Chapter 15 – First Date

Bai Ruyu’s eyes drooped slightly, and Gu Zichen immediately sensed his low spirits.

“Sorry,” Gu Zichen suddenly felt disheartened too, though more than anything, he was filled with regret and guilt.

They sat in the gently rocking boat, but the mood was nothing like when they had first arrived. After a long silence, Bai Ruyu finally said, “It’s fine. No need to apologize.”

This place had been Bai Ruyu’s choice—poetic and picturesque—but neither of them was in the mood to appreciate it.

Gu Zichen spoke up, “Though I’m sorry to say this, it seems… we’re not really suited for each other.”

Bai Ruyu glanced at him and thought, then why did you agree in the first place?

But he understood what was going through Gu Zichen’s mind. They were the same kind of people—practical above all else. If it came to attraction, Gu Zichen’s first choice certainly wasn’t him, and his own first choice wasn’t Gu Zichen either.

“True. If I keep bending over backward to accommodate, it’ll just be exhausting,” Bai Ruyu said with a bitter chuckle.

“Sorry.”

Gu Zichen felt that no matter what else he said, it would ring hollow.

Bai Ruyu composed himself and waved it off. “Forget it. I never really expected to find true love on this show anyway.”

He shrugged, as if he had completely let go, and joked, “Now you’re free to go after your real soulmate.”

Gu Zichen hesitated instead. “On the first day we met, we talked about Cheng Yichi.”

“Mhm?”

“I don’t think he and I are a good match either,” Gu Zichen said rationally. “Of course, saying that now sounds overly confident. I don’t believe that just because I pursue him, Yichi would necessarily fall for me. I’m just making a hypothetical. In the end, I realized that if there’s no future, even if there’s a one-in-a-million chance of starting this chapter of life, I wouldn’t want to try…”

“Wait,” Bai Ruyu interrupted. “How do you know there’s no future?”

Gu Zichen wasn’t wearing glasses today. Dressed in the white shirt Bai Ruyu had given him and dress pants, he looked effortlessly handsome and restrained. He rubbed his nose out of habit and said, “Yichi is an actor—his exposure is too high. I…”

He sighed. No matter how deep his feelings for Cheng Yichi ran, what he truly longed for was a gentle, steady love. They could have periods of separation, but preferably not too long. Gu Zichen’s parents had divorced when he was young, and he had shuffled between his mother and father, never settling in one place. Because of that, he craved a stable family more than anything.

That was also why he had initially thought Bai Ruyu and he might be a good fit.

“Alright,” Bai Ruyu admitted frankly. “The reason I brought up Cheng Yichi on the first day was because I was interested in him too. But we both knew nothing could come of it, so I genuinely tried to make things work with you. You responded, and I thought we were compatible—worth giving it a shot. Even if it was just two days of emotional investment, being brushed off like this still stings. But that doesn’t mean I fell for you at first sight. My feelings are easily redirected because I don’t invest too deeply. Maybe what upsets me is just the humiliation of trying so hard to please you and still being ignored—not necessarily how much I liked you…”

“But, Gu Zichen, do you know what your biggest problem is?”

Listening to Bai Ruyu’s analysis, Gu Zichen lifted his gaze to meet his eyes. His expression was calm, but his attention was unwavering.

Bai Ruyu continued, “The difference between you and me is that I don’t have to have Teacher Cheng. That’s why I can move on to pursue another relationship. But even when you try hard to get along with others, your heart still lingers on Teacher Cheng.”

“So admit it, Gu Zichen.” Bai Ruyu’s voice was like a key, unlocking the tightly sealed door of Gu Zichen’s heart—

“You’re completely smitten with Cheng Yichi. You can’t live without him.”

—

Meanwhile, Li Yi carried his keyboard and looked at the internet café before him, letting out a disdainful snort.

Away from Cheng Yichi’s presence, he was clearly much wilder, exuding an aura of irritation from head to toe. It wasn’t until he entered the café that he straightened his clothes, reined in his hostility, and walked upstairs expressionlessly.

But it was obvious that the person upstairs, knowing it was him for the date, wasn’t taking this meeting seriously either.

The cameraman following Li Yi was on edge. Li Yi didn’t look like he was here for a date—more like he was here to pick a fight.

When Li Yi arrived at the reserved private room, all he saw was the back of someone’s head. A calm male voice reached his ears: “Come take the blue buff… I’ll handle the minion wave…”

Li Yi had sharp eyes and spotted the “Victory” screen popping up on the man’s League of Legends interface. Without a word, he walked over and sat down beside him, placing the gifted keyboard on the table.

The man beside him finished his game, pushed the keyboard aside to stretch his wrists, and asked coldly, “You’re here.”

“Yeah.” Noticing the cameraman frantically shaking his head, begging them to talk more, Li Yi added, “Hello, I’m Li Yi.”

“Long time no see.” The man turned around—high nose bridge, thin lips, striking eyes. Li Yi immediately recognized him as Qi Jing, the hottest esports player right now.

Qi Jing was known in the gaming world as the “Ice-Faced Reaper.” He rarely spoke but played ruthlessly, winning every match. In interviews, he never cooperated, mumbling one or two answers before slipping away, much to the reporters’ frustration.

But his good looks and massive fanbase meant people adored his aloof demeanor. Li Yi never expected him to join a dating show.

Qi Jing narrowed his eyes and snorted. “I know Cheng Yichi is in this season. The director showed me. You’re his roommate, right?”

Li Yi had a bad feeling.

Sure enough, the next second, Qi Jing said:

“The production team gave me a task. Once you go back, you can start packing and move out of the dorm.”

Qi Jing looked even younger than Li Yi—understandable for an esports player, his arrogance was expected…

No, Li Yi couldn’t accept it.

He wasn’t afraid of anyone. Sweeping his bangs back with one hand, he leaned into the swivel chair and chuckled softly. “How do you know the production team didn’t give me a task too?”

“Hey, don’t get ahead of yourself, kid.”

—

Meanwhile, Cheng Yichi, also on a date with a new guest, had already arrived at the meeting spot. This date was right up his alley—set in a garden. The fragrance of blooming flowers filled the air, and just being there seemed to elevate his soul. He felt instantly refreshed and joyful.

So his heart grew even more eager to meet his date.

At the garden entrance, a staff member was already waiting to guide him. “Mr. Cheng, welcome. Please follow me this way.”

He followed for a few steps before spotting the place called the Hundred Birds Garden ahead, where the chirping of birds was incessant yet not unpleasant to the ear.

The guide politely said, “Mr. Cheng, our host mentioned that if you’re interested, you can take some time to look around here first.”

Cheng Yichi was tempted but still felt a bit embarrassed. “It’s alright, let’s go straight there. We can enjoy it together later.”

After all, the essence of a date lies in doing things together, Cheng Yichi thought.

The guide smiled. “No need to worry, Mr. Cheng. Our host is currently handling some other matters. You can go in and take a look first, and he’ll come to meet you shortly.”

Cheng Yichi happily agreed. “Sure.” He loved observing—people, events, objects—especially changes and unique things. The birds in the Hundred Birds Garden were mostly rare species, kept here with brief introductions on plaques beside them.

Cheng Yichi lowered his head to read the plaques, then looked up at the birds, thinking: The owner of this garden really takes good care of these birds.

What he didn’t know was that while he was admiring the birds, someone was watching him from a secluded corner.

The guide whispered, “Sir, why don’t you join Mr. Cheng for the tour? Wouldn’t that help deepen your bond?”

The man being addressed had refined features, a cool and composed demeanor, and wore gold-rimmed chain glasses, exuding dignity and steadiness. At the question, he rubbed the jade thumb ring on his right hand and replied softly, “If I could watch with him, I’d be more than willing.”

“But,” he sighed, “I’m afraid he might feel uncomfortable.”

Cheng Yichi observed the birds from a distance, occasionally mimicking their chirps. Even at the zoo, he never sought close contact with animals, preferring instead to carefully study their forms and habits, then mentally imitate their behaviors. Once he had seen enough, he stood alone by the entrance, lightly tracing the flight paths of the birds with his fingers, until he finally heard approaching footsteps.

Cheng Yichi looked up, slightly stunned—

It was the new guest.

The newcomer seemed slightly taller than him, strikingly handsome with the charm of a mature man, exuding a composed air that instantly made Cheng Yichi feel at ease. Of course, this was the kind of goodwill one feels toward a potential friend.

Cheng Yichi smiled and extended his hand. “Hello, nice to meet you. I’m Cheng Yichi.”

“Hello,” the other man replied, also reaching out. The jade thumb ring pressed against Cheng Yichi’s hand, cool yet carrying a trace of the man’s own warmth. “Duan Qingsi.”

Duan Qingsi—the name rang a faint bell, leaving Cheng Yichi momentarily puzzled.

Duan Qingsi cleared his throat. “I’ve collaborated with your father before.”

Understanding dawned on Cheng Yichi, and he finally remembered where he had heard this name. Duan Qingsi had been invited to his coming-of-age birthday celebration but had only stopped by briefly to deliver a gift before leaving due to prior commitments. They hadn’t met since. However, his father often praised Duan Qingsi as a rare legal prodigy, which was why the name sounded so familiar. His father had even once proposed adopting Duan Qingsi as a sworn younger brother, only to be outright refused. His father had lamented it for a long time.

At the memory, Cheng Yichi couldn’t help but chuckle.

Duan Qingsi didn’t know what he was laughing about, just looking at him helplessly. Cheng Yichi finally stopped laughing and said, “Sorry, Mr. Duan, I… recalled some stories between you and my father.”

Remembering that Duan Qingsi was of the same generation as his father, Cheng Yichi couldn’t resist adding, “Uncle Duan.” Duan Qingsi’s smile froze, and he coughed twice before saying, “Just call me Qingsi or Brother Duan. I’m not that old yet.”

A mischievous smile played on Cheng Yichi’s lips.

The assistant accompanying Duan Qingsi glanced between his employer and young Mr. Cheng in surprise, thinking: Who would’ve guessed our boss would fancy his business partner’s younger son? Even rabbits don’t eat the grass by their burrows—this was clearly premeditated. I wonder how Old Mr. Cheng would react.

But Cheng Yichi visibly relaxed now. Walking side by side, Duan Qingsi dismissed his entourage to continue alone with Cheng Yichi.

A floral fragrance seemed to emanate from Cheng Yichi, intertwining harmoniously with the fresh tea scent surrounding Duan Qingsi.

After exchanging pleasantries about Duan Qingsi’s recent affairs and Cheng Yichi’s parents, they entered the tea room.

Duan Qingsi lifted the teapot to pour for Cheng Yichi, who initially moved to say “Let me,” but Duan Qingsi decisively filled the cup. In response, Cheng Yichi lightly tapped the table twice with curled index and middle fingers in the traditional tea ceremony gesture of thanks. Duan Qingsi’s eyes sparkled with amusement as he made an inviting gesture.

“We’re having vegetarian cuisine today—I hope it suits your taste.”

“Absolutely!” Having enjoyed vegetarian dishes before, Cheng Yichi anticipated excellent flavors with genuine excitement.

Both men ate with deliberate slowness, exchanging occasional remarks. As Cheng Yichi savored the silken tofu, he marveled inwardly: This vegetarian feast is simply divine!

Today felt like stepping into a new world—one that brought complete peace and relaxation. Amid life’s usual rush, stumbling upon this place felt like discovering a peach blossom paradise that transformed one’s state of mind.

“Thank you, Brother Qingsi,” Cheng Yichi said sincerely.

This encounter didn’t resemble a conventional date, yet it left him thoroughly satisfied.

Duan Qingsi absently rubbed his thumb ring. “We’re contemporaries—no need for formal address. Finished? Let me show you something.”

Cheng Yichi followed obediently, step by step into another world. Approaching the entrance, he felt tears welling up—

“Cheng Yichi Six-Year Film Retrospective”

The entrance signage made him freeze, unable to advance.

Noticing his hesitation, Duan Qingsi asked, “What’s wrong? Won’t you go in?”

Tilting his head to restrain tears, Cheng Yichi whispered, “It feels like a dream.”

With a soft smile, he let Duan Qingsi guide him inside. The walls displayed stills from every TV drama and film he’d appeared in—even corpse roles Duan Qingsi had meticulously unearthed. Beneath each photo, like descriptive plaques in an aviary, were annotations—

Year filmed, character portrayed, strengths and weaknesses of each performance.

“I apologize,” Duan Qingsi said. “As I find every role you play perfect, I couldn’t provide objective critiques. These were written by professional reviewers—I hope you like them.”

“How could I not?” Cheng Yichi replied.

An actor’s lifelong dream is simply for others to remember more of his roles. But when someone actually remembers all his characters and plays them back one by one, Cheng Yichi couldn’t hold back his emotions.

He knew Duan Qingsi must have put great effort into this—collecting all these would take at least several days, consulting professional film critics for guidance, and finally obtaining all his movie and TV drama resources. It was impossible to accomplish in just one day.

With tears in his eyes, he smiled and thanked him, “Brother Qingsi, how did you know it was me?”

“If it weren’t you, the date would have ended right after dinner,” Duan Qingsi replied nonchalantly.

“Want to watch Red Dance together?” Duan Qingsi invited. “It’s my favorite.”

Cheng Yichi looked at him, wiped his tears, and said with a smile, “It would be my honor.”

—

When Tang Yinuo and Fang Yunshi returned to the villa, only Jiang Heng and Wei Buyan were there.

“Where’s Brother Yichi?” The two were sprawled on the sofa—one playing games, the other flipping through a magazine, both looking rather impatient. Tang Yinuo nudged the one reading the magazine with his foot.

Wei Buyan lifted his eyelids. “How would I know?”

“Oh?” Tang Yinuo teased. “Who was it that said yesterday they were definitely destined to meet Teacher Cheng?”

From their initial flirtatious rivalry to their current sharp exchanges, both of them had completely changed. Wei Buyan scoffed and ignored him.

Truth be told, Wei Buyan hadn’t been very confident about his date with Cheng Yichi, but he never expected to end up paired with Jiang Heng of all people. Bai Ruyu, Tang Yinuo, even Fang Yunshi—anyone would have been better. Why did it have to be Jiang Heng? Sitting across from each other over rose wine and a candlelit lunch, they could only stare at each other’s faces in silent exasperation. How did they end up together?

Though, if he had been paired with Li Yi, Wei Buyan would have found it even more unfortunate.

Tang Yinuo burst into laughter at his description, only to flee to his room with an excuse about changing clothes when Wei Buyan asked how his own date had gone.

Fang Yunshi walked into the living room with a glass of water—he had been the one to arrange the venue. Wei Buyan immediately turned to ask him what they had done that day.

Fang Yunshi’s eyes sparkled. “I took Xiao Nuo racing today!”

Jiang Heng perked up, ears pricked to listen.

“And I showed off my motorcycle skills to Xiao Nuo.” Fang Yunshi suddenly seemed to recall something, his expression falling into regret. “But Xiao Nuo got carsick and threw up several times. I wonder if he’s still feeling unwell.”

“Oh, he threw up?” Wei Buyan smirked.

Motion sickness wasn’t a big deal, but when it hit during an adrenaline-fueled moment, ruining the date with nausea and vomiting, it must have been mortifying. No wonder Tang Yinuo refused to say anything about it.

“Everyone’s here?” It was Cheng Yichi’s voice!

Had he returned already?

They turned toward the sound, only to see an unfamiliar man standing behind Teacher Cheng. His reserved yet charming features carried the aura of a mature man, his handsome face cool and composed—except when his gaze fell on Cheng Yichi, where it warmed slightly.

A formidable rival had arrived!