2 – Chapter 2
“Where does it hurt?”
All the guests had arrived, and the production team began announcing the upcoming guidelines.
The recording was scheduled for four locations, the first being this tropical area near the sea.
The guests would have all their modern devices confiscated and could only get to know each other through the most direct and simple methods of interaction.
After all the program recordings were completed, the guests who ended up together would receive a mysterious luxurious grand prize provided by the production team.
Of course, none of the guests were pushovers—they weren’t particularly interested in any prize. Some came to boost their popularity, some purely for fun, and others were forced onto the show due to personal obligations… None of them were true amateurs in the conventional sense.
At that moment, the sun was shining directly overhead, and the outdoor temperature had nearly reached 35 degrees Celsius. Many guests were already flushed and sweating, with beads of perspiration slowly trickling down their temples.
Si Nian took a handkerchief from her crossbody bag and held it out to Xie Zhi.
“Are you okay? Your neck looks all red.”
The man was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, “Thank you, but it’s not necessary.”
Si Nian didn’t feel embarrassed by the rejection. She withdrew the handkerchief and used it to dab her own chin.
As the handkerchief, carrying the faint fragrance of a woman, was suddenly pulled away, the scent of sweat from the sporty guy beside her filled the air. Xie Zhi unconsciously furrowed his brows.
“What are you thinking about?” Si Nian asked, a smile playing on her lips. “Seems like you’ve taken an interest in one of the guests?”
Xie Zhi remained silent for a few seconds before shaking his head. “Everyone is very beautiful, but it’s only our first meeting—I don’t really know them yet.”
“Hmm, so you like pretty people?”
“More than looks, I value personality.”
“Mm…” Si Nian nodded, pinching her chin, then lifted her head to look at him. Her almond-shaped eyes narrowed slightly, glistening in the sunlight. “Then, could you describe your ideal type?”
“Kind, pure, and resilient like wild grass…” Xie Zhi gazed at the distant sky as he answered earnestly.
To be honest, the most handsome male guest on set was undoubtedly Xie Zhi. He carried a touch of youthful student charm, yet his demeanor was mature. When speaking with others, he was attentive and gentle, coming across as polite.
Just like an adorable, well-behaved puppy…
This was the first time Si Nian had seriously observed her so-called plastic husband. Regardless of anything else, he was truly handsome—it was just a pity…
Just as her mind began to wander, a familiar “ding” sounded in her head, followed by a mechanical voice. “Ahem… Host, I must remind you—if you fail to complete the mission, you’ll be eliminated. Hurry up and stop dawdling!”
“Uh…” Si Nian’s heart skipped a beat. “You never mentioned that before??”
“Considering you seem to have no experience in romance, I’ve secured a beginner’s guide for you! Go for it! Save the antagonist and maintain world peace!”
Si Nian glanced at Xie Zhi again and sighed inwardly. Such a handsome guy—how could he be a dark-hearted antagonist?
On the surface, he appeared obedient and harmless, but who knew what was really going on in his mind?
Xie Zhi was the illegitimate child of a prominent family. His mother, though a victim, couldn’t escape the clutches of certain demons. People would often show up to vandalize their home and humiliate them. Because of those dark childhood years, he grew up gloomy and even somewhat twisted.
When he was just over ten years old, the pure and innocent female lead, Lin Yulan, descended into his life like an angel. Bathed in her saintly light, his personality improved slightly, though he would still occasionally hide in the shadows, secretly observing the little white flower.Unfortunately, the innocent character later fell in love with his nemesis, his half-brother Bai Yanlin—the domineering male lead in the novel. Feeling deeply betrayed, he began opposing the male lead.
At the critical moment when the two brothers were fighting for the family fortune, the innocent character reappeared and tried to persuade Xie Zhi with moral guidance. Xie Zhi ultimately gave up the power struggle, but was later sent to prison by Bai Yanlin, where he remained imprisoned for life.
Just when it seemed the story had ended, Xie Zhi’s profound resentment nearly destroyed the entire novel world. That’s when the system selected Si Nian…
Si Nian’s mission was to seize the initiative before Xie Zhi fell in love with the female lead—to offer him the power of love, eliminate his obsession with the female lead, stabilize his emotions, and maintain world peace.
In other words, she had to make the villain fall in love with her?
“This is really difficult, but I’ll do my best.”
“You must complete the mission—this is the price of your rebirth!”
Si Nian was originally just a cannon fodder character in this novel world. She had a marriage arrangement with the Bai family, but Bai Yanlin despised her so much that he schemed to send her to the bed of his illegitimate younger brother, Xie Zhi. With things having gone that far, they had no choice but to muddle through with the marriage.
After marriage, both partners pursued their own love interests without interfering with each other. She continued living as if single, persistently chasing after Bai Yanlin. Ultimately, because she kept making provocative remarks about the female lead, her family was ruined, and she died young in a car accident.
It was both foolish and tragic.
Fortunately, she was reborn at a critical juncture—when all the main characters were guests on the dating reality show. There might still be hope.
Si Nian propped her chin with a melancholy expression, while the live comments were filled with jubilation.
[Look at that bitch Si Nian getting humiliated—it’s so satisfying!]
[Kindness, innocence, resilience… she possesses none of these! Hahaha!]
[A-lister Xie practically has “I don’t like you” written on his face. Let’s see how she continues throwing herself at him!]
[Does she really think she’s that beautiful and sexy? So tacky! How could someone with Xie Zhi’s taste ever be interested in her?]
Finally, the production team finished explaining the rules, and the guests could go indoors to rest. Immediately, everyone’s faces showed relief.
Everyone eagerly stood up to leave. Just as Si Nian rose from her mat, a mechanical voice suddenly announced: “Beginner mission—throw yourself into his arms!”
Before she could react, a sudden severe cramp struck her calf, making her lose balance and tumble directly toward Xie Zhi.
Her chest slammed hard into Xie Zhi’s arm, and Si Nian’s face scrunched up in pain.
Now, not only did her leg cramp, but her chest was probably going to bruise.
Soon, someone steadied her shoulders, but she was already too defeated to even open her eyes.
“Are you okay?” Xie Zhi’s voice sounded beside her ear.
“Not really…” Si Nian replied weakly. “Leg cramp, and there… it hurts from the impact.”
“Uh…” Xie Zhi’s consistently gentle expression finally cracked slightly. His eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly as his gaze swept over the arm she had collided with, feeling his throat go somewhat dry.
The impact had been so forceful—it must have hurt quite badly.
“Can you still walk?”
Si Nian shook her head, her lips bitten pale from pain. “It hurts…”
[Holy shit holy shit holy shit! Where does it hurt? Explain clearly!]
[I finally see it clearly—what impressive curves! Kind of envy Xie Zhi somehow…]
[Xie Zhi, hold strong! She’s obviously faking it—wake up! Wake up!]”If you dare let Xie Zhi carry you on his back, Si Nian, I’ll flood your Weibo square right now!”
Amid the chaotic barrage of comments, the handsome man slightly bent down, placed one hand behind Si Nian’s back and the other under her knees, then lifted her up in his arms.
It was a princess carry!
Countless netizens in the live stream comments had already metaphorically “fallen dead” from the overwhelming cuteness.