Chapter 3

Zhai Xingchen, completely unaware, went back to his room, took out paper and pen, and wrote down the names of all seven guests.

He wrote down Yan Zhi, the third male guest, even though he hadn't arrived yet.

Anyway, he was another rich, handsome, super-popular powerhouse.

Blue on the left, red on the right, arranged in two rows.

If he'd known he'd transmigrate into this novel, he'd have finished reading the whole thing.

The importance of finishing a book.

Who'd end up as the final CP?

Yan Zhi was from Haitang — would it be one guy with N partners?

One guy with N partners would get you blocked and downvoted on Jinjiang, but on Haitang, it's 'more, more, more'.

Zhai Xingchen studied their guest list seriously.

Hmm, seemed like you could draw a line between any of them and they'd look good together.

For example, dignified, proper Duan Yihua paired with tall, imposing Huo Cheng — a great match, fits traditional aesthetics.

Paired with cold, handsome Pei Xu — a warm-hearted big brother with a dark little wolf — also a great match.

Or take the most beautiful Hu Ying, paired with Huo Cheng — that's a fierce top with a fiery beauty, instant combustion.

Paired with Pei Xu is even better — a seductress with an iceberg, hot and cold, sexual tension maxed out.

But the synopsis for The Red and Blue Signal said it was a Ten Thousand Admirers story.

Whether it's Jinjiang, Dianjia, or Huajia, Ten Thousand Admirers is an evergreen genre.

One-on-one is stable, but a battle royale with several people fighting over one — that's the YYDS!

So the question was: dignified, mature Duan Yihua; seductive, fiery Hu Ying; pure, highly-educated Lin Qingning; shy, cute Wen Nu — who was the Ten Thousand Admirers pursued by the three male leads?

Upstairs in the small living room, the four Red Team Members had just finished their solo interviews and gathered to chat.

It was a request from the Production Team — they wanted the four of them to get together and discuss the three Blue Team Members.

"Pei Xu is so handsome," Wen Nu said with a smile.

"But he's very difficult to get along with in person." Lin Qingning already knew Pei Xu. Mentioning him, he seemed to remember something, adjusted his glasses, and shook his head.

"You guys came later, it's fine. I was the second one here. At the time, only Pei Xu had arrived. After we said hello, we had nothing to say. I'd seen the news before — everyone says he has a terrible temper, very hard to get along with. Plus he didn't initiate conversation, just kept looking at stock info. I didn't dare speak either, afraid he'd ignore me. So we just sat there awkwardly until Hu Ying arrived," Duan Yihua said.

"His face is as handsome as his temper is foul!" Hu Ying declared.

The barrage: [Looks like everyone's eyes are still sharp.]

[They're all rich, handsome guys, none of them lack for men, no need to chase after anyone.]

[I'm happy the Red Team guys see clearly, but really, no brave soul volunteering to tame that menace Pei Xu? I can't stand his arrogant act!]

Seeing it was about to turn into a Pei Xu roast session, Lin Qingning — after all, he had some connection to Pei Xu's aunt, Zhou Lan — quickly changed the subject: "But Huo Cheng's personality is great."

"Yeah, and he's so handsome, very manly."

"Zhai Xingchen's personality seems great too, and looks-wise, he's the best-looking, right? Good height too, probably 183."

"His smile is so pretty, like there are stars in his eyes. He's just too pretty — feels more like a sister." Hu Ying swept her hair back, sharp, slender eyebrows raised. "Anyway, I can't accept a partner prettier than me."

"You're still the prettiest," Wen Nu flattered.

In terms of looks, Hu Ying and Zhai Xingchen were the top two in their group. Hu Ying was dazzlingly gorgeous, a slash of adrenaline-red; Zhai Xingchen was like a gemstone star, his deliberate low-key unable to hide his brilliance.

In the end, they reached a unanimous conclusion: among the three Blue Team Members, the worst reputation was Pei Xu — too cold, face too sour.

The best reputation was Zhai Xingchen — looks and personality combined, ranked number one.

Huo Cheng was great too — rough and straight, practically the ideal dish in the circle.

But if they had to pick just one crush right now...

Everyone picked Pei Xu.

Huo Cheng was also doing his solo interview.

A staff member came over to adjust his reflector. He sat on the high stool, looking at the camera: "Like this?"

"Lean a little to the left... yeah."

Everything ready, the solo interview began.

Compared to Pei Xu, Huo Cheng's personality was much better, and he was very cooperative.

"You've met most of the guests today. Who left a deeper impression on you?"

"Deeper impression..." Huo Cheng thought. "Everyone's good-looking, hard to rank..."

"You have to pick one."

"Zhai Xingchen."

The Production Team: "...Why?"

"I feel like he's so young. How old is he? Is he even eighteen?"

"To participate in our show, he definitely has to be an adult," the Production Team replied.

"Oh." Huo Cheng said, "Being with him, I instantly feel like an old man. He looks so young, and he even has a milky scent on him."

"...Really?"

"Yeah, I smelled it when I helped him with his luggage and got close."

"..."

Huo Cheng: "I'm serious."

"Can a man really have a milky scent?" the staff member across from him asked.

"Yeah, my ex-boyfriend did. He was twenty-five and still had a milky scent," a female staffer said.

"That kind of thing isn't really age-related, I hear some people just naturally have that scent." A cameraman chimed in: "Some guys have it even when they're older. In college, there was a guy in our dorm who had it. We all liked hugging him to smell him — fragrant and clean."

"Zhai Xingchen looks so fair and tender, like a little milk dog."

"Ahem, are you guys getting off topic?" the Director asked angrily through the earpiece.

Zhai Xingchen sneezed.

He changed clothes and came out of his room.

Everyone was still in their own rooms. He had nowhere else to go, wandered around the living room alone, and finally went to the kitchen.

This would be his most important battlefield. Of the eight guests, only he could cook. Throughout the entire Love Variety Show recording, he'd be the one 'sweating the most' here.

Great. He'd be sweating here, while the other guests sweated in the bedrooms.

In a real-world Love Variety Show, you can't even kiss until the final confession, but this was a novel — sneaking off to combust in a room away from the cameras wasn't impossible, right?

If a trope that only exists in novels happened in real life, just thinking about it was pretty thrilling.

At the very least, there'd definitely be a forced kiss — he'd seen spoilers in the comments section.

Thinking of the comment section spoilers, he remembered when the story reached the climax of the battle royale later on, a bunch of people in the comments were spamming the 'classic famous lines' from it.

How did it go again?

Oh, 'I fucking want to fuck you until you're useless, believe me.'

His little face went straight yellow.

Zhai Xingchen opened the fridge and looked. Besides milk and bottled water provided by sponsors, there was nothing.

"Can you cook?"

He turned around at the voice. It was Huo Cheng.

Huo Cheng had also changed into casual clothes. Even a white T-shirt couldn't hide his solid muscles — he had a tall, rugged, rough-hewn vibe.

"I can cook a little," Zhai Xingchen said modestly. "But there's nothing in the fridge. Do we need to go to the supermarket?"

Going to the supermarket for groceries is always a classic romantic trope in Love Variety Show novels.

Just like dividing cooking duties, who goes to the supermarket with whom is also a big deal.

A lot of famous Love Variety Show moments happen while grocery shopping — a veritable pink bubble machine.

Zhai Xingchen immediately called Duan Yihua and the others down.

Huo Cheng asked who wanted to go to the supermarket with him.

Truly the Dianjia male lead he had the highest hopes for — the proactive type.

Zhai Xingchen looked expectantly at the other four guests.

But right then, Pei Xu came out of his room.

The four guests' eyes were instantly drawn to him.

Even the most outgoing Hu Ying nervously tucked her long hair behind her ear.

Ah, the classic scene of several people liking one!

Right now, the Production Team would definitely give each guest a close-up — quick, capture their micro-expressions!

Zhai Xingchen and the netizens were practically in sync.

[Sure enough, everyone was just dissing Pei Xu, but the moment he appears, they're all stealing glances at him.]

[Hah, men. Mouth says no, body says yes! Hypocrites!]

[My Sixth Brother hasn't shown up yet, but as a Blue Team Member, Pei Xu really is the most standout one. Liking him isn't strange. It's just poor Huo Cheng — he's been so proactive.]

[It'll be awkward if no one goes.]

Zhai Xingchen also thought it would be awkward if no one responded.

But Hu Ying and the others didn't seem too keen on going.

Understandable. They wanted to stay with Pei Xu.

That troublemaker.

"Anyone want to go to the supermarket?" Huo Cheng asked again with a smile.

Looks like they were going to follow the plot faithfully.

Time for him, the tool character, to make his entrance.

In the original novel, the ones who went to the supermarket with Huo Cheng were him and Duan Yihua.

"Then I'll go," Zhai Xingchen said.

Pei Xu suddenly spoke up: "I need to buy something. I'll go too."

This stunned not just Zhai Xingchen, but the other guests too.

This wasn't how it was written in the original.

Seeing Pei Xu was going, the others' expressions changed immediately. But going grocery shopping with a whole crowd would be awkward too.

It was the elder brother figure Duan Yihua who took the initiative: "How much stuff do we need to buy? Is three of you enough?"

"I don't have to go," Zhai Xingchen said immediately. "Does anyone else want to go?"

"Aren't we buying groceries?" Huo Cheng said. "Shouldn't we pick someone who can cook?"

Zhai Xingchen: "..."

There was a reason Huo Cheng wasn't that popular.

"I can't cook," Hu Ying said.

Not just her.

None of these rich kids had ever cooked. He looked at Duan Yihua, who also shook his head.

Lin Qingning said, "I can cook instant noodles."

"I can do a little home-style cooking, like tomato and eggs," Wen Nu said.

Pei Xu, no need to ask — he'd probably never set foot in a kitchen.

Everyone looked at Zhai Xingchen.

Zhai Xingchen said, "I can..."

He couldn't hide this. He'd be responsible for cooking later.

Huo Cheng said, "Then we'll really be relying on you from now on."

Zhai Xingchen: Okay then.

Everyone listed dishes they liked to eat. Only Pei Xu didn't speak, just stood with his hands in his pockets like a bystander.

Wen Nu asked softly, "Pei Xu, is there anything you'd like to eat?"

"Whatever. I'm fine with anything," Pei Xu replied.

He was the most tiresome person — dead to the world, always just going through the motions.

Pei Xu was already heading out. Huo Cheng said to Zhai Xingchen, "Let's go."

The two of them changed shoes at the entryway. Zhai Xingchen was close to two major hunks, Huo Cheng and Pei Xu. He could even feel the body heat radiating from them.

The scent of the room mingled with their personal fragrances. It all felt like a dream.

Top-tier handsome guys who only existed in 2D were now vivid and within reach. The feeling was truly magical.

He retied his shoelaces, glanced back, and saw Wen Nu looking at him sweetly.

His eyes seemed inexplicably excited.

You CP maniac, what's going on in that little brain of yours? Stop thinking!

Huo Cheng asked, "Who's driving?"

"I don't have a car," Zhai Xingchen quickly turned and said.

"I'll drive," Pei Xu took the car keys.

After they went out, the two of them waited for Pei Xu at the main gate. Huo Cheng glanced at their following cameraman, probably thinking he should say something so the camera wasn't just filming silence. So he said, "I heard it might rain in a couple days."

Zhai Xingchen looked up at the sky. He was wearing a black T-shirt, with a straight nose and thin lips, his obsidian-like eyes reflecting the sunlight.

"You look really young," Huo Cheng asked. "Are you a student?"

Zhai Xingchen nodded.

"Out of the eight of us, you and Wen Nu are the most mysterious, very little info. I'm guessing he's a student too," Huo Cheng said.

As soon as he finished speaking, a black Maybach slowly drove up.

Pei Xu was driving. If they both sat in the back, it would seem a bit rude.

Zhai Xingchen planned to sit in the back.

The two sitting in front would have an easier time talking. The two male leads chatting would definitely work better than with him.

Who knew, just as he was about to pull the rear door handle, Huo Cheng, quite considerately, said, "You sit in front."

Zhai Xingchen watched Huo Cheng get in the car, then came back to the front, opened the door, and sat in the passenger seat.

"Seatbelt," Pei Xu said.

"Oh." Zhai Xingchen quickly fastened his seatbelt.

The car had a faint, cool mint scent, very pleasant. Zhai Xingchen glanced out the window and only saw his own slightly upturned phoenix eyes.

The barrage: [Stunned. For a Love Variety Show, the first grocery run is actually three Blue Team Members together? That's a first in history, right?]

[Exactly, what can three tops even do?!]

[To be honest, three tops — there's a lot they could do.]

[Ah, why am I thinking of a sandwich cookie? Something's wrong with me!]