Chapter 223: Feed The Adorable Mu Sheng
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Su Ran could only touch his stomach sheepishly when Li Hanchen said no. He glanced at the cameraman. “Dude, do you have any food? Can’t you see how pitiful I am?”
The moment Su Ran finished his sentence, his stomach could be heard growling.
The cameraman felt tickled. “Why don’t you apologize to Wen Lan? She has a good temper, so she will definitely forgive you.”
“Humph.” Su Ran raised his brow. “Why would you say that? You must be joking.”
Su Ran was the only one who disagreed.
Su Ran had a bad reputation. He was well known for being cocky and unrestrained. The moment people talked about working with Su Ran, complicated emotions swept through their hearts.
[I don’t know what to say. Can Su Ran have a look at himself in the mirror? How could he have the cheek to say Wen Lan has a bad temper?]
[What’s wrong with Su Ran? Su Ran is an authentic man. Some people only look nice on the surface. God knows what they are capable of when no one is looking.]
[Can you fans stop defending him? It is starting to get old. The moment someone speaks ill of Su Ran, you act like they have murdered your parents. You never know, right? What if Su Ran has secretly gotten married and already has kids?]
[Hahaha! Well said, my friend. You really got them where it hurts the most. I suggest you deactivate your private messages. I am sure it is just a matter of time when the fans swarm to your account and flood you with hate mail.]
Su Ran sat at the entrance until he suddenly caught a whiff of the food coming from inside and instantly swallowed his saliva.
Su Ran stood up and glanced around and saw a peach tree. Since it was springtime, the peach blossoms were in full bloom and looked lush and exuberant.
Su Ran immediately climbed up the tree using both arms. By the time he got to the top of its branches, petals had gotten all over the ground.
The cameraman was unable to scale the wall, so he could only stay at the foot of the wall and film Su Ran from behind.
Su Ran sat on the wall without jumping down and leaned against it. “Miss Wen, that looks like quite the spread you have going on there.”
In the small homemade pavilion in the yard, Wen Lan was eating dinner.
There was stewed cabbage vermicelli, stir-fried pork with green pepper, and a plate of refreshing cold dish made of vegetables. Su Ran felt famished when he saw them.
Wen Lan raised her head and glanced at Su Ran before lowering her head and ignoring him.
Su Ran smiled before he acted pitifully. “Sigh. I have not eaten a bite since I boarded the plane this morning. I carried so much groceries from the market today, but someone didn’t appreciate it and refuses to even give me a bite of warm food.”
Wen Lan stopped chewing and looked at Su Ran once more.
Su Ran blatantly blinked at Wen Lan arrogantly since the cameraman could not get it on camera. He was a handsome man to begin with, so anyone would take a second look whenever he blinked at them.
However, Wen Lan ignored him and simply looked at Su Ran quietly. She was still angry with him for making trouble.
Su Ran could not help smiling when he got Wen Lan’s attention. He did not say it out loud and simply mouthed the words, “Sprout, I was wrong. I am famished. Can you let me in?”
Wen Lan contemplated before she turned her head over.
Su Ran could only reach his leg out when his ploy did not work. “Sigh. Since you won’t let me in, I can only jump from the wall. If I break anything or get a concussion, it is all on camera and everyone knows what happened.”
Su Ran proceeded to jump.
“Hang on!” Wen Lan finally stood up. She sounded upset that she caved in. “I will open the door for you.”
A smug look swept across Su Ran’s eyes as he pulled his leg back and climbed down the tree.
Since there were no street lights, Su Ran was unable to see properly. Also, the tree branches were smooth. He ended up accidentally slipping down the tree.
“Ow!” Su Ran shouted in a stifled tone in pain.
Wen Lan opened the door and heard the sound of Su Ran falling, so she hurriedly ran over to him.
“Are you okay?” Wen Lan ran up to Su Ran and clearly looked worried. “Are you hurt? Is it your leg or your back? Why don’t we go to the hospital so that you can get examined?”
Su Ran calmly looked at Wen Lan as she spoke worriedly.
After some time, Wen Lan raised her head and saw Su Ran standing where he was nonchalantly, and she instantly realized he must be pretending again.
Wen Lan stood up. “Since you are fine, come in and have dinner.”
“I did break something.” Su Ran reached his hand out unhurriedly. “I will need to trouble you to help support me. My leg hurts.”
Wen Lan went quiet. She eventually helped to pull up Su Ran.
Su Ran was not shy and leaned against Wen Lan entirely. “Let’s go. I am so hungry.”
Wen Lan was a frail-looking woman. The viewers watched as Wen Lan helped support a tall man like Su Ran when Su Ran looked perfectly fine.
[He is such a bully. How much does Su Ran hate Wen Lan? Why does he keep bullying her? Doesn’t he feel bad about it?]
[Honestly. Although I am a fan of Su Ran, he was too much. How could he keep making trouble?]
[What would you know? Is it right for us to get so involved? You are acting as though you know them personally. We should keep our noses out of these celebrities’ businesses.]
Meanwhile, Su Ran leaned against Wen Lan and said by her ear softly from a camera blind spot, “Sprout, you are so heartless.”
Wen Lan turned her head and glared at Su Ran when he called her by the nickname. “Stop calling me that.”
“Humph.” Su Ran smiled. “If I can’t call you that, who else can do it?”
Wen Lan went quiet. She threw Su Ran on the seat before holding up her bowl to eat and ignored him.
Su Ran leisurely ate as he glanced at Wen Lan every now and then with a smile on his face.
——
Mu Sheng went home angry.
Meanwhile, everyone in the small town had gone to bed and only the stars flickered in the sky.
After entering the door, she wanted to go to bed right away. She thought about what she had to do first before bedtime and recalled there were no modern conveniences in a small town like this, and she needed to boil hot water to wash up.
However, she did not know how to do it.
Mu Sheng halted. Li Hanchen knew what she needed, but he pretended to be oblivious and asked, “Yes?”
Mu Sheng was in a dilemma. Should she continue throwing a temper at him or get him to help prepare hot water? She eventually capitulated for the sake of water.
She looked at Li Hanchen. “How do I boil hot water?”
Li Hanchen knew Mu Sheng would probably not talk to him all night if he continued teasing her, so he said, “Just wait in the house and leave it to me.”
Mu Sheng felt pleased with the answer, so her annoyance towards Li Hanchen dissipated and even her tone softened. “Okay.”
It was quiet and peaceful in the small town as insects could be heard chirping outside the window.
Li Hanchen helped to make the beds. After Mu Sheng washed up, she curled up in bed. The blanket smelled like sunshine, and she quickly fell asleep.
The viewers checked the time and were about to go to bed when someone shouted for them to wait.
Everyone realized Li Hanchen had come out of the room and went to the kitchen.
[What’s he doing up? Is he hungry?]
The viewers were about to leave, but they continued watching and wanted to find out what Li Hanchen was doing.
Li Hanchen took out the flour they had purchased that day and added water to it before kneading it.
[What is he doing? Is he making supper? Didn’t he already eat dinner?]
[Erm… I think… Don’t you remember what Mu Sheng said when she saw the flour at the market? She said she likes eating fried fritters. She also said it would be even better if there were small steamed buns.]
[Oh wow! Your memory is simply excellent! This is insane. Li Hanchen is preparing dough so that he can prepare the food Mu Sheng wanted. Isn’t he wonderful to Mu Sheng?]
As the audience speculated, Li Hanchen was already done kneading the dough. He left the dough in a basin, washed his hands, and left the kitchen.
The viewers turned on the program at 6:00 am sharp in the morning and waited for it to start.
They ended up seeing Li Hanchen frying fritters.
After making fritters, he took out the leftover pork belly and mixed it with cabbage and egg to make a pot of steamed cabbage pork buns.
Since the dough was left to proof all night, the pork buns were exceptionally soft. They were so fluffy that they sank to the touch.
The steam buns were filled with piping hot soup and filling. The filling was so generous that some of it oozed from the buns leaving a hint of oil on their surfaces.
They could almost imagine how it tasted. It looked like its skin was thin and came with generous filling and soup would burst from it with a single bite.
[Oh god! Is Li Hanchen a licensed chef? Why is he so good at cooking? Where can I buy those buns? Just looking at them makes me famished.]
[I can almost smell those buns. Also, the deep-fried fritters look delish. It’s killing me.]
[Can someone give me a bite? I am famished. It is such torture to watch this program first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. I was really asking for it. Sobs.]
The egg soup he prepared was also ready when he removed the steamed buns from the pot.
Li Hanchen placed the food on the table before going to Mu Sheng’s room.
Her door was not closed.
Mu Sheng was already accustomed to sleeping without closing the door since Li Hanchen would do it, so she did the same here and simply climbed into bed and went to sleep.
Li Hanchen knocked on the door before entering the room and telling Mu Sheng, “Time to eat.”
Mu Sheng always needed eight hours of sleep. It happened to be exactly eight hours since Mu Sheng went to bed last night, so she was ready to wake up.
Sure enough, Mu Sheng opened her eyes the moment she heard what Li Hanchen said. Half her face was still buried under the blanket and only her bright eyes could be seen. “What’s for breakfast?”
Li Hanchen’s heart turned to mush when he saw her doe-like eyes and unknowingly smiled. “Leftovers from last night.”
“Okay!” Mu Sheng did not have a problem eating leftovers. Whatever it was, it was far better than a nutrient solution!
“Okay. Come down for breakfast when you are ready,” said Li Hanchen before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.
Before long, Mu Sheng showed up at the dining table.
Auntie Lin had prepared all of Mu Sheng’s clothes. Today, Mu Sheng was dressed in a light pink knitted sweater.
She had beautiful features to begin with, so the soft-colored sweater accentuated her features and made the room light up instantly.
Everyone kept commenting about how beautiful she was.
Mu Sheng saw the small steamed buns and deep-fried fritters on the table and looked happy. “Did you buy this?”
Li Hanchen picked up a pair of chopsticks and handed it to her. “Uh huh. Eat up.”
Mu Sheng sat down and took a bite of a small steamed bun.
The instant Mu Sheng ate it, she could taste the fragrant soup inside. The skin was very thin, so the moment she ate the bun, she could taste the generous pork filling inside. The cabbage in the filling tasted refreshing and helped to balance the oil from the pork belly.
Mu Sheng ate in small bites and her cheeks bulged slightly like a hamster.
Halfway through eating the bun, Mu Sheng turned to look at Li Hanchen. “You made this.”
Li Hanchen was holding a pair of chopsticks when his hand froze. “How did you know?”
Mu Sheng answered solemnly, “It tastes better than the ones you can buy outside.”
Mu Sheng wanted to say it was usually made with garlic, but Li Hanchen did not add garlic since he knew she did not like it.
Since the camera was rolling, Mu Sheng had to watch what she said.
Li Hanchen genuinely felt happy when he heard what she said and his expression visibly softened. “Why, that’s sweet of you.”
Mu Sheng’s eyes looked smiley. “The cabbage was sweet too.”
Li Hanchen smiled visibly. “Try the fritters. Weren’t you talking about them yesterday?”
Mu Sheng nodded.
The deep-fried fritters were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. She could even hear it snapping crisply in her mouth when she ate one. It had a sweet-smelling fluffy center.
It had a soft fluffy texture leaving Mu Sheng deeply satisfied. “It’s delicious.”
“Uh huh.” Li Hanchen loved hearing Mu Sheng’s praises. He gave her a bowl of soup. “What do you feel like eating for lunch?”
“Can I have anything I want?” Mu Sheng was starting to feel Li Hanchen was capable of doing the impossible.
“What do you feel like eating?”
Mu Sheng pondered. “I saw a chicken on our way back yesterday. It looked fat and juicy.”
Mu Sheng thought about the juicy grilled chicken she saw in a television drama and felt like trying it.
Li Hanchen smiled. “Okay.”
Mu Sheng glanced at Li Hanchen quizzically. “Don’t we only have $50 left?”
Li Hanchen took a bite of deep-fried fritters. “It’s fine. Leave it to me.”
“Sure.” Mu Sheng’s eyes glinted slightly before she looked at Li Hanchen and said, “You are so smart.”
Countless people had sung Li Hanchen’s praise in his life, but he was always unperturbed. However, he inexplicably felt a little shy when he heard what Mu Sheng said, and he even veered his eyes a little.
Li Hanchen cleared his throat in an attempt to conceal his awkwardness. He composed himself before looking at Mu Sheng. “Stop talking and eat up.”
“Okay.” Mu Sheng felt a little upset and automatically said, “I praised you. Did you have to be so mean?”
Mu Sheng did not get it, but the audience certainly did. Since they were young women, they had seen their fair share of romance on television. How could they not tell Li Hanchen was feeling shy?
The audience was screaming so hard that the system nearly hung.
[Omigod! Mu Sheng, are you an idiot? He was not being mean at all! He was shy about it! Heavens! They are so cute!]
[Mu Sheng, wake up, will you? Li Hanchen prepared the dough last night and made those small steamed buns for you because you had a random craving!]
[Omigod! I think there is genuinely some chemistry between them. Do you think Li Hanchen likes Mu Sheng? Even my boyfriend isn’t as nice to me!]
Mu Sheng remained unmoved despite the furor among the audience. She still felt Li Hanchen was being mean to her.
Mu Sheng thought about the delectable small steamed buns and decided. “Although you were mean, I will forgive you since you made me a delicious spread for breakfast.”
Li Hanchen could not suppress his smile. “Really?”
Mu Sheng nodded. “Uh huh.”
“In that case, you should eat up and consider forgiving me in advance,” said Li Hanchen gently.
[Omigod! Did you see that tender smile on his face? It’s killing me! Why doesn’t Mu Sheng get it! If this keeps up, I am going to throw my hammer at you!]
[I have been single for 20 years. I can tell Li Hanchen has the hots for Mu Sheng. It’s all in his eyes!]
Mu Sheng and Li Hanchen ate quietly in the dining room without talking.
Every time Mu Sheng ate a steamed bun, she left some skin on the table.
The cameraman wanted to laugh as he said, “Does Mu Sheng not like skin? She sure is picky.”
Before Mu Sheng could say a word, Li Hanchen said, “She isn’t picky. She wants to give it to the kitten.”
Mu Sheng looked at Li Hanchen in surprise. “How did you know?”
Li Hanchen smiled without saying a word.
Even though Mu Sheng had a cool vibe, she was very kind at heart.
Li Hanchen was spot on. Before long, the kitten came in to look for them. It kept meowing at Mu Sheng, and Mu Sheng placed the leftovers on the table on the ground for it. The kitten happily lapped up all the food.
[Cut it out! My diabetes is already acting up. How could you read her mind? I genuinely thought Mu Sheng was a fussy eater too.]
[Bring me my insulin this instant! Li Hanchen, please stop smiling. If you smile anymore, I might just pass out. Isn’t this a countryside entertainment program? Why does it smell like romance?]
[Hahaha! Don’t you think Mu Sheng resembles a cat? It feels as though Li Hanchen is rearing a kitten and happy to do it. I love watching them.]
After breakfast, Mu Sheng sat by the side and waited for Li Hanchen to clean up. When he was done, he made Mu Sheng put on a straw hat. “Let’s go.”
“Where are we going?”
“To make money so that we can buy you grilled chicken wings.”
They had no more than $50 left. If they did not start making money, it would be impossible to survive for seven more days.
Mu Sheng followed behind him curiously. “Where are we going to make money?”
The cameraman was filming scenery, so he was unable to stay with them. Li Hanchen lowered his head and said to Mu Sheng, “If you meow, I will tell you how to make money.”
Mu Sheng was very curious. Also, it did not seem like a big deal to meow or bark. She contemplated briefly before she meowed and looked at him. “Okay. Now, will you tell me?”
Li Hanchen went quiet. He did not expect Mu Sheng to be so obedient. He simply wanted to tease her.
Li Hanchen could not resist laughing when he saw Mu Sheng’s reaction.
After the cameraman came back from taking scenic shots, he caught Li Hanchen beaming from ear to ear.
The cameraman hated himself for missing out on some perfect filming material!
