Chapter 37

Bai Siyi and Huo Xingming were clearly into each other, and the audience was losing their minds over their CP. The fan count in the “Bai Xing Yiyi” super topic skyrocketed overnight, jumping from over 100,000 to more than 200,000—their popularity was off the charts.

Because of them, the show itself also trended on the hot search.

The CP of Qiu Bo and his partner followed closely behind in popularity.

Director Liu was both excited and regretful. Looking back, he felt that the contract he signed with Bai Siyi had been too rushed—he shouldn’t have set the time limit at the confession stage.

He should’ve extended it until the end of the show.

Now, because Bai Siyi wanted to secure his 500,000 yuan reward, he stopped at the confession stage and submitted a thank-you letter. Huo Xingming did the same.

According to the show’s rules, since neither of them wrote the other a love letter, it meant they had mutually passed on each other. As a result, they would both be eliminated from the show, and a new pair of guests would take their place to continue the live broadcast.

But Director Liu wasn’t willing to let them go so easily.

So, when Bai Siyi accompanied Huo Xingming to the hospital to register for treatment, Director Liu also showed up with his assistant.

—

In reality, Huo Xingming had already stopped bleeding. Even though he had bled a lot at first, the moment he and Bai Siyi cleared things up in the car, he suddenly felt fine.

Huo Xingming stuck close to Bai Siyi as they walked, constantly leaning against him. “Xiao Bai, I’m really fine! Let’s not register, okay? The registration fee is 15 yuan, you know.”

After spending a few days with Bai Siyi, Huo Xingming had learned to be frugal. “15 yuan is enough to buy a boxed meal!”

Bai Siyi: “……”

He stood in line at the registration counter, but Huo Xingming kept squeezing him against the wall. Bai Siyi helplessly pushed him away. “Stop pushing me, there’s no space left!”

Huo Xingming stared at the wall for a second, then lowered his gaze and noticed the tips of Bai Siyi’s ears turning bright red.

All of a sudden, he found Bai Siyi incredibly cute.

So, he pressed even closer. “Nope, I like squeezing you.”

Saying that, Huo Xingming even reached out and gently pinched Bai Siyi’s ear.

Bai Siyi: “……”

He swatted Huo Xingming’s hand away. “Stop touching me!”

They weren’t even together yet!

He had already made it clear that they would only get to know each other properly after the show ended.

But Huo Xingming—this guy—was acting like they were already a couple in love!

With zero shame, Huo Xingming leaned in, tilting his head to expose his ear with an earring. “Here, you can pinch mine too! Go ahead, don’t take a loss!”

As he spoke, he even grabbed Bai Siyi’s hand and placed it on his ear.

Bai Siyi: “……”

Expressionless, Bai Siyi yanked his hand back.

To be honest, even if he did pinch back, he would still be the one losing.

Because Huo Xingming was acting like a total creep!

At this moment, the live stream was still running, and the audience was absolutely losing their minds watching their interaction:

【Piupiustar is seriously so shameless! Did your wife even agree to this? And you’re already squeezing him like this! Dog-dog-angry.jpg】

【Wuwuwu, guys, I can totally picture it now. Our little cabbage is getting pushed around by a husky. Wuwuwu, my wife is gone!】

【Hisssss… Hissss… Their position is so suggestive (nonsense), pressed against the wall, and Xiao Bai can’t even handle it! Dog-head.jpg】

【Not gonna lie, you guys… just look at it. Huo Xingming, this huge guy, pressing the slim and delicate Bai Siyi into the corner of the wall—it’s just chef’s kiss! They’ve got both a height and size difference. If they really did it… that would be insanely hot!】

【The “Bai Xing Yiyi” super topic is celebrating New Year’s today! This screenshot right here? It’s basically their wedding photo now.】

—

The barrage of comments in the live stream was going absolutely feral, but Bai Siyi hadn’t thought of it that way at all.

Seeing that it was almost their turn in line, he straightened up and pushed Huo Xingming away. “It’s almost our turn. Let’s go.”

But Huo Xingming glanced at the registration window, then suddenly grabbed Bai Siyi’s arm and walked off.

Bai Siyi was stunned. “Huo Xingming, what are you doing? You’re not seeing the doctor?”

Huo Xingming rubbed his nose. “It was probably just a nosebleed from too much heat. No need to see a doctor over something so minor—it’d just waste medical resources.”

Bai Siyi, still being dragged along, was speechless. “Then why didn’t you say so earlier? I already waited in line!”

They had waited for over ten minutes!

Huo Xingming grinned sheepishly. “Aiya, I just wanted to spend more time alone with you.”

Bai Siyi: “……”

—

The truth was, Huo Xingming never intended to see the doctor.

But when he saw Bai Siyi worrying about him and even lining up with him, his heart felt so, so warm.

So, he pushed Bai Siyi against the wall again, pressing closer and closer, until Bai Siyi was trapped between him and the wall in that narrow space.

For some reason, that gave him a strange sense of satisfaction.

And seeing Bai Siyi’s face flushed with embarrassment and tension, he found him even cuter.

—

Right now, Bai Siyi did like Huo Xingming.

He didn’t reject the idea of being with him, but he still felt like Huo Xingming was being way too sneaky about it!

Just a while ago, this guy was a clueless goofball—

When did he suddenly get so crafty?!

—

They reached the hospital lobby’s waiting area, and Bai Siyi stopped, asking, “Huo Xingming, are you really fine? How’s your nose feeling?”

Huo Xingming looked at Bai Siyi, wrinkled his nose, then suddenly said, “I don’t think it’s fine… My nose kind of hurts.”

Bai Siyi’s brows furrowed. “Really?”

Huo Xingming nodded, pulling Bai Siyi down to sit beside him in the waiting area.

Then he pointed to his nose. “Xiao Bai, my nose really hurts, but I don’t want to see a doctor… Can you blow on it for me?”

Bai Siyi: “……Blow on it?”

Huo Xingming got even more into it. “Yeah! Blow on it, and the pain will fly away!”

Bai Siyi: “……”

Bai Siyi thought Huo Xingming was being ridiculously childish.

But the problem was—he just happened to like that about him.

So in the end, he gave in.

He stood in front of Huo Xingming, bent down, leaned in close, and gently blew on his nose twice. Then, in a soft voice, he asked, “Does it feel any better?”

Huo Xingming tilted his head back slightly, staring at Bai Siyi, who was now right in front of him.

When Bai Siyi used to dress as a girl, his hair was always down, and he’d wear light makeup.

But now, he was completely bare-faced, his hair simply tied up into a messy bun, with stray strands falling across his forehead—giving him a cool and delicate look.

Huo Xingming couldn’t look away.

He watched as Bai Siyi’s lips moved, opening and closing as he spoke.

“Huo Xingming? Huo Xingming?”

Bai Siyi reached out and jabbed him in the forehead, voice low and impatient. “Why aren’t you answering me? I asked if you feel better.”

Huo Xingming’s ears turned bright red.

He swallowed hard and, in a quiet voice, said—”Bai Siyi, I want to kiss you.”

Bai Siyi: “……”

Bai Siyi immediately took two steps back, putting distance between them.

He was speechless.

Of course, this guy was a mixed-race kid who grew up abroad—so damn bold.

They had only known each other for so long.

And Bai Siyi had already told him, more times than he could count, that he hadn’t accepted him yet.

They hadn’t even properly gotten to know each other again!

Yet Huo Xingming had been touching him, pinching his ears, and now—he straight-up said he wanted to kiss him?!

Bai Siyi’s face flushed red.

He glared at Huo Xingming and snapped, “Keep dreaming.”

Then he turned around and walked straight for the hospital entrance.

Huo Xingming panicked.

He quickly caught up, sounding nervous. “Xiao Bai, are you mad?”

Bai Siyi ignored him.

Huo Xingming bumped his shoulder against Bai Siyi’s.

Bai Siyi dodged—but Huo Xingming chased after him.

Bai Siyi pushed him away—but he wouldn’t budge.

In the end, Bai Siyi just gave up.

Huo Xingming continued pressing up against him, but he was also worried about safety—afraid that Bai Siyi might get pushed onto the road.

So, being the shameless dog that he was, he boldly reached out and wrapped an arm around Bai Siyi’s shoulders, pulling him closer to his side.

Bai Siyi: “……”

Huo Xingming even pouted and sounded so wronged.

“Xiao Bai, don’t stay so far away from me. I’ll get sad.”

Bai Siyi: “……”

Huo Xingming started spouting nonsense. “Xiao Bai, I think I have skin hunger. If I don’t stick to you every second, I won’t get better.”

Bai Siyi: “……”

This was the first time Bai Siyi had ever heard of such a thing.

For a second—he actually believed it.

“Skin hunger? What’s that?”

Huo Xingming explained, “It means liking hugs and physical closeness—craving skin-to-skin contact.”

Then, with a dead serious expression, he emphasized—”I’m extremely hungry for it.”

Live Stream Comments:

 【……】

【The last time I saw someone so bluntly admit they were ‘extremely hungry’ was… the last time.】

【Yeah, yeah, we get it, you’re starving. But can you let go of Xiao Bai first? He’s about to get squished flat, laugh-cry emoji】

【AAAA I’m speechless. Are foreigners really this bold?! They’ve only known each other for how long, and he’s already saying ‘hungry’ like it’s nothing? Piupiustar, have some shame!】

—

The viewers in the live stream all knew Huo Xingming was just making things up as an excuse to stick close to Bai Siyi.

But Bai Siyi, being the gullible fool he was, paused in his tracks.

He looked at Huo Xingming in shock. “…You—you actually have this condition?”

What kind of illness was this?!

Could it be cured?!

Huo Xingming shyly said, “I didn’t have it before. Just developed it this morning.”

Bai Siyi: “……”

He fought the urge to roll his eyes and just kept walking.

Huo Xingming wrapped an arm around his shoulders, towering over him.

Then, despite his height, he tilted his head down and rested it on Bai Siyi’s shoulder, rubbing against him like a big dog.

“I’m serious, Xiao Bai! Look—now that I’m sticking to you, my nose doesn’t even hurt anymore!”

Bai Siyi was utterly helpless.

He finally realized—

Not only was Huo Xingming ridiculously bold, but he was also shamelessly clingy.

He was worse than a dog.

Bai Siyi couldn’t even imagine what it would be like to date someone like Huo Xingming.

Would he even be able to get any work done with how needy this guy was?

But still…

Bai Siyi did like Huo Xingming.

He didn’t mind the closeness.

In fact, deep down—he actually liked it.

He had never had many friends growing up.

And after his family fell apart, he had been alone, struggling just to get by.

No friends.

No lover.

He couldn’t even remember the last time he had been hugged.

Maybe… back in kindergarten?

Actually, people do like hugs—physical contact, skin against skin, leaning on each other, sharing warmth. It really is a nice feeling.

Bai Siyi was still wrapped in Huo Xingming’s hold. Although his expression looked reluctant, the corners of his lips were slightly curled up.

He felt like he was the kind of person who was overly cautious in relationships. Fortunately, Huo Xingming was the opposite—otherwise, the two of them probably never would have ended up together.

Because Huo Xingming, this big guy, was pressing against him a little too tightly, Bai Siyi felt a slight pain on the side of his thigh. He reached down to touch it and suddenly remembered—he had bought a farewell gift for Huo Xingming.

It was a pair of sapphire star-shaped earrings.

Deep down, he had selfishly wanted to keep one for himself, so he had only brought one today, kept in a small box. Earlier, when Huo Xingming had a nosebleed, he had hurriedly stuffed it into his pocket.

Now, looking at how clingy Huo Xingming was, Bai Siyi wondered—if he gave him the gift, would he be really happy?

But before he could even take it out, Director Liu and his team blocked their way.

Director Liu had brought a few staff members with him, and they happened to catch the two of them sticking together at the hospital entrance.

Director Liu, clearly excited, said, “Xiao Bai! Can I take up ten minutes of your time? I have a collaboration I’d like to discuss with you.”

Bai Siyi felt genuinely grateful toward Director Liu.

If Director Liu hadn’t reached out to him first, he never would have had this kind of opportunity in his life.

Not to mention—the 500,000 yuan had already helped him immensely.

Huo Xingming, on the other hand, was not happy to see Director Liu.

Because at this point, he felt like this entire production team was insane.

It was just supposed to be a simple online dating live stream.

And yet, they had set up so many traps for him and Bai Siyi!

Fortunately, Bai Siyi hadn’t blocked him at the beginning—otherwise, they would’ve completely missed each other!

And if he had missed out on Bai Siyi this time, where else would he ever find such a cute wife?!

Bai Siyi remained polite. “Director Liu, what would you like to discuss?”

As he spoke, he pushed away Huo Xingming’s arm from his shoulder and walked over to Director Liu’s side.

Huo Xingming’s face instantly fell.

He looked like a big dog abandoned by its owner.

Director Liu glanced at Huo Xingming and chuckled, “Mr. Huo, you should come too. This collaboration involves both of you.”

Huo Xingming’s eyes lit up, and he immediately walked over, reclaiming his hold on Bai Siyi’s shoulder.

Grinning, he said, “Ohhh, Director Liu! What’s so important that you need to discuss it with both of us?”

Bai Siyi felt that Huo Xingming’s arm was too heavy on his shoulder.

He tried pushing it off—but failed.

Huo Xingming’s arm was stuck there like glue.

Director Liu smiled and led the two of them into a car. Then, he temporarily paused the live stream.

Sitting across from them, Director Liu spoke with genuine sincerity—

“I came here specifically today to talk to you two about filming the special bonus content after the show ends.”

Bai Siyi and Huo Xingming exchanged a glance. “Bonus content?”

Before joining the show, Bai Siyi had watched the first season. As far as he remembered, there was no bonus content back then.

And it wasn’t mentioned in his contract either.

Director Liu was a shrewd man—right now, Bai Siyi and Huo Xingming were the key to traffic and engagement, and there was no way he was going to let that slip away.

The bonus content wasn’t even in the show’s original planning document.

He had specifically added it because of Bai Siyi and Huo Xingming.

The second season of First Heartbeat was set to be eight episodes long, airing one episode per week on a major TV network over a two-month period.

The first two episodes wouldn’t lack engagement—because they would focus on the online interactions between the male and female participants. Back then, the male participants weren’t part of the live broadcast, so their online conversations would be edited in as a selling point to attract viewers.

But after that, most of the content would be things the live stream audience had already seen. While there would still be highlights, Director Liu felt that wasn’t enough.

Even more concerning—Bai Siyi and Huo Xingming’s storyline could only provide four episodes’ worth of content.

That meant the remaining four episodes wouldn’t have them at all, and Director Liu was not comfortable with that.

So, he told Bai Siyi, “After you leave the show, I’d like to arrange for a cameraman to follow you two for additional filming. It won’t take long—about two hours a day, for a total of seven days. The footage will focus on your daily interactions, and we’ll edit it into four ten-minute clips to be inserted as bonus content in later episodes.”

Director Liu was proposing something new, and Bai Siyi remained silent, carefully considering it.

Huo Xingming, on the other hand, glanced at Bai Siyi, then at Director Liu, and suddenly said—

“Director Liu, why are you saying so much? Just tell us how much you’re paying. If the money’s good, of course I’ll consider it.”

Director Liu: “……”