I was criticized on a dating reality show, but I retaliated and became an internet sensation.

Shu Zi sprang up from the bed with a "whoosh," her hair disheveled like a bird's nest, her eyes still blurry, but her hand had already precisely reached for her phone.

On the screen, the notification bar exploded, with messages popping up one after another.

She squinted for a few seconds, then her eyes slowly widened.

The top trending topic: #FangYutongAndYuShizeReconciled#

Second trending topic: #FangYutongAndYuShizeJustArgued#

Third on the trending list: #FangYutongandYuShizeNeverBrokenUp#

Shu Zi stared at the screen and remained silent for five seconds.

Then, expressionless, she slammed her phone down on the blanket, fell back onto the bed, and pulled the blanket over her head.

A muffled voice came from under the covers: "...None of my business."

[The trending topics are exploding again! Have they reconciled?!]

Wait, they didn't even break up? They just had a fight?

So the breakup rumors were fake? Then what about Shu Zi being called a homewrecker?

This plot twist is so bad it's made my CPU burn out!

Where are Fang Yutong's fans? Show yourselves! You were so vocal in your criticism before, what's your story now?

The restaurant downstairs.

Su Yanhuan was the first person to trend on social media.

She held a bowl of porridge, her eyes glued to her phone screen, her mouth slightly open, unable to close for a long time.

Jiang Yunyou leaned closer, a piece of bread dangling from his mouth: "What are you looking at so intently—"

Before he could finish speaking, he saw it too and showed the same blank expression.

Su Yanhuan was the first to come to her senses, and murmured softly, "So... Sister Yutong and Teacher Yu, are they really together? Have they been... arguing and giving each other the cold shoulder these past few days?"

Jiang Yunyou nodded, mechanically chewing his bread: "That's what the trending topics say."

"Then why did you say you wanted to break up before?"

"I don't know, maybe... it's just hearsay?"

Su Yanhuan was silent for a few seconds, then her voice became even softer: "Then Sister Zizi was scolded like that before...wasn't it all for nothing?"

Jiang Yunyou also fell silent.

Is there something wrong with what she said?

Han Jingxue came out of the kitchen carrying a teacup. Seeing the two of them with such interesting expressions, she asked casually, "What's wrong?"

Su Yanhuan handed over the phone.

Han Jingxue glanced down at the phone, her expression unchanged, returned it, picked up her teacup, walked straight to the balcony, sat down, and opened the book she carried with her.

Shen Yihuai followed her to the balcony and sat down in the wicker chair next to her.

[Han Jie: Oh. Teacher Shen: Me too.]

These two are really something, both incredibly calm.

Fang Yutong's room.

She had already put on full makeup, wore a light blue fitted dress, and had her hair loosely braided and draped over her shoulder. She looked gentle, poised, and impeccable.

The phone screen displays the trending topics page.

She glanced at it for a few seconds, turned off the screen, got up, and opened the door.

In the corridor, I ran into Yu Shize, who had just come out.

Their eyes met briefly in mid-air.

Yu Shize spoke first, his voice soft and deliberately gentle: "Good morning."

Fang Yutong's eyes crinkled into a smile, as natural as if she'd rehearsed it countless times: "Good morning, wanna go downstairs together?"

Yu Shize nodded: "Okay."

Last night's trending topics and this morning's "script" are an unspoken understanding between the two sides.

The two walked down the stairs side by side.

Yu Shize walked on her right, maintaining a perfect distance—neither too close nor too far apart.

Fang Yutong's skirt occasionally brushed lightly against Yu Shize's trouser legs with each step.

She did not avoid it.

They went downstairs together! They even greeted each other!

"Good morning!" - Fang Yutong's voice is so soft today.

The distance they maintained was a bit subtle; they seemed a little too polite to be considered a couple, but then they walked together anyway.

[Maybe they just made up? Is it still a little awkward?]

In the restaurant.

When Fang Yutong walked in, Su Yanhuan looked up at her, then quickly glanced at Yu Shize behind her. Her lips moved, but she didn't say anything.

Fang Yutong smiled and said softly, "Good morning, Huanhuan. Good morning, Yunyou."

It was no different from any other morning.

Su Yanhuan quickly replied, "Good morning, Sister Yutong! Good morning, Teacher Yu!"

Jiang Yunyou also raised his hand: "Good morning, Sister Yutong, Teacher Yu!"

Yu Shize smiled and nodded, "Good morning."

Fang Yutong sat down in the empty seat next to Su Yanhuan. Unlike the previous days, Yu Shize did not sit at the far end of the long table, but naturally sat down next to Fang Yutong.

The two were about an arm's length apart.

Su Yanhuan secretly glanced at them, then met Jiang Yunyou's gaze as he was also secretly glancing at her from the opposite side.

The two of them quickly looked away at the same time.

[They're sitting together now! Yu Shize isn't sitting in the corner anymore!]

The little glances Huanhuan and Yunyou exchanged were hilarious!

[Did they also feel that something was off?]

Han Jingxue walked in from the balcony and sat down opposite Fang Yutong.

Shen Yihuai followed and sat down next to her.

Han Jingxue looked up and glanced at Fang Yutong.

Fang Yutong gave her a perfectly timed smile.

Han Jingxue's face remained expressionless, she merely nodded almost imperceptibly in response.

Shen Yihuai glanced at Fang Yutong again, but didn't say anything.

Shuzi was the last one to come downstairs.

She shuffled into her slippers and plopped down in the empty seat next to Su Yanhuan, mumbling a "Good morning." Then she picked up a bowl of porridge, holding up her phone in her other hand. A funny video was playing on the screen, and she was watching it intently with a grin on her face.

Su Yanhuan leaned over curiously: "Sister Zizi, you changed your phone? This doesn't look like the one the production team gave us?"

Shu Zi didn't even look up: "It's not mine."

"Huh? Whose is that?"

Shu Zi gestured with her chin toward what was behind her.

Gu Yanzheng walked down the stairs, his expression unchanged.

-last night-

Last night, after the hot pot dinner, Shuzi spent half the day lying in bed unable to fall asleep. She got up to go to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

The corridor was eerily quiet, with only the dim yellow light from the nightlights.

She walked past the corner with a clattering sound, then suddenly stopped.

Gu Yan stood at the end of the corridor, leaning against the wall, holding a cell phone in his hand.

It wasn't a white phone distributed by the program team with the "Heartbeat House" logo on the back.

It was a black one, and it looked very familiar.

Shu Zi paused for a second, then subconsciously took a half-step forward.

Gu Yan had already raised his head.

Their eyes met.

Gu Yan remained calm and put his phone back in his pocket: "Hungry?"

Shu Zi didn't answer, but narrowed her eyes, staring at the pocket where he kept his phone: "What's that?"

Gu Yan leaned against the wall, a half-smile playing on his lips, and raised an eyebrow: "Want to know? Come and see for yourself."

Shu Zi was certain: "You're hiding a cell phone."

And that phone, no matter how you look at it, looks exactly like the one she usually uses.

Gu Yan just smiled and didn't say anything.

Shu Zi stared at him for two seconds, then turned and left.

She's going to report him! Why is Gu Yan getting special treatment?!

Gu Yan reached out and gently took her wrist.

Shu Zi shook off him, not looking back, and quickened her pace.

Gu Yan shook his head helplessly.

On the first floor, the light was still on in Director Liu's room.

Shu Zi knocked three times.

The door opened a crack, and Director Liu peeked out. He saw Shu Zi outside the door, and Gu Yan following not far behind her. He paused for a moment, then asked, "...Is something wrong?"

Shu Zi pointed at Gu Yan, her tone firm: "Director Liu, he's keeping two cell phones!

Director Liu glanced at Gu Yan, then at Shu Zi, who looked like she wanted him arrested, paused for a second, and said, "I know."

"You knew?!" Shu Zi's eyes widened. "Then why didn't you confiscate it?! Director Liu, you're showing favoritism!!"

"...He's an investor," Director Liu said calmly, stating the harsh truth, "Investors have certain privileges."

Shu Zi took a deep breath.

The world is so wonderful, yet I am so irritable. This is not good, not good at all.

She stretched out her hand, palm up, and offered it to Gu Yan, tilting her chin up slightly:

"Give it to me."