Chapter 49: Admiration

Bai Renzong actually didn’t mind whether he was being used or not; after all, helping Han Jiayi was helping himself. The better Han Jiayi’s culinary skills, the higher the standard of his videos, and his profits would rise accordingly. Besides, wasn’t the “Tongue of the Gods” meant for this purpose? Since he didn’t cook himself, all he could do was help others improve their dishes.

It was worth mentioning that after his failed matchmaking with Yu Ruili, his achievement for “Attribute Glasses” on the Connoisseur App had changed to 17/50.

Of course, Bai Renzong didn’t pay much attention to this achievement, nor did he intend to complete it. He wasn’t particularly reliant on the feature, and most importantly…

Could he really go on fifty matchmaking dates and still not find a suitable girl? What a joke!

However, recently he’d released too many food videos, which threatened to dissipate the popularity he’d accumulated from his gaming and film reviews. So, before the next business collaboration, Bai Renzong decided to produce a film critique for “Shazam!”

“I’m ready on my end, we can start anytime,” Wang Bei announced, setting up two cameras opposite them and flashing an “OK” gesture.

Bai Renzong turned to look at Han Jiayi, who was checking her appearance in the dressing mirror one last time. She nodded. Bai Renzong began his introduction: “Hello everyone, I’m Old Bai. Today, I’ll be reviewing a film that premiered a few months ago: ‘Shazam!’”

He then turned to Han Jiayi. “Today, we’ve once again invited Han Jiayi, owner of Yijia Pavilion. Some might wonder why a chef is here for a film review. Well, this lovely lady actually has some experience in entertainment, having appeared on several variety shows. So she’s got a fair understanding of film and television.”

Just as before, Bai Renzong first asked Han Jiayi for her thoughts on the movie.

“The protagonist has a great physique, and I think his acting is quite good. ‘Shazam’ is a superhero created from a child who suddenly gets an adult’s body, but his mind remains that of a child. I feel he portrayed that childishness very well,” Han Jiayi replied with an elegant, dignified smile. “Pff—”

Han Jiayi almost said “Bai the Roaster,” but quickly corrected herself: “Old Bai, do you like this film?”

“I think this film… Let me give you an example,” Bai Renzong mused. “On Valentine’s Day, your boyfriend dresses up in a sharp suit, tidies himself up, prepares a candlelit dinner for you, and opens an expensive bottle of champagne to celebrate together.”

“After dinner, you both shower and begin your passionate evening. As your boyfriend teases you, you slowly get into the mood. Just as you close your eyes, ready to enjoy the romance, your boyfriend collapses next to you, panting, and says, ‘Good night, darling…’”

Bai Renzong shrugged. “At that moment, all I want to say is: That’s it?”

“Pfft…” Han Jiayi couldn’t help but stifle a laugh beside him, but she quickly cleared her throat to regain composure.

“This film spends a great deal of time early on explaining how the protagonist gains his powers and develops various abilities, which was well done and allowed the audience to immerse themselves. But when it came to the final boss battle, those superpowers weren’t put to good use, leaving the ending feeling rushed,” Bai Renzong complained, frowning.

“Yes, it definitely felt that way,” Han Jiayi agreed, smoothing her hair.

“And another thing: when the protagonist’s siblings all transform together…” Bai Renzong shook his head and sighed. “It gave me goosebumps! The story is ‘kids become superheroes,’ but the acting made me feel like ‘a two-hundred-pound fat guy suddenly turns into a muscleman’—no trace of childish innocence or delight, just awkwardness in every gesture…”

Han Jiayi pressed her lips tight, clearly trying not to laugh, but two adorable dimples popped onto her cheeks. Her effort to stifle laughter was genuinely endearing.

The recording continued, with Bai Renzong leading and Han Jiayi playing along.

Although she usually thought of Bai Renzong as just a critic, actually collaborating with him made Han Jiayi realize it wasn’t so simple. He managed to pinpoint the film’s flaws with sharp, humorous comments, paid close attention to engaging the audience, and frequently dropped jokes and innuendo to tease the live chat. Suddenly, Han Jiayi was quite impressed: this guy is actually pretty talented…

After all, Bai Renzong had been active on D-Station for years and had watched countless excellent creators; he was well-versed in these little tricks.

When filming ended, Bai Renzong let out a long breath.

“You really are something!” Han Jiayi nudged him, laughing. “You tore that movie to shreds!”

“I think my critique was fair,” Bai Renzong replied, clearing the table. “I said it excelled in immersion, but without an exciting boss battle, all that buildup was wasted. If I were directing, I’d extend the boss fight by fifteen minutes, focusing on the action sequences.”

“That’s exactly how it feels…” Han Jiayi pondered, propping her chin thoughtfully.

“In fact, the box office numbers say it all. Its ratings at home and abroad are quite low,” Bai Renzong concluded. “Alright, let’s take a break, everyone’s worked hard.”

After filming, Bai Renzong returned to his room to edit the video.

Once he’d sent the edited video to He Guang, he began discussing the business collaboration plans with Han Jiayi and Wang Bei.

“Lanwa House is right in Beichang City, so we won’t need to travel far,” Wang Bei explained, handing over the contract. “Old Bai, take a look. If everything’s fine, you can sign and we’ll start preparations.”

“Anything in the contract I should know about?” Bai Renzong asked, curious.

“Yes,” Wang Bei replied, flipping to page seven. “Although they say you can speak honestly, you can’t infringe on their right to reputation. In short, you can point out flaws in their cuisine, but you can’t insult them.”

After a brief review of the contract, Bai Renzong was ready to sign.

“Are you sure?” Han Jiayi suddenly grabbed his wrist.

“Why ask?” Bai Renzong looked at her, puzzled.

Han Jiayi hesitated: Lanwa House was a two-star Michelin restaurant, far more renowned than her own Yijia Pavilion, and worlds apart from the likes of Wang’s Pancakes. With two Michelin stars, it meant many world-famous gourmets paid attention to the place. If Bai Renzong’s review wasn’t up to par, those food critics might nitpick, and the reputation he’d worked so hard to build could evaporate in an instant.

So this business collaboration gave her a bad feeling: she was sure things wouldn’t be so simple.

“Don’t worry, you’re so skilled. Didn’t I do a great job reviewing your place?” Bai Renzong reassured her.

“Now you know how to compliment me…” Han Jiayi muttered, both happy and aggrieved.

“Once today’s video is uploaded, tomorrow we’ll go shoot this business collaboration,” Bai Renzong declared with renewed determination.