Chapter Twenty-One: At Least We’re a Pair

"Are you angry?" Sang Yijia poked Lu Wenchuan's arm. "Have we met before?"

"Mm—" Before Lu Wenchuan could respond, Sang Yijia continued, "Or maybe we knew each other before?"

"No," Lu Wenchuan denied.

"That's strange." Sang Yijia frowned, pondering, but couldn't quite figure out what was wrong.

Lu Wenchuan lowered his gaze and looked at her. She was adorably deep in thought, her brows knit together, a faint smile tugging at his lips. Before he could say anything, the director's crew began announcing the tasks.

"Once you've completed these tasks, you'll earn meal allowances for dinner at the designated restaurant."

"In addition, we've prepared a small gift for each of you." The director motioned for the staff to hand out envelopes. "You can only look at it yourselves."

"Even your partner isn't allowed to see it."

Yan Ningsi was the first to raise her hand. "If we don't look at it, can we talk about what's inside?"

The director was momentarily speechless.

The live chat was filled with laughter and enthusiastic messages.

"Never mind, let's not make things difficult for them," Bian He said warmly, a hint of fondness in his tone. "Come on, let's go."

"Let's see what task we have," Bian He reached out to Yan Ningsi. "My little princess."

Yan Ningsi held back a smile and placed her hand in his.

Their first time holding hands—success!

[Bian He is so, so, so gentlemanly.]

[He called her 'my little princess.' He's really moved, I saw it!]

[This pair is definitely going to make it!]

[Ahhh, I'm buying coffee, and the barista asked if I wanted sugar. I said it's already too sweet, no need. The barista gave me a strange look! But honestly, it's so sweet!]

[What's this couple's ship name?]

[Bian He, Yan Ningsi—He Si, He Si, let's just call them 'Perfect Match CP'!]

[They really are perfect together!]

Seeing the first couple settle in, the director turned to the second pair: Shen Jin and Lan Qing.

"Looks like our task is pretty easy," Shen Jin had already opened the task card, and he and Lan Qing read it together.

They were close enough to sense each other's breath.

Lan Qing nervously tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, revealing her flushed earlobe—sharp-eyed viewers caught this detail.

[Qingqing is embarrassed!]

[What?]

[Doesn't look like it, right?]

[Look at her ears!]

[Wow, it's true!]

[Big brother and Qingqing are so sweet too.]

Everyone chose to ignore Sang Yijia for the moment, not wanting to spoil the atmosphere.

Lan Qing nodded, "Selling flowers seems pretty simple."

She glanced at Sang Yijia and Lu Wenchuan across the way, her gaze lingering briefly on Lu Wenchuan before settling on Sang Yijia. "What's your task?"

"Haven't looked yet," Sang Yijia pointed to her unopened task card. "You guys head out first; we'll look and then leave."

"Alright." Lan Qing nodded slightly and was about to turn away when Shen Jin reached out to her.

"Bian He and his little princess have already started," Shen Jin's brows softened with tenderness and affection.

Lan Qing couldn't help herself and placed her hand in his.

Another couple formed!

The director snapped his fingers in his mind, then turned to Sang Yijia and Lu Wenchuan.

He hadn't expected this pair to work out, given that Sang Yijia cared for Shen Jin. Though she'd said she wouldn't pursue him anymore, nobody really believed it.

Everyone anticipated Sang Yijia would be frustrated and embarrassed.

Yet, she wasn't.

Lu Wenchuan opened the task card, glanced at it, and handed it to her. "We need to work at a milk tea shop."

"Is this really about dating?" Sang Yijia voiced her existential question, her eyes falling on the director. "Suddenly, I realize I should've joined last season—then I wouldn't have to be here this time."

In Lu Wenchuan's dark eyes, something mysterious flickered; his lips quirked with a barely perceptible smile. "If you'd come last season, there would be no Shen Jin."

Sang Yijia frowned at him, but soon relaxed, not the least bit upset. "You're right."

[See! She admitted it!]

[I told you, she came for big brother!]

[Too bad, big brother likes Qingqing.]

[Haha, Sang Yijia, just wait—nobody will ever like you.]

Sang Yijia and Lu Wenchuan set out, one after the other. Of all three couples, they were the least favored.

[Forget it, nothing worth watching here.]

[I'm going back to the big brother and Qingqing stream, their sweetness is better.]

[Everyone, stop watching—don't give Sang Yijia any traffic, let her flop!]

In an instant, the viewers in Sang Yijia and Lu Wenchuan's stream dropped from thousands to just a few dozen, and the number kept falling.

In the end, only eight people remained.

The director: "..." He had to admit Sang Yijia was truly the most hated online.

But Sang Yijia and Lu Wenchuan were oblivious. They continued on their way at their own pace.

The sun was still blazing after three in the afternoon.

Sang Yijia wasn't one to suffer—she opened her parasol and strolled leisurely behind. After about ten minutes, still on the country lane, she raised her brow.

"Do you know the way?" Earlier she'd noticed a lane that should've been their turn, but Lu Wenchuan hadn't even glanced at it, just kept walking forward. She figured that must be the right way.

Now, she wasn't so sure.

Lu Wenchuan turned back, handing over the task card. "It only says the destination, not the route."

"???" Sang Yijia's confusion was written all over her face. "You didn't ask?"

"I saw a milk tea shop when we came in," Lu Wenchuan replied.

Sang Yijia fell silent for a while, then pointed to the road behind them. "I asked Yan Ningsi this morning—the market's right through there."

"This way leads to the city," and that was quite a distance.

"Well, let's go," Lu Wenchuan said calmly, unfazed as he fell into step.

Sang Yijia licked her lips, glanced at the sun overhead, and noticed the sweat on Lu Wenchuan's brow.

According to the original plot, the protagonist had wronged him in many ways.

Though it hadn't actually happened, Sang Yijia felt a pang of sympathy reading this scene.

"Wait a moment."

She hurried to catch up, raising her parasol to cover them both.

The scorching sun was gone, replaced by cool shade. Lu Wenchuan, surprised, glanced sideways to see Sang Yijia standing beside him.

The air was tinged with a delicate, fruity sweetness—like ripe mulberries, luring creatures to pick them.

"Let's share it. We're a couple, after all," Sang Yijia replied, a bit awkwardly.