Before the first uproar could even erupt, another had already swept it aside!
Comments kept popping up beneath the Weibo post.
[Aaaah! So you're admitting it!]
[You've held it in for days, and you finally couldn't take it anymore!]
[You two are actually going on this show! Isn't this the go-to show for rumored celebrity couples to go public?]
[Shen Yanci, your first variety show in all these years since your debut is a dating show?]
[That kid's livestream account got banned! I dug through the chat logs forever, and there wasn't a single flirty message! He was just smearing Xingxing for the sake of it!]
[@Yao Zhi, you're already an adult. Take some responsibility for what you say! Saying things that misleading! Fishing for views, huh?]
[Lmao, a delusional fanboy having a meltdown. Shen Yanci, you sure know how to put it!]
The related Trending Search topics had already fallen off the chart. Instead, a new topic, #True or False Lovers Song Yunxing Shen Yanci#, was climbing at a blistering pace.
Meng Ruo breathed a sigh of relief. She continued having the PR team issue clarification statements and blacklisted the other company from future collaborations.
She had been with Xingxing ever since his debut, so naturally, she knew better than anyone how he had earned his success. Tall trees caught the wind; someone would always try to climb aboard and grab a slice of the pie.
Besides, the other party was young. If they stepped in personally, it would only make them look like they were bullying a kid and throwing their weight around.
This time, Shen Yanci had done them a favor, teaching the other side a painful lesson.
But... why had he helped Xingxing? The two of them were already in the spotlight. Wouldn't this only make the rumors harder to dispel?
The team behind True or False Lovers knew how to ride the buzz, too. That very evening, they released the cast list and took the opportunity to promote themselves.
{True or False Lovers production team: Real love or make-believe? You decide. Our all-star ABO dating show, open to every gender, is gearing up to film. This Saturday at 9 a.m., multiple livestream rooms will open at random. Subscribe to True or False Lovers for your first taste of true love.}
A few simple photos of the guests accompanied the post.
Each pair of guest photos featured two well-known celebrities, both standouts in their respective fields.
The first pair featured Lu Yiyi, an Omega actor famous in Chinese entertainment for his innocent, gentle image. Recently, he had been secretly photographed on a date with actor Luo An after they fell for each other while filming.
Onscreen, their love was passionate and heartbreaking; offscreen, it was all sweetness.
Their ship fans were utterly obsessed. Although the man had lost quite a few girlfriend fans, neither had been in the industry long, and they had far more pull together than alone. Both had recently landed plenty of brand deals, and rumor had it they were planning to reunite for their next drama.
The second couple consisted of two celebrities with both popularity and talent, rumored to have been together for seven years and already secretly married: Shi Jinyan, an award-winning action star who had also won international honors, and Yu Wan, a mature, independent female Beta host.
They were openly known to be close within the industry. Fans had even caught them in plenty of photos together and spotted matching clothes and jewelry, but neither had ever responded.
The third couple was VE's chief designer, Gu Nianzhi, and solo female idol Lu Ran.
There had been virtually no rumors linking these two, so the sudden announcement that they were appearing on the show together shocked Lu Ran's fans.
Still, Lu Ran had debuted through one of the country's earliest talent shows and had already been in the industry for eight years. Many of her fans saw her like a daughter. Now that her career was established, there was nothing wrong with her giving romance a try, and most of her fans were supportive.
The fourth couple was the wildly trending, most controversial Mutual-Dislike CP: superstar actor Shen Yanci and popular singer Song Yunxing.
The moment the list was released, it sparked a frenzy of discussion.
[Holy shit, this lineup is stacked!]
[This is literally hell for toxic solo stans and a carnival for ship fans!]
[The Yi-An CP is the GOAT!]
[Song Yunxing and Shen Yanci? They're actually appearing on a variety show together? Production team, you've really pulled off a miracle!]
[More ship fuel! Shen Yanci helped clear up the rumors about Xingxing, and Xingxing is still doing this show even though he's swamped with album prep! You two must be going public.]
[I'm seriously so curious how they got together!]
[Two superstars. Sworn enemies. This is honestly kind of addictive!]
Huge crowds of casual viewers and fans flocked to the comments beneath the official True or False Lovers Weibo account.
Solo fans wailed while ship fans and casual viewers celebrated.
The solo fans were determined to prove their idols were single, while the ship fans and casual viewers were there for the fun. Their goals differed, but everyone eagerly awaited Saturday's livestream filming of True or False Lovers.
#True or False Lovers officially announces its cast# hit the Trending Search chart.
The True or False Lovers show's official account gained followers at a staggering rate. In no time, over a million people had signed up for livestream reminders alone.
This Saturday was destined to be a weekend of explosive viewership.
Meanwhile, Song Yunxing had already received a message from the production team.
Each episode would take them to a different location. To accommodate so many guests' schedules, filming for each episode would last around two days.
They had not disclosed this episode's location, but the production team had reminded them to pack lightweight, long-sleeved clothes. Presumably, it would not be too cold there.
Still, Song Yunxing worriedly touched the back of his neck and opened his phone to buy a huge stack of waterproof gland patches.
He had gone to the hospital for a checkup two days earlier. For some unknown reason, he had actually begun a second differentiation!
Just before his differentiation at sixteen, he had been caught in the rain and run a fever for three days. His differentiation had failed, leaving him an utterly ordinary Beta.
Who would have thought he could still develop at twenty-five? The human body really was amazing.
"Still spacing out? Have you packed your clothes? Xiao Nan will go with you this time. I can't stay with you the whole time. I still have to follow up with the company about your new album." Meng Ruo rapidly replied to messages on her phone.
Xiao Nan was a six-foot-tall female Alpha who loved lifting weights. She was currently carrying her freshly packed suitcase downstairs.
"Most of it's packed. I just haven't finished packing my backpack." Song Yunxing picked up the ukulele beside him and curled up on the sofa, playing a melancholy tune.
"You've already signed the contract. It's too late to back out." Meng Ruo put down her phone, its screen displaying the dating show's cast list.
Song Yunxing sat cross-legged on the sofa in shorts, large stretches of fair skin exposed. His toes shifted unconsciously to the music.
Meng Ruo let out a long sigh and pulled a thin blanket over his feet. "Be careful. Hardly anyone in this lineup is easy to deal with. What happened last time was just the appetizer. Lu Yiyi, Lu Ran, and Luo An are all senior artists at the same company as the New City Dance Troupe. We didn't leak the dating show contract, so whichever way you look at it, it could only have come from their side."
"The show will be livestreamed as it's filmed. If you don't understand what someone means, don't answer. Try not to trade barbs with Shen Yanci, and don't make things too ugly. You aren't a real couple, so you'll probably be off the show within a couple of episodes."
"...Mm." The tune gradually grew cheerful.
Song Yunxing continued strumming his ukulele when his phone suddenly vibrated.
To prepare for any surprise checks by the production team, Meng Ruo had made him add Shen Yanci on WeChat the day before.
A message suddenly appeared in the otherwise empty chat.
{Perverted Vase Bastard: Don't drink again, especially on the show.}
Song Yunxing's fingers flew across the screen.
{Stars Across the Sky: What's it to you! Just worry about yourself!}
The other person paused, then the typing indicator appeared.
{Perverted Vase Bastard: Still angry? I wasn't the one who kissed you first.}
Song Yunxing froze, and the tips of his ears suddenly burned.
{Stars Across the Sky: Shut up! It was just an accident! Like you've never made a mistake!}
The other person paused for about a minute, the typing indicator appearing on and off.
{Perverted Vase Bastard: ...I have. Thinking about it now, I still really regret it.}
{Perverted Vase Bastard: We can't get eliminated in the first episode, so I have to see the kissing maniac for two episodes. I'm suffering, too.}
Song Yunxing's face flushed red with anger, his fingers trembling slightly.
{Stars Across the Sky: Fine, Shen, you bastard. Then neither of us is getting off easy!!}
Before you continue