Chapter 60: The Weeds Growing on the Gamers’ Graves

"You're done eating?" Bai Renzong watched Han Jiayi pack up the dishes, curiosity in his eyes.

"Mm, you can finish the rest," Han Jiayi nodded.

Without hesitation, Bai Renzong scooped all the remaining food into his bowl and began to eat, while Han Jiayi looked on with satisfaction.

Hmph, finally I’ve managed to tame that mouth of yours... Han Jiayi propped her chin in her hand, smiling to herself.

After dinner, Bai Renzong prepared to wash the dishes, but Han Jiayi followed him.

"I’ll help you. It’s faster with two," she said, rolling up her sleeves—though she was wearing short sleeves today.

And so, the two stood side by side at the sink, Bai Renzong washing the first round, and Han Jiayi rinsing the dishes clean. They were so close that their arms occasionally brushed, and Bai Renzong could feel her warmth seeping through his skin, sending tingles up his spine.

He caught a faint whiff of osmanthus drifting from Han Jiayi, and though he kept his expression calm, he discreetly inhaled deeply.

Refreshing and delicate.

"You..." Bai Renzong hesitated. Han Jiayi looked up at him, her beautiful eyes almost speaking: "Hmm?"

"What perfume do you use?" he finally asked.

"I don’t use perfume," she replied, frowning slightly. "In my restaurant, there’s a rule—anyone entering the kitchen can’t wear perfume. Perfume doesn’t just affect a chef’s judgment of flavors; it can even alter the taste of the food. Wearing a chef’s hat is to keep hair from falling into the dishes. Michelin restaurants are very strict about this."

"Is that so..." Bai Renzong muttered to himself: So it’s her natural scent?

"Do I smell like something?" Han Jiayi curiously lifted her arm and sniffed.

"Not really," Bai Renzong hurriedly changed his tune, handing over another dish. "Let’s finish up."

With the dishes washed, another day drew to a close.

Bai Renzong returned to his computer to check the video stats. The business collaboration with Blue Tile House was still climbing, with around one and a half million views so far.

He knew this was about as good as it would get; after all, the video was about business partnerships, and such content never made the homepage of D-Station, so its performance couldn’t compare with the earlier wine expo or the couple’s cooking series with Han Jiayi.

He glanced at the comments, which were mixed: "Looks delicious, I wish I could try this place! But I’m broke…" "That’s so little, I’d need three set meals to be full!" "Come on, at over 800 per person, the standards have to be high!"

Seeing these, Bai Renzong replied, "Spoke with Blue Tile House—they said there’ll be more collaborations in the future. Next time I’ll give out some perks! I’ll randomly select fans for a free meal, so you can eat there under Old Bai’s name!"

But then, a comment threw everything off: "Gamer here, the grass on my grave is already two meters tall."

Bai Renzong recalled that his last gaming video had been on Subnautica; since then, he’d posted several food videos and a movie review. It had been nearly a week since his last game feature.

"Alright, time to weed the gamers’ graves…" Bai Renzong sighed, preparing to bring out his trump card—a game called 'Survivors of the Apocalypse.'

This game was rather niche, too hardcore for most, making the learning curve steep. Without watching tutorials, it could easily take a hundred hours just to get the hang of it.

But once you got into it, you couldn’t stop—thanks to all the mods, even a thousand hours wasn’t unusual.

Bai Renzong started gathering material for his video, using a save file he’d played for over two hundred hours. He was so engrossed in recording that he didn't notice Han Jiayi standing behind him.

"What’s this game called?" Han Jiayi suddenly asked, startling Bai Renzong.

"Why do you sneak up on me like a ghost?" he frowned.

Han Jiayi shot him a sideways glance and muttered, "You were sneaking looks at me in the kitchen earlier today."

"I wasn’t sneaking. I was just standing there; you didn’t notice me," Bai Renzong protested.

"Same here," Han Jiayi replied, utterly confident.

Bai Renzong was at a loss. "It’s called 'Survivors of the Apocalypse.'"

"Looks fun," Han Jiayi smiled. "You can even cook in it."

"This game’s details are beyond your imagination—almost like living in a real apocalypse," Bai Renzong replied. "My next video will be a review of this game. I won’t be able to collaborate with you on this one."

"No problem." Han Jiayi grinned. "I’ll play it myself—maybe I’ll find some inspiration. 'Desecration' is about to get a big update, and the studio keeps asking about my direction for the revisions."

At this, Bai Renzong’s interest was piqued. He paused the game and turned to her, speaking with conviction, "I’ll tell you, making improvements to your game is simple. First, increase the boss’s health and add another phase. Second, adjust the climbing mechanics to improve the feel. Third, add some elite monsters on the path."

"Wouldn’t that lower the difficulty?" Han Jiayi frowned.

"Your game is souls-like, not focused on parkour. People play it for the puzzles and combat. Improving parkour doesn’t lower the difficulty, it just makes the mechanics more precise," Bai Renzong replied. "Your game has great feedback and clear boss phases—you should add more combat and cut down on parkour for a more satisfying experience."

"You know everything, don’t you…" Han Jiayi muttered, then suddenly pulled over a stool and sat next to him. "Play through it for me."

"Your game? Why?" Bai Renzong asked, puzzled.

"I want to see if you’re really as good as you claim," Han Jiayi said, unconvinced.

She still suspected Bai Renzong had used a cheat to get all the achievements, so she wanted to see if he was as skilled as Old Liu said.

"Do I really need to prove it? One hundred and forty hours in the game. Even a beginner can beat it in ten hours, so I’ve cleared it at least fourteen times," Bai Renzong said. "Is there really anything to doubt?"

"Just play," Han Jiayi coaxed, "Let me see your skills."

Bai Renzong gave her a sidelong glance, considered for a moment, then launched the game. "Alright."

Once inside, he turned to Han Jiayi, "First playthrough or second?"

"First, of course," Han Jiayi replied briskly. For this game, speedruns and no-heal achievements are done on the first playthrough; the second starts with all the items and abilities, making it easier.

"You sure?" Bai Renzong frowned. "The first is pretty easy. The second, though you have all the items, is much tougher."

Han Jiayi, unaware she was about to dig her own grave in a new way, nodded firmly. "I’m sure!"

(A heartfelt thanks to Moji, Little Red Riding Hood’s Big Red Robe, Titanium Welcoming the Monthly Ticket, as well as Bored Vegetable, LOL Level 31 God, Emperor Core, Strongest on Earth 0625, o0 Seeking Wings 0o, Reader 20200507230211453, and My Two Monthly Tickets on a Rainy Day.)