Chapter 169 You Absolute Fool

In the kitchen, Tang Zhichu began to get to work.

Before long, he heard the voices of Zhou Yun and Jiang Lan conversing outside.

It seemed that neither of them particularly wanted to spend time alone with Tang Zhichu.

Tang Zhichu was quite content with the peace and quiet.

Everyone knew they were dining together for the sake of work, yet neither brought it up. What else was there to talk about?

Everyday life.

Zhou Yun brought a pile of items down from upstairs and invited Jiang Lan to choose whatever she liked.

Jiang Lan lacked a regular domestic life; when she was on her own, her thoughts were almost entirely consumed by her career. Shopping for leisure? That was a distant memory.

Zhou Yun was different. Compared to certain socialites, she might fall slightly short in terms of ultra-luxurious living standards, but Zhou Yun cherished herself dearly.

Every detail of her food, clothing, housing, and travel was tended to with care.

"This facial mask is great, and this sunscreen is waterproof, sweat-proof, and exceptionally refreshing. Yes, yes, and this toner too! Anyway, I use all of these myself. Even when I'm working out, it holds up—still feeling so fresh..."

This was the first time Jiang Lan had seen Zhou Yun acting like this, behaving like a young girl, enthusiastically recommending the good products she used.

That enthusiasm wasn't merely social etiquette; Jiang Lan could sense it, as if refusing would genuinely hurt her feelings.

"Alright, alright, I'll take the mask, and the facial cleanser too. I'll pass on the rest since I still have plenty. I don't know what your skincare routine is, but for me, I think the most important thing is inner vitality and spirit. That kind of spirit and mindset radiating from the inside out affects your internal endocrine system. When your state of mind is good, your skin is good, so my skincare regimen is quite simple."

Hearing Jiang Lan say this, Zhou Yun nodded like a chick pecking at rice.

"Me too! That's why I also work out, stay fit, and control my diet. I don't mean starving myself, just eating clean and fresh. If I strictly follow my habits, I don't have the slightest hint of bad breath when I wake up in the morning. Even if I just press my lips together, there's a fresh, sweet taste to it, and my bowel movements don't even smell!"

"Hahaha!"

In the kitchen, as Tang Zhichu was preparing to stir-fry the dishes, he heard the soft laughter of the two women outside and smiled in satisfaction.

After emphasizing the career path earlier, why did he deliberately prevent Zhou Yun from discussing work?

Wasn't it precisely to create this exact scenario?

Suck up to the nearby enemy while attacking the distant one.

The more formidable they perceived the rival to be, the more both Zhou Yun and Jiang Lan would calculate their own odds against Chen Siyang. Consequently, their subconscious would prompt them to befriend each other first, enlisting a familiar ally for mutual support.

Of course, there was also a significant risk.

What if their relationship grew too close and the two women decided to have a heart-to-heart mutual confession?

Then Tang Zhichu would be thoroughly finished.

However, based on Tang Zhichu's understanding of Zhou Yun and Jiang Lan, that particular outcome was unlikely to materialize.

No matter how well they got along, certain secrets would always remain secrets; this was the boundary line of adults.

Tang Zhichu recalled those people around him in the past who had multiple girlfriends—how did they manage it?

He thought it through, but there wasn't much he could borrow from their methods.

Because most of those were parasitic relationships.

The women's lives were financially secured by the man, inherently putting them a peg lower.

The women he was facing were different; they could live perfectly well without him.

That was why Tang Zhichu was so cautious.

Was he tired?

Not at all; on the contrary, he found it endlessly amusing.

Even if you only date one girlfriend, does life require no management?

Do you just spend every day laughing foolishly? How could that be?

When Tang Zhichu carried the dishes out of the kitchen, Zhou Yun and Jiang Lan were still chatting.

"Don't move, you guys keep chatting, I've got this."

Saying "don't move" meant nothing; how could they really just sit there?

Both women stood up anyway.

"Oh wow, a master chef is truly different! Look at these chicken wings, the color—it's making my mouth water just looking at them!"

"Oh, pork lung soup!"

"Mm-hm, I specifically bought it. It's wonderful, it's been so long since the house felt this lively."

"No, I should say the atmosphere hasn't felt this relaxed in ages."

"Right, thank you... President Tang!"

"Thank you, Zhichu!"

Three people, seven dishes and one soup.

When Zhou Yun wasn't working out, or rather when she was indulging herself, her palate tended to be rich and savory, yet she disliked anything excessively greasy, so she had prepared fermented bean curd chicken wings and cold tossed pig ears.

Jiang Lan's palate leaned toward lighter flavors, and Tang Zhichu believed that Jiang Lan's fair skin and natural beauty were not only due to being naturally gifted but also closely tied to her lifestyle habits.

Steamed river whitebait, stuffed chili peppers with minced meat, and the pork lung soup were all prepared specifically for Jiang Lan.

Tang Zhichu hadn't even deep-fried the stuffed chili peppers; they were steamed, then sizzled with some freshly heated seasoned oil at the end.

"I can't take it anymore, my mouth is watering, let's dig in!" Zhou Yun rubbed her hands together and said.

Since she was the hostess, she sat at the head of the small rectangular table, while Tang Zhichu and Jiang Lan, both considered guests, sat side by side next to each other.

For some reason, Zhou Yun felt her appetite was exceptionally good today.

As soon as she said they could eat, she even picked up food for Jiang Lan first.

"Here, hurry and try the master chef's cooking!"

Jiang Lan sighed with emotion, "I'm feeling a bit nostalgic."

"Nostalgic for what?"

Jiang Lan glanced at Tang Zhichu, then turned to Zhou Yun and said, "Nostalgic for the days when we first met. Back then, I had it so comfortable—using the opportunity of recording the variety show to slack off every day."

"You call that slacking off? You didn't see the public's impression of you, Sister Lan—a career-driven powerhouse! The rest of us went there to date, while Sister Lan went exclusively to build her career."

"Hahaha, this is so delicious!"

Seeing Jiang Lan say it was delicious, Zhou Yun also picked up a piece of fish. Upon entering her mouth, it was fresh and sweet, the texture smooth yet with a slight springiness, while the savory sauce added a layer of substance.

"Sometimes it's clearly just a dish, why does it taste so different when made by different people?" Zhou Yun said with bright eyes.

Jiang Lan glanced at Tang Zhichu again; she deeply agreed with that statement.

Fine food really depended on the person. The one who cooked it and the one who ate it were crucial factors, and these factors often outweighed the taste itself.

"Then you'll have to ask the master chef." Jiang Lan smiled.

Zhou Yun also looked at Tang Zhichu, her teasing radar activated as she said with a sour tone, "How often does one get to eat the master chef's cooking, anyway?"

Jiang Lan smiled. Perhaps because the atmosphere was so pleasant, she added a line of her own: "That depends on who it is."

Zhou Yun: "Ain't that the truth? If the master chef is in a good mood, not only are there great dishes, but there are even sweets."

Tang Zhichu looked up and frowned. Are you trying to force my hand?

Jiang Lan covered her mouth with a light laugh. When she said "it depends on who it is," she meant herself; as long as Tang Zhichu was in Chongqing, she could eat his cooking whenever she wanted.

However, Zhou Yun was clearly referring to Chen Siyang.

Jiang Lan could understand this jealousy; she had been the same way back on the dating show, unable to even have a proper meal during dates and having to bring food back with Tang Zhichu to eat together.

"Come to think of it, it's been a while since I was with Yang—mph!" Jiang Lan stopped mid-sentence.

"What's wrong?" Zhou Yun looked at Jiang Lan.

Jiang Lan shook her head and said nothing.

Under the table, Tang Zhichu's hand had somehow found its way onto Jiang Lan's lap.

Jiang Lan was wearing a matching professional women's pantsuit, and since it was summer attire, the fabric was very thin.

Seeing that Zhou Yun was about to probe further, Tang Zhichu directly reached out to serve Zhou Yun some food.

That silenced Zhou Yun as well.

The material of the trousers must have been of high quality because it was extremely slick, yet it could not mask the full, voluptuous sensation underneath.

Jiang Lan truly deserved her title as a career-driven powerhouse; she possessed that level of composure. Her expression didn't change at all as she continued eating in small bites, though the tips of her ears had turned red.

"This is delicious, it should be to your taste." Tang Zhichu picked up another chicken wing for Zhou Yun.

Zhou Yun lowered her head to shovel rice into her mouth, thinking to herself: don't just serve me, Sister Lan is right here too.

Yet, after serving her, Tang Zhichu didn't make another move.

Zhou Yun looked at Tang Zhichu with narrowed eyes, putting on a pitiful, pleading expression.

She hadn't deliberately meant to make sarcastic remarks; it was just a habit at this point.

From yesterday until now, Zhou Yun genuinely believed there was nothing going on between Tang Zhichu and Jiang Lan.

If there really were something, would they dare meet up together? Even if Tang Zhichu could act, could Sister Lan possibly play along?

Her primary concern was Chen Siyang.

To lay things out in the open now? It was too abrupt. Even if they were to bring it into the open, she had to give Sister Lan time to adjust.

Tang Zhichu serving Zhou Yun food was a very daring move.

However, from Jiang Lan's perspective, it was also rational.

Because this fellow was up to no good, and if he didn't divert Xiao Yun's attention, forget about Tang Zhichu, even Jiang Lan felt her dignity was on the line.

Pulling little stunts under the table—have you no shame? How old are you?

So what if she casually mentioned Chen Siyang? Was it really necessary!

Hmph, such a petty man!

Yet, it also served as indirect proof that Chen Siyang was indeed a hurdle for him.

"Sister Lan, let me ladle you some soup. This soup was specially prepared for you."

Since Tang Zhichu remained unmoved, Zhou Yun had no choice but to take matters into her own hands, ladling a bowl of soup for Jiang Lan.

Jiang Lan whispered a soft thank you.

Tang Zhichu picked up a piece of pig's ear and popped it into his mouth. "This is pretty good too, you should try it."

With that, he went back to serving Zhou Yun food.

If anyone else had been present at the scene, they would have witnessed a rather bizarre spectacle.

The man occasionally served food to the woman sitting opposite him, while underneath the table, his hand reached out onto the lap of the woman sitting beside him, aimlessly groping around.

Initially, Tang Zhichu just wanted to pull off a prank, but once his hand made contact, he simply couldn't stop.

That sense of thrilling danger was beyond description.

He ate half a bowl of rice like this, without tasting a single bite of its flavor.

It wasn't until Jiang Lan clenched her teeth and gave Tang Zhichu a sharp pinch that he finally withdrew his hand, seizing the opportunity to serve Jiang Lan as well.

"Here, Sister Lan, try this—the fresh and light version of stuffed chili peppers!"

For some reason, seeing Tang Zhichu serve Jiang Lan made Zhou Yun feel a wave of relief instead. She muttered inwardly, "This guy is far too bold; I shouldn't provoke him in situations like this anymore."

As for Jiang Lan, her face was slightly flushed as she smiled and said thank you.

She also thought Tang Zhichu was remarkably bold, yet she found it infinitely thrilling.

That heart-in-the-throat sensation was a mix of terror and obsession.

Despite her outward calm, deep down she wished she could drag Tang Zhichu away and head straight home right this instant!

The meal left all three of them in a state of nervous tension.

After dinner, Tang Zhichu began cleaning up, and both Zhou Yun and Jiang Lan offered to help.

Tang Zhichu turned them down directly on the grounds of asking Zhou Yun to keep Jiang Lan company.

He didn't mind doing household chores; working while letting his mind wander actually kept his brain active.

Jiang Lan felt that Tang Zhichu was bustling about specifically for her sake, after all, he had come here primarily to see her. Her heart grew increasingly tender, convincing her more than ever that her choice had been correct and her judgment of character hadn't failed her.

Zhou Yun also looked at Tang Zhichu with bright, shining eyes, feeling that he didn't treat her like an outsider at all, letting her entertain the guest while giving her both face and dignity.

Since she had just made sarcastic remarks to provoke him earlier, was she being a bit too unaccommodating?

"Um... um, leaving the boss to do all the work, isn't that a bit inappropriate?" Zhou Yun looked cautiously at Jiang Lan.

Jiang Lan began covering for Tang Zhichu, saying, "You can't very well be the one working while I sit here chatting with him. Zhichu is always reliable and proper in everything he does, but while he takes on a lot, he also over-thinks things. Even though you're starting a business with him and it's certainly relaxed, you still need to pay close attention. Don't let him do everything himself to the point of exhaustion; over time, developing that dependency will weaken your own capabilities."

Zhou Yun nodded. "I understand, Sister Lan. I'll work hard. Following him, I really can learn a lot of things."

Oddly enough, through this interaction, both Zhou Yun and Jiang Lan felt their distance from one another narrowing.

Since career wasn't discussed at all throughout the entire visit, combined with Tang Zhichu's constant "misbehaving," the emotional atmosphere had remained at a high pitch the entire time.

Consequently, as Zhou Yun and Jiang Lan looked at each other, the better they got to know one another, the more decent the other person seemed.

Once Tang Zhichu finished cleaning up, Jiang Lan happened to be leaving, so they headed out together.

Zhou Yun didn't try to make them stay, even though a sudden wave of emptiness washed over her.

Still, she couldn't very well ask Tang Zhichu to stay behind by himself—the act had already started, so she couldn't just give up halfway.

At the elevator lobby, Tang Zhichu patted his head.

Jiang Lan looked at him. "What's wrong?"

"I forgot my phone, wait for me!"

With that, Tang Zhichu hurried back.

Zhou Yun was just about to close her door when she saw Tang Zhichu rushing over hurriedly from the corner of the hallway.

Her eyes lit up. "What is it?"

"I left my phone behind."

Without another word, Tang Zhichu brushed past Zhou Yun and dashed into the apartment.

Zhou Yun let out an "oh."

A moment later, Tang Zhichu reappeared at the doorway with his phone in hand.

As Zhou Yun murmured an apology, Tang Zhichu pulled the door closed and, amidst her stunned expression, lowered his head, cupped her delicate face, and kissed her deeply.

It took a good long while for Zhou Yun to snap out of it.

While she was still in a daze, Tang Zhichu had already bolted away.

Though not a single word had been exchanged during the kiss, why did Zhou Yun feel like the world was spinning?

This was the first time he had ever taken the initiative to kiss her like this!

As she dwelled on it, a radiant smile bloomed across her face.

Then she took out her phone and sent Tang Zhichu a WeChat message:

"Old Tang, I like you!!!!"

A moment later, Tang Zhichu replied:

"Next time you invite Sister Lan over, please make sure to include me!"

Zhou Yun: "Bah! In your dreams! You jerk!"

Inside the elevator, Tang Zhichu and Jiang Lan did not stand very close.

They had spent plenty of time alone together to form a tacit understanding; when out in public, Jiang Lan was even more sensitive than Tang Zhichu.

Whenever Tang Zhichu moved closer to her, she would immediately distance herself.

There were a few strangers in the elevator with them, but everyone was staring down at their phones without the idle curiosity to gawk at others.

When they reached the ground floor, someone seemed to recognize Jiang Lan and turned back to look at her several times.

They were probably astonished at where such a stunning beauty had come from.

Basement level two, the parking garage.

Seeing that Tang Zhichu kept following her, Jiang Lan said with feigned annoyance, "Haven't you had enough of taking advantage of me, you bad boy?"

Tang Zhichu chuckled, glanced around their surroundings, then stepped forward briskly, pulled Jiang Lan into his arms, and leaned in.

A moment later, they parted, a glistening thread of moisture lingering at the corners of their mouths.

Jiang Lan exhaled softly, speaking in a low voice, "Are you ever going to let me do my work or not? I don't care, I want to see you at my place today!"

Tang Zhichu didn't linger in intimacy with Jiang Lan, nor did he get into her car; she had a busy schedule.

Returning to his own car, Wang Jun handed him his phone.

Tang Zhichu took it and saw another trending topic.

However, this time it wasn't about him; it was about Su Yuanchao.

The trending search from yesterday regarding him bullying Qiu Zhen was still sitting at the top, but today it had been knocked off by Su Yuanchao.

The trending topic concerning Su Yuanchao was quite straightforward: first, that song, "Gu Yuanchao," had begun to ferment.

The lyrics of "Gu Yuanchao" contained numerous literary allusions.

The first time you listened, you only caught the vibe, but the more you listened, the more substance you found.

*The upper floors ultimately mislead the youth, and freedom sooner or later ruins the remainder of one's life.*

This alluded to Xin Qiji's lyrics: *In my youth, I knew nothing of the flavor of sorrow, yet I loved climbing the high towers, loved climbing the high towers...*

A youth ought to be charging forward valiantly and striving for greatness, yet instead, they were "professing sorrow without cause in newly minted verse."

Coupled with the following line: everyone loves freedom and pursues freedom, but what about the rest of your life?

And that was just one of them.

Three sad songs, setting the mind free in Penglai, the Qinhuai River, the ink and wash beneath the Taiping Lake...

And so on.

They were all allusions with historical sources.

Analyzed by those internet parasites who fed off Tang Zhichu's coattails, it turned out this song was exceptionally profound!

Naturally, Su Yuanchao became the biggest beneficiary of this wave of popularity.

Some people began analyzing Su Yuanchao's entire life because of this song, discussing why Tang Zhichu had written it for him in the first place.

Secondly, Su Yuanchao himself had posted a status update that directly surged to the number one trending spot.

*Words heavy as a thousand catties, music soothing the late-returning traveler.*

Tang Zhichu smiled, handed the phone back to Wang Jun, and asked, "Brother Jun, what do you think?"

Wang Jun put the phone away and said, "It's climbing the trending searches too quickly; there's definitely someone pulling strings behind the scenes to dilute yesterday's trending topic about you. It must be intentional."

Wang Jun stopped right there; he knew Tang wasn't really asking for details this time, but merely testing whether he had picked up on it.

Tang Zhichu nodded slightly. Being able to see through to this layer meant he was already quite satisfied.

"Brother Jun, let's go home."

"Alright."

Due to an information gap, there was one detail Wang Jun might not have noticed.

On Weibo, Su Yuanchao's official verification badge as the Content Director of NetEase Cloud Music had already disappeared.

This involved much more than merely helping him hijack the trending list; it meant that Su Yuanchao had likely been genuinely moved by the grand vision painted for him and had left NetEase Cloud Music.

Since he had left, why make a public statement?

It was also a demonstration of capability—didn't that effortlessly knock Tang Zhichu's negative trending topic right off the board?

*Words heavy as a thousand catties, music soothing the late-returning traveler.*

Why still return late? Wasn't that welcoming a brand-new state of mind?

Tang Zhichu pondered that within the next few days, he would probably receive a call from Su Yuanchao.

Coincidentally, Yu Hua was also pressing him about the entertainment company venture.

It was truly happening right on schedule.

A good friend's book, exceptionally well-written; those who love traveling should definitely check it out.

(End of this chapter)