Romance Variety Show: The aloof and beautiful fourth female lead is always coveted.

Chen Yuze's gaze darkened.

What he needs most right now is affirmation, but Bai Nianchu is unwilling to even give him a perfunctory response or coax him.

He looked at Bai Nianchu's lips—they were slightly thin, with a beautiful M-shaped curve, and were coated with a light red lip gloss, one of the few bright colors on her slightly pale face.

Chen Yuze couldn't understand: How could such beautiful lips utter such cold words?

Although he liked Bai Nianchu, he wasn't some shameless simp.

He also has dignity.

Chen Yuze didn't even try to avoid the camera; his shoe lightly tapped the tip of her shoe under the table, a teasing hint of dissatisfaction in his voice, "Miss Bai, you won't even coax me a little?"

The comment section was shocked: 【?!】

Is the fifth male lead trying to be cute?

Bai Nianchu finally looked up at him.

He ignored Chen Yuze's little stunts under the table, his gaze as calm as if he were looking at a bluffing beast.

After Chen Yuze finished speaking, Bai Nianchu opened her mouth, her voice as cold as ever, "Is this important?"

She said, "You won the game, that's a fact."

Chen Yuze's eyes darkened, filled with a turbulent mix of emotions.

He leaned back, his back hitting the hard wooden chair, a chill creeping up his spine, just like his heart, which was about to freeze into ice. "Important."

"It's very important to me."

The air seemed to freeze for a moment, with only the sound of distant waves audible.

Bai Nianchu: "..."

His usually emotionless dark eyes, like a pool of water suddenly stirred, flashed with a hint of helplessness.

Her gaze softened for a moment.

Despite the fact that this was true, seeing Chen Yuze's rare "unreasonable" side, Bai Nianchu suddenly felt that admitting she had expectations of him and coaxing him a little wouldn't hurt.

After all, even a dog needs a bone every now and then to behave.

"Mm." Bai Nianchu responded softly, in her uniquely calm and even tone, "I'll answer the question again."

Chen Yuze paused, and his pupils dilated slightly.

The next second, he heard those words from Bai Nianchu's mouth as he had hoped—

"I expect you to win."

Chen Yuze suddenly fell silent.

The next round of accusations that had been brewing were stuck in his throat, and he couldn't say anything.

"..."

His Adam's apple bobbed repeatedly, his pupils intently reflecting Bai Nianchu's face.

……All right.

Chen Yuze admitted that he really liked Bai Nianchu.

Even a small treat can make my heart pound uncontrollably.

Even if I'm treated like a dog, it's fine.

What do you mean she played him for fools?

He just naturally likes to spin around.

Those people who have never been in a relationship, never had a girl they liked, and are single-minded simply don't understand: being played by someone you like can also feel good.

Chen Yuze's brows suddenly relaxed, and a sweet smile appeared on his lips.

The live stream audience was speechless.

[Fifth male lead... sigh, I don't even want to talk about you anymore.]

[So easily appeased? What a high-attack, low-defense strategy!]

[Hahaha, male fifth guy, Belike—Before being coaxed: I'll never be a simp; After being coaxed: So what if I'm a simp? I didn't do anything wrong.]

[Ze-ge got his kicks again...]

"Brother, if you're in a better mood, have another bowl of rice. I don't want to see you getting up in the middle of the night to cook instant noodles."

[Hahahaha, my belly is pounding!]

Chen Yuze, being considerate, actually added another bowl of rice to his plate and finished it off in a few bites.

Not long after, the director's loudspeaker suddenly announced, "Teacher Chen, time's up."

Chen Yuze's relaxed brows furrowed again.

But he didn't say anything. He put down his cutlery and gave Bai Nianchu a deep look before leaving.

In the end, Chen Yuze did not say things like "I hope you choose me" or "I want to go to Love House with you".

He knew that Bai Nianchu also had feelings for Ling Yan, perhaps even more so than for him.

After all... his first kiss was based on the fact that he caught Ling Yan kissing her, and she did not refuse.

Chen Yuze is like that shameless mistress who interferes in other people's relationships.

Unable to let go of his resentment towards the "official wife," he also lacked the courage to ask her: who is more important, him or that other person?

Chen Yuze couldn't even bring himself to say something as polite as, "I hope you will follow your heart and make your choice."

He didn't want Bai Nianchu to follow any particular feelings.

He just wanted her to choose him.

*

Ten minutes later, Ling Yan appeared in the restaurant, taking Chen Yuze's place.

The dishes on the table were replaced with the exact same ones.

However, Bai Nianchu had almost finished eating and didn't touch her chopsticks much.

Ling Yan wasn't hungry, so he took a few symbolic bites and then turned his gaze to Bai Nianchu.

He pursed his lips, as if afraid of upsetting her, and after a moment he spoke, "When I walked over just now... I bumped into him."

Bai Nianchu understood; she knew he was referring to Chen Yuze.

Ling Yan lowered her eyelashes and said softly, "He looks quite fierce."

Although there was no overt provocation, the malicious look Chen Yuze gave him as he passed by was like that of a ferocious wolf, wanting to drag him into the shadows and bite him to death.

Ling Yan's voice was low and hoarse, just like him, shrouded in a lingering melancholy.

However, Bai Nianchu was able to detect a subtle sense of loss in his otherwise calm and slightly melancholic tone.

Is he being affectionate with her, or is he accusing her or harboring resentment?

[Chen Yuze is a nasty person, isn't he?] The system nodded knowingly: [Okay, I'll talk to him about it later.]

Bai Nianchu: "..."

Bai Nianchu paused for a moment, ignoring the system's interruption, and asked Ling Yan:

Are you unhappy?

Upon hearing Bai Nianchu's words, Ling Yan's fingertips curled slightly, and he immediately recalled the letter she had sent him on the first day.

The question, "Aren't you happy today?" was like a sudden ray of light, silently descending upon his dark, silent, and lifeless world, illuminating him while shattering his dark shell.

Ling Yan lowered his eyelids and after a long while responded with a low, almost murmured voice.

"……No."

He said no, but the dejection in his voice didn't lessen at all; in fact, it became even more pronounced.

It was as if he was silently admitting that he was a little wronged and a little unhappy, but he just wouldn't say it out loud.

What can Ling Yan do?

He couldn't directly say "I'm jealous," nor did he have the right to.

This is the only childish and subtle way I can attract her attention.

Bai Nianchu deliberately furrowed her brows.

The arc wasn't large, but it was enough to make the other person clearly aware of her displeasure.

Ling Yan's gaze suddenly stopped.

He immediately changed his tune, his low, husky voice filled with a cautious acquiescence, "A little."

Bai Nianchu then relaxed her slightly furrowed brows.

She thought, "A little cat that says one thing but means another."

They deserve to be grabbed, kneaded, and manipulated by humans.