Chapter Two: A Single Word Makes All the Difference

In the corner of the sofa, the sunlight that had been shining on Tang Zhichu had already faded. He shook his head, forcing himself to break free from that drifting state of mind.

Traveling through time and being reborn was already enough to set one’s nerves on edge, and now there was the added intrusion of chaotic and fragmented memories, leaving Tang Zhichu with little energy to cope with such occasions.

He simply listened, silently committing any useful information to memory.

What surprised Tang Zhichu was that there was another female guest who was equally quiet—Jiang Lan.

Her quietness was not born of uncertainty, but of composure, as though everything was under her control.

Tang Zhichu didn’t analyze things as deeply as Zhou Yun did; he just felt that this show seemed far less straightforward than it appeared on the surface.

Creak—the door was pushed open once more.

Everyone stood to welcome the newcomer. The last female guest had arrived.

She wore a white inner shirt and a beige knitted cardigan. Her hair was jet-black and light, and her delicate, refined features combined into a stunningly cool and elegant presence.

Zhou Yun once again covered her mouth and whispered, “She’s so pretty!”

Yang Jiaxing was the first to step forward and help her with her suitcase.

“Thank you.”

Even her voice was pleasant to the ear.

“No need to thank me. We were just guessing whether the last female guest would have long or short hair. We didn’t expect someone so beautiful,” Yang Jiaxing praised her as he pushed the suitcase to the corner.

A smile appeared on the girl’s face, a slightly embarrassed one, as if she wasn’t used to such direct compliments.

“You’re Chen Siyang, aren’t you?” Huang Zejun suddenly exclaimed, his face full of delight.

Zhou Yun’s voice of surprise came right after, “Oh my gosh, I knew she looked familiar!”

Yang Jiaxing stopped in his tracks, quickly turning back to look at the new guest, his eyes lighting up visibly.

Chen Siyang—former member of the Planet Girl Group, and the visual centerpiece of the group, a famous beauty.

Tang Zhichu, however, withdrew his gaze from Chen Siyang. A female celebrity on a dating show?

With everyone present, they gathered in a circle and began to introduce themselves in detail, mentioning their professions and so on.

Tang Zhichu still spoke very little, quietly remembering only what was useful.

Zhou Yun was the most energetic, and owned a gym.

Jiang Lan, quietly, also owned a small food company.

Yang Jiaxing, though young, was already the head of a financial institution, and it was a family business at that.

Huang Zejun was both a photographer and the owner of a small media company, focused mainly on new media.

Chen Siyang didn’t even need to introduce herself—everyone knew she was a celebrity, an entertainer.

Even though Tang Zhichu had mentally prepared himself, he was still surprised. This show ought to be renamed The Nobles’ Romance.

When it was Tang Zhichu’s turn to introduce himself, everyone paused for a few seconds, because his background was so simple and ordinary.

After graduating from college, he took over a small Sichuan restaurant from his father. So, in a way, he was also a boss.

His introduction made several people suddenly realize—no wonder he was so quiet, probably out of inferiority.

Zhou Yun quickly broke the awkwardness with, “Then you must be a great cook,” moving the conversation past professions and on to dinner plans.

At the very least, everyone present knew how to be considerate.

Using a headache as an excuse, Tang Zhichu went upstairs, saying there was no need to wait for him for dinner.

Such was Tang Zhichu’s first day on the dating show. His mind was a mess; he needed peace, and he needed rest.

Tang Zhichu had a dream. Although he was still called Tang Zhichu, he had become someone else.

Back in high school, his father’s chronic alcoholism had driven his mother to her limit, and the two divorced.

After the divorce, his father traded their night market stall for a traditional stir-fry restaurant, fulfilling his mother’s old wish—though he realized it too late.

Because of his striking appearance, Tang Zhichu was always surrounded by beautiful classmates throughout high school and college.

But as a day student who had to help out at his father’s restaurant every day, he didn’t have the courage to get entangled with those dazzling girls.

His daily life revolved around the kitchen, and in time, he became a complete homebody.

He did, however, have a talent: singing, a passion since childhood.

But for a child from a poor family, singing could only ever be a hobby. He never told his father he was talented or that he wanted to pursue art, knowing full well it would be pointless.

Fortunately, with the rapid development of the internet, a short-video app called DY became popular.

Tang Zhichu became a request singer in DY’s virtual song parlor. In short, patrons would pay to request songs, and if you sang well, they’d tip you extra.

It was much like singing for tips in a bar, except Tang Zhichu couldn’t handle the flashy bar scene, so he sang online as a side job.

After graduating college, he planned to rent a better soundproofed apartment and really focus on singing. But then his father fell ill—years of drinking had led to pancreatic cancer.

Illness meant expenses, so with a friend’s help, Tang Zhichu entered an online singing contest on DY, with a first prize of two hundred thousand yuan.

He never expected to win, but he made it through every round and took the championship.

Not only did he win the prize money, but he also gained a chance to participate in a variety show.

Thinking the reward was for a singing show, Tang Zhichu agreed without hesitation—making a living by singing was his dream.

But instead, it turned out to be a dating show.

A single word made all the difference.

He wanted to turn it down, but he’d already agreed, and his ailing father in the hospital had heard about it too. No matter what, his father wouldn’t let him refuse.

Tang’s father felt that his son had always been a shut-in, and now, with his days numbered, finally a matchmaking show had come calling. He insisted Tang Zhichu go.

He didn’t expect his son to find a partner on the show—he just hoped Tang Zhichu’s personality would change, and then he’d have no regrets.

For the older generation, staying at home all day was a sign of failure.

There was a rule on the show: to help everyone get used to being filmed, cameras were installed in their homes a month in advance.

As a super homebody, with a sick father and the daily grind of running the restaurant, Tang Zhichu already felt exhausted. Coming home to face so many cameras stripped him of any sense of security and left him sleepless night after night.

After a month, his body grew more and more haggard, and on the first day of filming the dating show, he fell asleep and never woke up.

…

Knock, knock, knock—

The sound startled Tang Zhichu awake. He sat up with a start, his head drenched in sweat, but somehow feeling much better, as if his subconscious had sorted out those chaotic memories while he slept.

“I’m coming!” Tang Zhichu jumped out of bed, splashed his face in the bathroom, and hurried to open the door.

Standing outside was Zhou Yun.

“Are you okay?” Zhou Yun’s tone carried a touch of concern.

Tang Zhichu shook his head. “Maybe it’s the spring chill—I had a headache, but I’ve taken some medicine. I wasn’t in a good state earlier, sorry about that.”

“It’s fine, no worries. The dining room saved you some food.”

Zhou Yun didn’t linger, turning to go downstairs, but after a few steps she looked back. “Oh, by the way, it’s almost eleven.”

“Okay, thank you.”

“You’re welcome, hehe.”

Watching Zhou Yun’s retreating figure, Tang Zhichu paused for a few seconds. Zhou Yun’s small kindness was something he wasn’t quite used to.