Chapter 12

Huo Xingming was really hit hard!

They had agreed to exchange gifts, but “Macho Man” ended up giving him a shower of rain.

He might as well have just given him a breath of air.

The viewers in the live stream were practically dying of laughter.

【Damn, who’s taller, him or Xiao Bai? Learned something new.】

【Hahaha, I really want to see Piupiustar’s reaction right now! Too bad we have to wait for two weeks for the first episode to air, that’s such a long wait!】

【I really want to know what kind of mental state this male guest was in when he gave those three swords as a gift, laughing and crying.jpg.】

—

Bai Siyi sent Piupiustar a message:

【So, brother, do you like the rain? Soybean smile.jpg】

Huo Xingming picked up the phone he had thrown on the ground earlier. After reading the message, he was a little upset, but he wasn’t the type to hold grudges. He said to the staff:

“Although the gift Macho Man gave me really caught me off guard, thinking about how much debt she’s in and still wants to chase idols, I can understand her.”

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to give a gift, she just didn’t have the money!

Huo Xingming brushed it off and went back to his room to reply.

Piupiustar: 【I do! How did Macho Man know I like rainy days? On rainy days, the construction site doesn’t work, and I get to lie down all day. I’m happy.】

Bai Siyi: “……”

In the live stream:

【He makes such a good point, I can’t even argue.】

【He’s not mad? Is he really not mad, or is he just saying that to save face? Laughing and crying.jpg.】

—

Bai Siyi was also curious whether Piupiustar was genuinely not angry or just saying that out of frustration, or if maybe he felt embarrassed about not receiving a gift and said it that way.

But no matter what, Bai Siyi had achieved his goal.

He dragged the three heavy and useless swords Piupiustar had given him into his room.

When he first entered the room, he briefly thought about where to put the box, but quickly shoved both the swords and the box under the bed.

Out of sight, out of mind.

The progress of their online romance variety show was still moving quickly. After the gift exchange, the female guests gathered around to have dinner while preparing for tomorrow’s task.

That’s right, tomorrow’s task had already been assigned.

Bai Siyi finished washing up, dressed in a casual T-shirt and shorts, with his hair lazily tied into a bun, and sat down by the sofa.

Xi Mo looked at him and laughed, “Xiao Bai, you didn’t put on any makeup?”

Bai Siyi had just taken a shower, and his face was completely clean. To be honest, if it weren’t for the show’s requirements, he wouldn’t even bother with makeup.

He always felt like makeup products made his face feel stuffy and suffocating. Of course, it could also be because the ones he used were cheap.

Taking a sip of milk, Bai Siyi nodded, “I just washed my face, so I didn’t put any on.”

After drinking a mouthful of milk, his eyes lit up. He glanced down at the milk carton—this milk was delicious. It had a rich aroma, a smooth texture, and was the best milk he had ever tasted.

He heard it was from the show’s sponsor. No idea how much a box cost.

Qiu Bo said enviously, “Xiao Bai, your skin is so good. I finally understand why books compare smooth skin to a peeled egg.”

Bai Siyi gulped down half a bottle of milk and, feeling a bit embarrassed, said, “Your skin is great too! You all are so pretty, don’t tease me.”

Whenever he sat with the three female guests, he always felt out of place, like he was suffering secondhand embarrassment and wanted to crawl into a hole.

If it weren’t for that 500,000 yuan, he would never in his life dress as a girl to catfish straight guys online.

And in a dating reality show, no less!

After saying that, Bai Siyi quietly continued drinking his milk. Milk was tasty and good for calcium. Maybe if he drank more, he could grow from 177 cm to 180 cm!

Viewers in the live stream, seeing Bai Siyi like this, started tagging the milk brand’s official account:

【Come claim your brand ambassador! Look how deliciously Xiao Bai is drinking this.】

【Is it because he’s still young? Xiao Bai really loves milk.】

【Or maybe… he just wants to grow taller? Laughing and crying.jpg】

【Xiao Bai’s current height is already great! If he reaches 180 cm, it’ll be harder to find a top!】

【Looking forward to tomorrow’s task! I think it’s a face reveal or something?】

—

As the female guests ate dinner and chatted, a staff member suddenly approached, holding another pink card.

Bai Siyi sighed the moment he saw the pink card.

First, it was the gift exchange. What now?

No way it’s a date, right?

But when he thought about it, there were less than three days left until they officially met in person. Time would pass quickly!

Once they finally met, he’d be free!

Qiu Bo put down her utensils, took the card, opened it, and her eyes widened in surprise. “Huh? No way! Already?”

Bai Siyi and Jiang Mianshu immediately leaned in, curious about what the show had planned next.

Jiang Mianshu slowly read aloud, “After three days of chatting, you’ve not only learned the basics about each other but have also exchanged gifts. By now, you must be very curious about each other’s daily lives, right? Well then, it’s time for the long-distance date to begin! Choose a date location for your partner!”

Bai Siyi: “……”

Qiu Bo was shocked. “We’re doing a long-distance date this soon?”

All four female guests showed zero excitement about this.

The only ones feeling excited—or nervous—were the viewers in the live stream:

【Long-distance dating means each person picks a location for their partner, and they’ll visit it to eat, explore, and have fun while communicating via voice call. It’s the ultimate romance booster!】

【Forget everything else, I just want to know what kind of place Piupiustar will pick for Xiao Bai!】

【Hahaha, I’m the opposite—I can’t wait to see where Xiao Bai picks!】

【Online dating is all about spending nothing and mutual suffering! Another day of chaos begins!】

—

Bai Siyi was the odd one out among the female guests. The others had no shortage of money, so whether it was gift-giving or planning a long-distance date, they picked places Bai Siyi had never even heard of.

For example, Xi Mo said, “Guys like activities, right? How about I pick surfing at the beach for him?”

A beach trip wouldn’t just mean surfing—it could involve yachts, instructors, and more.

Qiu Bo and Xi Mo debated whether to pick the beach or a high-end custom dining experience.

After all, since this was a long-distance date with a live voice chat, if their partners picked extravagant places while they chose something unimpressive, not only would the viewers talk, but they themselves would feel embarrassed.

Jiang Mianshu spaced out for a moment, then turned to Bai Siyi. “Xiao Bai, where are you planning to send your date?”

Bai Siyi scratched his head and blurted out, “Hiking?”

Jiang Mianshu: “……”

Viewers in the live stream:

【HAHAHAHA who goes hiking for a first date? Laugh-crying.jpg】

【Hiking is great! One, it’s free. Two, it’s a great way to test endurance—if they can’t even make it up a mountain, what’s the point of dating?】

【Or they could go swimming! It’d test endurance and let them check out each other’s body.】

【Nope, swimming costs money! Xiao Bai shouldn’t have to spend a cent.】

—

At this moment, Piupiustar sent a message: 【Macho Man, where would you like to go for the date?】

Bai Siyi, lounging in a single sofa, listened to the discussion of the other three female guests while replying to Piupiustar: 【Brother, I want to go on a cruise, try surfing, ride a jet ski, and eat gourmet food. Oh, and if possible, I’d also love to go to the tallest tower in the ^[1]CBD stands for Central Business District—it’s the downtown area of a city with skyscrapers, offices, luxury hotels, and high-end shopping malls.CBD at night to stargaze. Shy.jpg】

Two seconds later, Piupiustar replied: 【Macho Man, you might as well just say you want my life.】

Bai Siyi: “……”

Live Stream Comments:

【Hahahahaha, the macho man is breaking down, you might as well just say you want my life.】

【Xiao Bai’s demands are too high! They won’t even spare you ten bucks, how could they take you on a cruise?】

【The main issue is that the conditions aren’t met, but a trip to the beach to surf could be achievable, right?】

—

Bai Siyi had just said that offhandedly, trying to tease the other person, knowing they couldn’t afford it.

After thinking for a moment, Bai Siyi replied again: 【Then I want to go to an amusement park. That’s not too much to ask, right, brother?】

When Bai Siyi was young, he often went to amusement parks with his parents. But since his family’s circumstances changed, he hadn’t gone back. Sometimes, when he was by himself, he really missed those childhood days.

Now that he was recording a show and his manager had given him time off, he figured he might as well take a trip to the amusement park. His 19th birthday was coming up, so he’d treat it as a gift for himself.

Of course, he didn’t expect Piupiustar to buy him tickets, but he planned to buy them himself when the date happened.

Piupiustar: 【An amusement park? Of course, that’s fine! Macho Man, get ready for a surprise from me tomorrow!】

Bai Siyi was a bit surprised. The other person said it was fine?

Did they have enough money to buy tickets?

After thinking for a moment, Bai Siyi figured if the other person really did buy the amusement park tickets for him, he shouldn’t be too stingy. He should pick a nice place for them in return.

Without Bai Siyi even asking, Piupiustar directly said: 【Macho Man, I want to eat something delicious, something with local flavor. You know what I mean, right? Yellow bean shy.jpg】

Bai Siyi mumbled under his breath, “I understand, of course, a person who eats a whole bowl of steamed buns in one meal is obviously a foodie.”

Bai Siyi was very familiar with the area, he knew exactly where to find affordable and tasty food. In the past, when he was younger and unable to work in a factory, he went through a difficult time. Without a canteen, he would pick up vegetable leaves from the market to cook at home. Sometimes when eating out, he’d make sure to spend the least amount of money to get the most food!

Since Piupiustar wanted to eat something delicious, that was easy enough.

Most Loves Macho Man: 【No problem! Just wait for tomorrow, brother. Yellow bean cute.jpg】

—

Live Stream Comments:

【Are they really going for it? A real date?】

【Hiss, is Piupiustar serious? A theme park ticket costs a whole day’s wage for them—do they even have the money? Facepalm.jpg】

【I suddenly feel bad for Xiao Bai, they won’t even spend on a theme park ticket. Xiao Bai, come date me! I’ll take you anywhere you want!】

【Laughing so hard, when the show ends, a bunch of people will be lining up to take Xiao Bai on a cruise or to the amusement park.】

—

When Huo Xingming put down his phone, the accompanying director asked him off-camera, “Mr. Huo, do you want to book tickets for the amusement park tomorrow?”

The city’s amusement park was quite popular, especially on weekends, and tickets needed to be booked in advance.

The price wasn’t too expensive—general admission for outdoor activities was just over a hundred, though some additional attractions required separate fees.

Huo Xingming looked at the director in confusion and raised an eyebrow. “Book tickets? What tickets? She didn’t even give me a gift—why would I spend money to buy her a ticket?”

“Of course,”

Huo Xingming added, “I’m not a petty person or anything, and I’m definitely not mad about the gift situation. It’s mainly because I don’t have money.”

Accompanying director: “……”

Alright, alright, we get it—you’re mad about the gift.

—

After the live stream ended that night, Bai Siyi returned to his room and opened a food delivery app to search for local snack shops nearby.

These were places he had discovered after dropping out of school to work. They were cheap and had good food—his go-to spots when he was broke, where he could get a meal for under ten yuan.

Since Piupiustar had mentioned wanting to eat delicious local food, Bai Siyi guessed he was probably from out of town.

He hadn’t given Piupiustar a gift before, and now that they were about to have a virtual date, if Piupiustar really did take him to the amusement park, it would be too much if he didn’t spend a single cent in return.

Bai Siyi browsed through all the nearby restaurants and picked three places.

A main meal + dessert + a local specialty snack.

None of these places were expensive, but the food was great. He could just buy meal vouchers for each one through group deals, and the total cost was less than forty yuan.

Forty yuan!

Looking at that number, Bai Siyi couldn’t help but think—forty yuan could buy him forty bags of milk, two T-shirts, or a three-month shared bike subscription.

He sighed, saved the three restaurants, and added the selected meal vouchers to his cart. His plan was to wait until tomorrow’s virtual date—if Piupiustar went to one of the places, he’d buy the voucher for that one. That way, if Piupiustar didn’t like the food, he wouldn’t have to waste money on the other two.

After getting everything ready, Bai Siyi prepared to sleep.

Piupiustar had sent multiple messages, which he hadn’t checked yet. When he finally opened them, he saw several unread ones.

Piupiustar: 【Macho Man, tomorrow is our first date! Did you take the day off?】

Piupiustar: 【I told you, factory workers like you don’t have the same freedom as us construction workers. Look at me—I don’t even need to ask for leave. Proudly puffs chest.jpg】

Piupiustar: 【Oh right, we’ll be doing a voice call tomorrow. I haven’t sent you a voice message before, have I? Do you want to hear your brother’s voice? Shy.jpg】

Bai Siyi: “……”

With the expression of an old man on the subway looking at his phone, he stared at the screen for a long time before replying:

【No. 🙂】

Piupiustar instantly replied: 【Don’t be fooled by how broke your brother is—my voice is seriously good. I could totally be a voice actor, you know what that is, right?】

Bai Siyi: “……”

How could he not know? He was one himself!

Macho Man: 【Brother, really, no need.】

With a blank expression, Bai Siyi typed: 【Keep the anticipation up, wait until tomorrow…】

Before he could even send the message, Piupiustar sent a voice note. He hesitated for a second before tapping on it.

Immediately, a horribly rough and grating male voice started singing an overly cutesy goodnight song:

【Good morning meow~ Good afternoon meow~ Good night meow~ Meow meow meow meow meow~~~】

The voice conjured up the mental image of a burly, unkempt man with scruffy facial hair and visible nose hairs, winking and acting all cutesy while trying to be adorable.

Bai Siyi shuddered violently, and his phone slipped from his hand, falling to the floor with a thud.

Fortunately, the voice note was only a few seconds long—any longer, and he would have been covered in goosebumps!

As someone who had studied voice acting himself, Bai Siyi could tell right away that Piupiustar had deliberately made his voice sound that awful just to mess with him.

His actual voice wasn’t that bad at all!

Fuming, Bai Siyi opened the food delivery app, removed every restaurant he had just bookmarked, then shut off his phone and shoved it under his bed.

Only to find—he couldn’t push it all the way in.

Because there were three knives already stuffed under there.

Bai Siyi: “……”

Bai Siyi sat on the floor, looking at the knives under his bed, then at his phone. After a few seconds, he angrily slapped the box containing the knives.

“What the hell? Is he insane?!”

Sure, Bai Siyi could be sarcastic too, but at least he didn’t deliberately disgust the other person, right?

This had to be revenge.

With a deadpan expression, Bai Siyi muttered, “He’s definitely getting back at me because I didn’t send him a gift.”

Well then, during tomorrow’s date, Bai Siyi wouldn’t bother finding any good restaurants for him either. Let Piupiustar wander the streets hungry—he’d probably get even more pissed.

Bai Siyi tossed his phone into a drawer, out of sight, out of mind.

With the way things were going, if they ever met in person, one of them might just drop dead on the spot.

Thinking about how he was about to leave the show and walk away with half a million, Bai Siyi’s mood instantly improved.

The more annoying the other party was, the higher the chance this whole thing would crash and burn upon exposure. In that case, wasn’t this actually a good thing?

Convincing himself of this, Bai Siyi happily went to sleep.

Meanwhile, Huo Xingming was still waiting for a reply.

Staring at his phone, Huo Xingming frowned. “Why hasn’t he responded yet? That doesn’t make sense—I sent so many messages! I even sang for him!”

The staff: “……”

Feeling a little wronged, Huo Xingming muttered, “I mean, sure, I do want to trigger a bad ending, but isn’t ignoring all my messages a bit too much?”

He admitted he was a bit of a chatterbox, but sending multiple messages and getting zero replies? That was just plain rude!