I'm a Hopeless Romantic

[Folks, mystery solved. Didn't you hear what Bai Luochuan called him just now? He called him Mr. Qi Yu too, and even said he fit the character. Isn't that the show's official way of telling us Qi Yu is just a cosplay actor?]

[I can finally stop worrying. I told you Qi Yu would never be some hopeless lovesick fool!]

[Even if everyone in the world were a hopeless romantic, Qi Yu wouldn't be! Cold and silent-that's his style! Get someone else to play him next episode!]

[Bai Luochuan actually thinks this behavior fits the character? He's a fake fan, isn't he!]

[But I think this version might work too... When he stands with Bai Luochuan, their interactions feel so sweet...]

[Don't ship crack pairings. Shipping everything will only hurt you.]

[Holy shit, Folks, look over there! The Chengxing CP is giving us sweet moments! Sob, I knew you two were real!]

Amid the noisy barrage of comments, Yan Cheng and Lan Muxing also emerged from the hospital.

But unlike Bai Luochuan and Qi Yu, they weren't walking out on their own.

Lan Muxing was on Yan Cheng's back.

His eyes were filled with guilt and unease.

His pretty cheeks were flushed red.

As though he really were on his crush's back, he portrayed that bashful look to perfection.

When they reached the others, Yan Cheng set Lan Muxing down.

With reddened eyes, Lan Muxing sheepishly explained to everyone that he had been so frightened on the way out that he had missed a step and accidentally twisted his ankle.

Tears glistened in the corners of the lovely, vulnerable Omega's eyes.

It sent his fans into another frenzy of heartache.

The medical team came over to examine Lan Muxing. He Gui, who had been hiding alone inside a building, was brought out as well, joining Chu Zhu, who had already regained consciousness.

Although this round of the game had also been fraught with problems,

at least the final result was what the production team had wanted.

The pairings had been successfully made.

And they were exactly the combinations the production team wanted most.

Instead of the AO and BB pairings everyone had initially expected, they now had not only the audience's most anticipated Chengxing CP, but even an AB romance between Bai Luochuan and Qi Yu, as well as a BO romance between the two who had been forced into a pair.

How exciting would the upcoming activities be!

The director hardly dared to imagine it!

But before that,

they had to sort out lunch for everyone.

The production team brought out two kinds of boxed meals.

One was the most ordinary kind of staff meal.

Two vegetable dishes and one meat dish, served with rice-it didn't look particularly appetizing.

As for the other meal, never mind how it tasted: its colors and aroma alone made it clear that it was on an entirely different level from the ordinary boxed staff meals.

The ingredients were decidedly high-end too.

It was exactly the sort of meal that would satisfy the guests present.

And after a morning of activities, everyone really was hungry.

Their gazes landed on the high-end boxed meal almost simultaneously.

Bai Luochuan swallowed, utterly lacking in dignity.

Fuck.

Brother Chen hadn't lied to me!

The production team really does feed us!

But just as he thought he could feast, the host appeared again and told them that only one high-end boxed meal had been prepared, a delicacy exclusively for the game's winner.

As for this round's game, it was simple and straightforward.

It was a finger-folding game.

Everyone would hold up one hand and name something they had done.

If the others had done it too, they could keep their fingers up. If they hadn't, they had to fold one finger down.

Once everyone had spoken, whoever had the most fingers left up would win.

Lan Muxing went first.

He stole a glance at Yan Cheng beside him, then looked at Qi Yu farther away.

Blushing, Lan Muxing said, "I joined this variety show because I wanted to see someone."

He was blatantly selling their pairing.

Yan Cheng caught his meaning and didn't fold a finger.

He Gui, Chu Zhu, and Bai Luochuan, who had come for the money, promptly folded theirs.

Unexpectedly, Qi Yu kept his fingers firmly extended, showing no intention of folding one down.

He wasn't acting.

He meant it.

He had even specifically snatched up a spot at the last minute.

Had any of that been easy for him?

Everyone looked at Qi Yu uncertainly.

Only Bai Luochuan was focused on the boxed meals set between them.

It didn't have to be the high-end one.

The ordinary one would do too.

It really was better than instant noodles!

He was so hungry that tears were practically about to spill from the corners of his mouth.

[My ship really is real!]

[Lan Muxing really came for Yan Cheng, aaaaah!]

[But why did he look at Qi Yu?]

[Either works! I ship them all!]

He Gui went second.

After thinking for a moment, he said, "I've never used a double while filming."

Apart from Qi Yu, pretty much everyone present worked in entertainment.

They had all taken on some film or television work, more or less, but occasionally they still needed doubles.

So, after looking around,

everyone folded a finger down this round.

[Yan Cheng used a stunt double for fight scenes, baby Mu Xing used a kissing double, and Chu Zhu and Bai Luochuan haven't entered film or television. All makes sense!]

[Does "Qi Yu" count as Qi Yu playing this game, or as the actor playing him?]

Then it was Chu Zhu's turn.

He was already extremely irritated by the previous two rounds of games.

Now he wasn't thinking about anything else. He just wanted to win.

So, with almost no hesitation,

he said, "I own more than twenty properties across the Empire. In the Main City alone, I have three properties worth over ten million."

The young master of a tycoon family.

The others couldn't compete.

But Qi Yu still didn't fold a finger.

Like a peacock spreading his tail, he also glanced at Bai Luochuan beside him.

Qi Yu: ...

What the hell is so interesting about that lousy boxed meal!?

Can't you take a look at your husband's immense wealth? Even if you ate my money, there's enough to stuff you to death!

[Qi Yu really is a huge tycoon... So much money...]

[I don't get it. He's just cosplaying, so what gives him the right not to fold a finger?]

[Does this count as part of staying in character too?]

[So, what you're saying is... maybe he really is Qi Yu?]

[Who are you insulting!?]

Yan Cheng was the next to speak.

Playing along with Lan Muxing to sell their pairing, he said with tenderness in his eyes, "There's someone here I care about a lot."

Of course, Lan Muxing didn't fold a finger.

Neither did Qi Yu.

But when he watched Bai Luochuan promptly fold a finger down, Qi Yu felt as though his entire being had shattered.

The comments were all gushing over the Chengxing CP.

Bai Luochuan was the next to speak.

Lifting his eyes, he said, "I've been married for over a year."

Without any explanation, everyone knew he meant in the game.

But they still folded their fingers down.

After all, people in entertainment were especially wary of getting mixed up in this subject.

Only Qi Yu didn't.

Keeping his fingers firmly raised and looking into Bai Luochuan's eyes, he smiled and said, "Me too. As of today, I've been married for one year, three months, and five days."

Then, without giving anyone a chance to ask questions, Qi Yu took a deep breath and continued with his own statement:

"I'm a hopeless romantic. Terminal case. The kind who's voluntarily given up on treatment."