Wen Ze paused for a moment, recalling the program’s title from the original host’s memories.
It was an extremely popular dating variety show for same-sex couples.
In 2030, the Same-Sex Marriage Act was passed globally, making same-sex marriage legal. That same year, “The Heart-Fluttering You” premiered.
The show utilized a hybrid format of live streaming and edited clips, allowing it to successfully ride the crest of the wave. It had successfully played matchmaker for two couples who were still together, and each subsequent season had produced at least one couple. Its popularity remained persistently high, practically becoming a nationally renowned variety show that everyone watched while eating their meals.
But why would such a hit show come looking for the original host? Even at his peak, the original host wouldn’t have been able to get on this show even if he paid them.
The voice on the other end seemed to grasp Wen Ze’s confusion and explained: “Best Actor Zhou is also one of the guests.”
Wen Ze understood instantly.
That explained it perfectly.
Zhou Zichen, that scumbag, had been riding a wave of fame recently. It made sense for a nationally popular show to want to capitalize on his popularity. The original host, his “jilted ex-wife,” was obviously just being brought on as collateral to generate buzz and manufacture drama.
Wen Ze pondered for a moment and decisively agreed: “Okay.”
He was currently at the center of a media storm. Even if he were just being used to generate controversy, he needed to appear in front of the public. Only by letting the audience see him with their own eyes and realize what kind of person he truly was could he clear his name.
He wasn’t the original host; he wasn’t cowardly in the slightest, and he knew exactly how to leverage his own advantages. Once the audience saw him, all the scumbag’s bullshit would naturally collapse on its own.
The person on the other end was very calm, clearly never having considered that Wen Ze might refuse: “Let’s exchange WeChat IDs. Later, we’ll send you the schedule, the program flow, and the information of the other guests.”
Wen Ze hung up the phone, searched for the WeChat ID, and added the contact: “Have all the guests been finalized yet?”
According to the show’s usual schedule, they should be editing the next episode in half a month. Contacting him now seemed a bit late.
“Yes,” the person on the other end didn’t hesitate to answer. “As you know, even though same-sex marriage is legal, our country remains relatively conservative. There are very few celebrities willing to publicly disclose their sexual orientation. Both of you are pleasant surprises, but we are still missing one person.”
Wen Ze expressed his understanding: “Then, can I take a look at the profiles of the other guests first?”
“Of course you can.”
The person on the other end had nothing to hide and sent them over immediately.
Variety shows always require pre-broadcast hype. Eventually, all guests would be revealed to the public, and everything that needed to be known would be known; there was no difference between being a moment early or a moment late.
It wasn’t just Wen Ze who wanted to see them, the other guests would see them too.
Wen Ze received the documents and asked again: “I have a small favor to ask. Will the production team be arranging assistants? You know the situation on my end…”
Completely blacklisted by the internet and shelved by his company, it was absolutely impossible for him to find an assistant on his own.
But participating in this kind of variety show required someone to keep an eye on things backstage so he could adapt to any situation.
However, Wen Ze wasn’t sure if the production team just wanted to use him as a laughingstock.
If that were the case, even if he did recruit an assistant, the production team might not let him keep them.
The person on the other end hesitated for a moment and replied: “How do you feel about me?”
Wen Ze was stunned.
The person on the other end spoke logically and acted efficiently; they were clearly a talent, and someone like that should have had a decent position.
But on second thought, if they really had a high position, why would they be sent to contact him?
Wen Ze’s mind raced through a thousand possibilities, but his hands didn’t hesitate; he immediately typed one word: “Okay. But I can’t offer you much in terms of benefits.”
How could he not snatch up a pie falling from the sky?!
If others treated pearls as fish eyes, he certainly wouldn’t play the fool.
The person replied immediately: “It doesn’t matter. Mr. Wen, my surname is Zong, Zong Du.”
Wen Ze smiled, feeling that this person was truly interesting: “I’m Wen Ze. You don’t have to be so formal and call me Mr. Wen. Just call me A-Ze.”
Wen Ze had wanted to say that his surname wasn’t Wen, but after thinking about it carefully, the original host did indeed have the surname Wen… so he had to let the other person call him A-Ze.
This nickname was what the old orphanage director often used; he figured the original host would have liked it.
Regrettably, Zhou Zichen had never called him that once.
Thinking of this, Wen Ze felt a dense, stabbing pain in his heart remnants of the original host’s lingering emotions.
Both of them were decisive people. After chatting briefly, Zong Du helped Wen Ze organize the guests’ information, including their extra preferences and hidden “leverage.”
The more they talked, the more Wen Ze felt this person was a talent, and he was amazed that no one had discovered him yet.
However, Zong Du didn’t want to talk about it—presumably due to some unspeakable hardship—so Wen Ze tactfully didn’t ask further.
In the following days, Wen Ze spent all his money and time improving himself. He spent every day rotating between the gym and online classes. He also ordered a lot of skincare products. He would wake up to work out, turn on an online class, then fall asleep; he even attended online classes while applying face masks and squeezed in learning more about this world while eating.
By all accounts, this lifestyle should have been exhausting, but Wen Ze felt incredibly fulfilled. Even his radiance began to return every movement and every smile carried the distinct aura of a succubus, utterly captivating. He even accumulated a batch of pursuers while sweating in the gym.
It was the same face, but now, if he were released back into the wild, no one would ever think he was the “original” Wen Ze again; even acquaintances might not dare to recognize him.
But even with such fulfillment, there were always ignorant people looking to cause trouble.
Wen Ze opened the screen recorder, frowned, and went to open the door, wondering who had so little sense.
“Shen Ruan?”
This person carried so much weight in the original host’s memories that Wen Ze recognized him instantly.
This was the little celebrity Zhou Zichen had cheated with!
But…
Wen Ze examined the face through the thick layers of makeup, feeling more puzzled by the second.
Is this kid even an adult?
It wasn’t strange for Wen Ze to think that.
Standing outside was a man dressed in loud, multi-colored clothes. He had an exquisite face; despite having a naturally “well-behaved” appearance, he had chosen to wear a gaudy,妖媚 (seductive/coquettish) makeup, which made him look completely mismatched and absurd.
Wen Ze’s own original face was actually very youthful; the original host’s face, with the addition of age and experience, was alright but Shen Ruan looked completely juvenile, like a rebellious teenager playing dress-up in adult clothes.
Shen Ruan was also stunned, only daring to believe that the fair-skinned, glowing person who made even him feel inferior was really Wen Ze.
Once he realized it, he became even angrier.
How could this person still be so beautiful after being dumped and having his reputation ruined online?
What a heartless, shameless person!
He raised his chin high and commanded haughtily: “The ‘The Heart-Fluttering You’ production team contacted you? You’re unworthy! If you know what’s good for you, hand that spot over to me!”
Wen Ze originally didn’t want to speak, as looking at that face made him feel a bit guilty, as if he were bullying a child but Shen Ruan’s opening statement completely eroded that feeling.
He even found it amusing and asked: “Why should I hand the spot over to you?”
Shen Ruan seemed not to have expected Wen Ze to talk back, pausing for a moment before flying into a rage: “Look at what you are! You’re about to retire from the entertainment industry; going there would just be humiliating. Are you trying to cling to this spot to the bitter end?”
“Yeah.” Under Shen Ruan’s shocked gaze, Wen Ze nodded generously in admission, “I am going to cling to this spot to the bitter end. I’m just not giving it to you.”
“You!”
Shen Ruan was furious. He raised his hand high, looking as if a slap was about to fall, only to have his wrist grabbed by Wen Ze with a wry smile.
Shen Ruan’s wrist throbbed with pain, his eyes filled with terror as he looked at Wen Ze.
He never knew Wen Ze had such strength.
What a joke. He hadn’t spent the last few days in the gym for nothing. Although he wasn’t at his demon-tier strength, grabbing a kid like this was more than enough.
Seeing him struggle so hard, Wen Ze let go. The moment he was released, Shen Ruan fled in a hurry, throwing only one sentence over his shoulder: “Just you wait!”
“That… was truly bizarre.”
Utterly baffled, Wen Ze simply shut the door and went back to his online classes.
His online class schedule was tight; the time wasted here would have to be made up during his sleep. If he didn’t get enough beauty sleep, he’d have dark circles under his eyes tomorrow… Tch, what a bother.
Although Shen Ruan fled in a panic, the more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He immediately called Zhou Zichen, his voice filled with an indelible sense of grievance: “Brother Zhou!”
Zhou Zichen was the type to cherish the tender and protect the frail: “What’s wrong? Who angered our little Ruan?”
Shen Ruan stomped his feet in resentment: “It’s your ex-boyfriend! I wanted to get him to give me his spot on the show, but he wouldn’t agree!”
Zhou Zichen knew that the production team had invited Wen Ze; the team had even consulted with him about it.
He was confident that Wen Ze was perfectly managed; since there was clout to be gained, why not take it? So, he hadn’t objected.
But Shen Ruan was his current favorite. Hearing the young man weeping and wailing on the phone made his heart ache, and he immediately coaxed: “Good little Ruan, don’t be angry. I’ll tell him off right now and make him give that spot to you!”
Only then did Shen Ruan break his tears into a smile: “Brother Zhou is the best!”
The two flirted a while longer before hanging up. A malicious glint flashed in Shen Ruan’s eyes.
Wen Ze was nothing but a fawning dog in front of Zhou Zichen. He was waiting for the moment the man would kneel and apologize to him, handing over the spot with both hands!
Careless for a moment, he moved his hand too vigorously and pulled at the purple bruise on his wrist.
Thinking of Wen Ze’s unnatural strength and that increasingly beautiful face, Shen Ruan’s expression twisted further.
That bitch, I will definitely slap his face hard!
Zhou Zichen also felt this was a trivial matter. Immediately after hanging up with Shen Ruan, he dialed Wen Ze’s number.
Wen Ze saw the familiar sequence of digits and hung up directly.
After their fallout, Zhou Zichen had blocked all of Wen Ze’s contact methods; the original host had desperately sought him out but failed, eventually losing his life in despair.
Yet now, for the sake of the person he favored, he had unblocked the original host’s WeChat just to get that spot, treating the original host like someone he could summon and dismiss at will.
How truly laughable.
Zhou Zichen hadn’t expected his call to be hung up on and flew into a rage, cursing foully.
He called over a dozen times, all with the same outcome. He had originally been too angry to bother with Wen Ze again, but thinking of his promise to Shen Ruan, he had to swallow his pride, unblock the original host’s WeChat, and begin a new round of bombardment.
It was ridiculous. How similar was his current behavior to the original host’s when he was desperately trying to reach him?
Wen Ze calmly finished his day’s schedule and even made up for the few minutes Shen Ruan had wasted on his online classes before he felt in the mood to open Zhou Zichen’s chat box.
99+
Looking at that vibrant red number and the chat box filled with commands and insults, Wen Ze raised an eyebrow. He really didn’t think it was worth it for the original host.
Why would anyone want such a dog of a man?
Wen Ze’s slender fingers tapped a few times on the screen, moving Zhou Zichen who had originally been flagged as a “Special Concern” into the blacklist, along with all those bombarding messages, before he drifted off to a beautiful sleep.
As for what kind of mood Zhou Zichen was in when he saw that bright red exclamation point… Wen Ze had no way of knowing.
Nor did he care.
After all, Zhou Zichen had never cared about how the original host felt after being smeared and blocked like that, had he?