The Book of All Things: Born for Joy

Li Zichun was mesmerized watching from the kitchen, secretly memorizing everyone's cooking techniques and preparation procedures. Although the chefs were somewhat dissatisfied, they didn't say anything when they saw that Zhang Xiaochuan had personally brought the people over.

Many people felt he looked familiar, as if they had seen him somewhere before. Several young kitchen helpers who frequently watch TV and scroll through their phones recognized him and couldn't wait to stop what they were doing to go over and take photos with him and ask for his autograph.

Zhang Xiaochuan coughed and said, "Just focus on your work..."

Li Zichun quickly interrupted his reprimand with a smile, saying, "I'm sorry, I was just curious about how you chefs made such mouthwatering dishes. I'm really sorry for disturbing you. I'm just watching from the side. If it affects your performance, please just say so."

The chefs naturally wouldn't object. They're all shrewd people; if their unique skills could be easily learned, how could they hold the title of head chef? Each of them has ways to make sure you can't tell the secret recipe without affecting the dish's appearance and taste.

Li Zichun wasn't worried about this. He simply used his brain to memorize everything without missing a single detail. He had plenty of time to review it later, and he could just try a few more times if necessary.

Zhang Xiaochuan was also there, and the two chatted casually. Zhang Xiaochuan was actually curious whether the person next to him could really remember every single movement of this large group of people. He could only remain skeptical.

For Li Zichun, there are no two flavors in the world that are exactly the same. He never intended for his cooking skills to be identical; he only looked at the proportions and cooking times. Just like the sauces used by these master chefs, he certainly wouldn't naively believe that they were just simple sauces, or that they were mixed and blended together to confuse people.

Li Zichun stood there for half an hour, accompanied by Zhang Xiaochuan, until the head of the kitchen came over and said, "Boss, the banquet in the front hall is ready. Everyone has been waiting for a long time and came to ask me to call you over."

Before Zhang Xiaochuan could speak, Li Zichun came to his senses and said with a smile, "In that case, let's go eat. We can come back and learn to cook from these chefs another time."

The two returned to the dining table, and the people who had been chatting and waiting became even more enthusiastic when they saw him return.

Zhang Xiaochuan teased, a little jealous, "It was clearly my treat, so please don't pretend I don't exist!"

Everyone burst into laughter, showering him with endless praise until he became somewhat embarrassed.

After the meal, everyone enjoyed themselves immensely. No one knew when they would meet again, and they parted with reluctant hugs.

After parting ways with the others, the two declined their offer to see them off and then got up and left.

Li Zichun and Zhao Qianfan had both had a few drinks. They picked up their phones to check the distance. It would only take about half an hour to walk back from Qianzhen Pavilion, which wasn't too far. The two of them wanted to cool off from the alcohol and take a stroll, while also enjoying the night view of the capital of the Great Zhou Kingdom.

Wearing masks, the two strolled casually through the brightly lit streets, the bustling night market, and the dimly lit alleyways, eating, looking around, and walking.

The city of Shangjing was similar in layout to the Beijing he remembered, but the distribution was quite different. Li Zichun walked through it, feeling both strange and familiar.

Zhao Qianfan sensed his unusual behavior and put her arm around his shoulder as they walked, asking, "What's wrong?"

Li Zichun shook his head and said, "It's nothing. I just suddenly feel a little cold."

Zhao Qianfan touched his forehead. Thankfully, he didn't have a cold. She said with some concern, "Then move closer to me. I'm here for you."

Upon hearing this, Li Zichun looked at his clear and bright eyes, which were still visible even under the lights, eyeshadow, and mask, and was momentarily lost in thought. She smiled and said, "Yes, yes, you're here."

After saying that, he smiled with a sense of relief. He seemed to be becoming more and more prone to melancholy. Since he had chosen this path to immortality, he should move forward without hesitation, without dwelling on the past or looking back. Looking back would only stir up dust in his eyes, blinding him with the dust of his thoughts.

Li Zichun leaned closer to him, following closely to his shoulder, while Zhao Qianfan also held him tightly, trying to keep the sudden howling wind from getting into his clothes.

Li Zichun was suddenly pulled behind him, and he said confidently, "If you wait, put your hands under my hoodie behind me to keep warm. I'll walk in front, so this gust of wind won't blow on you as easily."

Li Zichun did as instructed. Indeed, with Zhao Qianfan, a tall man, lying in front of him, the warmth from his back made him feel at ease. It was a strange feeling; he had actually begun to rely on another person, and a man of the same sex at that. And this feeling was actually quite nice.

He chuckled self-deprecatingly. This man was truly impeccable—a perfect gentleman, a domestic goddess, handsome, healthy, and with his established singing career, fame was inevitable. He was practically perfect! So, should he introduce him to someone? He wondered which girl would end up getting the girl. Who was this man dating before?

Li Zichun didn't believe that he had never dated before. A high-quality man in his early thirties like him might not have dated before, but he certainly wouldn't have had no suitors.

Thinking about this, he asked curiously, "Hmm, a master swindler?"

Zhao Qianfan asked instinctively, "What's wrong?"

Li Zichun chuckled: "How did you know I was calling you?"

Zhao Qianfan walked ahead, smiling as he said, "Hehe, just a gut feeling."

Li Zichun nodded and said, "Well, the road ahead is still long. Why don't you tell me some gossip about yourself?"

Zhao Qianfan chuckled and said, "Huh? Okay, looks like you're really bored. Tell me, what do you want to hear?"

Li Zichun said with a smile, "It's nothing, I'm just curious how you got here all the way."

Zhao Qianfan looked completely bewildered: "Uh, haven't we been walking this whole way together?"

Li Zichun poked him on the back and said, "I'm talking about what you were like before you met me? Like your family? What led you into the entertainment industry? Did you have a boyfriend or anything like that?"

Zhao Qianfan suddenly stopped walking, and Li Zichun, unable to stop in time, bumped into his back. She asked in confusion, "What's wrong? Don't want to talk about it? Then don't. Just pretend I didn't ask."

Seeing that he didn't react, Li Zichun poked his head out from the side and looked at him, saying, "What's wrong? Is something the matter? Why did you suddenly stop moving...?"

Li Zichun glanced at him from the side and saw him staring blankly ahead. Following his gaze, she saw a handsome young man with clear and bright eyes, standing next to a tall, strong, slightly overweight man, the two holding hands.

Li Zichun's gaze had long been drawn to the maskless boy. "Hmm, so handsome," he thought, "he looks about 80% like me." He suddenly remembered what Yi Zhichun had told him about his past. Could this boy be one of his cheapskate father's many illegitimate children? Otherwise, how could they look so alike? But then he laughed at himself for being so suspicious. How could it be such a coincidence? Perhaps it was just that people sometimes resemble each other.

Li Zichun gently patted Zhao Qianfan's waist and said, "What's wrong? Do you two know each other? Should I introduce you?"

Zhao Qianfan snapped out of her reverie and said softly, "It's nothing, just an old friend I haven't seen in a long time."

The boy quickly snapped out of his daze and said with a smile, "Long time no see, big star."

Zhao Qianfan smiled and said easily, "Long time no see, Little Li."

The boy, arm in arm with the tall, strong, slightly overweight man, smiled and said to Li Zichun, "Hello, I'm Li Xiuyuan. The one standing next to Zhao Qianfan must be 'Moon Emperor' Li Zichun."

Li Zichun smiled and shook the hand that was extended to him, saying cheerfully, "Hello, I'm Li Zichun. Are you two very familiar with each other?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Qianfan replied softly, "We're not very close, it's been a long time since we last met. How are you?"

Li Xiuyuan smiled and leaned closer to the man beside her, saying shyly, "I'm doing well. Seeing that you're doing well makes me feel relieved. We have to go now, so we'll keep in touch when we have time."

The slightly overweight man nodded to the two of them, looked at Li Zichun with lingering interest, and smiled at him with an ambiguous expression.

Li Zichun felt a chill run down his spine. Had he just been the subject of someone's fantasies? No way... it was hard to say. He had a feeling that the two people were acting strangely just now.

Zhao Qianfan looked very uncomfortable. He grabbed Li Zichun, who was standing next to him, and said, "Don't talk. Let me hug you. It'll be over soon."

Li Zichun was caught off guard by the sudden embrace and for a moment forgot to struggle. This heart-to-heart hug was truly warm. Although he knew there was definitely something between the two of them, he didn't dare to speculate wildly, but he just found it a bit unbelievable.

Could these two have been a couple? No way, if so, why would Xing Yiling still be so persistent in pursuing him? Do Jin Dili and Zhao Jinmai know about this? Maybe I should call or text them when I get back? Or maybe I should just forget it; after all, it's his privacy. Everyone has a past!

Ugh, so annoying! When will Yi Zhichun's investigation finally end? I really want to know his gossip.

Zhao Qianfan's expression quickly returned to normal, and he gently released Li Zichun, saying, "Sorry, I got a little excited."

Li Zichun said casually, "Oh, I'm fine. But judging from your face, are you really alright?"

Zhao Qianfan smiled and said, "What could possibly happen to me? Even if something did happen, it's all in the past. Since it's all in the past, then it's nothing."

Seeing that his expression had relaxed a little, Li Zichun asked with a curious gossip, "Oh, so something really happened. Tell me quickly, what is it?"

Zhao Qianfan rolled her eyes, chuckled, and walked forward: "It's nothing, don't ask. When did you become so gossipy like those paparazzi?"

Li Zichun chuckled and said, "You don't understand. Gossip is the ladder of human progress and the driving force of human social development."

Zhao Qianfan frowned and chuckled, "This is another piece of nonsense from that great talent?"

Li Zichun patted his chest and walked beside him, saying, "Hmph, of course it's my famous saying."

Zhao Qianfan looked at his chest, which was patting loudly, and said, "Hey, could you pat a little lighter? You don't have much chest muscle to begin with, and a few more pats and it'll be gone."

Li Zichun rolled his eyes and said, "That's breast discrimination. Be careful, or I'll sue you for sexual harassment."

......

After a few lighthearted banter, the original topic had long since drifted off course. Both of them tacitly avoided dwelling on the young man, Li Xiuyuan, they had encountered. One didn't want to bring it up, feeling it would spoil the fun, while the other was too lazy to ask, believing the detective agency would eventually find out and tell them.

The two of them walked and joked back to the house in the villa.

Li Ke was drinking beer in the yard when he said with a smile, "Oh ho, the young couple are back from their walk. Had a great time?"

Li Zichun rolled his eyes: "Heh, you drove Yan Xiaoli home, why didn't she invite you upstairs for a chat?"

Li Ke said irritably, "Don't even mention it! I wanted to go up and do it too, but she called me an 'old pervert' and kicked me out. We'd already signed the contract, so why can't I do it?!"

Zhao Qianfan frowned and said, "If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't let you sit up either. They're just giving you a chance to pursue them; they haven't developed a formal romantic relationship with you yet."

Li Zichun nodded and chimed in, "That's right, you didn't bring any flowers, gifts, movies, or candlelight dinners. Who would be interested in doing that with you?"

Li Ke exclaimed in sudden realization, "Oh, I see. I'll go arrange tomorrow's itinerary now."

Watching him excitedly return to his room, Li Zichun shook his head and said, "Alright, you've been busy all day. Tomorrow you need to practice singing and prepare for the competition. Go back to your room, wash up, and go to sleep. Good night."

After saying that, they each went back to their rooms to rest.

Over the next two days, Zhao Qianfan practiced singing at home with peace of mind, while Li Zichun wrote scripts and other things in the garden. When she got tired, she would get up and practice dancing. At mealtimes, she would recall the chefs' cooking techniques from Qianzhen Pavilion in her mind, so that Zhao Qianfan, Li Ke, and Yan Xiaoli could taste her cooking skills.

After two days, the evaluation of his cooking skills has gone from "acceptable" to "not bad", and is only two steps away from "delicious" and "amazing".

Soon it was time for the show's recording again, and Ma Qian came to pick up the two and take them to the venue. Along the way, they were bombarded with the same lukewarm questions from netizens, mostly about the "All Is Love" new song concert and the songs performed at the food street.

Because it was very close, we arrived at the recording site of the program very quickly.

In his opinion, this "Romance and Sentiment" themed competition should have separate topics. The previous competition was already about "love," and it wouldn't make sense for this one to be about love again; the production team wouldn't make that arrangement. It should be a misleading topic. If it's still about a decadent life filled with romantic affairs, then it's obvious he won't get a high score.

Ha, you know what, there really are people writing about love. It's unbelievable. Didn't I give them a hint by singing "Wind, Flower, Snow, and Moon" before? These people really don't listen to advice.

Soon it was Zhao Qianfan's turn to perform, and Li Zichun naturally chose the first song for him, one about "wind".