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

Chapter 37 Fang Ran: What is your relationship now?

???

Shu Zi's smile froze on her face, the curve of her lips gradually receding until it became a straight line.

She looked at Director Liu with the eyes of someone looking at an enemy: "...Director Liu, do you have a grudge against me?"

Director Liu, with an upright and dignified expression, said: "No, it was a random selection, absolutely fair."

"You're a referee, what right do you have to draw lots?"

"Referees sometimes also play the role of creating entertainment value," Director Liu said without changing his expression.

Shu Zi stared at him expressionlessly for three seconds, then slowly took out the phone provided by the production team from her pocket, unlocked it, and handed it to Gu Yan next to her.

Gu Yan took the phone and opened the contacts.

The first person's name is "Fang Ran," but there's a prefix before it: "Number One at Eating."

He glanced at it, a slight smile playing on his lips, typed a few words, and pressed send.

Shu Zi leaned closer to look: "What did you send?"

Gu Yan returned the phone to her.

Shu Zi looked down and saw her chat box with Fang Ran on the screen. Gu Yan had sent a message:

"Fang Ran, Shu Zi asked me to ask you if the coat she left at your house last time is still there."

Shu Zi was taken aback: "...How did you know I left a coat at Fang Ran's house?"

Gu Yan remained expressionless: "What you just said."

Shu Zi recalled for a moment.

She probably... said it?

"You have pretty sharp ears," Shu Zi muttered, putting her phone away.

Gu Yan smiled slightly but remained silent.

Gu Yan used Shu Zi's phone to send a message to Fang Ran! He asked about her coat!

How did he know Shu Zi had a coat at Fang Ran's house?

[It must have been Shuzi herself who said it, although I don't think I heard it.]

Did Gu Yan hear that? He's been listening to Shu Zi the whole time?

The sweetness in this couple is like a slow-burning, enduring stream; the more you savor it, the more delightful it becomes.

Fang Ran replied instantly.

Shu Zi's phone vibrated. She looked down and saw a message from Fang Ran popping up:

"??? Your coat? Which coat didn't you leave with me?"

Before Shu Zi could reply, a second message popped up:

"Wait, something's not right. Who are you? What have you done to our Zizi? Kidnapper? Are you going to kill her? How much money do you want?"

Shu Zi couldn't help but burst out laughing, turning her phone screen towards Gu Yan: "Look, she's asking you if you're a kidnapper."

Gu Yan glanced at it, a slight smile playing on his lips, and pushed the phone back, the meaning clear: he would reply himself.

Shu Zi lowered her head and typed:

"It's me, my phone was just stolen by a dog."

Fang Ran replied instantly:

"A dog? Gu Yan? You two are together??? Wait, are you filming a show? I'm watching the live stream."

Shu Zi glanced up at the camera in the corner of the yard, then looked down at her phone.

Fang Ran posted again:

"So what's your relationship now? Why did he take your phone? Is he after you—"

Shu Zi's fingers flew across the keyboard as she swiftly interrupted:

"Stop! Found the coat? Send it to me, understand?"

Fang Ran:

"...Could your technique for changing the subject be any worse?"

"Oh, and don't forget that bag~ I'll be waiting for you to come back~ Mwah~"

Gu Yan sat beside him, holding a teacup, the smile on his lips never fading.

Shu Zi turned her head and glared at him: "What are you laughing at?"

Gu Yan: "I didn't laugh."

Thinking of that bag, Shu Zi gritted her teeth; the culprit was still smiling.

Shu Zi didn't reply and put her phone face down on the table.

Gu Yan picked up his teacup, took a sip, and pressed the corners of his mouth to his lips, but his eyes still smiled.

Shu Zi ignored him and turned back to continue eating her tripe.

[Fang Ran replied instantly! Was she watching the live stream the whole time? What a good friend!]

Why did Fang Ran immediately think of Gu Yan when Shu Zi mentioned a certain dog? (Curious) (Watching the drama unfold)

"Kidnappers? Are they going to kill the hostage?" Hahaha, Ran-jie, you know how to have a good chat!

Gu Yan laughed when he saw Fang Ran's message. Did he think Fang Ran was quite amusing?

No, he just thinks Shu Zi is funny (doge emoji)

[Upstairs, you're overthinking it.]

[Shu Zi said, "Your lips are practically pointing to the sky!" Hahahaha]

Gu Yan pressed his lips together, but his eyes were still smiling; I missed that detail.

After finishing the hotpot, Director Liu stood in the middle of the courtyard, clapped his hands, and drew everyone's attention.

"Listen up, everyone, there are no tasks today, so get some rest. You don't need to get up early tomorrow morning either, just wake up naturally."

"Woke up naturally?!" Jiang Yunyou jumped up from his chair. "Really? No problems?"

Director Liu nodded: "Really, there are no hidden problems."

Jiang Yunyou immediately raised his arms and shouted, "Director Liu! You're like my own brother!"

Su Yanhuan chimed in with a sarcastic remark: "You were just saying when you were cooking tripe that if Director Liu smiled, life or death would be unpredictable."

Jiang Yunyou remained unfazed, not even blinking: "That was then. Now is now. To be a good person, you need to be able to assess the situation and be flexible, understand?"

Su Yanhuan was speechless: "...Oh."

Shu Zi stood up from the chair, stretched, and yawned: "Then I'm going back to sleep."

Su Yanhuan looked at Shu Zi with disbelief: "Sister Zi, didn't you sleep all afternoon?"

"That was an afternoon nap, this is an evening nap, they're different."

Su Yanhuan's lips twitched: "...How is it different?"

Shu Zi said in a serious tone, "An afternoon nap is stolen, but a night's nap is perfectly legitimate."

"..."

Su Yanhuan found herself unable to refute.

Han Jingxue had already walked back to the villa, with Shen Yihuai following behind her. The two of them walked in sync, one in front of the other.

Fang Yutong stood on the steps, handed the empty plate in her hand to the staff member, whispered "thank you," and then turned and walked back to the villa.

She walked slowly and lightly, and did not look at Yu Shize as she passed by.

Yu Shize sat on the stone bench in the corner, watching Fang Yutong's figure disappear through the door. After sitting for a while, he stood up, put the cup on the recycling table, and walked back to the villa.

No more missions today? So soon?

[Jiang Yunyou's reaction to hearing "wake up naturally" was hilarious!]

[Shu Tzu said, "An afternoon nap is stolen, but a night's sleep is perfectly legitimate"—how does she manage to make every word irrefutable?]

[Su Yanhuan: I often feel out of place with you guys because I'm not silly enough]

One o'clock in the morning.

All the lights in the villa were off, and the corridor was so quiet that only the low hum of the central air conditioning could be heard.

Fang Yutong's room door opened slightly.

She didn't turn on the light, but used the corridor's nightlight to see the path beneath her feet, and silently walked out in her slippers.

She didn't go downstairs, but walked a few steps to the other end of the corridor, then went upstairs and stopped at the door of Yu Shize's room.

I stood there for two seconds.

Then he raised his hand and tapped it twice lightly.

The door opened almost immediately.

Yu Shize stood at the door in his pajamas, his hair disheveled, with faint dark circles under his eyes.

He didn't sleep.

The two looked at each other for a second without saying a word.

Yu Shize stepped aside to make a small opening.

Fang Yutong stepped inside, and Yu Shize closed the door.

The room was dark, and the curtains were drawn tightly. Only the light from the phone screen on the bedside table faintly illuminated the silhouettes of the two people.

Fang Yutong walked to the window, her back to him, and said calmly, "You saw the trending topics."

It's not a question, it's a statement.

Yu Shize stood by the door, not approaching: "I saw it."

Fang Yutong turned around and looked at him.

I couldn't see her expression in the darkness. "Was it leaking from your side?"

Yu Shize shook his head: "No."

"How did it get leaked?"

"I have no idea."

silence.

Neither of them spoke; the room was so quiet that the low hum of the air conditioner in the hallway could be heard.

"What do we do now?" Yu Shize asked.

Fang Yutong looked up at a point in the darkness: "Wait."

"What are you waiting for?"

"Let the team handle it. They know better than us. Whatever we say is wrong, and saying nothing is also wrong. So let's say nothing, wait for them to handle it, and adapt to the situation tomorrow."

Yu Shize was silent for a few seconds: "...Okay."

Fang Yutong stood up and walked to the door.

He placed his hand on the doorknob, paused for a moment, and did not turn around.

At 2 AM, Fang Yutong went to Yu Shize's room?

They talked for over ten minutes with the lights off?

[No footage, nothing was captured.]

Are we talking about trending topics?

I don't know, I can only guess.

At eight o'clock in the morning, sunlight streamed into Shuzi's room through the gaps in the curtains.

She was huddled under the covers, with only a small tuft of hair sticking out.

My phone vibrated a few times on the bedside table.

Shu Zi didn't move.