Jiang Lan was starting to feel a little disgruntled with Huang Ze Jun. She wasn't impractical; she could tell Tang Zhi Chu knew his way around a kitchen, and she genuinely wanted to use this opportunity to learn something.
Technically, it was still work time—they were filming a dating show. What was wrong with learning a skill on the clock?
Huang Ze Jun might not be happy about it, but they weren't that close, and Jiang Lan had a temper of her own.
I can put up with your inconsiderate behavior once or twice, but why should I keep putting up with it?
We're all adults. I'm not your mother.
So after Jiang Lan and Huang Ze Jun left the kitchen, she made an excuse and went to the bathroom.
Go running? If I went running with you and left the kitchen unattended, wouldn't the viewers tear me to shreds?
When Jiang Lan returned to the kitchen, Tang Zhi Chu was standing by the stove, stirring something in a small round pot with a little spatula.
As Jiang Lan walked over to take a look, she noticed the fruit from earlier was gone.
In its place sat several bowls of juice.
"What's this?" Jiang Lan asked curiously.
Tang Zhi Chu pointed to something on the other side that looked like a plastic mold, then said, "I'm making a kind of candy."
"Candy?"
"That's right. Gummy candy."
Jiang Lan understood. So that was why he'd bought so much fruit. But he could make gummy candy too?
Gummy candy was what Tang Zhi Chu's previous world called QQ candy. This world didn't use that name; instead, it had a candy called fruit jelly candy, which came in big bags and was pretty expensive.
"That looks impressive. Is it complicated?" Jiang Lan asked curiously.
Tang Zhi Chu shook his head. "It's very simple, and it's healthy. No additives."
"Can I learn?"
Jiang Lan had always been somewhat interested in cooking, but she was too busy. This candy, though, wasn't really a dish. It was more like a snack—and snacks were her main line of work. She was genuinely fascinated.
"Of course. It's not complicated. Just like you saw earlier, you juice the fruit. But you can't choose fruit that's too acidic, or the candy won't be chewy. Then you add rock sugar and maltose like this, followed by this powder. I'm using lotus root starch, but other powders work too."
Tang Zhi Chu began explaining the process to Jiang Lan. Once the fruit syrup had simmered until thick and fragrant, he used a dropper to draw it up, then carefully squeezed it into the molds to set.
This was how Tang Zhi Chu had learned to make QQ candy in his previous world, to win over a girl. There were several ways to make it. You could also skip simmering and steam it instead, but it didn't taste as good.
Watching the little candies in all sorts of shapes slowly set in the molds, Jiang Lan found it a little magical.
She made meat snacks and only meat snacks. She'd wanted to master that first and make it as good as possible. But after watching Tang Zhi Chu work, she realized that the fruit candies that sold so well were actually so easy to make?
Jiang Lan suddenly sensed a business opportunity, then thought it over.
If this show aired, wouldn't this scene be a ready-made advertisement?
Her business instincts kicked in, and she asked Tang Zhi Chu, "Can I take a picture?"
"Of course."
"Why did you suddenly decide to make this candy?"
Jiang Lan was genuinely puzzled. Why had he suddenly decided to make candy? Were chefs these days all so capable?
Tang Zhi Chu answered softly, "Yang Yang seems to like candy."
The idea had come to him on a whim. He remembered the candy Chen Si Yang had pulled out of her bag at the movie theater that day, something like a Snickers.
So he'd thought he might as well make some candy.
After squeezing the fruit syrup into the molds, Tang Zhi Chu put them in the fridge to chill.
Then he washed out the little pot and poured in the juice of another kind of fruit.
Tang Zhi Chu's answer left Jiang Lan stunned.
For some reason, Jiang Lan let out a quiet sigh. She'd always thought Tang Zhi Chu and Chen Si Yang would have a hard time getting together because Tang Zhi Chu couldn't keep up with Chen Si Yang.
Chen Si Yang was beautiful, with a top-tier appearance in the Industry Circle. She'd just signed with a big agency, too. Heavenly Harmony simply hadn't had time to promote her yet; otherwise, she'd have gone far.
How could an ordinary person ever be with a woman like that? Even if Tang Zhi Chu really managed to win Chen Si Yang over, Jiang Lan had previously thought he'd hit the jackpot.
Now that idea was beginning to waver in Jiang Lan's mind. What was wrong with Tang Zhi Chu? Wasn't he outstanding too?
Jiang Lan picked up her phone and took a picture of Tang Zhi Chu as well.
In the photo, the man in an apron was wholly focused on simmering his fruit syrup. It was a side view, and his prominent Adam's apple was visible too.
"But then we can't call this fruit jelly candy anymore," Tang Zhi Chu said suddenly.
"Then what should we call it?"
A mischievous idea came to Tang Zhi Chu. "QQ candy. Small, QQ-shaped, cute and lovable."
"QQ candy?" Jiang Lan repeated the name, committing it to memory.
Chen Si Yang came back a little late that day because she'd gone to meet a friend she hadn't seen in ages.
He Jin. She was now under Heavenly Harmony, just like Chen Si Yang.
The difference was that He Jin had been with Heavenly Harmony from the start, while Chen Si Yang had only signed with them after her girl group disbanded.
As she opened the door, Chen Si Yang caught the scent of food.
She greeted Yang Jia Xing and Zhou Yun, who were sitting in the living room, then tilted her head toward the kitchen.
And happened to meet Tang Zhi Chu's eyes.
They smiled at each other, and Chen Si Yang naturally walked over.
But the first person she called out to was Sister Lan.
Jiang Lan waved her over. "You're back, Yang Yang. Tired? If not, come give us a hand!"
Chen Si Yang shook her head. "Not tired. What are you making?"
Jiang Lan didn't answer. Instead, she very pointedly glanced at Tang Zhi Chu.
Tang Zhi Chu picked up the cue. "A pepper chicken, steamed mandarin fish, spicy crayfish, and pickled pepper chicken feet. Those are my dishes. The rest are Sister Lan's."
With every dish Tang Zhi Chu named, Chen Si Yang's eyes lit up a little more. She really did like food with strong flavors. Otherwise, the few dishes she knew how to cook wouldn't all have been Sichuan cuisine. Crayfish in particular—she could polish off three jin by herself.
Chen Si Yang knew Tang Zhi Chu had done his homework again. He was always finding ways to get in on things off-camera. He'd even joined her fan group.
"Then what are these?" Chen Si Yang asked, pointing to several things that looked like little nets. Tiny yellow and blue candies were arranged on top?
A fan was blowing toward them.
Tang Zhi Chu smiled mysteriously. "You'll find out soon."
"All right, then. Sister Lan, I'll help you." With that, Chen Si Yang rolled up her sleeves.
Jiang Lan glanced around and smiled. "Perfect timing. We're about to start stir-frying. I'm worried we won't have enough garlic. Could you peel some for me?"
"Sure. I can do that."
After their date, there was a little more chemistry between Tang Zhi Chu and Chen Si Yang.
Chen Si Yang could now approach Tang Zhi Chu in front of everyone, and Tang Zhi Chu seemed perfectly at ease too.
In Jiang Lan's eyes, this pair was finally worth shipping.
But there were some things Tang Zhi Chu and Chen Si Yang were choosing to ignore.
For example, Chen Si Yang thought Tang Zhi Chu didn't really like career-minded girls.
Little did she know Tang Zhi Chu also thought careers mattered more than romance.
The two career-focused people tacitly ignored that point.
Or perhaps each of them was quietly encouraging the other to keep prioritizing it.
Before you continue