Chapter 3: Breaking the Pairing Game

‘System, sir,’ Sang Zhiyi tried calling out in her mind, ‘can you help me get number one?’

She needed the maximum choice.

A faint static sound flickered through her mind, and the system responded:

[Please draw the bamboo stick that is furthest to your left within your current field of vision.]

It was a young male voice, its timbre clear and magnetic, quite textured—like a cool spring leisurely flowing through the depths of a secluded valley.

It sounded remarkably like a real person.

But there was not a trace of emotion, like a highly realistic machine.

Sang Zhiyi: “……”

Sang Zhiyi let out an almost imperceptible sigh and decided which stick she would draw in a moment.

“Ooh?

You guys know how to play.”

Song Ying let out a whistle.

[I knew Director Song would be thrilled hahahaha]

[This is so f*cking exciting, good job production team!]

Lou Yanchen, on the other hand, frowned.

Drawing lots to form pairs, all based on randomness?

From the moment Lou Yanchen learned that Jiang Yingru would be participating to when he made an additional investment in this dating show and became a guest himself, the whole process had been rather rushed.

To make his approach to Jiang Yingru seem more natural and avoid raising her vigilance or suspicion, Lou Yanchen hadn’t explicitly stated his intentions to the production team.

He had only expressed his appreciation for Jiang Yingru in a relatively subtle manner.

But judging by the results, the production team hadn’t picked up on it.

Lou Yanchen pressed his fingers to his brow.

This production team was really clueless…

Usually, when he wanted something, a slight hint was enough for his subordinates to quickly carry out his instructions.

He just hoped he could smoothly draw the same group as Jiang Yingru this time.

[President Lou really is upset…]

[Lou Yanchen seems really reluctant, doesn’t he?]

[So why exactly did President Lou come to this dating show?

Did something happen to Starlight?

To save his company from going bankrupt, the president debuts as an idol himself?]

The guests finished drawing their lots quickly.

Lou Yanchen was the first to tear off the sticker at the bottom of his bamboo stick.

The number revealed beneath the sticker was “6.”

Lou Yanchen’s expression turned quite sour.

The last number, the least choice.

His chances of being paired with Jiang Yingru were very low.

Sang Zhiyi also saw the number written on the bamboo stick in her hand.

It was clearly “1.”

‘Thank you,’ Sang Zhiyi said in her mind.

The system replied: [You are welcome.]

Seeing that Sang Zhiyi had drawn “1,” Lou Yanchen’s frown deepened even more.

…Ren Xiaoqian would definitely pester him again.

Although he had just been mocked and threatened by Sang Zhiyi in the garden, Lou Yanchen didn’t think a woman who had been so devoted to him for so long would suddenly change her temperament.

At most, Sang Zhiyi had just learned to throw tantrums.

Under the gaze of everyone present, Sang Zhiyi moved her feet without hesitation.

[This girl is so decisive.

She must have had someone in mind already.

I’m ready to ship a CP!]

[The average looks of the guests on this show is ridiculously high.

Just based on faces, any random pair would be pleasing to the eye.]

[I wonder which male guest she’ll choose?]

Lou Yanchen was already considering how to most appropriately reject Ren Xiaoqian with so many cameras pointed at them.

In the close-up shot, Sang Zhiyi only took a few steps to the side before stopping in front of Jiang Yingru.

“Sister Jiang,” Sang Zhiyi asked, both hopeful and nervous, “c-can I be in a pair with you?”

[???]

[What???

What’s happening??!]

[We were all guessing which male guest she’d pick, but she went straight for a girl?!]

[Hiss, for a moment I don’t even know whether to praise her taste for choosing Sister Yingru or not.]

[Wait, I specifically looked up to confirm—this is a dating show, right???]

Not just the audience—the other guests and the production crew on set were all stunned by Sang Zhiyi’s move.

Lou Yanchen’s face was full of shock.

Sang Zhiyi had actually chosen Jiang Yingru?!

Thinking about how he had just been considering how to reject Sang Zhiyi’s expected request to pair with him, Lou Yanchen felt his face burning.

Had he been flattering himself all along?

Sensing something was wrong, Sang Zhiyi looked up and saw so many surprised gazes around her.

She spoke, slightly timid: “…Is that not allowed?”

On Sang Zhiyi’s face was pure innocence and confusion.

Her eyes widened slightly, seemingly misted over with a thin layer of tears.

Her lips pressed together slightly, looking wronged and pitiful.

[Allowed, allowed, allowed!

Momma, who can resist those eyes?

I say allowed!]

[This girl’s looks get more appealing the more you look.

What’s her name?

I’m becoming a fan of her face starting today!]

[That’s right, even though it’s a dating show, the production team came up with such freeform rules.

Why can’t a guest just choose whichever partner they want?]

The people on set also realized it.

They really hadn’t specified that guests had to choose a partner of the opposite s*x, had they?

As per usual, since no one voiced an objection, it was taken as silent consent from everyone.

Sang Zhiyi’s face lit up again with a joyful smile.

[This girl’s smile is so beautiful it makes me cry!]

[Whoa whoa whoa, I looked her up!

Her name is Ren Xiaoqian!]

[???

Why is Ren Xiaoqian here?!

Wait, who did you say is Ren Xiaoqian?

This girl?!]

Mention the name “Ren Xiaoqian,” and anyone who pays even a little attention to the entertainment industry would have heard of it.

The infamous resource sponge.

She appeared in almost every compilation video of bad acting skills of current stars.

Many of her performance clips had become memes, making people exclaim, “How can acting be this stiff?”

[I remember Ren Xiaoqian has a pretty famous ugly meme that was everywhere for a while, that [A trace of fear hidden within a calm face.jpg]]

[I got scared and searched immediately.

Any random photo of that Ren Xiaoqian you guys are talking about shows her with her chest in, head down, looking timid and shrinking.

The one barely clear you can find, she’s as stiff as a wooden dummy.

Totally different from this girl!]

[It must be a different person with the same name, right?!

Ren Xiaoqian is a name that could easily be duplicated!]

The guests had no idea how the live stream audience was reacting.

The first guest on set to recover was Jiang Yingru herself.

Thanks to the goodwill Sang Zhiyi had built up earlier, Jiang Yingru didn’t hesitate much before agreeing.

“Okay, sure.”

Of the other five guests present, Jiang Yingru at most knew a few by name, with no real connection.

By comparison, Sang Zhiyi, whom she had just been chatting with, was the most familiar.

Since this younger girl she quite appreciated had made the request, pairing up with her was fine.

After all, the reason she had joined this dating show in the first place was… to get her mind off things.

[???

What am I smelling?

The fragrance of lilies?]

[You’ve been saying they look alike all along.

Is this what they call a couple’s resemblance?!]

[Who cares?

A dating show is for shipping CPs.

I’m shipping this CP first!]

“Crack.”

An abrupt, not-quite-quiet sound came from the villa’s reception hall.

Lou Yanchen, unable to control himself, had snapped the bamboo stick in his hand.