Volume 1, Chapter 12: If You Are Afraid, Hold Onto Me

Wen Zhi sat in the passenger seat, feeling a bit self-conscious with her head bowed. Shen Nianchi glanced at her and turned on the car's heater.

"Tell me if you feel unwell later."

"Mhm..." Wen Zhi replied.

Although she had considered being paired with someone else, after much thought, she felt being paired with Shen Nianchi was better. Even if they had to pretend not to know each other, she would at least be much more at ease. She felt lucky that her luck hadn't been too bad.

Outside, the other guests were leaving the lounge one by one, their cars departing shortly after they boarded. Shen Nianchi and Wen Zhi were the first to get into their car but the last to leave. Just as they were about to depart, she sneezed several times. Worried she might catch a cold, Shen Nianchi contacted the staff and had couple's down jackets delivered. Only after Wen Zhi had put hers on did he start the engine and head toward their date location.

"Thank you," Wen Zhi said faintly. Since they had to pretend they were strangers, being polite was the best way to maintain distance. If she could just hold on for four more hours, she would have safely made it through another day.

"Sheng Sheng, if you're cold, turn up the heat."

"Mhm..."

Shen Nianchi glanced at her and reached over to close her window. He had no intention of pretending they didn't know each other. He wanted everyone to know they were acquainted, so he could see who would dare harbor intentions toward his Sheng Sheng or try to woo her with sweet talk! He would keep a close eye on that divorced guy, Cheng Cheng!

Silence filled the car for the rest of the journey. Meanwhile, the live stream chat was blowing up:

"Is Shen Nianchi being too gentle?"
"Aww, this is so sweet!"
"My god, this pairing is amazing!"
"I'm so happy, this production team is a genius!"
"Shen Nianchi and Sheng Sheng are such a perfect match!"
"What did he just call her? Sheng Sheng? They definitely know each other privately!"
"Did Shen Nianchi recognize her?"
"The way he said 'Sheng Sheng' was so sweet, I love it!"

On Weibo, the topic #MysteryGuestPairingOnDatingShow# shot straight to the top of the trending list, with over a million comments.

"Did the show really pair Shen Nianchi with Sheng Sheng???"
"This is so bold! I love it!"
"Sheng Sheng's mask can't even hide her stunning beauty!"
"Wow, she's so fair-skinned, and her voice is so lovely. Ahhh, she's my wife!"

The warmth of the heater filled the cabin, creating a stark contrast to the cold outside and making the atmosphere feel cozy.

"Do you..." Wen Zhi hesitated before speaking again. "Do you know me?" Her voice trembled slightly, and she gripped the hem of her dress tightly. *Aren't we supposed to be pretending we don't know each other?*

"I am a loyal fan of yours, Teacher Sheng Sheng." Shen Nianchi smiled slightly and turned on the car radio. The opening theme of her favorite anime, *Secretly Hiding Heartbeats*, began to play.

Wen Zhi’s ears turned pink, and she looked down, staying silent.

"Teacher Sheng Sheng, what type do you like?" Shen Nianchi asked suddenly.

Wen Zhi’s mind raced. Why would he ask that? Was it arranged by the show? She struggled with whether or not to answer. If she didn't, the atmosphere might get awkward, and even if she did, he wouldn't know who she was talking about.

"Teacher Sheng Sheng?" Seeing she didn't reply, Shen Nianchi prompted her.

"Cough..." Wen Zhi cleared her throat. "I like someone a bit more mature."

"Oh? Mature?" Shen Nianchi raised an eyebrow, feeling puzzled. *Mature and steady?* That divorced guy was younger than him and didn't seem mature at all—he was quite flighty.

His voice sounded strange, and Wen Zhi glanced at him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing..." *Everything* was wrong. This didn't match the facts.

"Are there any guests who are your type, Teacher Sheng Sheng?" Shen Nianchi had been wanting to ask this, as it affected his upcoming interference strategy.

"Yes!" Wen Zhi blurted out.

*Yes?!* It must be that divorced guy, Cheng Cheng. He had to think of a way to help Sheng Sheng cut her losses.

The car finally stopped in front of a seaside restaurant. Shen Nianchi opened the door for her and helped her out. Since they were the last of the five pairs to arrive, they had to face a penalty. *Wait, no one had mentioned this!*

The restaurant staff led them to an outdoor hot spring. "This is your penalty. Please jump into the water simultaneously within 10 seconds, or your date will be considered a failure!"

The live stream audience erupted:

"My god, is the show trying to cause trouble on purpose?!"
"Why do they always arrange these weird tasks? Are they not worried about them getting sick?"
"They'll do anything for ratings!"
"Jumping into water in this freezing weather? Even if it's a hot spring, this is insane!"
"Sheng Sheng is already cold; if she jumps in, she'll definitely get sick."
"I'm so angry!"

Shen Nianchi’s expression darkened. "Can't one person do it?"

"This is the penalty round. Please prepare yourselves."

Shen Nianchi’s face turned completely cold. "If we refuse—"

Wen Zhi interrupted him. "We'll do it. Please prepare some towels, thank you." She figured she would just jump; it was only the cold shock at the start, and she wouldn't catch a cold that easily. She knew he was worried, but it was the show's rule, and since they were late, they had to comply.

The chat was flooded with "Oh my god" and comments about how obedient Sheng Sheng was, mixed with sympathy for the pair. The atmosphere was tense.

Once they had taken off their down jackets, they walked toward the hot spring. Just as they were about to jump, Shen Nianchi reached out and held her small hand. "If you're scared, hold onto me." He could clearly feel her palms sweating.

Wen Zhi felt dizzy, her heart racing. She hesitated. When she was a child, she had been pushed into a swimming pool, and she had always had a phobia of water.