The broadcast had barely finished when the atmosphere in the living room shifted instantly. The guests, who had been chatting in small groups just moments ago, immediately sprung into action.
Jiang Yuwei’s eyes were sharp, scanning the living room rapidly as if analyzing where things were most likely to be hidden. Gu Xinglang and Su Manni exchanged a look and nodded in mutual understanding.
"Manni, shall we search together?" Gu Xinglang asked with a smile.
"Sure," Su Manni replied gently.
The two immediately formed an alliance and headed toward the study.
[It’s here, it’s here! The first mission!]
[An ingredient scramble? Sounds exciting!]
[The official couple is teaming up as expected, tsk tsk.]
[Time to test both intelligence and stamina!]
[I bet Movie Emperor Lu will be the first to find something!]
Qin Zeyu’s eyes darted around, but he didn't rush out immediately. He walked over to a staff member holding a camera, pulled out his phone, and surreptitiously displayed a QR code. With a confident smile, he lowered his voice. "Hey buddy, how about sharing a hint? Let’s add each other on WeChat, and I’ll make sure the red envelope is worth your while."
The staff member remained expressionless, his hand holding the camera as steady as a rock, his voice clearly captured by the microphone: "Sorry, Mr. Qin. The rules do not permit it. Please search on your own."
Qin Zeyu: "..."
The smile on his face froze, and he sheepishly put his phone away.
[Pfft—Young Master Qin tried to pay-to-win!]
[Hahaha, "money power" doesn't work on a dating show!]
[Director’s team: We are professionals. Unless you add more money... Wait, no, you can't add money!]
[Young Master Qin: Money can't buy hints? What has this world come to? [Dog head]]
Ning Meng didn't have time to watch Qin Zeyu suffer. Only one thought occupied her mind: Meat! I want meat! Preferably beef! The higher the quality, the better! She wanted to make toothpick beef. It was one of the few dishes she had mastered in her previous life. It was simple, delicious, and if the beef quality was high, the life-extending effect would surely be incredible!
The first hint came over the broadcast: "In the ocean of knowledge, the gifts of the sea are hidden."
The ocean of knowledge? The study? Gu Xinglang and Su Manni had already gone there. The gifts of the sea? Seafood? Ning Meng frowned. Seafood was fine, but she really wanted meat. She glanced at the living room; Lu Jingchen was no longer where he had been. He was walking toward the floor-to-ceiling windows that connected to the backyard, seemingly observing the swimming pool outside. Was the pool considered a gift of the sea?
Ning Meng decided to check the second floor first. Her stamina was average, and finding things wasn't her strong suit. She would definitely lose in a head-to-head race against those faster or sharper than her. It was better to avoid the crowd and hope to pick up what they missed.
She ran up to the second floor. The second floor consisted mainly of bedrooms and a few functional rooms. She dashed into an empty guest room first. She checked under the pillows—nothing. She pulled open the nightstand drawer—empty. Inside the wardrobe... there were a few spare clothes prepared by the production team. Something seemed to be behind them. Ning Meng reached out and felt an envelope!
A lead! She opened it excitedly. Inside was a card:
[Ingredient Voucher: Organic Broccoli (5 points)]
Hint: Green is the color of life.
Broccoli... 5 points... Ning Meng’s face fell. Is that it? While "organic" was a nice word, how much time could broccoli add? Probably about the same as the asparagus at lunch. Better than nothing, she supposed. She tucked the voucher away, feeling a bit anxious. Ten minutes had already passed.
She went to the media room next. There was a huge screen, comfortable sofas, and rows of discs. Could "the ocean of knowledge" refer to movies or music? She began searching the shelves. So many classic films. *Titanic*? Did that count as a gift of the sea? She pulled out the case—empty. *The Cove*? Pulled it out—empty. *Finding Nemo*? She pulled it out... and a small note fell out!
[There is no food here, go look elsewhere ^_^]
Ning Meng: "..."
Infuriating! She’d been played! Which devious director designed this?!
[Hahaha, Ning Meng got played!]
[I give this meme egg a perfect score! ^_^]
[Feeling bad for Mengmeng, but it’s really funny.]
[Looks like the clues aren't that simple.]
She didn't give up and began rummaging through the sofa cushions. She found a remote control, a pack of tissues, and... wait? Another envelope!
[Ingredient Voucher: Fresh Garlic (3 points)]
Hint: The flavor is a bit pungent, but very useful.
Garlic?! 3 points?! Ning Meng wanted to cry. Could she gain extra life by eating this raw? Even if she could, she didn't want to eat it raw! It was useful for cooking, but what good was just garlic alone? Where was her beef? Her toothpick beef! Where was it?!
Time ticked by. From downstairs came Lin You’s excited shout: "I found it! It’s matsutake mushrooms!" Then came Qin Zeyu’s voice: "What does this clue mean? 'Song of Ice and Fire'? Does it mean the fridge or the oven?"
Ning Meng grew more anxious. The good ingredients were definitely dwindling! Her stamina was poor, and her brain didn't seem quite up to the task. If this kept up, dinner would just be broccoli and garlic! How could she extend her life with that? Was she really going to have her life cut short just because she couldn't find ingredients right after transmigrating? No way! She still wanted to live!
[Ning Meng seems to be falling behind; she looks so anxious.]
[Her stamina really does look average.]
[Come on, girl! Don't just find garlic cloves!]
[What about Lu Jingchen? Can we cut the camera to the Movie Emperor?]
The camera cut briefly to Lu Jingchen. He was standing at the entrance of the gym on the first floor, holding two cards. He didn't go in; he was just looking inside. Suddenly, a new hint was announced:
"Under the heaviest burden, the most precious energy is hidden."
The heaviest burden? Ning Meng froze. Burden... weight... energy... Energy? Food is energy! Weight? Where were there very heavy things? She suddenly realized something! The gym! Dumbbells! Hadn't she just seen Lu Jingchen at the gym door? Had he figured it out too? No, she had to hurry!
Ning Meng turned and ran downstairs. Reaching the first floor, she saw Lu Jingchen walking out from the gym. He held two vouchers, glanced calmly at the breathless Ning Meng, and then headed toward the living room. Had he found it? Or had he not? Ning Meng didn't have time to think; she rushed into the gym. Treadmills, elliptical machines, a multi-gym... and a rack of dumbbells! They were neatly arranged from light to heavy.
The heaviest burden...
Ning Meng’s gaze locked directly onto the two largest dumbbell plates at the very end. They looked heavy! They were definitely the heaviest things here! She ran over and crouched down. She tried to move one. It was so heavy! She used every ounce of her strength to push it aside just a tiny bit. Underneath... empty.
Was it the other one? She moved to the other side, gritted her teeth, and pushed with both hands! *Heave!* The dumbbell plate shifted enough to reveal a gap. Underneath... there was something! A card was pressed under the plate!
Ning Meng’s heart jumped to her throat! She used all her strength to shove the plate aside completely. A black and gold card lay there silently!
[Top-tier Ingredient Voucher: Premium Angus Beef Brisket (50 points)]
Below it was a small line of text: Source of energy, the choice of strength.
Beef brisket! Premium Angus brisket! Top-tier! Ning Meng’s eyes widened! This was it! This was exactly what she was looking for! She snatched up the black and gold voucher, clutching it tightly in her palm as if it were a lifeline. The card was heavy, with the cold touch of metal.
Great! This was great! She could feel her heart hammering wildly and her breathing coming in ragged gasps from the exertion. But an overwhelming sense of joy and relief washed over her. She stood up, looking at the voucher in her hand, and flashed the brightest smile she’d had since arriving in this world.
My life! My toothpick beef! Wait for me!
Just then, Qin Zeyu happened to arrive, following the same clue. He saw the black and gold card in Ning Meng’s hand, then looked at the dumbbell plate shifted on the floor. His expression went blank for a moment, then turned annoyed. "Man, the hardest clue was here all along!" He had wasted time at the fridge and oven. He had found a voucher for "High-quality Pork Belly (30 points)" and had been quite satisfied, but compared to Ning Meng’s "Premium Angus Beef Brisket (50 points)," his didn't feel as good anymore.
Ning Meng couldn't care less about his annoyance. She tucked the brisket voucher into her pocket like a treasure, already planning how to make the toothpick beef tonight. It needed to be marinated, deep-fried until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and then sprinkled with cumin and chili powder... Just thinking about it made her mouth water. More importantly, this was a 50-point top-tier ingredient! Plus, the doubling effect for self-cooking... Tonight’s meal would definitely extend her life by a huge margin!
Elsewhere, Lu Jingchen, who had returned to the living room sofa, appeared to be resting with his eyes closed. But out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Ning Meng walking out of the gym, clutching the card with a look of pure satisfaction. The fingers resting on his knees twitched imperceptibly. His Adam’s apple bobbed slightly as he swallowed.
Although he hadn't seen exactly what was on the card, seeing Ning Meng looking like she’d found the treasure of a lifetime, her eyes shining... he remembered the aroma of the soft-boiled egg from that morning.
This woman... what kind of food would she make with the ingredients she found?
A faint, subtle sense of anticipation—one he himself almost ignored—quietly rose in the depths of his heart.
[Holy crap! Ning Meng found it! It’s brisket! Premium!]
[50 points! Is that the highest score?!]
[Hahaha, Young Master Qin was a step late, look at his face!]
[I told you Mengmeng could do it! At the critical moment, you have to trust a foodie’s intuition!]
[Her luck is too good! I’m so jealous I could cry!]
[Wait! Did Movie Emperor Lu just... swallow? Did I see that wrong?!]
[Above! I saw it too! He definitely swallowed!]
[!!! Is the Movie Emperor interested in the brisket? Or the person making it?]