Eye Contact, Accidental Love: A Celebrity’s Unlikely Romance on a Dating Show
“Eye Contact, Accidental Love” is a romantic drama about Lin Yan, a controversial celebrity caught in a whirlwind of rumors after an unexpected glance with rising star Zhou Yuqi on a dating show. As media frenzy grows, past secrets unravel, revealing a long-lost connection between them. With a mix of public scrutiny, playful rivalry, and undeniable chemistry, their story unfolds in an unpredictable dance of love, fame, and second chances.
I'm a controversial celebrity in the entertainment industry. Recently, I made headlines again for all the wrong reasons after appearing on a dating show with a famous actor.
All because of an accidental eye contact with Zhou Yuqi in the preview.
Haters flooded social media, calling me shameless.
No one knew that I was just turning my head and happened to catch Zhou Yuqi looking at me.
How dare they accuse me of clout chasing!
Remembering my agent's warnings, I swallowed my frustration and tried to keep a low profile.
After brief introductions, all contestants gathered around a large table, casually discussing their ideal types.
Zhou Yuqi was the hot topic of discussion.
He leaned back nonchalantly:
"My ideal type?"
"168cm tall, long hair, very cute."
The room instantly erupted.
Because this perfectly matched the description of Cheng Tiantian, the rising starlet.
[Just checked her Baidu profile, Tiantian is exactly 168cm and known for being adorably sweet. Zhou, you might as well just say her name!]
[As they say, when someone's ideal type is that specific, they definitely have someone in mind. I knew these two were real!]
[Wait, isn't Lin Yan also 168cm?]
[Are you kidding? Lin Yan isn't cute at all!]
...
I silently pursed my lips.
It was exactly what he said back in high school.
But Cheng Tiantian wasn't even around back then.
Everyone turned their gossipy gazes toward Cheng Tiantian.
She shyly lowered her head.
"Oh, why are you all looking at me? It's not even my turn..."
Actor Bai Xiao teased: "So Tiantian, what's your type?"
Cheng Tiantian lifted her blushing face, stealing a hesitant glance at Zhou Yuqi.
"I like... tall guys."
Another round of whooping ensued.
Zhou Yuqi remained unmoved, sitting there with his usual calm expression.
[Tiantian is so adorable! Wanting to say Zhou but too shy, just sneaking a little peek, haha!]
[Don't be fooled by Zhou's poker face, he must be thrilled inside!]
[The TianZhou ship is real! Secret mutual crush forever!]
I quietly munched on sunflower seeds in my corner.
Hoping they'd keep the attention on themselves.
So the netizens wouldn't come for me again.
As the contestants chatted animatedly about everything from dating to marriage to children,
Zhou Yuqi suddenly spoke up in his measured way.
"Seems like someone hasn't spoken yet?"
Everyone looked around confused before all eyes landed on me.
Me, sitting there with crossed legs eating sunflower seeds: ?
2
Since Zhou Yuqi brought it up, everyone had to acknowledge me.
"Oh right, Xiao Yan hasn't told us her ideal type yet?"
I was taken aback.
Wasn't Zhou Yuqi known for minding his own business? Why was he stirring things up now?
I spat out a seed shell and made something up.
"Oh... I like someone I click with."
Amidst the murmurs of agreement, Zhou Yuqi slowly raised his hand and touched his head.
He carefully traced the shape of his head, then his lips curved into a subtle smile.
Netizens quickly caught this detail.
[Did you notice Zhou just now? He seemed to be very carefully feeling his head?]
[+1, and he looked so confident after touching it...]
[Guys, could it be because Lin Yan said she likes someone she "clicks" with, and Zhou heard it as "head round", so he started checking if his head was round? LMAO...]
[Stop with your wild theories! Zhou was just charmed by Tiantian's smile!]
...
I hadn't noticed Zhou Yuqi's little action.
Just wanted this to be over soon.
Finally, the chat ended and the show moved on to the next segment.
The male contestants would take turns in the interview room answering the host's questions, while female contestants observed their responses and made their choices.
Zhou Yuqi was up first.
3
His face soon appeared on the big screen.
The host asked: "Zhou, what are your impressions of the female contestants?"
Zhou Yuqi hesitated: "Do I have to talk about everyone?"
The host explained: "Let's start with Lin Yan."
Zhou Yuqi leaned back and smiled faintly:
"That kind of woman? I don't even consider her."
I looked up in shock.
Fine, fine, fine, so this is how you're setting up Cheng Tiantian?
Completely disregarding our old classmate bond.
After how nice I was to you back then!
The host was stunned.
Netizens started attacking.
[Where are those conspiracy theorists now? How's your face? Still think Zhou was checking if his head was round for Lin Yan?]
[LOL, even people in the industry look down on Lin Yan, how low can she get.]
[Forget about Zhou, I wouldn't want anything to do with this clout chaser either.]
Cheng Tiantian immediately consoled in her sweet voice: "Sister Lin Yan, don't take it to heart."
"I've told him many times to be gentler with girls, but he..."
Before she could finish, Zhou Yuqi grew impatient with the host's prolonged silence.
"Why aren't you asking me why?"
Host: "Huh...?"
"Aren't you the host? Keep asking."
"Never mind, I'll say it myself - it's because I keep her in my heart, hehe."
The host was shocked again.
But he stumbled on with the next scripted question.
"So... do you have anything to say to her?"
Zhou Yuqi turned to the camera with a warm smile.
"Lin Yan, my head is very round, would you consider me?"
The room erupted in teasing whoops.
This was a side of Zhou Yuqi rarely seen on screen.
Direct and vibrant.
Cheng Tiantian froze.
She stared at Zhou Yuqi on the screen in disbelief, then stepped back to look at me, her face full of confusion.
"What... what's your relationship with Brother Yuqi?"
4
I looked up, completely baffled.
Totally didn't expect Zhou Yuqi to say that.
What did he mean?
Wanting me to choose him? Doesn't he like Cheng Tiantian anymore?
Though confused inside, I quickly explained, aware we were live.
"Just on-screen partners, haven't you acted as couples with male actors before?"
Someone immediately caught on: "Oh right, doesn't Xiao Yan have an upcoming drama with Zhou?"
I nodded with my professional smile: "Yes, please tune in everyone."
Cheng Tiantian looked relieved.
Netizens: [What nonsense, the clout chaser will grab onto anything, is this show her personal advertisement?]
[So sketchy, that drama looks terrible, don't know why Zhou even accepted it, I'm not watching.]
[+1, Zhou Yuqi, we'll let this one slide, make it up next time.]
[So that's what Zhou meant earlier, just promoting their drama?]
[What else could it be? You think he actually likes the clout chaser?]
...
After the male contestants finished their self-introductions, it was time for the female contestants to choose their crush.
After Zhou Yuqi came out of the interview room, he stared at me without blinking.
Thinking of the earlier incident, it seemed odd if I didn't choose him.
But if I did choose him, I'd probably get attacked again.
So when the staff handed me the card, I quickly scanned the male contestants,
And decisively wrote down another name - the young singer's.
Cheng Tiantian immediately came over: "Sister Lin Yan, who did you choose?"
I gestured to the side: "There, Yu Zhou."
Cheng Tiantian paused: "Why didn't you choose Brother Yuqi?"
I glanced at the card in her hand,
"You chose him, I didn't choose him, shouldn't you be happy?"
Cheng Tiantian paused again, then bit her lip pitifully.
"You misunderstand me, sister, I just thought we could compete fairly..."
I couldn't stand her victim act and found her words bizarre.
"Compete for what? He's just a man, why fight over him?"
Cheng Tiantian seemed surprised by my response, looking stunned.
The bullet comments started attacking.
[What's wrong with this woman? Tiantian's being nice and look at her attitude!]
[Poor Tiantian, finally gets on a variety show and meets someone with no manners!]
[Am I the only one who thinks Lin Yan has a point... Even if it's Zhou, he's still just a man, what's there to compete over...]
[So it's wrong to compete for love now?]
[Lin Yan didn't say it was wrong, just that it wasn't necessary.]
5
Caught up talking with Cheng Tiantian, I hadn't noticed Zhou Yuqi's movements.
When I turned around, I saw him standing behind me, holding a peeled orange
with his head lowered, saying nothing.
Just as I was about to leave, he held out the orange to me.
"I peeled it for you."
I reflexively refused: "No thanks."
His eyelashes flickered, slowly withdrawing his hand with disappointment.
Looking pitiful and hurt.
Especially in front of so many people.
I suddenly felt terribly guilty.
He just wanted to give me an orange, and I embarrassed him like that.
I'm awful!
I quickly snatched the orange from his hand: "Fine, I'll eat it."
Zhou Yuqi's face instantly brightened.
Just then, a staff member suddenly set off a small party popper.
The "bang" startled me.
"Congratulations to Zhou Yuqi and Lin Yan, you've unlocked our first round's hidden rule!"
I turned around in confusion.
What?
What hidden rule?
The staff member had already rushed over to give Zhou Yuqi and me two heart-shaped cards.
"Our first round's hidden rule is based on the exchange of tokens between male and female contestants. Once you accept someone's gesture, you're temporarily considered a pair!"
Me: ? This works too???
[What the hell? Why even have us write our crushes then, what a waste, totally fooled Tiantian!]
[It was just indicating preference, since when does writing something guarantee it'll happen?]
[But this is ridiculous! Hidden rule? More like Lin Yan bribed the production team to chase Zhou's popularity.]
[Please, have you seen how happy Zhou is? He's dying to be chased, Lin Yan's the one who keeps avoiding him.]
[LMAO, he hasn't stopped smiling since Lin Yan took his orange. If you told me Zhou Yuqi bribed the production team to date Lin Yan, I'd believe it with both hands and feet.]
6
Sitting across from Zhou Yuqi at the two-person table, facing each other.
I couldn't even imagine how his fans would curse me out.
In internet speak, I'd "scored another big one."
So I chose to try keeping my distance from Zhou Yuqi.
While I was thinking, he had already peeled another orange for me.
This time, no matter how pitiful he looked, I firmly refused.
"Sorry, I don't like these."
He was stunned: "I remember you said you actually love them, just don't like the stringy parts."
Then he deliberately held up the perfectly peeled orange in front of me.
"See, I cleaned it all off."
Huh???
How did he know that!
I shook my head three times.
"No, no, you're mistaken."
Before he could react, I continued: "See, you don't even know what I like, we're not compatible."
He sat up straight, seemingly wanting to explain.
I quickly jumped in first,
"Besides, I'm a Monkey and you're a Dragon, forcing us together would cause sore throats, we better keep our distance."
He couldn't help protesting: "But..."
I forcefully interrupted, looking troubled.
"Most importantly, fortune tellers say I bring bad luck to husbands, you don't want trouble, right?"
Question marks started floating in the comments.
[Honestly, first time I've seen someone reject Zhou so hard, and it doesn't seem fake.]
[I'm dying laughing, what's this about sore throats and husband-cursing, it's clear she really doesn't want to date Zhou, so why did people say she was trying to chase his fame?]
[Can't trust what people say online. Gotta trust what you see. This internet expert hereby crowns Lin Yan the Queen of Comedy!]
[Look at Zhou Yuqi's completely confused face, wanting to argue but not knowing where to start, and looking a bit hurt, I'm rolling on the floor laughing.]
After rapid-firing all that, I tried to run.
Just one step in, Zhou Yuqi grabbed my wrist.
When I turned back, he was looking at me stubbornly,
"But you know my zodiac sign."
Me: ?
[Oh my god, just because she knows your zodiac sign you're acting this cheap? Where am I supposed to put my face as your fan!]
[Who gets it fam? Normal Zhou Yuqi: cold and dignified, Zhou Yuqi with Lin Yan: whining 'she knows my zodiac sign, she loves me!']
[Y'all need to wake up, the real wife Tiantian is right next door...]
[Yeah yeah, don't get carried away shipping them, variety shows are all scripted, it's all acting, right?]
[I'll ship what I want, mind your own business!]
7
I was shocked by Zhou Yuqi's bizarre logic.
"What's the big deal about knowing your zodiac sign? I also know Sister Chen is a Horse, Brother Zhao is an Ox, Little Li is a Rooster..."
As I was about to list more, Zhou Yuqi's grip gradually loosened.
His tone turned stiff: "Okay."
I took the chance to pull my hand back.
He looked up again, seemingly unwilling to give up:
"Do you... really like Yu Zhou?"
I paused.
Uh, who's Yu Zhou again?
Oh - right, that young singer I randomly wrote down.
I scrunched up my face reluctantly: "Um... maybe a little."
Then I ran.
I ran all the way to the living room, only to find Cheng Tiantian and Yu Zhou were there too.
In the last round, they had been accidentally paired up.
But Cheng Tiantian didn't look too happy at the moment.
When she heard footsteps and turned to see me, her face suddenly lit up.
"Sister Lin Yan, did your date not go well either?"
I rubbed my nose: "Huh? No, it went fine."
Zhou Yuqi had somehow followed me out here.
As soon as Cheng Tiantian saw Zhou Yuqi's expression, she quickly said to me: "Sister Lin Yan, everyone's just trying things out, it's okay if the date didn't go well."
Me: ?
What would I be embarrassed about?
While I was still confused, Cheng Tiantian had already walked past me to grab Zhou Yuqi's arm, looking pitiful.
"Brother Yuqi, Yu Zhou really doesn't understand girls..."
Then she added with a meaningful pout: "For the next round, could you maybe..."
Zhou Yuqi didn't let her finish, quickly pulling his arm away from her grasp.
After a moment of silence, he looked at me, his eyes turning dark and unreadable.
[Vocal! The TianZhou CP is finally giving us sugar! They held hands!]
[? Are you okay? What I saw was Zhou Yuqi disgustedly shaking off Cheng Tiantian?]
[That's because they both have their own dating partners now, they need to be mindful of boundaries, understand?]
[Bullshit, Zhou Yuqi clearly has no interest in Cheng Tiantian, and don't you guys think Cheng Tiantian is kind of annoying? Always saying Lin Yan's date didn't go well, and looking so happy when she thinks others are having trouble...]
[Damn, sister above took the words right out of my mouth, I thought something was off earlier - she was all sour-faced during her date with Yu Zhou, but as soon as she thought Sister Lin was having trouble, she lit up like a Christmas tree, what's that about?]
8
I plopped right down in Cheng Tiantian's recently vacated seat,
Yu Zhou looked up at me, bewildered.
Up close, he did have quite delicate features.
He spoke dejectedly: "Like Tiantian just said, I don't understand girls, Sister Lin..."
I cut him off.
"Don't be discouraged, little brother, maybe she just doesn't know how to appreciate you?\"
"What were you two doing earlier?" I asked.
Yu Zhou's eyes immediately lit up.
He turned around to fiddle with something, and when he turned back, he was holding a thin green stick with a flame on top.
I was startled by the fire.
He had already held the flame up to my face.
Holding the stick in his left hand, his right hand quickly slid up the handle.
The original flame went out, replaced by a large red rose.
I played along with an exaggerated gasp: "Wow-- that's amazing!"
Yu Zhou was overjoyed: "Really?"
I was about to nod with starry eyes when Zhou Yuqi's cold voice came from the side.
"He just had a flower in his hand and put out the fire by sliding it up."
He added in a low voice: "I can do that too."
...
Well, this is awkward.
[Hmm? Whose vinegar jar got knocked over? I can smell the sourness from miles away.]
[Let me explain for those who don't know - our Zhou is usually known for his high EQ, he's only acting this way because he's feeling competitive.]
[So can someone explain why Zhou Yuqi turns into such a little boy whenever he's around Lin Yan? I'm dying laughing.]
[Am I the only one who thought that magic trick was pretty cool? Why was Cheng Tiantian so dismissive earlier?]
[My baby Zhou Zhou is on a variety show for the first time and specially prepared a little performance, he almost cried when he got back, thank you Sister Lin for being supportive and kind, I'll fight anyone who badmouths her from now on!]
[+1, compared to Cheng Tiantian, Sister Lin seems much more genuine...]
9
As we were all looking at each other awkwardly, a staff member came over with his schedule.
Basically, the original chef was sick, so tonight's dinner would need to be prepared by the contestants working together.
He finished with a smile: "Hope everyone can create some sparks of love while cooperating~"
Me: ...
Fortunately, this segment didn't assign specific partners, but had all the contestants working together.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, since I couldn't cook at all, I quickly chose to hide in a corner washing vegetables by myself.
Yu Zhou, perhaps wanting to thank me for being supportive earlier, came over with a small basin,
"Sister Lin, let me help you."
I was about to send him away, but seeing his pitiful look, I just nodded.
On the other side, Cheng Tiantian was begging Zhou Yuqi to be the main chef.
Zhou Yuqi's cooking skills were well-known in the industry.
Because every weekend he would post photos of his home-cooked meals on social media, each dish looking different and incredibly appetizing.
When asked why he liked posting these, he joked that he was trying to attract foodies.
Naturally, he became everyone's top choice and was crowded around the stove.
It was clear that Zhou Yuqi's cooking skills were indeed masterful.
He would finish one dish and still have time to wait for others to prepare ingredients.
During these idle moments he would say: "I'm going to check on Lin Yan."
Me, who had washed the same vegetables three times: ???
[Scorekeeper here! Zhou just said "I'm going to check on Lin Yan" 13 times, "How's Lin Yan doing over there?" 8 times, and "Yu Zhou, why don't you come help me?" 7 times!]
[I'm literally developing abs from laughing in bed, Zhou's pretending to be focused on cooking but keeps sneaking glances at Sister Lin and Yu Zhou, and whenever they get a bit too close, he quietly pouts!]
[He's tried to call Yu Zhou away so many times, but Yu Zhou can't take a hint and keeps going back to stick with Sister Lin HAHAHA.]
[Zhou be like: There are many kinds of sour - lemons, vinegar, and watching Lin Yan interact with other guys 99 times, FML.]
10
With everyone's cooperation, a table full of delicious-looking and aromatic dishes was soon ready.
Someone remarked: "Who would've thought that the famous Actor Zhou was such an amazing cook in private!"
"Yeah, not only does it look good, but it tastes amazing too. The entertainment industry's loss is the culinary world's gain, Zhou."
"But Zhou seems so busy usually, when did you learn to cook?"
Zhou Yuqi smiled gently,
"Actually, I made time specifically to learn it."
Cheng Tiantian immediately batted her eyes: "No wonder your place was full of delicious food when I visited last time!"
This immediately sparked gossip,
"What? When did Tiantian visit Zhou's house?"
Cheng Tiantian covered her mouth in panic, as if realizing she'd said something wrong.
"Oh no, it's not like that, don't get the wrong idea..."
Zhou Yuqi turned to look at me, catching me eavesdropping on the gossip.
His eyes brightened, and he quickly explained:
"Yes, she came to bring me a script she thought would suit me, that's all, don't overthink it."
I awkwardly looked away.
Why was he explaining to me?
Making it seem like he was justifying himself to me...
He continued: "As for learning to cook..."
"It was because someone said they were both lazy and picky about food, worried about takeout being unhygienic, and wished they had a friend who could cook."
Everyone was envious: "Wow, Zhou is such a thoughtful friend!"
"So jealous of Zhou's friends, I want such a considerate friend too!"
Meanwhile, I was frowning, slowly realizing something odd.
That quote... wasn't that from one of my interviews?
I'd even been attacked online for that comment, with people saying I had a princess complex without the status to back it up, that I was just an actress being picky, acting like I was some rare delicacy.
It made me afraid to speak freely for a while.
The quick-witted netizens soon connected the dots.
[Wait, doesn't anyone remember? Lin Yan said exactly this in an interview, and people were attacking her for it...]
[So the friend Zhou mentioned was actually Lin Yan?]
[No no no, look at Zhou's shy expression, I don't think he wants to be just friends, he wants to be her personal chef...]
[Is that what happened? I don't see anything wrong with what Lin Yan said, I feel the same way, that's why I found myself a husband who can cook.]
[+1, it's such a relatable comment, who doesn't want to be a useless foodie with a friend who's a great cook? Zhou Yuqi, you're killing me!]
[Am I the only one who thought his explanation was super cool? Cheng Tiantian almost caused a misunderstanding, but he cleared it up right away!]
[The more I see of Cheng Tiantian, the less I like her, she's so calculated.]
...
What a coincidence, right? It must be a coincidence, right?
I'm not even Zhou Yuqi's friend.
He couldn't have been talking about me, could he?
With my head full of questions, I snuck a glance at Zhou Yuqi.
Great, we made eye contact again.
I realized that somehow every time I looked at him, our eyes would meet.
Zhou Yuqi's eyes were bright as he pushed the sweet and sour ribs in front of him toward me.
"This is delicious."
My pupils shook.
Bro, I really don't want to trend on social media.
[Oh my god, who gets this feeling? When someone shows such obvious favoritism in public, I'm shipping them so hard!]
[And there's this little detail - out of ten times I watch Zhou Yuqi, nine times he's staring in the same direction, I don't need to tell you which direction, right?]
[It's the direction of love! Where his heart leads!]
[LOL, I just thought Zhou's expression when pushing the plate to Sister Lin was so sweet, I took a screenshot and showed my mom, and she said he looks like our clingy pug back home.]
[I'm dead laughing, he's always like this - normally: wise male god ꒰⑅•ᴗ•⑅꒱, in front of Sister Lin: love-seeking puppy (๑♡3♡๑).]
...
I carefully pushed the plate back a little.
"Thanks bro, but I'm kind of full. I'm gonna head out, enjoy your meal."
11
I put down my chopsticks and stood up, making a quick escape to the backyard.
Damn it! Last time I got attacked just for making eye contact with him, this time I'll probably be sent straight to hell!
I was catching my breath in the rattan chair when I heard soft footsteps behind me.
I turned around, but couldn't make out who it was in the dark.
Until he spoke.
"Why are you avoiding me?"
I instantly covered my face and wanted to run again.
But he was blocking my escape route with his tall frame.
I could only explain: "Huh? I'm not."
Zhou Yuqi spoke dejectedly: "You are."
This stubborn kid!
I rested my head on my hand, thinking hard, finally coming up with a killer counter-question.
"Then why are you being so friendly to me?"
He took two steps forward, crouching down beside me.
"Because I want to date you."
His large hand gripped the rattan chair's armrest, his fingertips barely brushing against my waist before pulling back as if shocked.
In the moonlight, his handsome face seemed to have a hint of blush.
I was stunned for a moment.
"But dating Cheng Tiantian would get you more attention."
After all, his CP with Cheng Tiantian had been highly anticipated since before the show even started.
If they could use this show to build up their relationship, it would benefit them both.
Dating me would probably just lose him fans, right?
He also paused, looking confused.
"But I don't like Cheng Tiantian."
I automatically responded: "Then could it be that you..."
I didn't finish the last three words.
Because I finally realized something.
I stared at him blankly.
He was looking up at me, starlight reflecting in his eyes, with all the sincere passion of youth.
"Yes, I... like you."
12
I froze in place.
What was he saying?
Did he even know what he was saying?
He repeated: "Lin Yan, I like you."
"All my gestures toward you weren't for publicity, they were attempts to court you."
"Even though you said you like Yu Zhou, you two aren't together yet..."
"Besides, I think... I'm not that much worse than him..."
His voice got quieter and quieter, finally testing the waters carefully,
"Could you give me a chance? Even if it's just a chance to be good to you, that's enough."
I still hadn't recovered from the huge shock.
"Wh... what?"
Zhou Yuqi shifted to the side, assuming a squatting position directly facing me, cupping his own face in his hands.
"The year I graduated, you avoided me.
"This time, could you not run away from me?"
I froze completely.
The year he graduated?
...
In my first year of high school, Zhou Yuqi was already the school's star.
I was a spoiled little girl, used to doing whatever I wanted.
Seeing how handsome he was, I immediately had ulterior motives.
I persistently chased after him for half a year, using all the tricks others used to please me on him instead.
But he remained unmoved.
I got angry.
Crossed this man off my target list, vowing never to look back.
But when Zhou Yuqi gave his valedictorian speech, I still secretly left him flowers backstage.
I hid behind the curtain watching him come off stage.
Watched him holding the flowers, looking around cluelessly.
I called his name from far away.
When he turned around happily, I just said: "Happy graduation, goodbye."
Then I turned, left, all in one smooth motion.
I think I heard a very quiet "Thank you" at the end.
14
Pulling myself from the memories.
I found it strange: "Avoiding? What did I avoid?"
"I openly gave you flowers, and openly said goodbye to you."
Zhou Yuqi was dumbfounded.
"You gave me flowers?
Wasn't that bouquet ordered by me?"
I was also dumbfounded.
"What? I personally put those in the backstage!"
Zhou Yuqi's eyes widened, his brows furrowing,
"The ones you put backstage were pink roses?"
Giving roses at graduation was a bit intimate, I admit.
That was actually part of my little scheme at the time.
Wanting to send him something subtle yet suggestive one last time, but as a student, red roses seemed too passionate.
So I specifically chose pink roses.
Thinking about this, I suddenly felt embarrassed and started stammering.
"W-well, what about it..."
After getting confirmation, he spoke through gritted teeth.
"I had ordered a bouquet of pink roses that day, intending to give them to you."
I was confused.
Slow as I was, I finally started piecing things together under Zhou Yuqi's regretful gaze.
"So, you thought those were the ones you ordered, and you were trying to find me to give them to me?"
He nodded mechanically.
"I saw you, was about to run over, but you held up your hand in rejection and said goodbye..."
I clutched my head in disbelief.
"What? What???"
He sighed helplessly, holding his forehead.
"No wonder they mysteriously had an extra bouquet later, I thought it was delivered by mistake..."
I couldn't help but laugh bitterly.
Zhou Yuqi propped up one side of his face, looking melancholic.
"You've been avoiding me, it wasn't because of this, was it?"
I shook my head: "Uh, not really.
"It's just that if I get too close to you, I might get attacked online..."
That night, Zhou Yuqi passionately posted several Weibo messages.
[@Zhou Yuqi: About the eye contact, I was always the one looking at her first, how is that clout chasing?]
[@Zhou Yuqi: Seriously, what's wrong with your eyes? Can't you see she was just turning her head?]
[@Zhou Yuqi: Please, I'm so happy I want to spin in circles just when she looks at me once! Where did you see any reluctance?]
Netizens: [Honestly, I noticed earlier today that Sister Lin was really wronged... I'm now a guilt-ridden fan of hers.]
[I apologize to Sister Lin! I was misled by those marketing accounts, I'm going to follow her on Weibo right now.]
[So is this Zhou's way of confessing? Even spinning in circles with joy, he's really turned himself into a puppy, I'm dying laughing.]
[Aww, Zhou Yuqi you're so cool! Mommy loves you!]
...
He was full of remorse: "This is my fault."
"I don't really pay attention to online discussions, and my manager doesn't inform me about gossip about other celebrities."
I patted his face.
"It's fine now, the criticism is in the past, what else can happen?"
His eyes were full of sympathy.
I quickly changed the subject: "So what you said earlier about learning to cook, was that really for me?"
He nodded.
"After seeing your interview, I started posting dishes on my social media every day, hoping to get your attention, but you wouldn't even give me a like..."
His tone gradually turned whiny.
I quickly changed the subject again: "But earlier you said you didn't even consider me."
He became even more pitiful.
"That was advice I got before going on the show, they said it would definitely make girls fall for me..."
"But you nearly scared me to death!"
"I'm sorry, I thought it would be funny..."
"Funny my foot!"
15
The next morning, I woke up in a great mood.
Cheng Tiantian, on the other hand, looked like she hadn't slept well.
Zhou Yuqi tried to be sneaky, pretending to be inconspicuous as he positioned himself next to me.
Now there was a him stuck in the middle of four female contestants.
The director waved his hand: "Yuqi, what are you doing in the girls' group? Get back there, breakfast has its own segment."
The comments section exploded with laughter.
[The director's giving Zhou no face! Can't he see Zhou just wants to be next to Sister Lin!]
[Thinks he's being subtle but everyone's watching him look for his wife, Zhou Yuqi: embarrassed.jpg]
[I'm dying, when Zhou Yuqi was walking back, he gave Sister Lin such a pitiful look.]
[But I saw Sister Lin's expression like she thought he was being embarrassing, HAHAHA...]
...
When they announced the segment, I felt like I'd been struck by lightning.
For breakfast, the female contestants would each prepare something, and whichever contestant's breakfast a male contestant chose would automatically become their pair.
But I couldn't cook at all.
The male contestants were quickly led to another closed room to ensure completely random choices.
I went blank.
It wasn't that I was worried about anything else.
Mainly concerned that whoever chose my portion might get food poisoning.
Looking at the limited ingredients, I tried to choose the least harmful approach.
Fried eggs and grilled sandwiches.
But...
When the four breakfast portions were laid out,
Yu Zhou made his innocent inquiry.
"What are these... chunks of charcoal?"
I silently covered my face.
Immediately, another witty male contestant showed his high EQ: "Not necessarily, could be chocolate!"
I quietly retreated out of frame.
Zhou Yuqi stepped forward, his eyes determined like a soldier.
"I want this one!"
In the shocked gazes of the other three male contestants, Zhou Yuqi contentedly took my breakfast and retreated to the side.
[He's killing me, choosing those black lumps of eggs and looking so happy.]
[Sister Lin said she's lazy and picky about food, so she probably can't cook, he did it on purpose just to be paired with Sister Lin.]
[But the rule is you have to finish everything to successfully pair up... can this even be eaten?]
[You don't get it - look at his love-struck happy face, I bet he'd lick the plate clean if he could.]
16
During breakfast.
Even though there was just an unidentifiable black mass in front of him.
Zhou Yuqi maintained his movie star elegance and finished everything.
I watched in astonishment from the side, trying to stop him: "Really, you don't have to eat it..."
Zhou Yuqi shook his head firmly:
"No, I must eat it.
"Only after finishing can I date you.
"Don't you want to date me?"
He looked up at me with those eyes that could melt even a dog's heart.
So cute.
I broke instantly, though I still tried to act tough.
"You... I... oh stop being so direct!"
He was thoroughly satisfied, grinning as he finished the last bit of char, then secretly held my hand.
Netizens: [Am I seeing things or are they holding hands under the table?]
[Vocal! Look carefully, it's true! Sister Lin finally isn't rejecting Zhou anymore, hahaha!]
[Yesterday seeing Zhou's one-sided pursuit already killed me, didn't expect today's mutual interaction to be even sweeter, Sister Lin is so adorable!]
[Sister Lin must have been won over by Zhou's gallantry last night, when a tall, handsome, rich man defends me like that, I'd marry him right away!]
[So when are Zhou Yuqi and Lin Yan getting married? I'll gift them a million, put it on Yu Zhou's account.]
[I'll gift two million, put it on Old Ning's account.]
[I'll gift ten million...]
...
Zhou Yuqi and I followed the show's schedule and dated for a whole day.
In the evening, he still wasn't satisfied.
"Time passed so quickly, I'll miss you so much tonight, what should I do?"
I was grossed out by his mushiness.
"Miss your big head."
I threw a light punch at his chest.
But he quickly caught my fist, lowered his head, and kissed my hand.
"Will this make you miss me?"
My face instantly turned red.
"Wh-what are you doing..."
He smiled mischievously.
"Looks like it will.
"Good night."
17
Zhou Yuqi and I shamelessly flirted through the dating show for a whole month.
After the show finished filming, Zhou Yuqi was interviewed.
The reporter asked if he was satisfied with the show.
He nodded, smiling genuinely.
"Satisfied, very satisfied."
He couldn't be more satisfied with this publicly funded romance.
When the reporter asked me the same question, I also said I was satisfied.
Originally, I just wanted to earn some money.
Who knew it would completely clear my name.
I couldn't be more satisfied!
The only one who might have been hurt by this show was probably Cheng Tiantian.
Quite a few people found her personality unlikeable, and she lost quite a few fans.
Though Zhou Yuqi and I were dating sweetly, we never officially announced it on camera.
We really confirmed our relationship during an appearance on an extreme challenge show.
To let us experience true extremes, the show required us to write down the most important person to us and what we wanted to say before the challenge.
Besides our parents, I also wrote down Zhou Yuqi.
He did the same.
The only difference was in the "relationship" column after the name.
I wrote "couple".
He wrote "inseparable and very sweet".
When the camera panned over it, netizens died laughing.
[What the hell is 'inseparable and very sweet', has he gone stupid from being in love?]
[I'm literally punching my bed laughing, what's wrong with him HAHAHA, first time I've ever seen this.]
[As everyone knows, Zhou Yuqi turns into an idiot whenever Lin Yan is involved.]
[But Sister Lin wrote 'couple', isn't this their official announcement?]
[It is official! Mom, I got what I wanted! (screaming) (stomping feet) (crawling in sunshine) (wiggling happily) (eyes sparkling) (happily squirming) (rolling) (healthily crawling) (jumping high) (shouting) (yelling) (dancing) (excited and uncontrollable growling) (healthy crawling) (three squats) (pouncing) (forward roll) (excitedly stomping) (striking poses) (walking coolly) (excitedly stomping feet)]
[Sister above calm down, also, can you two get married? Do it for me!]
[Even just a kiss would do! If you don't kiss, I'll kill you all!]
...
I looked at Zhou Yuqi with disappointment.
I thought this accidental announcement would be a romantic moment.
But what the hell did he write?
I clenched my fists.
"Is that how you describe our relationship?"
Zhou Yuqi hadn't caught on, still smiling stupidly:
"Is something wrong?"
I gritted my teeth: "You write 'father and son' with your dad, 'mother and son' with your mom, and with me it's 'inseparable'???"
He paused, then had an enlightened look.
Then immediately went to change it.
Erased the original words and wrote "spouse".
Me: ...
Is he sick?
I glared at him.
He glared back.
Other contestants nearby couldn't help but hold back their laughter as they reminded him: "'Spouse' is usually the formal term used in documents for married couples."
Zhou Yuqi thought for a moment, then picked up his pen again and added the word "future" in front of "spouse".
Future spouse.
He still grinned and asked me: "Now there shouldn't be any problems, right?"
...Damn it, what a weirdo!
That night after work, Zhou Yuqi felt quite wronged about this.
"Well, I wasn't really wrong originally, what's wrong with 'inseparable'?"
I couldn't be bothered with him and turned to go into the bathroom.
Zhou Yuqi quietly curled up on the sofa looking at his phone.
Since being on the show, he had started constantly monitoring public opinion.
I was used to it by now.
Occasional wails came from outside.
"Yanyan, look at them! They're all calling me stupid!
"Yanyan, they're all saying about me, look! How am I stupid!
"Yanyan, can't you do something about them?
"Yanyan, I..."
I finally couldn't take his noise anymore and opened the bathroom door,
"Can you be quiet?"
But he was ready for this, throwing his phone aside and sweeping me up in his arms, his eyes showing his scheming intent.
Me: ???
He turned off the lights.
In the moonlight, the garden was full of spring colors.
"I love you so much."
"I... me too."