【Asking for the one thousandth and one time: When will Tang Qiaoqiao leave the entertainment circle?】

【Chasing a male celebrity and getting rebuffed on the street. So embarrassing. Fortunately, Shen Liang wasn't blind. If she had stuck to him, he would have been in big trouble.】

【I really don't understand how Tang Qiaoqiao managed to debut in the first place. What does she have besides her looks? She can't sing or act. She's just a pretty face with no substance!】

【Claiming she's naturally beautiful is a scam. Tang Qiaoqiao's face must have gone under the knife countless times, it’s all hidden behind her heavy makeup. It's so fake, it's laughable.】

【Posting everywhere to create a noble, 'Baifumei' image. But the moment she appeared on the show, she was exposed. Vulgar and ignorant.】

[T/N: 'Baifumei' refers to a fair-skinned, rich, and beautiful woman - a desirable archetype in China.]

【Uh-oh, guys, I've watched the animated clip of Tang Qiaoqiao, showing her being rejected by Shen Liang dozens of times. It's absolutely magical. Maybe she should change her name to Tangpupu.】

[T/N: "Pupu" is a colloquial term, a verb to describe when someone is (figuratively) slapped in the face, and it's used here in a derogatory sense.]

【I've made an emoticon pack, everyone is free to download and use. When-Shen-Liang-puts-his-sunglasses-on,noone-shall-spoil-his-fun.gif. Let’s make Tangpupu a trend!!!】

【I’d say this is the peak of Tang Qiaoqiao's career. She should cherish it because she won't get another chance to make headlines in the future. Hahahaha.】

Netizens had been attacking Tang Qiaoqiao one after another, and the whole internet was filled with a sense of satisfaction. At the same time, the subject of this scandal was watching the animated clip that the entire internet community was mocking.

She kept replaying it over and over again. After a while, she finally accepted the fact that she had entered the plot of a melodramatic novel set in the entertainment industry. This was truly... Incredible!

[T/N: "Melodramatic novels" refer to stories with excessive emotional drama that evoke suffering in readers.]

She was not from this world but from an ancient realm of cultivation. Yet, she wasn’t a Taoist practitioner aiming for immortality. Instead, she was a giant iron ladle in the hands of a highly skilled master chef in the world of cultivation.

She may be the first iron ladle to attain consciousness in thousands of years. Her body was made of ancient profound iron and possessed its own qi.

Constantly surrounded by abundant qi at the Taoist school, it was not unexpected for her to cultivate spiritual consciousness.

However, who knew how many years it would take to progress from having spiritual consciousness to having a human body. Many spirits never managed to achieve a physical form in their lifetimes. This was even more agonizing than not having consciousness at all.

But shortly after gaining spiritual consciousness, a bolt of lightning struck her, transporting her into the novel "Real and Fake Daughter: Loved by the Top Celebrity." She was now Tang Qiaoqiao, the true daughter of the Tang family that got exchanged at the hospital by mistake. While the fake Tang daughter, Tang Rou, was the protagonist.

Despite being the fake daughter, Tang Rou was loved by everyone in the Tang family more than the real one.

Using her powerful protagonist aura, she captivated numerous men. And amongst all the men she had enthralled, Shen Liang, the current top superstar, was the male lead.

Shen Liang and Tang Rou engaged in more than three hundred chapters of infatuation and emotional turmoil, a tangle of mutual pursuit and emotional struggles. They were enmeshed in a love-hate relationship.

The real daughter merely served as a foil to the heroine. Tang Qiaoqiao was narrow-minded, lacked intellect, and envied everything about the heroine, including Shen Liang.

Later in the plot, she even married his partially paralyzed uncle, Shen Yue, in an attempt to get close to the male lead and take revenge on the heroine. The original host devoted herself to sabotaging the relationship between the hero and heroine, but it ultimately led to a tragic ending.

She was abandoned by both the Shen and Tang families, left ruined and full of resentment, completing her life as a disposable side character.

This time, the incident that led to her mockery by netizens happened at the opening ceremony of a hotel. The original Tang Qiaoqiao had some wine and, in her borrowed sense of boldness, tried to confess to Shen Liang, who was about to leave, outside the hotel.

Shen Liang, as a top celebrity, couldn't be seen physically entangled with a woman, so he roughly brushed her hand aside with a face of disgust. The original Tang Qiaoqiao fell to the ground in extreme embarrassment as Shen Liang donned his sunglasses, sat in his sports car, and drove away.

Moreover, everything was recorded by Shen Liang's countless fans and turned into a widely circulated joke.

For the iron ladle spirit—or rather, the now Tang Qiaoqiao—this was quite a debacle.

As Tang Qiaoqiao sorted out the information in her mind, she had only one thought– ‘Thank the heavens and earth, and thank goodness for that thunderstrike!’ Without it, how could she have a human body? And a female one, at that!

Back when she was in the Taoist kitchen, rough and burly men were everywhere, none of the cute and delicate junior sisters ever ventured near the kitchen. At the time, she secretly vowed to become a woman in the future.

Perhaps, her earnest wish had been heard by some higher power, granting her this chance.

"Bang... Bang!" A series of muffled noises from upstairs interrupted Tang Qiaoqiao's thoughts.

She opened the door and saw Aunt Wang rushing down the stairs in a fluster.

"What's going on?"

Aunt Wang panted, "Master isn't eating. He's throwing a tantrum and breaking things."

Tang Qiaoqiao glanced at the second floor. Despite being married to Shen Yue for a month, she hadn't ventured upstairs yet. "I'll go check on him."

Aunt Wang stopped her, "Madam, it's not advisable. Master has said that without his permission, no one is allowed upstairs."

Tang Qiaoqiao raised an eyebrow. "I'm his wife. Can't I go up?"

Aunt Wang looked conflicted. "Madam, do you not remember? When you first arrived, Master told you not to go upstairs. You even said... that you wouldn't go upstairs even if he were to die. You instructed us to keep you uninformed regarding anything related to your husband on the first floor because it's considered unlucky."

Tang Qiaoqiao was taken aback. "Did I really say such rude words?"

Aunt Wang nodded, a touch of reproach in her gaze.

The original Tang Qiaoqiao seemed to have gone to great lengths to paint herself as the antagonist in all respects.

Aunt Wang added, "Master is in a bad mood right now. No one can calm him down. It's better to wait until he's calmer. Going up now might only worsen the situation."

Tang Qiaoqiao hesitated for a moment and then smiled at Aunt Wang. "Don't worry. I'll just take a quick look and come back down."

Aunt Wang couldn't argue any further.

Tang Qiaoqiao ascended to the second floor and found a mess outside Shen Yue's bedroom, with the dishes and food spilled all over the ground.

'What a waste!'

She cautiously approached the door, but before she could get close, a glass almost hit her face. Luckily, she managed to catch it with her right hand. The timing was perfect; otherwise, she might have been injured.

Inside the room, the man didn't hear the expected sound of glass shattering. He knew someone had come upstairs. "I said I don't want to eat, and I don't need your help. Just leave me alone!"

The man's voice was hoarse and brimming with hostility. Anyone else might have retreated in fear, but Tang Qiaoqiao, a member of the Iron Ladle Clan (albeit the only one in the world), wasn't one to back down easily.

She carefully maneuvered around the scattered food and broken dishes on the floor before stepping into the room. Even in broad daylight, the curtains were drawn, and the lights were off. The only illumination came from the corridor, casting a faint glow on the large bed in the center of the room, where a figure lay with his back turned.

Treading lightly, Tang Qiaoqiao moved closer. As she did, a peculiar scent filled her nostrils, akin to decaying vegetation.

The man inside suddenly tensed at the sound of footsteps. He knew that someone had entered the room. "I said I’m not eating! Get out!"

"If you don’t eat, then how will you be able to recover?" Tang Qiaoqiao's voice was soft and sweet as she moved towards the bed, trying to assess his condition.

"Who said you could come in?” His voice turned frosty. “Get out!" Shen Yue realized that it was not Aunt Wang who came in, but his so-called wife who married him a month ago.

However, Tang Qiaoqiao sensed something wasn't right. His voice was strained, and he sounded short of breath. It was as if he was struggling for air. "Are you unwell?" She hesitated, inching closer to the bed, hoping to get a better look at him.

"Stop right there, don't come any closer!"

Tang Qiaoqiao halted her steps but insisted, "I'm genuinely concerned about you."

It was rather ironic to hear such words coming from her. The original Tang Qiaoqiao had not only ignored Shen Yue's condition after their marriage but also openly ridiculed him in front of the servants.

She often called him a cripple and showed no concern for whether he heard her or not. She even wished for his speedy demise.

Shen Yue doubted her intentions.

He mustered all his remaining strength and moved to the edge of the bed, gripping the bedside table. Unfortunately, the table was already cleared, except for a bedside lamp.

Desperately, he attempted to unplug the lamp. It was as though he wanted to use it as a weapon against her if she dared to get any closer.

Tang Qiaoqiao saw that half of his body was hanging in the air. She paused and said, "Be careful, don't fall.

As soon as she said this, Shen Yue rolled out of the bed.

'Damn woman. She really was here with no good intentions.’

Shen Yue couldn't move his lower body. So he gritted his teeth and used his upper body to climb on the edge of the bed.

"I'll help you." Tang Qiaoqiao walked forward quickly and squatted down beside him. As soon as her hand touched Shen Yue's arm, he clasped her wrist tightly.

The man's fingers were thin but extremely powerful. His eyes stared at her fiercely. Even though the light in the room was dim, she could feel the intensity in his eyes. They were as cold and sharp as a dagger.

Tang Qiaoqiao's wrist throbbed in pain. ‘He hadn't eaten much for several days, so why was he still so energetic?’

"If you don't let go, how can I help you up?" Tang Qiaoqiao wanted to pry his fingers one by one, but she retracted her hand as soon as she touched the back of his hand.

So hot!

She felt his forehead, which was on fire.

Shen Yue didn't expect her to behave like this. When the woman's soft little hand touched his forehead, it brought a brief cool respite, and his body slackened for a while.

In the end, Shen Yue was a patient, gripping Tang Qiaoqiao's hand had consumed all his energy. So when Tang Qiaoqiao pried his fingers again, the man lost his strength completely, and his hand dropped to the ground.

He flopped on the ground like a dying beast, as if at his last breath.

However, when Tang Qiaoqiao tried to help him up several times, he pushed her away.

Tang Qiaoqiao looked at him. "Are you going to lie on the ground like this the whole time?"

Shen Yue gasped and said, "You don't need to pretend to be kind!"

He closed his eyes and thought it was quite ridiculous for this hypocritical woman to feign kindness now.

The two of them didn't speak, and there was only a panting sound in the room for a while. Just when he thought she would excuse herself from this awkward situation, Tang Qiaoqiao spoke with a trace of sternness in her sweet voice.

"As the saying goes, ‘a gentleman should always strive for self-improvement’. As a 5'7’’ foot tall man, how can you easily abandon yourself?"

Tang Qiaoqiao looked at his devastated appearance. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. "Look at yourself. You are not even as strong as a weak little girl like me."

Shen Yue: "..."

Tang Qiaoqiao's next movement made Shen Yue's temple twitch; he originally wanted to be indifferent to her, but was too taken aback to do so....

'A weak little girl?'

'How could a weak little-girl princess carry a man?'

Tang Qiaoqiao used one hand to support Shen Yue's neck, and the other hand passed under his knees, lifting him in a ‘princess carry’ and shifting him to the bed.

"I didn’t mean for it to be like this either."

Sweet and fragile girls shouldn’t carry men like this.

"You! LET GO OF ME, DAMN WOMAN!"

Shen Yue's body suddenly stiffened, feeling an immense humiliation. He struggled and tried to resist, but Tang Qiaoqiao's hands were like iron clamps, leaving him motionless. Already feeling dizzy, the sudden surge of excitement instantly caused him to lose consciousness.

Tang Qiaoqiao placed him on the bed and murmured, "You’re so light."

The man was wearing only black silk pajamas, his body so thin it seemed to be made entirely of bones, with hardly any flesh. After clasping his hand, she realized she could feel the bones even through the fabric.

She turned on the bedside lamp, and only then did she see the man's appearance.

His face was unshaven and disheveled, his lips were chapped, his pale skin was abnormally flushed, and his forehead was covered in beads of sweat.

Tang Qiaoqiao looked around the room, then hurried to the bathroom to get a warm towel to wipe his face.

In his dazed state, Shen Yue felt a soft pair of hands gently touch his forehead. Warmth enveloped his face, and there was a sudden sense of comfort amidst all his discomfort.

Tang Qiaoqiao muttered while diligently wiping his face, "Turns out you’re quite the handsome guy when you’re quiet."

Shen Yue's face was slightly thin, with deep eye sockets, a high nose bridge, and thin lips with little to no curvature.

His eyes were also black and shiny. When they stared at you intensely, it seemed like they could draw you right in.

'Wait, his eyes?'

"You, awake?" Tang Qiaoqiao met Shen Yue's open eyes and sighed in relief, "I thought you had fainted..."

"Get out!" Shen Yue’s sudden awakening released a palpable air of suppressed anger.

Tang Qiaoqiao gripped the towel tightly in her hand. "You are really a dog biting Lu Dongbin, can’t comprehend good intentions."

[T/N: The Chinese proverb "dog bites Lu Dongbin" means an inability to recognize goodness and repay kindness with vice. In the legend, Lu Dongbin tried to help a trapped dog, but he got bitten instead.]

"Lu Dongbin?" Shen Yue's thin lips raised a sneer, "We all know your purpose in marrying me. There is no need to pretend."

He pointed his finger at the bedroom door. "Now you can. Get. Out!"

"Why? Are you trying to die, you don't want to eat or seek medical attention?" Tang Qiaoqiao looked at him condescendingly, "I won't let you do what you want. Because if you're dead, it's me who’ll be unlucky."

When the original host married Shen Yue, it could be said that she was climbing into a wealthy family. Her husband was a paralyzed invalid—perhaps he would return to the West soon, and then she could inherit a huge fortune.

[T/N: Just in case it's not clear, "the West" here means the afterlife, not Europe/North America.]

However, the Shen family was not ignorant of such a simple concept. The condition for her marriage to Shen Yue was that if he passed away within two years, she would not receive a single penny and would instead face endless troubles.

The most important thing was that in the novel, Shen Yue didn't die at all, rather he had driven himself to insanity; Shen Yue even went as far as to compete with the male lead for the family property. It was primarily due to Shen Yue's actions that the original host of the body had met her tragic end.

In short, his self-imposed regimen of abstaining from food, drink, and medical attention seemed like a form of self-inflicted torment. However, the repercussions of his unyielding resolve would ultimately be borne by her in the days to come.

Shen Yue snorted, "So you are not actually an idiot after all."

Although she knew that he was scolding the original owner for being stupid, she felt that she was struck by a blow.

Tang Qiaoqiao sat back on the edge of the bed, "Then please be cooperative, let me help you change your clothes, they are soaking wet."

Before her hand could touch his collar, he slapped the back of her hand.

SMACK

"Don't touch me." Shen Yue pursed his lips, his face was as cold as an ice cellar.

Tang Qiaoqiao touched the reddish back of her hand and tentatively asked, "You’re so resistant to me. Is it because of gender boundaries? Are you shy?" She had just become human and had not yet fully adapted to human conventions.

Shen Yue glared at her.

"Then I will call Aunt Wang."

"I don't need anyone."

Tang Qiaoqiao rolled up her sleeves, "It will either be me or Aunt Wang, your choice. Otherwise, I could just carry you for a hot bath?"

Shen Yue stared at the woman in front of him fiercely. She must be here to torment him. She must be.

The woman looked back at him candidly and after a moment of silence, he dully muttered, "Aunt Wang."

"It would have been better if you had been this cooperative earlier." Tang Qiaoqiao grinned and swiftly ran outside the door and asked Aunt Wang to come up.

Aunt Wang who had been left downstairs had been attentively listening for any signs of their quarrel going beyond control. But when she entered and took a glance, her master was peacefully lying down on the bed without cursing or smashing things. His face was just grave without betraying any emotions and her lady smiling widely, she hesitated.

As she looked at her Master, he surprisingly had no objections to Tang Qiaoqiao’s presence. It was strange. What had just happened here? Since she had been assigned to take care of him, she hadn't been able to clean the room properly even once.

And her madam smiled with her arms akimbo. "Aunt Wang, please call the doctor first. Do we have a family doctor?"

"Yes, yes, it's just..." Aunt Wang glanced at Shen Yue and hesitated.

Tang Qiaoqiao: "What's wrong?"

Shen Yue: "You don't need to call a doctor."

"Why? you have a fever."

"I said no, Tang Qiaoqiao. You don’t want to mess with me." Shen Yue's suppressed anger was about to burst like a volcano.

Tang Qiaoqiao recalled that Shen Yue had suffered a car accident about half a year ago. Initially, he still had some sensation in his legs. At that time, he was treated by top doctors all over the world. But after trying various methods, they didn't work. On the contrary, the treatments tortured him immensely. Resulting in both mental and physical degradation.

After that, his legs gradually lost sensation until he could no longer feel them at all.

From then on, Shen Yue developed a staunch aversion to seeing doctors. He no longer trusted any of them, and at one point, he nearly let himself die from illness. He was ruthless even to himself.

Tang Qiaoqiao thought of this and took a step back. "Well, Aunt Wang, you help him put on new pajamas. Then replace all bedsheets and blankets. Clean the entire room. It is better to let him bask out in the sun."

The room hadn’t seen sunlight the entire year and had developed a strange smell.

"Aunt Wang agreed and glanced at Shen Yue. Surprisingly, he had no objections. 'This is so strange. What just happened here?'

Since she had been assigned to take care of him, she hadn’t been able to clean the room even once."

Shen Yue closed his eyes and let out a slight sigh. He just wanted this woman to leave the room quickly. Her presence was a nuisance, and left him having a headache from anger.

Aunt Wang stepped forward to start her work but paused to look at Tang Qiaoqiao.

Tang Qiaoqiao met her gaze, blinked, and said, "You can start."

'Are you planning on staying here?' Aunt Wang thought to herself.

Shen Yue said coldly, "Now, you can go out."

Aunt Wang said, "Madam, it's enough just to have me here. You can go and clean yourself."

Tang Qiaoqiao: "I don't need to clean up. I’m good."

"Filthy like a ghost." Shen Yue uttered, his eyes still closed.

"How is that possible?" Tang Qiaoqiao touched her face and noticed a smeared white and black mark on her hand. She raised her arm and smelled a strange scent mixed with the smell of alcohol and sweat.

"It's so foul." The man continued with his sharp-as-arrow remarks.

"Ah!" Tang Qiaoqiao exclaimed in horror. She immediately rushed downstairs and into her room.

Standing in front of the mirror, she saw herself reflected in it. The makeup on the woman’s face was all smudged. The eyeliner and mascara were all clumped together. Black streaks reminiscent of tears ran down her cheeks, her foundation had been wiped off. Her face was a mess.

Yes, the original owner had tried to awkwardly confess to Sheng Liang at the hotel last night. After returning home, she drowned herself in alcohol, didn’t remove her makeup, didn’t take a shower, and passed out a drunken mess. When she woke up, she had become Tang Qiaoqiao.

Tang Qiaoqiao wrinkled her nose in disgust in response to the sour smell wafting off her body. She quickly prepared the water to take a bath, turned on the jacuzzi, and relaxed in the warm water. She soaked herself for half an hour, thoroughly cleansing herself from head to toe. Then she picked a peach-patterned pajama. By this point, her image in the mirror transformed dramatically.

The original Tang Qiaoqiao had very poor aesthetics. She often dressed in gaudy red and purple colored dresses, along with heavy makeup that often led to her being criticized as overly flashy and vulgar by internet users.

In reality, she had features suitable for the entertainment industry—jet-black hair, round apricot eyes with a slight upward tilt at the corners, and a proud oval face. Her smiles caused her brows and eyes to curve, and even when not smiling, she exuded a unique charm.

Unfortunately, it had been obscured by her own tasteless aesthetics.

Tang Qiaoqiao meticulously applied body lotion to her smooth, fair skin and took in a deep breath. The air was now filled with a subtle scent of peaches.

After freshening up she headed straight towards the direction of the kitchen.

Aunt Wang who was busy in the kitchen was taken aback upon seeing her walk in.

Tang Qiaoqiao became anxious. "What's wrong? Is there still something on my face?"

“No, it's just the first time I’ve seen Madam dressed like this. You look much better. Oh, that’s not to say you weren’t before, Madam,’’ Aunt Wang hurriedly explained.

"It's okay. I dressed really poorly before." Tang Qiaoqiao waved her hand to show that she wasn’t in any way offended.

Aunt Wang let out a relieved sigh. She felt that today, her Madam had undergone a significant change, and she was quite fond of her current version.

"Madam, I've changed everything starting from Master's clothes to his bedsheets. I'm about to prepare some food for him. What would you like to eat?"

Tang Qiaoqiao carefully surveyed the kitchen, "You can go rest now. I’ll prepare something for him.’’

Aunt Wang asked in surprise, "You know how to cook?"

Tang Qiaoqiao smirked proudly in response, "It’s an old skill of mine." What else could you do with a kitchen ladle? Cooking, of course!

Aunt Wang: "Well, if you need anything, Madam, feel free to call me anytime."

Once Aunt Wang left, Tang Qiaoqiao inspected the refrigerator, finding it stocked with fresh ingredients. Since Shen Yue was unwell, it would be better to prepare something light.

Back while Tang Qiaoqiao was residing in the cultivation realm, the master chef used her to make meals for hundreds of people in the sect. For those Taoists who had not yet reached bigu, food was still an essential part of their cultivation, and a ladle made of thousand-year-old profound iron provided them with a steady stream of spiritual energy through food.

[T/N: Bigu is a Taoist fasting method. When a cultivator reaches a certain stage, they can get energy from the surrounding spiritual energy and do not need to eat anymore.]

Although Tang Qiaoqiao was no longer an iron ladle, spiritual energy still leaped into her palm when she spread out her hands.

She gathered the qi in her hands together and transformed it into the shape of an iron ladle.

As if it was conscious, the spiritual energy rubbed the palm of her hand affectionately.

"I feel relieved with you by my side."

The energy jumped up and down with joy. Tang Qiaoqiao smiled and retracted her palm.

Then, she looked at the ingredients in the refrigerator. After a moment of thinking, Tang Qiaoqiao took out a small palm-sized pumpkin, peeled it, dug out the seeds, cut it into pieces, and steamed it in a pot. Then, she took another handful of yellow-orange colored millet from a cabinet, washed it, added some water, poured it into a clay pot, and boiled slowly over low heat.

With the staple food prepared, Tang Qiaoqiao began to make a few side dishes for the porridge.

When she was outside Shen Yue’s door earlier, Tang Qiaoqiao took notice of the food he threw away, which included white porridge, scrambled eggs, and green vegetables.

She could see that Aunt Wang followed the principle that a patient should eat light meals, but Shen Yue didn't even take a bite.

At the moment, he had a fever, so any food would be tasteless. The food should not be too light or bland; otherwise, it would not be able to whet his appetite.

Tang Qiaoqiao found a piece of old tofu in the refrigerator and decided to make pan-fried tofu balls.

She crushed the old tofu, beat two eggs, added a little flour, and sprinkled a small amount of pepper and chives to enhance the taste. She continued stirring in one direction until it turned into a paste.

After that, she molded the tofu paste into small balls, then slightly flattened them with her palms. When the oil in the pan was hot enough, she started frying the tofu balls until both of their sides turned golden.

Together with the sizzling sound, an appetizing scent filled the kitchen.

"It smells so good." In fact, Aunt Wang had been waiting outside, fearing that the lady would accidentally burn the kitchen down.

Unexpectedly, she waited for an accident to happen, but instead, she was met with a tempting fragrance.

"Come on, have a taste."

Tang Qiaoqiao had already fried three to four tofu balls on the plate.

Aunt Wang waved her hands again and again. "No, no, this is for the master."

Tang Qiaoqiao: "He can't eat so much."

As she said that, she freed up one of her hands and put a piece of tofu in her mouth. The outside of the tofu ball was fried until it was crisp, but the tofu inside was still tender and juicy. It was also able to retain the heat from when it came out of the pot, making it slightly hot.

Tang Qiaoqiao took a few breaths and motioned to Aunt Wang with her eyes to come and taste it quickly.

The more she chewed, the more flavorful it became. The spiciness of the pepper enhanced the unique fragrance of the tofu, making it even more enticing.

Aunt Wang swallowed and finally couldn't help but break her own rules. She took another pair of chopsticks and tasted one.

She widened her eyes immediately. Was this really the same old tofu she usually bought? Why did it taste so completely different from what she made herself?

It's absolutely amazing!

"It's so delicious." Aunt Wang sighed sincerely. This time she truly believed that cooking was the lady's former profession.

Tang Qiaoqiao smiled crookedly. She had two great wishes in her life: cooking and being a soft and loveable girl.

Now it seemed that this dream was not too difficult to achieve.

After the pan-fried tofu balls were prepared, Tang Qiaoqiao washed a handful of fresh green bean sprouts. She then sauteed some green onions and dried the peppers until they were fragrant, put the bean sprouts into the pot, stir-fried them over high heat, added a spoonful of balsamic vinegar, and stirred them a few more times before serving.

The small pumpkins had already been steamed and cooked, carefully mashed it into a puree with a spoon. At this time, the millet porridge had produced a delicate layer of fine rice oil. She poured the pumpkin puree into the millet porridge and stirred evenly. She continued to cook for a few minutes and not long after, the millet pumpkin porridge was already complete.

Aunt Wang felt a little guilty that she had done nothing but ate the master's food, so she stepped forward and said, "Madam, let me take it."

Tang Qiaoqiao said, "No, I'll just do it myself."

*

Shen Yue was half-leaning on the bed. He felt hungry. His stomach was empty, and he suffered from cramps from time to time.

But he couldn't taste anything, and the smell of the food served by the servants only made him feel nauseous.

Yet, at this moment, a faint smell came from downstairs, which made his stomach feel even more uncomfortable. He wondered what tricks that woman was playing?

“Knock, Knock."

A knock came from outside the door.

"It's me. I'm coming in."

Tang Qiaoqiao pushed the door open and went in without waiting for him to reply.

Shen Yue said in a cold voice, "Who allowed you to come in?"

Tang Qiaoqiao didn't want to argue with him anymore, so she put the food on the table and walked to the window to open the curtains.

"Why are you still keeping the curtains closed? I told you to get some air and sunshine. It’s good for your body."

As soon as the curtains were drawn open, bright sunlight poured into the room through the glass. Shen Yue, who had been in the darkness for so long, was suddenly blinded by the light and struggled to open his eyes. It took him a few moments to adjust.

When he opened his eyes, Shen Yue saw Tang Qiaoqiao's face in front of him.

The woman's slightly damp hair was draped softly on one side. Her plain face was white and rosy. Her black grape-like eyes were blinking, and he could smell a delectable fruity scent when she got close.

Tang Qiaoqiao waved her hand in front of his eyes. "Why are you dazed?"

Shen Yue gave a dry cough and turned his head. "What are you doing here again?"

"I brought you food. I made it by myself."

Tang Qiaoqiao pushed the millet pumpkin porridge, fried tofu balls, and stir-fried bean sprouts in front of him.

Shen Yue raised his eyelids and took a look. Was this the scent he just smelled? Was she cooking downstairs… just for him?

No, he didn't believe that she would suddenly be so kind.

"Who knows if the food you cooked is poisoned?"

"Only a villain would question the motive of a gentleman."

"I'm the villain, but no one asked you to cook for the villain." Although the scent of the food continued to burst into the tip of his nose, his hand under the quilt gently pressed his stomach. Holding back the discomfort, he ordered, "Take it away."

Of course, Tang Qiaoqiao would not easily admit defeat. "I won't. If I take it away, it would seem like I have a guilty conscience. Watch."

She tasted every dish in front of Shen Yue.

"Now, you can rest assured."

She was cooking for him with good intentions, but was repaid with suspicion. Tang Qiaoqiao whispered in a slightly resentful tone, "How could a 5'7 man be so calculating and narrow-minded?"

Shen Yue closed both of his eyes, opened his mouth and said, "Six."

"What?"

"Six."

Tang Qiaoqiao was shocked and then laughed out loud, "You mean you are a man of 6 feet, not 5'7? Oh Hahaha, so you mind this."

'This damned woman. It is the self-esteem of a man!'

Shen Yue's face was sullen. If she kept talking about “a 5'7 man", he would ignore her.

Tang Qiaoqiao laughed enough and looked at Shen Yue from head to toe. Although his body is thin, she can see that he is slender and should be no less than 185 cm.

"5'7 is just a general term. Besides, is the length of a man important?"

Shen Yue glanced at her coldly. "Important."

Tang Qiaoqiao nodded thoughtfully. "Since you still have such high self-esteem, it means you don't want to die at all. If you don't want to die, then you should eat."

She held up a spoonful of porridge and handed it to his mouth. "Should I feed you?"

Shen Yue wanted to refuse, but it smelled sweet when the pumpkin porridge was handed to his mouth. The scent made him feel as if his stomach was about to be sprained.

He was silent for a moment. "I will eat it myself. Go and change the chopsticks and spoons."

Tang Qiaoqiao: ...

The master was very particular and difficult to serve, but fortunately, she brought an extra set of tableware.

"Let's eat."

Shen Yue slowly took a sip of the porridge. The millet pumpkin porridge was thick and soft, with the scent of millet and the sweetness of pumpkin merging together. After the first sip, he felt a warm current spread from his throat to the bottom of his stomach. His cramping stomach finally eased.

The pan-fried tofu balls were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The mellow aroma of the tofu awakened his long-lost taste buds, leaving him with an endless aftertaste.

The crispy bean sprouts were extremely refreshing in the mouth. The sour and refreshing taste made his mouth salivate. He was unknowingly eating bite after bite.

Shen Yue felt that his stomach finally came back to life. Since the car accident, he hadn't eaten so happily, but it was clear that what he saw in front of him was just porridge and side dishes.

'Is this really what she made?'

As soon as he looked up, the cook had her mouth open. Tang Qiaoqiao was eating the tofu balls he had just tasted.

Her tender white face bulged while chewing, like a hamster stealing food.

Watching her eat, Shen Yue seemed to have more appetite. By the time he noticed, the dishes on his dinner plates were already empty.

Looking at the empty dishes, Tang Qiaoqiao smiled. This was the best compliment for any chef.

Shen Yue pushed the dinner plate forward and said fiercely, "It's unpalatable. Take it away." He wouldn’t let the woman feel satisfied just because he ate a little bit of her food.

"I finally understand what duplicity is." Tang Qiaoqiao was angry.

In the end, she still stood up and reached out to quickly touch his forehead and compare his temperature with her own.

"Your fever has finally subsided. For now, just take a rest. Then everything will be fine soon after." Her spiritual qi is more than enough to treat a simple fever.

Shen Yue's whole body relaxed, as if the stone pressing on his body suddenly disappeared, and his mood became a little better. When Tang Qiaoqiao touched his forehead again, he didn't even flinch like the first time. He just closed his eyes and said, "I want to sleep, go out."

"You sleep just after eating. Sooner or later, you will become a pig." Tang Qiaoqiao secretly murmured.

When Tang Qiaoqiao carried her tray back to the first floor, Aunt Wang approached her and said, "Madam, there was a phone call just now. He said he was your agent, and he asked you to call him back quickly. It’s urgent."

Oh, she almost forgot. She’s also a female star in the entertainment industry now.

---

Author's Note:

Tang Qiaoqiao: "Is the length of a man important?"

Shen Yue: "It's important, and speed also matters."

Tang Qiaoqiao: "I don't understand.”