Lately, Feng Wan had pretty much been holed up at home on a break. There were still ten days before the next shoot, but constantly gorging herself at home clearly wasn't sustainable.
So, she decided to get back into training. While the world she was in seemed relatively safe, she believed that "he who fails to plan ahead will find trouble close at hand." She'd let herself slack off long enough—it was time to get her skills back into shape.
Every morning, Feng Wan went for a jog in the park downstairs. Later, she even bought professional workout equipment and set up a mini gym in another room at home. After her run, she would continue training indoors.
In the afternoons, she experimented with new recipes using cooking notes she'd brought from her original world. Sometimes she made more food than she could eat, so she stored the extras in her storage space. Xiao Tian also took full advantage and ate until he was stuffed.
Given how quickly the industry evolved, especially the fiercely competitive short video scene, Feng Wan knew that if her culinary skills didn't keep improving, her fans would eventually grow bored and she'd be eliminated from the game.
Meanwhile, Nie Shuyuan often found himself catching whiffs of delicious aromas drifting from the apartment next door—mouthwatering and irresistible. Unfortunately, he could only drool in front of her food videos like someone dying of thirst staring at a mirage.
Thanks to a flurry of informative posts from new fans, Feng Wan's long-time followers quickly learned she was participating in a variety show called Gourmet's Arrival. Many of them were won over and started watching the show.
Nie Shuyuan was one of them. After getting hooked on the show, he finally realized that the blogger behind "Wan in the Water Moon" was actually his neighbor—the one he'd encountered a few times in passing.
Sadly, despite being neighbors separated by just a wall, they were barely acquaintances who only nodded in greeting, with no real connection between them.
One morning, as usual, Feng Wan went jogging in the park. Just as she was turning a corner and entered a blind spot in her line of sight, a child on a small bicycle crashed straight into her, knocking her to the ground.
The moment she fell, Feng Wan realized she really did need to step up her training. If her skills were still what they used to be, she never would've been knocked down so easily.
"Miss, are you okay? This is totally my brat's fault—we'll take full responsibility!"
The boy's mother was surprisingly reasonable. She didn't try to shift the blame and promptly took Feng Wan to Capital First People's Hospital.
Actually, the moment she was injured, Feng Wan had quietly checked her ankle. It was just a sprain. With her homemade ointment, she could easily recover in a few days.
But since someone was right there with her, she couldn't just foolishly reject compensation on the spot. So, she went to the hospital for a formal diagnosis.
Nie Shuyuan, who happened to see his neighbor again at his workplace, was immediately concerned upon noticing her limp.
He turned to a nurse standing nearby and asked, "Excuse me, do you know what happened to that young lady's foot just now?"
Nurse Xiao Zhao, already flustered by Dr. Nie's sudden approach, had her hopes dashed when she realized he was just asking a question.
"Dr. Nie, that beautiful woman sprained her ankle and suffered some ligament damage. She'll need to take medication for a few days and pay close attention to keeping her ankle warm."
Xiao Zhao found it strange that Dr. Nie seemed distracted after hearing her explanation.
"Dr. Nie? Dr. Nie? Are you okay? Are you overworked or something? I called you a few times just now and you didn't respond."
"Oh, it's nothing. Thanks. I have to run—catch you later."
As Dr. Nie quickly disappeared down the corridor, Xiao Zhao muttered to herself, "He looks even more handsome up close… What a pity he's the untouchable, ideal type. I wonder what kind of lucky woman will get to be Mrs. Nie someday."
If Nie Shuyuan had heard that, he would've been in total panic. Because when he stopped Feng Wan, he suddenly realized he didn't actually have a valid reason to do so.
Seeing her puzzled expression, Nie Shuyuan licked his inexplicably dry lips and said, "Miss Feng, your ankle injury requires daily heat therapy. Your attending doctor has asked me to handle that for you."
The boy's mother, noticing the situation, seemed to understand immediately and didn't want to play third wheel. She quickly said to Feng Wan, "Miss Feng, you've got my contact information. I'll cover your medical and lost income expenses—let's talk again later."
With that, she bolted like there was a demon chasing her.
Seeing this, Nie Shuyuan grew even more concerned. How could her companion just leave her behind like that after she got hurt?
Feng Wan, of course, was no fool. She understood perfectly well that the man in front of her was using heat therapy as an excuse to get close. She wasn't some clueless naive girl.
Still, she responded politely, "Alright, thank you."
Nie Shuyuan relaxed when he heard that—he was in.
Ever since he realized his neighbor was the food blogger he followed online, he'd found his gaze drifting toward her more and more often. At first, he thought it was just admiration for her cooking skills.
But after Feng Wan's accident, Nie Shuyuan had to admit it—his feelings weren't just admiration.
To escort her home, he even switched shifts with a colleague. And Feng Wan didn't reject his offer of help.
After all, when a high-quality man is actively pursuing you, you might as well enjoy it—and use the chance to evaluate him. From looks to job, he passed her initial screening.
On the way home, Nie Shuyuan supported her cautiously the entire time, as if she were gravely ill. Feng Wan found it a bit excessive and almost rolled her eyes.
Still, as an injured woman, it would be foolish to turn down a man's attentive care, and she didn't need to play the strong woman here.
Meanwhile, two unexpected visitors had arrived at Feng Wan's door.
They banged on the door so loudly that residents upstairs came down to check out the commotion—only to see two unfamiliar women.
"Hey! Can't you knock a bit quieter? You scared my grandson awake!"
The older woman quickly apologized. "Sorry, I came to see my daughter. I was a bit too anxious and didn't realize I was knocking so hard. I'll be more careful next time."
Seeing how sincere the apology was, the neighbor let it go and returned upstairs.
"Mom, do you think sis is hiding from us on purpose because she knew we were coming?"
"Unlikely. I didn't call her in advance. This address is from the last package she sent home—it can't be wrong."
Hearing that, the younger girl calmed down a bit. But when she looked at how nice the place was, she felt deeply resentful.
"Mom, sis lives in such a fancy place, and I even saw her on TV! You'd better ask her for a good chunk of money this time…"