CHAPTER 142: CHAPTER 126: JEALOUS XU QINGQIU_2

"Come on, have a bite to fill your stomach."

Xu Qingqiu held her chopsticks and picked up a piece of fish, bringing it to Chu Tian’s mouth.

Chu Tian’s stomach had already been growling. Unable to resist such temptation, he instinctively opened his mouth and took a bite.

"Hmm, not bad at all. Perfectly seasoned, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, cooked but not burnt. It’s just a pity it’s a bit cold, and there’s a slight fishy taste."

He continued to watch the fish roasting on the stove while savoring his own handiwork, quite satisfied overall.

"Chu Tian, you’re quite something! You had this skill and didn’t say? If I had known, we could have just roasted at home; that would have been much better."

Xu Qingqiu, while grumbling, picked up another piece for him.

On the other side, Yu Cheng and Lin Xiangqun were chatting when they suddenly caught sight of this scene and were dumbfounded.

Holy shit, what am I seeing?

Are these two really just assistants?

It wasn’t until then that Yu Cheng took a good look at Chu Tian. He was a tall guy, over 1.8 meters, with a sunny and handsome appearance. Although dressed casually, anyone with discerning eyes could tell he was a handsome fellow. Plus, his age was similar to Xu Qingqiu’s...

Could these two be a couple?

He felt his mind becoming a jumble.

At this time, two more people sneaked over from not far away.

"Aha! I knew it! Teacher Lin was being sneaky, and here I find you sneaking food!"

Before anyone could see her, Xu Wanrong’s voice carried over. She seemed to have discovered something tremendously exciting, shouting as she excitedly ran over to Lin Xiangqun, grabbing him as if she had caught an escapee.

Then, turning her head, she locked eyes with Yu Cheng. "Yu... Director Yu?"

Turning again, she saw Xu Qingqiu standing by the stove, holding a plate. "Diva... Diva Xu?"

Once she understood the situation, Xu Wanrong immediately grew angry.

"Well, this is just great! No wonder you were all sneaking around. So you planned a secret feast and didn’t even invite me?!"

"What’s the meaning of this, Director Yu? Why do they get special treatment and not me? Do you have any idea how my stomach was growling all night?"

Seeing that she was about to blow up, Yu Cheng and Lin Xiangqun hurried to explain. It took a good while to clarify everything.

When Xu Wanrong learned that the fish was caught and cooked by Xu Qingqiu’s assistant, and that everyone had just happened to bump into each other, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Once things were clear, Xu Wanrong immediately switched her target, instantly focusing all her energy on Chu Tian.

"Hey, handsome young man, did you catch all these? That’s really naughty of you! I could smell the delicious aroma all night and just couldn’t sleep. You have to compensate me."

Chu Tian stared wide-eyed at her, feeling like his tongue was tied in knots.

What the heck kind of outrageous things is she saying? What does she mean she couldn’t sleep? What does she mean I have to compensate her? What does she mean she smelled *my* scent? Wasn’t it the fish’s aroma?

Meanwhile, Xu Qingqiu seemed to have noticed something. Her heart seethed with irritation as she abruptly raised her head to look at Xu Wanrong’s flirtatious smile. When she looked at Chu Tian beside her, standing there in a daze, she grew so frustrated that she couldn’t help herself and sneakily moved a small hand toward his waist.

"HISS! What are you doing?"

"Huh? Nothing. Come on, eat the fish. Ahh~"

Watching Xu Qingqiu suddenly speak in such a tender voice, and seeing her eyes shimmer like rippling water, he couldn’t help but mutter to himself, She’s crazy.

But he obediently opened his mouth and ate the piece of fish anyway.

Xu Wanrong caught on. As if her expression had completely changed, she immediately dropped her previous demeanor and suddenly became serious.

"Sorry to trouble you, little brother. Could you prepare a portion for us too? We’re starving."

What could Chu Tian say? These were connections Xu Qingqiu would need in the future. Sharing this meal was a far more solid and genuine way to build relationships than just making friends on a show. Plus, he had already agreed to make one for Lin Xiangqun, so a few more didn’t matter. Since there was enough fish, he promptly nodded.

Xu Wanrong quickly smiled and thanked him. "Then thank you so much! We won’t disturb you. We’ll sit over there; it’s a perfect chance to chat a bit."

Once Xu Wanrong walked away, Xu Qingqiu scrunched up her nose and whispered resentfully, "Hmph. You were so reluctant when I asked you to grill fish for Teacher Lin, but as soon as *she* asks, you agree. Humph!"

Chu Tian gave her a speechless look, unable to fathom her thought process.

"Hmph, what’s that ’hmph’ for? Isn’t this all for you? If it weren’t for helping you make friends, I’d have washed my hands of this a long time ago."

Thinking about this made him deeply resentful.

"Tell me, why should I bother creating trouble for myself? What difference would it make if I just ate my fill, had enough to drink, and went back to sleep?"

Xu Qingqiu certainly didn’t think so. "Hmph. I don’t know who *you’re* talking about, but when someone else speaks just a little bit softer, you become all stupid, staring at them with googly eyes."

What does she mean? Why does her tone feel a bit off?

Chu Tian looked at her in confusion. "Who are you talking about? That woman just now? Pfft—gentle? That was clearly ’green tea’ behavior, okay? Do you think I’d be interested in someone like that?"

"Green tea? What do you mean?"

So Chu Tian enlightened her on the definition of "green tea" as understood in his past life. When she heard Chu Tian pinch his throat to imitate a high-pitched, coquettish "Brother~", she couldn’t hold it in any longer and laughed so hard she had no strength left, only able to stand steadily by leaning on Chu Tian’s arm.

The others, noticing the commotion, chose to turn their heads away and pretend they hadn’t seen anything. After all, there was so much chaos in this circle, and before anything was exposed, no one could be certain about the hidden depths of these murky waters. Everyone here was a seasoned pro; if there was one thing they excelled at, it was turning a blind eye—each better than the last. Even if two stars were to start fighting right in front of them, they could smile, pass by as if seeing nothing, and not cause the slightest ripple.

As for the matter with Xu Qingqiu and her assistant? That was nothing. It didn’t even count as news, okay?

Probably only Yiyi, standing there, felt awkward. She looked at Xu Qingqiu and Chu Tian chatting and laughing together, sweat popping on her forehead, her eyes scanning the surroundings, fearing a photo might suddenly appear and claim the next day’s headlines. But after looking around, she found no photographers, though several big-name stars and directors were present.

This made her even more anxious. A small square table that snugly seated four people somehow had five squeezed around it. Apart from herself, a low-profile assistant, the rest were either singers, actors, or directors. She really couldn’t sit there anymore; it felt like needles pricking her back, so she quickly stood up to find another spot.

Chu Tian had also sensed that something was amiss. Looking at Xu Qingqiu beside him, laughing uncontrollably without any regard for her image, he sighed helplessly and reminded her, "Okay, pay attention to the potential impact. Do you want to be on the headlines?"

"Oh, oh, I forgot! But it should be okay, right?"

Chu Tian secretly took out the camera detector he had brought and swept the area. After detecting nothing unusual, he said, "It should be fine. But from now on, there might be some rumors about you, though there definitely won’t be any photos."

"Phew, that’s a relief. As long as there are no photos, I’m fine. I’ve always had rumors about me; I’m used to it."

Chu Tian could only sigh at her nonchalance.

It wasn’t just her getting used to it; he was too. But he didn’t want to get used to it in this lifetime. It was just that there were no cameras around; otherwise, he’d definitely have to don a mask and sunglasses. He was truly weary of certain paparazzi.

"The fish is ready. This is one, and there are two more on the stove, coming right up."

"Alright, thanks, young man."

"No problem, as long as you all like it."

Chu Tian smiled and greeted everyone. That smile, however, proved to be quite impactful; after a close look, everyone at the table was stunned for a moment. Lin Xiangqun and Xu Wanrong both had knowing expressions. No wonder Xu Qingqiu was taken with him—he really is handsome.

Yu Cheng, however, felt a stir of interest and suddenly asked, "Young man, are you a singer or an actor?"

Chu Tian looked at him with puzzlement and replied offhandedly, "I’m neither. I’m just an assistant. I don’t wish to be a singer, nor an actor."

"Huh?" Yu Cheng didn’t react immediately. What did he mean by ’don’t wish to be one’?

He glanced at Xu Qingqiu, wondering. Is it for her sake? Or is there some agreement involved? Or something else?

He had initially thought that, considering Xu Qingqiu and the grilled fish, he might offer some resources. But seeing that the young man had no such interest, he didn’t pursue it further.

Chu Tian didn’t offer any explanation either; he was speaking the truth. As for what others thought, what did that have to do with him?