“Mimi, you don’t blame me?”
On the way back to the station.
Watching the scenery outside the window fly backwards, Jiang Nian suddenly asked.
Although most of what happened today was started by Huang Lei.
That didn’t mean Jiang Nian was completely innocent with no fault of his own.
On the contrary, Jiang Nian was well aware of how extreme his approach had been and how bad the fallout was.
Otherwise, the production team wouldn’t have pulled him aside to ask him to tone it down.
And Yang Mi could be said to be one of the people most affected by him in this whole mess.
Not only did the variety show suddenly get cut short halfway through.
But also, because Jiang Nian was part of her company, his falling out with Huang Lei indirectly strained her relationship with Huang Lei too.
Honestly speaking, in a situation like this, forget scolding—even if Yang Mi straight-up hit him, Jiang Nian would quietly take it without talking back.
Hearing this, Yang Mi didn’t answer right away. Instead, she crossed her legs, rolled down the car window, and lit a lady’s cigarette:
“Puff—”
“Why would I blame you?”
“Even back when I was at Beijing Film Academy, I already couldn’t stand the sight of him.”
“Besides, he was deliberately targeting us today, making things difficult. You standing up to him was like venting some frustration for us.”
“As for the variety show, if we don’t film it, we don’t film it. They begged us to come, not the other way around.”
“Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.”
Yang Mi said, her tone very casual.
And honestly, that was the truth.
Others might be intimidated by Huang Lei, but she wasn’t.
Because her teacher was Cui Xinqin.
Mention this name, and outsiders might not know it.
But inside the industry, she was incredibly famous.
Tang Guoqiang, Huang Bo, Huang Xiaoming—these were all students who came out from under her wing!
If you were to rank by seniority, Huang Lei would be nothing but a little brother in front of her.
Yang Mi’s protective nature was something she learned from her too.
If Huang Lei tried to target her, bullying the small with the big, Cui Xinqin would absolutely not stand by and do nothing!
“However…”
“I might be fine, but you need to be more careful.”
“Today you scolded Huang Lei so badly and embarrassed him so much.”
“With his petty personality, he’ll definitely pull something behind your back.”
“This is something I can’t help you with.”
This wasn’t Yang Mi deliberately making excuses or drawing a line.
It was that in this matter, she truly had no way to help.
If Huang Lei were targeting her, she could still bring out her teacher to back her up.
But with Jiang Nian, there really was no way.
Because Jiang Nian’s current backer was her, and with her connections, she clearly couldn’t go up against Huang Lei.
Even if she called her teacher, what reason would she give?
That someone under her got bullied?
That’s complete nonsense. As long as you didn’t get bullied, that’s all that matters!
Jiang Nian also understood this.
After all, the person didn’t even know him. Why would they come help?
And even putting that aside, say they did come help—then what?
Huang Lei was already an overgrown man-child.
The moment he saw Jiang Nian and the others calling for backup without playing fair.
He’d definitely feel he’d suffered some enormous injustice and start calling for backup too.
Then it’d be beating the small one brings out the old one, beating the old one brings out an even older one.
Who knows at which point the nature of things would change and it’d be like the first shot at Sarajevo—the situation spiraling completely out of control.
That wouldn’t be good for Jiang Nian.
On the other hand, if no one interfered and the only people involved in this were Jiang Nian and Huang Lei, then things would be much simpler.
You know, the reason giant babies exist in this world is, plainly put, because they’ve been spoiled.
And the way to deal with this kind of person is simple too.
A few solid punches to the face and they’ll behave.
With this in mind, Jiang Nian replied:
“Don’t worry. As long as you’re not dragged into it, Huang Lei’s business is nothing to me.”
“Really?” Yang Mi was a bit skeptical.
“What do you mean, really? Why would I lie to you?”
Jiang Nian’s tone was a bit impatient.
“Alright.”
Seeing how certain he was, Yang Mi didn’t say anything more, just smoked and chatted with Jiang Nian casually.
Meanwhile, back at the Mushroom House.
After seeing Jiang Nian off, He Jiong and the others all felt a sense of loss.
After all, such delicious food—once you’ve had it, you can never have it again.
This made them feel genuine regret from the bottom of their hearts.
Especially after seeing the food Huang Lei made.
This regret was instantly magnified countless times.
Without comparison, there’s no harm.
Before, although Huang Lei’s cooking didn’t make anyone want to eat.
But gritting their teeth, they could still force it down.
But now, after eating Jiang Nian’s cooking.
Forget gritting your teeth—even if your whole body went stiff, you still couldn’t eat it!
What even was this stuff?!
Uncooked green beans, pale white fatty meat.
And potatoes as hard as if they’d been in a porno.
It was clearly the same dish, using the same ingredients.
How could the gap be this huge?
“Regret. My only thought right now is regret.”
“Even if I’d stuffed myself to death, I should’ve eaten two more bites!”
He Jiong and the others sighed endlessly in their hearts.
And in contrast, there was Huang Lei.
Because he’d taken so many losses from Jiang Nian!
Now seeing him leave, if it weren’t for maintaining his image and the conditions not allowing it.
Huang Lei would’ve even wanted to set off a string of firecrackers and clap in celebration!
Serves him right!
Who told him to go against him!
Doesn’t he know who Huang Lei is, what status he has!
This is called self-inflicted disaster!
Smug, beaming with pride!
In his excitement, Huang Lei had no idea that Jiang Nian’s departure wasn’t arranged by the production team at all—it was a decision Jiang Nian made himself.
But even saying all this now was useless.
Because Huang Lei was very good at mental victory.
He didn’t care whether there were any twists and turns behind it. He only cared about whether he won.
Obviously, this round, Lei-zi felt he’d won completely.
Thankfully Jiang Nian wasn’t on set to see Lei-zi’s smug face.
Otherwise, he definitely would’ve changed his mind and not left.
He’d have made sure Lei-zi’s reputation was completely ruined.
As for Huang Lei, after grinning happily for a while, he glanced to the side.
Seeing everyone looking at the food in his pot, he thought they hadn’t eaten enough and wanted to eat his cooking.
He couldn’t help but snort coldly in his heart.
Thinking to himself, why didn’t you think of that earlier?
But he was also a kind-hearted person.
Although He Jiong and the others had failed to recognize greatness earlier, ignoring the delicacies he made and running off to eat Jiang Nian’s cooking.
Seeing how ‘eager’ they were for his food now.
He wouldn’t let these people go hungry.
So he called them over to eat.
Hearing this, He Jiong and the others’ expressions all changed.
Especially Dahua, looking at that fatty meat that had gone cold and somewhat solidified due to time.
He immediately felt physically unwell, dry-heaved, and quickly covered his mouth, looking away: “Sorry Teacher Huang, I ate too much, I really can’t stomach any more. You should let Teacher He and the others eat. There’s still some work in the fields, I’ll go get busy first.”
Having said that, he fled the place like he’d seen a ghost.
Seeing this, Batu beside him quickly chimed in: “That’s right, Teacher Huang. The work in the fields isn’t done yet. I’ll go work with Dahua first. Mom, Teacher He, you guys eat first.”
As soon as he said this, Song Dandan’s eyes went wide: “Hey, you kid, what are you saying? Do you think your mom is a garbage disposal, eating all day long? Um, Huang Lei, I’m full. I’ll go down to the fields with the kids to get some exercise. Teacher He, take your time eating. We won’t disturb you guys.”
Watching the three of them hurry away without pausing for even a moment.
He Jiong: “???”
His face was written all over with confusion.
No, what did she mean by ‘take your time eating’? He didn’t want to eat at all!
You guys just sold him out like that?!
He Jiong immediately got a bit panicked.
He wanted to say something, but before the words could leave his mouth, Huang Lei’s death stare had already turned on him.
“Teacher He, you’re not going to say you’re not eating too, are you?”
Huang Lei asked in a gloomy voice.
Hearing this, cold sweat broke out on He Jiong’s forehead.
Because he knew, if he also didn’t eat, Huang Lei would one hundred percent throw a fit.
But the problem now was, if he did eat.
He’d be done for!
Just as he was caught between a rock and a hard place.
He Jiong suddenly thought of something, his eyes lit up, and he immediately let out an “Ouch,” clutching his stomach, and collapsed onto the table with a twisted expression, his voice hoarse:
“No, Teacher Huang, there’s something wrong with the dish Teacher Jiang made.”
“His green beans weren’t cooked through. My stomach really hurts now.”
“Sorry, I need to be excused.”
“I can’t hold it anymore.”
Having said that, He Jiong didn’t even dare look at Huang Lei’s expression. He just hunched over, clutching his stomach, and ran all the way into the bathroom.
Seeing this, Huang Lei gripped his wine glass tightly.
His face showed unprecedented anger.
Good, good, good!
Jiang Nian goes against him, and you all go against him too, huh!
You all despise his cooking so much, then from now on he’ll…
Huang Lei was just about to make a threat, saying he’d never cook again.
But before the words could leave his mouth, suddenly, an unprecedented wave of nausea rushed up from his gut.
It hit him so hard his vision spun and his eyes blurred. He instinctively braced himself on the table, bent over, and opened his mouth.
In that instant, like a fully opened high-pressure water valve, vomit shot out directly.
Those half-cooked green beans he’d eaten had finally unleashed their rightful power!
Seeing this, the production crew was stunned.
They’d just seen Jiang Nian off, thinking the show could finally resume normal filming, and then they turn around and Huang Lei starts paying tribute to the legendary diarrhea king, the Splash Warrior?
What the hell…
“Holy shit, I’m really done with this!”
“Where’s the crew doctor? What are you standing around for? Get him treated!”
“Someone call 120!”
“He’s got green bean poisoning. If we don’t treat him fast, something’s going to happen. Hurry, hurry, hurry!”
Wang Zhengyu shouted loudly.
As soon as he finished speaking, the scene descended into chaos.
Nighttime.
After Jiang Nian and Yang Mi returned to the capital.
As expected, the news of “Huang Lei Accidentally Poisoned During Filming” made it onto the news.
Many netizens were baffled when they saw this news.
They kept asking, who the hell is Huang Lei?
This wasn’t them deliberately being smart alecks.
It was because Huang Lei really wasn’t very famous these days.
Just like what Jiang Nian had said when he was chewing him out before.
Right now, aside from being somewhat famous within the industry.
Outside the industry, nobody cared about him at all.
Because the only memorable role he could offer was Xu Zhimo.
And the key thing was, when that show aired, it was 1999.
Now, thirteen years later, aside from the older generation, young people today really hadn’t heard of this guy.
Even after being informed, few people took Huang Lei seriously.
After all, it had nothing to do with them.
This led to Huang Lei’s hard-won trending topic.
Only staying up there for an hour, not even warming up, before hastily dropping off.
Replaced by the trending topics “What Is ‘Yearning for Life’?” and “Green Beans Can Poison You?”
If it were just that, then fine.
But the key was, Jiang Nian thought back to how Huang Lei had faced him today, that arrogant,指点江山, commanding-the-world aura.
Compared to now, this ignored, completely cold contrast.
Jiang Nian couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
Hearing this, Yang Mi beside him was a bit curious: “What are you laughing at?”
“Nothing, just laughing at Huang Lei.” Jiang Nian casually told Yang Mi about the trending topic, then thought of something and looked at Yang Mi curiously: “By the way, I remember before my food was ready, you guys were eating his cooking to give him face, right? How come up till now, the only one who got hit was Huang Lei?”
“Oh, that. We were all fake-eating. Just humoring him was enough. Who’d be stupid enough to actually eat that pot of half-cooked toxic green beans he made?”
Yang Mi replied casually.
Hearing this, Jiang Nian couldn’t help but give her a thumbs up and slowly said two words: “Professional.”
“Hehe, just so-so.”
Yang Mi said with a grin, then looked at Jiang Nian: “Speaking of which, I just realized—after you came back, you haven’t called yourself ‘this eunuch’ at all. What’s up, did you adjust?”
“Uh…”
Jiang Nian’s expression froze, and he thought to himself, Oh no.
Earlier, to keep Yang Mi from pestering him every day, he’d made up an excuse, saying he’d fully immersed himself in the role.
As long as he still referred to himself as ‘this eunuch,’ it meant he hadn’t come out of the character yet, and would remain abstinent.
Back then, Jiang Nian said this without knowing that after “Evil-Resisting Sword Art” broke through to “Fully Mastered,” the vow of silence would be lifted.
At the same time, he’d also figured he’d be filming for two or three months without seeing Yang Mi.
By the time he could see her, he’d probably have trained “Evil-Resisting Sword Art” to complete mastery.
Then naturally he could do it.
But who’d have thought—the vow of silence would be lifted early, and he’d end up seeing Yang Mi this soon.
What the hell…
“Ah, I got so into filming the variety show, if you hadn’t said anything, this eunuch would’ve almost forgotten. Thanks for the reminder, haha.”
Jiang Nian slapped his forehead and said with a dry laugh.
Yang Mi didn’t say anything, just looked at him suspiciously: “You sure?”
“I’m sure.”
“See, you said it again! Jiang Nian, you’ve definitely already adjusted. I don’t care, anyway, tonight I’m taking back everything I lost before!”
Having said that, she pounced directly at him.
Seeing this, Jiang Nian’s face immediately showed the same expression of shock as the Grand Supreme Elder: “!!!”
