Translator: Sy
Chapter 25: The Surging Jealousy
Xizai seemed to really like his plant-based powers. Before Liu Yue took Xizai with him, Lin Ning gave the kitty a thorough treatment. The soft, familiar green glow coated the kitty’s body.
The cat narrowed its eyes, soundlessly eying the young man before him.
The black-haired young man had a bright, beautifully handsome face, red lips, skin as pale as snow, and a nape so slender it looked as if it could snap. It made the cat wonder how this man could survive anything without it around. Lin Ning carried a rather fresh, bookish aura. With especially with that pair of clear, crystal eyes, it was hard to imagine how he’d managed to push through that dark patch of time in the entertainment industry.
Lin Ning was, without a question, intricate, and therefore fragile. It didn’t matter whether he was an idol or a livestreamer– Lin Ning was defenseless. All it took was someone ambitious enough to gobble him up.
The cat’s eyes darkened, claws shooting from its paws unconsciously. The feline, who could even remain stoic in the face of toppling mountains and splitting earth, finally realized that it was worried.
Lin Ning pulled his hands back. He packed some food he’d prepared to last a couple of days into some lunch boxes, then carried the kitty to the living room, grabbing it by its armpits as he handed it over to Liu Yue.
Liu Yue rose, getting the memo that he was supposed to take over the cat, but the cat glared at him in warning, so he pulled back in a flash. Seeing Lin Ning’s look of confusion, he coughed, embarrassed. “Truth is, the cat doesn’t like it when people carry it around, though seeingthat it likes you is a pleasant surprise. Would it be alright if you bring it downstairs? I’ll grab the lunch boxes.”
“Okay.” Lin Ning handed over the lunch boxes. “I’ve prepared three days’ worth of food for Xizai. There are another two sets over here, one for you and the other for Mr. Li Chengyan. Please take good care of Xizai… I’ll be waiting.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll take good care of it.” The boxes, despite their weight, were as light as a feather to Liu Yue. The hypnotizing smell that floated in the air was really testing the self-control he so prided himself in owning.
The two humans and the cat were downstairs in no time. An jet-black car sat by the road. It looked a little like the cars used by the military, but Lin Ningwasn’t too sure.Lin Ning climbed in, reluctantly settling Xizai down in the backseat. The cat dispassionately padded on the backseat’s cushion, leaving the young man’s warm, lightly scented embrace.
As he waited for Liu Yue to get into the driver’s seat, Lin Ning rubbed Xizai’s head, then bent forward to kiss Xizai’s head. The cat’s face, initially holding traces of worry, morphed into sheer disbelief. Lin Ning laughed lightly, his glittering eyes crinkling.
“Don’t worry. I’ll wait for you to come home.”
The drive was smooth, but it was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. Liu Yue was too scared to make a sound. The image of Lin Ning #%!*&-ing the marshal poppued upover and over again in his head like an interstellar missile. Forget seeing double, he was seeing triple thanks to those explosions. And the marshal didn’t even dodge it! And was that a little bit of pink he saw behind the marshal’s ears?
!!!
No one’s ever gotten close to the marshal before. It didn’t matter what the elite did: anyone who approached him with the hopes of romance left soundlessly with their hearts crushed. The marshal rejected everyone with a mercilessly clean strike. Liu Yue always thought his superior’s love lay for the entire country. But today…
No, he had to clear his head. He couldn’t freak out over this. This was only ever the second time he’d met Mr. Lin, after all. Once he’d seen him a few more times, he might actually witness the Eighth Wonder of the Galaxy!
The car’s window tints were activated. Soon, the cat disappeared, and a man in military uniform sat, back straight, where in the cat’s place. His black hair was slicked back, and that cold, strict face was annoyingly handsome, with dark, bottomless eyes, and a swift and fierce contour. His carried himself with such an imposing aura, it was as if he was a god descending on the human realm.
His thin lips parted. A deep voice as melodious as a cello rang out. “How are the bodyguard arrangements?”
Liu Yue’s gaze wavered. “Positioned nearby Mr. Lin. Please be at ease. They’re all from the special forces, so they know what to do.”
*
With Xizai away from home, Lin Ning moped about the house like a deflated balloon. He couldn’t get in the zone in his livestream today. Even though his culinary skills were more or less already integrated into his soul, he didn’t really feel like talking today. The entire livestream fell into heavy silence.
They were making red braised pork belly today. This dish used to be very popular throughout China – pork fat melted in the mouth, its meat tender, soft and unforgettably fragrant. Lin Ning’s thoughts were occupied with the cat as he sliced through the ingredients.
“Oww…” Lin Ning drew his hand back, finding a slight gash on it. He sighed, relieved, and stuck on an ointment patch. After slicing the pork belly into cubes, he spread them out neatly.
The bullet screen abruptly piled up. Water droplets clung onto those slender white hands. Those round fingernails were faintly pink, like a scarred jade.
[He cut his hand. Does it hurt? I’ll blow it for you— fuu fuu fuu——]
[Be careful, Lemon! Did something bad happen today? You’re not talking as much as usual…]
[We’ll always be by your side! We’ll always support our Lemon!]
[My heart’s breaking seeing his hand bleed. Those hands are so pretty. If I had a pair of hands like that, I’d buy insurance for it! You’ll see me smiling in my sleep…]
[This might be the first time he’s ever cut his hand. His knife skills are extremely good, so maybe this time he’s got something on his mind… Here’s a Torpedo for comfort. Hang in there~]
What followed was a chain of Reward notifications. Lin Ning laughed, reassuring his audience that he was alright. After heating up the wok, he poured in cooking oil and some crystal sugar till everything melted together, and little bubbles of golden yellow oil blubbered up. After that, Lin Ning poured in the pork belly cubes, stir-frying them under a medium fire this time, coating the meat cubes in a layer of golden syrup. The fragrance from the meat was now pouring out, seeping into the entire house. The audience inhaled deeply, gulping.
My god, it already smells so good now. Imagine how it’d smell once it’s done!
A few notifications rang. Those familiar with livestreaming culture knew that meant someone was out there dishing out Spacecrafts like a maniac. The audience looked admiringly at the screen, watching the rows and rows of Spacecrafts swipe by.
Lovely viewer [ZhangYiMing] gave you 10 Spacecrafts.
Lovely viewer [ZhangYiMing] gave you 10 Spacecrafts.
Lovely viewer [Fat_bunny] gave you 5 Spacecrafts.
Lovely viewer [ZhangYiMing] gave you 10 Spacecrafts.
Lovely viewer [Fat_bunny] gave you 10 Spacecrafts.
Lovely viewer [NotLackingMoney] gave you 5 Spacecrafts.
Lovely viewer [ShineKing] gave you 10 Spacecrafts.
…
The viewers looked on, eyes practically shining golden as they stared at the Rewards. This Film King was amazing… he’d probably just spent a few million Stars on Lemon Kitchen, and if he continued on, that number’d be reaching ten million, which was more than enough to earn him a spot at the top of the Rewarders’ List.
What surprised everyone most was how Zhang Yiming sent out a bullet screen comment at the end of his Reward chain. In summary, it told telling Lemon Kitchen to take care of himself.
Lin Ning noticed Zhang Yiming’s name flash by and grinned helplessly. His hoarse voice went, “Thank you, everyone, for your support. You especially, Mr. Zhang Yiming. You really didn’t have to…”
Another shocking comment flew by.
[ZhangYiMing]: It’s no hassle at all. I enjoy this.
These gentle words held too much ambiguity. That line sounded like a confession, no matter how the viewers looked at it!
The fangirls’ jaws fell to the floor. Wasn’t this the Film King? The one who never let rumors fly near him? The one who always dealt with rumors by dealing out flashes and flashes of evidence? The one who always turned the tables on those who tried to get the upper hand against him? The one nobody in the entertainment industry ever dared to cross?
Woooooooah.
[Oh my god I’m getting CEO romance vibes! The way he won’t stop spending money is so makes me want to cry! If I were Lemon Kitchen, I’d do anything to marry Zhang Yiming!]
[Exactly! Why didn’t I see this from the start? Isn’t the way Zhang Yiming’s acting towards Lemon Kitchen kind of like a possessive CEO courting his lover?!!]
[AAAAA I ship them! I’m down! I’m so down! I really think there’s something going on between them. Like to capture the Film King’s heart you gotta capture his stomach, or if I like you then I’ve got to be number one on your Ranks! It’s! So! Sweet!!]
[@Midsummer Entertainment, come on out! Your top dog’s out here getting himself a man! Is this Film King watching the livestream to court Lemon?!!]
[Aaaaaaa speaking as a loyal fan,this has got ot be the first time I’ve never gotten mad over a Zhang Yiming rumour! I want even more of what’s going on here!]
[Lover? I want a lover too! If anyone wants to be mine send me a reply.]
[I’m replying (please spare me) jkjk I’m joking…]
[Aaagh I’m so jealous. I want to marry Lemon Kitchen, too! Does that mean the Film King’s now my romantic rival? I can’t beat ZHang Yiming! There’s a whole stretch of awards and bank accounts between him and I uwaaaaaaaa——]
Lin Ning had already turned the heat down to keep the meat stewing. For a moment, he was speechless watching the wailing bullet screen yap over his relationship with the Film King, and whatever that was about possessive CEOs and little lovers. He shook his head.
“Now we’ll bring the meat to a stew. In the meantime, I’ll make you guys a fruit salad. It’s light and sweet, and especially refreshing if you have them after the red braised pork.”
As soon as he finished, the bullet screen shfted back into a sea of cheerfulness.
[I wanna eat fruits!!! I really liked the strawberries from the other time!]
[Is that a watermelon? Watermelons really are life!]
[I love fruit salads. Like, really love them. I bet I was a fruit addict in my past life… ]
[Ha, don’t bring that up. I bet I died of hunger in my past life. I even wanna eat the chopping board in the background!]
Lin Ning pulled out some apples, bananas, a watermelon, dragon fruits, strawberries, and a few other fruits and rinsed them. As they watched, the audience began to notice that something looked off. Other than the ointment patch on the hands, there was another thing there that looked ominous. On those thin, glistening wrists were light rows of scar lines. Although they were fading, the wounds were long. It was hard to picture the sort of experiences the owner of the hands went through in order to leave such a startling scar.
As Lin Ning washed, it suddenly hit him that he’d exposed something he shouldn’t have. He tugged his sleeves down silently.
But the damage was already done. With technology this advanced, getting rid of scars was no difficult task. So if one was to find scars on one’s body, there could only be two reasons:
One: The person was so poor, that they couldn’t afford to get rid of the scar, and so could only use their clothes to cover them up to achieve the same effect.
Two: there was a sad story behind the scar, and the person left the scar on their body to remind themselves not to forget about the past. The scar was a reminder of a lesson learned.
Lemon Kitchen had to be someone who fell into the second category… With wounds this neat on the wrist, it had to be inflicted through a suicide attempt. How horrible were the things that happened to him, to be able to make him choose to slit his wrists? After the wounds healed, what sort of emotion did he carry within him when he faced these scars and that past of his?
*
At night, the main planet’s capital was as bright as a fire.
The marshal’s residence was located in a luxurious area in the corner of the capital. The building had a distinctly European style – vintage and lingeringly charming. Its exterior was heavily guarded, its interior buzzing with activity. There wasn’t a single person who wasn’t silently celebrating the marshal’s return. Following the red-carpeted staircases upwards, a study room lay in the corner of the floor. You could hear a pin drop in there. Neatly-filled bookshelves lined the walls of the room.
Li Chengyan flipped through a confidential file shut, his head throbbing. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. Explosive, unbridled power tumbled through his head, wreaking so much havoc sweat beaded his forehead. On the surface, he looked as composed as always, the only thing giving him away being the light sweat and his furrowed eyebrows.
His memory hadn’t recovered entirely yet, but he had to start adapting to his past identity. He held a high, important post, and was currently beset with problems both here and abroad. There were far too many issues left unresolved, and it was hisduty to go through every bit of information bit by bit. Right now, he seemed to have a rough grasp of the situation.
Even if he had the old man holding the fort for the time being, he still had to return today to bring up the rear, and – most importantly – let those scheming bastards know he was back.
After a quick shower, he returned to the master bedroom. The room was now completely estranged from him. Li Chengyan sat at the edge of the bed, tapping on his photon tablet.
It was red braised pork belly today. Everything he makes is delicious, the man thought.
The young man seemed distracted. In his haste, he cut himself. Droplets of blood coated the sharp edge of the knife, and more seeped out of the cut, gliding from the tip of his nails down his finger.
Someone with the username ZhangYiMing was giving out an excessive amount of Rewards and leaving comments Li Chengyan simply could not approve of. His eyebrows creased, eyes simmering with annoyance.
As the rough-voiced young man showed his pale wrists on-screen, Li Chengyan’s face darkened as Lin Ning’s scares slipped into view.
This person clearly put a lot of love intoraising a cat… How could he pay so little attention into taking care of himself? This man was putting the cart before the horse!
Despite those thoughts, Li Chengyan’sfists were clenched. That frosty, rigid face softened to show a trace of what was perhaps pity and worry.
