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

After dinner that evening, everyone received a message from the production team—

[The Heartbeat House will begin its nighttime dating segment tonight. The first guest to find the key can open the mailbox outside the door, receive an invitation card, and then extend an invitation to their favorite male/female guest that evening. The invited person has no right to refuse, and the date location is entirely up to the guest who extends the invitation. — Heartbeat House Production Team]

A nighttime date?!

The male guest's eyes lit up.

They were worried about not having a chance to deepen their relationship, so the production team sent them a pillow.

"Hey buddy!" Jiang Meng waved to the cameraman standing in the corner, "Could you ask the director if we can extend invitations to same-sex guests?"

The photographer looked at her in surprise.

The male guest's hesitant and somewhat incredulous gaze also fell on her.

Why did Jiang Meng suddenly ask that question?

Could it be... that she also wants to go on a date with Bai Nianchu?

The young man contacted the director through his earpiece, and after a few minutes of discussion, the production team gave her an affirmative answer: "Ms. Jiang, the director said it's okay."

"?!" The girls, who had been uninterested, suddenly perked up.

Can the female guests also arrange dates with each other on this nighttime date?

Then they'll have to fight over this key too.

It's better for them to date female friends than to go out alone with guys they don't click with. At least that's more relaxed and comfortable.

The male guest's expression was complicated: "..."

Is this still a domestic dating reality show? Where did they get it from?

"Since that's the case, let's all drop the pretense," Wen Shanshan said, fiddling with her curly hair, "Let's start looking for the keys."

After he finished speaking, everyone except Liu Zhiwei, Bai Nianchu, and Wen Shanshan got busy.

Liu Zhiwei could understand why Bai Nianchu didn't move.

After all, those people rummaging through drawers looking for keys were all trying to make an appointment with her; she just had to wait.

But Wen Shanshan... she's only been here for a few days, right?

We're still in the stage of getting to know everyone.

"Shanshan, aren't you going to go look for her?" Liu Zhiwei asked.

Wen Shanshan shook her head: "No need."

She initially had feelings for the other person, but they had already made up their mind. She didn't like the other person, so why would she want to snatch them away?

Let's leave this opportunity to those who need it more.

The group searched from the first floor to the fourth-floor balcony, even picking up and examining the potted plants on the balcony, but still couldn't find the key the production team had mentioned.

Then their phone, which was in their pocket, vibrated again—they opened the message and saw that the production team said the key had been found.

It was discovered by Su Yi'an, who had just rushed back from the company and hadn't even had time for dinner.

"Yi'an, how did you find this place?!" Xu Muyang looked like he'd just been robbed. "I searched the entire cottage!"

The live streamers were really good at creating visual effects; they even photoshopped a petrified, cracked image onto him on the spot.

Su Yi'an smiled faintly, but her words were like a blow: "Is it hard to find? It's hidden in the bushes between the mailbox and the corner of the wall."

He had long since figured out the director's usual "sudden inspiration," so instead of searching the small house as usual, he immediately locked onto the mailbox outside the door and began searching the surrounding area.

The key that Xu Muyang and his team couldn't find in more than half an hour was found by him in just a few minutes.

It's not that they're not smart.

The main problem was that they were limited by conventional thinking, assuming that the props must have been hidden in some corner of the cabin by the production team, and that no one had come out to look for them outside.

Other male guests: "..."

Please stop talking.

That would make them look stupid.

*

As expected, Su Yi'an handed the invitation card she received to Bai Nianchu.

Su Yi'an rushed back, her breathing still uneven, and her breath was misty.

When Bai Nianchu took the invitation card from him, she accidentally touched his fingertips, which were colder than her body temperature.

"Nianchu, let's go on a date," Su Yi'an said.

He had a pair of gentle, shimmering brown eyes, with refined features and a pleasing appearance. Now, having achieved his wish, his honey-like pupils held a touch of softness and joy, making him much more vibrant than his usual gentle and polite demeanor.

Bai Nianchu nodded and said, "You eat first."

There were plates set aside for Su Yi'an on the table; everyone had left them for him because he hadn't come home so late.

Su Yi'an was slightly taken aback, but a gentle smile returned to her face.

"No need, I always eat some bread before working overtime, so I won't..."

Bai Nianchu, unusually, spoke up to interrupt him.

The voice sounded a little cold: "Go eat."

Su Yi'an: "..."

He lowered his eyes, his fingertips trembling slightly.

He obeyed her command almost instinctively.

By the time he realized what was happening, he was already sitting at the table eating.

For the first time, Su Yi'an felt that... even leftovers tasted exceptionally delicious.

*

Su Yi'an chose the City God Temple Night Market, which is not far from here, for her nighttime date.

As the autumn and winter seasons become increasingly quiet, it's quite interesting to stroll through a lively folk market.

The charm here lies not so much in the food, but in the sightseeing and entertainment. Through shadow puppetry, puppet shows, sugar painting, dough figurine making, paper cutting, and other performances, visitors can experience a more vivid and authentic folk culture.

Su Yi'an changed into a beige sweater, with her coat draped over her arm and a hand warmer in her pocket.

The coat and hand warmer were prepared for Bai Nianchu just in case.

"Would you like some sugar painting?" Su Yi'an asked. "That grandpa's sugar paintings are really beautiful."

"it is good."

The old man who made sugar paintings was skilled and often served young tourists. He quickly drew two three-headed figures according to Su Yi'an's request.

If you look closely, some details are still similar to theirs: for example, Su Yi'an's squinting eyes when she smiles, and Bai Nianchu's lips that are usually pursed into a straight line.

Grandpa can draw. The drawing is cute, and the expression is about six or seven parts similar to the subject.

After paying the bill, they exchanged their sugar paintings.

Su Yi'an held the Xiao Nianchu sugar painting in her hand, and couldn't put it down.

I'm tempted to eat it, but I don't know where to start.

Su Yi'an belatedly realized that if they were to be made into their own images, it seemed inappropriate to eat anywhere.

Bai Nianchu didn't have as many concerns as he did. Plus, she liked sweet flavors, so after getting the sugar painting, she took a small bite and bit off half of Xiao Yi'an's sugar painting head.

Su Yi'an: "..."

"Aren't you going to eat?"

Bai Nianchu not only didn't think anything of it, but also asked him why he wasn't eating.

Su Yi'an: "Food."

He lowered his eyes and stared intently at the little sugar painting that resembled her.

The tip of the tongue hooked onto the little sugar painting's cheek and gently rubbed it, licking it again and again.

But it just won't bite.

He gradually ate the sugar painting until it was dripping wet, and a layer of shiny color covered its surface.

Until it's in your mouth, warmed up, and melted.

Su Yi'an then swallowed the cloyingly sweet syrup.