Chapter 58: Lightning Reaction

At that moment, while Bai Renzong was still racking up achievements, he suddenly heard Wang Bei exclaim outside—it was clear she, too, had tasted the dessert that was as light as a cloud.

He decided that once Han Jiayi officially added this dessert to the menu, he would write a text review and submit it to Grape Violet. On one hand, it would help him complete his task; on the other, it would also serve as promotion for Han Jiayi.

Desserts have always been popular among women, and something this novel, with its cute appearance and delightful taste, was bound to cause a stir in the community once word got out. There would certainly be those who would come to Yijia Pavilion just for this one dessert.

All it needed was exposure…

Bai Renzong pondered for a moment. In addition to a written article, it would be best to create a video focused solely on this dessert. That way, he and Han Jiayi could “benefit from each other’s popularity.” He would first use his own following to boost recognition for Han Jiayi’s dessert; once the dessert became a hit, the buzz would naturally reflect back on him. This would create a virtuous cycle.

With this in mind, Bai Renzong focused on completing his achievement, intending to finish the “Lightning Reflexes” task as soon as possible.

After the final defensive counter was done, Bai Renzong let out a long sigh of relief.

He opened the Connoisseur app to check—indeed, the “Lightning Reflexes” achievement was marked as complete. As for when the reward would be issued… he wasn’t quite sure. Typically, after some time, he would suddenly discover he had a new special ability.

After maintaining such high concentration for so long, his eyes felt dry and gritty, and his head was a bit muddled. So he went downstairs to see what Han Jiayi and Wang Bei were up to.

“Hey, Old Bai, you’re here?” Wang Bei greeted him with a grin. “I heard you’ve been tamed by Sis.”

“Oh, don’t put it like that,” Han Jiayi scolded, frowning. “I didn’t develop this dessert just to beat him.”

Bai Renzong pursed his lips and replied glumly, “If only I could keep that state all the time…”

“Old Bai, your last business collaboration video has already broken a million views.” Wang Bei suddenly switched to a serious tone. “So their payment has come through, just letting you know.”

“Already hit a million?” Han Jiayi asked with interest.

“Yep, Old Bai’s got a strong base following,” Wang Bei nodded. “Plus, Lanwa House is really popular, maybe even as popular as Old Bai. Yang Hua’s dishes are visually stunning, so the video is very appealing.”

“The key advantage is that food vloggers have a unique edge,” Bai Renzong added. “For many creators, as soon as there’s a business collaboration, viewers tune out, especially if the ad placement is too forced—the view count drops sharply. But food vloggers don’t have that problem. Business content is just like the usual restaurant visits.”

“And this vlogger doesn’t suck up to anyone in the video—actually gives them a hard time. Who would even realize it’s a business partnership…” Wang Bei muttered quietly.

After a pause, Wang Bei continued, “Old Bai, Lanwa House has sent a message. They want to continue the collaboration, ideally something long-term.”

“That effeminate guy,” Han Jiayi grumbled under her breath, displeased. “Next time I’ll beat him on my own…”

“What do they mean by long-term partnership?” Bai Renzong asked, just to be safe.

“Just occasionally try out their new dishes, and they’ll offer you some perks,” Wang Bei explained. “Like letting you run a giveaway—invite five lucky viewers for a free meal to experience Lanwa House’s cuisine.”

Bai Renzong realized they were worried he’d focus all his efforts on advising Han Jiayi, which might eventually allow her to surpass them, so they wanted him to double as their tool as well.

Of course, Yang Hua would also become his resource. Mutually leveraging Lanwa House had its benefits; it provided steady content, just like Han Jiayi did.

For a content creator, nothing is more important than material.

Bai Renzong considered and nodded. “That works. I get a business partnership and can offer perks to my fans—no reason to refuse.”

He’d always struggled with how to give back to his fans. As a new creator, he didn’t have much money to buy anything expensive…

But here was his opportunity.

“Are you sure? He clearly wants your help improving his recipes,” Han Jiayi said sourly.

“There’s no reason to be afraid—you’re on equal footing with him, aren’t you?” Bai Renzong countered.

“Well, that’s true…” Han Jiayi muttered, fiddling with her fingers. “I’m not afraid of him. Let him come.”

At that moment, Wang Bei closed her laptop. “Alright, I should go home for dinner with my parents. No need to play third wheel here.”

“What third wheel? You little rascal…” Han Jiayi pinched her ear in mock annoyance.

“Nah-nah-nah,” Wang Bei stuck out her tongue, dodged away, and waved her laptop at them as she left.

Once Wang Bei was gone, Han Jiayi glanced at Bai Renzong, who looked back at her. The atmosphere turned suddenly awkward—clearly, the two of them had lived in this apartment from the start, so why the discomfort now?

“Well, I’ll go start prepping for dinner,” Han Jiayi said, gesturing behind her.

“Alright,” Bai Renzong nodded, heading to the bathroom to splash his face and clear his head.

When he came out, a gentle singing drifted from the kitchen. Curious, he tiptoed to the doorway to peek inside. Han Jiayi was bustling around the stove, light and agile as a swallow.

“There’s a girl, she’s a little willful, she’s a little bold…” Han Jiayi sang as she tipped the chopped onions into the pan, then moved on to the next line, “There’s a girl, a little rebellious, a little wild… hey!”

With each line, she busied herself, her movements rhythmic: “Oh—which girl is it? I am that girl.”

Without realizing it, Bai Renzong found himself standing at the kitchen door, watching. Han Jiayi was so focused on her work she didn’t notice him. She cooked as she sang, brimming with youthful energy—utterly adorable and just a little silly.

Bai Renzong noticed that in this state, she seemed even more engrossed, cooking with fluid, seamless movements, handling multiple tasks at once with perfect order. Her skill as a chef was on full display; she could easily oversee the entire kitchen by herself.

“Are you like this in the restaurant too?” Bai Renzong couldn’t help but ask with a smile.

But his sudden words startled Han Jiayi into a shriek. Her hand jerked, knocking a stack of bowls filled with various seasonings off the stove.

“Careful!” Bai Renzong reached out quickly, and in that moment, something unbelievable happened: everything before his eyes seemed to slow down. He could clearly see the bowls of scallions, ginger, and garlic tumbling toward the floor.

He reached out to grab them, though his own movements felt slow as well.

Yet, he still managed to catch two bowls, one in each hand, and support a third with his palm—all before they hit the ground.

Han Jiayi, flustered, hadn’t even noticed his astonishing feat. Covering her mouth, she exclaimed, half-embarrassed and half-angry, “When did you start standing there?!”

“From the first line you sang…” Bai Renzong wiped his brow and set the bowls on the table. Quite a bit of their contents had spilled, but he realized that must have been his “Lightning Reflexes” at work.