The formidable Bai Shen

The production team was frantic. "Why is another one here?!"

As one of the capital planets, land here was worth its weight in gold. The Manor was a venue the production team had rented.

The owner had expressly forbidden cameras connected to StarNet from being installed in the garden. In other words, none of these moments that had everyone screaming like groundhogs could be broadcast live right away! What a waste!

They had signed Shi Zhou on as a minor supporting guest, never expecting him to make such a splash. The production team hadn't made many preparations, and now they regretted it bitterly.

The man's tall, slender frame was clad in a black military uniform. He was extraordinarily handsome, and the gaze beneath the brim of his military cap carried an intense pressure.

He lifted his eyelids slightly and asked in a low, resonant voice devoid of emotion, "What are you doing here?"

The assistant director from earlier immediately messaged the staff. "Don't let them talk here. Bring Su Yue in for his pre-interview first! Hurry!"

The staff member who had brought Su Yue hurriedly interrupted their conversation. "Uh... well."

He swallowed and forced himself to speak. "Su Yue, the production team is ready for your pre-interview. Please come with me first."

Shi Zhou hung his head, practically dying of embarrassment.

He said nothing. After the three of them stood at an impasse for several seconds, Su Yue drew back his gleaming military boot. His large, white-gloved hand adjusted the brim of his cap, his posture perfectly straight. "Let's go."

The staff member breathed a sigh of relief and whispered to Shi Zhou, "Go put your luggage away first. Everyone's waiting inside."

He felt much more at ease dealing with Shi Zhou, an ordinary newcomer the production team had signed. He offered a soothing word, afraid Shi Zhou might otherwise find a crack in the ground and crawl straight into it.

Still, what was going on? How did Shi Zhou know Su Yue?!

God, he was dying for the gossip.

At the staff member's words, Shi Zhou nodded haphazardly, grabbed his suitcase, and hurried inside. Leaving wasn't an option now. If he left, he couldn't afford the breach-of-contract penalty of ten times his fee even if he sold himself.

[System, why didn't you tell me that the man back then was Su Yue?]

Aaaaaah!

Xie Jiali was the actual victim, yet, oddly enough, Shi Zhou wasn't afraid of him. But one look from Su Yue's emotionless eyes could turn Shi Zhou red from head to toe with shame.

The First Academy's committee was nothing as simple as the student councils of ancient Earth. As a leading institution supplying talent to the Federation, its committee members were all presumed to come from prominent families with intricate connections. They also had to possess outstanding résumés and exceptional looks. That went double for the seven committee chairs who managed it, candidates on a direct track to positions in the Federation's central government.

If they hadn't singled Shi Zhou out as a textbook example of serious misconduct, he might never have crossed paths with those seven in his entire life.

And the person Shi Zhou had just encountered was one of the seven most outstanding committee chairs of this term.

Just thinking about it made him want to faint!

Because, as far as the committee was concerned, Shi Zhou should currently be at home reflecting on his mistakes, right? Yet after being ordered to take a leave of absence, he had run off to join a Dating Reality Show?

And he had joined the very same show as the committee chair who had issued that order.

Haha.

His future was pitch-black. Refreshingly chilly.

The system couldn't tell him too much about the hidden circumstances yet, so it reassured him. [Don't be afraid. I checked. Participating in a variety show doesn't violate your school's rules.]

After all, Shi Zhou had been controlled by the plot and had no memories whatsoever of his life at school.

Without realizing it, Shi Zhou had reached the villa entrance. He nodded. "I understand. This is my chance to change my fate. I have to seize it, don't I?"

After all, the committee had been making plenty of moves beyond dealing with him. If there weren't more to the situation, they would surely have expelled him outright. Why would they only suspend him for a year?

Since he was already at rock bottom, any direction he took would lead upward. He had to make the most of the opportunity the system and the production team had given him.

The moment he pushed the door open and entered, the system notification sounded. [Task completed: join the Dating Reality Show. 200,000 Starcoins have been issued.]

Shi Zhou relaxed. The interest on his family's debts for the next few months was covered now, and a smile rose to his face.

He climbed the steps carved with exquisite reliefs, and two doors styled after those of ancient Earth opened automatically. Inside, the ornaments and décor complemented one another in a dazzling display. Even more beautiful were the men and women within, some sitting, others standing, as though posing for the cover of a luxury magazine.

Shi Zhou waved with a smile and bowed slightly. "Hello, everyone. My name is Shi Zhou."

"I look forward to getting to know you all!"

Only now had he truly stepped into the filming location for the first episode of the hottest variety show in the entire interstellar world.

A torrent of live comments poured in, scrolling at lightning speed:

-Wow, the new guest is so pretty!

-Season four, here we come! Sob, sob, my eyes are in for a treat!

-Those legs are so long! His proportions are amazing. I wonder if they'll go to the beach this season. (¯﹃¯)

-I need to get my friends to watch right now. This season's opening already has me wanting to scream!

The live chat was buzzing, and the atmosphere on set was much better than he had imagined, too.

The two women came up first, greeting him one after the other. One was an ordinary guest selected by the production team. Her large eyes seemed to speak, and her face was so sweet that one look could set a heart fluttering.

"I'm Lin Yuxi. Welcome, welcome." Her voice was adorable, too.

Her initiative quickly broke the awkward silence. Shi Zhou smiled and shook her hand. "Hello."

The other woman had delicate features and a distinctive sense of style. She seemed a little shy, but still took the initiative to shake Shi Zhou's hand. "I'm Yu Manman."

Although Shi Zhou didn't know who each male lead was paired with, the dating-show extra had focused on six characters, and Yu Manman was one of them.

She was a fashion and beauty blogger with over a hundred million followers across StarNet's major platforms, had her own clothing brand, and enjoyed BJD android dolls.

He wondered whether she would have anything in common with the male lead who researched AI android technology.

Shi Zhou looked toward the center of the living room, failing to notice that Yu Manman had held his hand a little longer than necessary. He asked in surprise, "We're allowed to use our Mindnets?"

The man leaning back at the table and typing on a keyboard paused briefly. He took off his glasses unhurriedly, rested his elbow on the back of his chair, and glanced at Shi Zhou.

He had broad shoulders, deep-set eyes, and a restrained, profound air. His shirt and suit trousers were immaculate, and an unmistakable refinement radiated from him.

God, every one of these guests was so gorgeous! It was like the novel's descriptions had come to life.

Shi Zhou thought he already knew who this was.

So he smiled and said, "Sorry to interrupt your work. I'm Shi Zhou."

The man gave a slight nod. "Bai Shen."

Then he turned back to his Mindnet. His black hair was swept back, and in profile, his high nose and flawless bone structure made him look both stern and gentlemanly.

His voice was also the kind of deep bass that could get someone pregnant.

Shi Zhou noticed that the two women beside him couldn't help looking at Bai Shen. Even the live comments were flooded with remarks.

-Look at Bai Shen's build. My god, he could hold someone all day without getting tired, couldn't he?

-I want to lick straight through my screen. Can I please bury my face in that chest? I'm dying of thirst!

-So handsome. The new guest is pretty, but there's no way he can compete with an elite catch like this!

If Shi Zhou had known what the live comments were saying, he would certainly have waved his hands in emphatic denial.

After all, this was the original novel's number-one male lead.

Bai Shen came from a medical dynasty highly respected among the rich and powerful. Its hospitals for the general public were also spread throughout the interstellar world, offering affordable prices and effective treatments. So when Bai Shen abandoned medicine for business, the headlines had sparked discussion across the internet.

He was extraordinarily gifted, handsome, and possessed astonishing academic credentials. If he had followed his family's plans, he could absolutely have lived a life everyone envied. Few people had been optimistic when he chose a different, difficult path.

Yet he had proved them wrong almost immediately.

Before long, Bai Shen identified sealed fragments of technology among the technological remains of a fringe civilization. He successfully invested in and restructured three near-bankrupt civilian android AI technology companies, then entered the venture capital industry. He moved from a planet under the Federation's jurisdiction to a capital planet, becoming the youngest deputy director of venture capital in the firm's history at twenty-nine.

The entire internet exploded. That had to require an incredibly deep understanding of technology, bionics, and investing alike!

Medicine had become one of his least defining talents.

This spectacular résumé, combined with the explosive gossip about him "defying his family," brought everyone's curiosity about him to a peak. But Bai Shen kept a low profile, leaving the gossip-hungry public with no way to learn about him. Now, for some unknown reason, he had suddenly joined Heart-Pounding Expedition.

A young man nearby came over to explain. "Mr. Bai Shen needs it for work, so the production team gave him special permission to bring his Mindnet."

"My name is Zheng Yu."

He was the production team's third ordinary guest, with delicate features and a slightly affected voice. His goal was very clear: after speaking, he glanced at Bai Shen. Unfortunately, the man showed no reaction.

Shi Zhou greeted him as well.

With the three guests' help, Shi Zhou put his suitcase away. But all of them, consciously or otherwise, kept a little distance from Bai Shen.

The pressure was too much.

If he appeared online, they would lick their screens and flood the chat with comments. Seeing him in real life, however, was a little intimidating.

He was too accomplished, and his expression was so aloof.

The four of them sat farther away and chatted on the sofa. Shi Zhou observed them discreetly. All three guests stole glances at Bai Shen to varying degrees, shy or curious, but not one dared to go over and strike up a conversation.

Fortunately, a staff member came in to rescue them.

Holding cue cards, the staff member smiled. "Everyone, please gather in the garden. We're going to play a little game to help assign your rooms later."

Lin Yuxi was surprised. "We'll be sharing?"

The staff member replied, "Yes, two people to a suite."

Shi Zhou prayed silently. Please, please let me draw a room key.

There were far too many people on this show he didn't want to room with!