This dating reality show had something going for it...

Wen Lin knew there was no salvaging things. He stopped explaining and no longer hid the twisted expression on his face.

He couldn't help looking like that.

He had risked angering Fang Yi and raced against the clock to find a heart ball, all so he could choose Yun Chuan.

Yet while he was talking to Yu Xiuyuan, Yun Chuan had found a heart ball before him, without him noticing.

Ha. What a joke.

Did Yu Xiuyuan hate him that much? Had he deliberately distracted him so he wouldn't notice Yun Chuan finding the heart ball?

Watching the dark expression on Wen Lin's face, Fang Yi gave a self-mocking smile. So this was who he really was. The gentle, innocent sweetheart, the kind little bunny-it had all been an act, and he had actually believed every bit of it.

What an absolute fool.

Wen Lin gathered his thoughts and smiled at the three women, frightening them into taking a step back. Only then did he take a deep breath and say gently, "Ms. Lin is the person I spent the most time with last time. If you don't mind, would you share a suite with me?"

Clenching his back teeth, he told himself that since things had come to this, he could only choose the most famous of them, award-winning actress Lin Qingnuan. At least he could ride her popularity for some extra exposure.

Lin Qingnuan smiled. "Of course I don't mind."

Lin Xi and Li Rou, who had been left over, should have felt a little awkward, but right now, all they felt was relief.

What was wrong with the three people who had found heart balls?

Each had been more frantic than the last when searching for a ball, and each looked more sour than the last when choosing someone.

If they didn't want to choose anyone, why had they searched so desperately?

Was this performance art?

The live comments were complaining too:

"Why can't I follow what's happening? Why do all the people choosing someone look so sour?"

"Fang Yi actually didn't choose Wen Lin? Why is he staring at Yu Dog?"

"God Yun actually frowned? It's so rare to see an expression on his face. Does he really not want to choose anyone?"

"Wen Lin's expression is terrifying. He looks ready to eat someone alive."

"Why do Li Rou and Lin Xi look relieved? I don't understand any of this."

"So the only people happy with this roommate selection were the two left over?"

"This dating reality show has something going for it..."

"This dating reality show has something going for it..."

"This dating reality show has something going for it..."

Director Liu was getting a little rattled as he watched the guests.

What was going on? Had the segment he'd so carefully planned, where they fought and competed for love, turned into a breeding ground for bitter grudges?

After sending the guests back to their rooms to sort out their luggage, Director Liu started tearing at his hair again.

The assistant director hurried over with his phone to share the good news. "Director Liu, the segment went over really well. The viewers are all praising it. It's even trending."

Director Liu quickly took the phone to look. The hashtag #ThisDatingRealityShowHasSomethingGoingForIt# was rapidly gaining traction.

Director Liu left his hair alone and beamed. He'd known his carefully planned segment couldn't possibly go wrong.

Yu Xiuyuan silently followed Yun Chuan back to their room. Yun Chuan walked fast, giving Yu Xiuyuan no chance to talk to him.

This was very unusual.

Award-winning actor Yun Chuan had always been courteous and gentlemanly. Even with someone like him, he had always maintained a surface level of politeness.

Yu Xiuyuan picked at his fingers as he pondered...

Wait, his finger?

Was it because the cut on his finger had healed? He didn't have to take responsibility anymore?

Yun Chuan, you #￥% bastard, are you seriously that nuts?*

Yu Xiuyuan rolled his eyes. Whatever. As long as he hadn't offended him again.

The man wasn't normal. He was like an NPC, operating in ways no human could understand. No wonder even Wen Lin, the Protagonist Shou, couldn't win him over.

He tossed his small bag onto the table, turned around, and went downstairs. Having so little luggage made unpacking easy.

When he reached the first floor and found that no one else had come down yet, he ambled over and slumped into his original seat.

This spot had a good view.

After a while, he grew bored. He looked up at the camera operator following him and said, "Come closer. Give me a close-up. I'll have a chat with my dear little haters."

He took out his phone, searched for the dating reality show's livestream from his individual camera, and opened it, scrolling through the comments and reading them aloud as he answered.

"Oh, the comments are flying by pretty fast. Let's see what everyone's saying.

Yu Dog, get out of showbiz? Sure, sure. I'm leaving soon. Put up with me for another two months and I'll be gone.

You can't stand another two months? Well, there's nothing I can do about that. Ending my contract early means paying a penalty, and I'm not paying that.

When's the other song coming out? Soon, soon. It's already recorded. My manager's arranging it.

How much do I have in savings? That's a bit presumptuous of you.

Draw a cup of water from the heavens? I sang that? When? Don't remember.

I'm such a little shit? Hahaha, a little.

Hey, hey, you can insult me, but don't drag anyone else into it.

I didn't bring much luggage? Of course not. Would I go to all the trouble of dressing up just to please you little haters? Are you even worth it? Oh, no, no, I forgot you're my benefactors. Of course you are. Absolutely worth it. My mistake. Next time, then. I'll definitely pay attention next time and show up in Shengchuang to please you.

Fans and their idol on opposing teams? What fans do I have? Aren't you all haters? I just purged my fanbase. Guaranteed fan-free.

Wen Lin? As long as he doesn't mess with me, I'll stay far, far away from him.

What if he does? I'll take him on immediately, right away, go all out, without wasting a second. I'll go at him until he's dead.

Oh, screw you. You're the ones making it dirty. Bunch of amateurs. At that speed, I wouldn't even bother starting the car for a trip to kindergarten.

All right, time's about up. We'll chat next time."

Yu Xiuyuan put down his phone, yawned, and asked Director Liu, "Little Liu, it's almost noon. Shouldn't it be time to eat?"

Director Liu couldn't be bothered with him and pretended not to hear.

"Little Liu, that's rude. Keep that up and I'll tell everyone you begged and pleaded for me to join the show and bent over backward to make me a star."

Director Liu panicked. "How can you make such outrageous accusations? When have I ever tried to make you a star?"

"When are we eating?"

"In a minute! As soon as everyone's here!"

"You should've said so sooner. Even if I explain now, who knows whether everyone will believe me? Look at the mess we've made."

The viewers: ...We never believed you in the first place.

A little later, once all the guests had assembled, the staff led everyone to the dining room, where the table was already laden with delicacies from land and sea.

Yu Xiuyuan lunged for the food like a ravenous dog and sat at the very end, right in front of the braised tendons.

The others kept politely offering one another seats, and nobody sat down for ages.

Yun Chuan walked around them and chose a seat far away from Yu Xiuyuan.

The room fell quiet for a moment. Wen Lin moved first, sitting to Yun Chuan's left. Lin Qingnuan stopped standing on ceremony and sat to his right.

Li Rou stood there, visibly torn. Before, whenever award-winning actor Yun Chuan was around, she had followed him without thinking. Now...

To hell with it. She walked over to the hairy crabs beside Yu Xiuyuan.

Yu Xiuyuan looked at her and nodded approvingly. "You know your food too."

Li Rou held back an eye roll so hard that her face twitched.

If I sit next to you again, I'm a dog!

Seeing that everyone had finally taken a seat, the director announced that they could eat.

Yu Xiuyuan eagerly picked up a large piece of braised tendon. One mouthful of that rich flavor was pure bliss.

Li Rou glanced at him, then again, and finally couldn't resist picking up a piece of tendon herself.

She couldn't help it. He made it look so delicious.

That earned her another approving remark from Yu Xiuyuan. "You really do know your food."

Li Rou couldn't be bothered to respond. These tendons really were delicious.

On the other side, Lin Qingnuan and Wen Lin were finding topics to chat about with Yun Chuan, who politely gave perfunctory replies. The others ate in silence.

Director Liu felt the room was far too quiet and decided this couldn't go on, so he took the initiative to introduce a topic:

"Everyone has just chosen their roommates, so let's have our three guests explain why they picked their partners to share a room with!"

Yu Xiuyuan's hand paused as he reached for a hairy crab, then switched to picking up a lamb chop.

The live comments paused, then began flooding the screen:

"This director has something going for him."

"This director has something going for him."

"This director has something going for him."