Why are you dragging me into this?

The others had no objections and headed toward the dining room.

As they took their seats, Qi Zhaoyi said, "Thanks for all your hard work, everyone. I didn't help with dinner at all."

Xue Ruyin smiled. "Zhaoyi, just coming over to save the day was more than enough."

Qi Zhaoyi was naturally pleased that someone had responded. They couldn't let the conversation fall flat, after all. He wanted to say something back to Xue Ruyin, but Chen Sinian spoke first. "You can just wash the dishes afterward."

Clearly, the two were genuinely close. Qi Zhaoyi agreed with a smile.

"Xuliang, try these sweet-and-sour ribs?" Seeing Qi Zhaoyi and Chen Sinian chatting, Xue Ruyin left them to it and passed the sweet-and-sour ribs she had made over to Liao Xuliang.

Qiao Yufan also asked Xu Yuntong what dishes she usually liked.

An Ruzhi blinked at them, then glanced at her phone, which kept receiving new messages. Her manager was urging her to hurry up and interact with Chen Sinian.

But those two remarks kept circling in her mind, leaving her afraid even to look at Chen Sinian. One glance, and her mind filled with scenes too explicit to describe.

In the end, her gaze landed on Su Tangtang.

That glance did it. She froze on the spot.

Aaaaaah, she really was a stunning beauty! Even the way she ate looked gorgeous!

Suddenly, before she could finish swooning, Chen Sinian looked toward Su Tangtang and asked, "Tangtang, you know our Zhaoyi's name, right?"

Su Tangtang, who had her head down and was busy stuffing her face, went, "?"

[I'm just eating here. Why are you dragging me into this? All these dishes still aren't enough to keep your mouths busy?]

(# ` n´ )

She nodded and said with a faint smile, "Of course."

[Even if I didn't, I wouldn't dare say so!]

When Chen Sinian suddenly brought him up, Qi Zhaoyi had already stopped eating, his chopsticks still in hand.

He had watched the livestream on his way over, so he already knew everyone here.

Seeing Chen Sinian ask Su Tangtang, he immediately turned toward her with a smile. Then he froze.

Completely.

Solid.

She'd just spoken, so why hadn't her mouth moved?

And why were her words contradicting each other? None of that lined up.

Seeing his expression, Chen Sinian exchanged smiles with the others. When Qi Zhaoyi looked his way, he gave him another meaningful smile.

Qi Zhaoyi: "?"

Seriously, what's wrong with you all? If you've got something to say, say it. What the hell is with those smiles?

Picking on the newcomer because I don't get your inside jokes, huh?

Xue Ruyin intended to explain something to him, but when she opened her mouth, she found she still couldn't say it and had to give up.

Who knew what heaven had been thinking, giving Su Tangtang this ability? It really made her green with envy.

[What's going on? Why did Chen Sinian suddenly bring Su Tangtang into this?]

[Man, don't tell me you've actually fallen for Su Tangtang's face!]

[Ugh, why do they all seem so weird? What are they smiling about? I feel like I don't understand this dating show anymore.]

Looking at their expressions, Qi Zhaoyi remained utterly baffled.

Su Tangtang, on the other hand, stopped looking at them after answering Chen Sinian's question and went right back to eating.

Don't waste your youth chasing romance. Love could never beat a good meal!

Everyone waited ages without hearing any more of her thoughts and couldn't help grumbling inwardly. Seriously, are you going to deliver or not?

All you do is eat, eat, eat. Has your agency been starving you?

Su Tangtang really had been starved. To make a perfect appearance on this dating show, the body's original owner had gone hungry for several days, planning to look her absolute best on camera. Su Tangtang felt as though her stomach had been flattened into a sheet of paper.

At that thought, she stuffed another huge mouthful of rice into her mouth.

[Seriously, eating like that, doesn't Su Tangtang need to watch her weight?]

[I was wondering that too. How can she eat so much?]

[The real question is how she's that skinny when she eats so much?!!]

[I'm done watching. She's obviously trying to hog the camera again. I bet she'll go make herself throw up before long.]

[I'm with the comment above on this one.]

Who would believe someone who ate this much could be so skinny? The viewers certainly didn't.

Even An Ruzhi and Xu Yuntong beside her couldn't help asking when they saw how much she was eating. "Tangtang, doesn't your manager make you watch your weight?"

Su Tangtang opened her mouth to answer, but the next second, her phone suddenly rang. The caller ID read simply: Sister Du.

"..."

She answered them, "There she is, calling to yell at me."

Then she answered the call. "Hello, Sister Du. What did you need?"

Even without speakerphone on, everyone beside her could hear Sister Du's voice roaring like a lion. "Su Tangtang!"

"You have the nerve to ask what I need?!"

"Who told you to eat that much? I told you to watch your weight. You didn't listen to a single word, did you?!"

"Hello, Sister Du? Why aren't you saying anything?"

Everyone: "..."

Now even the viewers were speechless.

[What the hell? She's so loud we can hear her through the screen from miles away, and that's what you say?]

[Hahahahaha, I've got to admit, Su Tangtang does have some comedy in her.]

[Her manager called at exactly the right moment, so she must be watching the livestream. Hearing that probably made her even angrier.]

Just as that viewer had predicted, Du Lanxi's breathing grew heavier after Su Tangtang finished speaking. "Su Tangtang, fucking answer me!"

"What? Sister Du? You want me to eat more?"

"I couldn't possibly. As an actress, I still need to maintain my image. How about I only eat until I'm seventy percent full?"

"Hello, Sister Du? Why aren't you saying anything again? If you don't say anything, I'll take that as a yes. Hehe, I'll keep eating until I'm seventy percent full, then."

Ψ(◉ཅ◉)Ψ

As for what counted as seventy percent full, that was entirely up to her!

"Su Tangtang, you're pretending to be deaf, are you? Fine, just you wait. I'll-"

Before Du Lanxi could finish, Su Tangtang swiftly hung up. She patted her chest and stomach. "That was close, so close. I almost heard her threaten me."

[If I'd heard that, I probably wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.]

Everyone, Qi Zhaoyi included: "..."

As if pretending not to hear meant she wouldn't give you a good "talking-to" later.

By now, Qi Zhaoyi had finally caught on. What he'd just heard didn't seem to be words coming out of Su Tangtang's mouth, but thoughts she wanted to voice yet hadn't!

No wonder Chen Sinian and the others had looked at him that way. They had been welcoming him into the club.

He lifted his glass of cola toward Chen Sinian. "Cheers."