Chapter 97: Frenzied Probing on the Edge of Self-Destruction

As Han Jiayi started preparing the cloud soufflé, she could no longer avoid asking herself one question: Did she have a crush on Bai Renzong?

If she thought back carefully, he had truly irritated her at first. But as they got to know each other, she realized she did not dislike him at all. He was earnest, hardworking, genuinely talented, and in many ways he met the standards she had set for a partner. He understood her work, too. He was just a little too straightforwardly masculine, all right.

And in several clashes with Yang Hua, he had looked quite handsome and always stood by her side.

She thought about it for a long time and still could not decide. So she tried the opposite approach: if they were together, what would it be like? If she did not dislike him, then there must be some feeling there.

“If he were my boyfriend...” Han Jiayi lifted her brows and imagined all sorts of scenes. Her face turned pink in an instant, right to the roots of her ears. She hurriedly covered her cheeks. “No way, no way! This is mortifying!”

“Han Jiayi?” At that moment, Su Hui, the acting head chef, came over curiously to check on her.

“Ah, Hui, what happened?” Han Jiayi quickly calmed herself and asked with a smile.

“The cloud soufflé seems… over-baked,” Su Hui said, pointing at the oven.

“Ah!” Han Jiayi cried and immediately turned off the oven. In truth, cloud soufflé is a peculiar kind of meringue soufflé: it has extremely strict temperature requirements, and if it’s overcooked even by a little, it’s ruined. So the dessert had burned after all, and they would have to start over again.

“Focus, Han Jiayi!” she thought at herself, a tiny fist tapping the top of her head. “You’re a chef. How can you daydream while cooking?” She went back to preparing a second batch.

But cloud soufflé takes time, so by the moment a new one reached Bai Renzong, thirty minutes had already passed.

“Why is it taking so long today?” he asked, frowning.

“S-sorry…” Han Jiayi’s gaze flicked around nervously as her fingers worried at her hair. “The first one failed.”

“Oh?” Bai Renzong raised his brows slightly, surprised. “That’s unusual. Did something happen?”

“Nothing! Nothing at all. It’s just… this cloud soufflé is hard to make. It doesn’t come out right every time.” Han Jiayi stammered on, unsteady but stubborn.

“Hmm?” Bai Renzong lowered his lids, clearly not fully satisfied.

Han Jiayi panicked inside, but her expression did not change.

“Never mind.” Bai Renzong did not press her further. He ladled a spoonful and ate.

Han Jiayi bit her lip and glanced down covertly at him. He didn’t even scold her.

For a moment, she suddenly felt like testing the limits of “Bai the blunt-tongued one.” She knew she was taking a dangerous risk, but—

Han Jiayi was cat-natured at heart. Sooner or later, her curiosity would get her into trouble.

“That…,” she said with a quick turn of her eyes, suddenly inspired. “In that course before, I don’t want to change the salmon side dish.”

Bai Renzong turned and stared at her. It was the first time Han Jiayi had openly challenged his opinion.

Her heart skipped, but she still dared to meet his gaze.

He gave a faint smile and asked, “Then do you still want to earn the second Michelin star?”

“Well… well, of course I do.” She collapsed inward at once, then turned and went back to the kitchen. “Naturally.”

Back at the stove she tapped her own head in frustration. “Silly little brain.”

She had wanted to test him, but she ignored one important fact: she could not outtalk him.
That was the worst of it—curiosity can kill the cat, but some cats are too dull to carry it out safely.

Still, though she was a foolish cat, she was a stubborn one. She had no intention of giving up.
Why not find another way to tempt fate once she got home?

After lunch, Bai Renzong paid by QR code and left for home, while Han Jiayi stayed in the restaurant and kept working until the evening rush was over.

Once home, Han Jiayi quickly peered around to make sure he was there. Bai, as always, should be in the room.

“I’m home,” she said brightly, switching shoes at the doorway.

“Good work,” Bai Renzong greeted her at the stairs. “Have you eaten?”

“Not yet. Wait a moment, I’ll cook right away.” Han Jiayi smiled. Since today was about testing Bai’s limits, she felt no pressure at all. She was almost shocked at how carefree she felt now. She had almost forgotten when she had been this lighthearted last.

So soon, she carried the dishes to the table.

Bai Renzong looked at the three dishes in front of him: tomato and egg, braised pork, and fried chicken cutlet.
The combination made him raise an eyebrow, yet he said nothing and bent down to eat.

Han Jiayi took a bite and widened her eyes, stealing another glance at his expression. She thought, *Oh my, not even a word?*

After a little while she asked, “You have no complaints about today’s dinner?”

“Although the pairing is a bit odd, the taste is good,” Bai Renzong replied. “I said it before—there’s no need to be so severe in everyday life.”

“Ugh…” Han Jiayi lowered her eyes. No, this was not working. She needed a different approach.

After dinner, while Bai Renzong talked with He Guang in his room about style and effects for the game, Han Jiayi called from the doorway, “Bai?”

“Are you coming to play?” he said without looking up. “Give me a moment.”

“Heh,” Han Jiayi said. She had just successfully invited trouble again and was in a great mood. She sat beside him with her laptop. “I’m going out with you today to gather supplies and fight zombies!”

“Hm.” Bai Renzong answered, quickly messaging He Guang on WeChat.

“Hurry up.” Han Jiayi urged, her pretty legs bouncing.

“I’m doing something important,” Bai Renzong said with a slight frown. “I’ll get into the game first. You log into the server and prepare.”

“Okay…” Han Jiayi muttered into her flushed cheek, then logged in.

By then, she had quietly edged her head to look at the edge of his screen, trying to see what he was discussing.

“The later effects need to be more serious—go with a dark, mysterious style,” Bai Renzong said quickly. “You can decide the background music yourself. Not many people know this game, but its playability is high.”

“What game is it? Can it be played online?” Han Jiayi asked curiously.

“No,” Bai Renzong answered, and Han Jiayi immediately said, “Then teach me then! I want to play!”

“Tsk.” He tapped the top of her forehead. “Wait a bit. I told you I’m in the middle of work!”

“Argh,” Han Jiayi said, pulling her hand back and retreating as if punished.

Still, Han Jiayi had roughly mapped out Bai Renzong’s line in the sand: as long as she didn’t bother him while he was occupied, it seemed to be fine.

And in fact, she liked these little reprimands a little. It felt oddly like being indulged.

Bai Renzong soon finished his task and started controlling his character in the game.

“How are you today? Are you not feeling well?” Bai Renzong asked, frowning.

Han Jiayi felt her heart lurch—had he noticed?

“Not at all. I’m just… like this.”

Bai Renzong nodded. “I think this is fine. Let’s keep talking this way from now on.”

Han Jiayi pressed her lips, suppressing a smile as she stole another glance at him. Her mood suddenly lifted.
Maybe a little willfulness in front of him was not a problem after all.

(Thanks to Heavenly Old Cat, Sincere Hearts, and Sword of Heaven for the monthly support tickets.)