The director was exasperated, but he did not dare snap back. All he could do was force things back on track.
"As our most faithful companions, dogs aren't just pets, but family. So this afternoon's task is for all you dog owners to make an outfit for your dog with your own hands."
The crew brought out the props on cue, and sewing machines and all kinds of fabric appeared in the living room.
The guests' faces turned green.
Xiao Jingzhan broke the silence with a laugh. "I'd rather go shovel manure."
Deng Changjun shook his head helplessly. This was vicious, even worse than making them cook.
Azina looked at her hands, her expression serious. "Director, my Lulu would still like to wear normal clothes, not beggar's rags. She has her dignity."
Even Song Chunan silently raised his hand. "I can do the splits."
All four turned to Yan Ningke, as though he would be a traitor if he did not say something.
Yan Ningke said, "Actually... I really am not its owner."
"Tch!"
[LOL, every one of them is fighting for survival.]
[Honestly, I feel more despair for the dogs.]
[Beggar's rags, hahahaha. They're so self-aware.]
[Baby Nan Nan, do the splits, do the splits, do the splits!]
The splits were not an option. The director stood firm, tossed them the instructions, and headed back to the control room without a backward glance.
He left a roomful of miserable faces behind, everyone seemingly drained of all strength and out of options.
"I really want to know what's possessed the director. Whatever it is, please leave his body right this instant!"
However reluctant they were, they still had to work. The crew took the dogs out to play in the yard while the guests watched longingly.
Wasn't this a pet variety show? Why were they always the ones getting hurt?
If cooking had not frightened them, making clothes had them genuinely panicking.
Deng Changjun and the others held instructions in their left hands and bundles of fabric in their right, their heads aching at the sight.
While they were still wallowing in frustration, Yan Ningke had already quietly started cutting fabric.
Azina's head was spinning and her eyes were aching from reading. She stood up to take a breather, only to turn and see an unbelievable sight. "Xiao Yan, what are you doing?!"
The astonishment in her voice was unmistakable.
The others looked over too, their eyes full of disbelief.
Yan Ningke checked a measurement with a ruler. "Making clothes."
[Oh, so you know how to do this too?]
[Here's a joke: a young person these days knows how to make clothes. Haha, funny, right?]
[Stop laughing. Zhuanzhuan can't keep up with all the recycling.]
[Why can't I figure him out?]
Azina darted to his side. Her finger trembled as though she had Parkinson's as she pointed at his sewing and asked the question everyone wanted answered. "You know how to make clothes?"
Yan Ningke replied, "I know the basics. Nothing too complicated."
He had genuinely taken lessons in cooking, but sewing was something he had figured out back when he was in school.
The orphanage handed out clothes once every few years. Nobody cared when they wore out; the children had to mend and patch them themselves.
After the charitable visitors left, the orphanage teachers would collect the clothes they had brought, then sell them all off or give them to their own relatives.
By middle school, those of them who had not been adopted were left entirely to fend for themselves. After they turned fourteen, the orphanage would not let them return.
So Yan Ningke wore his school uniform year-round. The money he earned from part-time jobs had to cover tuition and study materials, leaving nowhere near enough for clothes.
He remembered buying his first set of new clothes when he was in college: a cheap tracksuit from a night-market stall that cost sixty yuan.
After taking it home, washing it, and hanging it out to dry, he had felt an unprecedented happiness the instant he put it on.
They watched him deftly ply his needle and thread, his expression focused and serene, seemingly unaffected by the chaos around him.
[Why am I seeing husband material?]
[Could be wife material too...]
[???]
[Presentable in company, capable in the kitchen. Is there anything he can't do?]
[One word: fan!]
Azina sighed in admiration. "That statement just keeps gaining weight."
Deng Changjun asked, "Which one?"
"Whoever he likes must be very lucky."
They had been allowed to use their phones during the lunch break, and naturally, they had wanted to learn a little about the unfamiliar face that was Yan Ningke.
And that statement was what had brought Yan Ningke the most attention.
It had not struck them quite so deeply at the time, but now they wholeheartedly agreed.
Xiao Jingzhan watched him without blinking and asked with a smile, "What do you think?"
Yan Ningke raised his eyes, little stars glittering in them. "Hmm, I'll ask when I get back."
[What??]
[What did I just hear? Is he allowed to say that?]
[Did none of you watch that video? He explicitly said he already liked someone!]
[Where, where? Someone give me a link!]
[Yan Ningke, you're so sincere.]
[There aren't many celebrities this honest these days.]
[I love this kind of thing. Love should be open and aboveboard, shown at any time!]
Everyone present froze for a moment. The production team's eyes lit up, and several cameras swung toward Yan Ningke at once.
A celebrity announcing a relationship always caused an online sensation, keeping discussion levels high.
Although Yan Ningke was a minor celebrity, the director certainly did not turn his nose up at a little traffic.
Any amount would do. He was not picky.
As a woman who loved gossip, Azina's gossip-loving soul blazed fiercely. She leaned closer in excitement. "Asking on behalf of the viewers: what's the person you like like?"
[Bestie, you're such a sweetheart!]
Yan Ningke paused his sewing and turned toward the camera, but his gaze was unfocused, as though he were looking through the lens at someone.
"He's good-looking and has a lovely voice. He looks aloof, but he's actually a real gentleman. More specifically, I suppose he's an elegant young nobleman, so handsome he makes your knees weak."
Yan Ningke tilted his head, his eyes brimming with delight. "Oh, and he has a very nice body too."
I haven't had a taste, but I have felt him through his clothes. Hehe.
In the study, Shao Ke's hand shook as he signed a contract, leaving a stray line across the paper.
A moment later, a soft chuckle sounded.
Little brat. Even filming a show can't make you behave!
The live comments exploded.
[You dreamed him up, didn't you?]
[Who wouldn't love someone like that? I'd be obsessed!]
[Wait! Did none of you notice he's talking about a man?!]
[What else is new? Who doesn't love handsome men... Wait, he's a man too?]
[What else is new? Isn't it obvious?]
[Oh my god! Coming out and boldly declaring his love!]
Deng Changjun and the others were stunned. Had he really just exposed himself that directly?
He did not seem to have a PR team, did he?
Yu Ping went numb, trembling as he popped several heart pills into his mouth.
After finishing his own, Yan Ningke began helping them one by one. With a few general pointers, they stumbled their way through and managed to complete the task.
The finished products simply looked even more rustic than beggar's rags.
Azina knew how to comfort herself. "My Lulu likes things simple and elegant like this. Anything too fancy would only detract from her beauty."
In reality, when she approached Lulu with the outfit to put it on her, the Maltese kept backing away in fright.
Go away! Don't come any closer!
Before you continue