Love Variety Show: The despised me exploded in popularity

Having calmed her emotions for a while, Pei Muchan then takes a black woolen coat out of her suitcase and drapes it over her shoulders.

Just as she's about to leave, she thinks for a moment and retrieves a strawberry-flavored chewing gum from her bag. She quickly chews it for several seconds, then wraps it in paper and throws it into the trash can.

The chain retracts automatically with a swish, Pei Muchan's chest rises and falls slightly as she tries to maintain her composure while walking out of the room. Her gaze passes over the corridor and settles on the man standing outside the door.

Under the dull yellowish light, which is nearly the color of a streetlamp, it is difficult to discern his facial expression. Seeing her come out, Xu Qingyan finally moves, shedding his laziness and stands straight as he asks,

"Done?"

She doesn't respond and silently walks towards him, stopping just two meters away, then softly hums in affirmation, pausing for a second before lowering her head and hurrying past him.

Xu Qingyan catches a whiff of her perfume as he follows the tightening chain, lifting his feet to follow her.

They continue to ascend the stairs together, Xu Qingyan suddenly wondering why this villa doesn't have an elevator. Do they really have to climb up to the rooftop?

As they near the rooftop door, Pei Muchan, who is walking in front, suddenly musters the courage to glance back at him, and the two exchange a tacit look once more.

The moment their eyes meet, Pei Muchan quickly turns away, and as she pushes open the rooftop door, she lowers her head, purses her lips, and silently chuckles.

Following a few steps behind, Xu Qingyan is disconcerted by this stealthy exchange of glances, his heart feeling oddly fluttery and numb, an unsettling yet addictive sensation.

When he first met Pei Muchan, she seemed like a witch walking out of dense fog, with all her gentleness and indifference appearing like a forced performance.

It was as if she hadn't seen anyone in a long time, like someone recovering from a serious illness, basking in the daylight for the first time in ages.

Now, she no longer seems so ethereal. As if the fog has lifted to reveal her true self, she appears much more real.

He can also clearly feel that the barrier between them, typical of strangers, is slowly fading, almost to the point of being as thin as a cicada's wing.

Before joining this reality dating show, Xu Qingyan would have found it hard to believe that someone like Pei Muchan could exist on such a show. Everyone's an actor, so how did a real one pop up?

At the same time, an absurd thought emerges in his mind, could it be that she's really here for love?

The door to the rooftop opens.

In that instant, Bai Jinze stands dumbfounded at the dining table. The wind on the rooftop is strong, and the garden-style decor is quite exquisite. However, at this moment, his heart feels a bit uneasy.

The peaceful rooftop candlelight dinner date was first interrupted by the sight of the props team panting like exhausted oxen as they hauled a set of tables and chairs along with food from the first floor to the rooftop.

Just as he was about to ask, the rooftop door opens and two familiar figures emerge.

They are bound together by a chain, standing side by side as they also look in his direction. In that instant, Bai Jinze's pupils dilate slightly, and he almost stands up to curse.

Xu Qingyan! It's him again!

Is this really a date? Crashing his party – his party!

The production team behind the scenes watches the footage on the monitors, unable to stop smiling as the live broadcast's viewership hits the peak of the day with both couples on the screen together.

Chen Fufeng is even lying back in the director's chair, smiling with satisfaction.

"Xiao Xu is truly cut out for this show! This million spent is truly worth it; this shot alone is worth three hundred thousand!"

An inconspicuous assistant stands nervously to the side and quietly interjects.

"They're not going to start fighting, are they?"

"A conflict? Wouldn't that make for even better TV?" Chen Fufeng clapped his hands in great joy.

The barrage of comments was even crazier, with unprecedented levels of enthusiasm.

"Wow, can someone count how many classic moments we've had today? Xu Dog is really good at stirring things up; a man can avoid living, but not avoid being lively!"

"666, the show's effect is explosive; this is like forcing a double date on all four of them! Xu Dog really knows how to play the game, pinning down three people all by himself!"

"Ahahaha, Xu Dog is thinking as long as I'm not embarrassed, it's everyone else who should be! If I were Song Enya, I'd be so mortified I could dig a three-bedroom apartment out with my toes by now!"

"Go check the trending searches, Xu Dog's outrageous statements are getting blasted, he's probably going to reap what he sowed!"

"Can the production team show some humanity? Won't that chain hurt my sister Pei's hand? Can't they just lock all the chains on Xu Dog? It's just heartbreaking!"

Heartbreaking?

Xu Qingyan had no idea what the netizens were going on about, but he had already gotten used to this binding play. The chain was marked at five meters, but in practice, it could stretch beyond six meters.

The retractable chain was also quite thin, not the heavy-duty type, but more refined than a lady's handbag chain. Not only was it slim and long, but it was also freaking soft.

The production team had money to burn; to prevent any skin allergies for the guests, the entire chain was crafted from pure silver, and the idea that it might constrict the wrist was completely unfounded.

If Xu Qingyan ever saw that comment, he would definitely say, "Don't worry too much; what you can't let go of, someone else has already taken care of."

"Hello, hello, we meet again!" Xu Qingyan greeted them with a mischievous grin, his face brimming with smiles.

For some reason, the audience could actually see a smug smile on the face of this handsome man, as if he could play Lin Pingzhi without even warming up, probably nailing the character in his natural state.

"Why are you guys here?" Bai Jinze's expression was somewhat stiff; if not for the forced smile on his face, it would have been a downright gloomy Sima face.

"It's a date," Xu Qingyan stepped forward, shielding Pei Muchan with his exaggerated manner, "It seems our thoughts are in sync; truly, great minds think alike."

"The rooftop is so romantic, the perfect spot for a date, right, Teacher Bai?"

Hearing that sarcastically respectful title, Pei Muchan almost couldn't hold back her laughter. She thought to herself that this guy was truly bad to the bone, never holding back when it came to offending others.

While she smirked secretly, she also felt a bit sorry that her first date was all about causing trouble. Although it seemed fun, but…

A hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes as she looked down, but she quickly covered it up. Glancing at the figure in front of her, she felt a mix of loss and relief that he hadn't noticed.

Pei Muchan was someone who didn't like to trouble others, whereas Xu Qingyan was the complete opposite, someone who enjoyed causing headaches for others.

"Since we're all here, how about we share a table?"

"No, no," Song Enya declined with a somewhat embarrassed smile, waving her hands, "Let's keep some distance, I'm feeling a bit shy."

Upon hearing this, Bai Jinze's face darkened even more, unable to contain his irritation, he said.

"Xu Qingyan, are you sick in the head?"

As the words fell, Xu Qingyan froze for a few seconds as if processing them. He looked down in thought for a moment, then his face twisted into an awkward apology.

"I'm so sorry I scared you; you've found me out, I guess. I have way too strong a possessive streak; I always feel like everyone else's money is mine."