She’s a Passerby, But Can See the Protagonist’s Halo

The exclusive hashtag for #Bin City CG Carnival# was originally filled with fun photos and group cosplays, but now it has been overtaken by a wealthy woman generously spending money to get free merchandise.

Especially after someone tallied up the amount of money spent on tipping novels and comics on Little Green Station and manga video platforms, Chu Bingbing's ID—a default string of numbers—was revealed to have spent a total of 520,000 yuan.

From the first tip to the last temporary collection, it only took a mere hour and a half.

#Bin City Comic Con Shocked by Wealthy Woman Who Spent 500,000 Yuan for Free Merchandise#

"I was there and saw it with my own eyes. If it weren't for her two assistants—a man and a woman—coming to stop her, she probably would have kept spending."

"The wealthy lady is super young. I wonder which rich family's daughter she is. She was dressed as a Blue Star character, and it seemed like she was just there to have fun and see the sights. But once she saw how nice the free merchandise looked, she started throwing money around like crazy."

"The authors and artists who got tipped have already started popping up. One of them directly released their backlog, and several others have announced they're working overtime to produce more content! Ahhhhhhh!"

"OMG, look what I found! There's an old-school author who stopped writing six years ago after getting married and having kids. The wealthy lady tipped her 50,000 yuan, and now she's back online saying she's going to continue the story!"

"Rich sis, you're my goddess!"

For those waiting for new content, the sudden appearance of a wealthy woman spending a fortune to motivate their favorite authors and artists is a dream come true. The creators get money, and the fans get a full stash of content. Happiness, pure happiness!

By now, many people in the hashtag are already begging, "Where is the rich sis? Please look at our small, niche fandom!"

Chu Bingbing was startled to see the hashtag trending so high on Weibo. She didn't think she had spent that much—maybe 10,000 to 20,000 yuan per book. After all, compared to the tasks her system usually gave her, like splurging hundreds of thousands in luxury stores, this didn't seem like a big deal. Other customers didn't find it unusual either.

By now, several on-site videos had started circulating. Some were kind enough to blur faces, while others showed everything clearly, including Yan and Zhu Jue, who had come to rescue her.

After changing her clothes, Chu Bingbing looked at Yan and Zhu Jue apologetically. "Wait here for a bit. I'll go buy some clothes for you to change into."

Yan thought about it. Zhu Jue was wearing a white T-shirt and black pants, which were pretty common, but her bright green shirt was quite eye-catching.

"I'll make a quick adjustment. The main issue is these bags. Let's see if we can buy a suitcase."

Yan was wearing a tank top under her shirt that could be worn on its own. She quickly took off her shirt, tied it around her waist, and tied her hair up into two little buns, making her look like a cat. She swapped her mask for a pair of heart-shaped glasses and applied a layer of glossy lip gloss, giving her a Y2K vibe—trendy and edgy, like she was ready to party at a music festival.

After both Yan and Chu Bingbing changed their looks, the four of them headed to some IP-themed stores to shop. Chu Bingbing bought a branded suitcase to store the two backpacks that had been "exposed," while Yan got a free holographic shoulder bag that matched her outfit perfectly.

"This time, we definitely won't cause any trouble," Chu Bingbing swore to Yan and Zhu Jue.

She was wearing an oversized T-shirt from an unknown IP that Gu Jiasui had hastily bought for her. She planned to store the suitcase since they still had the whole afternoon to explore the carnival. Carrying a suitcase around in such a crowded place would be inconvenient.

"I'll keep an eye on her," Gu Jiasui raised her hand.

She had just gone to the restroom and gotten a bit lost in the huge venue. After figuring out the layout of the convention center, she received a call from Yan directing her back to the booth area. She then quickly went to find a place to buy clothes for Chu Bingbing.

Yan looked at the two of them, her eyes shifting between them. She decided to trust Gu Jiasui's promise. From her experience so far, Gu Jiasui seemed very reliable.

Still, she gave a reminder, "If the mask feels stuffy, you can go buy a mask or veil over there."

In short, Gu Jiasui had to cover half her face in this convention center filled with thousands of people. Hopefully, the otaku community wouldn't pay too much attention to real-life celebrities.

Gu Jiasui nodded seriously. "You two go have fun."

Yan held Zhu Jue's hand, glancing back every few steps. They had already collected some free merchandise, and after the commotion Chu Bingbing caused earlier, they planned to explore other areas.

"Zhu Jue, I feel like a teacher who's worried about their students," Yan said, her mouth twitching.

"We're all adults. Don't worry," Zhu Jue reassured her, hoping his roommates would also be a bit more responsible.

Yan adjusted her pink heart-shaped glasses. "Whatever, we're not their babysitters."

"Let's check out the performance area and the food area."

One of the highlights of this carnival was the many internal food IP booths. Unlike previous events where attendees had to bring their own food or struggle to coordinate with delivery drivers, this time there were plenty of options.

As they passed by a group of younger girls carrying themed bags and a team of cosplayers wielding lightsabers, Yan and Zhu Jue carefully avoided them but couldn't help but watch with interest.

"It seems like several food-themed anime have collaborated here. There's fast food, bubble tea, and even some IPs that hired chefs to cook on-site."

"Herbal jelly tea, herbal jelly beer, sesame elixir—which xianxia novel is this from?"

Yan and Zhu Jue first bought some fruit tea in the food area. The "sesame elixir" turned out to be small sesame balls served in glass jars, which tasted pretty good.

They visited several booths, buying different snacks to fill their stomachs. Some were pre-made, while others were packaged for easy takeaway.

Up ahead, they noticed a large crowd gathering around something.

"What's going on over there?"

"Looks like a chef is cooking live."

"Wow! You can actually eat something fresh off the stove!"

"It's a chef hired by *Cooking Master Boy* doing a live performance. They just picked someone to go up and compete in a fried rice showdown. They even played the battle music!"

Hearing the news from someone in the crowd, Yan and Zhu Jue exchanged glances.

Wait, fried rice?!

Their expressions changed slightly. This familiar description made them uneasy.

"Zhu Jue, should we go over?" Yan asked, her face full of hesitation.

She had a sinking feeling that the fried rice guy might need their help.

What if the organizers randomly picked a lucky attendee to cook, and it just happened to be Chu Shen?

And where did Yi Zhi go? Wasn't she supposed to talk to Chu Shen?

Zhu Jue took a deep breath, and the two of them shared a look. "Let's go check it out and see how he's doing."

If it wasn't Chu Shen, great. If it was, they'd need to assess the situation.

If Chu Shen was happily cooking fried rice, they'd just quietly leave.

Yan and Zhu Jue walked over to the *Cooking Master Boy* live cooking area and sure enough, there was Chu Shen, with a glowing halo above his head, making fried rice on an induction stove.

There were two long cooking stations. On one side stood a chef—a chubby man wearing a chef's hat and uniform, clearly a professional.

On the other station, someone had tied a headband around Chu Shen's head and wrapped an apron around his waist.

The two chefs were standing side by side, cooking fried rice, making it look like they had accidentally stumbled onto a cooking competition show.

"Alright, everyone! The *Cooking Master Boy* Bin City Carnival competition is about to begin!"

"This round's challenge is the simplest yet most profound dish—something everyone thinks they can make, but not everyone can master: fried rice!"

The host's passionate commentary filled the air as Yan watched Chu Shen awkwardly rub his hands together.

How did things end up like this?

He had come to the comic con today specifically to avoid cooking at his restaurant!

He didn't have any particular plans for the carnival—just hanging out with his roommates to relax and unwind. But in the blink of an eye, their large group had scattered, and he had been pulled aside by Yi Zhi.

As for what Yi Zhi wanted to talk to him about, Chu Shen was completely clueless.

He thought and thought, even speculating that the big sister might be addicted to egg fried rice and wanted him to figure out a way to make it in the dorm, right?

But to his utter surprise, Yi Zhi actually came to discuss a collaboration. She mentioned that her family owned a high-end organic farm and asked if he needed ingredients. She offered to send a batch for free to try out.

Chu Shen suddenly realized that the big sister had been frequenting his small, shabby shop all this time to evaluate it.

Although he hadn’t unlocked more opportunities yet, after some consideration, he agreed.

After all, this batch was free, so he could test the quality and use it to practice his skills.

Since there wasn’t a proper place to talk, Chu Shen and Yi Zhi walked and chatted. For some reason, perhaps because they were dressed too casually, Chu Shen felt like passersby were glancing at them and whispering something.

After a while, when their conversation ended, Chu Shen even saw a young girl, probably in middle or high school, approach Yi Zhi to strike up a conversation.

“Teacher, do you take on external commissions?”

Yi Zhi and Chu Shen exchanged puzzled looks. “What? We didn’t catch that.”

What did she mean by “external commissions”?

Seeing their confused expressions, the girl and her companion quickly apologized and left with a look of regret. “Sorry, sorry, we got the wrong person.”

After parting ways with Yi Zhi, Chu Shen thought about how his roommates were probably busy with their own things, so he decided to wander around alone.

As a chef, he naturally found himself drawn to the food section.

There, he saw a live cooking event—a showdown of egg fried rice inspired by the anime *Cooking Master Boy*.

Chu Shen was merely curious about how such a showdown would work, but then the host suddenly asked him:

“Hey, buddy, can you make egg fried rice?”

Chu Shen nodded in confusion. Egg fried rice was the dish he was most familiar with.

“Perfect! You’re the one, then—the hidden egg fried rice warrior among the masses. You’ll be competing against the chef!”

Before Chu Shen could even agree, the crowd around him took a step back, leaving him standing out in the open.

Chu Shen: “……”

Seeing his hesitation, the host spoke up with an understanding tone.

“It’s fine, buddy. We’ve got eggs, rice, and scallions ready. Just cook it like you normally would. No pressure, and you won’t have to pay for anything.”

“Are you sure you want me to do this? I make egg fried rice pretty often,” Chu Shen said hesitantly.

“Even better! A seasoned hand like you will make the showdown more exciting!” the host said, turning to Chef Yu, the professional egg fried rice chef they had invited.

“Chef Yu, don’t you agree?”

The slightly chubby chef chuckled. “Of course. A showdown with a skilled young man like him will definitely be more fun.”

And so, it began.

The organizers prepared a large pot of rice, plenty of eggs, and chopped scallions. With a shout of “Let the competition begin!” the crowd, separated by a barrier, erupted in gasps and cheers.

Heating the pan with oil on an induction stove, Chu Shen quickly assessed the temperature, the quality of the eggs, and the rice. Though he wasn’t used to induction stoves, his expertise in egg fried rice made everything clear at a glance.

Egg fried rice skill—activate!

Chu Shen cracked eggs by hand, swiftly and smoothly whisking them. His movements were so fluid that the host, who was preparing to commentate, was left speechless.

So fast!

That hand speed, the flawless egg cracking, the rapid whisking with chopsticks—this guy was clearly a master egg cracker!

The host finally managed to comment, “Looks like our buddy wasn’t kidding. He really does make egg fried rice often. Haha, his moves are so skilled!”

At that moment, Chu Shen’s face was expressionless, as if he had entered a state of zen, fully immersed in the task at hand. The golden egg mixture blended with the rice, and the rapid stir-frying filled the air with an irresistible aroma.

With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the golden fried rice into the air, eliciting gasps from the crowd.

“Holy cow!”

“Golden egg fried rice! It’s real!”

“Mom, I think I just witnessed a miracle!”

“What if he doesn’t catch it? Will it spill?” someone worried.

But the rice, tossed high into the air, performed a perfect 360-degree flip and landed flawlessly back in the pan.

With a final flip of the spatula, Chu Shen neatly arranged the rice onto a white plate.

Egg fried rice—done!

Chu Shen said coolly, “The rice is ready.”

Yan and Jue: “……”

Was he acting like he was back in his own restaurant? Wake up, Chu Shen! This isn’t your shop; it’s a comic convention!

And you’re using an induction stove, not your usual gas burner. Is this speed even normal?

The host couldn’t help but gape. Holy moly, he had randomly picked someone, and it turned out to be a semi-professional!

Both Chu Shen’s and Chef Yu’s egg fried rice were ready, each portion the size of a standard restaurant serving.

The host invited the crowd to take two small bowls each to taste and rate the dishes.

“Which one do you think will taste better?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Definitely the chef’s. He’s a professional, while this guy was just standing in front of me watching the fun before getting dragged up. Talk about bad luck.”

“But the guy just did that fancy toss. He seems to have some skills.”

“Eh, people just like to show off. Who uses an induction stove and still does that kind of toss?”

“You’ve got a point… I’ll try the chef’s first.”

Though Chu Shen’s performance had been impressive, most of the crowd initially went for Chef Yu’s egg fried rice.

After all, the chef looked like he had eaten more salt in his life than Chu Shen had eaten rice.

This was a real chef—his chubby build, broad shoulders, and sturdy arms all screamed experience. His cooking wasn’t flashy, but it was bound to be delicious.

“Mmm, it’s good. Just like the egg fried rice you’d get at a restaurant, way better than what I make at home.”

“Let’s go try the guy’s.”

After tasting Chef Yu’s dish, the crowd moved on to Chu Shen’s egg fried rice.

And then—

The blue-haired, yellow-haired, and white-haired wizards, onmyoji, and witches let out screams of amazement after taking a bite.

“It’s real! The legendary egg fried rice! The texture, the egg flavor—it’s glowing!!!”

“My soul has been cleansed. What a magnificent egg fried rice!”

“How… how can something so simple and cheap taste so incredible?”

Yan’s jaw dropped. “Huh?”

The egg fried rice was indeed delicious, but were they really this dramatic after one bite?

Was this scene straight out of *Cooking Master Boy*?

What’s with the exaggerated reactions?

“Rice, I need more rice!”

“Me too!”

Since this was a free booth at the convention, the crowd at the back of the line, half in disbelief, started pushing forward.

After tasting it, even if it was just a bite or two, they were already chanting, “Amazing!”

“Rice, rice, rice! Mom, please give me some egg fried rice!”

“Just one bite, please!”

The cosplayers holding disposable bowls and spoons eagerly lined up, each receiving a spoonful or two. The large portion was quickly devoured as people clamored for more.

Seeing the crowd’s exaggerated reactions, both the host and Chef Yu were stunned.

What’s going on? Are you guys for real?

Are all anime fans this dramatic?

After the plate was emptied, the crowd, still craving more, noticed that the young man who had made the incredible egg fried rice was taking off his apron.

“No, buddy, please! Make another plate, we’re begging you!”

“Don’t leave! I’ll pay for it!”

As the situation nearly spiraled out of control, the host quickly stepped in to restore order.

The host turned to Chu Shen: "Young man, hold on a second. Could you please make another plate of fried rice? Our chefs are supposed to taste each other's dishes during the competition, but unfortunately, we didn’t get to try yours earlier."

The host used Chef Yu as an excuse, but in truth, he was also curious—was this young man’s fried rice really that good?

Could it be that the crowd of anime fans below were all in on some elaborate act to fool him?

Chu ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‍Shen glanced at the long lines forming on both sides, effectively blocking the area. The crowd was staring at him eagerly, and it seemed he wouldn’t be able to leave anytime soon.

He frowned. "I’ll make one more plate, then I’m leaving. I’m here to have fun, not to work."

Seeing his obvious displeasure, the host quickly nodded. "Of course, of course. Everyone, let’s remember that this young man is here for the carnival today. He’s not hired by us, and we can’t force him to do anything against his will."

Chu Shen and Chef Yu prepared another plate of fried rice, with the same smooth and effortless movements as before. To prove that the ingredients weren’t the issue, they even switched positions this time.

The host made sure to set aside small bowls for the three of them to taste each other’s dishes before distributing the rest to the crowd.

"Is this really just fried rice? How can fried rice taste this good?" The host, holding the microphone, was stunned the moment he took a bite.

Chef Yu tasted it, paused, savored it carefully, and then slowly looked up at Chu Shen, uttering a profound remark.

"Young man, your fried rice skills must have been with you since birth."

"Did you come here today knowing I, Old Yu, would be here, just to show me up?"

Chu Shen was baffled. "Huh? Didn’t your host ask me to come up here?"

He took a bite of Chef Yu’s fried rice, savored it briefly, then put down his spoon and nodded at the chef.

"Not bad."

"Alright, I’m done with this plate. I’m leaving now."

He took off his headband and walked away from the stage with a cool demeanor.

Thankfully, the eggs, rice, and scallions were provided by the organizers. He treated it as a chance to get back into the groove, since he hadn’t cooked fried rice at school for a week—electric stoves just didn’t give the right heat.

As Chu Shen stepped off the stage, someone from the crowd who had just squeezed in shouted loudly.

"Boss Chu! You’re secretly cooking fried rice at a comic convention? No wonder your shop is closed today!"

"Do you know how many people have been waiting for your fried rice? A whole week! We’ve waited a whole week! And you’re out here cooking for strangers instead!"

Chu Shen glanced over and recognized the voice—it was one of his regular customers. He lowered his head slightly, not feeling the least bit guilty about being caught cooking outside his shop.

He was the boss, after all. If he wanted to close the shop, he could close the shop!

As the customer’s excited shouts echoed, the surrounding crowd grew noisy.

"What? That young man owns a restaurant?"

"Wait, what’s the name of the place? Tell us, please!"

"Hold on, what do you mean by ‘cooking for strangers’? Are we strangers?"

Seeing the situation turning chaotic, Chu Shen immediately tried to make a quick exit. But just as he was about to leave, two pairs of hands grabbed his arms.

Thinking he was about to be caught, Chu Shen soon realized it was Zhu Jue and Yan. They swiftly put a mask and sunglasses on him and dragged him into a restroom.

"Stay right here. I’ll go buy you a change of clothes before we head out," Yan said to Chu Shen, leaving Zhu Jue to keep an eye on him.

In the meantime, Yan walked away, checking her phone. As expected, the trending topic about the "Golden Fried Rice" at the CG Carnival was blowing up online, spreading like wildfire.

She hurried off, while Zhu Jue and Chu Shen entered the men’s restroom.

Chu Shen looked at Zhu Jue, hesitating to speak, then finally said, "Brother Jue, about what Yan said earlier… does she want to be…" He paused, noticing the increasingly dangerous look in Zhu Jue’s eyes, and quickly rephrased.

"Does she want to be my mom?"

Zhu Jue gave him a look filled with exasperation and replied in a deep voice, "Our parents aren’t quite ready for grandchildren yet."

Well… if this "eldest son" of theirs kept making fried rice like this, they might reconsider.