[It’s here! The big moment is coming!]
[Ning Meng is bold! Giving food directly to the Movie Emperor!]
[Will Lu Jingchen actually eat it? Isn't he notoriously picky?]
[I’ll bet fifty cents the Movie Emperor refuses.]
[I’ll bet a dollar he definitely eats it! Didn't you see him? He practically had 'I want to eat' written all over his face just now!]
[Observation room, give us a close-up, please!]
In the observation room.
He Ling: "Oh? Ning Meng is taking the initiative to offer Lu Jingchen food."
Feifei: "Wow! Look at this scene! Ning Meng is so brave. Movie Emperor Lu rarely accepts handouts from others!"
Sister Zhao: "You can tell Ning Meng is very confident in her cooking. Besides, this beef really smells incredible."
Xiaokai: "Teacher Lu’s expression is so subtle... Look, don't you think he looks a bit... hesitant?"
Lu Jingchen was indeed hesitant. His gaze swept over the plate of toothpick beef, with its alluring color and mouth-watering aroma, before falling back onto Ning Meng’s clear, shining eyes. There wasn't a hint of romantic interest in that look, only a kind of... pure, almost obsessive anticipation. She looked like a child waiting to be praised, or perhaps a small animal waiting to be fed.
It was a very strange feeling. He disliked fried foods and certain ways of preparing beef. His diet had always been light, restrained, and measured down to the calorie. But... the aroma lingering at the tip of his nose was simply too overpowering. The gentle, warm scent of the soft-boiled egg from the morning seemed to still be there. The focused side profile of the girl as she sliced the meat, her confident, resolute expression while frying it... and now, this unadulterated "anticipation" in her eyes.
He struggled internally for a few seconds. That faint sense of anticipation, which he usually ignored, finally overcame his long-standing dietary habits. Under the gaze of everyone—including Ning Meng and the tens of millions of viewers in the live stream—Lu Jingchen reached out. With restrained, slender fingers, he picked up a piece of the toothpick beef. His movements were slow and elegant, as if he weren't grabbing a snack, but performing some important ritual.
He brought the beef to his lips, parted them slightly, and took a bite.
*Crunch.*
A faint sound of teeth breaking through the crispy crust.
Ning Meng held her breath, staring at him without blinking. *Hurry! Give me a reaction! Is it good or not? Was it shocking? My Life Value!*
Lu Jingchen stopped chewing. It was a pause of only a fraction of a second, but a tiny crack appeared on his otherwise frozen, iceberg face. Deep in his eyes, his pupils seemed to constrict imperceptibly. His eyebrows twitched, just barely.
*It’s good! It’s definitely good!* The little version of Ning Meng in her heart was waving its fists excitedly. She understood! For someone as expressionless as Lu Jingchen, this subtle change was an eruption comparable to a volcano!
However, Lu Jingchen simply chewed slowly and swallowed. He then raised his eyes to look at Ning Meng, his expression returning to a state of unruffled calm. In that low, magnetic voice, he stated with extreme indifference:
"A bit hot."
Ning Meng: "..."
*Huh?*
*That’s it?*
*I’ve been looking forward to this for so long, and all I get is 'a bit hot'? Big brother, is your reaction time a little too long? Or is this just your way of expressing a compliment? That’s way too subtle!*
Just as Ning Meng was frantically complaining in her mind, a brilliant sound effect of electronic fireworks exploded in her head!
[Beep! Target Lu Jingchen has experienced a 'slight taste bud shock'! Detecting target's taste bud threshold is extremely high (extremely picky), feedback effect enhanced by 500%! Extra Life Value rewarded: 10 hours!]
Ning Meng’s heart nearly jumped out of her throat with excitement! She knew it! She knew this picky Movie Emperor was a potential gold mine! A slight shock added 10 hours! If she could trigger a major shock, wouldn't that be heaven?! She hit the jackpot! This time, she really hit the jackpot!
Security! Unprecedented security! Ning Meng’s hands trembled with excitement, and her gaze toward Lu Jingchen changed instantly. She looked at him with a fervor usually reserved for a giant, glittering treasure chest!
[!!!!!!!!]
[What did I just see?! Lu Jingchen ate it?! And he commented on it?!]
['A bit hot'??? What kind of divine rating is that? Is it good or not?]
[You're such a fool, upstairs! For Lu Jingchen, 'a bit hot' equals 'it's so good I almost lost control of my facial expressions'!]
[Agreed! His pupils were vibrating! I took a screenshot!]
[Oh my god! I’ve lived to see it! The Movie Emperor was actually conquered by street-stall (?) food?]
[What kind of magic did she add to this toothpick beef?]
[Ning Meng is amazing! Her cooking skills—I'm bowing down!]
[Ahhh, I declare the 'Hot Mouth CP' officially formed today!]
[Hey, don't ship them! My idol was just tasting it!]
[But the way Ning Meng is looking at Lu Jingchen... why did it suddenly become so... intense?]
The others in the kitchen were stunned as well. Qin Zeyu’s mouth hung open; he even forgot to drop the empty toothpick in his hand. Lin You covered her mouth, her eyes wide as saucers. Su Manni and Gu Xinglang exchanged looks, both seeing the shock in the other's eyes.Jiang Yuwei adjusted her glasses with increased frequency. Zhou Yichen was practically petrified on the spot.
Lu Jingchen... actually ate it! And it seemed like he actually... enjoyed it? After all, the amount of information conveyed by those three words, "a bit hot," coming from him was significant!
Ning Meng suppressed her internal ecstasy, struggling to remain calm. She looked at Lu Jingchen, then at the remaining beef on the plate. A voice screamed in her heart: *One day! A whole day! The gluttonous Movie Emperor is truly a walking, SSR-grade life-extending pack! I must focus on targeting him... er, I mean, focus on feeding him!*