Chapter 38: Husband and Wife Duo

Editing and uploading videos also takes time, so to make the most of the previous video’s popularity, Bai Renzong and Han Jiayi began preparations for their next collaborative video that afternoon, right after their midday celebration.

Before filming, Wang Bei set up the cameras at home, while Bai Renzong accompanied Han Jiayi to buy the ingredients they would need for the shoot. Han Jiayi seemed a bit dissatisfied.

“Your little mouth is practically pouting to the heavens,” Bai Renzong teased.

“Why didn’t you let me make a grand entrance for our first collaboration?” Han Jiayi couldn’t hold back, “Don’t you know how important a strong first impression is?”

“Making videos isn’t the same as making movies,” Bai Renzong replied. “A movie ends once you’ve performed, but videos are about long-term development. If you start by showing off your most dazzling skills, then no matter what you show later, everyone will just think, ‘That’s it?’ Cooking is inherently close to daily life, so sustainable development is best.”

“Well, well…” Han Jiayi thought about it and realized Bai Renzong made sense, reluctantly agreeing, “Alright.”

Once they arrived at the supermarket, the two strolled through the produce section. Han Jiayi was lively and enthusiastic, flitting about like a cheerful little yellow warbler, carefully selecting ingredients.

“Sigh, supermarket produce is never as fresh as at the market,” Han Jiayi lamented. “Someday, when you get up early enough, I’ll take you to the morning market—the quality there is much better, and you can even haggle…”

Bai Renzong was straightforward; he grabbed a pineapple and was ready to leave, but Han Jiayi quickly pulled him back.

“Wait a second!” Han Jiayi complained, clinging to his arm. “We’re already here; let’s walk around a bit! If you just buy a pineapple and leave, isn’t that a waste?”

“How is that a waste? Once you accomplish your goal, you leave,” Bai Renzong frowned.

“Oh, come on, let’s browse! Buy some snacks!” Han Jiayi insisted, wrapping her arm around his and confidently marching forward. The two looked like a young couple, making the single people around them envious.

Han Jiayi grabbed a shopping cart and handed it to Bai Renzong: “Follow my lead!”

With that, Han Jiayi charged ahead toward the snacks aisle: “Chips, popcorn, drinks... Next time we watch a horror movie, we can snack while we watch.” Her eyes lit up. “I found another highly rated horror film!”

“Still watching those?” Bai Renzong frowned. “Afterwards, you’ll make me sleep on the sofa again?”

“You just assume I’ll get scared!” Han Jiayi shot him a glare, stubbornly insisting, “Even if I am scared, I won’t ask you for help.”

“Good,” Bai Renzong rolled his eyes.

After buying their supplies and returning home, Wang Bei had finished setting up three cameras, ready to shoot from different angles for easier editing.

Bai Renzong and Han Jiayi stood by the stove; the spacious kitchen was perfect for filming.

“Are you ready?” Bai Renzong asked Han Jiayi. “All the ingredients are right here.”

Han Jiayi adjusted her hair one last time, tied her apron, and nodded.

“Three, two, one… Start,” Wang Bei prompted, then stood aside.

“Hello everyone, I’m Old Bai,” Bai Renzong greeted the camera. “Today, I’ve invited a special guest. I’m sure you all remember my review of the Michelin restaurant Yi Jia Xuan in Beichang City from a previous video? Today, I’ve invited the owner and former head chef, Han Jiayi. Ta-da!”

He turned to Han Jiayi.

Han Jiayi smiled gracefully and waved at the camera, “Hello, everyone.”

Bai Renzong frowned and shot her a look; Han Jiayi glared right back, “What?”

“Can’t you act normal?” Bai Renzong complained.

Han Jiayi gritted her teeth and smiled, “I am normal.”

“Are you really like this usually?” Bai Renzong challenged.

Han Jiayi widened her eyes, her tone slightly threatening, “I’m always like this…”

“Jiayi is always gentle with everyone, everybody loves her,” Wang Bei explained softly.

“So I’m the exception?” Bai Renzong exclaimed.

“Because you’re the only one who criticizes me…” Han Jiayi shot him another glare.

“Alright, alright…” Bai Renzong interrupted, frowning, “Let’s cut this section later, and continue.”

He resumed, clapping his hands, “Everyone, let’s give her a warm welcome.”

He paused, then turned to Han Jiayi with a smile, “So, I’m sure everyone is curious—why have I invited this lovely lady today? Of course, it’s not just for her to be our mascot. As a Michelin star chef, her culinary skills are beyond doubt. Today, I hope she can share some of her cooking tips with us.”

He turned to Han Jiayi.

“Certainly,” Han Jiayi nodded elegantly, then picked up the pineapple. “I’m sure everyone has bought a sour pineapple at some point. Because pineapples need to be transported long distances, they’re usually picked before they’re fully ripe, so getting a sour one is inevitable. When that happens, we can…”

“Hold on,” Bai Renzong interrupted, “No need for the background, just get straight to the point about the sour pineapple. Life moves fast; keep the video under twenty minutes.”

Han Jiayi pouted, unhappy, but started again.

Once they got into it, Bai Renzong realized that collaborating was far harder than he’d expected. Filming alone, everything was in his head, but with Han Jiayi, he couldn’t anticipate every detail.

They finally finished the introductions and moved on to cooking, which was Han Jiayi’s moment to shine.

“This girl is…” Bai Renzong sighed from the sidelines. “No matter how absent-minded she seems, when she cooks, she instantly radiates brilliance.”

“Right? That’s Jiayi’s greatest charm…” Wang Bei said proudly.

Han Jiayi explained to the camera as she cooked, “Then we add the grated pineapple to the salad dressing and mix it thoroughly. You can add a bit of pepper or chili to taste…”

Bai Renzong wondered if Han Jiayi realized how perfect she was as a content creator. Her acting and culinary skills combined made her shine in front of the camera, and with her attractive appearance, she was bound to become popular soon.

“There’s another method, the simplest and most effective—pineapple fried rice,” Han Jiayi continued as she cooked. “The principle is the same as adding salt to watermelon in Japanese manga; it’s a simple trick of the taste buds. When we add pineapple to savory fried rice, the salt makes it taste sweeter…”

Finally, the fried rice was done, and Han Jiayi clapped her hands. “Alright, the pizza is ready too. Now, let’s have Old Bai taste and review them!”

She confidently placed the pineapple fried rice and Hawaiian pizza in front of Bai Renzong.

Bai Renzong looked at the two dishes with a serious expression.

Han Jiayi realized that, even during her graduation exam at Le Cordon Bleu, she hadn’t been this nervous: Here comes the critique...

(Thanks to “I Love the Prefect” and book friend 20190104225746264 for the monthly ticket.)