Chapter 3
Edward Quan ·
So charming.
I drifted toward him, but someone grabbed my arm.
“He calls you ‘little sister,’ and you just go running over?” Xie Sinian’s expression was grim.
“Look at that face. You’ve been bewitched by some fox spirit.”
“What should I do, then?” I asked humbly.
So I really was a hopeless romantic!
But it wasn’t entirely my fault.
Even if we gave him every possible benefit of the doubt, Shen Qi’an had been designed to match my exact taste. Surely he deserved at least a little blame for that!
Xie Sinian gave a cold laugh.
“Obviously, you have to offer something of equal value in return.”
“Fine. What do you want? Money, career connections, or…”
The livestream comments filled with ellipses.
【Wait, isn’t this just a dating show?】
【Could you stop cosplaying as some capital-city princeling? Okay, fine.】
【To be fair, neither of their families is exactly short of money.】
7
“You have to answer every question I ask from now on. Whatever I ask, you answer.”
Shen Qi’an thought it over, then agreed.
I tugged at my brother’s sleeve from behind.
“Hey, this doesn’t sound like a very good deal… Am I really worth that little?”
Xie Sinian ignored me.
For the next ten minutes, he conducted a thorough interrogation of Shen Qi’an.
“How many relationships have you had?”
“One.”
“What do you do when your girlfriend argues with her family?”
“Comfort her first, then deal with the problem.”
“Soy milk: salty or sweet? Peaches: crisp or soft?”
“…”
The two of them went back and forth so smoothly that I started to get sleepy listening to them.
【I don’t get it. Is Xie Sinian so obsessed with his rival’s private life?】
【Maybe he’s looking for Shen Qi’an’s weakness so he can take him out with one blow.】
【What a strategist! No wonder Shen Qi’an’s only number five. This is the bearing of the official girlfriend!】
At last, Xie Sinian finished his endless interrogation.
I lowered my voice and asked, “What did you figure out?”
Xie Sinian scratched his head.
“I think people who like salty soy milk can’t be bad people.”
Come on, man.
You asked him all that just to find out?
I joined Shen Qi’an’s team.
The moment I walked over to him, all the storm clouds on his face cleared.
The game was almost over.
As Shen Qi’an gently fed me each piece of watermelon, Xie Sinian devoured his own in two bites.
The moment he removed his blindfold, he regretted it.
What difference was there between a dare from Shen Qi’an and a reward?
Xie Sinian frowned and flipped through the cards the production team had prepared. Every single one was unbearable.
In the end, he quietly punished himself by drinking a glass of alcohol.
8
After the remaining activities wrapped up, I went back to my room and collapsed on the bed, contemplating my life.
I couldn’t believe it.
How had things ended up like this?
I hadn’t thought about it for long when someone knocked.
Shen Qi’an stood at the door. The corners of his eyes were red, as if he’d just cried. He pointed inside and lowered his voice.
“Is he in there?”
“Who?”
“Number two.”
I blinked, then realized he meant Xie Sinian.
“He’s not here.”
“Then… can I come in?”
He looked at me with puppy-dog eyes full of hope.
Who could say no to that?
I stepped aside and let him in.
I peeked down the hallway, made sure my brother wasn’t nearby, then locked the door.
Shen Qi’an seemed to understand, and offered a sympathetic explanation.
“I know. Being number five means I can’t show my face like this. Did my post online cause trouble for you?”
Awkward.
I pressed my lips together, trying to explain.
“It’s not really what you think.”
His eyes lit up.
“You mean I’m not number five?”
“Mm.”
“So, I’m number three?”
“…”
“In other words, Xie Sinian is my only rival?”
“Y-yeah, you could say that.”
There was a misunderstanding in there, but the general idea was probably close enough.
No. I couldn’t keep talking about this.
I had to change the subject.
I lifted my chin, trying to reclaim a little of my authority.
“You never told me you were Shen Qi’an. Why did you hide it from me for so long?”
Shen Qi’an froze.
“I didn’t hide it. Every time I tried to send you a selfie, you told me to send something more revealing.”
“…”
So this was my fault?
His expression changed. A trace of loneliness crept into his eyes.
“You really only like my body, don’t you?”
I was about to say, “No.”
But I looked at the defined abs beneath Shen Qi’an’s shirt.
All the spicy photos he’d sent me flashed through my mind.
The words caught in my throat.
“I’m not sure.”
“Take your shirt off and let me check.”
9
How had things ended up like this?
As I sat astride Shen Qi’an, running my hands over his abs, I found myself wondering again.
Shen Qi’an leaned back. The tips of his ears were so red they looked ready to bleed, and his voice had grown a little hoarse.
“Yumian, are you sure?”
“Mm. Looks good.”
“Are you uncomfortable with me showing up at the filming location?”
“Sure. Not bad.”
I answered at random.
There was a gorgeous man right in front of me.