Work Text:
In a race against time, Yunlan serves the rice using a food ring mold: he positions the silvery ring on the flat plate and with a spoon he puts the food he prepared inside, then he carefully removes the metal object. The final result is that of a perfectly round shape.
Yunlan stares at it for a moment with a frown but now there’s nothing he can do anymore; he can only accept what he was able to cook as it is because there’s no time available anymore.
One by one, the contestants are called by the four judges in order to present their rice-based dishes. It seems that the majority choose to cook traditional recipes; Yunlan, on the other hand, was daring and prepared something he’d never cooked before.
He mentally slaps himself several times for his own stupidity.
Shen Wei is currently evaluating a contestant’s dish, but none of his words is able to reach the younger man’s ears. How will he be able to show that thing to the judges..? Especially since one of the four happens to be his own husband.
Looking back, during the shows’s auditions, he didn’t think that being personally close with one of the judges would have been such a big deal: when someone asked him “one of the judges is your husband, isn’t it going to bother you?” he answered that, no, he was confident in his cooking skills and he wasn’t scared of his lover’s judgement.
At the very moment, however, he was starting to get second thoughts: his husband being one of the four judges was fucking bothering him.
How will he be able to live with him from now on? He even told him he was going to win this competition, retire from the acting industry and work at his restaurant. What a shitload of crap. ‘Now, -he contemplates- the only possible way in order to survive this level of embarrassment is to file a divorce’.
His thoughts were interrupted when his name was called by one of the chefs.
He tries to find some confidence and, wearing the thickest face possible, he walks in front of the four judges.
Unfortunately for him, the first to evaluate his dish is none other than Shen Wei.
The chef is kindly looking at him through his pair of spectacles and with a small smile requires for him to introduce what he cooked.
“I prepared a 'Risotto alla milanese'… it’s an Italian rice based dish with saffron”
The other listens to his presentation attentively and, once Yunlan is done speaking, his gaze lands on the food in the plate.
By definition, “risotto” is meant to be a creamy rice dish… but what was laying on the immaculate porcelain plate was a stiff mass as arid as the desert. A chef’s talent was not required in order to know that he tragically failed.
Shen Wei says nothing and tastes a spoonful of it.
“Why did you choose such an ambitious dish?” he asks in a calm tone.
Yunlan stares at the other’s kind expression and he exhales soundly. “I wanted to try something different… unfortunately, the outcome is not what I was hoping for”
Shen Wei nods slowly.
-
An hour later, Zhao Yunlan is sitting in his car, his body tired but his mind somehow relieved.
As he expected, he was eliminated.
Shen Wei enters the vehicle and sits next to him; before starting the engine, he asks “How are you feeling?”
“As if I was born anew”
He looks at him incredulous.
“Don’t get me wrong. I was happy to film this show. But seriously, this job is not for me… Shen Wei, after this experience I think that my respect towards you skyrocketed”
“…”
“I feel so bad… you had to endure all this stress on your own and I never threated you as you deserved. Shen Wei, I promise you. From now on, I’ll give you the prize you deserve everyday”.
The other’s face instantly morphed. Yunlan looks at him and then he bursts out laughing, small tears forming in his eyes.
“A massage! Just a massage to help you relax! My god, what were you thinking about?”
“…”
The other refuses to answer and turns his head back in order to avoid meeting his husband’s cheeky gaze. His ears are bright red but Yunlan decides to spare him and doesn’t comment any further.
The atmosphere is soon back to normal as their car leaves the television studios building. They’ve almost reached home when Shen Wei suddenly speaks, addressing what the younger man was trying really hard to avoid.
“About your dish… there were several major mistakes, but it’s nothing you can’t correct with practice”
He pauses, then adds “I’ll teach you” and it feels as if he won’t accept a rejection.
Yunlan laughs airily.
“I’ll gladly take advantage of your benevolence, then”