Chapter 3 – This is a Dating Show? Wait, That Can’t Be Right! (1/2)

Living Room.

Xie Yanyi squatted on the floor, gently patting the heads of the little kittens lined up in front of him one by one, reluctantly saying goodbye to each of them.

Only then did he stand up, grab his suitcase, and walk to the door.

He put on his sunglasses, changed his shoes, and walked out the door all in one smooth motion.

His back was filled with resolve, even with a hint of tragic acceptance, like someone walking toward their doom with calm dignity.

From beginning to end, he didn’t say a single word.

It was as if his body had left home, but his soul would remain there forever.

The live chat: “……”

[Ahem, welcome to “The Suffering of Xie Yanyi.”]
[Random viewer here—are we watching a silent film now?]
[I double-checked several times—I really did turn the volume on.]
[I’m dying, Xie the Film Emperor is as socially anxious as ever.]
[Never forget his drunken truth: “I get irritated just seeing people.”]
[There’s a kind of awkward hilarity when a shy guy finally gives up.]
[Seriously, who was the mad genius who brought him onto a dating show? That’s just cruel.]
[Rumor has it he lost a bet to Director Meng, hahahahahaha! Let’s all say thank you, Director Meng!]

＊

On the road.

Jiang Wan sat in the car, a piece of bread in her left hand and a carton of milk in her right, cheeks puffed out like a hamster.

The PD began prompting the conversation, asking what qualities Jiang Wan looked for in a partner—appearance, personality, values—what was most important to her?

Jiang Wan didn’t even pause before blurting out, “Of course it’s the character design and storyline.”

PD: “?”

Jiang Wan blinked, stunned at herself.

Crap, she’d been fooling around online so much that she blurted it out by reflex.

She quickly tried to cover, “Character design—um, that means looks. And storyline… is like, how we interact, the vibe between us, shared experiences. It has to develop romantically, like a TV drama.”

But the live chat saw right through her:

[LOL Jiang Wan, you really can spin anything.]
[Girl, is your ideal type even a real person?]
[Step aside, I’ll translate: she’s looking for a 2D paper boyfriend from an otome game.]
[And voice acting? You’re not even considering the voice? I usually fall for the voice actor first!]

Jiang Wan quietly pinched her own thigh.

Stupid mouth. Shut up already.

Cue fake smile exchange.jpg

Finally, the car ride ended.

Jiang Wan entered the villa. She was the second to arrive.

But the moment she saw who was already inside, her vision went black.

Why him, of all people?

Sitting there was Jiang Qi—currently one of the entertainment industry’s top young stars.

Three years ago, a drama about a wealthy family aired. He played a rebellious young heir and left a deep impression, despite only being the fifth male lead. Every second of screen time was gold, and he gained a massive following.

That one show launched him from total obscurity to the top of every drama crew’s casting list as a male lead.

Jiang Qi hadn’t even majored in acting—everyone called him a naturally gifted actor, the leader of the next generation in the entertainment world.

But before long, the downside of not being professionally trained became apparent—

He was great at everything except acting in emotional scenes.

No matter the context, he always looked at the female lead like she was his mortal enemy. He could turn a lovers’ suicide pact into a “let’s die and end this nightmare” scene. He got roasted online for it nonstop.

Clearly, his appearance on this dating show was a way to experience love, hoping that falling in love for real might improve his acting.

The moment Jiang Qi saw Jiang Wan approaching, his eyes widened—and he gave a cold snort.

The next second.

He turned his head away, acting like he hadn’t seen her at all. His hostility was completely undisguised.

The live chat exploded in shock:

[What’s going on with Jiang Qi? Does he hate Jiang Wan that much? They’re coworkers, and he can’t even pretend to be civil?]
[Wow, I’m cringing for Jiang Wan through the screen…]
[Same here +1. I’m not a fan of Jiang Wan either, but isn’t that a bit harsh?]

Jiang Qi’s fans quickly jumped in to defend him:

[Please, everyone knows what kind of person Jiang Wan is. Is it so hard to understand why he wants nothing to do with her?]
[Back off! Not just anyone gets to be linked with our precious boy!]