Chapter 87: Harvest Day

Bai Renzong lay on his bed, thinking back to the way Han Jiayi had been bustling about in the kitchen, like a butterfly dancing gracefully through the air.

In truth, he really did like her. She was straightforward and adorable, and although she liked to put on an act in front of other people, even that awkward pretense of hers was charming in its own way.

It was just that...

The time was not right yet.

For now, his priority had to be his career as a video creator. Life was far too busy at the moment; he simply did not have the time...

"No, that's not it." Bai Renzong shook his head.

Making videos and dating were not mutually exclusive. If anything, once he and Han Jiayi became a real couple, making videos might even become easier.

On one hand, he did not want people saying he was living off her, so he wanted to wait until his income reached the same level as Han Jiayi's. He felt that day was not far off. But the key issue was this: did Han Jiayi have any feelings for him at all? He had no idea.

When he carefully retraced everything that had happened between them since they met...

He became even less certain.

At first, he had spent three consecutive episodes of his videos roasting Han Jiayi, and their first meeting had also been a round of mutual barbs. Their first impression of each other had been less than ideal.

As for what came after... he had basically just kept criticizing Han Jiayi. It did not seem as though he had done anything to improve their relationship.

If he were rejected, not only would future video work become unbearably awkward, but they were living under the same roof. They would see each other every day, whether they wanted to or not...

The more he thought about it, the more restless he became, tossing and turning in bed without sleep.

The next day, bright and early.

Bai Renzong was sleeping soundly in his room when, in the next second, Han Jiayi burst in and cried, "Bai of the Roasts! Wake up, quick!"

Bai Renzong bolted upright in alarm. "What is it!? Is there a fire?"

"A senior of mine in France told me Michelin is sending someone to my restaurant next month!" Han Jiayi said with a delighted smile.

Bai Renzong blinked, looking a little dazed, as though he had yet to understand what this meant.

Han Jiayi immediately covered her mouth, stifling a laugh. "What's that look for? You should be happy right now! Michelin is sending a food scout to inspect my place next month!"

"I didn't sleep well last night..." Bai Renzong scratched his head, then asked, "Are you sure? Is that source reliable? If Michelin is sending someone to inspect it, shouldn't it be kept secret?"

Han Jiayi blinked, then gave an awkward little smile. "Well... although, in theory, Michelin inspections are completely confidential, everyone has their own channels, right? Anyway..."

At this point, she put on the expression of a kindergarten teacher speaking to a child and patiently explained, "Actually, this is just how it is. Everyone has their own methods and connections to learn Michelin news in advance. The world is a complicated place."

"I know that. I'm not a child, okay?" Bai Renzong frowned. "What I mean is, is the news accurate? Are you sure it's reliable?"

Han Jiayi nodded brightly. "Absolutely reliable! It was one of my instructors from Le Cordon Bleu! He said my restaurant's reputation has been pretty good lately, and our popularity keeps rising. Michelin has taken notice too, so they're planning to send someone over to have a look."

"One piece of good news after another..." Bai Renzong smiled and clapped his hands. "All that effort from before is finally paying off."

"Mm-hmm!" Han Jiayi said happily, clenching a small fist. "If everything goes smoothly, the rating could come out in October."

"Good." Bai Renzong nodded in satisfaction. "Then starting in September, I'll eat every set meal in your restaurant, just like we planned. Hang in there. Once September is over, we'll be fine."

"Mm!" Han Jiayi nodded, excited and a little nervous.

Only then did Bai Renzong smile and say, "September. Goal: two Michelin stars!"

"All right, all right." Han Jiayi changed the subject, stretching with a laugh. "Now that we're both up, come with me to buy groceries?"

"I still haven't slept properly..." Bai Renzong's gaze drifted. "I'll sleep a little longer. You go by yourself."

"Come with me! Help me carry things!" Han Jiayi said with a pout. "Why didn't you sleep well? What were you doing last night?"

"N-nothing." Bai Renzong faltered, then quickly changed the subject. "Fine, fine, I'll go with you, all right?"

After gritting his teeth and accompanying Han Jiayi through the market, Bai Renzong returned home and prepared to catch up on sleep.

Just as he was about to drift off, Wang Bei suddenly clutched his shoulder hard. "Old Bai, don't sleep!"

"What's wrong? Is your place on fire too?" Bai Renzong asked in terror, staring at Wang Bei.

"No, no, it's good news!" Wang Bei looked at him excitedly. "Purple Grape just sent word that your article about 'Heart of the Prairie' has been requested for reprinting by several food weeklies and websites! They asked me to get your permission! Some of them even want to translate it and publish it in foreign food magazines!"

Bai Renzong's heart gave a sudden jolt, but he quickly calmed down.

The result was not surprising, really, because Yang Hua's spectacular public meltdown had brought him six hundred thousand units of traffic, which would likely translate into tens of thousands of views on WeChat public accounts.

Besides, Yang Hua was himself a top chef of world renown, with some fame abroad, and the dish Heart of the Prairie was of exceptionally high quality. Its presentation also perfectly suited the demands of both domestic and foreign food weeklies. So it was only natural that several food weeklies and websites wanted to reprint the article.

But this also meant that his views on food had finally been recognized.

Even foreign food magazines were getting involved, which showed that his commentary truly had a considerable level of merit. Perhaps one day, he really would become a world-famous gourmet.

"No problem. Talk to them for me." Bai Renzong nodded. "I'm going to get some fresh air."

He then stepped onto the balcony. Though the temperature outside was in the mid-thirties, he felt no heat at all. He took a deep breath, clenched his fist, and growled in a low voice, "Yes!"

After that, he cleared his throat and glanced around. Only once he confirmed that Wang Bei had not noticed him did he finally let out a breath.

He felt as though he had taken another step closer to his goal. Perhaps the day he would confess his feelings to Han Jiayi was not far off...

However, although the article had drawn huge readership and been reprinted by many weeklies and websites, it had only brought Bai Renzong a few thousand yuan in income.

But the pay was not the point. The point was that Bai Renzong was now a "gourmet."

With that identity, it was like a League of Legends commentator having the badge of a "Challenger" rank or a "former pro player"—his words carried more weight.

By the time he returned to the living room, Bai Renzong had already regained his composure completely.

"What are you going to do next?" Wang Bei asked with a smile.

"Next, I'm going back to my room, locking the door from the inside," Bai Renzong said with a faint smile. "Then I'll make sure no one can disturb me and sleep as soundly as I please."