Huayu 2021: Isn’t he in the technology field?

Chapter 357 Cunzi vs. Dudu
At the entrance to the living room, a figure crouched low and tiptoed in, like a kitten trying to steal fish.

She wore a crisp white undershirt, loosely layered with a light blue denim jacket, and a matching short denim skirt that showed off her long, straight legs. She also wore clean white sneakers.

Her long hair was casually draped over her shoulders, swaying gently as she peeked out.

A pair of big, bright eyes were darting around, and a sly smile played on the corners of her mouth, clearly intending to give someone a surprise.

Until her gaze met Jiang Qing's directly on the sofa, completely unobstructed.

Liu Haocun's smile froze instantly.

Immediately afterwards, her gaze unconsciously slid down and landed on Jiang Qing's shoulder.

There, Chen Duling was sleeping soundly, her head resting on Jiang Qing's arm.

Her profile was serene, with a few strands of hair clinging to her cheek. She was covered with Jiang Qing's gray cardigan, and she leaned against his shoulder, appearing incredibly intimate and natural.

Time seemed to be paused at this moment.

Liu Haocun's expression froze for a moment, like a photograph that had suddenly lost its color.

The previous cleverness and cunning vanished without a trace, leaving only a sudden and unexpected astonishment.

She subconsciously straightened her back and stood there, looking at Jiang Qing and then at Chen Duling, her gaze shifting back and forth between the two faces.

She had been working on three different film sets over the past few months, and she originally wanted to sneak over to give Jiang Qing a surprise, but she never expected to see such a scene.

He and Chen Duling really were in that kind of relationship!
Jiang Qing looked at the girl frozen at the door, then glanced down at Chen Duling on her shoulder, who was breathing evenly and was clearly undisturbed, and sighed helplessly.

It's time to come, it's coming.

He gently moved the arm that Chen Duling was using as a pillow, trying to pull it out without waking her, while lowering his voice and calling out to the girl not far away.

"Xiao Cun, why didn't you say you were coming?"

The voice was calm and normal.

After all, he had already anticipated similar scenarios.

I often walk by the river, so how can I not wet my shoes?

The question seemed to dispel some kind of petrification spell.

Liu Haocun's eyelashes trembled suddenly, and the frozen expression on his face, like the ripples on the water's surface, quickly spread out, piecing together a seemingly nonchalant smile.

The smile was shallow and didn't truly reach his eyes.

"Hi, Jiang Qing! Surprised?"

She walked in casually, her voice deliberately soft and quick, tinged with exaggerated surprise.

"Oh, you're home? I... I thought you were at the office."

Her gaze swept quickly over the still-sleeping Chen Duling, then swiftly shifted away, landing on Jiang Qing's face as if burned. Her tone carried a deliberate teasing tone, mixed with a hint of probing.

"Did I... arrive at the wrong time?"

Before Jiang Qing could answer, Chen Duling, who was on his shoulder, seemed to have been disturbed. Her long eyelashes trembled a few times, and she slowly opened her eyes.

The initial confusion upon waking lasted only a moment.

She first subconsciously looked up at Jiang Qing, feeling his body slightly tense, and then followed his gaze to see Liu Haocun standing at the entrance of the living room with a somewhat forced smile.

The sleepiness vanished instantly from his clear eyes, replaced by understanding and... annoyance.

It felt like something had gently pricked my heart.

She had always known about Ono's existence.

Jiang Qing had a vague sense of Jingyi's importance in her heart.

The source of Tian Xiwei's resources for two consecutive dramas has been circulating online for some time.

Meng Ziyi's initiative was evident back in Peach Blossom Village, and the fact that she later landed the lead role in "All or Nothing" speaks volumes.

But this Liu Haocun in front of me...

If she remembered correctly, this girl was born in the 00s, and was seven years younger than her!

That sweet face, at this moment, seemed like a silent mockery to her.

Jiang Qing, you were born in '96!
Old cows eat young grass!
The word popped uncontrollably into Chen Duling's mind, and her resentment towards Jiang Qing deepened.

This man really attracts a whole host of women.

Even though I was prepared to leave, I still couldn't help but feel angry about the current situation.

However, these surging emotions only lingered in my heart for a moment.

Chen Duling adjusted her state almost immediately.

She shifted slightly, lifted herself off Jiang Qing's shoulder, and naturally gathered her slipped cardigan back up.

There was no trace of panic on her face; instead, a gentle and appropriate smile bloomed, perfectly showcasing her delicate features and poise.

"Haocun, right?"

She stood up, her tone one of perfectly measured surprise.

"Please take a seat."

As she spoke, she naturally walked to the single sofa next to her, as if making room for Liu Haocun.

Looking at Chen Duling's master-like attitude, Liu Haocun felt an even stronger surge of bitterness in his heart.

Her smile remained unchanged, even becoming sweeter, as she walked in with light steps.

"Hello, Teacher Chen! I didn't expect to see you here with Jiang Qing."

It was still that signature clear, boyish voice, with a touch of naivety.

"Hmm... shall I cut some fruit? Let's sit down and chat for a while."

As she spoke, she headed towards the kitchen, her words revealing her familiarity with Jiang Qing's home.

Jiang Qing watched the two of them go back and forth, seemingly calm on the surface, but in reality, each one was a better actor than the other. She felt her temples throbbing.

He also stood up, blocking Liu Haocun's attempt to go to the kitchen.

"Why did you come here so suddenly? You didn't even tell me beforehand."

Liu Haocun stopped and looked up at him, his big eyes blinking innocently.

"I wanted to give you a surprise! My new movie, 'Off Track,' starts filming in the next province the day after tomorrow, and I was thinking of stopping by to see you."

She glanced at Chen Duling, who stood calmly beside her, seemingly unintentionally, before changing the subject.

"I just didn't expect...Teacher Chen is here too. Is Teacher Chen here in Luyang for an event?"

Before Jiang Qing could speak, Chen Duling had already taken over the conversation with a smile.

"No events scheduled. I had some free time after filming wrapped up, and since Luyang isn't too far from Hengdian, I came to keep Jiang Qing company."

Her voice was a gentle, slightly husky, mature woman's voice, and she spoke slowly.

His tone was so natural, as if he were chatting casually.

"Haocun's new movie is about to start filming? Congratulations! If it's in the next province, then it's quite close to here. Come visit often when you have time."

The simple phrase "Come visit often" subtly positioned Liu Haocun as a "guest."

Liu Haocun almost couldn't keep his sweet smile.

Seeing that the invisible tension was spreading, Jiang Qing quickly spoke up to interrupt.

"It's getting late, and it's almost dark."

He raised his wrist to check his watch.

"Let's find a place to eat together? I know a new Huaiyang cuisine restaurant opened nearby..."

"do not want!"

Liu Haocun immediately interrupted him, her voice sweet and coquettish, and she subconsciously leaned closer to Jiang Qing.

"Nothing outside tastes as good as your cooking! I haven't had your cooking in so long, Jiang Qing~"

She drew out the last syllable, her big eyes full of anticipation.

"Just make it for me, okay?"

As she spoke, she secretly glanced at Chen Duling's reaction out of the corner of her eye.

She refused to believe that Jiang Qing could refuse such a small request.

Jiang Qing was indeed in a bit of a dilemma.

He subconsciously looked at Chen Duling.

Chen Duling received his gaze, her face still bearing that impeccable gentle smile, and nodded slightly, softly echoing his words.

"Haocun is right, your skills are indeed better than many other places. Let's make it at home."

His tone was gentle, yet it carried a decisive quality.

"Do you still have some food in your fridge? Could you do me a favor?"

Now, Jiang Qing had absolutely no room to refuse.

He glanced at Liu Haocun, who was looking expectantly, and then at Chen Duling, who had a gentle smile, and nodded resignedly.

"Alright. You guys sit down for a bit, I'll go see what's available."

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the kitchen.

Even their backs exuded a sense of helplessness.

In an instant, only the two women remained in the living room.

As Jiang Qing walked away, the fragile facade of peace that had been maintained vanished instantly. Liu Haocun's sweet smile faded like the tide, and she turned around, her gaze fixed on Chen Duling.

Chen Duling also abandoned her gentle demeanor and calmly looked back at her.

Both of them still had smiles on their faces, but the smiles didn't reach their eyes.

The air seemed to freeze, a silent undercurrent of scrutiny and competition surging between the two.

in the kitchen.

Jiang Qing opened the refrigerator door and looked at the food that was packed full of ingredients, but she had no interest in choosing anything.

He could vaguely sense the silent tension in the living room, even from a distance.

He scratched his head and started looking for something that could be done quickly.

Tomatoes, eggs, green vegetables, and a piece of fresh pork tenderloin...

He took out a few items and placed them on the kitchen counter.

Just as I turned on the tap to wash the vegetables, Chen Duling walked in.

The yellow knitted base layer she wore made her skin look even whiter than snow, and the short knitted vest in the same color outlined her slender waistline, revealing a small section of her flat and fair abdomen. She wore a brown short skirt, and she looked gentle and radiant.

Her long hair was casually draped behind her head, revealing the beautiful lines of her neck.

"Do you need help?"

She walked to the sink, naturally rolled up her sleeves, revealing a section of her snow-white forearm.

"No need, you rest."

Jiang Qing said subconsciously.

"Hurry up, you two."

Chen Duling picked up a tomato, turned on the tap to rinse it, her movements practiced and natural.

"I'll help you wash and chop the vegetables."

She had barely finished speaking when footsteps approached again.

Liu Haocun leaned in halfway, his sweet smile returning to his face.

"I'll help too! There's strength in numbers!"

She squeezed in as she spoke, her eyes scanning the kitchen.

"Jiang Qing, where's the apron? Is it still in the drawer with the old one?"

As she asked the question, she instinctively reached for the drawer next to her.

Chen Duling's hand, which was cutting tomatoes, paused almost imperceptibly. The blade landed steadily on the cutting board with a crisp "thud".

Jiang Qing felt a chill run down her spine and quickly stopped Liu Haocun.

"The apron...it's on the hook. Could you...could you peel a few cloves of garlic for me?"

He grabbed a handful of garlic and handed it to Liu Haocun, trying to find her a job away from Chen Duling and knives.

Liu Haocun took the garlic, pursed his lips, but didn't say anything. He obediently walked to the other side of the central island, pulled out a high stool, sat down, and began to clumsily peel the garlic.

The atmosphere in the spacious open kitchen suddenly became somewhat eerie.

Chen Duling stood in front of the sink, focused on washing and chopping vegetables, her movements fluid and her knife skills precise.

She lowered her head slightly, her profile was soft, and the warm yellow light shone on her, giving her a gentle and serene look.

She was already used to being an assistant.

Liu Haocun sat on a high stool, head down, struggling with garlic peel.

She peeled them slowly, and her fingernails quickly became filled with white garlic peel scraps.

She would occasionally look up, her gaze sweeping back and forth between Chen Duling, who was focused on chopping vegetables, and Jiang Qing, who was dealing with pork tenderloin with her back to her, her expression complex.

Knowing something and witnessing it firsthand are two different things.

Jiang Qing had her back to the two of them, feeling as if she were being pricked by needles.

He could clearly feel two gazes behind him, one gentle yet scrutinizing, the other burning yet aggrieved.

He took a deep breath and forced himself to focus on the knife in his hand.

The sharp blade sliced ​​through the tenderloin, making a rhythmic sizzling sound.

"Jiang Qing."

Liu Haocun's voice broke the silence, carrying a hint of coquetry.

"Aren't the meat shreds you cut a little too thick? I prefer them thinner."

Jiang Qing paused, and before she could answer, Chen Duling, who was chopping vegetables next to her, spoke without looking up, her voice still soft.

"A coarser texture is better; it will have a firmer consistency. Also, it will be stir-fried in oil later, so if it's too fine, it will easily break."

As she spoke, she neatly arranged the sliced ​​green peppers into a plate, her movements unhurried and deliberate.

Liu Haocun choked for a moment, feeling somewhat unwilling, and then looked at the eggs that Jiang Qing was beating in the pot.

"The eggs...did I beat them for too long? I read that if you beat egg whites for too long, they'll become tough..."

"The key to scrambled eggs is tenderness."

Chen Duling drained the water from the washed vegetables and naturally took over the conversation.

"Beat the eggs well, heat the oil to the right temperature, and stir-fry quickly; it will naturally be tender. Trust Jiang Qing's skills; he definitely knows how to make it taste best."

Her words sounded like both a popular science explanation and an affirmation of Jiang Qing's culinary skills.

Liu Haocun stopped peeling garlic, puffed out his cheeks, and glared at Chen Duling's back like an angry little frog.

Jiang Qing sighed inwardly and quickly tried to smooth things over.

"Okay. Xiao Cun, have you peeled the garlic yet?"

"Hurry, hurry!"

Liu Haocun responded irritably, then bent down and forcefully peeled off the last layer of skin from the garlic clove, almost splitting his fingernails in the process.

Finally, through a subtle but effective collaboration, the four dishes and one soup were served on the table.

The three of them took their seats one after another.

Chen Duling naturally sat down in the seat to Jiang Qing's left.

Liu Haocun sat opposite Jiang Qing.

Jiang Qing picked up her chopsticks and glanced at the two of them.

"Are you all hungry? Let's start eating."

Liu Haocun was the first to pick up a piece of green pepper and shredded pork with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth. After chewing it a couple of times, his eyes immediately lit up.

"Mmm! Delicious! Jiang Qing, your cooking skills haven't gotten any worse! They're getting better and better!"

As she spoke, she picked up another piece of food with her chopsticks and naturally placed it into Jiang Qing's bowl.

"You should eat too. You must have worked hard cooking, Chef!"

Jiang Qing looked at the extra shredded meat in her bowl and subconsciously glanced at Chen Duling beside her.

Chen Duling remained calm, as if she hadn't seen Liu Haocun's actions.

She scooped a spoonful of scrambled eggs with tomatoes and mixed it into her rice with elegant movements.

"Haocun, eat more."

Chen Duling looked up and gave Liu Haocun a slight smile.

"Filming is tough, so you need to make sure you get enough nutrition. Jiang Qing's stir-fried shredded pork was really well done, and the green peppers were crisp too."

Her words were perfectly worded, responding to Liu Haocun's praise while also absolving herself of responsibility, and even carrying a hint of hospitality.

Liu Haocun's smile faded slightly. He lowered his head, took a bite of rice, and responded sullenly.

"Yeah, it's delicious."

She paused for a moment, then suddenly looked up and asked Chen Duling in a seemingly innocent manner.

"Teacher Chen, I remember seeing a video of you saying you couldn't handle spicy food very well? This stir-fried green peppers with shredded pork is a bit spicy, can you eat it?"

Chen Duling picked up a piece of green vegetable, calmly put it in her mouth, chewed it slowly, and then spoke slowly.

"It's alright, this level of spiciness is just right for me. Jiang Qing knows my taste, and she always gets it right when cooking."

She naturally turned her head to look at Jiang Qing, her eyes curving downwards.

Jiang Qing smiled back, but tightened her grip on her chopsticks, feeling that this meal was incredibly difficult to eat.

Looking at Chen Duling's calm and composed demeanor, and then at Jiang Qing's tacit acceptance, Liu Haocun felt a surge of grievance and bitterness welling up inside him.

She stopped talking and just buried her head in her food, eating much faster than before, as if she was venting something.

Chen Duling noticed her actions, her lips curled slightly, and she ate her meal in small bites, occasionally placing a piece of green vegetable or scrambled eggs with tomatoes on Jiang Qing's plate, saying softly, "You should eat some of this too."

Her thoughtfulness and attentiveness contrasted sharply with Liu Haocun's silence.

The meal drew to a close in an atmosphere that was outwardly calm but inwardly turbulent.

The sky outside the window had completely darkened.

Jiang Qing looked at Liu Haocun, who was engrossed in eating, and then at Chen Duling, who was smiling serenely beside her. She knew that this silent war was far from over.

He was at the center of this storm, the most helpless and the one who could not escape it.

(End of this chapter)