After a new female contestant stepped in to replace Female Guest Number Six, Wang Yun, the host Brother Jin stepped forward and announced, “Next up, let’s welcome Male Guest Number Three to the stage!”
A spotlight beamed down on the curtain at the back of the set, and Brother Jin made his way over.
“Hello, Host,” Shao Ye greeted politely, extending his right hand.
“Hello, Male Guest Number Three,” Brother Jin replied, shaking his hand with a welcoming smile. The moment Brother Jin laid eyes on Shao Ye, his face lit up. He had a gut feeling—this guy might just be the key to skyrocketing tonight’s ratings.
Shao Ye was strikingly handsome, with refined features and a gentle yet confident air about him. He had that effortlessly charming presence that girls tend to fall for.
“Take a look, and pick the lady you’re most interested in,” Brother Jin said, wasting no time. He was eager to fast-track the selection and get Shao Ye onstage—he could already picture the female contestants fighting for his attention.
“Alright,” Shao Ye replied, stepping forward and scanning the row of women. When the camera panned over to Mu Fu, his finger suddenly stopped scrolling.
At that moment, Mu Fu was resting her cheek on her hand, clearly bored, glancing aimlessly around the room. She hadn’t the faintest idea what Male Guest Number Three would be like.
[System Alert: Male Guest number three will be a major source of envy points for you.]
[Huh?]The sudden voice startled Mu Fu. [So you’re saying this new guy is something special? Like… potential male lead material?]
[Correct.]
Mu Fu raised an eyebrow. Well now, that was unexpected. She had thought it would take a while before a suitable candidate showed up—but here he was, on day one.
Mu Fu straightened her posture and picked up the mirror beside her, checking her makeup and tidying a few loose strands of hair.
And just at that moment, Shao Ye happened to catch the scene. It looked almost as if his gaze had prompted her into fixing herself up. Something stirred in him. This girl… was intriguing. If he hadn’t been told that the curtain was one-way, he might’ve suspected she saw him watching her.
He quickly scanned through the other ten female guests. No doubt, they were all beautiful. But none of them stood out like Mu Fu—not just in looks, but in that subtle, one-sided interaction they’d just shared. The rest of the girls were either chatting with each other or sitting casually on their stools, not really paying attention.
Taking the tablet that Host Brother Jin handed over, Shao Ye swiftly found Mu Fu’s profile photo. She was smiling with eight perfect teeth, soft and gentle, with a clean and radiant expression. It looked like a professionally taken headshot. His finger hovered, then gently brushed over the photo—right over her cheek—as if he could feel the warmth of her real skin. Without hesitation, he tapped “Confirm” beneath her name.
Brother Jin prompted him again, “Are you sure that’s your final choice?”
“Yes,” Shao Ye replied with a nod.
“Alright, then wait here for a moment. When the door rises, that’s your cue to enter.”
“Got it.” As Brother Jin returned to the stage, Shao Ye began thinking about what to say for his introduction.
Back onstage, Brother Jin beamed at the audience. “Our Male Guest Number Three is also a total heartthrob, just so you know.”
“Really?!” Quan Xiaoyu’s eyes lit up. She loved handsome men. Guest Number Two earlier was cute, sure—but not quite swoon-worthy.
“It’s true! You’ll see for yourselves soon enough if Brother Jin was lying,” he teased.
Mu Fu smiled knowingly. If the system said this guy had male lead potential, he was bound to be good-looking. After all, no one becomes the main character in a mini-world drama without visuals to match.
Can’t wait to see him.
As the music began to play, the door slowly rose. The first thing Mu Fu saw was a pair of long legs clad in sleek black trousers. Hmm, could this guy be playing the CEO role? she wondered.
But when the door fully opened—oh no, her heart actually skipped a beat. Contestant number three wore a simple yet sharp black suit. He stood tall and confident, radiating that cold, distant charm. Thick eyebrows, bright eyes, a sharp nose, and thin lips—he was the very picture of a domineering male lead.
Mu Fu was just about to slam the Heartthrob Alert button when, to her dismay, Female guest number two, Lian Tingmei, beat her to it. She turned slightly and gave a glance to her long-time silent rival, the always-composed Lian Tingmei.
Quan Xiaoyu pouted. “She never reacts this fast when we’re doing anything else!” The other female guests were equally regretful—they just weren’t quick enough.
Lian Tingmei, of course, kept her expression perfectly neutral. Calm and collected, not a single emotion slipped through. That’s what Mu Fu both admired and despised about her. Anyone who can control their emotions so flawlessly—laugh when they want, cry on cue—that’s kind of terrifying.
Lian Tingmei was a master of this. Every time a contestant confessed their feelings, she’d shed perfect tears of emotion, only to sigh later about how cruel fate was—that they were meant to meet but never to be. And every single time, it worked. The contestants, rather than feeling rejected, would walk away touched, believing they had met the right person at the wrong time. She had them wrapped around her finger.
The first time Mu Fu saw it happen, she was amazed. If Lian Tingmei had my job, she thought, she’d be the queen of the seas—with a fish pond full of admirers. And honestly? She had to admit it: Lian Tingmei was a pro.
But Mu Fu just couldn’t figure it out—why did Lian Tingmei always have to compete with the original Mu Fu? Whenever the original owner posted a picture of a designer bag, the next day Lian Tingmei would show up with an even more expensive one. If the original wore a beautiful outfit, she’d immediately go and buy the same one. She even copied her makeup look.
Thing is, Lian Tingmei was pretty herself—sweet and innocent-looking—so why the constant comparison? Mu Fu once asked the system if maybe Lian Tingmei had some kind of strange obsession. The system simply replied that it was “normal behavior.” Apparently, she just had a really intense competitive streak. When she saw someone looking more beautiful than her, she felt the need to outdo them. Seriously, that damned need to win.
Male Guest Number Three greeted everyone enthusiastically: “Hi everyone, I’m Shao Ye, I’m twenty-eight years old, and I’m from Hang City.” He walked to the front of the stage and gave a polite bow to both the audience and the women’s panel, where Mu Fu was seated.
The crowd went wild the moment they saw his striking face and lean, athletic build. Host Brother Jin, clearly fired up by the reaction, exclaimed, “We already have a female contestant lighting up for Number Three!”
“Thank you,” Shao Ye said sincerely as he looked at Lian Tingmei, who had hit the button for him. Then, subtly, his gaze shifted to Mu Fu. She hadn’t expected him to look her way. Their eyes met for a brief but charged moment—until Mu Fu looked away first. If she kept looking, she wasn’t sure she could keep it together! Her cheeks flushed red. The moment their eyes met, she felt the full force of his presence. His energy was… overwhelming.
Shao Ye, meanwhile, looked away with a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Then the host chimed in again: “Looks like male guest number three is already stealing the show! The audience is loving him! Let’s hear a little more about him.”
Shao Ye gave a small wave and smiled. “Hello again, everyone. I’m Shao Ye, twenty-eight years old, born and raised in Hang City. I currently work as a team leader on a property development project. I’m really happy to be here on this show.”
Mu Fu blinked in surprise. Team leader on a property project? That’s the male lead’s job in this world? So… ordinary?
As far as Mu Fu knew, being a team leader at a property company was basically the same as being a team leader on a project in most companies—nothing particularly special. The salary usually didn’t go above five thousand yuan a month. And that’s before taxes! Anyone paying attention probably figured it out too—contestant number three was basically just an ordinary employee.
To be honest, his job didn’t stand out at all compared to the other male contestants, and it certainly couldn’t compete with the female guests either. All the women on stage were earning more than he was.
But Shao Ye acted as if he didn’t notice the surprised looks being thrown his way. In truth, he’d already anticipated this reaction before coming on the show—but he still chose to come anyway. He just wanted to see if he could meet that one special girl meant for him.
At that moment, one of the lights turned off—it was the newly arrived female contestant number six. The host, Brother Jin, said, “Looks like the one who turned off her light is our new guest. Welcome to the show!” The atmosphere team responded with a round of applause.
The new contestant introduced herself, “Hi everyone, I’m Bu Lezhen, twenty-five years old, from Guangzhou. I’m currently working in Hangzhou as a dance instructor.”
“Welcome!” Brother Jin said, clapping enthusiastically with the crowd. Then he asked, “Lezhen, can you tell us why you turned off your light?”
Lezhen replied, “I’m looking for a man I can genuinely admire.”
“Got it,” the host nodded.
What Bu Lezhen really meant was: she wasn’t impressed by Shao Ye’s job.
But Shao Ye just crossed his arms casually, clearly unfazed by her opinion. He snuck a quick glance at Mu Fu. When he saw her expression hadn’t changed at all, he felt instantly lighter—relieved, even happy. A strong feeling welled up inside him: Tonight… I might actually meet the girl who’s meant for me.
Host Brother Jin turned to him and asked, “So, what talent have you brought for us today?”
“It’s an interactive dance,” Shao Ye replied, his voice calm yet magnetic, filled with a quiet, undeniable charm. “I wonder if any of the ladies here would be willing to join me on stage.” Despite his aloof tone, there was something captivating about the way he spoke.
Five women raised their hands—including Mu Fu.
Brother Jin smiled and looked over. “So, Shao Ye, which lady would you like to dance with?”
Shao Ye’s eyes scanned the line of women from one end to the other, eventually stopping on Mu Fu. “I’d like to choose the first lady over there.”
Everyone followed his gaze—and realized he was talking about Mu Fu. The audience burst into even more excited whispers. A handsome man and a stunning woman on stage together? This was exactly the kind of chemistry they came here to see!
“Then let’s welcome our number one female guest, Mu Fu, to the stage!” As soon as Brother Jin finished speaking, Mu Fu gracefully stepped forward. Her steps were light and steady, each one measured and elegant—like a lady from an old noble family walking through a tranquil garden.
As she approached, Shao Ye’s heart pounded wildly, each step she took feeling like it landed directly on his chest. “H-hi,” he greeted her, a little flustered—gone was the composed man from earlier.
Axolotl Translations 
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