Chapter 99: She’s Not What You Think She Is

Chapter 99: She’s Not What You Think She Is
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The next day, He Jing woke to the smell of something divine.
He Zhou went into the kitchen early in the morning and made a sumptuous breakfast. He made beef porridge with the leftover steak, onions, and a few scallion pancakes.
The scallion pancakes were crisp and golden brown, with pockets of green peppering its surface. Each pancake was evenly sized and mouthwatering to look at.
It was enough to whet her appetite.
He Sui was similarly entranced. His hands moved to a mind of its own, snaking toward the tempting dishes. However, before reaching the scallion pancakes, He Zhou rapped his hand using his chopsticks, stopping him.
He Sui turned to his sibling, puzzled. He Zhou brought a plate of scallion pancakes to He Jing and said, “What do you think? How can I improve?”
He Sui was left speechless. He Jing quirked a brow, tearing off a corner of the pancake and popping it into her mouth. “It’s cooked very well, Third Brother,” He Jing said as she licked her fingers clean.
“Speak truthfully,” He Zhou retorted.
He Zhou’s rebuke prompted He Jing to elaborate. “You used too much oil, and the pancakes are slightly burnt. Sesame oil would have been better than the blend you used to cook this. Shorten the cooking time, and you’d bring out the fragrance and taste more than you already have.”
He Zhou immediately went back into the kitchen.
He Jing was also shocked. She frowned, staring at He Zhou’s retreating figure. “Won’t Third Brother be late to class if he continues?” He Jing muttered worriedly.
“You’ll get used to it. Third Brother is always like this,” He Ning said as he turned on the old TV, completely unphased by He Zhou’s reaction.
Left unsaid was his concern for how long He Jing could put up with He Zhou’s fixation.
A while later, He Zhou exited the kitchen with a fresh batch of scallion pancakes, which he asked He Jing to sample. He Jing took a bite and found it tasted much better than her last one. She nodded in approval and said, “Yes, it tastes much better this way.”
Only then did He Zhou sit down with a gloomy face and eat breakfast with them.
It was seven o’clock in the morning. A City was broadcasting the morning news.
The well-dressed female host said, “Recently, fraudulent television programs have been on the rise, attracting the attention of the Central Bureau for Radio, Film, and Television. The Bureau has issued a statement, tightening supervisory guidelines, clarifying rules, and its latest crackdown measures on fakes and frauds.’
. Among those being investigated are ‘The Peach Blossom Debt of Ten and Ten Lives’ and ‘Angel’s Smile’… Several programs have shown signs of receiving boosted ratings, and this includes ‘Where is the King of Singers?’ and the ‘Kitchen King Competition.’ Both programs were noted for having shady dealings…”
He Jing was eating her porridge when she heard something interesting in the news. She looked up, and to her shock, she saw Chef Luo on television interviewed by a reporter regarding the Kitchen King Competition. “The show is a complete hoax!” Chef Luo cried, angered by the injustice committed against him. “My score was higher than Chef Wang’s during the judging, but when the show was broadcast, the results were swapped…”
He Jing did not know how to react.
That was what she said!
“Hey, Third Brother, isn’t the Kitchen King Competition a show you’re following?” He Sui exclaimed. “Aren’t you a fan of Chef Wang?”
No sooner had he spoken than the atmosphere at the dining table took a nose dive.
He Sui shrunk into himself, like a turtle retracting its head, not knowing what he had said wrong.
He Ning glanced at He Zhou and gained a vague impression of what had caused the shift in mood. “I’m no longer a fan of Chef Wang,” He Zhou growled through gritted teeth.
He Jing did not expect this turn of events. It was funny but also awkvvard. She quickly finished her porridge and packed her books, preparing for school.
He Sui followed her example, not daring to remain.
He Ning, He Zhou, and He Xiaoguo were left in the living room. After eating,
He Xiaoguo took the dishes to the kitchen and washed them. He Zhou eyed He
Ning as he slowly got to his feet. “Do you still remember what we promised Xiao Yi before she left?”
“I do,” He Ning said lightly.
“Then why are you still-‘
How could he watch as He Jinig bullied Cheng Yi?
How could he keep silent when He Jing bullied Cheng Yi to tears?
He Ning met He Zhou’s gaze. “Although I don’t like He Jing, she’s not what you think..”