Chapter Twenty-One

“The baker has communicated with the commercial street.”

At 3 PM on December 10th, in a high-end villa in Chong City, the assistant reported today’s schedule. The live broadcast will be held at 8 PM tonight, divided into three segments: supermarket shopping, live bread-making, and public evaluation.

The live bread-making is the most crucial part. According to the plan, making noodles on-site would have been easier than bread. However, Zhang Ze had a mishap with bread before, so he is determined to rise again with bread. To ensure maximum fairness and transparency, he rented an open-air stage for an all-angle live broadcast of the bread-making process.

“Isn’t the cost too high?” the assistant asked after reporting. The stage they rented from Qianli is a significant expense in terms of cost and manpower.

“We can’t worry about that now,” Zhang Ze replied sullenly. Proving his innocence is just too, too difficult!

After chatting for a while, Zhang Ze asked, “Has the flour arrived?”

“It’s already been delivered to the mall.” The flour arrived yesterday, and since there was only one bag, they decided to unseal it during the live broadcast.

“Sigh,” Zhang Ze sighed. Fengshan Farm is unreliable, and even though it hasn’t started yet, he’s already prepared for social death…

At 5 PM, the two arrived at Qianli Commercial Street.

Qianli Commercial Street is the most bustling commercial district in Chong City, with a daily foot traffic of 100,000 people. When they arrived, a five-meter-high stage was halfway built, occupying 100 square meters, with a [Nuomi Live] display board next to it. Staff were on stage organizing the details of the supports.

Zhang Ze took a turn on the stage and opened the TreeCat platform.

“Waiting for the 8 PM live broadcast.”

“Will it be selling goods or an evaluation later?”

“Followed for a year, and in the end, couldn’t escape the clutches of selling goods.”

Three days ago, Zhang Ze posted a preview video of the live broadcast. At this point, the video had over 720,000 likes and 30,000 comments. Since the video only mentioned the time and place, half of the comments were disdainful of the bread incident.

Zhang Ze: …

In these little moments, at 7:30, the live broadcast stage was completed.

Zhang Ze and his team went to the Qianli underground supermarket.

“Dear live audience, I am Glib Glutinous Rice Ball.” At 8 PM, Zhang Ze officially started the live broadcast.

…

“TreeCat is so boring now, one plot has been recycled three times.”

At the same time Zhang Ze officially started the broadcast, in the 305 dormitory building of Luo Hai Finance, Meng Jiao was scrolling through TreeCat videos. She had been busy with the Level 4 exams recently and hadn’t had the energy to play with electronic products. Now that she finally had time to play on her phone, there wasn’t much to watch.

Meng Jiao played for a while and looked at Liu Xiaoyuan on the lower bunk: “Aren’t you playing on your phone?” Liu Xiaoyuan was a veteran TreeCat user, now watching a movie on a video app.

“Not interested,” Liu Xiaoyuan replied weakly. Ever since Glib Glutinous Rice Ball’s scandal, she had said goodbye to TreeCat.

“Not watching is fine, there’s nothing much on TreeCat now.”

After chatting for a while, Meng Jiao suddenly exclaimed, “Glib Glutinous Rice Ball is live! Want to watch?”

Since the last bread evaluation, everyone in the dorm knew about Glib Glutinous Rice Ball.

“No!” Liu Xiaoyuan refused decisively. Now that half a month has passed, she still feels like her intelligence is being rubbed on the ground.

“I’ll take a look.” Compared to Liu Xiaoyuan, Meng Jiao was quite bored and clicked into the live room.

…

“Flour is made from ground wheat and is one of the main staples in Longxia… Today’s evaluation theme is flour.” In Chong City’s Qianli supermarket, Zhang Ze got straight to the point.

“Oh my, still doing evaluations?”

“The host has strong nerves.”

“Waiting for the flour to flop.”

At this time, there were over 30,000 live viewers, half of whom were there to watch the spectacle. They didn’t expect Glib Glutinous Rice Ball to actually do an evaluation.

“We are now at the Qianli underground supermarket. The first step of the live evaluation is to purchase flour.” Zhang Ze pushed a cart and headed directly to the grain and oil section.

Flour is mainly divided into low-gluten, medium-gluten, and high-gluten types. Low-gluten flour is used for pastries, medium-gluten for noodles, and high-gluten for bread. To ensure uniformity in flour types, his target this time was all high-gluten flour.

“What’s going on?”

“Suggest searching for bread evaluation in the top right corner.”

As Glib Glutinous Rice Ball was shopping, many old fans explained the bread flop evaluation to new viewers. They didn’t oppose live selling, but selling under the guise of a genuine evaluation… that’s a betrayal of trust. At this point, everyone had one thought: watch Glib Glutinous Rice Ball flop again!

Ten minutes later, Glib Glutinous Rice Ball selected twenty bags of flour. These were common brands like Futiantianxia, Dalaotao, and Dajidali, totaling 872 yuan. Due to the large volume of flour, Qianli supermarket lent them a handcart.

Zhang Ze and the staff headed to the mall entrance.

“How will the flour be evaluated?”

“Probably kneading some dough, cooking some noodles.”

As the group moved, the curiosity of the netizens reached its peak.

Ten minutes later, Zhang Ze brought the flour to the open-air stage. The stage occupied 100 square meters, surrounded by professional black spotlights. Twenty-one chefs in white stood on the stage, with a huge silver screen behind them. The screen displayed a cartoon image of bread, with seven large characters next to it: [Glib Glutinous Rice Ball Evaluation in Progress].

“They really went all out.” The netizens were stunned. Although they didn’t know much about the industry, the venue and equipment costs were at least 200,000.

Everyone looked at the bakers, who were all in white uniforms and hats, with a unified nameplate on their chests: Longxing Tianxia Bread. Longxing Tianxia is a professional baking technician school, and now the chefs from Longxing Tianxia were on stage… are they making bread on-site?

“Our rules are simple. Our bakers will make the bread, and participants will be selected randomly by a ball toss…” Zhang Ze’s words confirmed the netizens’ guesses.

The netizens were bewildered. Now, with on-site production and random ball toss, it looked very formal.

“Why are there twenty-one?” A netizen noticed the number was off.

Before the netizens could react, Zhang Ze’s assistant brought up a bag of flour. The flour was in a delicate white woven bag, with four flamboyant characters in the middle: [Fengshan No.1].

They thought of Zhang Ze’s clarification video; this was a subtle way to clear his name.

…

“Interesting.”

In the 305 dormitory building of Luo Hai Finance, Meng Jiao sat up with interest. It was her first time watching Glib Glutinous Rice Ball’s live broadcast, and it wasn’t as off-putting as she imagined.

“Did Glib Glutinous Rice Ball really fake it?” Meng Jiao looked at Liu Xiaoyuan. With such strict measures now, if they still managed to fake it… the difficulty level would be too high!

“Yes.” Liu Xiaoyuan replied without looking up.

Meng Jiao turned her attention to the video. TreeCat’s live-streaming tricks were numerous; it wasn’t a family fracture discount, nor a buy-one-get-ten deal. She was curious to see how Glib Glutinous Rice Ball would sell products…

“The evaluation rules are very simple…” In the live broadcast, Zhang Ze explained the evaluation rules.

Evaluation process: 1. Randomly code the flour. 2. Uniform bread specifications. 3. On-site selection of participants by drawing lots. 4. Participants evaluate and receive participation rewards.

“When does it start?”

“How long does the bread take?”

“What are the rewards?”

…

As soon as Zhang Ze finished explaining the rules, the audience eagerly asked questions. It was after work hours, and they were full and energetic, ready to join the fun.

“The bread takes about an hour to make,” Zhang Ze said.

Zhang Ze further explained some details and was about to label the flour when he noticed his assistant gesturing wildly from the stage.

Zhang Ze didn’t see it initially, so the assistant, with a determined heart, walked directly onto the stage.

The two whispered to each other, and Zhang Ze looked blankly at the camera: “For fairness and impartiality, we will have a guest notary, who is on the way.”

“Can this really work?” The on-site audience and live-stream viewers were unanimously skeptical. They were eagerly waiting for the draw, and now a guest notary was introduced… a serious disappointment!

Zhang Ze didn’t interact but stood blankly on the stage. At this moment, he was digesting the assistant’s words—

“A strange man called, claiming to be Cui Ning’s assistant.”

“Cui Ning has reached Quanyang Road, there’s a traffic jam, he’ll be five minutes late.”

“Should we wait?”

…

Should they wait?

After the assistant finished speaking, Zhang Ze’s mind was a mess. How could Cui Ning possibly come! Although he didn’t believe it, he inexplicably decided to wait.

Zhang Ze stood dazed on the stage, surrounded by a skeptical audience. In this strange atmosphere, a rumbling sound came from afar, as seven Zhongda business vehicles approached, each bearing the logo: [Chong City Blue Sky Security Company].

The vehicles stopped in front of the live broadcast stage, and thirty security guards in black got out. The guards skillfully cleared a path, and finally, a slim middle-aged man wearing a baseball cap stepped out, accompanied by an assistant.

Everyone focused on the man, and three seconds later, a wave of excitement erupted from the crowd: “Cui Ning!”

Cui Ning was Longxia’s most famous legal host. Although the man wore a baseball cap, his profile and demeanor unmistakably identified him as Cui Ning!

“Ahhh! Cui Ning!”

“It’s really Cui Ning!”

…

The shouts at the scene rose wave after wave. Originally, there were thirty onlookers at the Glutinous Rice Ball booth, but now, with the crowd’s shouts, the booth was surrounded by layers of people, with many tourists running out from the mall to join the excitement.

The mall manager, upon hearing the news, hurriedly brought fifty security guards to maintain order.

“Hello, everyone.” Cui Ning walked onto the stage.

“I really love your legal program!” A member of the audience waved both hands enthusiastically.

Cui Ning thanked the audience and then looked at Zhang Ze: “Hello, I’m Cui Ning.”

“Hello.” Zhang Ze’s palms were sweaty.

“Boom!” Just as Zhang Ze was about to introduce himself, another rumbling sound came from afar.

“It seems there are more cars.”

“Is it the traffic police?”

It was thirty traffic police cars, followed by a black business vehicle.

The police cars maintained traffic order, and the business vehicle door opened. A woman in a black dress stepped out. She was tall, with long black hair cascading loosely over her shoulders. As soon as she appeared, the atmosphere at the scene soared—

“Duan Yujie!”

“It’s Duan Yujie, Duan Yujie!!!”

…

Duan Yujie was one of Longxia’s four great actresses, with almost no scandals since her debut. At this moment, looking at Duan Yujie, everyone had only one thought: celebrities truly shine.

…

“Ahhh, ahhh!”

In the Luo Hai Finance 305 dormitory building, Meng Jiao watched Duan Yujie, twisting and turning with excitement. She was a career fan of Duan Yujie, having followed her since her debut. Duan Yujie focused on her career and rarely participated in commercial activities. Now, first Cui Ning, and then Duan Yujie… it was too incredible!

Meng Jiao was so excited that she jumped off the bed and spun around on the floor.

“What happened?” Liu Xiaoyuan was startled by her movements.

“Duan Yujie!” Meng Jiao exclaimed excitedly, holding up her phone.

“Does Duan Yujie have a new drama?” Liu Xiaoyuan was puzzled.

Meng Jiao held her breath: “Duan Yujie went to Nuomi Live.”

Liu Xiaoyuan: !!!

…

“Mr. Cui and Ms. Duan are our notary guests for this event…”

Five minutes later, Zhang Ze’s thoughts returned. After introducing their credentials, he looked at Cui Ning: “Mr. Cui?” It was his first time encountering such a scene, and he was a bit at a loss.

“We are the notary guests, responsible for ensuring fairness and impartiality,” Cui Ning indicated for Zhang Ze to relax.

Zhang Ze took a deep breath and began according to the process: “Dear live-stream friends, we are starting the first evaluation, the notaries will label the numbers.”

The assistant brought up a box of ping pong balls and number cards. Cui Ning and Duan Yujie carefully checked and labeled them. After they finished, the baker drew a ping pong ball. The baker and flour were randomly matched to ensure the evaluation was as fair and impartial as possible.

At 8:50, twenty-one bakers began their work.

“Bread is a common Western pastry in our country, and the production process mainly includes dough resting, dividing, shaping, and baking,” Zhang Ze explained earnestly.

Cui Ning and Duan Yujie sat on the stage’s resting chairs. As everyone focused on the bread, Duan Yujie casually chatted: “Was Mr. Cui sent by the leadership?”

Cui Ning watched intently: “Ms. Duan as well?”

The two exchanged a subtle glance, clearly understanding they were there for the same reason.

“The main tools for bread are the dough mixer, dough sheeter, and proofing box,” Zhang Ze explained the bread baking tools. The two looked at Zhang Ze. Initially, they thought Glib Glutinous Rice Ball had a strong background, but upon first contact, they concluded: Glib Glutinous Rice Ball was clueless.

“I can’t figure it out,” Cui Ning was somewhat frustrated. The directive came from the top, and he had been guessing for five days without any clue.

“We just need to do our job well,” Duan Yujie smiled. Unlike Cui Ning, she stopped probing the underlying reasons from day one.

Whatever the reason for Nuomi Live, she only needed to do her job: complete the evaluation fairly and impartially.

“The baker has already divided the bread and is preparing to put it into the oven.” The bread-making process was proceeding in an orderly manner.

Amidst the anticipation at the scene, at 9:50, twenty-one boxes of bread were successfully baked.

“Smells so good.”

“Looks quite tactile.”

…

The golden bread was taken out, steaming hot, and the baker professionally divided it. Apart from the flour brand, all conditions for these breads were exactly the same.

“Now, please let Mr. Duan be the first randomly selected audience member for this evaluation.” At 9:55, Zhang Ze, with Duan Yujie’s consent, addressed the audience.

“Ahhhh!”

“Duan Duan Duan, I’m a fan of Yu! Look at me!”

…

The atmosphere at the scene instantly became lively. At this moment, there were more than 12,000 people in the audience, and the Chong City police were constantly maintaining order. Duan Yujie picked up the embroidered ball, which was the size of a soccer ball and filled with feathers, in blue.

Every girl has fantasized about throwing an embroidered ball. Duan Yujie glanced at the stage, then turned around and tossed it lightly.

“Ahhhh!” A scream erupted from the scene.

Duan Yujie looked at the advertising screen, and in the bustling crowd, a young policeman with a cap was holding the embroidered ball, looking around in confusion…

“Officer, come on up!” The audience enthusiastically encouraged.

The young policeman scratched his head and, at the captain’s signal, went on stage.

“Would you like to introduce yourself?” Zhang Ze asked.

“Zhou Yong, a police officer from the Qianli Police Station, I hope everyone abides by the law and works together to create a harmonious Chong City.”

“Hahaha!” The audience burst into laughter.

After warming up, Zhang Ze explained the evaluation rules to the young policeman.

The young policeman, having understood the rules, began to taste the bread.

“Pretty good.”

“Delicious.”

“Very tasty.”

…

The young policeman ate ten pieces in a row, all with the same verdict: delicious.

“Any other thoughts?” Zhang Ze couldn’t help but ask.

The young policeman scratched his head: “They are indeed all delicious.”

Number eleven: Delicious.

Number twelve: Delicious.

Number thirteen: Pretty good.

…

In the next three minutes, the young policeman finished all the bread, with consistent feedback: delicious.

“Is there one that’s the best?” Zhang Ze continued to ask.

Just when the audience thought the young policeman found them all delicious, he thought for a moment and said, “Number twelve.”

“Number twelve?”

“Confirmed.”

“If you were to score the bread, how much would you give number twelve?” Cui Ning asked.

“Number twelve is soft and not greasy, it’s the best bread I’ve ever had… a hundred points, I guess. The other breads are also very good, ninety points.” The young policeman diplomatically said. The audience was a bit puzzled, as the bread ingredients and baking time were the same, yet there was a ten-point difference… was it really that exaggerated?

Everyone looked at the flour for number twelve: Fengshan No.1.

While the audience was extremely curious, on Nuomi Live, the viewers were somewhat dazed.

Delicious, delicious, all delicious.

Number seven, number seven, a hundred points.

They recalled the plot from half a month ago… suddenly everyone had a strong premonition of being dominated by number twelve.