Dating the Heartthrob Superstar-Chapter 53: Culinary Duel

Chapter 53: Culinary Showdown

Early the next morning, the warm sunlight streamed through the gaps in the bamboo forest, scattering mottled light across the ground. Dew still hung delicately on the tips of bamboo leaves, sparkling and crystal-clear, reflecting the rays of the sun.

The chirping of birds and the murmuring of the stream heralded the start of a new day, bright and fresh. In the villa’s courtyard, the waterwheel creaked rhythmically, flowers of unknown names bloomed, glistening with dew.

The villa door swung open and Lin Qin, dressed in athletic wear, stepped outside. Greeting the cameramen at the door, he jogged along the cobblestone path at a steady pace.

Meng Chao originally wanted to join Lin Qin for a morning run, but unfortunately, he’d been woken up in the middle of the night by a long phone call from Meng Ke. Heaven knows what Meng Ke needed, but Meng Chao ended up spending over two hours on the balcony talking to him, not climbing back into bed until around three or four in the morning. By the time Meng Chao stirred awake, Lin Qin had already pressed him back into bed, urging him to sleep more.

Lin Qin emerged from the bamboo forest and jogged down the winding mountain road. Along the way, he encountered several local farmers heading uphill to work, casually exchanging greetings with them as though they were old friends.

The farmers knew Lin Qin well by now. They greeted him warmly with honest smiles, and sometimes even brought him fresh produce from their own fields. Lin Qin and Meng Chao had established a good rapport with them.

After bidding farewell to the farmers, Lin Qin ran all the way to the town’s market to purchase groceries. Then, with a leisurely stride, he headed back to the villa halfway up the mountain.

By the time he returned, Meng Chao was already awake, sitting comfortably on the sofa with a book in hand. Hearing movement, Meng Chao looked towards the door and found Lin Qin cheerfully walking in. Lin Qin handed the breakfast he had brought back to Meng Chao. "Hurry up and eat. I didn’t buy anything else." After speaking, he cheekily scrunched his face, a playful expression that said he didn’t feel like bringing breakfast for the others.

Lin Qin was exceptionally kind-hearted and gentle. Over the course of the program’s filming, he had never once lost his temper. Even when misunderstood or accused of being aloof, he silently worked to change others’ perceptions without ever speaking ill of anyone.

But this time, he didn’t even want to bring breakfast for Fang Minghui and Yi Ran—it was evident that he was genuinely upset. Otherwise, he wouldn’t act this way. At the start of recording, Lin Qin consistently bought breakfast for the whole crew every single day. It wasn’t until the director spoke to him about the matter that he stopped.

So clearly Fang Minghui and Yi Ran’s behavior towards Lin Qin had been excessive.

Lin Qin curled up beside Meng Chao on the sofa, leaning his head in his hand with his cheeks puffed out, looking small and endearing—like someone asking for comfort.

Meng Chao immediately understood what Lin Qin was implying. After finishing breakfast, he pulled Lin Qin into his arms, planting kisses on Lin Qin’s hairline, his forehead, and finally his lips.

"Qinqin, if you don’t like them, I’ll talk to the crew and have them leave," Meng Chao coaxed.

Lin Qin immediately shook his head. "No need. Today’s recording is the last session anyway."

Meng Chao hugged Lin Qin tighter, dotting kisses and touches on him. "My poor Qinqin."

Lin Qin wasn’t actually that upset; it was just that his emotions surfaced easily when he was around Meng Chao. Being comforted like this, any bad feelings disappeared instantly. He suddenly remembered the sweat he’d worked up during his jog and hurriedly pushed Meng Chao away. "Let me go take a shower first."

Meng Chao ruffled Lin Qin’s fluffy hair. "Go ahead."

Lin Qin padded upstairs, his slippers making soft tapping sounds, while Meng Chao watched his retreating figure with a doting smile.

The cameraman, who had been subjected to copious amounts of PDA first thing in the morning, quietly stepped back a few paces.

...

Fang Minghui and Yi Ran didn’t bother rising until the sun was high, completely ignoring the fact they were guests in someone else’s home—not to mention the fact they were filming a show.

As soon as Yi Ran descended the stairs, he acted like a king, ordering Lin Qin to cook for him. Lin Qin pretended not to hear and went about his own business.

With Fang Minghui backing him up, Yi Ran was unaffected. Lin Qin’s obvious indifference didn’t seem to deter him; instead, Yi Ran kept provoking Lin Qin, commanding him like an arrogant boss. He treated Lin Qin not as a colleague, but as if he were a servant.

Fang Minghui reclined on the sofa, watching the situation unfold with an amused expression, as though he were enjoying the show and waiting to see how much Lin Qin could tolerate.

Lin Qin’s patience exceeded Fang Minghui’s expectations. No matter how much nuisance Fang Minghui caused, Lin Qin simply focused on his own tasks, not even sparing Yi Ran a glance.

Meng Chao was tempted to intervene and swat the human fly Yi Ran away from Lin Qin, but Lin Qin stopped him with a firm shake of his head, giving Meng Chao a resolute look that said, "I can handle this on my own."

Meng Chao felt a bittersweet mix of heartache and admiration.

Perhaps the production team finally had enough. They set up two makeshift stoves in the courtyard and announced a new task: Lin Qin and Yi Ran were to compete in a cooking challenge, with their dishes serving as lunch for the group.

The grouping was straightforward—the show was centered around romantic relationships, with Lin Qin and Meng Chao’s on-screen chemistry being heavily promoted. Naturally, Lin Qin and Meng Chao were paired together, while the scandal-ridden duo of Fang Minghui and Yi Ran formed the other team.

"I refuse." Fang Minghui’s tone was firm. "I want to be on Lin Qin’s team."

Meng Chao didn’t even spare Fang Minghui a glance, heading off with Lin Qin to select ingredients.

The production team didn’t accommodate Fang Minghui’s demands either, flatly denying his request outright. The agenda was clear—they were here to build up Lin Qin and Meng Chao’s dynamic. Cooking, with its inherent potential for sparking chemistry, had become a central theme. Not even Fang Minghui’s role as a sponsor could sway the team’s stance. freēwēbηovel.c૦m

Yi Ran tugged on Fang Minghui’s sleeve, whispering, "I don’t know how to cook."

Who even cooks these days? If you’re hungry, you can just order takeout—why bother with pots and pans?

Yi Ran was clueless, and the pampered Fang Minghui was just as helpless. The two stared blankly at the ingredients, unable to figure out where to even begin, while enticing aromas wafted from Lin Qin and Meng Chao’s stove.

Peeking over, Fang Minghui spotted Lin Qin’s bubbling pot of spicy fish stew. The chili oil glimmered tantalizingly, releasing a mouthwatering, rich aroma that drifted enticingly on the breeze.

Fang Minghui and Yi Ran, who had skipped breakfast after waking late, were famished. Their energy depleted from last night’s activities, and the irresistible fragrance of the fish stew set their stomachs growling audibly, their minds consumed by nothing but hunger.

Predictably, the cooking competition ended with Fang Minghui and Yi Ran suffering a decisive defeat. By the time Lin Qin and Meng Chao had finished their meal preparations, Fang Minghui and Yi Ran hadn’t even lit their stove.

Normally, Lin Qin and Meng Chao would invite Fang Minghui and Yi Ran to share their meal. But not this time.

Fang Minghui and Yi Ran could only watch as Lin Qin carried the enormous pot of steaming fish stew over to the production team, without sparing them even a second glance.

Meanwhile, Lin Qin and Meng Chao dug into their own food, acting as though Fang Minghui and Yi Ran didn’t even exist.

Of course, neither Fang Minghui nor Yi Ran had the pride to beg for food. In the end, Fang Minghui had no choice but to borrow a car from the production team and drive Yi Ran into town to find something to eat.

Watching their retreating figures, Lin Qin cracked a mischievous grin.

Who said I had to share my food with you? You’ll get nothing from me!