Chapter 17 – Live Broadcast Preview

Cheng Yichi slowly straightened up. Li Yi stood nervously behind him, unable to see Cheng Yichi’s expression.

Li Yi had never been this nervous before.

His palms were sweaty and sticky, yet he seemed oblivious as he remained by the door, waiting for the flower arranger to turn around.

“I’ve made it pretty obvious, haven’t I?” Li Yi thought. “I really have been obvious.”

Perhaps it was too rushed—just four days. He regretted speaking up so soon.

Cheng Yichi trimmed the excess branches and turned back. “Xiao Yi, what did you say earlier? I didn’t catch it.”

Li Yi exhaled in relief, but an inexplicable discomfort settled in his chest, a suffocating tightness.

Cheng Yichi wore an apologetic expression. “Sorry, Xiao Yi. My ears need time to process when I’m listening. You spoke so suddenly while I was arranging flowers—I heard you but didn’t grasp the words. I truly didn’t mean to ignore you.”

Li Yi smiled. Around Cheng Yichi, he always became that well-behaved boy, forever smiling.

“It’s nothing, Ge. I saw these and thought they looked nice, so I bought them. As long as you like them.”

“I do.”

“Then I’ll head downstairs first.”

Only when Li Yi was out of sight did Cheng Yichi’s smile fade. He ran his fingers along the sunflower stems, narrowing his eyes in thought.

Had Li Yi’s words carried hidden meaning? As an actor, feigning ignorance came easily. Suddenly, he remembered the role he played in this romantic game—

He was a liar.

—

With ten people now, the variety show instantly felt crowded.

Especially since most only wanted to get close to one person.

“Xiao Shi.” After their go-karting session, Tang Yinuo grew bold with Fang Yunshi. “You saw Yichi-ge doing push-ups last time, right? How was it?”

Fang Yunshi, easily flustered, turned crimson at the memory of that intoxicating display of masculinity. “He was as beautiful as a butterfly.”

“That’s not what I meant! Did he have abs?”

“Probably…” Fang Yunshi couldn’t recall. Every time he noticed Cheng Yichi, it was always because of that magnetic pull—the way his heartbeat raced, breath shortened, and vision tunneled.

But not seeing? That didn’t seem so bad either.

Tang Yinuo considered: if Xiao Shi liked Yichi-ge, he’d find someone else to pursue. It wasn’t like options were scarce…

Yet the thought left an odd bitterness.

Perhaps his attachment to Yichi-ge ran deeper than he’d realized.

When Cheng Yichi came downstairs, the new guest hadn’t arrived yet.

The group sat in the living room playing cards.

Most had eaten already, except for the bickering “couple” Jiang Heng and Wei Buyan. After Bai Ruyu cooked them noodles, Jiang Heng praised his domestic skills endlessly, while Wei Buyan even joked, “Ah, I want to marry you.”

Bai Ruyu paid them no mind—they were just two bratty kids, hardly romance material. Besides… well, today counted as his own heartbreak. It stung a little.

Cheng Yichi caught the aroma. His stomach growled, thankfully unheard.

“Does it taste good?” Cheng Yichi asked pointedly.

Bai Ruyu immediately understood what he meant. She cracked an egg into the remaining noodles, added some sesame oil and chopped scallions, then served the bowl to Cheng Yichi. “Here, eat up.”

“Thank you, Ruyu!” Cheng Yichi beamed at her. “You’re absolutely amazing at everything! No man could ever be good enough for you—you’re just too perfect.”

“I’m not that great…”

Strangely, Bai Ruyu thought, the exaggerated compliments from Wei Buyan and Jiang Heng earlier had only amused her. But hearing the same praise from Cheng Yichi’s mouth now made her feel unexpectedly shy.

This wasn’t good.

Cheng Yichi tended to get hungry after naps, but halfway through the noodles, he felt full. He stared at the bowl with a troubled expression.

Duan Qingsi, who’d been watching him closely, asked, “Can’t finish it?”

“Yeah, I’m full.”

The way Cheng Yichi ate was particularly endearing—like a little hamster storing food, chewing obediently with puffed cheeks without speaking. Now that he was full, his expression relaxed instantly as he looked helplessly at the remaining noodles, torn between not wanting to waste food and feeling uncomfortable continuing.

“Let me have it. I’m hungry too,” Duan Qingsi offered.

If Duan Qingsi’s attentiveness during their afternoon date had given Cheng Yichi a hint, then this bowl of noodles at night made it crystal clear:

Duan Qingsi had intentions toward him.

And it might have been premeditated for quite some time.

Cheng Yichi smiled faintly, but before he could respond, Bai Ruyu raised an eyebrow and said, “Oh, so you’re hungry too, Qingsi? I can cook you a fresh bowl. Yichi, eat slowly and have more, so you don’t get hungry before bed.”

Duan Qingsi chuckled. “As long as Xiaochi can finish it. I just spoke up because I didn’t want it to go to waste.” His tone was perfectly natural—after all, he didn’t actually expect Cheng Yichi to hand over the noodles.

He simply wanted to send a clear signal: I like you. That was all.

Cheng Yichi smiled and continued eating small bites of noodles, sipping the broth occasionally, until he’d nearly finished the entire bowl.

The others in the living room hadn’t heard their conversation, but Wei Buyan and Jiang Heng at the same table caught every word. Wei Buyan, who’d been eating his noodles with refined manners, now understood perfectly. He thought to himself: This guy came prepared.

Jiang Heng blinked but said nothing. His date with Wei Buyan today had been exhausting, and he wasn’t even sure if he’d get another chance to go out with Brother Yichi.

He felt somewhat detached now—the competition pressure was too intense, and he wasn’t particularly eager to participate anymore. Of course, this was also because his feelings for Cheng Yichi hadn’t reached that level yet.

Though the dining area wasn’t particularly loud, the air seemed charged with electricity, as if a battle could erupt at any moment.

The living room atmosphere wasn’t much better. Li Yi rarely spoke to anyone except Cheng Yichi, let alone the naturally taciturn Gu Zichen and Fang Yunshi. Only Tang Yinuo showed interest in the new guests while browsing online previews and audience reactions about them.

That’s right! To build hype for the live broadcast, the production team had released preview content a week earlier. To heighten the mystery, they’d even unveiled each guest’s teaser footage individually, making it exceptionally attention-grabbing.

—

The program’s initial preview showed ten silhouettes, vaguely revealing that all participants had long legs and broad shoulders—photogenic figures that certainly met the show’s standards for physical attractiveness.

As the first same-sex dating show in the country, “Who’s the Fake” has generated massive online viewership and lively discussions. Just one week of previews saw daily trending topics, with nearly every guest’s teaser sparking a new hot search. The production team browsed audience reactions online while congratulating themselves on their windfall—they’d originally budgeted for buying hot searches, but now those funds could be saved.

Bai Ruyu, the premiere guest, immediately struck viewers as gentle and amiable. Sitting upright in his chair, he kept thanking the crew for adjustments. On camera, he stated directly: “I hope to find a marriage partner with aligned values through this show.” His graceful, poised demeanor made him the perfect white moonlight in everyone’s eyes, igniting comments:

Beauty Bai is so refined—clearly raised with excellent manners and top grades since childhood! Who could possibly deserve him?!

OMG! Beauty Bai is actually designer LAN?! I adore his work! Why are handsome guys always so talented?

…

The second guest, Gu Zichen, seemed deliberately paired with Bai for CP hype. Wearing a pristine white buttoned-up shirt that revealed just a hint of flushed skin, his aloof expression contrasted with his blunt declaration: “I want to find a suitable partner to marry.” The unexpected marriage proposal sent fans reeling—

If GuBai don’t wed, it’s an offense against nature! I might stay single but my CP MUST marry!

Is this fate? Love? Divine will? Everyone present should chip in for their wedding funds!

Y’all obsess over marriage while I just wanna peel off this icy hottie’s shirt—is his skin flushed red underneath? That cold demeanor? I’m obsessed!

…

Tang Yinuo clicked his tongue, recalling Gu and Bai’s post-show dynamic. Reluctant to burst the bubble, he still thought: Seems your ship has sunk.

Next was Jiang Heng. Unlike the first two elite professionals, Jiang played the sweet “puppy love” archetype—handsome, cheerful, the quintessential campus drama lead. As an academic ace from X University, his credentials dazzled:

Jiang gives major campus romance vibes—so youthful compared to the others!

That mixed-race handsomeness though?! A boyfriend who keeps you laughing is top-tier! How has he stayed single?

An alumnus clarified: Campus heartthrob Jiang only focused on studies, ignoring all advances—at least a hundred admirers, boys and girls alike, got rejected with “no spark.”

How is this cast so stacked?! A visual feast! What other surprises await? Hell yeah, I’m hyped!

The fourth guest delivered—

This kitten-faced boy is a CEO’s assistant???Onscreen, Tang Yinuo in his cream sweater gave a well-behaved self-introduction, triggering maternal instincts—

Baby Nuonuo! My dream son! I’d kill to have such an angelic child—perfection!

Nuo Nuo is the assistant to the president! Nuo Nuo is amazing!

He and Jiang are such a perfect match! One’s a cute boy, the other’s a lively young man! And he’s younger!!! Ahhh! I love it!

Tang Yinuo couldn’t help but giggle as he read the comments. He was the kind of kid whose looks were universally adored—ever since he was little, his charming face had earned him extra candy from everyone. He had initially worried that people might not find him impressive enough, but now he was genuinely relieved!

Though, he didn’t want to be adopted as a son by so many “moms.”

Swiping to the next video, Fang Yunshi appeared on screen, dressed in a leather jacket with an expressionless face. At first, some bullet comments asked, “Why is this kid acting so cocky?”—until they saw the behind-the-scenes moment when the staff tricked Fang Yunshi into thinking filming was over, only to tell him a segment hadn’t been captured properly. Fang Yunshi tugged at his pants, his face flushing red as he anxiously asked, “Should we film it again?” That’s when everyone realized—oh, he’s just shy!

If you all want to be Tang Yinuo’s mom, then Fang Yunshi is mine!

How is this kid so bashful? Just teasing him a little makes him blush, and he’s so earnest—it’s impossible not to adore him!

Seeing his friend receive such positive feedback, Tang Yinuo was overjoyed. He hugged his phone and nudged Fang Yunshi, motioning for him to come closer. The two of them huddled together, scrolling through the audience’s reactions.

Now, the final two videos.

When Wei Buyan appeared in his striking red shirt, the bullet comments froze for a second—then exploded, flooding the entire screen. As if to match Wei Buyan’s outfit, most of the comments turned red, filled with phrases like “flaunting his beauty like a weapon” and “playboy.” Tang Yinuo snorted and scrolled down to read the comments—

Why is it that while the other guests gave off serious vibes, this one immediately makes you think… you know, there’s just this indescribable aura of seduction.

I get it! Why does it feel like I’m about to die just from him smiling slightly, rolling up his sleeves, or fixing his hair? This man is dangerously handsome!

Honestly, looks-wise, they’re all on the same level—maybe Jiang Heng, being mixed-race, has more delicate features—but this guy has an impact the moment he steps on screen. Like… he makes you feel like he’s trying to lure you into bed, lol, I’ll stop here, you know what I mean.

“It’s not that exaggerated,” Tang Yinuo muttered, conveniently forgetting how well he and Wei Buyan had hit it off on the first day.

Since Cheng Yichi was the ace up their sleeve, saved for last, and the other two guests were newcomers who needed to maintain an air of mystery, the final video had to be Li Yi.

The moment the video started, the screen oozed with raw magnetism—a black backdrop, a man with sharp, indifferent features, his narrow eyes lazily fixed on the camera. His hair was casually tousled, slightly messy, but there was an intensity in his gaze that made hearts skip a beat. The bullet comments went wild with cries of “WALKING HORMONES, SAVE ME!” On screen, Li Yi arched a brow, smirked, and said, “I’m here for love.”

Actually, most of the comments below were just memes. Tang Yinuo had only skimmed the top remarks—other negative reviews had naturally been buried due to low engagement. But the earlier videos had a completely different tone in the comments section, with people calling him “son,” “hottie,” or even “hubby.” After all, looks-obsessed fans were just in it for fun, let alone getting to watch these handsome guys fight for love in the upcoming stream. Just thinking about it made tomorrow’s live broadcast even more anticipated!

Only Li Yi’s video had uniformly styled comments, all saying the same thing:

Hubby! I’m your true love!

When Bai Ruyu and Cheng Yichi came out, Tang Yinuo was still giggling at her phone. The production team had truly hyped expectations to the max. If tomorrow’s stream fell flat, it wouldn’t be their fault. But with Yichi-ge around, how could it possibly flop?

It was already 9 p.m. when Cheng Yichi asked, “Has the new guest still not arrived?”

Just then, the sound of a key turning in the lock echoed from the entrance.

Finally! The long-awaited new guest!

A young man with a large black backpack took off his shoes, slipped into slippers, and the moment he saw Cheng Yichi, his eyes lit up. But perhaps out of shyness, he only murmured softly:

“Hello everyone, hello Teacher Cheng. I’m Qi Jing, a pro gamer.”

The boy was quite good-looking, and Cheng Yichi’s first impression of him—polite yet bashful—was favorable.

He smiled. “Hello. Are you hungry? There’s noodles in the kitchen.”

The young man seemed a bit embarrassed but nodded eagerly, his bright eyes resembling a puppy begging for treats.

Li Yi, who had watched the entire exchange expressionlessly, thought to himself: Someone wasn’t like this at noon, huh?