Entertainment: Who exactly is trying to whitewash me?

Men are all like that.

If you make a small decision for him, he will feel that you understand him.

Lin Shishi knew this all too well.

The same thing happened during our subsequent chat.

She asked Gu Yan if he was usually busy with work, and he said he was okay.

This kind of response might be difficult for other girls to follow, but she's not an ordinary girl.

She was still able to keep the conversation going, talking about his company and his hobbies.

He said he liked horseback riding, and she said she liked it too.

In fact, she had never even been to a horse farm.

But it's okay, he'll take her there later.

There was a moment of silence, lasting about ten seconds.

He bent down to stir his coffee, while she sat quietly, turning her head to look at the sea.

She knew she looked good from this angle; at a 45-degree angle, the line from her chin to her collarbone was most defined.

Yu Guangli glanced at Gu Yan once, then looked down again.

Lin Shishi was certain that Gu Yan was spying on her.

And more than once.

Therefore, Lin Shishi was naturally quite confident.

She has done enough.

Everything that needed to be shown has been shown, and everything that needed to be foreshadowed has been foreshadowed.

She believed that if things continued to develop this way, she would definitely be able to win him over.

Lu Ang didn't think so.

Although he wasn't exactly a Casanova, he sensed from their current state that their date wasn't going to go very smoothly.

Previously, this young master Gu had always behaved very politely.

But for some reason, I feel tired today.

This is extremely rare.

What exactly happened to make Gu Yan feel so tired?

Lu Ang couldn't figure it out for the time being.

Then there's Zhou Lei.

From the moment Zhou Lei entered the room, the corners of his mouth and eyebrows were turned up.

His whole face looked like he had just won a battle and was enjoying the spoils of war.

They seem quite happy.

But

Su Wanqing came in after him.

Lu Ang noticed the expression on the older woman's face...

How should I put it? It was too peaceful.

It was so calm it was almost unnatural.

She went to the kitchen, poured herself a glass of water, and took a sip.

then

She took her water glass and walked to the other end of the living room, sitting down in the spot furthest from Zhou Lei.

The two people were separated by the entire living room.

Zhou Lei seemed to still be immersed in his own satisfaction.

They didn't notice anything amiss.

Lu Ang stood at the foot of the stairs and looked to his left.

Then I looked to the right.

Why does it seem like even dating is causing problems?

Is the feng shui for going on a date today really that bad?

Standing at the foot of the stairs, Lu Ang looked to the left and then to the right.

Why does it seem like every date I go on turns out badly? Is the feng shui of my date today really that bad?

But honestly, the expressions on these four people's faces were just as interesting as the monitors on the show's screen.

Especially Zhou Lei.

This guy was genuinely happy, but I don't know what he was happy about. Su Wanqing's face was so cold, and he didn't even notice.

This man lived to be forty-two; society has been far too lenient with him.

Well, just standing there isn't going to work.

Lu Ang clapped his hands.

With a snap.

Four pairs of eyes looked at him at the same time.

"Now that everyone's back, it's getting late..."

He deliberately dragged out the sound, watching Zhou Lei raise his eyebrows and Lin Shishi turn her chin, "Then I have something to announce."

Su Wanqing held her water glass, her gaze drifting over the rim. Gu Yan also looked up.

"I can cook today. But..."

He held up one finger.

"It costs money."

The living room was silent for a second.

Lin Shishi was the first to frown.

Zhou Lei reacted quickly as well.

"You charge for cooking? Doesn't the production team provide boxed lunches? Besides, is the food you make even edible?"

Lu Ang almost burst out laughing when he heard this.

This guy got so carried away on the date that he actually dared to question his cooking skills?

But before he could speak, Gu Yan had already spoken.

"I'll take it; let Mr. Lu cook it."

His tone was not loud, but very steady, just like when he spoke normally.

However, to Lu Ang, it sounded extremely familiar, like the aura of wealth.

I've booked it; just listen to how wonderful those three words are.

They didn't even ask him how much he would want, so basically, whatever amount he asked for, the other party would cover.

How incredibly wealthy and powerful!

Lu Ang turned to look at the other person.

"I've also covered the ingredients. Just write down what you need. I'll definitely give you all the top-quality ingredients."

He didn't even glance at Lin Shishi when he said that.

But Lu Ang noticed that Lin Shishi's expression changed.

Her lips twitched down a tiny bit, then bounced back up, as quickly as an eyelid twitch.

"Young Master Gu is very generous." Lu Ang gave him a thumbs up. "Since the benefactor has spoken, then the ingredients..."

He originally intended to ask for an exorbitant amount of money regarding the ingredients.

But then I thought about my own skill.

That magical culinary skill "only works on simple ingredients."

High-end ingredients are not suitable.

So... never mind, let Brother Gu save some money.

As I reached the kitchen door, Jiang Nian's voice came from behind.

"Brother Lu, let me help you wash the vegetables!"

Lu Ang turned around.

She emerged from the shadows at the bottom of the stairs, a smile on her face.

I don't know if she felt bad that it was always his food, or if she couldn't stand the strange atmosphere in the living room.

"Okay, come on."

Lu Ang nodded.

Anyway, she did wash the vegetables very carefully.

Stepping into the kitchen, traces of the afternoon's egg fried noodles remained on the stove. The pot was washed clean, but some chopped scallions remained on the cutting board, and the air was filled with a faint aroma of scallions mixed with dish soap.

Jiang Nian followed behind him and went to the sink on her own.

Just then, there was a commotion at the gate.

Lu Ang thought Lin Shishi had followed him in, but when he turned around, he realized she hadn't.

The production crew pushed a cart piled high with ingredients: two large boxes of eggs, several bunches of greens, tomatoes, mushrooms, and pork.

There was also a cardboard box following behind, and you could see various seasonings through the plastic bags.

The handcart wheel makes a slight rumbling sound as it rolls over the floor tiles.

Gu Yan's efficiency is too fast.

He had barely finished speaking when the ingredients arrived.

Moreover, Lu Ang originally thought there would be some kind of activity during tonight's cooking session.

But it doesn't look like it.

That shouldn't be the case...

This doesn't seem like the style of a dating reality show.

He felt a little strange, but didn't think much of it.

Lu Ang walked over and flipped through it.

Pick out the eggs, green vegetables, noodles, tomatoes, and mushrooms.

The rest—the boxed steaks, the frozen seafood platter, and the two bottles of imported olive oil—were all put back in the freezer.

Jiang Nian tilted her head and looked at him: "Brother Lu, aren't we going to use that beef? And the seafood too..."

"I can't do it."

"Don't you know how to cook?"

"I can only make simple things. I can't do anything fancy. After all, I'm poor..."

Jiang Nian paused for a moment, then nodded very seriously, as if the explanation was completely reasonable.

Just then, Lin Shishi's voice suddenly came from behind.

"Is that all you do?"

His tone was slightly sarcastic.

Lu Ang turned around and saw her standing alone at the kitchen doorway, holding her phone in one hand and resting her other hand on the door frame.

Lu Ang shrugged: "I don't know how to make anything fancy, but I can make delicious food with these basics. Don't worry, it'll be delicious. Otherwise, how could I be qualified to charge you?"

Lin Shishi narrowed her eyes, raised her chin slightly, and made a soft, hissing sound, as if squeezed out from between her teeth.

Just as she was about to say something more, Gu Yan, standing to her side and behind her, casually uttered a sentence.

"His instant noodles are better than my steak, so I'll leave the meals to Mr. Lu."

The smile that was about to bloom on Lin Shishi's lips froze in mid-air.

She turned her head and glanced at Gu Yan, but Gu Yan didn't look at her.

Lin Shishi turned her head back, glanced at Lu Ang, then at the vegetables and eggs on the cutting board, and made a small sound.

It sounded like a cold snort, or like someone who dared not snort loudly; it sounded very awkward.

Then left.

They've probably gone to tidy up again.

I might change my clothes when I come out later.

Lu Ang believes he has a fairly good understanding of this.

……

……

……

inside the room.

The monitor wall was covered with images, with all the camera signals spread out in dense, overlapping rows.

Liu Xin sat in front of the chair, the coffee beside him had long since gone cold, and a thin film of oil had formed on the rim of the cup.

Li Zhou leaned back in the chair next to him, twirling a ballpoint pen in his hand. It would fall off with each spin, the clicking sound particularly clear in the quiet control room.

"Play it again."

He laid out the videos of the two dates and pressed play.

First stop: Seaside cafe.

The color scheme is pleasing to the eye as soon as the image appears.

The sea was a grayish-blue color. The coffee shop's floor-to-ceiling windows were spotless, and sunlight streamed in from the side, illuminating Lin Shishi's profile.

She is definitely photogenic.

The camera doesn't lie.

Gu Yan had just picked up the menu and hadn't even had a chance to flip through it when Lin Shishi spoke up.

"Blue Mountain, no sugar."

She said those three words in a very natural tone, as if she were talking about something she had bought countless times.

Gu Yan looked at the menu for a while, then put it down.

"Then let's go with Blue Mountain."

Li Zhouneng tapped the screen with his pen: "That was a good move; I had inquired about it beforehand."

Liu Xin didn't speak, his eyes fixed on Gu Yan.

As he bent down to stir his coffee, his eyelashes fell beneath his eyes, and his face was unusually quiet.

Lin Shishi started asking him if he was busy, how his company was doing, and what he liked to do in his spare time. Every question was precisely timed to help him "get to know the other person".

Her voice was very gentle, with the last syllable rising slightly, just the right amount.

However, Gu Yan's answers became shorter and shorter.

"fine."

"good."

"Occasionally."

Later on, he simply stopped answering the phone and started stirring his coffee.

Lin Shishi continued talking, saying that she also likes horseback riding, that she learned it when she was a child, and that riding in a training ground is different from riding in the wild.

Gu Yan looked up and glanced at Lin Shishi.

Liu Xin paused this frame in front of the monitor.

He had seen that look before.

Last year, when I was doing an interview program, a screenwriter who cheated people out of their writing sat across from me. I could tell right away that what he said was fake.

Gu Yan looked at that person with the exact same expression as this one.

It's not about believing.

It's not a matter of doubt.

They've already made up their minds, and are just politely watching you continue your performance.

"Young Master Gu... has seen through her." Li Zhou stopped spinning his pen.

Liu Xin continued to play the footage.

As Lin Shishi turned her head to look at the sea, Gu Yan lowered his head.

His hand was still holding the handle of the coffee cup, and his index finger tapped the cup wall twice.

Liu Xin was quite familiar with this action; Gu Yan would do it whenever he felt bored.

Then came his bitter laugh.

The sound was very soft and picked up by the recording, but Lin Shishi didn't hear it. She was facing the sea view outside the window, showing her perfect profile at a 45-degree angle.

At that moment, Gu Yan made a conclusion about Lin Shishi. It wasn't anger or disappointment, but rather that he had seen things clearly.

Liu Xin leaned back, and the chair creaked.

Li Zhou sighed: "This girl... if she had only asked one less question about the Gu family's finances, things might be different today."

"Can she hold back?"

Liu Xin countered with a question.

Li Zhou didn't respond, and shifted his gaze to the second feed.

The second path leads to a Japanese-style garden.

The courtyard was as serene as an art film. Bamboo shadows swayed on the stone slabs, and the surface of the koi pond rippled gently.

Zhou Lei stands in the center of the frame with his hands behind his back.

"This courtyard is in the Edo period style. Look at this stone lantern; the way the lamp holder is carved is exactly the same as the ones in Kyoto."

Su Wanqing stood next to him, half a step away, and nodded.

Zhou Lei took two steps forward and pointed to the bamboo: "Phoenix tail bamboo, this variety is not common in China, and it requires a lot of care. Look at the arrangement of its leaves, each segment is symmetrical."

Su Wanqing nodded again.

The stopwatch in the monitoring room is ticking.

The two walked from the bamboo corridor to the tea room. Zhou Lei talked about bamboo, stones, types of wood, the origin of tea ceremony, the differences between Tang Dynasty tea culture and Japanese tea ceremony, and the water temperature for brewing tea.

Su Wanqing nodded from beginning to end.

What did she say?

Liu Xin tilted back slightly.

"Um."

"Yes."

That makes sense.

that's it.

During their forty-minute date, Su Wanqing said less than ten words.

The majority of them consist of one or two words.

The scene shifts to the interior of the tea room, where Zhou Lei is pouring tea. His movements as he turns the teapot spout are indeed quite standard. After finishing, he glances down at the teapot with a smile on his lips, clearly feeling quite dignified.

"I feel like she's about to lose it," Li Zhouneng said.

Liu Xin didn't say anything and continued placing the items.

The owner of the back courtyard came over and started chatting with Zhou Lei.

When the courtyard owner praised Zhou Lei for being "knowledgeable," Zhou Lei's face lit up.

His shoulders opened wider, his voice grew louder, and the wrinkles on his face almost disappeared with laughter.

Su Wanqing stood beside him, her gaze fixed on the stone slab at her feet.

She was looking at the moss growing in the cracks of the rocks.

It's not appreciation, it's not daydreaming, it's escapism.

She escaped onto the stone slab.

Perhaps because Zhou Lei's voice was not heard on the stone slab.

The scene freezes on the two leaving the courtyard. Zhou Lei strides away, a folding fan given to him by the courtyard owner tucked under his arm, his steps light and quick, as if he had won a battle.

Su Wanqing followed behind him, keeping a distance. Her pace was neither fast nor slow, and she didn't turn her head.

Forty minutes.

She endured it for a full forty minutes.

Liu Xin turned off the screen.

Li Zhouneng turned his neck and pressed his temples, as if trying to erase what he had just seen from his mind.

"Why does it feel like both of these couples... are doomed?"

He sighed helplessly.