This caused another rift among the viewers. Some sympathized with Alice, criticizing Xavier for being harsh in what they perceived as a mere misunderstanding. Others believed Alice was simply trying to secure a meal since all her supplies were gone. Most viewers felt that the situation could have been handled better.


    Zen faced harsh criticism for roasting Alice more than necessary. However, the most significant bacsh was directed towards Hera. Many believed she could have defused the situation better by meeting in the middle and sharing a little with Alice.


    But Hera and the others refused topromise. They could criticize Hera all they wanted, but they couldn’t dictate her choices. Hera was willing to share some of her supplies and even cook for Alice if she asked properly, without trying to pass off her actions as a mere misunderstanding.


    She was too proud to ask directly, instead resorting to maniption to get what she wanted. This behavior made Hera doubt whether the female lead was truly the person Athena had described since they were young.


    After experiencing it firsthand and witnessing it with her own eyes, Hera was confident in her assessment of Alice. However, who did she think Hera was? Hera had undergone countless training sessions under Athena on how to act as a ’white lotus.’ She was capable of portraying herself as pitiful and misunderstood at any time. If she didn’t employ this tactic, she would feel embarrassed to face her best friend who had trained her. "Haha! Don’t mess with me," she thought to herself.


    Xavier and Zen remained unfazed, genuinely unaffected by the situation, while the other participants were all on edge.


    Xavier remained indifferent, thoroughly enjoying his meal, and he noticed Hera beside him. Observing her unruffled demeanor despite themotion, the corners of his eyes crinkled ever so slightly. Nevertheless, he offered herfort. "Don’t dwell on what they said," he reassured her then continued eating his meal.


    Hera smiled as she nodded, continuing to munch on her food. "I’m not bothered. This is our food, our supply, and no one is entitled to it but us," she remarked nonchntly.


    Xavier’s lips curved into a small smile, but he remained silent, focusing on his meal. After they finished eating, Zen offered to do the dishes.


    "Let me do the dishes. You guys can sit around or take a walk to digest the food we ate," Zen offered, immediately moving to the sink and beginning to wash away the sauces and oil from the tes with water before scrubbing them clean with dishwashing liquid. Observing hispetence, Hera rxedzily in her seat.


    In no time, Zen finished washing the dishes. "Why don’t we sit on the porch and stargaze? I’ve heard that stargazing in the mountains and secluded viges like this is exceptional because there’s less pollution, making the sky clearer," Zen suggested excitedly.


    "That’s a wonderful idea. I’ve missed stargazing too," Hera agreed enthusiastically.


    The two of them returned the remaining ingredients to Hera’s room before making their way to the front porch where the others had gathered earlier. Unnoticed, Xavier silently followed them from behind.


    Once the trio left the kitchen, the other participants crowded into the space, hoping to find some leftover dishes or ingredients. Unfortunately for them, Hera had already stowed away everything that remained. Undeterred, the other participants began preparing their own dinner using the ingredients they had.


    However, not everyone was adept at cooking, and their attempts resulted in the ingredients being spoiled. Chaos ensued in the kitchen, highlighting the fact that many of them were not ustomed to culinary tasks and rarely ventured into the kitchen for chores.


    Their disorganized and clumsy attempts at making dinner elicitedughter from the viewers, who even created memes about the chaos. However, for the participants, this was preferable to being hated. Their primary concern was now figuring out how to eat the food they had managed to prepare. Some participants teamed up, simr to Xavier and Hera, which alleviated their worries since there were at least a few who knew how to make simple dishes.


    However, the stark contrast in cooking skills left many feeling dissatisfied. Theymented that Hera hadn’t even attempted to offer a helping hand in cooking or inquire if they wanted to join their team.


    They were now too embarrassed to ask her, especially Xavier, because of the drama that happened outside and the most recent one.


    The most dissatisfied one was none other than Minerva. She was ustomed to eating only the best of everything and had never stepped foot in the kitchen to even peel an apple. She refused to eat the food prepared for her by one of the female artists because the porridge was watery and tasteless.


    Alexi proved to be equally useless in the kitchen, only capable of assisting with the washing. Having lived with his family previously, his mother never assigned him any household chores. Upon moving in with Hera, she took great care of him, particrly with meals. Alexi couldn’t help but grumble inwardly about the perceived unfairness of Hera only preparing a meal for the two men.


    The more he dwelled on it, the more Alexi’s anger and dissatisfaction grew. He couldn’t shake the feeling of being overlooked by Hera, treated as if he were invisible. "Hera should belong to me and me alone," he seethed, consumed by possessiveness and jealousy.


    He believed he had concealed his thoughts well, burying them deep within, but Minerva saw right through him. She noticed every subtle change in his demeanor, from the shift in his expressions to the focus of his gaze, and even the aura he exuded did not escape her keen observation.


    She understood exactly what Alexi was contemting at that moment, and it filled her with rage. An evil glint shed in her eyes as she continued to fixate on him, signaling her sinister intentions. It was clear that she was plotting something malevolent, and it didn’t bode well for anyone else involved.


    Her desire for Alexi was morphing into something twisted and malevolent, fueled by possessiveness that was evolving into obsession. This transformation was unfolding unnoticed by everyone, even Hera, who couldn’t have predicted it would escte to this degree. At this point, Minerva’s warped emotions were still in their nascent stage, but the danger they posed was unmistakable.


    Amidst the bustling activity, Minerva sat silently on the sidelines, her demeanor somewhat eerie, yet unnoticed by the others engrossed in their own tasks.