Making People's Minds Dirty

Shen Ranxin looked at the assortment of ingredients before him, then turned to glance at Cheng Cheng, who was seriously selecting items with his head lowered.

If he remembered correctly, Cheng Cheng, this irresistible heartthrob, was supposed to be an excellent cook. He had swept through the dating show with his cooking and firmly won Lu Zhi over through his stomach.

He glanced at Lu Zhi again and gritted his teeth resentfully.

Damn girl, what a good life.

To his surprise, Cheng Cheng noticed his gaze. His beautiful peach-blossom eyes curved as he leaned against Shen Ranxin's shoulder and softly asked, "A-Ran, what do you want to eat? I'll make it for you, okay?"

Shen Ranxin's eyes lit up. "Really?"

There was such a good deal?

Cheng Cheng curled his lips into a smile, his eyes seeming to reflect a pool of spring water. "Mm. I can make every dish A-Ran likes."

After saying that, he cast a provocative look at Lu Zhi beside them from the corner of his eye.

Lu Zhi sat on the sofa, raised his brows, and gave a soft chuckle.

Cheng Cheng might understand Shen Ranxin's habits, but he definitely knew very little about that other aspect.

For someone like Shen Ranxin, who was exceptionally slow when it came to feelings, he might not even understand if you threw a direct shot at him, much less Cheng Cheng's overt and subtle flirtation.

If Shen Ranxin could understand it, he, Lu Zhi, would write his name backward.

Lu Zhi lowered his eyes and looked at the empty bottle Shen Ranxin had drunk from in his hand before casually slipping it into his pocket.

*

The production team had long since investigated their backgrounds.

Other than Cheng Cheng, the rest of them were all at the level of blowing up a kitchen.

So they had already set up all the equipment, waiting to film the guests floundering around while cooking as a highlight.

Then they heard Shen Ranxin raise an arm and shout, "Does anyone else know how to cook?"

Everyone except Cheng Cheng looked at one another.

Fang Yu showed a bitter smile. "Does being good at boiling plain water count?"

Shen Ranxin patted Cheng Cheng on the shoulder and said, "Cheng Cheng can cook. For everyone's sake, so we can have a healthy and delicious lunch, I suggest that you commission Cheng Cheng to cook and pay points."

Jiang Ye, who had been worrying over lunch, looked over. His puppy-like eyes gazed sincerely at Cheng Cheng. "Is that okay?"

Cheng Cheng, who had looked radiant just moments ago, suddenly wore an expression that was hard to describe.

Lu Zhi gleefully kicked a man when he was down. "Wouldn't that be too tiring for Teacher Cheng? But Teacher Cheng is such a nice person and loves helping others. He definitely wouldn't have the heart to refuse us. A-Ran, don't you think?"

Hearing that "A-Ran," Shen Ranxin instinctively broke out in goosebumps. "Have you been possessed by something filthy?"

"What's wrong? Teacher Shen doesn't like me calling you A-Ran?" Lu Zhi raised his brows. "Why? You seemed very happy hearing it just now. Any random cat or dog can call you A-Ran, so why can't I? Or has Teacher Shen prepared some other form of address for me?"

Shen Ranxin gave him a deathly smile. "If you like it, you can call me Dad too."

His killing intent was obvious in every fiber, but Lu Zhi's shamelessness exceeded even his imagination.

"Teacher Shen likes hearing that? Mm, I can go to Teacher Shen's bed at night and call you that..."

Director Chen's hand shook. "Mute it! Mute it now!"

This variety show could not survive a second ban!

[Director Chen, stop trying. I already heard it!]

[I believe it this time. Instant Heart definitely has no script! Shen Ranxin and Lu Zhi, this Irritating CP—one keeps pulling outrageous stunts and plays the production team like a fiddle every day, while the other never stops spouting filthy lines, catching everyone off guard every single time.]

[Irritating CP, Instant Heart is unlucky to have you.]

[You're making people's minds dirty. Can you open a VIP channel for the livestream in Shen Ranxin and Lu Zhi's room? I want to watch them sleep on stream at night...]

[How can you people even ship this? When Shen Ranxin first joined the show, he pinned Lu Zhi down in the bathroom and bullied him. He probably didn't expect there to be surveillance cameras in there, right? That video is still in the fan forum!]

[Before you speak, I suggest you check the reports related to President Lu. If Lu Zhi hadn't been willing, Shen Ranxin wouldn't be here right now—he'd be sealed inside a concrete pillar at the bottom of the sea.]

[Do none of you think President Lu looks thrilled every time Shen Ranxin slaps him? Please, Shen Ranxin, stop hitting him. I'm afraid he'll stand up right in front of the cameras...]

Shen Ranxin turned a deaf ear to Lu Zhi's filthy talk and turned to ask Cheng Cheng, "How many points do you think we should charge?"

That was what everyone cared about most right now.

Cheng Cheng pulled at the corners of his lips. "We're all friends. There's no need to talk about points..."

Shen Ranxin said, "Great! Cheng Cheng says the processing fee is thirty points. Come over and pay up!"

Jiang Ye said, "That's not right. Teacher Cheng said he didn't want points!"

They had worked themselves to the bone all morning and only earned fifty points. They still had dinner to worry about that evening.

Even if they skipped dinner, they still had to return one hundred and twenty points to the production team today...

Shen Ranxin spoke with complete confidence. "He doesn't want points, but I do. Do you think coming up with such a brilliant method doesn't cost brain cells?"

Everyone fell silent for a moment.

Unhurriedly, Shen Ranxin pushed Cheng Cheng toward the kitchen. "Then think it over some more. Our Cheng Cheng's cooking is truly unrivaled under heaven..."

Fang Yu sighed, took out thirty points, and walked over to Shen Ranxin. "I'll take it."

Jiang Ye reluctantly leaned against Fang Yu's shoulder and handed over his own thirty points as well.

"He really knows how to hit people where it hurts." Fang Yu gave the camera a bitter smile. "Thirty points isn't expensive enough to make you give up completely, but it isn't cheap either..."

Jiang Ye sat beside Fang Yu and nodded seriously. "Exactly. It's the kind of price you can afford, but it still hurts a little."

After taking their points, Shen Ranxin turned his gaze toward Lu Zhi. "You pay forty."

Lu Zhi laughed. He did not ask why, only said, "Do all forty go to you?"

Shen Ranxin said happily, "Of course."

Originally, he had wanted to thoroughly provoke this domineering CEO and reinforce his cannon-fodder persona.

Unexpectedly, Lu Zhi casually tossed over fifty points. "Keep the change. The rest is the service fee."

Shen Ranxin: "?"

Damn it! Was this what being the male lead was like? How had he not thought of showing off like that?!

He was showing off again! Mr. Strong!

Other than the startled Gu Yifei and the suffering Cheng Cheng, everyone else paid Shen Ranxin points. Together with the one hundred and thirty points they had earned that morning, they had two hundred and thirty points in total.

After paying the production team one hundred and twenty points, they actually still had the enormous sum of one hundred and ten points left.

Compared to the other guests, who were buried in debt, Shen Ranxin instantly became the richest person on Instant Heart.

The production team, which had originally wanted to reclaim Shen Ranxin's points: "..."

With his back to the guests, Director Chen angrily whispered instructions to the staff, "Someone, go into Shen Ranxin's room and damage some of his daily necessities. His bedsheets, duvet cover, whatever. Make him have no choice but to spend his points at the little supermarket next door!"

Someone quietly said, "Director, isn't that a little unfair?"

Director Chen snorted coldly. "The guests are supposed to fall in love through adversity on this show. How can we let him keep sailing through everything so smoothly?!"

The guests did not hear those words, but the livestream viewers heard them loud and clear and began teasing the production team for being too ruthless.

If it had been any other guest, the production team would have already been torn apart by fans.

But when it came to Shen Ranxin, some applauded, some gloated, and very few spoke up for him.

Shen Ranxin paid fifty points to the production team to buy ingredients. Cheng Cheng worked in the kitchen for over an hour, and dishes with perfect color, aroma, and flavor were carried to the table one after another.

Though they were all simple home-style dishes, they looked incredibly appetizing.

Fang Yu and Jiang Ye, who had just been heartbroken over their points, immediately changed their tune. They wolfed down two large bowls of rice each, gave a thumbs-up, and said they would buy again next time.

Wearing an apron, Cheng Cheng seemed to radiate a warm glow. A light sheen of sweat covered his porcelain-white skin, making even the tiny tear mole at the corner of his eye look vividly alluring.

"Teacher Cheng's cooking is amazing." Fang Yu praised him without hesitation. "Most of these dishes are sweet and sour, and they go wonderfully with rice. Does Teacher Cheng like sweet-and-sour flavors?"

Cheng Cheng wiped his hands. "No. A-Ran likes sweet-and-sour flavors, so I learned to make more of them."

Jiang Ye was eating so happily that he blurted out, "Teacher Cheng, I support you. This is definitely true love!"

Cheng Cheng smiled and looked at Shen Ranxin. Leaning close, he breathed softly near him. "A-Ran, I'm so hot. Can you check whether my suppressant patch is wet?"

Just as Shen Ranxin was about to walk over, Lu Zhi grabbed him. Smiling without really smiling, he looked at Cheng Cheng. "Teacher Fang, Teacher Shen is an Alpha, so it wouldn't be convenient for him to check. Please help Cheng Cheng take a look."

Having just eaten Cheng Cheng's food, Fang Yu responded immediately. He quickly got a fresh suppressant patch from the production team. "Teacher Cheng, should I put it on for you?"

"..." Cheng Cheng said, "No need. I can do it myself."

Before Shen Ranxin could react, Lu Zhi had already pulled him away.

"I suddenly remembered that the bathroom drain seemed to be clogged yesterday." Lu Zhi's tone was somewhat gloomy. "Come upstairs and take a look with me, okay?"