Chapter Fifty-One: Turmoil Unceasing, Fame Amidst Controversy

Of course, since the number of live broadcast rooms had returned from five back to one, the space was now a chaotic mix of all sorts. The fans of each guest were all striving to make their presence known. Naturally, there were also some who simply couldn’t stand Bai Ling.

No one is perfect; just as some liked Bai Ling, there were those who disliked her. Among them were fans of Lin Yubai, as well as fans of Zhuge Ming and Wen Yan. Of course, some of Wen Yan’s elders also lent a subtle helping hand. Thus, the nitpicking began to surface.

“Everyone’s helping out, except for one person. I won’t say who it is.”
“Who else could it be? It’s Bai Ling, obviously.”
“So she’s the only one who can’t cook?”
“To be fair, Wen Yan said she didn’t know how to cook at first either. She learned through hard work. Why can’t Bai Ling do the same?”
“Exactly, why can’t a girl cook these days?”
“That’s what girls are like nowadays. Look at those boys—they can make a dish or two!”
“Right, not to compare her to Aunt Wen, but at the very least, she shouldn’t fall behind the boys.”

In reality, the majority of people remained rational. So what if she couldn’t cook? In this day and age, life moves at such a fast pace and everything is incredibly convenient. There are washing machines for laundry and takeout for meals. Most people are so burdened by life’s pressures that they’re unwilling to spend too much time preparing food.

Why should Bai Ling be any different? And expecting her to outperform the boys in cooking was simply unreasonable to begin with. Who decided that men can’t be in the kitchen? Who made the rule that, just because she’s a woman, Bai Ling must be an excellent cook?

What’s more, those who were pointing fingers might never have prepared a single meal for their own families, yet here they were, criticizing a celebrity in the live chat. Perhaps they didn’t truly mean to offer advice; perhaps they simply wanted to be seen, to express themselves, to feel a sense of satisfaction. Maybe, they even sought a sense of superiority.

Bai Ling’s fans, however, weren’t about to indulge them. It didn’t quite escalate into a full-blown war of words, but a heated exchange and debate certainly ensued. Interestingly, such rebuttals never actually quelled the controversy or returned the live chat to its previous state. Usually, no one could convince anyone else, and in their frustration, some would resort to swearing.

Naturally, this was just what the production team wanted. After all, the backstage viewing numbers were steadily climbing. As the saying goes, any publicity is good publicity. Especially for the showrunners—the negative attention fell on the artists, while the show itself basked in the heat. Wasn’t that the ultimate win for them? In this sense, Bai Ling truly was a lucky star for their program.

Of course, the storm of public opinion in the live broadcast had no bearing on reality. Bai Ling quietly enjoyed her meal with the seniors, diligently eating and occasionally glancing up at others to nod in agreement. In that moment, she seemed every bit the well-behaved junior at a family gathering.

It was evident Bai Ling was the favored one; whether it was Wen Huaiyu or the other two teachers, they would often include her in their conversations. This, in turn, created another contrast. Bai Ling, who simply wanted to eat and not interrupt, was frequently mentioned by the elders, while Wen Yan, eager to join in, was almost never given the floor. Ouyang Ruofeng was much the same.

Unnoticed, Bai Ling had already finished her second bowl of rice.

“Oh, I was just about to urge you to eat more, but you beat me to it!” Wen Huaiyu suddenly noticed Bai Ling’s empty bowl and the amount of food she’d eaten, and playfully teased her.

Bai Ling chuckled softly, “Auntie, your cooking is delicious—how could I not do it justice?”

She normally didn’t eat this much, but after all the physical labor today, it was only natural to eat a little more.

However, these ordinary words were, in the eyes of the haters, pure “showing off.”

“Look at her—not around when there’s cooking to be done, but quick to flatter when it’s time to eat.”
“Most female celebrities can’t eat much anyway. It’s tough for her, I suppose.”
“With her figure, Bai Ling ate two big bowls of rice and all that food? Even the boys didn’t eat as much as she did.”
“She probably forced it down. Many actresses are hard on themselves—they can go without food for ages. So what’s the harm in eating a bit more now?”

“Exactly, Bai Ling is just putting on an act.”
“I’ve always thought Bai Ling was quite calculating, but whenever I bring it up, her fans are quick to argue. Heh!”
“To be honest, you can’t deny that Bai Ling is beautiful, but that doesn’t mean her morals are as flawless as her features.”
“Reality shows are a magnifying glass for stars. Their flaws always come to light eventually. See? Bai Ling’s already showing hers.”

Watching so many people seize on Bai Ling eating a couple extra bites as an excuse to attack her drove her true fans to fury.

“That’s enough. Aren’t you tired of this? If you want to criticize, at least make sense.”
“What’s wrong with a girl eating two bowls of rice? Did she eat from your family’s pot?”
“They say Bai Ling is scheming. But get this: they assume she’s scheming, then use that to interpret her every move and convict her! Incredible—the power of prejudice.”
“Lin Yubai’s fans, stop pretending. We know you’re behind this petty slander!”
“Honestly, Bai Ling and Lin Yubai have no real conflict. Isn’t this excessive?”
“She did work, remember this afternoon? Why do the haters only recall her not helping with dinner? Oh, right—their eyes see only what they want. I suggest they donate them to someone in need.”

The war of words escalated. Even Director Wang sensed something amiss. He felt the program’s focus was drifting further and further from its intended course. Though previous seasons had also seen public spats, overt and covert rivalries, and “green tea” antics, nothing had ever reached this level.

“One’s a top actor who’s been popular for years, the other a recently trending rising star, and there are outside forces at play too. This is no simple matter,” Director Wang thought. He decided to step in—he couldn’t let this narrative continue. Otherwise, the show would lose its essence.

Without delay, Director Wang made an announcement: “Congratulations, everyone, on working together to complete your first reunion meal.”

“Now, let me reveal tomorrow’s activity—an outing to gather inspiration!”

“But not everyone can go; someone must stay behind to take care of things at home.”

“So, it’s up to you. You can decide yourselves, or play a little game to determine who stays behind tomorrow.”

“Of course, while you’re deciding who gets to go on the outing, tonight’s dishwashing and pot-scrubbing still need to be sorted out as well.”