Volume One, Chapter Four: If You Don’t Like It, Then Why Is the Junior Blushing?

Qin Yi spoke in such a rush, and so loudly at that, that she drew the attention of the people around them.

Listening to her, Wen Zhi’s heartbeat suddenly lost its rhythm, surging wildly. It was as though something deep inside her had begun to awaken little by little, yet she was afraid that if she took that step, he would pull away from her. So she did not dare to gamble.

How could he possibly like her?

“Qin Yi... he and I aren’t even from the same world...”

Hearing that, Qin Yi opened her mouth, then after a pause said, “Forget it. Think it through yourself. If nothing comes up later, I’ll take you around the live set for the first episode of the dating show so you can get familiar with the process, all right?”

Before Wen Zhi could answer, a man’s voice came from beside them. “Wen Zhi?”

The two of them looked up. Wen Zhi said, “Senior Wei Yuan?”

Wei Yuan was dressed casually as he walked over. “You were also called here by Director Qin to help put out the fire?”

As he spoke, he sat down beside Wen Zhi.

Seeing Wen Zhi nod, he smiled, then turned his gaze to Qin Yi, who was seated across from him. “Director Qin, any other guests you can leak a little?”

Qin Yi answered with a sweet smile, “Top secret.”

“Wen Zhi is practically a social recluse. How did you arrange for her to be my partner?”

Wen Zhi: “...”

Qin Yi only smiled without saying anything. This girl was hardly a social recluse. She was a social powerhouse.

Back when Wen Zhi worked part-time as a voice actress, before the other side had even asked her to audition for a role, she had already launched into a full performance. In the end, only then did she learn that the other person was the interviewer’s secretary, and she had blurted out, “You looked unhappy, so I thought I’d cheer you up.”

With someone so naturally gifted at stirring up the atmosphere, having her there meant there would be no such thing as a dating-show battlefield. Not to mention...

“Sheng Sheng, you might want to consider Senior Wei Yuan. He’s a good guy, handsome and easy to get along with, and the key thing is he’s very... well, you two already know each other~”

Qin Yi said with a grin. Since she had decided to let go of that man and start a romance of her own, the most effective and direct way was to begin dating. She slipped Wen Zhi a pointed look.

What was that supposed to mean?

Could she be trying to match her with Senior Wei Yuan?

Wen Zhi’s mouth twitched. She looked at Wei Yuan, then at Qin Yi, and said awkwardly, “A dating show even has a script? Isn’t dating supposed to be with someone you actually like...”

Not just grab someone at random...

Wei Yuan’s eyes flickered, and he curved his lips into a smile. “Then among the guests, is there anyone who can make the junior sister’s heart race...”

“Aren’t the guest names supposed to be confidential?” Wen Zhi frowned slightly and lifted the glass in front of her for a sip of water.

Seeing that the atmosphere had turned a little strange, Qin Yi was just about to change the subject when her phone vibrated on the table beside her. The screen showed “Assistant Liu.”

“I’ll take a call. You two eat first.”

Wei Yuan watched Qin Yi’s figure disappear from sight before turning back to Wen Zhi. “Junior sister, when did you arrive on Polar Island? I didn’t even hear Qin Yi mention it.”

“Yesterday.”

“What a coincidence, so did I. How come I didn’t see you at the airport yesterday?”

Wen Zhi lowered her head, her fingers toying with the straw. “Someone came to pick me up.”

Wei Yuan paused. “Who? Qin Yi? But I didn’t see you at the rooftop party at the hotel last night.”

Wen Zhi did not answer, because his words made her think of last night—the fleeting brush of her lips against Shen Nianchi’s Adam’s apple.

Her face could not help flushing. Her heart was oddly nervous and embarrassed too. She instinctively lifted her eyes toward the entrance, and at just that moment met the gaze of the poster of Shen Nianchi pasted there.

In an instant.

Her mind went blank with a hum. She forgot all words, and the tips of her ears turned red at once. She quickly lowered her head, not daring to look again.

“Not Qin Yi? Then who was it? Your boyfriend?”

At the words “boyfriend,” Wen Zhi’s body trembled slightly. Her eyelashes fluttered, and a strange light flashed in her eyes. A few seconds later, she looked at him and said, “...Not really.”

As soon as she said that, she once again faced the poster of Shen Nianchi, and her cheeks grew hotter and hotter. She hurriedly looked away.

At that moment, Qin Yi’s voice came from the direction of the entrance. “Sheng Sheng, I’ve got amazing news for you!”

Wen Zhi looked over again, deliberately ignoring the poster. Qin Yi came running over excitedly and bent down to whisper in her ear.

The next second, Wen Zhi’s eyes flew wide open. Her expression was exaggerated, her breathing even uneven. She turned her head in disbelief and looked at her. “Shen Nianchi is going to be on the dating show?!”

Qin Yi nodded hard. “Of course. Why would I lie to you? Looks like your guess about the romance was right after all—it’s fake.”

Wen Zhi was stunned for a few seconds. Then she heard Wei Yuan ask, “Junior sister, why are you so excited? Don’t tell me you’re also a fan of Teacher Shen Nianchi?”

Wen Zhi pressed her lips together, came back to herself, and denied it. “N-no, I’m just... very surprised. I heard from Qin Yi that this Shen Nianchi just had his relationship exposed? So the relationship was really fake.”

She had not expected him to take part in a variety show, and a dating show at that!

So that was how he planned to clear things up...

Those words and actions that had made people misunderstand were definitely intentional. Like when she was little, he was teasing her again, and still treating her like a child?!

Then a thought struck her. Could there be someone among the guests that Shen Nianchi liked?

Who was it?!

No, no matter who it was, she had to find out.

Thinking of this, Wen Zhi straightened in her chair and said with sudden seriousness, “Director Qin, who are the other guests?”

Qin Yi blinked. Why was this girl suddenly asking about that?

Wei Yuan looked at Wen Zhi, his brows faintly knitted, feeling that something about her seemed a little off.

“The other guests? Weren’t you not interested?”

Wen Zhi hesitated before speaking. “I just want to understand ahead of time. Is that not allowed?”

Looking at her expression that clearly said she would never tell anyone, Qin Yi considered it. “The materials are all in the office over there... Shen Nianchi will be going too in a bit. Why don’t we head over now?”

She suddenly grew excited.

Wen Zhi asked in surprise, “Now?”

“Of course. Otherwise you’ll only get to see the real person on the first day of the livestream.”

Wen Zhi lowered her head and thought for two seconds, then looked up. “You can just go back and send me those materials. I still need to buy some daily necessities.”

Wei Yuan, who had been sitting aside, suddenly said, “Why not go take a look at the set? It’ll only take a few minutes, and there seems to be a big supermarket nearby too, so you can buy things there as well.”

Qin Yi raised an eyebrow. “Right, and I happen to have something for you...”

She suddenly leaned closer to Wen Zhi and spoke softly in her ear.

“No... no need...” Wen Zhi shook her head and refused.

“What do you mean, no need? I get nervous when I’m seeing my idol alone. Come with me. Let’s go!”

With that, she forcefully pulled Wen Zhi to her feet and headed for the door.

Wei Yuan watched Wen Zhi’s retreating figure and, for a moment, was lost in thought. Why did her back look so much like the one in those photos, and why was she wearing the same style of white down jacket?

—

Half an hour later.

The three of them arrived backstage for the first live broadcast of the dating show Heartbeat for You. Qin Yi led the way toward a door ahead marked “Director’s Office.”

As they passed a wall, Wen Zhi came to a stop and turned to glance at the newly posted poster and promotional image of Shen Nianchi.

Seeing that, Wei Yuan, who was walking beside her, smiled and asked, “What is it? Not a fan, but you like him?”

Hearing that, Wen Zhi’s heartbeat inexplicably sped up. Her cheeks flushed faintly as she looked away unnaturally. “...I don’t like him.”

“Oh, you don’t like him, then why are you blushing, junior sister?”