I was slacking off on a dating reality show when the female guests treated me like a treasure chest.

Chapter 126 Confession

The two walked along the street for a while and finally stopped in front of a bakery facing the street.

Su Xiao gently touched her empty stomach, looking somewhat embarrassed.

Chen Nian then belatedly realized that the two of them had a full day of activities and had hardly eaten anything properly. Not to mention Su Xiao, even he himself was starving.

He took out the last twenty Australian dollars in his pocket and went into the store to buy two long loaves of bread and two cartons of milk.

The two sat side by side on a public bench outside the shop, munching on soft bread with boxed milk.

A gentle evening breeze blew by, and the night was tender and tranquil. If it weren't for the slightly awkward atmosphere, this scene would have been an exceptionally warm and beautiful sight to outsiders.

At this moment, tens of millions of viewers in the live broadcast room are waiting anxiously for the final heart-fluttering ending of Chen Nian and Su Xiao's relationship. The screen is filled with messages of encouragement, urging Su Xiao to bravely take the last step.

The audience knows that, according to the rules and regulations of entertainment companies, artists and staff members of the same company should not fall in love in private. However, feelings are never bound by rules, and when love comes, no one can stop it.

At this moment, the combination of Chen Nian and Su Xiao has already taken a commanding lead in votes, firmly holding the top spot on the list. They are undoubtedly in a league of their own, leaving the second place far behind.

In the shadow of a streetlamp not far away, Lin Zai quietly hid in the dark, her phone screen lit up with a live stream. She was slightly tense, subconsciously biting her fingertips, her heart filled with trepidation and nervousness.

Are these two really going to confess their feelings in public?

She was powerless to stop the trending topic from going viral.

In just a short time, the senior executives of the domestic company had made more than a dozen missed calls to her. Their intentions were all too clear: everyone wanted her to step in and stop the confession.

Su Xiao is currently in the golden age of starting her career, with unlimited potential and a promising future. All departments, including the artist department, publicity department, and copyright department, are very optimistic about her development.

Chen Nian's creative talent and future potential are even more unfathomable.

According to the company's strict rules, if an artist and a company employee fall in love, one of them must leave the company. However, if an exception is made for the two of them and the company rules are broken, it will inevitably trigger a chain reaction in the entire industry, with endless troubles.

As viewers across the internet held their breath, eagerly awaiting the outcome, the two people on the bench finally made a move.

After finishing the last bite of bread, Su Xiao let out a long sigh of relief, stood up, and gently stretched her neck and shoulders.

The next second, she suddenly turned around, her gaze fixed on Chen Nian, her eyes resolute, as if she had made up her mind completely.

The evening breeze brushed past her ear as she spoke softly, each word clear: "Chen Nian, I like you."

As soon as those words were spoken, the entire live stream fell into complete silence, and the chat froze and stopped.

No one expected that this highly anticipated final confession would be initiated by the gentle, reserved, and soft-spoken Su Xiao.

Shocking, unexpected, and caught me completely off guard!

Just one second later, the live stream exploded.

The screen was instantly filled with a dense barrage of comments, completely obscuring the live stream. Tens of millions of viewers were frantically spamming the chat, some excited, some deeply moved, witnessing this pure and courageous moment of excitement.

Chen Nian, the person involved, was completely stunned.

His mouth was slightly open, his mind blank, staring blankly at Su Xiao, who was looking at him with a serious expression, filled with astonishment and disbelief.

A few seconds later, he finally came to his senses and asked uncertainly, "What did you say?"

He even doubted whether he had misheard.

Su Xiao raised her hand to cover her burning cheeks, feeling the scorching heat on her face, but at this moment she finally mustered up her courage, looked directly at him, and repeated each word carefully: "I said, Chen Nian, I like you."

As soon as she finished speaking, she pressed her hand tightly against her rapidly beating heart, her fingertips trembling slightly.

Even she herself couldn't believe that she, so cowardly and timid, had actually mustered the courage to speak out about the secret she had kept hidden for so long.

Just like the book she read on the cruise ship, if you like something, you should say it out loud, and she finally did it.

The night was quiet, the evening breeze was silent, and a brief silence fell over the scene, the atmosphere subtle and anxious.

Chen Nian took a deep breath, and this time, he heard it clearly.

Su Xiao likes him.

At that moment, his heart was filled with an absurd yet genuine joy.

He had always been easygoing and laid-back, and loved to slack off and relax. He never imagined that he would be liked by such an outstanding girl.

Overjoyed, Chen Nian quickly calmed down, only to be met with a headache.

He couldn't tell whether this confession was a publicity stunt from a script or Su Xiao's genuine feelings.

When the entire online audience thought he would agree without hesitation, Chen Nian slowly spoke, his tone serious yet gentle.

"Thank you, I'm really happy. I never thought that someone like me could be liked by such an outstanding girl like you."

He looked directly into Su Xiao's eyes and said honestly, "But I'm sorry, I can't start a relationship right now, and I can't reciprocate your feelings immediately."

"If one day in the future I can take the initiative to walk up to you and confess my feelings, and you still like me then, that would be wonderful."

He finished speaking and smiled slightly.

Su Xiao looked up at him quietly, her eyes filled with fluctuating emotions. After a moment, she suddenly smiled brightly, her eyebrows curving upwards.

This sudden change caught Chen Nian off guard. Before he could react, Su Xiao said, "I understand. It's because you already have someone you like, right?"

As she spoke, she leaned slightly closer, her gaze sharp, and asked softly, "Who is it? Is it Liu Ting? Zhou Yu? Tang Xi? Or Xia Yao? Could it be—Director Lin?"

Chen Nian was stunned for a moment, and a layer of fine sweat instantly appeared on her forehead. She quickly raised her hand to wipe it away, and inwardly groaned, "She's angry, she's definitely angry."

He shook his head vigorously, his tone extremely sincere: "No, really no! There isn't a single girl I like right now."

"Really? You're not lying to me?" Su Xiao's eyes were leisurely, her tone carrying a hint of seriousness that was barely perceptible.

"I'd be a dog if I lied to you!" Chen Nian answered crisply and decisively, not daring to be ambiguous in the slightest.

This scene completely stunned tens of millions of viewers in the live stream.

"My God! What a massive scene of darkness!"

"Even though he was smiling, I could feel a tremendous sense of pressure through the screen!"

"I never expected the gentle and sweet Su Xiao to have this side to her—she's both cool and adorable!"

Countless passersby and viewers were instantly captivated. No one expected that Su Xiao, who was always gentle and quiet, would be so surprisingly jealous and serious.

Lin Ran, who was hiding not far away, also breathed a sigh of relief, wiped the cold sweat from her forehead, and muttered to herself, "Goodness, this girl actually dragged me into the shortlist in the end."

Confirming that Chen Nian wasn't lying, Su Xiao's eyes instantly curved into a smile, pure and radiant: "That's good."

"I will work hard, and one day, I will make you say you like me."

After she finished speaking, she turned around, clasped her hands tightly behind her back, and added softly, "Forget about what just happened."

Chen Nian gave an awkward smile and quickly nodded, "Okay, I'll forget about it right away."

Su Xiao quickly regained her composure and naturally changed the subject: "Shall we go back? We're going back to China tomorrow. Can I come find you to record and discuss the song then?"

"Of course, no problem."

Chen Nian breathed a sigh of relief and quickly followed behind her. The two hailed a car parked on the side of the road and returned to the hotel.

Although this confession did not lead to a mutual reunion, it directly propelled the popularity of the show "Heartbeat" to an unprecedented peak since its premiere.

Liu Ting, Zhou Yu, and Tang Xi, who were watching on the screen, were completely dumbfounded.

No one expected that the bravest of the five would be Su Xiao, who usually spoke softly and was the least noticeable.

Knowing Chen Nian's current thoughts about the five of them, Liu Ting and the others felt a mix of relief and unspeakable frustration and disappointment.

Are they really that unattractive?

But undeniably, at this moment, everyone's opportunities have finally returned to an equal starting point.

With the two returning to their hotel, the filming of the fourth group of guests officially came to an end.

At this point, only one of the five groups of guests for "Heartbeat Beat" remains: Xia Yao and Su He, who will complete their final filming at a wildlife sanctuary in a few days.

Throughout the entire season, three out of the four female guests openly expressed their feelings for Chen Nian, a scene that is unprecedented and unique in the history of dating reality shows.

The live stream gradually came to an end, but its popularity continued to spread wildly across the entire internet.

Lin returned to the hotel shortly afterward. The entire night had been nerve-wracking, causing her to experience constant emotional turmoil. Fortunately, the ending was ultimately without serious incident.

Looking at the two people sitting silently in the lobby, Lin walked over, gently patted their shoulders, and said, "You both did a great job filming this dating reality show, receiving a lot of positive reviews online. You definitely made the right choice coming here!"

She avoided the awkward topic of confession, turned to Chen Nian, and asked seriously, "Your performance and your creations tonight were amazing enough. Don't you really want to debut again?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Nian recalled a scene that flashed through his mind: he had once seen the company's top singer surrounded by dozens of enthusiastic female fans at the entrance of the building. The fans swarmed forward, pushing, jostling, and pulling at each other, creating a chaotic scene that resembled a zombie apocalypse.

The thought of being surrounded by thousands of people and having no private space made him immediately shake his head, showing absolutely no interest in making a debut.

Lin Ran sighed helplessly: "It's such a pity. With your talent, you could definitely become the next king of the music scene."

Chen Nian glanced at her and said indifferently, "Becoming a superstar isn't that easy. If you could become a superstar just by writing five or six songs, then that title would be worthless."

After saying that, he took the initiative to steer the conversation toward Su Xiao beside him: "In comparison, Su Xiao's performance is truly outstanding, and the company must nurture her well."

"Of course." Lin Ran nodded. "The company knows what's going on and won't let good talent go to waste."

The three of them tacitly avoided sensitive topics such as confession and attraction, and after a brief chat, they went back to their rooms to rest.

Back in his room, after finishing his daily exercise and shower, Chen Nian lay on the bed, his mind still replaying the scene of Su Xiao's confession that night.

His heart would involuntarily race whenever he thought of Su Xiao's appearance back then.

It's not that he doesn't want to be in a relationship, but rather that he never imagined he could have a celebrity girlfriend.

Before he has enough strength to establish himself, dating celebrities in the entertainment industry will only bring endless criticism, constraints, and trouble to both of them.

He couldn't help but recall a news story he had once read: the eldest princess of a South Korean chaebol married her bodyguard. Despite the disparity in their social status and the ensuing public scrutiny, this high-profile marriage ultimately ended abruptly.

A weak affection cannot sustain a long-term relationship; only by being strong enough can one protect the deep affection in one's heart.

Meanwhile, in the next room.

After taking a shower, Lin Ran leaned against the balcony railing, gazing at the ships coming and going and the lights twinkling in the distant harbor, her mind in turmoil.

She didn't know when it started, but whenever she saw other girls confessing their feelings to Chen Nian, she would feel a strange sense of awkwardness.

She wondered if she was being a little selfish because she had been single for too long.

She didn't want to delve into thoughts she couldn't understand; always carefree, she never got entangled in complicated human relationships or matters of the heart.

Some answers will naturally surface when the time comes.

A gentle evening breeze swept across the balcony as the night deepened.