Bai Lin: "So, in other words, Xingcan came on A Fruit for Linchuan?"
Shen Xingcan lounged lazily in his chair, his tone relaxed. "Of course. Best Actor Xie has kept a low profile these past few years. Now that I finally found a chance to catch him on a variety show, naturally, as his sworn rival, I had to come. How else could I have a real-life PK with him on-screen?"
[So he really did parachute straight in. Shen Xingcan, you fucking shouldn't be a celebrity. You should be a master of romance.]
[I told you Shen Xingcan was using our best actor for publicity. Xingcan fans, come out and say something!]
[Bai Lin is being so obviously nasty, and you just have to take his bait? You just have to let the whole world know you joined the show for Xie Linchuan, don't you?]
[Huh, why do I feel like something's a little off with Xingcan's fans... They seemed pretty chill a few days ago.]
[They realized their guy really is in love.]
Xie Linchuan suddenly spoke. "Shen Xingcan, how did you manage to join this variety show without me knowing?"
Shen Xingcan gave Xie Linchuan a strange look. "By going to your empress mother, of course. Surely Crown Prince Xie hasn't forgotten he hasn't ascended the throne yet?"
Ye Ran asked curiously, "Xingcan, you know Brother Linchuan's mom?"
Shen Xingcan had no intention of hiding anything. "Mm-hmm. My empress mother was too busy with work to look after me, but she also felt that little me really needed motherly love, so she dumped me on her best friend-your Best Actor Xie's mom."
Once he said that, Shen Xingcan realized what Xie Linchuan had intended with his question.
The bullet comments quickly changed completely because of Shen Xingcan's words. After all, almost anyone who knew anything about the Chinese entertainment industry knew that Empress Shen, Ms. Shen Lingxun, had only one best friend: Xie Linchuan's mother, Ms. Qin Su.
[So Shen Xingcan really is Empress Shen's son...]
[Given their relationship, the fans claiming Shen Xingcan is using Xie Linchuan for publicity can give it a rest. Those two have been playing together since they were kids.]
[I didn't think so before, but now the more I look, the more Shen Xingcan looks like Shen Lingxun.]
[I refuse to believe Xie Linchuan didn't know how Shen Xingcan managed to parachute into the show without his knowledge. He insisted on asking because he was clearly telling those fans accusing Shen Xingcan of using him for publicity that their relationship runs deep. There is absolutely no question of either one using the other for publicity.]
[Even if it isn't romantic love between them, the bond from growing up together isn't fake. I really don't think their solo fans need to keep fighting.]
Going by the seating order, Xie Linchuan was next to draw a question.
Xie Linchuan opened the colored ball, and his gaze darkened. "The one in my ball is for Xingcan too. A viewer named Star River Flows Endlessly wants you to randomly choose someone here to kiss."
Shen Xingcan leaned over to look at the slip in Xie Linchuan's hand. "Their name is Star River Flows Endlessly. They should be a shipper of ours. Shouldn't they be asking me to kiss you? How did it turn into randomly choosing someone to kiss..."
Jiang Yifeng: "Maybe this fan knew you'd only kiss our youngest, so they couldn't be bothered to name names."
Shen Xingcan blinked. "Not necessarily. I might kiss you too."
Jiang Yifeng acted bashful. "Really? Captain, you're finally willing to play up a ship with me?"
Shen Xingcan said earnestly, "Of course not. If I really kissed you, my and Xie Linchuan's shippers would flood you with hate afterward. Your captain is doing this for your own good."
Jiang Yifeng: "..."
He knew it!
Shen Xingcan reached for a glass of beer and set it in front of himself. Then he said, "I'll pass on this question."
With that, he drained the beer in front of him in one go.
Just when everyone thought Shen Xingcan would kiss Xie Linchuan, Shen Xingcan made a decision that took them all somewhat by surprise.
Jiang Yifeng was stunned. "...Why aren't you kissing him? That's twenty points! Captain, didn't you say earlier that you were going to kiss our youngest?"
Shen Xingcan said casually, "Because it suddenly occurred to me that all this kissing is too suggestive. It might make people think there's really something going on between me and my sworn rival, Xie Linchuan."
Jiang Yifeng still couldn't let those twenty points go. "You could kiss his hand. Kissing his face is a little, you know, but surely there's nothing wrong with kissing his hand."
Shen Xingcan: "Don't you think kissing a sworn rival's hand is even stranger? If word of that gets out, what happens to my ranking in the marriage market? A man's reputation is his most important dowry!"
As he spoke, he picked a sky-blue ball from the little train carriage in front of him.
[So there's nothing between Xie Linchuan and Shen Xingcan? Just pure, innocent brotherhood?]
[...I'm so confused. What exactly did Shen Xingcan mean by that? Suddenly feels like I'm back taking the CET-4 and CET-6 listening exams.]
[You can take it to mean their relationship is still innocent so far. They should be in the flirting stage right now. After all, even counting generously, it's been less than three days since they made up.]
[You still don't get it? This evil ragdoll cat is obviously forcing his husband to reveal his feelings. Shen Xingcan-a scheming kitty who's very good at reeling in his husband.]
Shen Xingcan quickly opened the blue ball in his hand. When he saw the question, he suddenly chuckled.
He turned sideways and held the slip in his hand in front of the person beside him. "Xie Linchuan, a viewer named Little Grass Loves Eating Fish wants you to kiss me. Are you going to?"
Xie Linchuan didn't look at the slip. He simply pulled Shen Xingcan's hand over very quickly, then lowered his head and kissed the back of it.
That kiss was like a breeze. Before even Shen Xingcan himself could react, Xie Linchuan had already let him go.
If not for the warm sensation still lingering on the back of his hand, for an instant Shen Xingcan would have thought everything just now had only been an illusion.
"You kissed me?"
Looking at Shen Xingcan's shocked face, Xie Linchuan curved his lips slightly. "I don't care about my ranking in the marriage market."
Shen Xingcan protested, "...But I do. Whether you kiss me or I kiss you, it'll look like there's something going on between us!"
Xie Linchuan's voice suddenly grew gentle. "You can publicly declare that Xie Linchuan admires you one-sidedly, and that's why he wanted to take liberties with you. That way, not only will it not affect your reputation, it'll also make Shen Xingcan look especially charming."