Chapter 26: Announcement of Profession and Age

Lu Zhou was the last male guest to return to the Pink Cottage that evening.

When he entered, everyone else had already gathered in the dining room, ready to eat.

“Sorry to have kept you all waiting,” Lu Zhou said, washing his hands before sitting down.

All the seats at the table had already been claimed, leaving Lu Zhou to take an empty spot on the edge. This time, Chu Yao sat across from him, with Xu Junze on his right.

Seating was always an intriguing phenomenon; tonight’s arrangement was already different from last night’s. Perhaps it was because Li Jiayan and Xu Junze had cooked together earlier—now the two sat face to face, exchanging banter and laughter, their connection clearly closer than yesterday.

On Xu Junze’s left was Ye Fangfei. Wen Yiming, who hadn’t managed to get the seat facing Ye Fangfei last night, had gotten his wish tonight.

Zhang Chen was next to Wen Yiming, with Qi Jiajia sitting opposite him.

“What were you up to today? Why are you back so late?” Li Jiayan, diagonally across, asked curiously, nibbling her chopsticks.

Lu Zhou ladled himself a bowl of corn and pork rib soup, smiling as he replied, “Work ran late, so I was delayed.”

“So what do you all actually do for a living? I’m really curious. Can we reveal it now?” Chu Yao joined in, grinning as she picked up some food.

“How about we try to guess each other’s professions?” Wen Yiming suggested.

Everyone’s interest was immediately piqued at the thought of guessing occupations. The mood at the table grew lively.

“Who should start?” Lu Zhou asked.

Chu Yao raised her hand at just the right moment. “Let’s begin with me and go around the table. Come on, guess!”

Wen Yiming laughed awkwardly, “Are you joking? Everyone already knows what you do. Next—Jiayan.”

Lu Zhou lifted his hand to interrupt. “I think, no matter what, it’s best if everyone describes their own profession. Who knows if someone has a secret side job we don’t know about?”

Zhang Chen nodded in agreement. “Good point.”

Everyone found this proposal agreeable.

Under everyone’s gaze, Chu Yao announced with mock seriousness, “Actually, there’s nothing different from what you’ve seen about me online. I’m a food media creator, and as for a second job… none! One job is exhausting enough, who needs a second?”

“And, I turned twenty-five today. That’s all—introduction over!”

After Chu Yao finished, everyone applauded before turning their attention to Li Jiayan.

Li Jiayan took a tactical sip of soup and said with a smile, “Go ahead, guess.”

Xu Junze was first. “You play piano so well—are you a piano teacher?”

Qi Jiajia shot him an approving look. “I guessed the same.”

“Before she played, I thought she could be a model. Afterward, I wondered if she was an artist,” Chu Yao mused.

“Maybe a concert pianist?” Wen Yiming added.

“Any of those sound plausible,” Zhang Chen chimed in.

Ye Fangfei, propping her chin in her palm, watched the guessing unfold. Since everyone was circling the same ideas, she simply smiled along without adding more.

Then, after a few moments, she received a message from her program director, reminding her to participate more actively in the show.

Ye Fangfei: “…”

Lu Zhou pretended to be troubled. “This is tough. Maybe just tell us directly?”

Truthfully, he had no idea what Li Jiayan was doing these days.

Sensing the timing was right, Li Jiayan smiled shyly and revealed, “Junze and Jiajia got it right. I am indeed a piano teacher. I graduated from Jinghua Conservatory, and now I co-own a piano training studio with a friend, mainly teaching children.”

Lu Zhou was mildly surprised at this. He hadn’t expected her to become a studio owner after graduation—he’d imagined she’d join an orchestra and pursue an artistic path. It seemed that over the years, much had changed, including people’s dreams.

He glanced at Li Jiayan, then quietly looked away.

“No wonder you play so beautifully!” Wen Yiming’s eyes sparkled with admiration.

“Jiayan, you do have a teacher’s aura—elegant and refined,” Ye Fangfei added, finally participating more actively.

“Do you only teach children? If someone my age wanted to learn, could you teach me?” Chu Yao joked.

“Of course! If you want to learn, I can teach you,” Li Jiayan replied.

“How much of a discount for friends?” Xu Junze teased.

“Since we’re all under one roof, a few free lessons are no problem,” Li Jiayan laughed.

“Jiayan, what about your age? You haven’t said,” Qi Jiajia reminded her.

Li Jiayan suddenly remembered. “Oh, I’m twenty-six this year.” She covered her mouth and laughed. “I have a feeling I might be the oldest woman here.”

Qi Jiajia tactfully kept quiet, sneaking a glance at Ye Fangfei and thinking, No need to guess—you really are the oldest…

Next up for guessing was Wen Yiming.

As his roommate, Xu Junze spoke first: “I’ve seen him without a shirt—those muscles… I bet he’s a fitness coach.”

The girls at the table burst into embarrassed giggles.

Zhang Chen sized up Wen Yiming. “He does have the air of a fitness coach.”

Everyone else chimed in with the same guess.

Wen Yiming sighed, raising a hand to his forehead. “You’re all too accurate. Give me a break, will you?”

Lu Zhou couldn’t help laughing. “Your ex-girlfriend said in her recording last night that being with you improves your physique… The clues were too obvious!”

Everyone laughed heartily.

“Alright, fine… To be precise, my business is fitness-related. I studied abroad and did in-depth research into fitness, then tried my hand at entrepreneurship when I returned. I now own two personal brand fitness studios and am also trying to become a fitness influencer, sharing my philosophy with others,” Wen Yiming explained, trying to make his work sound as impressive as possible.

“I’m twenty-six. So, if any of you need fitness advice, come find me—completely customized!” he added.

Applause sounded around the table.

Now it was Zhang Chen’s turn to be guessed.

Everyone looked his way, but for a moment, no one spoke. Zhang Chen was hard to figure out—he hadn’t revealed much about himself.

After a prolonged silence, Zhang Chen said, “Seems my turn is tough.”

Lu Zhou considered, then smiled. “You have a strong leadership aura. I’d guess you’re a boss.”

Ye Fangfei, in the middle of drinking her soup, nearly spat it out. “That’s a pretty broad guess.”

Zhang Chen handed her a napkin and, not wanting to drag things out, simply announced, “You’re right, I am a boss. I’ve started several companies in different industries, but my main focus now is gaming.”

“As for age, I’m the same as Wen Yiming—twenty-six.”

His brief description was quite understated. Nobody knew how many companies he meant, their scale, or what games his company had developed—he didn’t say.

Still, Zhang Chen certainly looked the part of someone with money. Maybe he preferred not to disclose too much.

In fact, when Lu Zhou first considered guessing Zhang Chen’s profession, another word had come to mind: “rich second generation”… but he hadn’t said it aloud.

“Is there some pattern to these seats? There’s a whole row of bosses sitting opposite each other—how intimidating,” Lu Zhou joked.

Everyone laughed again.

Though intended as a jest, Lu Zhou’s words also conveyed a message: he wasn’t a boss.

The guessing shifted to the other side of the table, starting with Qi Jiajia, who sat opposite Zhang Chen.

Suddenly the center of attention, Qi Jiajia tucked a strand of short hair behind her ear, blushing.

“Alright, see if you can guess,” she said.

Last night, her ex’s introduction revealed she was efficient, valued rituals, and liked photography. Since moving into the villa, she’d come across as lively, approachable, and friendly.

“You have the vibe of a business professional in a high-rise,” Ye Fangfei, seated next to her, ventured.

Qi Jiajia tilted her head, thought for a moment, and nodded. “That’s close.”

Li Jiayan’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. “Bank manager?”

Qi Jiajia shook her head. “No.”

From across the table, Zhang Chen studied her. “You remind me of our HR director.”

“…” Qi Jiajia’s smile froze for a second, then she laughed. “President Zhang, any openings for HR director in your company? I could switch careers overnight.”

Everyone laughed, but the guess was still off.

Xu Junze said, “Without a hint, we’ll never get it.”

Qi Jiajia considered, then said, “Something language-related—guess again.”

Wen Yiming clapped his hands. “English teacher!”

Qi Jiajia glanced at him and shook her head. “No.”

Lu Zhou: “Translator?”

Qi Jiajia snapped her fingers. “Bingo!”

Everyone let out a collective “oh.”

“I’m an English simultaneous interpreter, working in the translation department of a well-known foreign company. I just graduated, and I’m twenty-four,” Qi Jiajia introduced herself formally.

“Woo~~ impressive!” Lu Zhou led the applause.

“Am I the only wage earner here?” Qi Jiajia joked.

Ye Fangfei swallowed her food and asked, “What’s wrong with being a wage earner?”

Qi Jiajia laughed. “There’s a saying online—office work has no future.”

“That’s not always true. A high-level employee is often better off than a small-time entrepreneur,” Xu Junze said, sharing his view. “Entrepreneurship is risky—you bear the losses yourself. But as an employee, you just collect your salary, less pressure.”

“That’s true,” Wen Yiming agreed.

Ye Fangfei added, “I’m an employee too.”

For a moment, the table fell silent.

Zhang Chen grinned. “In what sense are you an employee?”

Ye Fangfei shrugged. “I work for my management team—isn’t that being an employee?”

Everyone: “…” Forcing yourself into the wage earner category?

Chu Yao found this perspective fresh and laughed. “By that logic, I’m an employee too—I work for myself, ha!”

The true wage earner, Qi Jiajia, was both amused and exasperated. “Are you saying this to make me feel better?”

The laughter around the table continued.

Lu Zhou prompted, “Fangfei’s turn.”

“No need to guess. Just tell us,” Wen Yiming said.

Ye Fangfei set down her chopsticks and looked around the group. “I’m an entertainer, with a side business in investment. I’m twenty-one.”

Her introduction was as brief as could be, mentioning nothing of her achievements—like, say, being a pop diva.

Li Jiayan gasped. “So young! I really am the oldest here…”

Lu Zhou was amused. “Come on, you’re only in your twenties—‘old’ is a stretch. If you call yourself old, what about those in their thirties?”

Zhang Chen raised an eyebrow. “Is anyone here over thirty?”

Lu Zhou: “…”

Chu Yao burst out laughing, pointing at Lu Zhou and Xu Junze. “If there is, it’ll be one of you two.”

Xu Junze folded his arms and raised his chin. “Alright, guess my age first.”

Wen Yiming, ever ready with a jab, blurted out, “Thirty-nine!”

The dining room erupted in laughter.

Xu Junze feigned indignation. “Must you go so hard right from the start? Do I really look that old?”

Qi Jiajia, trying to smooth out the laugh lines at her eyes, said, “You do look a bit mature, but not over thirty—maybe twenty-eight?”

Xu Junze decided to reveal the truth. “I am twenty-nine.”

Zhang Chen chuckled. “Close—almost hit the big three-oh.”

Xu Junze grinned. “Now guess my profession.”

This stumped everyone. Xu Junze and Zhang Chen had both been quiet the previous day, giving little away.

“Employee or boss? Give us a hint,” Lu Zhou asked.

“Boss,” Xu Junze answered directly.

Qi Jiajia pressed a hand to her forehead. “Another boss…”

Ye Fangfei couldn’t help but laugh—she found Qi Jiajia’s reaction endearing.

Li Jiayan suddenly remembered, “Xu Junze is a great cook. Tonight’s meal was mostly his. Maybe he owns a restaurant?”

Xu Junze’s eyes widened slightly at the imaginative guess. He shook his head with a smile. “No.”

“What industry?” Wen Yiming prodded.

Seeing no one had a clue, Xu Junze announced, “I’m the founder of Starlink MCN Media. We train online influencers and help them create better content.”

He even named his company outright.

Lu Zhou thought, This guy’s reason for coming on the show is clear—he’s here to advertise his company.

“Is this a coincidence?” Wen Yiming looked between Xu Junze and Chu Yao. “We have both an influencer and an MCN boss here?”

Li Jiayan exclaimed, “Hey, you’re right!”

Xu Junze, sensing where everyone’s minds were going, quickly changed the subject. “Pure coincidence, that’s all.”

Chu Yao smiled and shifted the conversation. “Your imaginations are wild. Now, guess Lu Zhou. Maybe we’ll finally have someone in their thirties.”

The focus finally landed on Lu Zhou.

Qi Jiajia said, “He doesn’t look like he’s in his thirties at all.”

Li Jiayan, however, teased, “Anything’s possible—maybe he just takes good care of himself.”

Wen Yiming joked, “Lu Zhou’s heart is bleeding right now!”

Zhang Chen curled his lips. “I’ll guess thirty.”

Lu Zhou: “…”

Ye Fangfei found the playful guessing fun and joined in. “Thirty-two.”

With that, everyone piled on, each taking a guess over thirty.

Wen Yiming: “Thirty-three.”

Li Jiayan: “Thirty-six…”

Lu Zhou took a big bite of chicken, chewing contentedly as they finished their antics. He finally laughed, “Sorry to disappoint you all—I’m only twenty-five.”

Xu Junze, hearing this, covered his face. “So the joke’s on me.”

Everyone roared with laughter. No one had expected that the one everyone guessed was oldest was actually the youngest male guest.

Next came guessing Lu Zhou’s profession.

This time, everyone had learned their lesson and started with, “Are you a boss?”

Lu Zhou: “No.”

Qi Jiajia’s eyes brightened. “So, you’re an employee! Finally, someone like me.”

The table filled with laughter, but no one really knew what to guess.

Xu Junze eyed Lu Zhou’s build. “Could he be in the fitness industry, like Wen Yiming?”

Wen Yiming grinned. “No way. Could we have industry rivals on a dating show?”

Li Jiayan teased, “Why can’t they be allies?”

Wen Yiming: “That seems unlikely.”

Then, Ye Fangfei suddenly said, “An entertainer, maybe?”

Everyone fell silent for a moment.

What—an entertainer?

All eyes turned to Lu Zhou, waiting for his answer.

What was meant to happen, would happen—Lu Zhou cleared his throat and admitted, “Yes, I’m an entertainer.”

Everyone at the table, except Ye Fangfei, stared in surprise.

An entertainer… but no one had heard of him?

“Are you a singer or an actor? Any works we’d know?” Zhang Chen broke the silence, his question blunt and direct.

The atmosphere grew a little tense.

But Lu Zhou didn’t feel awkward—he’d anticipated this. He smiled calmly.

“Let’s say I’m a musician. So far, I don’t have any noteworthy works.”

“I used to be a trainee with Jinhua Entertainment and debuted as part of a duo for a year. After the group disbanded, I went back to being a trainee. Recently, I canceled my contract with Jinhua and am now on my own, working solo.”

Lu Zhou spoke honestly about his career—no embellishments, no self-deprecation.

That was his true status now—an utterly unknown artist in the entertainment industry, with nothing to hide and nothing to disguise.