Filming for the first episode began the next day.
Sheng Nian was dragged out of bed early that morning by his manager, Kari.
Kari had an assistant pack his luggage while she fussed around him, reminding him over and over, "Young master, you can't act like you used to on this variety show. Whatever temper you've got, don't lose it on camera. That He Gu is a schemer. Don't clash with him."
"I thought you did pretty well yesterday. Just be yourself in front of the cameras..."
She kept going on and on. What she really wanted to say was that Sheng Nian should stop liking Jiang Shu. She couldn't see anything about the man that deserved the young master's affection, but she couldn't say that in front of Sheng Nian, or he would get angry again.
Sheng Nian listened to her nagging, but his mind was on how to increase his progress quickly. He really didn't want to keep up his lovesick persona anymore.
Once everything was packed, Sheng Nian took his suitcase and rode a hovercar to the Heartbeat House arranged by the production team.
The production team had money. The Heartbeat House they had originally arranged was a four-story villa.
But once Yan Feizhuo decided to join the show, that four-story villa wasn't good enough for him. There was also the issue of security, so he simply offered a small estate he owned on the outskirts of the city for the production team to use as the Heartbeat House.
This small estate would serve as the eleven guests' residence during filming. Unless they went out on missions, everything on the estate would be livestreamed.
The hovercar stopped at the estate's entrance, and Sheng Nian ran into Ye Heng as soon as he got out.
Remembering the things the system had spoiled for him about what Ye Heng had done, he was still somewhat afraid of this madman from the original novel's plot. He stopped where he was, planning to wait until the man had gone farther away.
To his surprise, Ye Heng spotted him and came over to greet him. "Good morning, Mr. Sheng."
Sheng Nian was a little wary, but with the cameras filming, he replied quietly, "Good morning, Mr. Ye."
Ye Heng looked at the enormous suitcase behind him and asked like a gentleman, "Do you need a hand?"
Director Ren had told them yesterday that they couldn't bring assistants during filming and had to do everything themselves, so getting this huge suitcase into the house would take some effort.
But Sheng Nian didn't dare trouble Ye Heng. He was just about to speak when several more hovercars pulled up one after another behind them. Jiang Shu, He Gu, Yan Feizhuo, and Mu Ran all got out and walked toward them.
Sheng Nian: What a crowd...
This was Yan Feizhuo's first appearance on camera for the dating show, and the live comments immediately exploded.
[Holy shit! Is that Yan Feizhuo????]
[Wait, the mystery guest the production team mentioned is Mr. Yan? How did old man Ren manage to get a big shot like him on board?]
[Hang on, can someone explain who this is? I'm desperate to get in on the gossip. Waiting for answers!]
[Just look him up yourself. Basically, this guy belongs on the cover of the top interstellar finance magazines. Why is he filming a dating show? Even big shots need to fall in love?]
[He's Sheng Nian's partner who hadn't appeared on camera??? Sheng Nian's got it so good!!!]
[I'm jealous! As if Sheng Nian deserves him!]
[With this guy around, no wonder Sheng Nian didn't choose Jiang Shu, hahahahahaha.]
[Hah, not necessarily. After all those degrading things Sheng Nian did chasing after Jiang Shu, maybe he's just playing hard to get.]
They all exchanged greetings.
"Nian? Why are you standing out here instead of going inside?" Thinking of what had happened yesterday, Jiang Shu took the initiative to greet him.
Sheng Nian immediately switched expressions, entering battle mode.
"Good morning, Jiang Shu. I was just about to go in when I ran into Mr. Ye. He offered to carry my luggage, but I felt bad troubling him."
Hearing this, Jiang Shu glanced at the large suitcase sitting by the entrance behind him and figured he probably couldn't move it.
"Then let me wheel it in for you."
Sheng Nian didn't want this scumbag touching his things at all. The little figure in the bubble pulled the suitcase behind himself protectively, looking as though he wished he could stay eight hundred meters away from Jiang Shu.
Yan Feizhuo blinked, confirming that he could still see the little figure in the bubble.
He had gone to the hospital for an examination yesterday. There was nothing wrong with his eyes, his body, or even his mental state. Seeing the bubble again today meant it wasn't a hallucination, either...
He heard the little figure grumbling, "Back off, back off, back off!"
Then he looked at Sheng Nian himself, who seemed overwhelmed by the favor. Yan Feizhuo chuckled and stepped forward. "I'll do it. I'm Sheng Nian's partner today, after all. You should be helping your own partner with his luggage, Mr. Jiang."
Jiang Shu looked at the two large suitcases behind He Gu and hesitated for a moment.
He Gu said gently, "Shu, I'm fine. I usually carry my own luggage anyway. Nian, on the other hand, has never done this sort of thing growing up. Help him with his."
Sheng Nian: "?"
Seriously, why are you putting me down again out of nowhere?
Inside the transparent bubble, a "╬" symbol appeared on the forehead of the little figure dressed in the same clothes. His little feet stomped hard, making him look utterly furious, while a constant stream of curses came through his thoughts.
[You damn fake innocent. You're so annoying! If I didn't have to stay in character right now, I'd tear you apart!]
Yan Feizhuo's fingers paused on his prayer beads, and he cast an unobtrusive glance at He Gu.
"If you can't carry them, just say so, Mr. He. No need to put on a brave face. Mr. Jiang is your Heartbeat partner today. It's only right for him to carry a suitcase for you."
He Gu didn't know how to respond to that, and even the gentle smile on his face stiffened.
[That's my trusty tool!] The little figure in the bubble put his hands together beneath his chin, framing his face like a flower, and gazed at him admiringly with sparkling eyes.
"No need. My luggage is too heavy. You'd get really tired, Jiang Shu. I won't trouble Mr. Yan or Mr. Ye, either."
As he spoke, Sheng Nian activated the suitcase's automatic follow function and said with a smile, "My suitcase is the latest fully automatic model. It'll follow me wherever I go, so I don't need any help~"
Jiang Shu: "..."
Yan Feizhuo: "..."
Ye Heng: "..."
He Gu bit down even harder on his lower lip, staring fixedly at the brilliant smile on Sheng Nian's face.
[I hereby declare the fully automatic suitcase the winner of this showdown!]
[I'm dying. That suitcase hovering along behind Sheng Nian really looks like it's mocking all three men.]
[I switched out to check the price of that suitcase. Never mind. I'm not worthy!]
[Sorry, seeing three men I can never have get shut down just makes me want to laugh, hahahahahaha...]
Sheng Nian blinked his doe eyes, ignored the awkward atmosphere, and said with a smile, "Let's head inside."
With that, he led the way toward the villa on the estate, his fully automatic suitcase following obediently behind him.
Hearing the little figure in the bubble humming a cheerful tune left Yan Feizhuo grinding his teeth a little. He glanced at the others, then stepped forward and followed.
Seeing this, the others stopped lingering and headed toward the villa as well.
Before you continue