I'm a web novelist, and you want me to work in the entertainment industry?

As noon approached, the sunlight grew increasingly dazzling, and the stone pavement became slightly hot from the heat.

I'm hungry.

As soon as she stepped out of the bookstore, Xia Ziyi clutched her stomach and cried out that she was hungry, looking as if she hadn't eaten for three days.

"Any good places to eat nearby?" she asked, turning her head.

"There's a dumpling restaurant that's famous for its mackerel dumplings," Tian Xiwei thought for a moment. "And there's also a Korean restaurant that's pretty authentic."

What kind of fish is the "Overlord Fish"? Is it a domineering fish?

[So it's the "ba" in "badao" (霸道, domineering)? I thought it was the "ba" in "badao" (爸到, fatherly).]

[You two upstairs, that's enough! Mackerel, also known as Spanish mackerel, is a type of sea fish with thick flesh, few bones, and a delicious flavor, suitable for making dumplings or braising.]

I understand Korean restaurants, but why specifically emphasize that it's "quite authentic"?

[Fun fact: Geographically, Mihai is very close to neighboring South Korea, so you can enjoy authentic Korean cuisine there.]

Upon hearing this, Xia Ziyi was immediately caught in a huge dilemma.

She didn't know what a "ba" fish was, but precisely because she didn't know, she should try it now that she had the chance to eat it.

She knew what Korean food was; bibimbap, fried chicken, and stir-fried rice cakes were all delicious. Because she knew they were delicious, she wanted to try them too.

It's so hard to choose...

Fortunately, Cheng Che spoke up just as Xia Ziyi's CPU was about to boil over.

"How about we get some mackerel dumplings to go and take them to a Korean restaurant?"

Hearing Cheng Che's words, Xia Ziyi suddenly understood.

Oh right, they can even pack it up! Cheng Che is so clever!

She never imagined it could be like this!

"Then it's settled!"

Later, at Xu Anan's special suggestion, the four of them split into two groups.

Xia Ziyi and Xu Anan went to a Korean restaurant to reserve seats and order food.

Cheng Che and Tian Xiwei went to a dumpling restaurant to get mackerel dumplings to go, and on the way, they also picked up a cup of milk tea for Xia Ziyi.

……

After parting ways with Xia Ziyi and Xu Anan, Cheng Che felt a gaze constantly fixed on him—

Tian Xiwei followed half a step behind him, her steps very light, her canvas shoes making almost no sound on the stone pavement.

She didn't speak, but just looked at Cheng Che's back with an indescribable expression—the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned, and her eyes held a smile of great interest.

It's like a cunning cat eyeing a mouse that's cornered and has nowhere to escape.

She didn't rush to pounce or show her claws; she was simply enjoying the "cat and mouse" game.

As Cheng Che walked this path, he felt like he was dying.

What are you trying to do by just staring at me without saying anything?

Everything is negotiable!

Sister Xiaotian, you're really scaring me!

A few minutes later, the two finally arrived at the dumpling restaurant.

Cheng Che deliberately opened the door first and stepped aside to let Tian Xiwei go in first.

Tian Xiwei didn't refuse, but as she passed by him, she looked up at him and gave him a sweet smile.

"..."

Cheng Che thought he might as well just kill himself.

Can you imagine?

A sweet girl like Tian Xiwei, with her looks, smiles sweetly at you on a sunny summer afternoon. Even the most vibrant summer flowers pale in comparison to that smile.

But you feel no excitement or warmth; instead, you feel a chill down your spine.

What is more despairing than death is being forced to passively wait for it.

What's wrong with Xiaotian and Cheng Che? Why are they suddenly acting a little strange?

Her smile is so beautiful, like a spring flower.

[They're not laughing at you guys in the comments, they're laughing at Che-ge. You guys are practically drooling watching this.]

[You've crossed the line; we're not even considered netizens!]

The woman at the dumpling shop counter had a loud voice. As soon as a customer entered, she asked, "What would you like to buy?"

"One order of mackerel dumplings, to go," Tian Xiwei said.

Upon hearing this, the receptionist turned and shouted to the kitchen, "One order of mackerel, to go."

After saying that, she looked at the two of them again and lowered her voice: "Wait a moment, about ten minutes. You can find a place to sit first."

The two then sat down in the seats closest to the front desk.

During the wait, Cheng Che felt extremely uneasy, as if he had a fishbone stuck in his throat, a thorn in his back, or was sitting on pins and needles.

Because Tian Xiwei just kept silent, and then occasionally looked at him and smiled, like a cat playing with a mouse—whenever the mouse thought it wouldn't be eaten, the cat would lick its paw to scare it.

It was nothing but torture, nothing but even greater torture.

At this point, some viewers in the live chat began to notice something amiss:

[Wow, this scene is so weird, what's going on?]

[Has Oda discovered something? She's been like this ever since we left the bookstore.]

Do you think it's possible that Xiaotian discovered Cheng Che's pen name? Remember what the bookstore clerk said? That Zero might not even be thirty years old yet?

[Wow, this is terrifying to think about...?]

A dozen minutes later, the dumplings were packed up.

Tian Xiwei stood up, smiled and accepted the dumplings, then left the dumpling shop as lightly as the wind.

Cheng Che didn't dare to say a word and could only follow closely behind.

There's a milk tea shop not far from the dumpling restaurant; it's not a very big storefront.

The signboard reads "Handmade Lemon Tea", "Mango Coconut Milk Tea", and "Mango Pomelo Sago".

The moment Cheng Che saw the words "Mango Pomelo Sago," his heart skipped a beat.

As expected, Tian Xiwei suddenly stopped, turned around, put her hands behind her back, and looked at Cheng Che with an innocent expression:

"Cheng Che, would you like some mango pomelo sago?" Her voice suddenly became unusually soft, as if she was deliberately speaking in a high-pitched voice. "If it's their signature dish, it should be really delicious. I can treat you to some."

"This isn't appropriate. You just gave me some aromatherapy this morning, how can I let you spend more money?" Cheng Che said dryly.

"It's okay." Tian Xiwei smiled sweetly again, "If you don't want mango pomelo sago, you can have this mango coconut milk tea."

A smile that looked more like a grimace appeared on Cheng Che's face.

It's out! The alias has finally been exposed.

As this scene appeared on the screen, the comments section finally exploded:

Mango pomelo sago, mango coconut milk tea... the answer is obvious.

[I just checked, and the time Zero stopped updating was exactly the day the comic book company announced they were looking for amateur guests. Also, on the day "Wings of Mourning" was updated, Cheng Che was still writing.]

On the first day of the show, he said he wrote sweet romance novels... Cheng Che's heart is not so pure.

[I'm Chovy! Cheng Che, how dare you play me?! Zero, how dare you play me (enraged)!?]

[However, what's with Oda's double-consonant pronunciation? It's making my bones melt!]

If Cheng Che is indeed the bottom, why does he refuse to admit it?

[Ha! He just killed off Xia Mi a week ago and announced he was taking a break from updating. Does he dare admit it?]

【Zero, I #%#*&**%& Give me back Xia Mi!!!】