A perfect evening

If Xie Jiali hid his thoughts in front of the cameras, Asta said whatever came to mind. He saw no reason to hide anything.

"Oh..." He smiled and adopted the same form of address. "Brother Xie, how about giving me a hand?"

Shi Zhou had drawn the card himself, yet Xie Jiali had been helping him nonstop, barely taking a break. Shi Zhou wanted him to go out and talk to the others, too.

He shouldn't spend all his time in the kitchen with a mere plot device like Shi Zhou. He needed to mingle with the leads if sparks were going to fly.

Shi Zhou glanced again at Asta, who was smiling as he kept his eyes fixed on Xie Jiali. They were about the same height, both with exceptional looks and builds, and each had a formidable presence. Facing each other in the kitchen, they made the whole space seem more luxurious, as though they were standing in a banquet hall.

Was this the opening of a novel with two powerful leads?

An aloof, proud young heir × a cool, restrained beauty.

Shi Zhou chuckled to himself as he prepared the ingredients. He was far too good at enjoying this stuff. Maybe he could even write novels on that Tomato site someday.

When he noticed Xie Jiali looking at him, he hurriedly said, "Go ahead, Brother Xie."

Without giving Xie Jiali a chance to refuse, Asta stepped forward and picked up the fruit basket.

"Can we eat outside tonight, Zhou?"

"I'll put together a surprise. That way, we can do justice to your whole table of delicious food."

He loved enjoying himself, and he knew how to make it happen.

It really was a request for help. Hearing that, Xie Jiali agreed with a nod. "Let's go."

He assumed they would just be setting up a table or something, and he could hurry back afterward. Besides, constantly turning people down on camera wouldn't look good.

Plenty of viewers were watching the livestream, after all. He had to consider what the audience and his fans would think.

Zheng Yu called from outside, sounding excited and thrilled. "The flowers from the supermarket are here, Asta!"

Asta called back, "Bro, why'd you say it out loud? I wanted to surprise everyone!"

All three of them in the kitchen laughed. Tonight was going to be quite an affair.

"Looks like I'd better bring my best, too," Shi Zhou said.

The others took a short break, then went outside to help decorate. Their laughter carried all the way into the kitchen.

The leads needed to get along and develop their relationships so his mission could progress. That gave Shi Zhou even more motivation!

Robots could actually help process the ingredients in this interstellar age. With nobody talking to him, Shi Zhou could prepare things faster. He planned to show off a few tricks and make the dishes look as good as they tasted.

He placed a long, slender white nut on the cutting board. In an instant, the kitchen was filled with nothing but a rapid, monotonous tapping.

The white nut advanced steadily beneath his fingertips. In his right hand, the flashing knife formed a slanting silver waterfall, lifting the instant its blade touched the board. The sliced white nut seemed to take shape with no more than a casual pinch. Dropped into the stockpot, it became a pale pink flower of delicate strands, slowly blooming in the blink of an eye.

"Wow..."

That move stunned both the production team and the livestream chat!

-Oh my god, you can prepare white nuts like that? I've learned something new!!

-I'm not cutting thick slices next time either. I want to cut them like Zhouzhou.

-To the person above, I tried it and came back. I have two fingers left now. (Bruised face, goofy grin showing big teeth.jpg)

Watching the screen, someone on the production team lamented, "Why is he alone in the kitchen? None of the other guests saw those incredible knife skills."

Another person looked at him as though he were an idiot.

"Shi Zhou is the ordinary participant we arranged to join the show, not one of our featured guests. Get that straight."

Shi Zhou had no idea they were discussing him. He was repeating the same process when he turned and suddenly saw someone leaning nearby with his arms crossed. His posture was casual yet carried a trace of military discipline. His shoulders were broad, and his uniform creased slightly where it pressed against the surface behind him.

It gave Shi Zhou a fright.

Su Yue lifted his eyelids, shifting his gaze from Shi Zhou's face to the pot. "Do you need help?"

Surprised, Shi Zhou blurted out, "You can cook?"

"Yes," Su Yue said.

Shi Zhou didn't know where he had learned, but he had no trouble cutting ordinary ingredients.

With both of them working, preparations went much faster. Shi Zhou guessed that Su Yue disliked the noisy atmosphere outside, but his personality wouldn't allow him to enjoy everyone else's work without contributing. That must have been why he came to the kitchen.

Su Yue stood beside him, wielding the knife with considerable force. Under that invisible pressure, Shi Zhou actually performed even better.

As soon as Xie Jiali came in, he smiled and said, "That smells wonderful."

Quite a few dishes were already in the warming cabinet: buttery, creamy fried shrimp balls, pork ribs stir-fried with corn and red peppers, dry-pot chicken, stir-fried seasonal vegetables... Eight dishes in total, neatly arranged.

After spending some time alone with Su Yue, Shi Zhou realized he was the sort of person who could treat others as though they weren't there, and gradually relaxed.

Hearing Xie Jiali's comment, he smiled. "Su Yue cooked a few dishes, too."

With the setup outside finished, everyone crowded in. "Su Yue can cook?" they asked in surprise.

The man nodded. "During simulated training on other planets, I had to make some food myself."

Perhaps because they had ancient Chinese ancestry, they weren't particularly fond of nutrient solutions.

Nobody had expected the noble young gentleman who rode horses, played the violin, and piloted mechs in his video to know how to cook, too. The contrast was striking, and everyone looked at Su Yue differently.

"That's still impressive."

He was handsome, came from such a powerful family, and could even cook.

Would he cook for his partner once he started dating?

But Su Yue glanced at Shi Zhou and said, "Mine were all simple dishes. Shi Zhou made most of them."

Shi Zhou's shoulders relaxed completely. That was just how Su Yue was. Regardless of his likes or dislikes, he stuck to the facts.

Shi Zhou smiled at him. "All done. Let's eat."

Everyone lavished another round of praise on Shi Zhou's dishes. They looked, smelled, and tasted wonderful!

Asta even said, "Good thing we made it look beautiful outside today. Otherwise, it wouldn't do Zhou's cooking justice."

Everyone rushed to carry the dishes, while Asta guided Shi Zhou forward, covering his eyes and telling him not to open them until they were outside.

The production team could only laugh in exasperation. "This segment wasn't in the original plan. That kid really..."

He seized every opportunity to create a romantic moment.

Even Xie Jiali hadn't anticipated it.

Unable to fend off Asta's persistence, Shi Zhou let him guide him slowly forward.

Since he couldn't see, he was a little afraid of kicking something. His upper body leaned slightly against Asta's chest. Feeling the other man's temperature gradually rise, he found it unfamiliar and moved forward a little.

Holding Asta's arm, with only his finely shaped jaw visible, he smiled. "What is it? You're making it so mysterious."

Asta applied a little pressure, drawing him back. A faint smile appeared on his handsome, affectionate face as he lowered his head and said:

"Don't be afraid. Follow me."

A kid who'd only just reached adulthood, pretending to be a grown-up all day long.

Shi Zhou was amused.

Unfortunately, it wasn't far. They turned past the conservatory from the back door and arrived after only a few more steps. Asta reluctantly lowered his arm and looked down at him.

"Surprised, Zhou?"

Shi Zhou opened his eyes, and they slowly lit up.

It was nearly eight in the evening. The sun god had long since drawn away the last golden thread of twilight, and the garden felt entirely different from how it had during the day.

The main lights were off. Only the tall, black-and-white vintage lamps lining the paths were lit, spreading hazy pools of pale yellow light. They gilded the distant flowers and the softly murmuring fountain, while faint floral scents drifted through the air alongside the scent of leaves warmed by the day's sun.

Countless flowers adorned the surrounding paths, lamps, and paving beside the table, along with playfully tied decorations and balloons.

The long table stood beneath a corridor draped in purple flowering vines. A pale white cloth covered it, and several tall candleholders had already been lit. As a gentle breeze passed, even the light on the crystal wineglasses and porcelain plates seemed to come alive.

"Oh my god, it's so beautiful!"

No wonder everyone had been busy for so long.

Shi Zhou ran over along the stone path through the grass, his smile never fading.

Asta took the dish Yu Manman brought over and set it in the right place. He winked, then smiled and shook his head without claiming the credit.

"I'm only making use of what was already here. Without everyone's help, I'd be eating instant food tonight, then heading miserably off to bed."

Shi Zhou suppressed a laugh. "On your king-size bed that's three meters wide and two meters long?"

"Oh, how did you know? I can't sleep in the master bedroom during these three days, though. You can come stay at my place after the show ends. I'll let you have the bed."

"No, thank you."

Shi Zhou helped adjust the plates. Better to leave Asta and his future partner to share that bed.

Maybe everyone was hungry after working on dinner, because they chose their seats rather casually today.

That was what Shi Zhou thought.

Everyone unanimously agreed that Shi Zhou and Su Yue, their "two heroes," should sit in the middle.

Asta even deigned to serve everyone drinks himself. Nothing like this had happened in the original story.

Several wide-rimmed stemmed glasses were taken from a silver tray and placed before each person. Amber liquor rested at the bottom, with a faint layer of tiny golden flecks floating on its surface.

When Asta wasn't smiling, he looked serious and aloof. With his head slightly bowed, he struck a long match. There was a soft hiss as the flame reached the rim of a glass, then began to burn lightly.

Deep blue flames danced with golden flecks. Beneath them, the liquid at the bottom looked like a gemstone on the verge of melting. Everyone applauded and exclaimed in admiration.

Zheng Yu couldn't tear his eyes away from him. Smiling, he kept clapping enthusiastically.

The production team even played some dreamy instrumental ensemble music to suit the occasion.

Asta didn't become boastful at the praise. Like a gentleman, he lit each guest's drink, leaving Shi Zhou's and his own for last.

Then he swept his hand downward, gently extinguishing the match, and naturally took the first seat on the left without fuss.

Seated opposite Shi Zhou, Xie Jiali raised his glass and smiled. "Cheers. To a successful end to our first day."

Bai Shen nodded, looking relaxed as well. "And to thank Zhouzhou and Su Yue for preparing such a wonderful dinner."

Noticing the difference in how Bai Shen addressed them, Su Yue lifted his eyelids but said nothing, clinking glasses with everyone.

He only took a very small sip, though.

Sitting beside him, Shi Zhou saw it clearly. He couldn't even tell whether Su Yue had actually swallowed any.

This guy really was difficult.

But that didn't affect the cheerful atmosphere tonight.

Shi Zhou was genuinely happy. In the two months since he had woken up, his old friends had long since scattered, and he had cut off every one of the disreputable hangers-on around him. Only now did he feel something of his old life again, raising his glass and shouting with everyone.

"Cheers! Cheers!"

After another toast, he brought the glass to his lips, but the flames around the rim made him hesitate. Asta said, "The Flame's Kiss burns without heat. Don't be afraid."

Shi Zhou summoned his courage and slowly tipped his head back amid the warm air rising from the rim.

Warm, mellow liquor scented with cherries slipped down his throat and spread through his chest and stomach, forming a strange harmony with the cool night around him.

"No wonder it's called the Flame's Kiss," Lin Yuxi said in amazement.

The heat came not from the flames at the rim, but from the liquor at the bottom.

Yu Manman and Zheng Yu had already drained theirs in one gulp.

"Impressive, Asta. This drink's so beautiful I almost can't bear to drink it."

Shi Zhou looked at the guests. Their expressions as they watched Asta had changed. Several stared at him with delighted surprise they simply couldn't suppress.

Even the usually expressionless Bai Shen gave a slight nod after drinking, indicating his approval.

The production team laughed. "Asta really stole the spotlight today."

First the heavy motorcycle, then the cocktails. He had completely outshone the other three originally selected male guests.

Someone sighed. "Can't be helped. This is his home turf."

The production team had actually supplied the idea for the little banquet, and the result was even better than they had imagined.

Director Zhang leaned forward and suddenly said:

"Move a camera in front of Xie Jiali. Give me a close-up of his face."

Before Shi Zhou had finished offering his compliments, Xie Jiali raised his glass and tipped his head back forcefully for a drink. His Adam's apple bobbed, and his gaze looked solemn.

Seeing the camera filming him, he didn't avoid it for the first time.

His sharp, black phoenix eyes stared straight into the lens. With dark hair and thin lips, his handsome face possessed an even more breathtaking, androgynous beauty in close-up.

Director Zhang exchanged a look with the two assistant directors, and they smiled mischievously in front of the monitor.

"Look. That made it so obvious."

Trying to put on an act for their production team?

Not a chance!

However difficult a guest was, they'd still end up surrendering to them!

Besides, did people really think they could hide feelings just because they wanted to?

A little fruit liquor whetted everyone's appetite, and all of Shi Zhou's main dishes earned unanimous praise. Yu Manman was especially careful when ladling the peony soup into her bowl, almost unwilling to eat it. She exclaimed:

"One drink and one soup, and you two are so amazing you're about to launch into space."

Su Yue lowered his eyes, his pale, slender fingers brushing the edge of his soup bowl.

Xie Jiali usually ate little in the evening, but today he carefully finished an entire bowl of soup.

The camera remained trained on him, but he scarcely looked toward it again.

The meal was lively and thoroughly enjoyable. Their initial awkwardness had vanished completely, and it truly felt like a gathering of friends.

Except the men were handsome and the women beautiful, all of them glittering like stars, so it was still a little different from an ordinary get-together.

Gradually, the night deepened.

The guests sat at the edges of light and shadow. The faint clink of cutlery and intermittent laughter mingled with the aromas of food, wine, and the distinctive scent of candles.

The camera pulled back to reveal the beautifully decorated, dreamlike setting. The show's closing theme slowly began to play, and the lens swept across each guest's smiling face as that day's livestream came to an end.

The chat filled with "I don't want it to end," "See you tomorrow," and "Good night."

When the production staff saw the data coming in from the backend, they finally breathed sighs of relief and smiled.

Season four had opened with a bang. The response was even better than expected!

After all, season four wasn't the same as the previous three...

How could they complete the task assigned by the higher-ups without ruining the show's reputation?

The guests could rest, but the production team still had to work overtime holding meetings.

By the time they wrapped up, Shi Zhou was already a little tipsy. His alcohol tolerance had never been particularly good. Everyone thanked him for his hard work that day and told him to rest first. He didn't refuse, getting up and slowly heading upstairs.

Perhaps he had sensed the audience's affection. He had also drunk quite a lot that evening, and an unspoken warmth kept pulsing in his chest. After a hot shower, he collapsed into bed and slept soundly.

In his dream, his family paid off their debts, he returned to school, and he lived a simple, happy life. He had a dog and was with the person he loved...

But why was the person he loved a man?

After waking, Shi Zhou smacked his lips, feeling an inexplicable melancholy. He burrowed beneath the covers, wriggled from the head of the bed to the foot, then rolled himself into a burrito and tumbled around on the mattress, humming.

It was a great way to relieve stress.

He was a little burrito (*╹▽╹*)

The production crew stifled their laughter behind the camera, then gave a cough:

"Zhouzhou, come do a solo interview once you're ready."

Huh?

Shi Zhou rolled over and sprang up in bed, still wrapped in his blanket. Aaaah, I forgot to cover the camera last night!

His hair stuck up every which way as he jumped barefoot off the bed, hurriedly unraveled himself from his burrito form, and found a jacket to drape over the camera. His ears red, he slipped on his slippers and went to brush his teeth.

The viewers who had tuned in early burst out laughing, mercilessly flooding the chat with:

"Cute," "Wanna fuck him."