Chapter 137: Comparison and Harm-Drama Queen Becomes a Wealthy Stepmother and Rises to Fame with Her Kids in the Entertainment Industry(The meaning of "porridge, porridge, porridge.")

[Su Wanning has dedicated all her limited literary talent to us.]
[I feel aggrieved for Suisui for a second.]

Even Niannian looked up, gazing at Su Wanning with a complex expression: "Mom, why don't you stop offering compliments?"

"..."

Su Wanning offered a guilty smile. Just then, a familiar voice rang out from behind her: "Why? Your mother's compliments are actually quite pleasant to hear."

Niannian dove into Qin Jingchen's arms, tilting her head back with a giggle.

"Daddy, has Mommy ever complimented you?"

[Niannian is asking the real questions.]
[President Qin probably wants to take back what he just said.]
[Su Wanning must feel so awkward right now.]
[Sweetie, don't ask questions like that.]

Listening to the conversation between father and daughter, Su Wanning had initially intended to ignore it, but she couldn't help but look up at Qin Jingchen.

Just then, Qin Jingchen happened to be looking down at her. Their eyes met in the air, a faint sense of awkwardness lingering between them.

"Well, it's getting late. Let's go eat. What are we having tonight?"

Su Wanning took the initiative to break the tension. Qin Jingchen, holding his daughter, replied smoothly: "I've arranged for the seafood sashimi you like."

"..."

Su Wanning's expression flickered with complexity. Seafood sashimi was indeed the favorite of the original host, but she personally loathed raw food and detested seafood.

However, she could never say this in front of Qin Jingchen; doing so would be tantamount to exposing her own secrets. So, she managed a stiff smile and nodded: "Great."

After saying this, she turned and walked toward the hotel. Behind her, Qin Jingchen’s gaze deepened, a subtle feeling that something was not quite right nagging at him.

The dinner was held in the hotel. Staff led them into a banquet-style room where they would be undisturbed, and a long table was laden with various delicacies.

The head chef pushed a cart into the room and introduced the meal to everyone.

"This is Bluefin tuna flown in fresh today. I will now carve it for our esteemed guests."

With a knife in hand, the chef worked with precision. In no time, the entire tuna was expertly filleted.

[As expected of the wealthy, even the way they dine is on another level.]
[With so many people, isn't this fish too much? Can they even finish it?]

"This is the medium fatty cut."

The chef sliced the fish into uniform, thin pieces and placed one on each person's plate.

[You're overthinking it; they usually only eat the most exquisite parts.]
[The lives of the wealthy are truly unimaginable.]
[I just watched a review of train station boxed meals on Yin Shanshan’s stream; the atmosphere here is really different.]

Su Wanning stared at the pale pink slice of fish on her plate. Although her nose caught the sweet, fresh scent of the seafood, she felt a physiological wave of discomfort.

"Why aren't you eating?"

Qin Jingchen asked, turning his head as if he had installed a surveillance camera on her.

"Of course I'm eating."

Su Wanning offered a strained smile, picked up her chopsticks, dipped the fish lightly in the sauce, and placed it into her mouth.

The chilled fish, accompanied by the sweet taste of the sea, spread across her tongue. Yet, she had no desire to savor it; after a few perfunctory chews, she swallowed it down, forcing herself to praise it: "It tastes great, very fresh."

If only she had a pot of spicy red broth here to blanch it in, that might actually be delicious.

The chef continued to carve various raw items, even peeling the sweet shrimp by hand. Finally, when the beef meant for searing arrived, Su Wanning watched helplessly as the steak, which was as thick as a little finger, spent less than three seconds on the iron plate before being placed on her plate.

Su Wanning struggled internally but still picked up a piece with her chopsticks and took a bite.

The aroma of beef and fat filled her mouth, yet the center of the meat remained a raw, tender pink, glistening with juices.

Looking at the iron plate in front of the chef, Su Wanning almost couldn't resist reaching out to cook the beef properly herself.

By the time the meal ended, Su Wanning was struggling, hardly knowing what she had eaten. The portions were pitifully small—each dish was barely more than a single bite.

"That was such a high-class meal today, President Qin, thank you!" Yu Xin said with satisfaction in the elevator back to the hotel.

Qin Jingchen smiled, his gaze drifting toward Su Wanning.

"It's nothing. As long as it's something she loves, I can arrange it."

Yu Xin’s eyes became more knowing: "So we were just tagging along, huh? I’m stuffed with 'dog food' already, ugh!"

Su Wanning kept her eyes down, acting as if she hadn't heard. As soon as the elevator reached their floor, before anyone could enter their rooms, she spoke first: "It's still early. I'm going to Yu Xin's room to chat for a while. You take the kids back to your room."

This was directed at Qin Jingchen. He had no objections and nodded, taking the two children back to their room.

Once inside, Su Wanning closed the door, and Yu Xin looked at her strangely: "Is there something you wanted to tell me?"

"Do you have anything to eat? Snacks are fine too!"

Yu Xin’s cameraman was still there, and the viewers in the livestream were puzzled.

[Is she still hungry?]
[To be honest, if it were me, I wouldn't be full either with those portions.]
[President Qin's sincere efforts...]
[Are you guys okay? It's not like Su Wanning didn't eat the meal her husband prepared, right?]

"Are you not full?"

Yu Xin widened her eyes, looking at her in confusion. Su Wanning was even more bewildered.

"Are *you* full? There was barely anything there."

Su Wanning couldn't believe it. To her, that meal had been nothing more than an appetizer. Her taste buds were wide awake, but she felt a profound sense of loneliness. Every cell in her body was screaming for hotpot or barbecue.

"I'm full. We have to eat diet meals year-round to maintain our figures, so we're used to eating only a little bit in the evening."

"I'm not on a diet, so I'm starving. Daxi, do you have any snacks?"

Su Wanning turned her gaze toward Daxi.

Daxi clutched his stomach, looking pitiful: "Auntie Su, I'm actually not full either, but the director uncle took away all my snacks a long time ago. I don't have any food here either."

Su Wanning slumped onto the sofa in despair.

"President Qin worked so hard to prepare that dinner for you, yet you make it sound like it was worthless. That fish was flown in by air!" Yu Xin rolled her eyes, but Su Wanning didn't care at all.

"Do you know what Qin Jingchen has the most of?"

Yu Xin looked at her hesitantly: "...Money?"

Su Wanning nodded emphatically: "Exactly. So he just spent some money to have others prepare the dinner; it wasn't 'hard work.' Of course, I acknowledge that the meal was very expensive, but it is a fact that I am not full."