Chapter 22: The Person You're Tempted (Two Chapters Combined)...
Upon hearing this, the comments section fell silent for a moment, then erupted into an unprecedented frenzy and excitement, after all, the instinct to watch a show and enjoy the excitement is ingrained in human nature.
The atmosphere at the scene became relatively tense, with the guests exchanging glances and each person's eyes revealing a fascinating story.
Even Yu Shuling was slightly taken aback.
She transmigrated not at the very beginning of the dating reality show, so who was the original owner's first crush?
She remembered; it was Chen Qiyang.
The original owner of this body had a rebellious personality. Her agent asked her to interact more with the rich second-generation Zhao Cheng on the variety show, but she didn't like Zhao Cheng's personality and thought he was reckless. Coupled with her rebellious nature, she chose Chen Qiyang as her favorite guest.
These men were indeed reasonably good-looking, and Chen Qiyang was particularly outstanding. He was tall, sunny, and handsome, the kind of cute and handsome puppy that many young girls found appealing. The original owner had a good impression of him, so he was the first person she chose as her crush.
The director's statement about "inviting guests with romantic feelings" did not specify the male and female sides, so there is a high probability that there will be awkward situations where there is no mutual invitation or the invited person is completely different from the person you are currently flirting with. This kind of plot that makes people dig their toes is exactly what makes people cheer and watch.
But the director wasn't satisfied with that, so he added another twist, having someone bring out their iPads from the first day of their "first impressions," and having everyone take a printed slip of paper with their "first impressions" to invite the other person.
Lin Mucai's face turned red, and he could not hide his panic. When he first came in, he was not very familiar with Tan Xiu. The person he was attracted to was Du Xuan, a gentle and intellectual older sister.
Help! Tan Xiu won't be angry and stop talking to him, will she?
Lin Mucai couldn't hide his emotions; his face shifted dramatically, and he scratched his head like a monkey. The next moment, he watched as the petite Tan Xiu quietly diminished her presence, clutching the small note and shrinking behind Zhang Deqi.
Tan Xiu's note read: "I especially love Deqi's portrayal of 'Su Chen.' Does being in the same frame as Deqi count as a successful fangirling experience?"
Lin Mucai: "..."
Yu Shuling confidently walked to the empty seat left by Chen Qiyang, holding the note. The director, with his sharp eyes, wasn't willing to miss any opportunity to generate buzz, and loudly asked her:
"Shuling's first crush was Yangyang. What did Shuling like about Yangyang?"
What's rather intriguing is that Chen Qiyang has now moved behind Du Xuan, and his first crush was also a mature older woman like Du Xuan.
However, Du Xuan can be considered a second-tier actress. She debuted early and her popularity is not low. Of course, she gets much more attention than the original owner, a pretty but unknown actress.
Yu Shuling's gaze inadvertently met Chen Qiyang's as he looked over. She playfully winked at him, and Chen Qiyang, as if she had seen through him, looked away uncomfortably, lowering his head as if to hide his nervousness.
After making a scene, Yu Shuling answered the director's question seriously:
"He's good at games. Didn't I already say I wanted to work with him?"
The original owner was afraid of being scolded when she first arrived, so after weighing the options, the "heart-fluttering note" she wrote to Chen Qiyang was actually a request to play games with him, which was ridiculed by e-sports fans at the time.
However, after seeing her gaming skills, the director couldn't help but wonder if Yu Shuling's initial attraction to Chen Qiyang was actually due to his gaming prowess.
It seems quite possible.
The director smiled and gestured for them to switch positions and continue.
Putting aside everything else, the original owner's appearance was indeed impeccable. Soon, Zhao Cheng, Zhang Deqi, and Huang Dingyu stood behind Yu Shuling, forming a pincer movement.
Those two were so annoying that Yu Shuling chose Zhang Deqi as her teammate.
Zhao Cheng was terrified of Yu Shuling's previous antics, so he breathed a sigh of relief when she didn't choose him and casually picked Lu Lingling, who was closer to him. Huang Dingyu went to find Zhu Tu, who pursed her lips and didn't say anything, but after leaving her chosen guest, she confirmed her relationship with Huang Dingyu.
Although the original owner was not good at her job as an idol, she was perfect in terms of image management. She weighed just under 100 pounds and had a well-proportioned figure, so Zhang Deqi could lift her up without any difficulty.
After successfully completing the challenge, Zhang Deqi immediately put her down as a gentleman. Zhao Cheng struggled a bit to lift Lu Lingling, but managed to do so after a while. Du Xuan, while not overweight by normal standards, is not short, and despite not being a supermodel, she still has a bit of curves.
Chen Qiyang wanted to show off his skills, so he picked up Du Xuan and weighed her in his arms, but little did he know that this would lead to an accident.
He wasn't strong enough to catch her, and Du Xuan fell down, causing Chen Qiyang to kneel on the ground as well. Fortunately, Zhang Deqi was quick to react and pulled her up, preventing a more embarrassing situation.
Chen Qiyang got up from the ground and quickly handed Du Xuan a tissue to apologize while she was tidying her clothes, chuckling awkwardly at the same time:
"I can carry a 90-pound sandbag during training without any problems. It seems I overestimated my arm strength. I need to train more."
Du Xuan's smile slowly froze.
The atmosphere became somewhat awkward for a moment.
Although Chen Qiyang didn't say it explicitly, his comment was clearly implying that Du Xuan was too heavy. Du Xuan's cheeks flushed slightly, whether from embarrassment or awkwardness, it was hard to tell. Lin Mucai cleared her throat, about to smooth things over, when Yu Shuling stepped forward and patted Chen Qiyang on the shoulder:
"My brother's hands are precious, he must live a good life. Unlike me, my skin is rough and thick, but I'm strong."
Chen Qiyang sensed something was off about her words, and his expression changed slightly.
Is Yu Shuling mocking him for being too weak?
Seeing that Chen Qiyang was unhappy, fans started typing to criticize Yu Shuling. But before they could finish typing "If you're so good, then you do it," Yu Shuling picked Du Xuan up and carried her horizontally.
Du Xuan was startled and instinctively hugged Yu Shuling's neck.
Du Xuan is actually considered a "plump" beauty among female celebrities, though she doesn't look particularly good on camera, but she has a unique charm. She's not fat at all among normal girls; it's just that the camera makes her appear wider. Yu Shuling picked her up and lifted her up to know that women aren't actually that heavy.
Yu Shuling smiled brightly at her: "Hold on tight!"
After saying that, she picked up Du Xuan in a princess carry and did ten jumps on the spot.
The battlefield is ever-changing, and the enemy will not give way just because she is a woman. Women who want to go to the battlefield have to pay a higher price in terms of training and martial arts skills than men. Yu Shuling is known as "naturally strong" in Dajing, but in reality, it is a skill she has developed since childhood by learning martial arts from famous masters. Carrying a girl weighing over 100 pounds is of course no problem for her.
Yu Shuling not only jumped in place, but also did several squats, and carried Du Xuan around the field with one arm, making Du Xuan both shy and excited.
After running a lap, Yu Shuling wasn't even out of breath or red-faced, as if she had just done a simple stretching exercise. Just then, the director focused the camera on her, giving Chen Qiyang a close-up of his face when she turned to look at him.
Chen Qiyang, feeling everyone's gaze, was speechless.
He gritted his teeth.
Chen Qiyang's carefully constructed facade finally cracked when faced with failure. His gaze towards Yu Shuling no longer held intense affection. After forcing himself to finish this part, he made an excuse to leave.
Yu Shuling casually bumped fists with Du Xuan.
This absurd variety show journey is finally coming to an end.
**
"Xuanxuan".
Zhao Cheng ate his lunch without tasting it, especially after Du Xuan repeatedly rejected his advances. The man got a little impatient and pulled Du Xuan to a corner.
"Did Yu Shuling say something to you?" The camera had no blind spots except in the bathroom, so Zhao Cheng could only remove the microphone and deliberately lower his voice. "I can explain. If I've done anything to displease you..."
“Yu Shuling didn’t tell me anything,” Du Xuan paused, a hint of weariness appearing on her delicate face. After thinking for a moment, she decided to preserve Zhao Cheng’s dignity and removed the microphone, but her tone turned cold. “If you have nothing to hide, you don’t need to explain, and you won’t suspect who told me what caused this problem.”
Du Xuan had always viewed Zhao Cheng through a "filter," seeing him as a gentleman and refined gentleman until his true nature was revealed during the task of taking care of the children.
Later that day, after the recording ended, she called her married best friend, a non-celebrity, and talked about the unpleasant contrast in Zhao Cheng's behavior. Her friend, instead of offering comfort, said:
"Men are all like that. There's a saying that goes, 'As long as a man doesn't die from taking care of a child, he's fine.'"
At that moment, Du Xuan's best friend, with dark circles under her eyes, had just finished changing her crying son's diaper and was putting it in the laundry basket when she bumped into a man watching TV. Her husband's laughter could be heard right into Du Xuan's ears.
My best friend muttered a few words, and then probably went outside:
"But then again, with your abilities, how could you possibly be thinking about such trivial matters as taking care of a child? If things really come to fruition, why not just hire a postpartum nanny? Or you could stay home and enjoy a life of leisure as a CEO's wife?"
The words "President's wife" pierced Du Xuan's heart like a thin needle. Ever since she developed feelings for Zhao Cheng, everyone around her seemed to assume that she was after his status.
But Du Xuan never considered becoming a housewife, not even if her husband was the second-in-command of a large company.
Du Xuan came to this show for Zhao Cheng. She and Zhao Cheng knew each other before, but that doesn't mean she has to keep making concessions for him.
She was used to working hard on her own, and if she didn't want to work anymore, she had a backup plan. Why would she waste her time at home eating the food her husband provided and being at someone else's beck and call? At first, she didn't like Yu Shuling very much, but when she was feeling down, Zhao Cheng acted like a high and mighty young master, while it was Yu Shuling who came over to comfort her and accompanied her on that night walk.
Zhao Cheng did apologize later, but his words revealed a domineering attitude that made her feel suffocated, as if it were a woman's natural duty to listen to men and take care of children.
She does love children, but is she sure she can accept a man like this as the biological father of her future child? It's not that she can't afford to raise a child; her salary is enough to support her for life. Can she really tolerate a man who enjoys his pleasure and then sits back and reaps the rewards, coaxing her whenever he wants and saying a few words when he's unhappy?
Later, Zhao Cheng seemed to realize that his attitude that day had disappointed her, and he tried to make amends. But Du Xuan already knew that the experience that day was like a thorn in her heart that could not be erased.
She was indeed hesitant about whether to hold hands with Zhao Cheng. On the one hand, she was afraid that she would regret it if she missed the opportunity, and on the other hand, she was really disgusted by what happened that day.
After dinner, the filming of the dating reality show officially came to an end, and it was time to return to the original villa.
This time, sitting behind Yu Shuling was Lu Lingling. Lu Lingling and Tan Xiu won the opportunity by playing rock-paper-scissors three times. Chen Qiyang naturally went with Zhang Deqi. He didn't have any objections to this. He was in a listless state. This time, few people complained.
"Set off--"
This time, Yu Shuling was much gentler with the girl, not driving as fast and deliberately avoiding all the bumpy roads. Some viewers then realized that the way she had driven Chen Qiyang before didn't seem like she was driving a boy she liked at all.
Oh, but it was Chen Qiyang who first asked to put his arm around her waist before Yu Shuling suddenly sped up. Putting everything else aside, since they weren't even in a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship, it was somewhat inappropriate for the guy to initiate such an ambiguous gesture.
The later stages of recording are the crucial moment that determines whether a couple will successfully pair up, and this is also the time when the live broadcast has the highest viewership these days, and it continues to rise.
Every detail of each person's actions is meticulously scrutinized. The tragic endings of several couples seem inevitable, but if there's a twist, it's either part of the script or an unexpected surprise.
At this point, viewers who have the means will absolutely not leave the screen for even a moment.
The final time was perfect for everyone to relax and be free, with no tasks assigned. The production team treated everyone to a big shopping spree, partying all night long, and the guests were free to decide when the live broadcast would end.
Tan Xiu and Lu Lingling quickly became good friends with Yu Shuling. The three of them filled the shopping cart with a lot of snacks such as potato chips, and even Yu Shuling bought a few high-calorie chocolates.
Her weight isn't particularly light for a female celebrity, but she maintains a very well-proportioned figure through exercise, and isn't the kind of thin and weak person, so it's okay for her to indulge herself occasionally.
Midway through, Yu Shuling made a phone call, but Jiang Zhou answered impatiently after half a minute. He seemed to be in a mahjong game, as the noisy sounds of winning hands could be heard from his end.
"Hello? What's up now?"
"Nothing," Yu Shuling said, turning off the microphone. "Do I have any plans for tomorrow?"
"Go back to the company, someone will tell you then." The cards were now on Jiang Zhou's side, but he was distracted and impatient. "Hang up if there's nothing else, don't just hang up halfway through..."
Yu Shuling forced a smile: "Okay, I'm sorry."
Who is she talking to on the phone? Why is her microphone off?
Where is my royal lip-reading interpreter?
[Is that Jiang Zhou? Judging from his lip movements, he seems to be asking about the schedule.]
[No way, that tiring? I'm a new fan QWQ Why does Shuling have to run around again right after finishing recording?]
[Baby, you're wrong. Yinhe is telling you, it's a miracle that our little obscure group even has any schedules... Have you ever seen an idol on a reality show during their rising phase? I've been a fan for eight years, and Shuling is the first one I've ever seen. But our Shuling did a great job, and Yinhe is so proud of her!]
Idol singers and dancers have different professions than ordinary singers and actors. Idols are also jokingly called "dream weavers." Their album sales mainly rely on fans rather than casual viewers. Dating during the rising phase of their careers is a big taboo.
Nobody wants their "husband, wife" or "son, daughter" to spend their money on romance when they should be focusing on their careers. That's why the official Lyer Weibo account was flooded with comments after Yu Shuling announced her participation in a dating reality show.
But what the Milky Ways didn't expect was how well Yu Shuling would complete this mission.
Viewers noticed Yu Shuling suddenly wandering around and returning with a pen in her hand when she paid the bill, leading to speculation that she was going to draw a picture as a souvenir. Fans quickly clarified for their idol:
[No way, Shuling's drawing skills are so bad that even stick figures she draws are missing arms and legs.]
[But why does it look a bit like an electronic pen to me when Yu Shuling is holding it...? Sorry, I might be mistaken, the camera was blocked.]
The supermarket was partially booked by the production team, leaving only some elderly people there. Since none of them were particularly famous, there weren't many onlookers. After paying, the group went back laughing and joking. This was a murder mystery game, and they played until two or three in the morning before finally leaving satisfied.
Of course, five minutes before the clock struck twelve, everyone filled in their final wishes, their expressions a mix of emotions, while only a few remained calm and composed.
For example, Yu Shuling, after filling out the form and handing it to the staff, went back to studying the script. She was meticulous in concealing her identity as an assassin, leaving Lin Mucai, the detective, in a state of constant distress.
The director kept it a secret from the audience, saving it for tomorrow's small theater broadcast.
Audience: "..." Damn! You're insane!
Despite the complaints, the audience, like the guests, are also feeling a bit reluctant to say goodbye.
The biggest reversal was probably with Yu Shuling. At first, the audience was furious when they saw her name and wanted to kick her out of the show, but later they grew to like this sincere girl more and more.
She wasn't the talkative type, but her presence was undeniable. Now, most people had changed their attitudes towards Zhao Cheng and Chen Qiyang.
Even Zhao Xiaoyuan, a former fan of Chen Qiyang, no longer mentions his name. At first, she did think Chen Qiyang was handsome, good at games, and cute, but later she gradually realized something was wrong.
At the time, Zhao Xiaoyuan and most of her fans, who were quietly on the verge of unfollowing her, hadn't fully realized what Chen Qiyang's actions meant. It wasn't until later, when the gaming league was recruiting and Chen Qiyang signed up for a gaming variety show, using a similar tactic to a female player, that they realized—
It turns out this guy just wanted to use his good looks to hook up with girls, date, and gain popularity, then use the affection of "mommy fans" and "girlfriend fans" as a springboard for traffic!
After entering her room that evening, Yu Shuling turned off the live stream and opened her WeChat private chat with Du Xuan. Their chat history still existed from their previous greetings. After a moment's thought, she asked for Du Xuan's email address and sent her something.
Those were Zhao Cheng's chat history with himself, or more precisely, his previous "self".
At that time, Yu Shuling had not yet taken the initiative, and Zhao Cheng had even posted some inappropriate things in the chat history, which were blatant attempts to seduce her from a rich second-generation playboy.
After waiting a while without receiving a reply to her email, Yu Shuling tidied up and prepared to go to sleep. Her interactions with Du Xuan were limited to a few words; she wouldn't interfere too much in an adult's choices, and her reminder was just that—a reminder. Even if Zhao Cheng found out and wanted to settle scores with her, she would have a clear conscience and naturally had ways to deal with it.
But the screen lit up briefly when she turned off the lights.
Du Xuan still sent her a WeChat message saying "Thank you".
Yu Shuling smiled, turned off the screen, and the whole room fell into a hazy darkness.
-----------------------
Author's Note: I've combined the two updates into one.
A small portion of the romance variety show's storyline will be shown from the audience's perspective in future pre-recorded episodes. A new episode is coming!
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