The camera zoomed in, settling on the two bright, striking young men.
The scrolling comments quieted down for a moment, then suddenly took a strange turn.
"Weird, why does something feel off?"
"Why does this look so good together?!"
"Sunny, pretty upperclassman vs. gentle, shy underclassman."
"Holy crap! You nailed it!"
"Aaaaah, no! Nannan, you're still too young to date!"
"I ship it! These two handsome guys look so perfect together!"
"Wait, has nobody noticed how gorgeous this guy's smile is?"
"Officially a fan now: one more time, his name is Yan Ningke!!"
No matter how Song Chunan's mom fans wailed, a huge wave of shippers appeared in the comments.
It was that sudden, that inexplicable.
The staff member monitoring the online data behind the scenes excitedly ran off to report to the director.
Their show had always focused on pets, with the celebrities playing supporting roles, and had always aimed for a peaceful, heartwarming atmosphere.
On top of that, the guests varied in age, so they had never had anything like shippers before.
Was it because the director didn't want them? No. That meant traffic, after all-buzz and discussion that could greatly boost the show's popularity.
Unfortunately, the guests they invited had large age gaps and personalities that didn't really mesh. Forcing a pairing might backfire, so they were better off just focusing on the pets.
A producer on the production team had recommended Yan Ningke to the director. As luck would have it, the celebrity invited for this episode couldn't come because of some negative press, while the remaining candidates had too many extra conditions.
One wanted the show to give him a chance to shine, while another said his dog had never set foot on dirt and demanded that the crew arrange expensive golf-course turf.
The chief director was itching to curse them out.
Right then, Yan Ningke went viral.
The producer put Yan Ningke's viral video and information in front of him. After looking them over, the chief director waved his hand. He was the one!
In truth, the intention behind casting Yan Ningke wasn't all that noble.
The chief director simply wanted to tell those pains in the ass, I'd rather take a bold chance on a complete amateur than agree to your unreasonable demands.
Come if you want. If not, get lost.
But he had never expected Yan Ningke and Lars to surprise him right at the start.
He had chemistry with Song Chunan, and he had a very interesting dog.
Looking at the comments on his tablet and the trending topics on Weibo, the chief director suddenly began to look forward to what came next.
#Song Chunan vs. Yan Ningke ship · New#
#Yan Ningke "Hey! My baby"#
Inside the house, things weren't awkward as expected. After everyone took turns introducing themselves, they began chatting about their pets.
Deng Changjun went first. "This is my dog, Eric. Very mischievous, but very well-behaved too."
Holding her dog, Azina lifted its paw. "Mine's called Lulu. The 'lu' from Marilyn Monroe's Chinese name!"
Song Chunan glanced at the border collie at his feet. "This is French Fries, because I was eating French fries the day I bought this dog."
[Nannan is so cute I could die!]
[Baby is so good at naming things!]
The comments were nothing but praise, making it impossible to tell whether they came from genuine fans or paid commenters.
Yan Ningke patted the head of the dog, who had remained sitting with elegant poise. "Lars, a show-grade husky. Attended training classes, has excellent manners, and won't wreck the house!"
[?? You're lying. I don't believe you!]
[You named a husky Lars, as in Alaska?]
[First time seeing a husky that doesn't wreck the house. Anything I should watch out for?]
[Person above, watch out for his bullshit!]
[Am I the only one wondering whether keeping that neck so stiff gets tiring?]
[Honestly, Lars really is so aloof. Kind of living up to that pedigree.]
Never mind the viewers-even Azina found it a little unbelievable. "Never wrecked the house?"
Yan Ningke smiled faintly. "Never."
At least, not in the two months since he had arrived.
As for whether Lars used to wreck the house, was it possible his owner hadn't let him indoors, so that skill had never awakened?
Nobody knew.
People were drawn to strength, and Lars's air of regarding all living beings as ants made them unable to resist wanting a closer look.
Song Chunan tentatively raised his hand. "Can I pet him?"
Yan Ningke asked the dog, "Lars, this pretty guy wants to say hello. Is that okay?"
Everyone watched curiously.
The husky took a moment to process the information, gave Song Chunan a haughtily aloof look, and lowered his head slightly.
Yan Ningke chuckled. "He said yes."
Song Chunan actually felt flattered by the favor. He wiped his hand on his trousers a few times before reaching over shakily.
[What does it feel like?]
[Looks like he'd feel really nice to pet?]
[I want to possess that dog so badly!!]
[He really looks like a wolf wearing a husky coat!]
Song Chunan grew excited. It felt every bit like having a snow wolf bow down and submit to his gentle touch.
The fur wasn't as coarse as he had imagined. It was soft, with a faint fragrance.
Yan Ningke's take was, If you used body wash that cost tens of thousands a bottle, you'd smell even better than him!
"Oh, someone new?"
A male voice came from outside the door, but the first to enter was a white figure.
The legendary smiling angel-a Samoyed.
Yan Ningke's sharp eyes caught Lars's tail giving two gentle swishes.
Who could resist a soft, fluffy bundle of white?
Especially when those big, watery eyes looked at you. Your heart would melt.
The door opened, and a fashionably dressed young man with a buzz cut and sharp features walked in.
Xiao Jingzhan, twenty-six, had started as an internet celebrity and debuted in Thailand. A pioneer of dual-male-lead dramas, he was unrivaled in the forced-love genre. His sexually charged presence had earned him the title of the sexiest male lead.
He was candid about it, too. After filming his first drama, he had revealed that he liked men, sending the boys' love fangirls into an even greater frenzy. Although the country had loosened up considerably on this front, he was the first entertainer who dared to address it head-on.
Yan Ningke greatly admired the show director's decisiveness. While the big names in the domestic industry were still watching and waiting, he had already spotted the opportunity and invited Xiao Jingzhan.
Not only had he won the anticipation of domestic boys' love fangirls, but he had also drawn in a group of overseas viewers.
Xiao Jingzhan truly deserved the title his fans had given him. Up close, that aura of rugged masculinity was even more palpable.
Yan Ningke stood and smiled. "Hello, Mr. Xiao. I'm Yan Ningke, the new guest for this episode."
Xiao Jingzhan sized him up without showing it, while Yan Ningke kept smiling warmly.
A moment passed.
"Just call me by my name. 'Mr. Xiao' is too formal."
Yan Ningke didn't actually do so. He simply smiled and nodded.
[Weird, something else has slipped in!]
[Sunny, handsome young guy vs. rugged, restrained superstar?]
[You're putting ships together a little too fast!]
[But honestly, you know, honestly...]
[Then say it! The suspense is killing me!]
[When their eyes met just now, there was such a magnetic pull!]
In the study on the villa's second floor, Shao Ke watched coldly as the comments rolled across the top of the screen, one after another.
Magnetic pull, my ass!
Before you continue