Chocolate Stick Game

The staff around Song Yunxing all looked at him strangely.

He had only just come downstairs. How could his heart rate be so high?

Even taking a shower could not have pushed it that high!

Unless...

Song Yunxing's face flushed crimson as he desperately came up with a terrible excuse.

"I was exercising upstairs! That's why my heart rate is so high!"

The staff looked stunned. Were they really allowed to hear this?

The four guests wore teasing expressions that said either "I understand" or "It's good to be young."

Even the bespectacled female assistant director standing nearby could not help raising her rundown to hide her face, which was contorted with laughter.

As one of the show's female directors, she was a decisive, efficient planner by day. Online, however, she was the entertainment industry's most famous fanfiction writer.

Back when Shen Yanci and Song Yunxing were each top stars in the industry, she had already noticed something fishy between them. Before, she could only invent sweet moments for them! Now she was getting paid to ship them up close! It could not have been better!

Tonight would be another night of unstoppable inspiration!!!

The guests downstairs had already put on their devices and were sitting on the sofa, ready to film.

Footsteps sounded from the stairway. Dressed in casual clothes, Shen Yanci calmly put on his wristband.

"Mr. Shen, are you planning to wear that? Those don't look like pajamas," a staff member beside him said.

"Close enough. It doesn't matter." The man casually straightened his sleeves and sat down beside Song Yunxing.

Song Yunxing stiffened, turned his face away mechanically, and instinctively put some distance between them.

The female director suppressed her internal cackling, pushed up her glasses, and scribbled furiously.

The livestream began right on time, with the pajama-clad guests appearing on camera together.

The chat came alive again.

[Wow! It's a pajama party tonight!]

[So many gorgeous guys and girls. I don't even know who to look at!]

[Xingxing looks even younger in pajamas! Sob, he hasn't changed at all after so many years in the industry! So cute~]

[Wait, those aren't pajamas Shen Yanci's wearing, are they?]

Director Guo, who had disappeared for a while, returned and stood behind the camera with a megaphone.

"Everyone, how was your two-day experience of life in Yu City? Let's spend our remaining time spilling some honest truths." Director Guo pulled away the white cloth beside him.

Underneath was a large screen displaying all the guests' live heart rates, with most readings between 60 and 80.

"Whether you choose truth or Daring Challenge, there's nowhere to hide your racing hearts! It's time to identify the True or False Lovers! No matter how brilliant your acting is, you can't fool our state-of-the-art equipment!"

Director Guo's expression abruptly changed. Beaming, he rattled off an introduction to the show's sponsors and the company sponsoring the equipment.

[LMAO, he suddenly started reading out the sponsors' names!]

[Hahaha, who knew the director had a talent for rap?]

[Here it comes, the exciting part! Come figure out which couples are real! Get your predictions in~]

[Lu Ran and Yu Wan's couples both seem pretty normal, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're real.]

[Right now, the two most suspicious couples are Shen Yanci and Song Yunxing, and Luo An and Lu Yiyi. They'll start revealing the eliminated couples next episode. Voting out a real couple would really backfire!]

[Not necessarily. Interesting content brings in views, after all. I'd rather watch Shen Yanci and Song Yunxing interact. Feelings are hard to tell apart, real or fake.]

The director brought out a wine bottle and two large boxes from behind him.

The box on the left was labeled "Couples' questions," while the large box on the right said "Couples' challenges."

"Whoever the bottle points to must choose a question or a challenge. Questions can be drawn at random or asked by one of the guests here. We'll start with Luo An on the far right!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the director handed the wine bottle to Luo An.

Luo An took it without any particular reaction.

After all, they were professionals at pretending to be a couple. They had to memorize each other's preferences and basic daily habits, so they remembered them whether they wanted to or not.

Luo An set the bottle on the living room table and gave it a casual spin, sending it whirling across the tabletop.

Everyone held their breath, waiting for the first chosen one.

After spinning rapidly, the wine bottle gradually slowed, its neck pointing at Shi Jinyan at the side of the sofa.

Shi Jinyan clearly had not expected to be chosen either. He froze for a moment before looking up at Yu Wan.

"What should we pick?"

"Whatever you like. I'm fine with either." Yu Wan shrugged, her curious gaze landing on the box on the right. "But I do wonder what's in the Daring Challenge box."

"Then let's go with Daring Challenge." Shi Jinyan stood and reached in to grab a folded slip of paper.

He unfolded the slip and held it up to the camera.

{Chocolate Stick Game: The rumored couple must each hold one end of a chocolate stick between their teeth, facing each other. Leave less than 1 cm of the chocolate stick to complete the challenge.}

{P.S. If you refuse the task, the true nature of your relationship will be revealed immediately.}

The livestream chat instantly exploded.

[Holy shit, Director, you're going all out!]

[This is only the first couple! You're taking it this far already?!]

[Aaaaah! Great! I love it! Give us more!]

[Director, you know exactly what I want!]

"Well? Are you accepting this Daring Challenge?" Director Guo sat behind the camera, eagerly watching the fun.

Yu Wan chuckled, stood up, and picked up a chocolate stick, looking down at Director Guo.

"Of course! But you'd better explain why you only gave us fifty yuan this afternoon!" Yu Wan smiled through gritted teeth. "You do realize a taxi from the market to here costs fifty yuan all by itself!"

The tall, imposing Shi Jinyan approached as well, his overwhelming presence making Director Guo swallow nervously.

"Wait! Don't come any closer!" Director Guo covered his head in a panic. Seeing things go south, he immediately dropped to one knee in surrender. "I was wrong, I was wrong! It was all for the show! I wanted to see how you'd react and handle being short on money! I didn't expect you to go earn some yourself!"

"Hmph! Glad you know it! If you dare pull strings behind the scenes again, you'll answer to me!" Yu Wan gave a haughty snort and bit down on the chocolate stick.

Yu Wan took excellent care of herself and looked nothing like someone in her thirties. Her shifting gaze held the distinctive allure of a mature woman.

She shot Shi Jinyan a flirtatious look. Taking the cue, he strode over and decisively bit off more than half the chocolate stick.

Their heart rates slowly rose, and the audience's hearts were in their throats.

Watching from the sofa, Song Yunxing curled up in excitement, his eyes fixed on the pair.

Seriously? They're so practiced at this. Don't tell me they're secretly married!

The heart rate on Song Yunxing's wristband gradually climbed, almost surpassing those of the two people taking the challenge.

Shen Yanci glanced at him, his gaze settling on the young man's face.

The young man's cheeks were tinged pink. His bright brown eyes stared without blinking, and his pale pink lips were pressed together in concentration.

The man's gaze lingered on the young man's lips before he lowered his lashes.

He's so focused on watching other people get intimate, yet he makes a fuss whenever I get the slightest bit close...

Completely oblivious to his gaze, Song Yunxing watched nervously and excitedly as the pair's lips drew closer.

But Shi Jinyan turned his head, deftly blocking everyone's view, including the camera's.

A moment later, the pair were holding a short piece of chocolate stick.

Their remaining piece met the requirement perfectly, and they passed the Daring Challenge.

Song Yunxing could not help sighing as he looked at them regretfully, his heart rate gradually dropping again.

[LMAO, Xingxing's heart rate was as high as Yu Wan's!]

[Adorable Xingxing~ Why isn't he my wife?!]

[Watching the show from the front row. Xingxing's having the time of his life.]

[I hope Xingxing gets picked soon. Let's see if he can still smile then.]

A new round began, and Shi Jinyan spun the wine bottle.

The bottle made several rotations before its neck slowly stopped in front of Song Yunxing-no, Shen Yanci, who was sitting beside him.

"Mr. Shen, what will you choose?"

Shen Yanci leaned lazily against the sofa. "Truth."

Lu Ran, sitting across from him, excitedly raised her hand. "Me! I have a question for Mr. Shen!"

Shen Yanci nodded casually.

Lu Ran's eyes shifted. "...Um, Mr. Shen, why didn't you come downstairs in pajamas?"

Lu Yiyi, who had been about to ask a question, pursed their lips. What kind of question was that? What a waste of a chance to expose them!

At first, the livestream viewers were just as baffled, unable to understand the point of the question.

Then they noticed Song Yunxing's steady heart rate of 80 rapidly shooting up to 100 on the screen.

Livestream chat: ???