Chapter 21: Holding the Scales Even

Caught by Nian Tu’s two soft little hands, Xion’s heart pounded violently, and his chest tingled with such intensity that he couldn't even feel the pain of his injury.

In truth, he hadn’t cut his hand entirely by accident; he had been genuinely distracted, but he could have easily stopped in time had he been paying attention. With his reflexes, he could have avoided it or merely grazed his skin, but seeing Nian Tu and Lu Zhan leaning closer and closer, he steeled his heart and deliberately cut himself.

Though he called it a "deliberate cut," it was merely a minor wound, as he was terrified that a deeper injury might frighten Nian Tu.

Xion could not understand why Nian Tu had been distancing herself from him these past few days while growing so close to Lu Zhan. Was it because of what his uncle had said during their video call that upset her? Did she dislike him now? He thought that perhaps if he made a small mistake, it would draw her attention back to him, even if it meant being scolded for being clumsy.

He hadn't expected Nian Tu to be so worried and heartbroken instead of blaming him for his clumsiness. She frantically pulled him along to wash the wound and find medical equipment, her soft voice trembling as she asked, "Does it hurt a lot?"

The cut was short but deep, right across his left index finger. Because the fingers are connected to the heart, Nian Tu’s eyes turned red with anxiety at the sight of all the blood, unable to bear the thought of his pain. Her round, almond-shaped eyes, shimmering with unshed tears and rimmed with red, made her look exactly like a little rabbit.

The chat was filled with viewers condemning Xion:
[Crying?? Don’t cry, oh my god!]
[I despise you, Xion!! You made the little female cry!!]
[Is she afraid of blood? She must be terrified, poor baby Nian Tu.]
[If only I could jump through the screen to comfort her; Lu Zhan, hurry up and comfort her for me!]

In reality, Nian Tu wasn't crying; her eyes were just red, but no tears had fallen. She gently blew on the wound now wrapped in medical dressing. "Blow, blow, it won't hurt anymore."

Xion was stunned. A tingling warmth surged from his fingertip, traveling up his spine all the way to the back of his head. He stiffened like a stone statue—a burning hot one at that.

The chat went completely wild:
[Stop comforting him, he’s not actually in pain! He’s so thick-skinned, he’s just faking it for you!]
[It’s such a small wound, it’s probably already healing, right?]
[Xion, are you still faking it? Try faking it again, I dare you.]
[You don’t even blink when you’re covered in blood on the battlefield, but you pretend it hurts when you cut your finger??]
[This is the first time I’ve ever seen a female spoil a male like this, and she even knows how to comfort him...]
[I’m anxious, so anxious! When will Nian Tu finally see my partnership application!]
[Why does Xion get to be comforted? Why?? Is it just because he’s lucky???]

It wasn't just the viewers who felt the injustice; Lu Zhan was the one who could stand it the least.

Such a clumsy attempt to vie for favor, yet it was damnably effective. Nian Tu’s eyes were entirely on Xion now, leaving him completely sidelined. Clenching his fists until they creaked, Lu Zhan maintained a gentle expression and said to Nian Tu, "The wound has already been treated with a small medical device. With the dressing on, it will heal completely within half an hour."

Nian Tu still looked worried. Lu Zhan turned to Xion and sneered, "You go rest. I’ll stay here to accompany Nian Nian with the live stream."

How could Xion let him succeed? "Didn't you almost fail your cooking class? Let me do it; this minor injury won't hinder my work."

Lu Zhan retorted, "At least my hands are steady, and I won't accidentally cut myself."

Nian Tu thought they were just caring for and deferring to each other, until she glanced at the screen and saw the viewers mocking how obvious their struggle for her favor had become.

[Still too young, they’re just two brats.]
[Both are supposed to be heaven’s favorites, blessed with strength and intelligence, so why are they so stupid when it comes to vying for favor?]
[I can’t bear to watch...]
[...It’s so obvious, even the female can see it.]

Vying for favor? Nian Tu widened her eyes in surprise. "You all are overthinking it, that’s not it at all," she explained to the audience. "They aren't my partners; they are my guardians."

Seeing the viewers claim that guardians were just reserve partners, equivalent to fiancés who would eventually "promote" to partners, Nian Tu puffed out her cheeks. "You are really overthinking this."

Setting Xion aside for a moment, she added, "Lu Zhan said that he became my guardian for no other reason than wanting to be my family."

[...]
[...] Don't believe him.
[I swear by the Beast God, he is lying to you.]
[After all, he crawled his way up from a scrap planet; of course, he’s full of schemes and knows how to read people better than anyone.]
[He probably knows he’d be rejected if he confessed, so he claims he has no ulterior motives!]
[It’s so obvious if he loves her or not! Before, when other females chased Lu Zhan, he was as cold as ice. He’s nothing like this now...]
[How could he not have other intentions!!]

As the chat flooded with comments, Nian Tu stood there blankly. A subtle, belated realization dawned on her—she finally understood that something was wrong. She felt like a frog being boiled in lukewarm water... If that were true, Lu Zhan’s plan had been very successful—she had clearly distanced herself from Xion and grown closer to him. Nian Tu fell into deep doubt.

Seeing her standing there motionless, stealing glances at him with a scrutinizing look, Lu Zhan sensed something was amiss. "What is it, Nian Nian?" he asked, walking closer.

Nian Tu stepped back. Lu Zhan paused. After a moment of thought, he looked at the active chat on the screen and realized they were tearing him apart. His expression remained unchanged, but the darkness in his eyes grew more intense.

[Someone stop Lu Zhan, he’s glaring at me!!]
[His beast form is a sheep, but I’m terrified—is this some kind of predator-prey bloodline suppression...]
[How terrifying, I’ve been threatened by his gaze...]
[Who was the one who said he looked more gentle than Xion...?]
[Perhaps he’s only gentle in front of Nian Tu...]

The chat didn't dare continue the topic, fearing that Lu Zhan, the stream moderator, would get annoyed and kick them out or blacklist them. But even if they stopped, it was too late.

Nian Tu began to keep everyone at an equal distance, maintaining a gap from both Xion and Lu Zhan. She explained the filling ratio and how to wrap the buns to them, then turned her attention entirely to interacting with the audience.

Nian Tu was dexterous; she had cooked often before her transmigration. Although she had been forced to do it at home since childhood, she didn't dislike cooking. With a sheet of dough and a portion of meat filling, the bun took shape in her hands in an instant, turning into a round, cute bun with beautiful, uniform pleats. Some viewers had prepared materials to follow along, but while it looked simple, they were already calling it incredibly difficult.

While the atmosphere in the chat was lively, Xion and Lu Zhan were both filled with resentment. They worked in silence, stealing glances at Nian Tu’s profile.

Lu Zhan was a medical student with steady hands and an eye for detail; after wrapping a few, his finished products looked almost identical to Nian Tu’s examples. He placed the perfect bun on a tray, stood up, and in the blink of an eye, transformed into a giant wolf, balancing the tray on his head to claim credit from Nian Tu.

The audience was stunned:
[Is he crazy? Changing into his beast form suddenly?]
[Females hate beast forms; won’t she kick him out...]
[It doesn’t matter what happens to him, just don’t scare the little female into crying.]
[Ahhhhh, Nian Tu turned around, she saw him!!]

Feeling a tug at her hem, Nian Tu, who had been focused on pinching the bun, turned her head—only to be met with a massive, snowy-white fluffball! Without a second thought, she reflexively hugged it—