Chapter 39: The Persona Shattered

Emperor Bai Ren calmly took a bite of the fried rice, his face impassive. “It’s a bit overcooked,” he remarked.

Han Jiayi’s heart skipped a beat—she knew Bai Ren was about to start his critique.

As expected, Bai Ren turned to the camera and explained, “Normally, fried rice isn’t particularly hot, because constant stirring causes the heat to dissipate quickly. But in this fried rice, the internal temperature is obviously too high. What does that cause?”

He scooped up a spoonful from the outer layer. “The grains here are nicely separated.” Then he dug into the inner portion. “But inside, the rice is stuck together.”

Bai Ren turned to Han Jiayi. “This happens because you didn’t take the rice off the heat promptly when it was done. The residual heat from the pan steamed the inner portion, trapping the heat. I’m guessing you went to check on the pizza just as the rice was nearly ready? Trying to get both dishes out at the same time?”

“Um...” Han Jiayi’s brows quivered—she’d been caught out by this sharp-tongued critic.

“So everyone, remember—not to split your attention, especially when cooking,” Bai Ren said. “Even a Michelin chef can falter on details if they try to multitask.”

By now, Han Jiayi’s expression had grown stormy, but Bai Ren remained oblivious to the impending danger and continued, “But aside from that, this fried rice is excellent. Adding the egg when the oil is hot crisps the outside while keeping the inside tender. The aromas of all the ingredients infuse the rice, and the salty notes of the fried rice pair perfectly with the sweet and sour pineapple.”

...

“In summary, using these methods, you can effectively handle overly sour pineapples and avoid wasting them,” Bai Ren concluded, finally wrapping up the video. Han Jiayi couldn’t hold back any longer.

“Why did you have to scold me in the video just now?” Han Jiayi complained, her dissatisfaction clear. “Couldn’t you have spared me a little dignity?”

“I wasn’t scolding you. Just pointing out where you could improve,” Bai Ren replied with a slight frown.

“But this was my first time collaborating with you, and you did that on camera!” Han Jiayi stamped her foot in protest, her tone petulant. “Now everyone will think I’m incompetent! What’s the point of partnering if it makes me look bad?!”

“I praised you plenty too,” Bai Ren explained.

“I don’t care!” Han Jiayi glared at him and tried to snatch his camera. “I’m editing out the part where you roasted me!”

“Then you’ll be the only star of the show.” Bai Ren flicked her forehead gently with his finger. “This is a collaborative video. Both people need screen presence—otherwise, how am I supposed to set you up?”

Han Jiayi started at the flick, clutching her forehead, then pouted in grievance. “But last time you said it tasted great! And I used the same ingredients and method!”

“Nonsense... When the rice was almost ready last time, I saw you go check the pizza in the oven,” Bai Ren said, casting her a sidelong glance. “That’s when the fried rice got over-steamed.”

“Well, that’s because I was worried the rice would get cold if I took it off first, and you’d complain again!” Exposed, Han Jiayi’s face flushed bright red, and she stomped her foot. “Ugh! Can’t you just cut me some slack?”

“This is work,” Bai Ren replied in all seriousness. “I’ve said it before—I won’t nitpick about these things in daily life, but when it comes to work, shouldn’t we take our attitude a bit more seriously?”

Han Jiayi racked her brain for a retort, but her thoughts tangled into knots. After stammering for a while, she finally punched Bai Ren on the shoulder. “Anyway, you’re not allowed to roast me!”

“You’re being unreasonable...” Bai Ren frowned, then patted her on the head. “There, there. Don’t fuss. It’s just for show—nothing personal.”

Meanwhile, Wang Bei recorded everything nearby, her eyes crinkling with mirth. She muttered to herself, “Perfect, just like that... Jiayi being coy is adorable.”

While Bai Ren was editing the video, Wang Bei sneaked into his room.

“Old Bai, put this blooper reel I edited at the end,” Wang Bei said, handing him a flash drive.

“Are you sure?” Bai Ren frowned as he watched the footage. “That little diva will be mad, won’t she?”

“Trust me,” Wang Bei replied smugly. “It’ll boost Jiayi’s popularity—this is for her own good.”

Bai Ren thought it over and nodded in agreement.

After uploading the edited video, he checked his inbox and previous uploads.

At that moment, his last wine expo video was about to hit ten million views, securing the number one spot on the daily leaderboard. His follower count was skyrocketing, nearing 150,000—and he’d only been a content creator for less than a month.

Besides the wine expo video, every previous upload had over a million views, with several high-quality videos racking up several million hits. It was an impressive achievement, naturally attracting the attention of entertainment companies and studios. His inbox was full of messages from agents inviting him to sign contracts.

But Bai Ren had no intention of joining a studio or entertainment company. All they offered was exposure, and the App for Connoisseurs already provided him with plenty of that. Signing with them would just mean handing over 50% of his earnings, even though he did all the work. Who would accept that? He’d be better off starting his own studio.

Maybe this was something he could discuss with Han Jiayi, since she had experience in that area.

With that in mind, Bai Ren set off to talk to her. But as soon as he went downstairs, he saw Wang Bei and Han Jiayi huddled over a phone, deep in discussion. When they spotted him, Han Jiayi shot him a resentful glare.

“What’s this about?” Bai Ren asked, frowning.

Wang Bei beamed. “Old Bai, our video made the homepage again! Look!” She handed him her phone, showing the login page for the D Channel app. On the scrolling banner, Bai Ren’s latest collaboration video with Han Jiayi flashed by. While this homepage placement wasn’t as prominent as last time, it was still a featured spot, so their popularity was climbing rapidly.

“Isn’t that good news?” Bai Ren glanced at Han Jiayi in amusement. “Why does our little diva look so unhappy?”

He checked his own phone and couldn’t help but laugh.

Looking through the comments, it was clear that what viewers loved most wasn’t the tips on using pineapple, nor Bai Ren’s witty commentary, but the blooper reel at the end.

After editing the video, Wang Bei had tacked on a montage of bickering between Han Jiayi and Bai Ren, including Jiayi’s playful pouting after filming and their earlier exchange: “Act normal.” “I am normal.”

“So serious up front, but then she’s like a feisty kitten at the end—so cute. That’s what they call a charming contrast, right?” “Their chemistry is so sweet—I’m totally shipping these two!” “Omg, this is the best kind of couple content!”

Han Jiayi let out a low growl, then, fuming, stomped back to her room and slammed the door.

“You’re the one who asked me to add it,” Bai Ren said innocently.

“You’re the creator; what’s it got to do with me?” Wang Bei shrugged, passing the blame without a care.

Bai Ren glared at her.

Back in her room, Han Jiayi threw herself face-first onto the bed, clutching her pillow.

“So annoying!” she huffed, kicking her pretty legs and pounding the pillow. “All those years I spent building my public image—ruined! All because of that critic!”

Han Jiayi had always admired the gentle, intellectual image of the refined woman—an ideal of classic Eastern beauty. She’d worked on her own poise since her student days, determined to become just such a woman.

Since founding Yijia Pavilion, the public had always praised her as “elegant and composed,” “gentle and intellectual,” and “exceptionally talented.”

But with this sharp-tongued critic, her composure crumbled time and again. Now, in front of millions of viewers, she’d exposed her awkwardness and feistiness. Her carefully cultivated “gentle and intellectual” persona was in tatters.

“Ugh!” The thought made Han Jiayi both angry and aggrieved, and she could only flail on her bed in frustration.