In the room, after Lin Jindu left, Ji Chengyi quickly blew dry his hair and then lay down on the bed. The bed was small but just the right firmness, offering comfort. As soon as he lay down, he took a deep breath, feeling relaxed and content.

The business at Keao Company wasn’t as extensive as Shengda Capital, and the financial transactions weren’t as significant. Therefore, Ji Chengyi didn’t need to be as hands-on with every aspect as Lin Jindu did. This recording session for the show was one of the few vacation breaks Ji Chengyi allowed himself. He tried not to dwell on work and simply enjoyed the peaceful moment of relaxation.

Lost in his thoughts, Ji Chengyi didn’t even realize when he drifted off to sleep. It was only when he heard a rhythmic and familiar knocking at the door that he woke up, realizing he had dozed off.

He opened his eyes slowly, then got up from the bed, walked to the door, and opened it. Standing outside was Lin Jindu holding a laptop, with the cameraman not far behind, carrying the camera.

The cameraman wanted to capture the moment Ji Chengyi opened the door and his change in expression from Lin Jindu’s perspective but found Lin Jindu too tall. As soon as Lin Jindu stood at the door, he completely blocked Ji Chengyi from view.

Feeling a bit lonely, the cameraman had to give up on the idea.

“Mr. Lin,” Ji Chengyi called out as he opened the door. His voice, still groggy from just waking up, had a husky texture, sounding slightly dreamy.

Lin Jindu, looking at the slightly pink corners of Ji Chengyi’s eyes, nodded apologetically, “Sorry for disturbing your rest, Mr. Ji.”

Ji Chengyi pursed his lips, “It’s okay.”

He then motioned, “Come in, Mr. Lin.”

As Lin Jindu walked past Ji Chengyi, he caught a whiff of a sweet fruity scent emanating from him. Not feeling annoyed, perhaps due to already being immune from smelling too much, Lin Jindu discreetly took a deep breath and set down the laptop, saying, “Mr. Ji, I’ve prepared a self-introduction form. Can you review it for any omissions?”

“Sure,” Ji Chengyi closed the door and sat in front of Lin Jindu.

The self-introduction form was quite comprehensive, covering not only usual preferences but also more private details like measurements. Ji Chengyi felt it was thorough enough and nodded, “I don’t think there are any omissions. Mr. Lin, please send me a copy of this form, and I’ll fill it out.”

Instead of responding to Ji Chengyi’s request, Lin Jindu said, “Just a moment, Mr. Ji.” He quickly made some adjustments on the computer and then turned it back to Ji Chengyi, saying, “You can fill it out on the computer, and I’ll fill out a copy on my phone to forward it to you later.”

After a moment of contemplation, Ji Chengyi agreed, “Alright.”

The two of them didn’t take long to fill out the information. Within a few minutes, Ji Chengyi received a message from Lin Jindu on his phone. Having finished his part, Ji Chengyi passed the computer to Lin Jindu, saying, “I’m done on my end, Mr. Lin. Please take a look.”

“Okay,” Lin Jindu took the computer and replied, “Mr. Ji, review mine and ask if you have any questions.”

“Got it,” Ji Chengyi said, picking up his phone to check the document Lin Jindu had sent.

After reviewing it for a while, Ji Chengyi looked puzzled and asked, “Mr. Lin, is this hip measurement correct? Why is it almost the same as the bust measurement?”

Lin Jindu, who typically had no concept of body proportions, felt a strange warmth in his ears, “That’s right, they’re almost the same.”

“Okay,” Ji Chengyi nodded in understanding and didn’t say anything more. However, his curious gaze couldn’t help but sweep over Lin Jindu’s figure.

Not being into fitness, Ji Chengyi didn’t know the ideal bust-to-hip ratio but vaguely recalled from a movie that a good figure was close to a 1:1 ratio. Thus, to him, Lin Jindu not only maintained a good physique but also had well-proportioned body measurements.

Fortunately, Ji Chengyi wasn’t fixated on body perfection; otherwise, he might have felt a twinge of self-consciousness.

“Mr. Lin?” Sensing Ji Chengyi’s wandering gaze, Lin Jindu met his eyes.

Unfazed by being caught peeking, Ji Chengyi calmly said, “I was admiring Mr. Lin’s physique.”

Lin Jindu: …

Ji Chengyi earnestly commented, “Mr. Lin has a great physique.” To emphasize his compliment, he added, “You have the best physique I’ve seen so far.”

After a brief silence, Lin Jindu asked, “Out of all people?”

Ji Chengyi nodded, “Yes.”

While he had seen muscular men during his business trips abroad, those heavily defined muscles didn’t align with his aesthetics, so he automatically excluded them.

Lin Jindu pursed his lips, “My current muscle condition is only standard, not perfect. If you develop a fitness habit, Mr. Ji, you can achieve my level.”

Ji Chengyi smiled, “I’ll pass. I can’t get into the habit of working out.”

Lin Jindu looked into his eyes, “If you ever want to, I can call you to exercise together in the future.”

Ji Chengyi politely declined, “Thank you for the offer, but I’ll pass. I don’t enjoy intense workouts.”

Lin Jindu didn’t push, “Okay.”

Ji Chengyi smiled lightly, “No problem.” Then he added, “Let’s continue reading; it seems like it’s getting late.”

Lin Jindu agreed with a sound and resumed reading the answers Ji Chengyi had left in the document. As he read, he couldn’t resist the urge to lift his eyelids to steal a glance at Ji Chengyi. Midway through, he abruptly stopped his movement.

In the quiet atmosphere, Lin Jindu blinked his eyelashes twice lightly, then lowered his eyelids again, continuing to read the text in the document word by word.

The text in the document didn’t hold any special significance, but with each line Lin Jindu read, he felt like he was understanding Ji Chengyi a bit more.

It was a peculiar sensation, and before Lin Jindu could ponder where this feeling stemmed from, a staff member knocked on the door and called for them to come downstairs for a meal.

Ji Chengyi was indeed a bit hungry, so upon hearing the announcement, he set down his phone and responded, “Okay.”

Turning his gaze back to Lin Jindu, he asked, “Mr. Lin, have you finished reading?”

Lin Jindu nodded, “Yes, I have.”

Ji Chengyi said, “Let’s go down for the meal.”

“Sure,” Lin Jindu closed his laptop and stood up from his chair, saying, “I’ll wait for you outside, Mr. Ji.”

With that, Lin Jindu left the room.

Ji Chengyi wasted no time, removing his bathrobe and changing into clothes. After getting dressed and putting on his microphone, he briefly combed his hair in the mirror at the washstand before opening the door and heading out.

As Lin Jindu heard Ji Chengyi come out, he turned to look at him, his gaze shifting from his soft black hair to his gentle eyes. Then he said, “Let’s go.”

Walking downstairs side by side, the cameraman followed promptly and opened the live broadcast.

The viewers in the live chat once again saw Ji Chengyi’s refined and gentle demeanor, causing a flurry of excitement with virtual kisses flooding the screen, almost engulfing Ji Chengyi entirely.

Unaware of the online buzz, Ji Chengyi calmly descended the stairs.

Arriving on the ground floor, Ji Chengyi didn’t see the expected dinner in the dining room and couldn’t help but ask, “Hmm? Aren’t we having dinner here?”

Lin Jindu remained silent, scanning the area before gazing out of the floor-to-ceiling windows, then pointed outside, “It’s in the pavilion.”

The two then arrived at the beautifully arranged pavilion, where there were no other guests, only the on-site directorial team and the host, Cheng Song.

Cheng Song greeted them as they approached, “Hello, Mr. Ji, Mr. Lin. How was your rest earlier?”

Ji Chengyi nodded, “It was good.”

Cheng Song smiled, “That’s great to hear.”

He then gestured towards a long table covered with silver food domes, “Please, feel free to choose your dinner. The production team has prepared a sumptuous meal to welcome everyone.”

Ji Chengyi asked, “We can pick anything?”

Cheng Song nodded, “Yes, feel free to choose, but let’s avoid wastage.”

Ji Chengyi glanced at Lin Jindu.

Understanding Ji Chengyi’s concern, Lin Jindu looked down and said, “You go ahead and choose first, Mr. Ji. I’ll adapt later.”

Ji Chengyi acknowledged with a sound, knowing it was the best choice.

Both of them were decisive individuals, so after making their decisions, they headed straight to the food station.

Lin Jindu grabbed two plates, handing one to Ji Chengyi, “You go ahead and pick your favorite dishes, Mr. Ji.”

Taking the plate, Ji Chengyi suggested, “How about each of us chooses two favorite dishes, then we pick a main course each to avoid wasting food?”

Lin Jindu understood his intention and agreed, “Sure.”

【Mr. Lin really listens to his spouse!】

【Haha, if you have such a beautiful wife, would you dare not listen?】

【Not sure, can Mr. Ji be with me for a few years? Pure.jpg】

As they were still deciding, they heard someone approaching.

“Wow!” Yao Tong almost ran over, following the scent of the food, “What delicious food has the production team prepared? It smells amazing!”

Ji Chengyi turned to respond, but Cheng Song spoke first, “Brother Tong, Brother Lun, are you both hungry? Come and choose your dishes quickly.”

Feeling cautious about selecting dishes, Yao Tong asked, “How do we choose?”

Cheng Song smiled, “Just pick whatever you like, but to avoid waste, please choose moderately.”

Shao Wenlun glanced at Yao Tong.

Yao Tong pulled him towards Ji Chengyi, saying, “Mr. Ji, what kind of setup is this? Why don’t they just serve the food directly instead of making us pick? What’s the deal with that?”

Ji Chengyi replied, “I’m not sure either; that’s what Cheng Song told Mr. Lin and me earlier.”

Yao Tong, trusting Ji Chengyi’s words, nodded, “Alright.”

Moving closer to Ji Chengyi, Yao Tong whispered, “Mr. Ji, I suggest checking the bottom of the bowl for a note while selecting dishes. Some shows tend to have hidden tasks.”

“Is that so?” Ji Chengyi was surprised to hear this for the first time but still raised his plate to check the bottom for any notes while picking his dishes.

Seeing none, he relaxed, “It seems there isn’t any, but thank you for the heads up.”

“That’s for the best,” Yao Tong said, “I’ll go get my food now, Mr. Ji.”

Ji Chengyi nodded, “Sure.”

Yao Tong turned to Shao Wenlun, “Wenlun, go get a plate quickly. Let’s choose our dishes; I’m starving.”

Shao Wenlun didn’t argue and obediently went to get a plate.

Meanwhile, Ji Chengyi walked over to Lin Jindu, holding his plate, “Mr. Lin.”

Lin Jindu looked up, “Yes?”

Ji Chengyi glanced at Lin Jindu’s plate, “Brother Tong mentioned that there might be hidden tasks at the bottom of the bowl. Would you like to check the bottom of your bowl?”

Although Lin Jindu felt the production team wouldn’t place tasks so obviously, he still checked his plate thoroughly. Finding nothing, he set it down and informed Ji Chengyi, “There’s nothing on mine.”

Ji Chengyi nodded slowly, “Then it must not be in such an obvious place.”

Lin Jindu chuckled, “Mr. Ji, don’t worry. Let’s just go with the flow.”

Ji Chengyi pursed his lips, “I’m not worried, just don’t want Mr. Lin to be penalized again.”

Lin Jindu glanced at him, didn’t say anything, just nodded and suggested, “Let’s go sit over there.”

“Okay,” Ji Chengyi followed Lin Jindu to their seats.

【?? Did everyone see the look in Mr. Lin’s eyes just now? So emotional!】

【Mr. Lin: My wife is worried about me, hehehe. Do you not have a wife, hehehe】

【Not to mention, Mr. Ji is really good at teasing people. Just a casual remark made Mr. Lin’s eyes change. Impressive! Thumbs up.jpg】

Just as Ji Chengyi and Lin Jindu took their seats, Yu Heyan and Ye Fei, the other pair of guests, also approached. Like Ji Chengyi and Yao Tong’s groups, they were given the freedom to choose their meals.

Chi Xingwen and Ye Fei, lacking Yao Tong’s caution, happily picked their dishes.

Once everyone had chosen their meals and sat down, Cheng Song, holding a dinner plate, took his place at the head of the table.

“It’s an honor to meet all of you on ‘Romantic Journey,’ preparing for a memorable trip ahead,” he raised his glass of wine, “Let me toast to all of you first.”

“Cheers, cheers!” Yao Tong and his group raised their drinks in unison with Cheng Song, toasting.

After a sip of wine, the simple ice-breaking ritual ended.

Cheng Song set down his glass and invited everyone, “Let’s start eating and chatting as we go through this long night.”

Everyone was hungry, disregarding any hidden tasks, and began eating as soon as the food was served.

【Oh my, is this for real? Mr. Ji and Mr. Lin look so elegant while dining!】

【Is this the demeanor of wealthy individuals? Their dining etiquette far surpasses the other guests!】

【Wait a minute! Shouldn’t the focus be on why they are eating separately?】

Just as the barrage of comments suggested.

Although Ji Chengyi and Lin Jindu did select four dishes each, when it came to actually eating, they stuck to their own choices without any inclination to share their flavors with each other. Amid the warm voices at the table, like “This one is delicious, try a bit,” or “This one is okay, have a taste,” Ji Chengyi and Lin Jindu seemed to have a clear sense of detachment.

However, the two of them were simply enjoying their dinner in an elegant and polite manner.

Cheng Song naturally noticed this dynamic but didn’t immediately address their dining behavior. He followed the program flow and initiated casual conversation, “Do you husbands usually cook at home?”

As he finished speaking, everyone, except Yu Heyan, turned their gaze towards Lin Jindu, subconsciously placing him in a prominent position.

Accustomed to being in leadership positions, Lin Jindu didn’t feel uncomfortable with the attention and calmly replied, “I cook when I have the time.”

Yao Tong exclaimed, “Mr. Lin, you’re amazing! Young and talented is one thing, but being skilled at cooking is exceptional!”

Shao Wenlun clicked his tongue and playfully tapped the back of Yao Tong’s head, leading to a playful exchange between the two.

Cheng Song redirected the conversation, asking Ji Chengyi, “Have you ever tried a meal cooked by Mr. Lin?”

Lin Jindu turned to look at Ji Chengyi.

Cued by the topic, Ji Chengyi calmly paused, set down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and then replied, “I’ve had the privilege of trying a few times.”

Cheng Song followed up, “How was the taste?”

Ji Chengyi answered, “It was delicious.”

Lin Jindu pursed his lips, “Mr. Ji, you’re too kind.”

Ji Chengyi smiled lightly, “I’m just telling the truth, Mr. Lin, no need to be modest.”

As they exchanged polite remarks, Yu Heyan subtly glanced at Ji Chengyi and Lin Jindu’s interactions.