Volume One, Chapter 34: After Preparing Four Dishes, the Cutting Board Was Completely Dry

"Ah Ke! What the f***!"

Ji Taotao roared, his small body erupting with immense energy as he pounded the table with a series of loud bangs.

Li Hangge truly could not hold back her laughter this time, and Zhuo Yiyi hurriedly buried her head on the table, her shoulders shaking rhythmically as if she had been set to vibrate mode.

Lin Xiaolu stared blankly at the screen, as if seeing her precious little darling for the very first time.

Taotao... he plays video games in secret?

He actually knows how to curse?

Is this the same gentle and sensible son she usually knows?

[LOL, I’m laughing my head off.]

[Isn't this a pure slap in the face? Queen Lin, please stop bragging; every time you do, something goes wrong.]

[Is this the cute and sensible son Queen Lin was talking about? Her pretty face must be swollen like a pig’s head by now, right?]

[My name is Ah Ke, why is this brat cursing at me?]

Ji Taotao continued to curse:

"Ah Ke! What the f***, you old hag!"

"Damn it!"

Having been killed repeatedly in the game, Ji Taotao had completely forgotten about the livestream, focused only on venting his rage.

Lin Xiaolu could not utter a single word. She stood there with a flushed face, looking awkward and utterly at a loss.

Zhuo Yiyi glanced at Li Hangge, who had returned to her calm expression, and felt she had discovered a gap in their skill levels once again. She tried to imitate Li Hangge’s poise, but unexpectedly, Li Hangge suddenly changed her expression, putting on a look of hesitant pity.

"Um... host, perhaps we should go check on King Ji in the kitchen instead."

Zhuo Yiyi was stunned, her brain’s CPU emitting clouds of metaphorical smoke.

Ruthless! Truly ruthless!

It looked like she was considering Lin Xiaolu’s feelings, appearing as though she didn't want the viewers to see scenes that might negatively affect the child... but in reality, it was a highly sophisticated way to dismantle someone’s reputation!

One really does learn something new every day!

Lin Xiaolu even gave Li Hangge a look of gratitude.

When the screen switched back to the kitchen, the viewers noticed that more than half of the view was obscured by darkness. It turned out a cabinet door had been left open, blocking the view of Ji Ming cooking; one could only see his side profile as he worked.

Li Hangge narrowed her eyes, understanding everything in an instant. The viewers were frustrated by the obstructing cabinet door. They couldn't see clearly, and they couldn't exactly ask Lin Xiaolu to tell Ji Ming to close the cabinet.

***

Another ten minutes passed before the cabinet door was finally closed.

The image became clear. There were two pots on the stove emitting steam. In one, a fish head was covered in red and green chopped chili, the broth bubbling away. In the other was a glistening, braised pork belly that looked incredibly appetizing. Two finished dishes were also laid out on the counter: a vibrant stir-fry of broccoli, shrimp, and carrots, and an exquisite handmade meatball soup.

[Oh my god! Now I’m hungry.]

[As expected of King Ji! All you haters, stand at attention! Apologize!]

[Buying these three flatbreads today was worth it; they’ll go perfectly with this meal.]

[Look at Queen Lin, she’s smiling so beautifully. Her expression tells us what she’s thinking—I’ve finally redeemed myself!]

Li Hangge felt a slight sense of doubt, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

Lin Xiaolu smiled and said, "My husband is also very skilled in the kitchen. I eat these dishes at home often. Although they aren't as difficult as what Shen Qi makes, as long as the person cooking puts love into it, it’s the best meal!"

Applause erupted in the studio. Fang Qian and Li Lei also chimed in with praise.

That was until red-font comments representing Lin Yiming appeared on the screen. They were very conspicuous, stretching across the display.

[There’s a problem!]

[I was paying close attention when King Ji took out the ingredients, and there were no fish heads, shrimp, or pork at that time.]

[Even if there was pork, it would be absolutely impossible to turn it into meatballs in such a short time!]

Everyone had a string of question marks over their heads as they looked back at Lin Xiaolu.

Lin Xiaolu hurriedly said, "My husband often makes meatballs ahead of time and keeps them in the freezer... for emergencies!"

Lin Yiming’s red comments raised another question:

[These meatballs look very fresh; they couldn't have been made more than two hours ago!]

[Only half an hour has passed since King Ji started cooking. Not to mention the other dishes, the braised pork alone cannot be cooked in half an hour!]

[I’m not targeting Queen Lin or King Ji; I’m just raising questions from a professional standpoint.]

Lin Xiaolu was stunned; she didn't know the first thing about cooking.

Li Hangge suddenly looked shocked, stood up, and pointed at the giant screen.

"King Ji’s culinary skills must be incredible! Look, after cooking this entire meal, the cutting board is still dry!"

"And look at the seasonings placed next to the stove. Even if I don't know much, I know that cooking fish requires cooking wine, right? But that bottle of cooking wine hasn't even been opened!"

Zhuo Yiyi’s mouth formed a small 'O'.

"That’s right... how strange, isn't it?"

***

Some viewers felt they had been insulted, and they voiced their anger, feeling as if they were being played for fools.

[Are they trying to fool ghosts? I cook at home too; these four dishes would take at least over an hour to make from scratch!]

[It’s not embarrassing to not know how to cook. Nobody expected Ji Ming to have Shen Qi’s skills, so why resort to cheating and cutting corners?]

[Isn't it obvious? Isn't it just for the sake of public opinion? Just to maintain a public figure’s persona?]

[I noticed something off, too. There isn't even a spatula next to the two pots, nor in the sink.]

[And another thing: the kitchen trash can doesn't have a single bit of waste related to this meal—not even green onion scraps or broccoli stalks.]

Lin Xiaolu began to panic more and more.

Li Hangge "tsk-ed" again, and Lin Xiaolu shivered like a frightened bird. Because every time Li Hangge spoke, it seemed unintentional and casual, yet it was as turbulent as a surging wave.

Sure enough...

"The things that should be there aren't visible now..." Li Hangge said, smiling and pointing at the screen. "Perhaps they are all inside that cabinet that was left open earlier?"

Zhuo Yiyi froze, nearly unable to hold back a laugh.

Fang Qian and Li Lei stared blankly at Li Hangge, their hearts heavy with complex emotions.

It seemed that this program, designated as an S-tier variety show, wasn't so easy to gain clout from; it required a host with powerful, real-time crisis management skills. Now, no matter who Fang Qian and Li Lei helped, it would be wrong; if they just kept stalling, the viewers would have strong opinions. But they couldn't stick to the truth either, or they would offend Lin Xiaolu to death.

As soon as Li Hangge finished speaking, the comment section exploded.

[Holy cow! So what exactly was that cabinet door blocking?]

[Can’t you tell by now? Of course, it was blocking our view! Ji Ming definitely ordered takeout!]

[I find it hard to believe too, but the only explanation is the correct one.]

[Wait, there was a period of time when the camera wasn't in the kitchen, and the villa's kitchen is on the first floor—the window is perfectly placed to take deliveries!]

On the screen, Ji Ming was plating the food, and the kitchen window was clearly visible on the big screen.

Now, even more viewers were convinced.

Lin Xiaolu was truly panicking. "No, that’s not true! My husband would never do such a thing!"

Her defense sounded incredibly weak.

However, new questions suddenly appeared in the comments as more people caught on.

[Hey? I have a question: if he really didn't know about the livestream, why would Ji Ming do this?]

[This is terrifying when you think about it!]

[That's right, Ji Ming wouldn't be trying to fool Taotao, and there was no one else in the house.]

[So... does that mean Ji Ming knew about the livestream in advance?]