AAUMOBIP C45

Dating Show 02

Weibo Comments:

【Family, did you already figure out who Yun’s sweetheart is?】

【It’s so obvious! Yun-ge isn’t even trying to hide it!】

【These two can’t help it—their gazes are practically stringing together like silk threads. Yun-ge, just keep staring if you dare!】

【Yun’s lover is really good-looking, clean and bright. Looks like the boy-next-door, yet also like the school’s heartthrob. Yun-ge is so lucky.】

【And hear him saying he’s watched all of Yun-ge’s works—is there a more blatant way to show off love?】

Liu He never expected his identity to be uncovered so quickly. He thought his “acting” was flawless, perfectly hiding things.

But he smiled at Yun Jingqiu, and Yun Jingqiu smiled back at him.

The ice-breaking game continued. Liu He was the fourth eliminated, and drew a dare:

【Make a Love Breakfast for your partner】

“Isn’t this impossible until tomorrow morning?” Liu He asked.

“Exactly.”

Love breakfast, not love dinner. Liu sat back down.

The eventual winner of the game was Yun Jingqiu, earning a one-hundred yuan budget for takeout.

At that moment, the director coughed lightly: “For dinner tonight, the other guests must cook for themselves. Ingredients are in the fridge.”

Liu He checked. The so-called ingredients were: one bundle of dried noodles, a few eggs, and some vegetables.

No rice.

Was this dinner? He wasn’t eager to eat.

Emerging dejected from the kitchen, he looked plainly disappointed.

Danmaku (live comments):

【The show’s production is so stingy—is that supposed to be dinner?】

【Dried noodles with an egg and two leaves of greens? Not even a sausage?】

The director added: “If you don’t want to cook bland food, other options include going into town this afternoon to work for food or cash to buy your own meal.”

It was only four o’clock. If lucky, freelance work for an hour, maybe manual labor exchange, one could afford a good meal.

No one wanted plain boiled noodles, and several guests quickly announced they’d try leaving to earn money.

Liu He stayed. He looked at Yun.

Yun beckoned: “Xiao He, come here. Let’s see what to order.”

He had the one-hundred yuan meal voucher. Alone, it was excessive. With Liu, perfect.

Taking the program phone from Yun, Liu carefully browsed the takeout app.

“What do you want?” Yun asked.

“Spicy stir-fry pot,” Liu said at once.

“Then spicy stir-fry pot it is. Order plentifully,” Yun said.

For this show, Yun had no filming schedule afterward—just studio prep. He didn’t need to diet temporarily.

So they filled the cart, then Yun paid.

“Are you hungry now? Should I add milk tea for us first?”

“Sure.” Liu agreed.

Two milk teas ordered, the pair plopped onto the sofa to watch TV.

The director: …

Mystery shredded. They may as well announce they’re married.

“This phone doesn’t even have games. Lame.” Yun grumbled.

The director felt the couple sticking like glue had no filming value. Better to focus on other guests running around hustling for food. So the livestream switched.

Soon, a staffer returned: “Yun-laoshi, Liu-laoshi, your milk tea has arrived.”

Liu reached, inserted straws, offering his to Yun before sipping his own.

Thus they sat together, milk tea in hand, cozy and sticky.

Danmaku:

【This level of stickiness is usually only found in old married couples!】

【My teeth hurt.】

【Yun-ge is the ultimate love-brain.】

【And the partner looks no better!】

Two lovestruck fools, forgetting all concealment, locked in sweetness. Indeed—the show’s title Sweet, Sweet was well deserved.

Later, Yun judged it time and placed the larger dinner order.

Two milk teas and generous spicy stir-fry cost almost all his one-hundred budget.

Editing compared all groups’ “dinners”:

• Yun & Liu: comfortably eating takeout in the villa, enjoying air-conditioning. 
• Others: distributing flyers for hotel meals, busking for buns, or trudging back to miserably boil some noodles. 

Clearly, Yun and Liu were living easiest.

Evening brought a new challenge: a word-chain competition. Last place punished, winners chose teammates.

As a science major, Liu He immediately struggled. But he fought through—eventually, Yun snagged second place and unhesitatingly chose Liu as partner.

Assignments complete, the director explained: “Now, please use the provided phones to select the person in your heart. Messages will reach only if the other also selects you. Independent speeches may also be recorded in the confession room (broadcast live).”

Liu selected Yun immediately, typing: What breakfast do you want tomorrow?—fulfilling his dare.

Yun chose Liu instantly too, writing: Tomorrow, fly with me.

Selections done before even returning to rooms, Yun spotted Liu’s message, chuckled: “Just cook with whatever scraps the show gives. They’re poor, remember.”

Liu tried not to laugh but nodded: “Got it.”

The poor program team: We hear you.

Upstairs, their rooms were not adjacent, three rooms apart. Each room had cameras, red lights blinking, switching off at 8 pm, restarting at 8 am.

By evening’s end, the show’s Weibo released participants’ profiles.

Profile Shown On Screen:

• Name: Liu He 
• Age: 26 
• Gender: Male 
• Orientation: Yun Jingqiu 
• Profession: Bioinformatics Researcher 

Comments:

【Orientation: Yun Jingqiu 🤣 That’s love, blunt and true.】

【Yun’s orientation = Liu, Liu’s orientation = Yun. Is this whole production just their foreplay game?】

【LMAO】

【Wait… I KNOW HIM! Isn’t that my senior?】

【Yun’s lover classmate sighted! Spill details!】

【He’s a true academic genius. Often still in labs at midnight.】

【Lab at midnight? Hardcore.】

【Respect.】

With filming phones restricted, Liu couldn’t check Weibo developments.

When the camera finally powered off, he bathed and slept.

Suddenly, the production phone buzzed a system message:

Director: Please no private rendezvous between guests after dark.

Liu: ?

Who was sneaking out?

Moments later, his own door was knocked. He sighed—it wasn’t hard to guess.

Opening, Yun stood sheepishly: “Didn’t you see the group text?”

“I did. And? They can’t control me dating my own partner.”

Danmaku:

【CCTV caught Yun wandering the hall. Busted.】

【Nighttime drama! Yun at Liu’s door, what’s about to happen?】

【Is this building soundproof?】

【Stop imagining, perverts!】

“Come in,” Liu invited.

Room layouts were identical, each with double beds, small bathrooms. Yun dropped onto Liu’s bed and patted the empty space invitingly: “Come.”

With a smile, Liu lay beside him.

Nothing happened. With cameras covered just in case, neither dared misbehave. They just slept together, waking in the same room the next day.

Though other guests were shocked, they soon accepted it. After all, this wasn’t a budding romance—it was a married couple. Of course they’d sleep together. Strange only that such a couple was in a dating show at all.

Morning, Liu fulfilled his breakfast dare. The fridge still only held noodles, eggs, greens. He boiled two bowls, added an egg and veggies each—one for Yun, one for himself.

“Eat up. Just like you said—this show really is impoverished,” he joked, setting it before Yun.

Each couple managed similarly bland meals.

After eating, the director released the next challenge.

“Today’s task: mountain climbing. All guests will hike together, supporting their partners to the goal. Yesterday’s winners will set off first, others staggered at ten-minute intervals. Last to arrive—punished.”

Cars ferried them to the foot of the mountain, cameras live-streaming. Each participant received a bamboo cane as a trekking staff.

“We’ll take it slow,” Yun said.

Liu nodded. Spending most of his time in labs, he rarely exercised. His fitness was poor. Could they even make it to the top?

Would they be last, punished?