I Turned a Competitive Variety Show into a Dating Show - Chapter 1

Backstage at Ride the Wind, everyone was reviewing interview outlines, preparing for their upcoming individual interviews. Shi Xu sat in the pre-interview room, casually crossing her legs and leaning back in her chair, as relaxed as if she were at home.

The interviewer asked, “Why did you decide to participate in this show?”

Shi Xu offered a polite smile. “Didn’t you invite me?”

The interviewer paused, taken aback, before continuing, “Had you followed our show before?”

“No,” Shi Xu replied.

The interviewer’s expression stiffened slightly. Remembering her sister’s advice, Shi Xu quickly added, “But I’d heard of it. After all, it’s a very popular show.”

The interviewer let out a small sigh of relief and proceeded with the script. “Is there anyone you’re particularly eager to collaborate with?”

Only then did Shi Xu’s face soften into a genuine smile, her voice suddenly gentle. “Yes. A senior artist I deeply admire. They’re actually the main reason I joined the show.”

The interviewer’s eyes lit up, eager to dig deeper, but Shi Xu had already stood up and was straightening her clothes.

“Alright, that’s all three questions answered.”

She had strictly followed the script. Whether the interviewer had completed her job was none of her concern.

As Shi Xu left, she happened to bump into Jian Zhi. Even before they got close, she caught a faint, delicate fragrance emanating from Jian Zhi, and her heart began to pound uncontrollably.

It was only their first day meeting, and they weren’t yet familiar. But Jian Zhi, ever conscious of maintaining a perfect image under the cameras, greeted Shi Xu with a smile.

To her surprise, Shi Xu walked past without even glancing at her, completely ignoring her friendly gesture.

Jian Zhi frowned slightly, her goodwill toward the impolite girl diminishing. She pushed open the door to the interview room, instantly adopting a radiant, gentle smile for the camera, as if nothing had happened.

Shi Xu clutched her chest, waiting until Jian Zhi was out of sight before leaning against the wall and exhaling deeply. Her cheeks burned, her heart showed no signs of slowing down, and she was buzzing with excitement.

Glancing back, she saw the interview room door was tightly shut. I must have hidden my reaction well, she thought, and wasn’t discovered.

After all the interviews were completed, the official filming began.

This year’s competition format was different from previous years. Each episode was filmed and broadcast immediately afterward. Viewers would then vote for their favorite contestants, and the results would be announced in a live stream on the official account before the next episode’s filming, granting extra “firepower points” to the winning team.

The initial stage performances were riddled with mishaps, and Shi Xu’s performance was scheduled for the later half. She had to endure her drowsiness, offering insincere applause for both the good and bad performances.

The waiting room emptied as more performers took the stage. Shi Xu, who had been repeatedly reminding herself not to focus on any particular person, suddenly jolted awake at the sound of that gentle voice, her drowsiness nearly vanishing.

“Have some chocolate to replenish your energy. You’ll need it for your performance.”

“No, thank you.”

Those five simple words instantly cured Shi Xu’s tendency to doze off. She glanced over and realized only one person stood between her and Jian Zhi.

The woman who had offered the chocolate was one of the “cannon fodder” contestants, seemingly aware of her role and thus more relaxed than the others.

Shu Yueyao approached Shi Xu and held out the chocolate. “Want some?”

Just as Shi Xu was about to decline, her stomach let out a loud growl. After a moment of silence, Shu Yueyao smiled and placed the chocolate in Shi Xu’s hand, then casually sat down beside her.

Jian Zhi glanced over and noticed Shi Xu didn’t seem to mind the other woman’s presence, only deliberately ignoring her. She casually averted her gaze, her impression of Shi Xu dropping a few more points.

After eating a piece of chocolate, Shi Xu began to feel drowsy again. In her half-dreaming state, a delicate fragrance drifted toward her. She inhaled greedily, longing to bury herself in that soft, floral sea.

Soft? A sea of flowers?

Shi Xu jolted awake, her body reacting faster than her mind as she sat up straight. The person beside her gracefully rose and strode toward the stage with measured steps.

Shi Xu watched her retreating figure, her heart pounding like a drum.

Fortunately, it was her turn next, leaving her little time to dwell on the moment. She brushed past Jian Zhi backstage, but the other woman didn’t even spare her a glance.

Her bl00d instantly cooled, and her racing heart settled. Performing in this subdued mood, she sang the emotional ballad with profound depth and resonance, surpassing even her best rehearsals.

As the audience erupted in applause, Shi Xu felt a pang of bitterness.

When the scores were announced, bitterness gave way to anger. She stormed into the training room, yanked out a chair, and sat down heavily, crossing her arms as she waited for the “teachers” to speak.

The teachers exchanged uneasy glances. The dance instructor struck first: “Do you think my scoring was fair?”

“In my opinion, no. But you’re the teacher, and I respect your right to score as you see fit,” Shi Xu replied, her lips curving into a smile that seemed both genuine and mocking.

The dance instructor faltered, and the Vocal Coach stepped in.

“Do you really think you performed well?”

Shi Xu leaned back in her chair, saying lazily, “I’ve always performed well.”

The Vocal Coach pressed, “And your singing was flawless, without a single flaw?”

“Exactly. That’s why I don’t accept your score.”

Shi Xu stared directly at her, her presence unwavering. The Vocal Coach, caught off guard by her bluntness, struggled to find a response. After all, Shi Xu’s vocal timbre and technique were impeccable.

But even with such outstanding performance, shouldn’t she show some humility in front of the cameras? Among the twenty-odd contestants before her, many were far more established stars, yet all had maintained a humble and courteous demeanor. Why was Shi Xu acting so arrogant?

Didn’t she consider the consequences for her broadcast image? Was she planning to quit the entertainment industry?

As these thoughts swirled among the judges, Shi Xu was already preparing to leave for bed, casually swiping a nutritional supplement from the table on her way out. After all, it was sponsored by her own company—might as well take it.

Just as she stepped out, Shi Xu paused and turned back to the group. “I think all your scores for me are biased,” she remarked. “Whether it’s deliberate or just your level of expertise… tsk!”

Her words left the teachers speechless.

The show had already aired three seasons, and these judges were veterans of all three. Each held a respected position in their respective fields, yet they had never encountered someone like Shi Xu, who refused to play by the rules.

Before this, they had assumed Shi Xu was only on the show to rehabilitate her image. But the current situation clearly exceeded their expectations. They wondered if she was aiming for a “black-red” strategy, capitalizing on the current trend of “going crazy” to gain a wave of fans.

Meanwhile, after thoroughly roasting all the judges, Shi Xu was in high spirits. She wanted to find a place to slack off until the later performers finished. As she turned, she spotted Jian Zhi leaning against the wall, looking utterly exhausted.

The bitterness of being ignored surged up, then quickly vanished. Like a little puppy, she trotted over. Jian Zhi looked up at the sound, her pitch-black eyes deep and dark as night, sending a shiver down Shi Xu’s spine.

Shi Xu froze, standing awkwardly. Jian Zhi’s beautiful peach-blossom eyes lowered slightly as she asked coldly, “What do you want?”

Even colder than her voice was her expression.

An invisible wall seemed to rise between them. Shi Xu knew she couldn’t breach this defense yet. The pang of disappointment only strengthened her resolve.

She handed over the nutrient solution, saying, “Drink some of this.”

Jian Zhi raised an eyebrow, her gaze questioning.

Shi Xu quickly explained, “I didn’t mean anything by it. You just looked really tired.”

Jian Zhi smiled enigmatically. “It’s fine. You’ve had a long day too.”

Shi Xu’s mouth moved faster than her brain. “I’m younger,” she blurted out, “I can handle it!”

The room fell deathly silent. Shi Xu regretted her words so much she wanted to bite her tongue. Jian Zhi, however, showed little reaction, but her detached stare made Shi Xu’s heart race.

“Even young people need to replenish their energy. Don’t you think?” Jian Zhi said pointedly.

Shi Xu remembered the earlier incident, her face burning. I fell asleep leaning on her shoulder—does she think I’m weak or something?

Jian Zhi said nothing more and walked toward the waiting room. Shi Xu hesitated for a moment before following, slipping the nutrient solution into Jian Zhi’s hand just before she entered.

“My health… is actually pretty good,” Shi Xu mumbled, hurrying inside ahead of her.

All eyes in the room turned to them, filled with curiosity and speculation.

Shi Xu suppressed the ripples in her heart and casually found a seat. Shu Yueyao sidled up to her and whispered, “Did something happen between you and Teacher Jian? She doesn’t look well.”

Shi Xu found Shu Yueyao’s familiarity perplexing. If not for this show, they might never have crossed paths. Even if Shu Yueyao was naturally outgoing, did Shi Xu really seem like someone easy to get along with?

Under Shi Xu’s piercing gaze, Shu Yueyao coughed awkwardly and said, “I didn’t mean anything by it. Just a casual question.”

Shi Xu disliked people prying into her personal life, and she especially disliked those who lacked boundaries. Before the day ended, she gave Shu Yueyao two chocolates, repaying the earlier favor.

After a full day of filming, everyone was exhausted. The contestants gradually returned to their dorms, mostly in pairs or small groups. Only Jian Zhi remained alone.

Of course, Shi Xu, who was behind her, was also alone.

But Shi Xu saw their situations as fundamentally different. She was accustomed to solitude and had no interest in pointless socializing. Jian Zhi, on the other hand, radiated loneliness from her very being, both physically and spiritually.

Though she seemed approachable, always wearing a gentle smile, Jian Zhi had erected an invisible barrier around herself. Anyone who tried to get close would be blocked.

Unless someone could break through her defenses, they would never breach that barrier.

Lost in thought, Shi Xu didn’t notice the person ahead of her had stopped. She bumped into Jian Zhi’s slender back, nearly knocking her off balance.

“Careful!”

As the words left her lips, Shi Xu reached out and caught Jian Zhi’s delicate frame, pulling her firmly into her arms.

Jian Zhi turned to look at her, her eyes flashing with clear disgust. Stung, Shi Xu immediately released her and stepped back.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

Jian Zhi pressed her lips together, said nothing, and unlocked the door to go inside. Shi Xu stood outside for a long time, digesting her disappointment, before listlessly entering to find her dormitory.

The dorm assignments had been determined by lottery after the initial stage recording. Shi Xu didn’t have high expectations for the quality of the room; she only hoped her roommate would be quiet and not overly enthusiastic.

When she pushed open the door, both she and the person inside froze in surprise.

Jian Zhi frowned slightly, glanced at the name tag in Shi Xu’s hand, and entered the bathroom without a word. Shi Xu stood frozen for several seconds before following, her heart a tangled mess of emotions.

The dorm room was designed for two people but contained three beds. The two roommates instinctively chose the beds against the walls, leaving the middle one empty, like a deliberately drawn line separating their territories.

Shi Xu couldn’t sleep at all. Lying in the same position for too long became uncomfortable. She first turned her back to Jian Zhi, but then, fearing misunderstanding, carefully rolled over. To her surprise, she found herself staring directly into those deep, dark eyes.

Jian Zhi clearly hadn’t expected her sudden turn. Her gaze flickered with momentary panic before she averted her eyes and turned her back, leaving Shi Xu with a cold, indifferent silhouette.

Shi Xu: ｡ﾟ(ﾟ´Д｀ﾟ)ﾟ｡

Can’t I even stop looking at you? Please don’t hate me!

A knock interrupted her thoughts. The door creaked open, and a petite, slender figure slipped inside.

The newcomer walked straight to Jian Zhi’s bed and whispered urgently, “Senior Sister, I can’t sleep in the other bed. Can I sleep with you?”

“No!” Shi Xu blurted out before Jian Zhi could even respond, her voice sharp with panic.