[I think Chu Ci and Ye Qingzhou's team has a better chance of winning.]
The discussion in the bullet comments was intense.
Seeing this, the director simply launched a poll titled-"Who do you think will win in the end?"
Judging by the current situation, Zhou Jin and Li Muting actually had the best chance of winning. After all, they only needed to earn "200 yuan" today, half the amount required of Ye Qingzhou and Chu Ci.
To the director's surprise, "Chu Ci and Ye Qingzhou" received the most votes, with their team accounting for a full fifty-six percent.
"Li Muting and Zhou Jin" came second, with thirty percent of viewers betting on their victory.
"Zhou Ze and Bai Zihan" came last, with only fourteen percent of viewers betting on them to win.
"To keep the game fair, the team that drew 'hard' can receive an additional skill card."
There was a full three-hundred-yuan difference between the slips marked "hard" and "easy."
The production team felt this was unfair to the team that drew the "hard" slip, so they decided to give them an extra skill card.
The guests also had to draw for the skill card.
Chu Ci once again chose to let Ye Qingzhou draw the skill card.
The contents of the skill card could be kept secret.
After drawing it, Ye Qingzhou handed the skill card to Chu Ci, who gave it a quick look before putting it away.
[We're all friends here. Let us see.]
[What skill card did you two draw?]
[Based on my years of watching variety shows, I think the skill card might be "wipeout" or "swap." "Wipeout" means resetting your opponent's earnings to zero. The difference between that skill and taking off someone's hat is that the former wipes out their money, while the latter lets you take their money for yourself. As for "swap," it means exactly what it says: exchanging your money with your opponent's.]
[I think it could also be a "double card" or a "halve card." As the names suggest, they double or halve the money. The former would be used on your own team, and the latter on your opponents.]
[...Why do I feel like this is no different from an ordinary competitive variety show? Isn't this a dating show? What do the production team's tasks have to do with "dating"?]
Five minutes later.
That viewer's question was answered.
The director gave each team a map marked with task locations. Chu Ci and Ye Qingzhou were the first team to reach one.
The production team had filled the area around the task location with flowers and balloons, and "Let's Get Married" was playing over the speakers. As the two pushed open the door and entered, the song reached the line-"Oh my love, let's get married. I want so much to have a home with you."
A staff member stood inside the task location.
"Hello, welcome..."
Seemingly not expecting two men to walk in, the staff member froze for a few seconds. She looked at Ye Qingzhou, then at Chu Ci, her tone carrying obvious hesitation. "Mr. Ye, have you... come to the wrong place?"
How could their production team's budget possibly stretch to hiring Ye Qingzhou?
She had not watched the livestream and did not know Ye Qingzhou was a surprise guest.
"We're in the right place."
Ye Qingzhou looked up and surveyed their surroundings. Only after finding nothing resembling a task card did he turn his gaze back to the staff member. "What's the task?"
The staff member stammered, "Are... are you sure you're in the right place? This is a dating show, and the tasks we've set are related to 'dating' too. You... you and this gentleman..."
She had never seen two men paired together on a dating show before.
Hearing that the production team's task was related to "dating," Ye Qingzhou's lips curved slightly, and the smile in his eyes deepened. He explained gently, "Mr. Chu is my dating partner today."
When he said "Mr. Chu," Ye Qingzhou's voice was impossibly tender.
[Oh, that's seriously so sweet.]
[Dating partner! Dating partner! Dating partner! Ye Qingzhou actually said Chu Ci was his dating partner!!!]
[Aaaaaaaaah, that's so sweet!]
[...Isn't this a bit exaggerated? It's just a form of address, isn't it? According to the production team's rules, Chu Ci is Ye Qingzhou's dating partner. Does it really warrant this much fuss?]
[Do you even understand how much weight "Mr." carries? In the three years since Ye Qingzhou debuted, he's never addressed anyone else that way. He once stated publicly in an interview that the title carried a lot of weight for him. In all the years since his debut, Chu Ci is the first artist Ye Qingzhou has called "Mr."]
[Doesn't "dating partner" basically mean lover? Ye Qingzhou has never hyped up a ship with anyone else. Even if he's filming a dating show, hearing the words "dating partner" come out of his mouth is still sweet. It means Chu Ci is his exception.]
[Repeat after me: da-ting show. Dating shows are meant for people to ship couples. If you're so clearheaded, why are you watching a dating show? Go watch The Brain next door instead.]
[Watch if you can handle it. Get lost if you can't.]
[Simple trash talk, ultimate satisfaction.]
While viewers were still discussing Ye Qingzhou and Chu Ci, #Ye Qingzhou says Chu Ci is his dating partner# shot to number one on the trending searches at lightning speed.
Let's Fall in Love kept gaining popularity, and the livestream's audience kept growing, showing signs of breaking five million.
Meanwhile, Chu Ci, one of the subjects of the trending search, knew nothing about it.
Looking at the hesitant staff member, he guessed, "Do we have to complete some challenge before we can see the task the production team has set?"
"No."
The staff member shook her head and handed the task card to Ye Qingzhou.
Ye Qingzhou carefully read all the text on the task card and finally understood what the staff member's expression meant.
"...What's wrong? Is it really difficult?"
When Ye Qingzhou remained silent for a long time, Chu Ci could not help leaning closer. As the distance between them gradually shrank, he finally noticed how pleasant Ye Qingzhou smelled. It was a fresh, subtle scent of greenery, seemingly mixed with a faint trace of flowers.
"...Read it yourself."
Ye Qingzhou covered his lips with his hand and gave two light coughs.
Only half a minute had passed between his receiving the task card and finishing reading it, yet Ye Qingzhou's porcelain-white, jade-like earlobes had already turned an alluring pink.
Naturally, the viewers did not miss the change in Ye Qingzhou.
[Let me see, let me see, let me see!]
[What exactly is on that task card? How did it make Ye Qingzhou this shy?]
[The sun must be rising in the west. Ye Qingzhou is actually shy.]