Chapter 47: The two male guests got into a fight.
Chu Ruofu knew this day would come, so she pretended to have drunk too much and blacked out in front of Li Yichen.
As long as she pretends to be stupid, he can't do anything about her.
Could this excuse fool Lu Xubai? They weren't even officially dating yet, and she felt inexplicably guilty. She had stolen the first kisses of both male guests; she seemed like a scumbag.
Seeing her face turn red and white in turns, Lu Xubai felt as if his heart had fallen into an icy lake, and his whole body was frozen stiff.
He searched for Chu Ruofu online to see what she was up to, but he unintentionally saw a trending topic about Chu Ruofu and Li Yichen kissing, and the atmosphere between the two was like that of a sweet couple.
That night she texted him, but he was asleep and didn't have time to reply. That bastard Li Yichen actually took advantage of her vulnerability and won her favor.
He watched the video dozens of times, trying to find a trace of reluctance on her face, as if torturing himself, he watched it repeatedly.
Every time he watched the video, his heart ached as if it were being torn apart, causing him unbearable pain.
He was radiating a murderous aura, and for a moment, he impulsively wanted to drive his car into Li Yichen and kill him.
How could a lazy, despicable man win her favor with just sweet talk?
After enduring several days, he rushed to the Heartbeat House and waited in the living room for Chu Ruofu to come and record the show. He wanted an answer, even if it wasn't the answer he wanted.
He thought to himself that even if she lied to him and said it was just a momentary infatuation, he would accept it. As long as she wasn't with Li Yichen, he could pretend nothing had happened.
“Tell me, he forced you, didn’t he?” He even came up with a reason for her.
Chu Ruofu looked up at the handsome, cold-faced man. His deep blue eyes revealed a look of pity she couldn't bear to see, as if he would believe her if she said it was true.
She looked away and whispered, "I drank that night, I blacked out, I don't remember anything."
This reason is weak.
Lu Xubai felt a tightness in his chest and a sense of suffocation. He had no choice but to believe her words to make himself feel a little better.
"I understand." Lu Xubai said calmly, "You must be tired from the car ride. Rest for a while, and I'll come and call you for dinner later."
Chu Ruofu quickly said, "No need to call me, I'll go to the restaurant myself later."
Lu Xubai nodded slightly and closed the door for her.
Live stream chat:
[Aaaaaaah, please, please don't torture my Lu-ge!]
The third male lead appears fine on the surface, but he's insanely jealous inside.
As a shipper of the Fu-Bai pairing, I never imagined it would be this heartbreaking.
[Waaaaah, I'm really crying, Fu-mei, please give Attorney Lu a little more attention, he really likes you.]
Chu Ruofu lay on the bed, feeling a little heavy-hearted. She didn't want to hurt anyone, whether male or female guests; she didn't want them to be sad.
How did things develop like this?
Before the guests gathered for dinner, Chu Ruofu did not come downstairs but stayed in her room playing on her phone until the production team notified her to pack her things and come downstairs for dinner.
The guests were either sitting or standing in the restaurant; it wasn't full yet.
As soon as Chu Ruofu appeared, everyone looked over and she became the focus of the camera.
Backstage staff pointed the camera at her, magnifying her subtle expressions.
Live stream chat:
The production team realized that the female lead was the highlight of the dating show, so the camera focused almost entirely on her.
The kiss between the female lead and the second male lead has gone viral, trending on social media; the expressions of the other guests seem quite intriguing.
The male guests' reactions were hilarious; everyone was glued to the female lead.
【Fumei is so charming, Mommy loves you, kisses.】
Just as Chu Ruofu was about to walk to the end of the table to sit down, Li Yichen smiled at her and said, "Chu Ruofu, I saved a seat for you."
Lu Xubai, Gu Junsheng, and Shen Wuyang's gazes shot towards Li Yichen like cold arrows.
Li Yichen was oblivious, ignoring the murderous glares directed at him. The more jealous the other male guests were, the more alluring and handsome his smile became.
His greatest advantage is that he has a face that can captivate everyone, making him the object of admiration for all girls. For several years, he has been the male celebrity that rich women most want to keep, and he is selected as one of the top ten most handsome faces in the world every year.
Two days ago, Li Yichen had treated Chu Ruofu to a meal. Since he had taken the initiative to greet her, she couldn't pretend not to see him. So she turned around and walked towards him with her eyes downcast.
"When did you arrive?" Li Yichen got up and pulled out a chair for her.
Chu Ruofu obediently sat down and whispered, "A little after five."
Seeing Chu Ruofu sitting next to Li Yichen, the guests each found a seat and sat down.
Xia Yuqing asked with a curious and slightly envious expression, "Chu Ruofu, did you and Li Yichen go to shoot for a fashion magazine?"
Chu Ruofu looked up at her: "Yes, I went to take the picture."
"I'm so envious of you. That's a world-renowned magazine, and only super-popular celebrities can shoot there."
Xia Yuqing glanced at Qiao Yimo, remembering that Qiao Yimo had hired online trolls to incite her fans to cyberbully her. Qiao Yimo liked Li Yichen, so she deliberately asked, "Sister Qiao, you were invited to shoot a magazine cover after winning the Best Actress award, right?"
Qiao Yimo forced a smile: "Yes."
She was invited to shoot a magazine cover, but the photographer was unskilled and made her look terrible. Sales were also poor, and she was ridiculed by fans of rival companies in the industry for a long time.
Whenever she has a drama airing, her haters would screenshot her magazine covers and sales figures to mock her, calling her the most worthless actress.
Is Xia Yuqing genuinely naive or just pretending to be innocent? Why drag her out and ask her? Qiao Yimo hates Xia Yuqing to death; this little internet celebrity is really annoying.
"When will your magazine be released?" Xia Yuqing turned her gaze back to Chu Ruofu and said, "I'll buy you a few copies when it's released."
Li Yichen's fox-like eyes curved slightly as he chuckled, "Ruofu and I thank you first."
Song Yi asked, "Electronic version or book version?"
Chu Ruofu replied, "Yes, I have both."
Xia Yuqing rested her chin on her hand and asked, "How's the styling? Does the photoshoot look good?"
Upon hearing this, Chu Ruofu glanced at Li Yichen, who said, "Ruofu and I work together very well. The photographer captured the essence of the photos. You'll see how beautiful they are when you buy them."
At the dinner table, Xia Yuqing was chatting animatedly, with Song Yi occasionally chiming in, while the male guests remained unusually silent.
Live stream chat:
[Can the third female lead please stop talking? It's so annoying.]
Why can't I speak up? Did I touch a nerve? Jealousy can distort a person beyond recognition; it's terrifying.
[I want to see how long the second male lead can be so smug. The other male guests better step up their game.]
[President Gu, Brother Lu, Brother Shen, stop keeping quiet! If you want to win over the female guest, you'd better try to please her.]
"Ruofu." Li Yichen picked up a pair of clean chopsticks, picked up a piece of meat, and fed it to her mouth: "Try braised beef."
Chu Ruofu's face flushed, and she quickly opened her mouth and ate the meat.
This intimate scene between the two was particularly jarring to the eyes of the other male guests.
Lu Xubai couldn't stand it any longer, so he suddenly got up and left the restaurant midway.
"Why isn't Attorney Lu eating?" Xia Yuqing asked knowingly.
She was secretly pleased, hoping that Lu Xubai would be angered by Li Yichen and, after careful consideration, give up competing with Li Yichen for Chu Ruofu.
This would give her a chance.
Gu Junsheng wiped his mouth and said slowly, "I'm full. I have some things to do. Please continue."
The two male guests left the restaurant early.
The meal was quieter than usual. Shen Wuyang stared at Li Yichen with a gloomy look in his eyes. He felt jealous and sour when he saw Chu Ruofu and Li Yichen being intimate, but he didn't want to leave. He wanted to keep an eye on Li Yichen.
Shen Wuyang imagined a thousand different scenarios in his mind where Li Yichen would die in an accident.
After the meal, the guests were informed by the production team.
"The production team has placed two date invitation cards in the guests' room drawers. Please give the date invitation card to the person you want to get to know tonight. Note that the two date invitation cards must be given to different guests."
"Guests who send each other date invitations will be eligible for a date tomorrow."
Upon hearing this, the group exchanged glances, their expressions varying.
The show's director went to great lengths to match the guests up for dates, not stipulating that they had to vote for different guests, fearing that all the male guests would vote for Chu Ruofu.
If the female guests don't receive date invitations, the show won't be as effective. The production team wants to try this method to prevent the female guests from being left alone.
Chu Ruofu declined Li Yichen's invitation to walk the dog and returned to her room. She took out a date invitation card from her drawer and began to struggle with the decision.
She could sense that the male guests all had feelings for her. If she personally gave these two date invitation cards to the male guests, it would mean that she wanted to go on dates with them.
Having already gone on a date with Gu Junsheng, Song Yi likes Gu Junsheng, and she doesn't want to compete with him for the time being.
Of the remaining three male guests, she would give one to Li Yichen. After spending these two episodes together, she found that being with him was more enjoyable than she had imagined.
As for Lu Xubai and Shen Wuyang...
She was caught in a dilemma.
Shen Wuyang would secretly send her gifts every week, but she hadn't reciprocated. Was she going to give him the date invitation card as a gift?
Chu Ruofu's mind flashed back to Lu Xubai's handsome face. Deep down, she couldn't bear to see him sad. The kiss was real; he was the one who won her the chance to experience the presidential suite.
Sigh, being fair and impartial is truly an art.
Chu Ruofu truly admired these female sea queens who could manipulate men so easily; their mentality and energy were truly impressive.
Having decided who she wanted to give it to, Chu Ruofu took a pen and wrote down their names.
Li Yichen and Lu Xubai are staying in room 102, so she doesn't have to run around. The problem is, wouldn't it be too awkward to give both of them date invitations at the same time?
Stick your head out and you get stabbed; stick your head out and you get stabbed.
Chu Ruofu mustered her courage, took the two date invitation cards, and nervously walked towards room 102.
"Knock knock!" She raised her hand and knocked on the door.
After a while, footsteps came from the room, the door was opened, and the man smiled when he saw her.
"Are you here to give me a date invitation?"
Chu Ruofu tried her best to remain calm, handed him a date invitation card, and said, "Here you go."
Li Yichen took the date invitation card, a pleased smile playing on his lips: "You've come at just the right time. I was just about to give you the date invitation card."
He opened the door, returned to his desk, picked up a date invitation card, and handed it to Chu Ruofu.
"for you."
Chu Ruofu took his date invitation card and scanned the room with her eyes. Li Yichen moved aside and said, "Want to come in and sit for a while?"
"No..." Chu Ruofu said weakly, "Lu Xubai isn't in the room?"
Li Yichen quickly realized that Chu Ruofu wanted to give one of the two date invitation cards to Lu Xubai.
"Are you going to give him another date invitation?" Li Yichen's fox-like eyes narrowed slightly.
Chu Ruofu gave a soft "hmm".
Li Yichen secretly told herself not to be angry. This was the damn program's rule. If she couldn't give it to Lu Xubai, she would give it to Gu Junsheng or Shen Wuyang.
But why Lu Xubai of all people!
Lu Xubai has a foul and stubborn temper, and he has no redeeming qualities whatsoever. He is a shrewd and self-serving lawyer, which makes him the most unbearable person.
"Why give it to him?" he couldn't help but ask, overcome with jealousy.
Chu Ruofu avoided eye contact, unwilling to tell the truth.
Seeing her evasive attitude, Li Yichen almost laughed in exasperation. He pinched the bridge of his nose and changed the subject: "There's another date invitation card that I plan to give to Xia Yuqing."
"She won't choose me." This way, I can avoid being chosen by other female guests and having to go on dates.
Chu Ruofu didn't care about this. She wasn't possessive of him. It was his right to do what he wanted.
"Could you give this to Lu Xubai for me?"
Chu Ruofu shoved the date invitation card into his hand and hurriedly slipped away.
Li Yichen watched her flee like a little rabbit, feeling somewhat helpless. He took the date invitation card for Lu Xubai, scoffed, and tossed it onto Lu Xubai's desk.
Just as Chu Ruofu returned to her room, she received a message from Gu Junsheng asking her to come downstairs.
He's not going to give her a date invitation, is he?
Chu Ruofu slowly descended the stairs.
Gu Junsheng was dressed in a suit and tie, with a pair of gold-rimmed glasses on his nose. He exuded a cool, composed, and noble aura.
Seeing her come downstairs, he got straight to the point: "This is my date invitation."
Chu Ruofu accepted the gift somewhat embarrassedly, bowed her head, and said thank you.
Gu Junsheng remained silent for a while before saying, "Go to sleep early, goodnight."
Chu Ruofu said goodnight to him and watched him leave Building No. 1. Just as she was about to go back to her room, the boy's clear voice came from inside.
"Fufu!"
Shen Wuyang ran over carrying a bag, looking a little aggrieved: "Did they give you all the date invitations?"
Before Chu Ruofu could speak, he put on a forced expression and said, as if trying to comfort himself, "Fufu, have a good date tomorrow. In the bag is a gift I made for you myself, and my date invitation card."
"It doesn't matter who you choose, I'll be where you can see me. Just turn around and I'll be there."
After saying these words with embarrassment, Shen Wuyang hurriedly handed the gift bag to her and turned to leave.
Live stream chat:
[The fourth male lead truly lives up to his reputation as a writing master; he's incredibly eloquent.]
[Poor little puppy, when will he get a chance to go on a date with Fufu?]
[Did Shen Wuyang really give Fu Mei a gift every single episode? Wasn't Fu Mei even a little bit tempted?]
【Fu-mei, please consider our CEO Gu. He's really perfect for you.】
Chu Ruofu carried the gift bag back to her room. When she opened it, she found it was a popular gift online. When unfolded, it was a round blanket, and when folded, it was a beautiful bouquet of roses.
The hands that Shen Wuyang used to create world-class masterpieces actually knitted roses for her stitch by stitch.
Chu Ruofu stroked the knitted rose blanket, feeling somewhat moved.
"Knock knock." A knock came at the door.
Chu Ruofu put down the gift and went to open the door. Lu Xubai appeared in front of her, looking at her with deep eyes, and handed her a date invitation card.
"I received your date invitation. Here's mine."
They had to exchange date invitations before they could go on a date. Chu Ruofu hesitated for half a second before taking the date invitation from his hand.
Lu Xubai's thin lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but he didn't know how to put it into words.
She always gave him a glimmer of hope when he was sad and heartbroken, and his heart, which had been submerged in darkness, began to boil again.
Finally, he said silently, "Get some rest, see you tomorrow."
"Okay." Chu Ruofu closed the door.
the next day.
The production team released the date invitation cards sent out to the guests.
Chu Ruofu voted for Li Yichen and Lu Xubai, Song Yi voted for Gu Junsheng and Li Yichen, Xia Yuqing voted for Lu Xubai and Gu Junsheng, and Qiao Yimo voted for Gu Junsheng and Shen Wuyang.
Gu Junsheng voted for Chu Ruofu and Xia Yuqing, Li Yichen voted for Chu Ruofu and Xia Yuqing, Lu Xubai voted for Chu Ruofu and Song Yi, and Shen Wuyang voted for Chu Ruofu and Song Yi.
When the production team saw the date invitations the guests exchanged, they were devastated.
The male guests were all scheming, trying to figure out who to send the second date invitation card to so they wouldn't go on a date with her.
In this episode, only Chu Ruofu will be able to go on dates with Li Yichen and Lu Xubai, while Gu Junsheng will be going out with Xia Yuqing.
The production team simply arranged for Chu Ruofu, Li Yichen, and Lu Xubai to have their dates on the same day.
It's common for a female guest to date two male guests at the same time in dating reality shows; these chaotic situations are a favorite among viewers.
When Chu Ruofu got ready for the date, she was completely stunned to find Li Yichen and Lu Xubai standing at the meeting place.
What's going on?!
Chu Ruofu hesitated before walking over and asking, "Do I want to go on a date with you?"
Li Yichen and Lu Xubai exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with cold disgust. They hadn't expected to be scheduled to go on a date with Chu Ruofu at the same time.
He thought he could have a date with Chu Ruofu alone, but the production team pulled this stunt.
Li Yichen smiled: "I don't want another third wheel, especially not a multi-watt one."
Lu Xubai sneered and said, "Everyone knows who the third wheel is."
Follow-up live stream room:
Holy crap, the production team is really something else!
[Smiling face emoji; I have a feeling this whole day will be a chaotic mess.]
My poor Fu is really going to be sandwiched in the middle. Don't let the timid Fu get away with this. Torture her to your heart's content! [smirk][smirk][smirk]
[The romantic dating reality show is as exciting as ever, haha, viewers who have followed it for three seasons love it.]
Fearing the two would start arguing in the street, Chu Ruofu quickly asked, "Where are we going today?"
Li Yichen and Lu Xubai asked her at the same time, "Where do you want to go?"
Chu Ruofu had only gone on one date with Gu Junsheng; she had no dating experience.
If they were an ordinary couple, they would usually go shopping, watch movies, and have dinner. She's not shameless enough to go on a date with two men and appear in the public eye.
"Let me think." Chu Ruofu picked up her phone and quickly searched for places couples could go on a date.
The app showed her some popular nearby shops that she could visit, including a DIY ceramics shop that piqued her interest.
"How about we make some handmade ceramics together?"
The two men, who had never done handicrafts before, fell silent for a moment.
Li Yichen immediately smiled and said first, "Okay, Fu-mei, wherever you like to go, we'll go."
He glanced at Lu Xubai and sneered, "A rude person is not suited for delicate handicrafts. You should go back and rest earlier."
Chu Ruofu looked at Lu Xubai. If he was unwilling, then so be it.
Lu Xubai's voice was cold and hard: "I used to participate in handicraft competitions at school."
Chu Ruofu breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said, "The handicraft shop isn't far, let's go."
The three walked down the street, with Li Yichen and Lu Xubai on either side of her, sandwiching her in the middle. The elderly people passing by cast strange glances at them.
Chu Nufu: "..."
She wished she could sprout wings and fly to the handmade ceramics shop immediately.
Fortunately, it wasn't far, just a few minutes' walk away. As soon as I pushed open the door and went inside, the owner saw two young and handsome men and a pretty girl come in, followed by a cameraman. He assumed they were internet celebrities.
"Welcome everyone! Are you looking to buy ceramics?"
Chu Ruofu nodded: "Boss, we've never done ceramics before, is it difficult?"
"Even beginners can do it," the boss quickly said. "We'll teach you."
Chu Ruofu was relieved.
The shopkeeper asked, "Do you need an apron?"
Chu Ruofu asked for an apron, looked at the two male guests, and asked them, "Do you want one?"
Making ceramics can get your clothes dirty, so it's best to wear an apron.
Li Yichen, thinking that Chu Ruofu would tie an apron for him, smiled and said, "I want one."
Lu Xubai politely asked the boss for a pack.
The owner thoughtfully reserved a room for the three of them. His popular handmade ceramics shop attracts many couples every Saturday and weekend, so he set up a few rooms for couples to have dates.
The boss brought the materials and demonstrated how to do it in front of them, teaching them how to do it. Once they understood, he left the room, leaving the guests free to do as they pleased.
Chu Ruofu happily sat down, picked up some clay, put it on the machine, and began to try operating it. She was a complete novice, and the clay was too soft and the machine produced strangely shaped ceramics.
Li Yichen sat down directly opposite her, affectionately holding her hands in his own, and said, "I'll help you."
Seeing this, Lu Xubai leaned down and grabbed Li Yichen's arm, his voice as cold as ice: "Don't touch her."
Despite the sharp pain in his arm, Li Yichen said in a rude tone, "I helped Fu Mei with the ceramics, and she didn't say she didn't want them. Mind your own business."
Lu Xubai's eyes were cold: "Let go!"
Li Yichen's handsome face revealed a cold smile, but he still didn't let go, his eyes revealing a hint of ruthlessness.
Live stream chat:
Are the two male guests going to get into a fight?
[Lu Xubai is terrifying.]
[Ahhhhh, I love watching two men fight over one woman, this competition is so satisfying!]
[The production team, you're fucking geniuses, arranging a date for two!]
Chu Ruofu was afraid that the two of them would fight in the ceramics room, so she said, "Don't argue, I'll do it myself. You two go and make the ceramics."
Li Yichen slowly released his hand, and Lu Xubai shook off his hand as if it had been stained with some kind of garbage.
“Look at him, he’s so rude.” Li Yichen showed his wrist to Chu Ruofu and said, “He’s pinched my hand until it’s red.”
Chu Ruofu looked at Li Yichen's aggrieved face, then at Lu Xubai who remained silent, and unspeakable thoughts flashed uncontrollably through her mind.
Uh, she shouldn't be thinking like this at a time like this.
"You should think about what kind of ceramics you want to make first," Chu Ruofu suggested.
Li Yichen said, "I'll make you a beautiful cup."
Chu Ruofu gave a perfunctory "uh-huh" and urged him to hurry up and do it.
She thought everyone was focused on making ceramics and that the day would pass peacefully, but unexpectedly, something still happened in the end.
Lu Xubai struck first, punching Li Yichen. Li Yichen retaliated, and the two male guests started fighting in front of the live broadcast camera.
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Author's note: [doge] Two tigers cannot share one mountain.
Thank you, babies, for the nutrient solution! Please water Fumei as much as you like!
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