A Fan Favorite on a Korean Dating Show

[A naturally clueless chef with a knack for drawing people in x a cast of unhinged female contestants | Everyone is sweet on the outside, scheming underneath | Sweet, satisfying romantic rivalry]

As the sponsor of this Korean dating show, Fan Shu had the production team edit together a whole lot of potential romances for her:

1. A friendly China-Korea student-teacher romance

2. Roommates who fall in love over time

3. Bitter rivals who are also destined spouses

4. A messy but stable love triangle

5. A tangled mess of relationships, all served up piping hot

But Fan Shu only wanted to improve the food, and ended up becoming the bona fide chef of the dating show.

Everyone knows that chefs on dating shows never find love.

Fan Shu might have been oblivious, but the other contestants couldn't stop fighting over her. With that stunning face of hers, viewers could ship her with anyone and make it work. They shipped her so hard they were dying for it, wallowing in a sea of love and hate.

One morning, Fan Shu got up early to make breakfast. Koreans weren't in the habit of eating breakfast, but she didn't want to go hungry.

Her catlike roommate was curled up in bed, still half asleep. Hearing Fan Shu rustling around, she instinctively called out in a dependent, coquettish voice, "Unni Fan Shu, could you make me a cup of warm milk?"

Fan Shu readily agreed, thinking that Koreans must all have tiny appetites. Yesterday, when her roommate nearly fainted against her, her bones had practically dug into Fan Shu.

When she went out, she ran into the glamorous Miss Fox, who gazed at her tenderly with alluring eyes that would look at even a dog with affection. Her red lips parted. "The early bird catches the worm. I wonder if there's a serving for me?"

The manager of the trainee group greeted Fan Shu in fluent Chinese. Fan Shu remembered the words on the envelope the woman had written to her: "Oranges aren't the only fruit, but they're the only fruit I like."

Fan Shu decided to buy more oranges at the supermarket today.

With her astonishingly oblivious nature, Fan Shu couldn't see the knives and swords flying across the dining table. All she saw was deep sisterly affection.

As the show neared its end, Fan Shu happily booked a flight home for a few days later, and her roommate happened to catch her. After the dating show ended, the women invited Fan Shu to a farewell party. After a few rounds of drinks, Fan Shu was completely drunk.

When she woke up the next day, Fan Shu was bewildered to find her arms and legs bound to the bed with colorful lingerie straps. The covetous, humid, burning gazes that had been lurking in the shadows were no longer hidden.

Fan Shu, where do you think you're running to?

Content warnings:

1. Pick one or go all in?

2. Anyway, I love a good romantic rivalry.

3. I love strong tops, strong bottoms, and beautiful people. Most likely switching roles.

4. Inspired by watching Together.

Theme: A fierce tiger in the heart, yet a rose is sniffed with tenderness.