Chapter Seven: Raising High the Banner of "The River Breeze Has Not Yet Abated"

After a simple breakfast, the production team arranged for a vehicle to take them to the nearby vegetable market to buy ingredients.

To complete the task, their signature dish had to be approved by the partner without any prior collusion. Each pair was given a budget of one hundred yuan to purchase ingredients for their midday meal.

This segment primarily tested the partners’ tacit understanding and attentiveness to each other, revealing at a glance how much they cared.

The group gathered at the entrance of the market.

To prevent communication between the pairs beforehand, the production team split the male and female guests into two groups, having them enter the market one after another.

Before entering, Jiang Chiyu quietly approached Wei Feng, leaned in close to his ear, and whispered, “What do you like to eat? You can tell me first.”

Wei Feng stepped closer, turned his head to listen, then looked up at the production team with a faintly surprised expression, smiling slightly—everything was clear without words.

The production team kindly reminded her, “Miss Jiang, no prior collusion is allowed; otherwise, it’s against the rules and will result in an automatic last-place ranking.”

Jiang Chiyu straightened up, spread her hands innocently, and replied, “I didn’t! Who heard that?”

She then scanned the scene, but no one responded. What she forgot, however, was that her microphone clipped to her collar had already betrayed her completely.

The room fell silent, creating an awkward atmosphere.

“Too embarrassed to admit cheating? Just say you’re afraid of losing. Secret tricks only ruin the spirit of the game. Wei Feng’s luck to have you as his partner,” Lin Qingyue mocked from the side.

At those words, everyone’s gaze turned to Wei Feng, who smiled tenderly, looking at Jiang Chiyu with unwavering affection.

Jiang Chiyu looked at him, confused, unable to understand how she had been so easily exposed.

Wei Feng smiled gently, his eyes soft as water, and pointed to the microphone on her collar.

Suddenly realizing, Jiang Chiyu immediately covered the microphone, her face visibly flushing, the confident air she carried moments before completely vanished.

Seeing this, others understood that she had simply forgotten about the microphone, and her sudden change in demeanor made everyone laugh.

Fang Yingying quickly came over, patted Jiang Chiyu’s shoulder, and generously comforted her, “It’s okay, we didn’t hear anything just now. This part will be edited out!”

Jiang Chiyu looked at her with innocence and quietly asked, “Can it really be edited out?”

The show was broadcast live; editing out was impossible.

Wei Feng stepped forward, gently stroked Jiang Chiyu’s head, and said thoughtfully, “No, but we can just pretend we didn’t hear it.”

[“Aww, I think Wei Feng and Jiang Chiyu are quite the ship! Wei Feng’s gaze is so gentle.”]

[“Raising the flag for ‘Jiang Feng Unrushed’—my hidden favorite couple has finally been discovered. Wei Feng has always been so doting!”]

[“Why is Jiang Chiyu so adorably clueless? Wei Feng truly lives up to being the most considerate boyfriend in the industry; this interaction is so heartwarming!”]

Since the show began, the pairing of Wei Feng and Jiang Chiyu had been widely disliked. Many netizens bluntly said there was no chemistry between them; their relationship seemed more like bitter rivalry.

Yet in this moment, their interaction completely reversed the situation, causing their couple fans to multiply overnight.

Before entering the market, Wei Feng stood in front of Jiang Chiyu, brushed her hair behind her ear, and said softly, “Go ahead. I’ve got everything covered. I won’t let you lose.”

Jiang Chiyu took the basket from his hand and nodded obediently.

“Don’t be too confident, or losing will be embarrassing,” Yan Chuanzhou suddenly said, his tone full of provocation.

Wei Feng ignored him entirely.

Once inside the market, Jiang Chiyu bought whatever caught her eye without bargaining, and it was clear that her budget was already halfway gone in no time.

Fang Yingying met her midway, glanced at Jiang Chiyu’s basket, which was practically empty except for a few small lobsters, and her jaw dropped.

“Sis Chiyu, if you keep this up, your budget definitely won’t be enough. Wei Feng hasn’t even started shopping yet.”

Looking at Fang Yingying’s basket, which was filled to the brim, the contrast was stark.

Jiang Chiyu immediately deflated and turned to look for some cheap vegetables. Fang Yingying followed her and, seeing Jiang Chiyu paying without hesitation, couldn’t help but shout, “Sis Chiyu! Don’t tell me... you don’t know how to bargain?”

“What’s bargaining?” Jiang Chiyu turned, asking seriously.

Fang Yingying instantly understood why Jiang Chiyu was spending money like water. Jiang Chiyu could cook but didn’t know how to bargain!

[“Jiang Chiyu can cook but doesn’t know how to bargain? Doesn’t anyone find that strange? Bargaining is an essential skill for a skilled chef, isn’t it?”]

[“I think Sister Hu is just putting on a persona. She probably can’t cook. Otherwise, how could she not bargain? Doesn’t she have to buy ingredients?”]

Fang Yingying didn’t ponder further, took the vegetable Jiang Chiyu held, and asked the stall owner, “Miss, how much is this ginger per jin?”

“Five yuan per jin.”

“Fixed price: two yuan fifty per jin. We’re buying two jins each. This is how I always buy at the market.” Fang Yingying said firmly.

“All right, young lady, you sure know how to haggle,” the stall owner said with a smile.

“Running errands for my mom has made me good at this. Buying vegetables is a piece of cake,” Fang Yingying said cheerfully.

After the whole transaction, Jiang Chiyu watched in amazement. In her past life in the military camp, buying groceries was always the cook’s job. Moreover, as the eldest daughter of the Jiang family, she had never dealt with such tasks before. She couldn’t help but admire Fang Yingying.

When the three of them came out, Jiang Chiyu handed Wei Feng the remaining 35.8 yuan, a little embarrassed as she said, “I don’t know how to bargain, so there’s only this left. Is it not enough?”

Wei Feng took the change, glanced at it, and looked at Jiang Chiyu’s slightly dejected expression. He chuckled softly, pinched her cheek, and said, “What’s to be afraid of? This is enough.”

“It’s on!” A sharp voice came from behind Wei Feng, silently urging him, as if ready to compete fiercely.

But Wei Feng paid no mind, gently patted Jiang Chiyu’s shoulder in reassurance, and turned to enter the market.

Lin Qingyue was about to approach Yan Chuanzhou to say something but was ignored. Her outstretched hand came up empty, and her disappointed gaze inadvertently fell on Jiang Chiyu, immediately darkening her expression.

[“Did the Yan actor’s team just have a fight? He completely ignored Qingyue just now.”]

[“Something’s off between Yan and Lin Qingyue. And it seems like Yan is targeting Wei Feng. Is it just my imagination?”]

[“Did Qingyue just glance at Jiang Chiyu? Her expression didn’t look good.”]

As soon as Wei Feng entered the market, he headed straight for the vegetable stall, bought three lotus roots, then walked toward the pork stall. He saw Yan Chuanzhou standing at the seafood stall, picking through small lobsters, and asked curiously, “Are you making this for Miss Lin?”