“This program always includes a game segment. Now, we’ll move on to our first round of games. Before we start, let’s divide into teams,” Zhao Qi announced.

With the guests and the four hosts, there were ten participants in total, split into two teams.

“First, we need two team captains. It’ll be me and Ji Yang. Next, the two of us will take turns picking our teammates,” Zhao Qi explained, pulling a card from a box. “Let me see… what kind of challenge will decide the first pick?”

“Hahahaha! This is too funny!” Dai Wei peered at the card over Zhao Qi’s shoulder and burst out laughing, patting him sympathetically on the back. “I deeply sympathize with you!”

Her reaction only made the audience more curious.

“I won’t admit defeat until the end!” Zhao Qi declared with feigned determination, his tone serious. Slowly, he flipped the card around to show the audience, emphasizing once more, “I won’t lose my fighting spirit!”

On the card, it read: Arm Wrestling.

“Pfft!!”

“Brother Ji Yang’s win is guaranteed!”

“Zhao Qi might as well kneel down and sing ‘Conquer.’”

…

The live chat flooded with comments, filling the screen in seconds.

Ji Yang towered over Zhao Qi, his physique clearly superior. While Zhao Qi was on the lean side, Ji Yang had a strong, athletic build from years of acting in action-packed, combat-heavy films. The two weren’t even in the same league.

“Alright, let’s begin the first round: a match Zhao Qi is doomed to lose,” Dai Wei teased gleefully, watching the two prepare. “Round one… start!”

Zhao Qi took a deep breath, bracing himself. But in less than a second, his hand was slammed down. Complete defeat.

It happened so fast that he froze, then raised the microphone and said in disbelief, “I wasn’t ready. I don’t even know what just happened.”

The audience erupted in laughter, their cheers growing louder at his exaggeratedly innocent expression.

“Ji Yang wins and gets the first pick,” Dai Wei announced, moving closer to Ji Yang, practically broadcasting with her expression, Pick me, pick me.

“Ruier,” Ji Yang said without hesitation.

Everyone was stunned. Shouldn’t he have picked a guy to strengthen his team? Xu Ruier, with her gentle demeanor, was hardly a first-round pick in a competitive game.

“She’s the closest to me,” Ji Yang replied casually, as if his choice was a matter of convenience.

This had the fans laughing again.

Our brother is so strong he doesn’t care who’s on his team! He can win with anyone! He’s so cool, so carefree—we love it!

“Then I’ll take Qihan,” Zhao Qi announced.

“Round two, start!” Dai Wei called out again.

“Ahhh!” Zhao Qi gave it his all this time, veins popping on his forehead. But he was once again effortlessly pinned down.

“As expected,” Dai Wei quipped, smirking at Zhao Qi.

“I’ll pick Zhao Qian,” Ji Yang said calmly.

“Then I’ll take Dai Wei,” Zhao Qi countered, pointing at her.

“What?!” Dai Wei exclaimed, glaring at him. “I was waiting for Ji Yang to pick me! What are you doing? You—” She huffed dramatically. “He’s my idol, okay? You’re ruining this!”

“Then I’ll definitely pick you,” Zhao Qi grinned smugly.

As the rounds continued, Ji Yang’s streak of victories remained unbroken.

Meanwhile, Xu Wan, who had been quietly observing, felt a pang of discomfort when Ji Yang chose Xu Ruier first. He had once expressed interest in her, so she assumed he would treat her as a priority, just as other men did. His indifference unsettled her, leading her to suspect he was deliberately slighting her out of spite.

The thought gnawed at her, intensifying her unease.

When Ji Yang picked Chen Han next, Zhao Qi selected Li He.

This left only two participants unchosen: Sun Ning’er and Xu Wan. Once again, Ji Yang won the round.

“Senior Ji, how about picking me?” Xu Wan asked sweetly, her voice tinged with playfulness.

Her tone and expression suggested a level of familiarity, enough to fuel the imaginations of fans who shipped her with Ji Yang.

“I’ll go with Sun Ning’er,” Ji Yang replied, standing up. “She has a great voice, so if there’s a singing challenge, we’ll have a strong player.”

Xu Wan’s smile faltered, the strain evident even on camera. Ji Yang, however, acted as though nothing was amiss, his reasoning straightforward and logical, leaving no room for interpretation.

“Well, Xiao Wan’s singing is great too. We’ve gained a strong player!” Zhao Qi interjected, attempting to ease the awkward atmosphere with a cheerful comment.

Ji Yang’s team became the Blue Team, while Zhao Qi’s team was the Red Team.

“Now, on to the first game!”

Assistants in black brought out props as the director explained the rules:

“Each team will send out one player at a time for a round of idiom relay. There will be five rounds in total. The winning team stays on stage and earns a point for each victory. The losing team… will face a penalty!”

“Your turn,” someone said.

“No, no, you go first,” another replied.

“The captain should lead the way,” Dai Wei chimed in, pushing Zhao Qi forward.

Clearing his throat, Zhao Qi stood in place and looked provocatively at the opposing side. “Who will face me?”

“Captain versus captain, how about that?” Zhang Qihan suggested.

All eyes turned to Ji Yang, and fans in the audience erupted in excitement, calling his name and waving their lightboards.

Ji Yang shook his head. “Ruier is our academic star. We’ll send our scholar for this round.”

Suddenly put on the spot, Xu Ruier blushed slightly but stepped forward gracefully. She gave Zhao Qi a polite nod, her soft demeanor making her seem especially endearing.

“Let the game begin!”

“Ladies first. You start,” Zhao Qi said, putting on a chivalrous front.

“An outstanding person,” Xu Ruier began softly.

“Overflowing with talent,” Zhao Qi responded quickly, adding a playful grin. “Are you complimenting me?”

“Words that flow naturally,” Xu Ruier continued.

…

They exchanged more than 20 idioms before Zhao Qi started to falter.

“Racking one’s brain,” Xu Ruier said seamlessly.

“Brain… juice… juice…” Zhao Qi scratched his head, visibly flustered.

“Three seconds left! Three… two… one… Stop! Blue Team scores a point,” the host announced.

Next, Dai Wei took the stage but barely managed to continue for three exchanges before being stumped. The Red Team was already down two points, putting them at a severe disadvantage.

“How about you go up, Xu Wan?” Zhang Qihan suggested. “My vocabulary isn’t great.”

Xu Ruier had already secured two consecutive wins, and if this kept up, the Red Team was doomed.

“I… my vocabulary isn’t great either,” Xu Wan said with a look of hesitation, ultimately pushing the responsibility onto Li He. Truthfully, she had no intention of being the next sacrificial lamb.

She was self-aware enough to know that Xu Ruier, who had spent her youth buried in books, was leagues ahead in this arena.

“I’ll go, then,” Li He sighed, stepping up to the stage with a self-deprecating laugh. “Honestly, I think my vocabulary is okay, but Ruier is a real academic star, and I’m pretty intimidated.”

The audience chuckled. By emphasizing Xu Ruier’s educational background, Li He managed to lower expectations for herself.

Li He held her ground the longest so far, battling Xu Ruier through what felt like a hundred rounds. In the end, she lost because of a slip of the tongue and only realized her mistake too late.

“If Li He had said it correctly, I would’ve been the one to lose,” Xu Ruier said humbly. “Today, I’ve been really lucky.”

Her words were neither overly modest nor self-aggrandizing, naturally earning the audience’s goodwill.

Fans began to see her in a new light, and many shifted their attention to her. The next round pitted Xu Ruier against Zhang Qihan, who also fell short.

“Are you a demon?” Dai Wei quipped, holding the microphone as she approached Xu Ruier with an exaggeratedly defeated look. “What on earth is in that brain of yours?”

Xu Ruier lowered her head slightly, smiling softly. “It’s just stuffed with idioms. I’m useless in other areas.”

Her adorably self-deprecating response drew even more affection from the audience.

“Our team’s hopes rest on you now,” Zhao Qi said to Xu Wan with an overly dramatic expression of despair.

“I might lose too,” Xu Wan replied with a smile, though sweat was already forming in her palms.

She should’ve volunteered to go first. Now, as the last player, she felt all eyes on her. Losing here would be humiliating, especially since Xu Ruier was her opponent. Her pride simply wouldn’t allow her to lose.

On camera, Xu Wan maintained a facade of nonchalance. But inside, her mind was racing as she strategized how to beat Xu Ruier.

“You’re our ace,” Ji Yang said suddenly from the sidelines, his faint smile making his words seem casual.

Hearing this, Xu Wan relaxed slightly. She smiled and said, “Senior Ji, you’re overestimating me. I’m not that good.”

Her tone was modest, but her renewed confidence was palpable.

The director then added, “If Xu Ruier defeats the entire Red Team, the Blue Team’s points will double, and the Red Team’s punishment will also double.”

This announcement caused an uproar among the Red Team. All their hopes now rested on Xu Wan.

Xu Wan felt an enormous weight on her shoulders. Ji Yang had spoken to her directly—surely, he saw her as a key player. She couldn’t afford to embarrass herself!

Her fantasies of victory were sweet.

Reality, however, was harsh.

Xu Wan managed to respond to Xu Ruier’s first idiom but faltered on the second.

“An extraordinary individual,” Xu Ruier said.

Xu Wan froze, her mind going blank.

The audience buzzed with murmurs.

“She got too cocky,” someone commented.

“Xu Wan was so confident earlier, but now it’s just embarrassing.”

“She’s going to lose. She’s completely stuck.”

“Three… two… one! Time’s up,” the host announced.

The Red Team collectively sighed. Xu Wan felt utterly humiliated, more so than she ever had before. Meanwhile, Xu Ruier was hugged and praised enthusiastically by her teammates.

Xu Ruier noticed Xu Wan’s dejected state out of the corner of her eye. As she walked past Ji Yang, he gave her a small smile and murmured just loud enough for her to hear, “Well done.”

Understanding his intention, Xu Ruier felt a surge of guilt. But to everyone else, she seemed graciously humble.

In truth, Xu Ruier had gone easy on everyone else but deliberately upped the difficulty against Xu Wan. Still, with Ji Yang’s approval, she didn’t care.

The punishment?

Eating “dark cuisine.” Double portions. The food was so vile that Xu Wan’s face darkened as she forced herself to swallow it. Though she was furious enough to want to storm off, it was a live broadcast—she couldn’t afford to ruin her image.

After the punishment, the second round began. This time, the game involved walking across a balance beam. The team with the most members crossing successfully would win.

The Blue Team only managed to get Ji Yang and Xu Ruier across, with Ji Yang barely making it. The Red Team took the win this round.

The punishment? Push-ups.

Ji Yang and Zhao Qian, being gentlemen, volunteered to do the 30 push-ups assigned to the women on their teams. Zhao Qian ended up collapsing on the floor, while Ji Yang was only slightly winded.

The third round was a jump rope competition, which ended in a tie between the teams.

After several rounds of games, the live show neared its end. Zhao Qi held the microphone and announced, “Our show has a long-standing tradition: the guests must fulfill one small request from the audience.”

“You all can choose…”

“Ji Yang, Ji Yang, Ji Yang!”

“Brother! Brother! We want Brother!”

Before Zhao Qi could finish speaking, the audience erupted into chants, leaving him exasperated.

Finally, Ji Yang tapped his neck lightly, signaling dryness, and said, “The weather is dry, protect your throat.”

However, his comment only fueled another round of deafening screams.

“Alright, fine. It’s clear you all only care about your ‘Brother,’” Zhao Qi quipped, pretending to be annoyed. “Get your devices ready. Our big screen will roll through your requests. If reasonable, your Brother will do his best to fulfill them.”

“But just to clarify—this doesn’t include giving birth to baby piglets,” Dai Wei interjected with a mock-serious face. “Mouse babies are fine, though.”

The fans burst into laughter, lowering their heads to type their requests.

Hearing this, Xu Ruier felt her heart skip a beat. She suddenly remembered what Ji Yang had whispered to her last night. It made her shy to the core.

Babies?

It was such a far-off thought, yet he had considered it…

“The big screen is rolling now,” Zhao Qi announced, turning to the large screen where fan requests began flashing rapidly.

“Stop!” Zhao Qi yelled abruptly.

The screen froze, displaying a request. As soon as it was clear, the entire audience roared with excitement. Zhao Qi, too, stood there, mouth agape, before turning to the crowd. “What kind of wild idea is this?”

Meanwhile, the livestream chat lit up:

• “LOL, what a crazy suggestion!”
• “Brother’s voice is worth more than gold. I just wanna hear him sing.”
• “Hearing his voice will probably make me pregnant, though.”
• “Nooo, don’t let Brother sing for someone else! I’m jealous already!”

Reading the request aloud, Zhao Qi said, “Sing ‘Loving You Is All I Want’ to one lucky girl in the audience. It can be a guest, a fan, a staff member, or even Dai Wei here.”

“Me?” Dai Wei laughed, clutching her stomach.

Zhao Qi glanced at her exaggerated reaction and turned back to Ji Yang. “Of course, you can decline. If you do, the screen will roll again. You have three chances.”

“I’ve never heard that song,” Ji Yang said thoughtfully, adding, “Will I have time to learn it?”

“The melody is simple. Let’s play the chorus now, and you’ll only need to sing that part. You’ll have ten minutes to prepare,” Zhao Qi suggested.

As soon as he finished, the studio played the song:

“I hold you tightly in my arms, keep you in my heart, because loving you is all I want…”

Ji Yang froze, his expression subtly shifting. “I thought it was just a regular song.”

“It’s a sweet, sugary love ballad. It’ll make you feel like falling in love,” Zhao Qi teased. “Maybe skip picking a fan. They might faint. And don’t pick Wei-jie either—she might not survive.”

Dai Wei swatted Zhao Qi playfully, feigning outrage.

“See? She’s already flustered, and you haven’t even sung yet,” Zhao Qi teased further, earning another round of laughter from the audience.

Xu Ruier clutched her microphone, silently watching the interaction. This was a love song—a confession. Ji Yang had never properly confessed to her, and the idea of him singing it to someone else filled her with envy and jealousy.

Meanwhile, Xu Wan’s imagination ran wild. If Ji Yang chose her, it would completely redeem her earlier embarrassment. This would be the perfect opportunity to stir up rumors for publicity.

He had spoken to her earlier, hadn’t he? He must feel something for her, right?

“I’ll accept,” Ji Yang said decisively.

The show cut to a ten-minute commercial break to allow Ji Yang time to prepare.

---

Backstage

“I know this song well. Need help, Senior Ji?” Xu Wan approached him with a soft tone, emphasizing, “Ten minutes isn’t a lot of time to prepare.”

“No need,” Ji Yang replied curtly, keeping his eyes on the lyrics.

“Good luck then, Senior Ji,” Xu Wan said, forcing a polite smile as she turned away. But as she walked off, her expression darkened, her eyes cold with anger.

---

As she rounded a corner, Xu Wan bumped into Xu Ruier.

Having already torn through the facade of civility, neither bothered to hide their true feelings. Xu Wan sneered first, “Enjoying all the attention, aren’t you?”

“You too, Sister,” Xu Ruier replied with a faint smile.

Xu Wan clenched her teeth, barely containing her fury. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. If the truth comes out, let’s see how long you can keep acting smug.”

“If I’m with Brother, I’m prepared for anything. He promised to stand by me and protect me to the best of his ability,” Xu Ruier said sweetly, her smile only deepening.

The venom in Xu Wan’s gaze sharpened as her desire to destroy Xu Ruier grew.

“Your complexion doesn’t look great, Sister,” Xu Ruier added, feigning concern. “Too much excitement during the games, perhaps?”

Xu Wan’s temper flared as the mention of her earlier failures struck a nerve.

“Your boyfriend is about to sing a love song to another woman,” Xu Wan hissed. “Ji Yang belongs to the fans, and you’re just a pitiful secret—hidden and insignificant. What’s the point of it all? A man like him, after all, will pull up his pants and forget you once it’s over.”

The words hit like daggers, but Xu Ruier kept her composure.

“That’s my fault for being unworthy,” Xu Ruier said softly, a hint of sadness in her voice. “Brother is always so considerate of my situation. He sings beautifully, Sister. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it—just like the fans will.”

Her words were both subtle and cutting, leaving Xu Wan seething.

“Start prepping!” a staff member called.

Xu Ruier turned away, feigning irritation as she muttered, “Sister always misunderstands me. Oh well, I apologize if I said something wrong.”

Xu Wan was livid, her head pounding with anger. She lunged to grab Xu Ruier’s hand, but Xu Ruier deftly dodged and linked arms with Sun Ning’er, heading for the stage.

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