Wen He put the card in his hand back into the deck.
Better just stick to eating barbecue... I couldn't be so reckless again.
By the time Ji Chi returned, they had already played another round, and Wen He was still sitting where he had been, quietly eating barbecue.
The tuft of hair on top of his head bobbed about, looking just like him.
Ji Chi breathed on his fingertips and flicked the top of his head.
Wen He knew who had done it without even turning around. Remembering what had happened earlier, he had no intention of responding, afraid that the more he did, the more mistakes he would make.
Ji Chi didn't mind either. After returning to his seat, he joined the game again.
Soon, the deck was shuffled again.
Wen He had learned his lesson this time and didn't show Ji Chi his card.
But just as before, Ji Chi leaned over beside Wen He, wanting to see his card.
Wen He tried to dodge him, but he still couldn't fend off Ji Chi's meddling hands. Helpless, he could only reveal a tiny corner for him to take a quick look.
The production team behind them watched their interaction without stopping them, even though it broke the rules.
After all, this could bring in attention too. It was a dating show, anyway-interaction between them was exactly what they wanted!
[Those two are whispering again.]
[What exactly are the lovebirds talking about? What can't I hear as a VIP?!]
After casually glimpsing a sliver, Ji Chi turned over the card in his palm: "Joker."
"I have the king card. The number I choose is... the five of hearts."
Wen He sighed softly. He had known it...
After turning over the card in his palm, he stared at Ji Chi and said flatly, "I choose truth."
Dares required exercise. Wen He didn't want to exercise; he just wanted to lie flat, so he spoke first.
Ji Chi hadn't intended to give Wen He a dare anyway. After all, dares sometimes required physical contact with other people.
He hated his possessions picking up anyone else's scent.
Ji Chi cleared his throat. "Why did you come on this dating show?"
Rather than drawing a card from the deck, Ji Chi chose a question himself.
Wen He looked at the camera in front of him, seeking help from the production team. Was this something I could say?
"Because participating in the show pays a large sum of money. I'm short on money..."
Without money, I couldn't support myself, so... I needed to earn money, lots and lots of money.
Ji Chi sat quietly beside him, the teasing look in his eyes settling into calm at that moment. He stared at Wen He's small, thin frame, at the pale blue veins covering the backs of his fair hands... something rose in his heart without his realizing it.
From the moment Young Master Ji had been born over twenty years ago, he had lived without ever worrying about food or clothing. He had never seen poor people, because poor people simply never appeared around him.
He had already thought of several possible answers, but he had never imagined that Wen He had joined this show because he was short on money.
Ji Chi wasn't the only one shocked by that answer. All the other guests were too.
These guests might not have been extremely rich, but they had no difficulties in their daily lives.
But Wen He was different... he needed money, lots of money. Only then could he survive.
[I don't know why... but that suddenly hit home a little...]
[Does going on this show pay a lot?]
[If it pays a lot, I'd be willing to go too. I'd even play the villainous female supporting character. Oh, wait, it should be the villainous male supporting character, hehehe.]
[Even Young Master Ji is shocked. I'm laughing so hard. Never seen a penniless guy before, huh?]
[But you even get paid to go on a dating show! I thought they were all volunteers and weren't paid appearance fees. After all, I'd be willing to spend a month with this many handsome guys even without getting paid.]
Wen He put his card back on the table, picked up a grape, and calmly popped it into his mouth. He didn't think there was anything wrong with it; he was only worried that saying it would reflect badly on the production team.
Jiang Ye raised a hand to adjust his glasses, took the "Joker" card from Ji Chi, and put it back into the deck. Smiling, he eased the atmosphere. "All right, let's start the next round. The barbecue's getting cold. Everyone, have some more."
Jiang Ye lowered his eyes and shuffled the deck in his hands again. As his gaze turned toward Wen He, he pushed the deck a little farther left, making it easier for Wen He to reach.
Zhou Siyu picked up the juice on his right and pushed it in front of Wen He.
"Xiao He, have some juice. Drinking too much fruit wine isn't good for you."
Wen He looked up at Zhou Siyu, whose movements were natural. The warm yellow light fell across his profile, so gentle and so beautiful.
He seemed to understand why everyone in his dream had liked him...
Ji Chi raised a hand and turned his ear stud, his fingers unconsciously moving faster as he grew a little more irritable.
He admitted that he teased Wen He just for fun. Part of it was also because the old man had specifically mentioned him, so naturally, he had to give him some extra attention.
But now... looking at Wen He's carefree expression, Ji Chi gave a cold laugh, and the irritation in his heart dissipated with it.
He had heard that penniless people had strong self-esteem... he wondered whether this little blockhead was the same.
Jiang Yu sat toward the right, with several people between them blocking his view, leaving him unable to make out Wen He's expression clearly.
The game began again, but Wen He paid little attention.
He only hoped that he wouldn't be picked in any of the next few rounds, because he didn't want to do a dare. He didn't have that much strength for dares.
Especially push-ups. One or two would be fine, but too many would leave him collapsing from exhaustion, never mind having someone sit on him too. He was afraid he would be crushed to death first.
Fortunately, heaven favored him. For the next several rounds, the "Joker" never picked him, and he sat quietly in the corner eating barbecue and drinking juice, though Ji Chi still bothered him occasionally.
But none of that mattered.
By the end of the final round, everyone had eaten enough to be about half full.
They all returned to their rooms to rest.
Just as Wen He was about to take a shower and rest, the production team suddenly sent him a message asking him to go downstairs to the lounge.
Wen He placed the clothes he had already taken out on the bedding, then got up and headed to the lounge on the first floor.
The lounge had been remodeled by the production team. Eight boxes resembling little mailboxes stood in the center, each labeled with someone's name.
There were also envelopes and medals on the table in the corner.
Following the instructions on the wall, Wen He walked over to the table. He didn't write a letter, merely picked up a pale pink medal with a heart printed on it and stood up.
[Here it comes! I nearly went to sleep, then suddenly remembered that this dating show was still missing its most important segment.]
[Let's all guess who Xiao He will give his Heart-Flutter Medal to~]
[Ji Chi, maybe?]
[Jiang Yu, Jiang Yu! Jiang Yu! Jiang Yu! Jiang Yu/Wen He shippers!! Get up and fight!]
[??]
[? Wait... have these two interacted?]
[Did I miss something? Have these two actually interacted?]
[Uh... okay, that really was an unexpected outcome.]
[Xiao He knows how to make a dating show entertaining.]