the market!" the assistant director said.

"Then where do you keep them? How do you store them?"

Everyone wore mysterious smiles and said in unison, "No comment!"

"Damn it."

Jiang Yun began cooking, blanching the shrimp, then peeling them and removing the veins.

He heated oil in the wok, stir-fried scallions, ginger, and garlic until fragrant, then added tomatoes, enoki mushrooms, and oyster mushrooms before pouring in water and seasoning the broth. Finally, he added the shrimp.

Once the braised shrimp with tomato casserole was done, Jiang Yun poured it into a clay pot and placed it over the stove over low heat to keep warm. It bubbled merrily, looking wonderfully appetizing.

"Is anyone there?"

A man's voice came from outside the kitchen.

"Whoa, why is this whole crowd gathered around the kitchen?"

Because Jiang Yun was cooking in the kitchen, all the camera crew members were clustered outside it.

"What's with this three-layered crowd? What are they doing?"

Jiang Yun looked up and saw a young man in his late twenties, tall and slender, with handsome features.

"You're Cai Kun, right?"

"Hello, Senior Jiang Yun!"

Jiang Yun's mature bearing always made people overlook his true age.

Jiang Yun felt a little speechless inside. I'm only twenty-five this year. I may not even be older than you. Calling me senior is rather embarrassing, isn't it?

Author's note: Thanks to the cute reader "Nine Nether and Soul Devourer" for one monthly ticket and eight recommendation votes!

Thanks to the cute reader "Jinchuan" for one monthly ticket!