I Like Your Scent

[A minor foodie actress x a straight-laced state banquet chef]

Foodie Ruan Qi joins a variety show and meets Chi Qingxing, a civilian guest and state banquet chef. The moment she sees him, a flood of very colorful thoughts drifts through her mind.

Why cook? They should

Ruan Qi soon stops smiling.

She and Chi Qingxing have to hit a 200,000-yuan revenue target by running a restaurant. If they fall short, they have to make up the difference themselves.

Trouble crops up on the first day of business.

Ruan Qi: “We have to keep a tight rein on expenses and spend money where it counts.”

Chi Qingxing insists, “The ingredients have to be top quality. Otherwise, they’re trash.”

By the third day, tensions are running high.

Ruan Qi: “Get rid of the set meals. Switch to ordering a la carte. Set meals are just forcing people to buy things together. A lot of people don’t like that.”

Chi Qingxing, barely keeping his temper in check: “A la carte orders just add to my workload.”

On the fifth day, another problem comes up. Ruan Qi: “Why are the zongzi sweet?”

Chi Qingxing: “If they’re not sweet, should they be salty?”

On day N, Ruan Qi makes another suggestion: “We should offer both set meals and a la carte.”

Chi Qingxing’s veins throb. “Ruan Qi, why don’t you do the cooking?”

Ruan Qi stammers, “Actually, I wanted to order those dishes for myself. If I can’t eat them, at least my eyes can.”

Chi Qingxing: “?”

After that, Chi Qingxing makes her special dishes every day. The restaurant becomes an overnight sensation, its revenue skyrockets, and the entire internet ships the stingy foodie actress with her personal state banquet chef.

Ruan Qi blinks. “Chef Chi, how much would it cost to hire you as my personal chef?”

Chi Qingxing says quietly, “What do you think, Miss Ruan?”

--

Coming soon: Double-Ended Fishing

In Beicheng’s circle of powerful families, Song Baifeng is bewitchingly handsome and debonair. His pair of peach blossom eyes seem to hook everyone who sees them, earning him the nickname Blue Rose of Beicheng.

Anyone who has seen that face, male or female, is bound to want him. His admirers pursue him one after another, but he is famous for being cold-hearted and difficult to approach. He cares only about profit. Compared to the numbers in his bank account, romance has little appeal, and his pursuers repeatedly hit a wall.

Dai Shu, a minor actress, decides to pursue him for the sake of getting more attention. She refuses to give up until she wins him over.

She goes all out to get his attention, flirting with him boldly and making their exchanges as provocative and suggestive as possible.

She picks up a bouquet of roses and places the petals in the hollow of her collarbone.

Song Baifeng lets her do as she likes. “What are you doing?”

Dai Shu gazes at him with watery, tempting eyes. “You’re more beautiful than the roses. The roses suit you better.”

Song Baifeng’s alluring peach blossom eyes are as cold as snow. “Thanks, but that’s not an appropriate thing for one man to say to another.”

He’s impervious to every approach. No matter how she flirts, she can’t get through to him. Dai Shu knows that Song Baifeng is more practical than anyone, so it’s only natural that a little flirting won’t work.

Determined not to give up, Dai Shu puts all her effort into winning him over. She won’t stop until she gets him.

One slightly tipsy night, the two of them have a few drinks and play Truth or Dare. Song Baifeng loses.

Dai Shu smiles. “My dare is for you to marry me.”

--

Not long after the wedding, at the launch of Rusu’s new products, Dai Shu’s lie about using Song Baifeng to escape his family’s control of the company is exposed in front of everyone.

That night, Dai Shu asks for a divorce.

Song Baifeng pins her to the sofa and kisses her. “You liar. You get caught lying and think you can just divorce me? You wish.”

If he won’t divorce her, then what can she do? They might as well make do by hurting each other.

Until, a few months later, Dai Shu is sorting through her things and discovers her detailed personal file and a notebook in a drawer.

Song Baifeng comes in and takes the things from her hands. “Dai Shu, if you want to know something, just ask. I’ll answer anything.”

Theme: Enjoy good food and live life earnestly