Solo interview replay: the reckoning begins

Unfortunately, he had no chance now...

With so many years of experience on camera, Xie Jiali had already composed himself. None of his thoughts showed as he asked mildly:

"Did you reveal these today in the first three seasons?"

A staff member smiled, seemingly aware that he was in a bad mood, and explained patiently:

"This is something new for this season. Don't worry, we're only drawing four guests this round. You might not be picked."

Xie Jiali tugged at the corner of his mouth. Why would he be afraid of being picked? His interview had been airtight.

Whatever. Just get on with the draw.

He really was mentally exhausted now, felt a little unwell, and didn't want to face the cameras.

Besides, it wasn't as though he didn't know. These so-called random draws were just little tricks to fool the viewers watching on their Mindnets. They would show whoever the audience wanted to see.

Just before they began, Su Yue finally returned as well. His expression was calm and his steps unhurried, giving nothing away.

Sitting beside Shi Zhou, Xie Jiali glanced at him.

The host smiled and swirled a hand around inside the box. "...Let's see. The first one is-"

"Zheng Yu."

Everyone looked at the big screen.

In the video, Zheng Yu looked sweet and demure. When asked why he had come on the show and what type of person he liked, he put on a shy expression.

"I like someone older and steady."

Everyone suppressed their laughter and glanced at Bai Shen. Although they didn't know why Zheng Yu had said that in his first solo interview, the image he presented in the video clearly bore no resemblance to his actual personality.

Seeing himself in the video, Zheng Yu was the first to roll his eyes, unable to help himself, and deliberately pretended to gag.

Everyone knew he was mocking himself in an exaggerated way, and they all burst out laughing.

The live comments joined in with a flood of "Hahahahaha."

-Has he finally realized how fake he sounded saying all that? God.

-I'm dying. Before it even aired, I told my friend he was definitely a mean gay pretending to be demure. He made eight hundred little hand gestures a second while talking.

-He's better like this. Just be yourself! Putting on an act is so awkward, and it doesn't make people like you.

Zheng Yu said, "None of what I said up there counts."

He waved his arms with exaggerated flair. "Starting tomorrow, let's get to know each other all over again, okay?"

He had figured it out. Why should he listen to his parents? Bai Shen didn't like him anyway, and keeping up the act was exhausting.

Now that he was with the production team, surely his parents couldn't come all the way here to make a scene?

He would deal with the future when it came. Whatever. They could beat him to death if they dared.

This act has worn this queen out.

Watching him roll his eyes over and over, Yu Manman held back a laugh. "We've already gotten to know you all over again tonight."

"Hahahahaha!"

Once everyone had finished laughing, they understood what the production team was doing.

They just wanted to make us eat our words!

If something they had said at the beginning contrasted sharply with their later behavior, the production team would drag it back out to publicly embarrass them.

They had loved watching this sort of thing in the first three seasons.

Now that they were the ones sitting here, their feelings were indescribably complicated.

Sigh.

Just like the guests in the first three seasons, their smiles faded as they all tried to remember whether they had said anything that could come back to bite them.

After thinking about it, it seemed they really had!

It felt like being a failing student about to have their grades read aloud in front of every teacher and student in school. They couldn't sit still!

As realization dawned, their smiles froze, and they immediately glared at the production team.

Damn it, this production team was evil!

Seeing that the guests had caught on, the production team felt no shame.

And yes, they really had rigged it. So what?

The monitoring team and writing team had decided who to pick based on the guests' performance in the game just now.

Still, they had to keep up appearances.

Holding the cue cards, the host reached into the box again.

Putting on a surprised look and covering their mouth, the host said, "...The second one. Let's see."

"It's Su Yue."

Everyone turned to look at Su Yue.

He had certainly given them all a shock today.

-Here it comes! I declare this the segment I've been looking forward to most tonight! (Arms spread wide.jpg)

-Hehehe. Mr. Sour Face, your day has finally come!

-Make him eat his words! Every last one!

Su Yue's refined, handsome face appeared on the big screen. His expression was cold, and his icy blue eyes were filled with impatience.

"May I ask why you came on Heart-Pounding Expedition?"

Su Yue gave a brief answer.

"My superior ordered me."

"Pfft-"

Someone couldn't hold back a laugh.

The same thought crossed everyone's mind:

So arrogant.

Even in the video, they could hear the director struggling to keep their composure. Only after a long pause did the second question come.

"What are you hoping to get out of coming on Heart-Pounding Expedition...?"

Su Yue's answer was still brief and merciless.

"Nothing."

-Nothing, nothing, nothing. Important things bear repeating three times~ (Sarcastic face.jpg)

-Wow, then who was the guy who got drunk just now, held that young man and tried to kiss him, pinning him down so he couldn't move? He even said no! (Pointing fingers.jpg)

-Back when Su Yue was so sure he'd never eat his words, I knew it, hahahaha! I just didn't expect it to happen this fast!

-Based on my years of experience watching dating reality shows, everyone, don't get ahead of yourselves. This isn't the end of him eating his words. It's only the beginning!

The live comments were having an absolute field day. Shi Zhou marveled at it.

If he were Su Yue, he really wouldn't have the courage to face anyone again.

This was far too embarrassing.

Everyone couldn't help looking at the screen, then back at Su Yue sitting in front of them.

My God, was the person in that video really Su Yue?

They recalled the slightly bashful Su Yue on the spaceship saying, "What good is being strong in other areas? This is a dating reality show."

Good heavens, the difference was enormous.

It had only been a few days, yet Su Yue seemed like an entirely different person had taken over his body.

Xie Jiali had briefly forgotten his troubles, but now, watching this, the corners of his mouth sank again.

Su Yue hadn't actually kissed Shi Zhou earlier, and Xie Jiali did respect him a little more for that.

If it had been him, he might not have been able to hold himself back in that situation.

But now that Su Yue's solo interview was being shown, although it made him eat his words-

Hadn't it also brought his feelings out into the open?

Would he keep pretending from now on?

Xie Jiali turned to glance at him. Sure enough, Su Yue's expression hadn't shifted at all at the clips being played. He looked as though he had long since prepared himself.

For the first time, Xie Jiali felt a little regret.

Should I have done the same back then...?

Forget it. There's no point dwelling on it.

Although he had suffered one blow after another over the past two days, Xie Jiali was someone who, once his mind was made up, would never give up.

"Then who has left the strongest impression on you since you came on the show?"

Several guests looked up, their expressions ranging from grave to puzzled to curious.

"...Shi Zhou."

Shi Zhou knew the reason. He couldn't spare any attention to analyze anyone else now, and could only awkwardly search Su Yue's face for a reaction.

Su Yue glanced at him, looking cool.

-Mr. Try-Hard, confess! Did you have your eye on my wife all along? I won't allow it!

-Exactly, exactly! Why did he say Shi Zhou? They barely interacted at the start, right?

-Could they have known each other before?

The guests present wanted to ask that too, but the production team gave them no time to discuss it. The host quickly drew the third guest.

"Asta."

His answer was hilarious. It was actually-"To make money."

Asta raised an eyebrow. Sure, his reason was funny, but why were they showing his solo interview?

In the interview, he readily explained that even the Manor featured in the opening teaser had been rented to the production team by him. He had come on the show because he was bored, and to make a little money on the side to support his luxury cars and collectibles.

That answer was very Asta.

When asked what kind of person he liked, Asta answered firmly:

"A woman. It has to be a woman!"

"Hmm, preferably with big boobs, a slim waist, and long legs..."

He rested his chin on his hand in the video and rattled on.

-No, seriously. I can't with him!

-Ohhh, I think I've figured out why they're showing his solo interview. Now it just depends on whether he wants to eat his words.

Asta had been laughing nonstop at his friends' videos just moments ago, but when his own turn came, he froze completely and couldn't laugh anymore.

For some reason, he instinctively glanced at Shi Zhou, only to find that he was laughing too.

And laughing very loudly.

A hint of embarrassed indignation immediately crept into his expression. "Hey, you never told me back then that you'd show this to everyone."

"If I'd known, I would've answered seriously. None of that counts!"

The people around him chuckled. With only one slot left, they all breathed a sigh of relief. A one-in-five chance-it wouldn't be them.

They all made a show of trying to stop Asta as they watched him spout nonsense in the video and get thoroughly roasted.

Seeing that Shi Zhou was laughing the loudest, Asta ran a hand through his hair and laughed along.

Whatever.

Let him laugh. It didn't matter. He wasn't someone who cared about this sort of thing.

"...All right, then the fourth one is-"

"Shi Zhou."

Shi Zhou stopped laughing. He looked left and right, straightened in his seat, and couldn't help lifting a finger to point blankly at himself.

"Huh? Me?"

One out of five, and they still had to pick me?