"What's so good about it?!" Yu Antong exclaimed angrily, "Look at them, they're all laughing at me, saying I look like a little penguin."

"Aren’t they praising you for being cute?" Xing Lixuan pointed to a comment, "Nobody's making fun of you, they’re complimenting you."

Yu Antong huffed, “Only because I’m handsome, I can pull off any outfit.”

"Yes, you’re the best-looking," Xing Lixuan cooed, trying to placate him, "Stop scrolling through your phone and get some sleep."

Yu Antong rubbed his belly, grumbling inwardly about how he wasn’t allowed to stay up late.

As Yu Antong settled into bed, he calculated the days, murmuring, "Why does it feel so long before I'm due? It feels like I've been pregnant forever. Yet, when I count the days, there are still months left."

"Such things can't be rushed. You might think it's slow, but for me, it feels like it's moving too fast."

As Yu An-tong's due date approaches, Xing Lixuan grows increasingly worried. Even with today's advanced medical capabilities, childbirth poses risks for women, let alone for Yu An-tong, a man with no precedent for pregnancy.

In contrast to Xing Lixuan's concerns, Yu An-tong seemed more nonchalant, "By the way, we haven't decided on a name for the baby yet. Have you thought about it?"

Ever since they settled on the nickname 'Xiao Nian', they've been using it. They still haven't chosen an official name.

Xing Lixuan responded, "I haven't decided yet. Maybe we should get a dictionary."

He had thought of several names but wasn't completely satisfied with any of them. Naming the baby turned out to be more challenging than any business deal he'd ever made.

While they were chatting, Xing Lixuan's phone rang. It was his younger aunt, Xing Yin, who had come to spend the New Year at the Xing residence.

Yu An-tong inquired, "Why is your aunt calling?"

"I'm not sure," Xing Lixuan said, glancing at the caller ID. A guess formed in his mind as he answered the call.

Xing Yin's cheerful voice greeted him, "Lixuan, good evening. I hope I'm not interrupting your rest."

Xing Yin was in the United States, which had a time difference with China. It was already past nine in the evening here, while it was still morning for her.

"You're not disturbing us. Did you find any relevant information from doctors over there?"

When Xing Yin had left for the US after the New Year, she promised to look for information regarding Yu An-tong's unique situation. So, Xing Lixuan suspected that her call now was about that.

As expected, Xing Yin replied, "Bingo! You really can't hide anything from you. I found a doctor who has encountered male childbirth. I've sent his information to your email."

156n.net

Xing Lixuan was relieved, "Thanks for your help, Aunt. I'll contact the doctor as soon as possible."

"No need to be formal. How's An-tong doing?" Xing Yin asked about Yu An-tong.

"He's doing well," Xing Lixuan handed the phone to Yu An-tong, who chatted with Xing Yin for a bit before ending the call.

After speaking with Xing Yin, both Yu An-tong and Xing Lixuan felt much relieved. Knowing there was a doctor with such expertise put their minds at ease.

"You should rest now," Xing Lixuan gave Yu An-tong a gentle kiss, "I'll head to the study to check out the doctor's details."

If everything looked promising, he would arrange for the doctor to be flown in the next day.

"Alright."

Yu An-tong nodded in agreement. But by the time Xing Lixuan returned from the study, Yu An-tong was still awake.

Hearing the door open, Yu An-tong turned to ask, "Done already? How did it look?"

"You're still awake?" Xing Lixuan slid under the covers, pulled Yu An-tong into his embrace, and asked.

"I couldn't sleep."

He had grown accustomed to sleeping in Xing Lixuan's embrace; without him by his side, he found it surprisingly hard to drift off.

"The doctor is a renowned medical PhD from a prestigious American university with vast clinical experience," Xing Lixuan briefly relayed the information Xing Yin had sent him about the doctor to Yu Antong. "As for the cases of male pregnancy he's handled, details are withheld due to patient confidentiality. My aunt doesn't have specifics, so we'll only know more once we meet the doctor in person."

"Mmm," Yu Antong murmured, yawning sleepily.

"Sleep now," Xing Lixuan whispered, holding Yu Antong close as they both settled into slumber.

Early the next morning, Xing Lixuan sent someone to the U.S. to get in touch with Dr. Smith.

Fu Xin, after resting for three hours, was awakened by an alarm. Rubbing his face, he got up to send the financial details he'd compiled during his overtime work to Yu Antong, then called him.

"Mr. Yu, I've sent over the financial breakdown. Please check your inbox."

A notification popped up on Yu Antong's email, "Got it," he replied.

After verifying all the numbers, Yu Antong cheekily reached out to claim the hard-earned money he "sold" himself for.

He dialed Xing Lixuan's number and playfully said, "Hello, Mr. Xing."

Upon receiving the call, Xing Lixuan, hearing the playful tone, sighed and rubbed his temples, "Still playing around?"

"Haha!" Yu Antong chuckled before getting down to business.

"Understood. I'll head to the bank later and transfer the funds to you."

"Muah! Sending love!" Yu Antong switched to video call, blowing kisses towards Xing Lixuan.

Xing Lixuan grinned, "Call me 'husband'."

What a hypocrite. Initially, he would frown when called 'husband', almost visibly writing the word 'disdain' on his face. Now, he constantly demanded the endearment.

"Husband!" While mentally rolling his eyes, Yu Antong said the word with extra sweetness.

——

After receiving the funds, Fu Xin worked tirelessly on various plans, hoping to open the ten branches soon.

Yu Antong was also preparing for the second episode of "The Chef is Here!"

Along with Jiang Yuxiu and Lin Haoning, he returned to the broadcasting studio in Jiang City. Unlike the bustling crowd during their first visit, only 24 teams remained, making the vast studio seem emptier.

This time, they wore custom-made uniforms.

A moon-white chef's tunic with slim cuffs, a narrow mandarin collar adorned with golden side buttons, tapered at the waist, paired with loose black trousers and a white apron tied around the waist.

The crisp outfit looked neat and tidy, with the red logo of "Xianren Feast" printed on the left chest of the tunic.

Yu Antong was relieved that his belly wasn't too prominent, even the cinched apron didn't give anything away.

After the first round of competition, many discreetly eyed Yu Antong's team with curiosity.

Although the initial round of the show was aimed at securing the approval of the judges, they only determined if contestants passed without ranking those who did. However, it was clear to everyone that Yu AnTong's group was the unofficial champions of the previous episode.

Yu AnTong didn't pay much attention to the gazes directed at him. He felt the urge to visit the restroom, a frequent necessity due to his pregnant condition. After checking with a staff member, he learned that there was still some time before the recording began.

Yu AnTong informed Lin HaoNing briefly and then made his way to the restroom in the corridor.

As he entered, he happened upon one of the judges, who was also the sponsor of the show, Jia SiBo.

Jia SiBo was washing his hands, and Yu AnTong greeted him, "Hello, Teacher Jia."

"Hello," Jia SiBo nodded in acknowledgment, took a paper towel to dry his hands, and said little else.

As Yu AnTong walked further inside, he felt a gaze on his back. Turning around, he saw Jia SiBo discarding his paper towel and not actually looking at him.

Was he just being paranoid?

Jia SiBo adjusted his attire and left the restroom. Yu AnTong, after attending to his needs, returned to the studio.

Before long, the host made an entrance, and the recording officially began.

The big electronic screen displayed images of various blossoming flowers, like the golden winter jasmine, the pale pear blossoms, and the large magnolias...

The host went straight to the point, "With spring upon us and warmer weather, many beautiful flowers bloom quietly. Our culinary theme for this episode is 'Flower'."

"Contestants, you have five minutes to brainstorm a dish that fits today's theme. Afterward, you'll head to the supermarket sponsored by Red Sun Rice Cooker to pick up the ingredients you need. The clock starts now!"

Many flowers can be transformed into delightful dishes. With a floral theme, the challenge lies in creativity and presenting food that's both delicious and visually appealing.

Five minutes later, everyone had an idea and rushed to gather their ingredients before returning to their stations.

Yu AnTong's group chose osmanthus along with some other materials. With its rich aroma, if prepared right, osmanthus can be a showstopper. It was a brilliant choice.

However, just as everyone was ready to start cooking upon the host's signal, he made a sudden announcement that left everyone in shock.

"Now, everyone, please put down your ingredients. Contestants on the left and right, swap places."

Seeing the disbelief on everyone's faces, the host wore a smug grin, akin to a triumphant villain, inciting some contestants to want to confront him.

After a brief moment of stunned silence, disgruntled murmurs arose, "No way! We have to swap ingredients?"

"How is this fair? Can't we keep our ingredients?" A female contestant complained, eyeing her neighbor's selection, "You picked honeysuckle? Isn't that for medicinal purposes or making tea? What dish can you make with it? I've been sabotaged!"

Yu AnTong and Jiang YuXiu exchanged glances. While surprised, they weren't overly shocked. Their eyes seemed to convey, "Of course it wasn't going to be that simple!"

Earlier during the ingredient selection, Yu AnTong had mentioned to his group how uncharacteristically straightforward the episode seemed, with no tricks from the producers.

As expected, the producers, in their signature mischievous style, never fail to stir things up. They may be late, but they always show up!

The production team must have noticed the feedback from netizens about the first episode. Among the contestants, the most popular were Yu AnTong from Jiang City and Fu FengXing from Shan City. Coincidentally, they were also the most good-looking.

Whether intentionally or not, the production had placed them side by side. But with the host's latest directive, Yu An Tong and Fu Feng Xing switched places.

Fu Fengxing chose roses, including dried roses, fresh roses, and some mint leaves.

Roses are a relatively common flower used in cooking. It's not difficult to incorporate them into dishes, especially with other ingredients. What's surprising is that among the ingredients Fu Fengxing chose, there's squid!

Lin Haoning scratched his head, "Master, how do we prepare this?"

Yu Antong, holding his chin in thought, carefully examined the ingredients Fu Fengxing selected: green shrimp, chicken breast, sea salt, white pepper, ginger, garlic, rice wine, and more.

"What on earth is he planning to make?" He even brought out a domestic food processor.

Wait, a food processor!

A lightbulb went off in Yu Antong's head, and he snapped his fingers, "I've got it!"

Lin Haoning and Jiang Yuxiu both leaned in, "What?"

"I know what dish these ingredients are for," said Yu Antong. "It's the squid balls, or cuttlefish balls."

"Indeed, these are the ingredients for squid balls," Jiang Yuxiu replied with confusion, "But squid balls don't need roses. Given that our theme is 'flowers', how do we incorporate the roses?"

Yu Antong replied, "That's where we need to innovate."

Yu Antong recalled the previous episode when Jiang Liushen commented on Fu Fengxing's beef noodles, expressing hope to see his innovative dish in the next episode. Probably, Fu Fengxing planned to creatively combine roses with squid balls.

In some regions, squid is colloquially known as "flower branch". Making 'flower branch' balls already aligns with the floral theme. The real challenge is ingeniously incorporating the rose.

After some thought, Yu Antong proposed, "We can juice the rose petals and mix it with the squid and chicken to form a paste. The rose-infused squid balls will turn red. We can then carve the prepared squid balls to resemble roses."

Jiang Yuxiu and Lin Haoning nodded in agreement, "That could work!"

With a plan in mind, the process became more straightforward. Making squid balls is not complicated. Jiang Yuxiu handled the squid, Lin Haoning prepared the green shrimp, and Yu Antong juiced the rose petals, setting it aside. He then minced the chicken breast in the food processor without turning it into a complete paste.

Jiang Yuxiu removed the squid's head, peeled off its thin layer, and diced it, making it easier to blend into a paste later.

Lin Haoning deshelled the shrimp, removed the vein, and took out the meat.

Once both had processed their ingredients, Yu Antong combined the shrimp, diced squid, and the previously minced chicken in the food processor, blending them with the rose juice into a paste.

He then seasoned it with ginger juice, rice wine, white pepper, and other condiments, mixing well. He then kneaded the mixture vigorously to develop its texture.

"Haoning, boil some water," he instructed.

Yu Antong shaped the paste into spheres, with a larger diameter at the top, making it easier to later carve them into rose shapes.

He boiled them until they floated, signifying they were done. Once cooled slightly, he had Lin Haoning and Jiang Yuxiu carve them. Meanwhile, he made a cup of mint rose tea using dried roses and mint leaves.

Once they finished carving the squid balls, it was time to plate.

Five pink "roses" were clustered together. Each corner of the square porcelain plate was adorned with a vibrant rose leaf, creating a beautiful contrast of red flowers and green leaves.

This dish was prepared relatively quickly. As Yu Antong signaled the host, other contestants were still prepping their ingredients, pondering over their dish choices.

The host approached Yu Antong and said, “You are the first one to finish today. Just to give you a heads-up, the judges will be selecting the top three contestants today. Do you have confidence in yourself?”

I’ve already finished my dish. How is this early information now?

Despite his internal sarcasm, Yu Antong smiled and replied, "I can't guarantee the first spot, but I'm definitely within the top three."

"Good luck to you." The host waved toward the grand doors where the judges were seated, and as they parted, Yu Antong walked in with his dish.

——

Back home after the show's recording, Yu Antong remembered the strange look he received from Jia Sibo when he went to the restroom. He decided to search for some details about Jia Sibo online.

What he found surprised him and he realized why Jia Sibo seemed familiar.

Apart from being the owner of Red Sun Rice Cooker Company, Jia Sibo owned another business - the entertainment company that Sang Yu previously worked for.

Yu Antong's shop was bought from Sang Yu, and the reason she sold it cheaply was due to a rumored extramarital affair with the company's boss, which led to a slew of scandals. She had to compensate for breaking her contract, hence she had to sell the shop.

The very boss rumored to have had an affair with Sang Yu was Jia Sibo.

Yu Antong remembered seeing Jia Sibo's picture while considering the purchase of Sang Yu’s shop. However, he hadn't given it much thought at the time.

Author's Note:

Thanks to the lovely readers who supported me with their votes or gifted me from 23:17:48 on 2020-02-01 to 23:41:59 on 2020-02-02!

Special thanks to the reader who gifted a "grenade": Xiao Zhan Adorable Explosion - 1;

Shout-out to those who gifted "landmines": Jiuxin Tangstar, Magic Girl, Heng, and Shy Fish believes in Fu Ji - 1 each;

Thanks to those who sent nutrition bottles: Gu Jin - 20 bottles; Wang Wude, Joy - 10 bottles; Heng, Shy Fish believes in Fu Ji - 7 bottles; Jing Qu - 5 bottles; &Flower Like Poison, Thorny Bone& - 3 bottles; Xiao Fei, Love Little Stars, Promise, Amelie - 1 bottle each;

I'm truly grateful for your support! I'll keep working hard!

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