Chapter 17: One Million

“Besides, I have no blood relation to his father; why should I cook for him?”

Chen Yu was here to live off others, not to slave away like a beast of burden.

He cooked for Nian Nian only because she was his daughter in name.

He cooked for Jiang Zhiyun because of the monthly hundred thousand yuan payment.

But why should he prepare a final care meal for some unrelated old man?

He didn’t have that kind of overflowing compassion.

“No.” Chen Yu refused decisively. “I’m busy taking care of the child.”

His tone was resolute, leaving no room for negotiation.

On the other end, Jiang Zhiyun seemed to have anticipated this reaction.

She was silent for a moment, then in a calm, steady voice filled with deadly temptation, she whispered three words:

“One million.”

In the room, the refusal was already on Chen Yu’s lips, but the moment he heard those words, it got stuck in his throat.

He blinked, doubting his ears.

“...How much?”

“One million,” Jiang Zhiyun repeated firmly, her voice carrying an air of absolute control. “Cook one meal, one million. The money can be transferred to your account right now.”

The air seemed to freeze.

A few seconds later, Chen Yu cleared his throat, then his voice turned instantly warm and sincere.

“Ahem! Where’s the address? What flavors does the old gentleman prefer? Spicy or mild? Chinese or Western cuisine? Should I bring my own ingredients? Don’t worry, my cooking skills will surely make him happy and peaceful in his final moments! I’m on my way!”

The turnaround was faster than flipping a page.

The man who had just been so stubborn and righteous seemed like a mere illusion conjured by Jiang Zhiyun.

Jiang Zhiyun held her phone, momentarily unsure how to react.

She had known all along that there was nothing money couldn’t solve with this man.

If there was, it was simply because the amount wasn’t high enough.

“I’ll send you the address shortly. Come as soon as you can.” With an expressionless tone, Jiang Zhiyun ended the call.

Listening to the busy signal, she stood in the corridor motionless for a long time.

In her heart, a doubt began to rise, much like that of Assistant Zhang’s.

This man named Chen Yu was full of contradictions.

He could cook dishes worthy of a state banquet chef, sing songs that would shame professional singers, and possessed a physique that made every woman scream.

Such a man, so talented and seemingly mysterious, why... would he willingly become a “freeloader” constantly mocked by others?

Was he short of money?

Judging by the way he reacted to one million, it seemed so.

But a man with so many skills should find making money easy, right?

An absurd thought involuntarily crossed Jiang Zhiyun’s mind.

Could it be... that his agreement to a fake marriage with her was not just about money?

Could it be... he actually... liked her... even just a little?

The thought barely surfaced before Jiang Zhiyun crushed it herself.

Impossible.

She smiled bitterly at her own madness for entertaining such an unrealistic fantasy.

She and Chen Yu were nothing but a transaction.

He wanted her money; she wanted a husband’s name to appease her family. A mutually beneficial arrangement, nothing more.

As for liking... ha, that word was far too luxurious and ridiculous for Jiang Zhiyun.

She stopped thinking further, swiftly gathering all chaotic thoughts and regained her composure as a female CEO. She dialed the number of the director-in-chief of the show “Super Daddy Transformation.”

“Hello, Director Li? This is Jiang Zhiyun.”

“Oh, Ms. Jiang! Hello, hello! What can I do for you?”

Director Li’s voice was extremely enthusiastic.

The Jiang Corporation was the show’s biggest sponsor, the real moneybags.

“Chen Yu has an urgent personal matter to attend to,” Jiang Zhiyun’s tone was commanding. “He needs to pause filming for the next few days. Also, please suspend the live broadcast temporarily.”

“Huh? Pause filming?” Director Li hesitated. “Ms. Jiang, this... Chen Yu and Nian Nian’s segment is currently the most popular. The audience is eagerly watching. If we suddenly stop the broadcast, I’m afraid...”

“Is there a problem?”

Jiang Zhiyun’s voice turned cold.

“No! No problem! Absolutely no problem!”

Director Li shivered in fear and quickly corrected himself. “Don’t worry, I’ll arrange it immediately! We’ll also issue an announcement to explain the situation to the audience!”

Jokingly saying “no” to the main sponsor? That director might as well quit.

After hanging up, Jiang Zhiyun immediately sent Chen Yu the address and relevant details, then turned on her heels, clicking away in her high heels with swift decisiveness.

...

Almost at the same moment Jiang Zhiyun ended the call, millions of viewers glued to their TVs and phones saw the clear live feed suddenly freeze, then switch to a static announcement image.

[Announcement: Due to an urgent personal matter concerning guest Mr. Chen Yu, the current episode’s filming is suspended. Please stay tuned for official updates on when filming will resume. Thank you for your understanding and support.]

The viewers were stunned.

[??? What’s going on? Stopped broadcasting?]

[I was just about to watch my idol keep working out, and now this?]

[Urgent matter? Was that phone call just now? Could it be the “husband’s” leading lady got into trouble?]

[Nooo! My daily source of happiness is gone? I beg the production team to be kind!]

[Sniff sniff, no Yu Shen and Nian Nian for the first minute of the day, I miss them.]

The audience wailed online, disappointment sweeping across the show’s official social media channels.

They had grown used to watching the quirky father-daughter duo’s “love-hate” antics every day; this sudden halt made many feel as if a vital joy had been ripped from their lives.

And the man responsible for all this, Chen Yu, remained blissfully unaware.

After hanging up, he looked at the notification of one million yuan deposited into his account, his smile radiant.

Money really was a wonderful thing.

He quickly took a shower and changed into a clean, fresh casual outfit.

Standing before the mirror, he ruffled his still-damp hair and nodded appreciatively at the outrageously handsome face reflected back.

Done.

He left the room and saw Nian Nian had put down her copy of “The Little Prince” and was leaning over the table, doodling with colored pencils on a blank sheet of paper.

Hearing the noise, Nian Nian looked up with her big, dark eyes like black grapes and asked curiously, “Dad, are you going out?”

“Yeah,” Chen Yu nodded.

Looking at her small figure, he felt a bit troubled.

Leaving her alone at home?