Chapter 110: He Seems Rather Unusual

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The allotted fifteen minutes for answering the questions passed swiftly. Some people put down their pens early, while others filled in their last answer at the very last second. There was curiosity, anxiety, apprehension, suspicion. What answers were written on each questionnaire? No one knew. Which pair would become tonight’s most in-sync partners? No one knew. Everyone waited for the final results to be revealed.

The guests left the quiz area and returned to the barbecue circle, sitting together as before, but with their moods utterly transformed. The food before them no longer tempted; each was lost in their own thoughts.

“I’m sure you’ve guessed it by now,” a staff member broke the silence, “tonight’s vote for Best Travel Partners won’t be decided by the live audience, but by the questionnaires you just filled out.”

“Would you and your partner give the same answer to the same question? Let’s find out now, one by one.”

Holding the neatly stacked questionnaires, the staff member selected one from the pile.

Whose was it?

All eyes fell on the staff member, everyone holding their breath, anticipating yet uneasy—eager to know everyone’s answers, yet dreading the embarrassment if their own clashed with their partner’s.

“First question: Did you have fun today?” the staff member read aloud, glancing at the name in the upper right corner. “Lu Zhou’s answer is…” He paused deliberately.

Qi Jiajia and Li Jiayan both held their breath.

“B, happy.” The answer was revealed.

Qi Jiajia let out a quiet sigh of relief, turning to glance at Lu Zhou, a smile lingering at her lips.

Li Jiayan pressed her lips together, her expression unchanged. What was she expecting, really? Who would answer “not happy” to this? It’s basic courtesy.

Immediately, the staff read on—

“Lu Zhou’s partner, Qi Jiajia, answered…” Another pause. “A, very happy! Congratulations, your answers are basically the same. One point for compatibility!”

Qi Jiajia’s cheeks grew warm. She’d answered from the heart, choosing A without hesitation, but now, with everyone watching, she felt the faintest embarrassment. There was a difference between “happy” and “very happy,” after all; one was more emphatic. Had she been too enthusiastic?

But then she let it go. Better to be enthusiastic—this way, Lu Zhou would know how she really felt about him.

Polite applause rose from the other guests.

The staff moved on to the next questionnaire, announcing other answers—

“First question, Zhang Chen’s answer is B, happy;” “Partner Ye Fangfei’s answer is…” A sudden pause.

“C…so-so.”

The staff couldn’t help glancing at Ye Fangfei and Zhang Chen. “Unfortunately, your answers did not match, so no compatibility point.”

Zhang Chen frowned in confusion at Ye Fangfei. He couldn’t care less about this so-called compatibility award, but why would she choose C? Didn’t everyone pick B? Did she not enjoy spending time with him today?

A hush of awkwardness settled over the group. This was the moment everyone dreaded, when answers clashed.

Ye Fangfei ignored everyone, glancing at the staff and reminding, “Are you finished reading?”

Snapping back, the staff continued.

“For this question, Wen Yiming answered A, very happy; partner Li Jiayan answered B, happy. Congratulations, your answers are basically the same. One compatibility point.”

“Last pair: Xu Junze answered B, happy, and partner Chu Yao also answered B! Congratulations, perfect match, one point!”

Xu Junze laughed, “Isn’t this scoring a bit arbitrary? ‘Basically the same’ and ‘perfect match’ both get the same point?”

Chu Yao was equally puzzled.

The staff explained, “Compatibility isn’t just about matching answers or getting extra points for exact matches. We have our own criteria.”

The rules were theirs to make, and their judgment final; no one objected.

With the first question done, everyone but Ye Fangfei had chosen some form of ‘happy.’ Zhang Chen was thoroughly frustrated.

“Next, the second question. Listen closely: Do you think you and your partner had any disagreements during today’s trip?”

“Lu Zhou answered B, no; partner Qi Jiajia also answered B. Congratulations, another matching answer, another point.”

The staff moved on.

“Zhang Chen answered B, no; partner Ye Fangfei’s answer is…” Another pause, followed by a low clearing of the throat.

Zhang Chen had a bad feeling.

Ye Fangfei took a sip of juice. The staff read: “A, yes… Unfortunately, no compatibility point again.”

Zhang Chen: “…”

He pressed his tongue to his teeth and looked at Ye Fangfei again. Did they have any disagreements today? When? Was she upset about him saying he didn’t like her spending too much time with the other male guests? Or was it about the boat ticket exchange earlier? Was that really a disagreement?

Ye Fangfei stayed silent, not looking at anyone.

The other guests were just as nervous, wondering if they’d face the same situation.

“For this question, Wen Yiming answered B, no; Li Jiayan also answered B, no. Congratulations, perfect match, one point.”

The staff flipped to the next sheet.

“Xu Junze answered…A, yes!” The staff’s voice rose. “Chu Yao also answered A!”

“Unfortunately, while your answers match, that doesn’t warrant a compatibility point.”

Everyone paused in surprise. So, matching answers alone wasn’t enough for a point—no one objected.

When Xu Junze filled that answer, he’d considered lying, but the livestream had captured his fight with Chu Yao. Admitting no disagreement would have revealed his desire for the award. In the end, he chose honesty. Chu Yao had gone through a similar thought process.

“Now for the third question,” the staff continued. “If there was a disagreement, was it resolved?”

“If you answered ‘no disagreement’ to the last question, skip this one. I’ll only read the relevant answers.”

“Ye Fangfei answered B, unresolved.”

“Unfortunately, Ye Fangfei and Zhang Chen, no extra point for you.”

The staff looked at them. Zhang Chen was numb. He couldn’t understand what Ye Fangfei was thinking. When this was over, he’d have to talk to her.

“Xu Junze, you answered A, resolved; your partner Chu Yao also answered A, resolved.”

“Congratulations, you earn a compatibility point for this round.”

The guests were starting to understand the rules.

Xu Junze nodded, but looked tense—there were more questions to come.

Meanwhile, in the livestream chat:

[They really think their disagreement is resolved?]
[In the end, Xu Junze compromised, maybe that counts, but the issue’s still there.]
[For the sake of the prize, they’re pretending it’s solved.]
…

“Next…the fourth question. Let’s see who’ll score again!”

“If you were to rate your satisfaction with your travel partner today, what would you choose?”

“Lu Zhou answered D, satisfied; partner Qi Jiajia answered E, very satisfied! Congratulations again, one more point!”

Qi Jiajia bashfully covered her cheeks, her smile impossible to hide. How wonderful, he was satisfied with her, and she with him! This feeling of mutual understanding was beautiful.

Li Jiayan glanced at Lu Zhou, feeling a pang, but recalling her own answer, she regained her composure. They were just partners; no conflict—anyone would pick ‘satisfied.’ It didn’t mean she was genuinely moved. But Qi Jiajia always chose the most emphatic option on each question, which made Li Jiayan feel a sense of crisis.

Wen Yiming glanced at Qi Jiajia and remarked, with feigned casualness, “You seem to have had a great time today—always picking the top answer.”

Qi Jiajia raised an eyebrow. “I really did enjoy myself. I made that clear on the first question. Didn’t you have a good time?”

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Wen Yiming gave a low chuckle. “I answered ‘happy’ to the first question too, didn’t you hear?”

“Oh, really? I didn’t notice,” Qi Jiajia replied with a smile.

Wen Yiming gritted his teeth inwardly. She’d found a new man, and wasn’t even jealous of him anymore?

“Zhang Chen answered E, very satisfied; partner Ye Fangfei answered B…dissatisfied…” The staff paused, feeling the peculiarity of this pair. One was very satisfied, the other dissatisfied… Silence fell again.

Zhang Chen’s face had turned nearly green.

“Unfortunately, no compatibility point for you.”

The staff felt it best to move this along quickly.

“Wen Yiming answered D, satisfied; partner Li Jiayan also chose D. Congratulations, one point.”

“Xu Junze chose D, Chu Yao also chose D—one point.”

“On to the fifth question: What satisfaction rating do you think your partner would give you for your performance today?”

“Lu Zhou and Qi Jiajia both chose D! Another point—your momentum is strong!”

“Zhang Chen answered D, satisfied… Ye Fangfei… also answered D, satisfied…” The staff wiped his brow, smiling, “Sorry, though your answers match, since Ye Fangfei rated Zhang Chen as ‘dissatisfied’ in the previous question, you can’t score this round.”

Zhang Chen: “…”

Livestream chat:

[Zhang Chen must want to crawl under a rock.]
[They’re really not on the same wavelength.]
[I think Ye Fangfei is being too harsh—was it really so bad?]
[Is it wrong for her to answer honestly? Only she knows how she feels—should she lie just to appease Young Master Zhang?]
…

“Wen Yiming answered D, Li Jiayan also chose D—one point.”

“Xu Junze chose D, satisfied; partner Chu Yao chose C, neutral…”

“Sorry, no compatibility point for you.”

Xu Junze frowned slightly, glancing at Chu Yao, as if to say: Why are you slipping now? Didn’t you want to win the compatibility prize?

Chu Yao, in truth, had hesitated on this question. She’d meant to choose D, but recalling their argument at the beach, she doubted Xu Junze could be satisfied. She chose C, thinking she’d guessed his thoughts, but it turned out they were off.

Did she really guess his feelings? In fact, she had—Xu Junze really wasn’t satisfied with their partnership today, but remembering their earlier agreement to compete for the prize, he answered ‘satisfied’ against his true feelings, assuming Chu Yao would do the same. Unexpectedly, their answers diverged.

They were out of sync.

“Sixth question: Would you be willing to be travel partners with your current partner again tomorrow? How willing?”

Everyone’s attention snapped back to the staff. This was the big one—tension spread through the group.

Qi Jiajia clenched her hands, her heart pounding. Would Lu Zhou want to be with her again tomorrow? He’d expressed satisfaction so far—surely he would? But what if there was a surprise? She didn’t know.

Everyone else was similarly tense.

“Lu Zhou’s answer is—” The staff drew out the suspense.

Li Jiayan held her breath.

Ye Fangfei bit into a skewer, chewing slowly, waiting.

Everyone watched the staff.

“D! Willing!”

Qi Jiajia exhaled in relief, her eyes crinkling as she smiled at Lu Zhou.

He caught her gaze and smiled back.

Li Jiayan noticed this, biting her lip.

“Partner Qi Jiajia answered—E! Very willing!”

“Congratulations, another point for compatibility!”

Wen Yiming silently lifted a beer and took a long swig. Impressive, Qi Jiajia—no restraint at all. Why not just tape “I like you” on your forehead for Lu Zhou to see?

Zhang Chen had given up on expecting good results for his pair, and applauded Lu Zhou and Qi Jiajia.

“Not bad, you’ve made it to the finals for tonight’s compatibility award,” he commented.

His words reminded the others: this pair kept racking up points.

Though Li Jiayan and Wen Yiming were close, their confidence wavered—the sixth question was a major hurdle.

“Zhang Chen answered E, very willing!” the staff announced. “Partner Ye Fangfei chose B, unwilling…”

The staff’s voice shrank. “Sorry, answers conflict—no point.”

Zhang Chen gave a broad smile. “Very nice!”

Ye Fangfei glanced at him. He stopped smiling, meeting her gaze, his face clouded with displeasure, as if asking: Why are you doing this to me?

Livestream chat:

[Poor Zhang Chen]
[Don’t beg, man, women don’t like that!]
[Stop chasing, it’s hopeless]
…

“Wen Yiming answered D, willing; partner Li Jiayan answered C, neutral…”

“No strong resonance, 0.5 compatibility point.”

Wen Yiming looked at Li Jiayan in confusion. Things had been going well—why the sudden “neutral”? Was his performance not good enough? Or did she have someone else in mind?

Sensing the pressure, Li Jiayan glanced at Wen Yiming, gave a faint smile, then turned away. She’d chosen Wen Yiming as a partner aiming for the award, but when answering, she changed her mind. If she chose “willing,” how would Lu Zhou interpret it? She couldn’t risk sending mixed signals. With a serious rival in Qi Jiajia, she couldn’t be complacent.

She picked C. No regrets.

“Xu Junze answered C, neutral!” “Partner Chu Yao chose D, willing!” “0.5 compatibility point.”

Xu Junze’s face flashed with surprise before returning to calm. His mindset was similar to Li Jiayan’s—he answered from the heart. After today’s partnership, he relived the stress and pain of their breakup a year ago. Neither of them had changed. Trying again would only hurt them both, and even if their relationship boosted their careers, a breakup would bring backlash. Better to find a new, promising partner and start anew.

He’d set his sights on Li Jiayan—she had talent and beauty, and he was sure he could build a new influencer career for her. He wanted to signal this with his answer.

But he hadn’t expected Chu Yao to pick D. Was it for the prize, or sincere? He found himself unable to read her.

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As for Chu Yao? She, too, was surprised at Xu Junze’s choice, and a pang of bitterness rose. She’d guessed he would pick that answer, but had hoped he’d go against his heart for the prize. In the end, he’d followed his true feelings. That was fine—better not to pretend.

The atmosphere at the barbecue was now very delicate.

Only one question remained—the most suspenseful and nerve-wracking of all.

“Seventh question—what will your answers be? This will decide tonight’s ultimate compatibility winners!” The staff’s voice brimmed with excitement.

“If you could change partners tomorrow, is there someone else you’d rather team up with?”

Silence. Everyone waited for the final reveal.

“Lu Zhou!” The staff called his name first.

Qi Jiajia felt her heart leap to her throat.

Li Jiayan bit her lip, her gaze lowered, not even sure what she felt anymore—a mix of anticipation and dread.

The staff milked the suspense, saying nothing after the name.

Ye Fangfei, chewing her meat, raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you tired of this routine?”

The staff chuckled, cleared his throat, and finally read, “Lu Zhou’s answer to the last question is—A! Yes, there’s someone else I’d rather team up with!”

Qi Jiajia’s eyes widened with disappointment. “???”

Li Jiayan’s head snapped up, a flicker of hope in her eyes. He wanted to partner with someone else? So Qi Jiajia wasn’t his first choice! The thought brought a secret smile to her lips. But who was it—someone he’d partnered with before, or not?

Questions multiplied, for her and for the rest.

“Qi Jiajia’s answer is—B, no!”

Her eyelids drooped, her face growing warm. Her answer was a clear statement, but Lu Zhou’s was the opposite—she felt hurt.

Lu Zhou looked at her, noting the awkwardness on her face. He hadn’t meant to hurt anyone; he’d just answered honestly.

“Unfortunately, your group didn’t earn a compatibility point on the last question,” the staff said.

Livestream chat:

[Ahh, my California duo broke up on the last question!]
[Who does he want to team up with? I want to know!]
[Definitely Feibao!]
[No, I bet it’s Li Jiayan]
…

“Next group’s answers.”

“Zhang Chen! His answer is—” The staff drew it out.

Zhang Chen, impatient, cut him off: “Everyone knows what I’d pick. Let me just say it: B! No!”

The staff’s face darkened as laughter spread.

He moved on. “Ye Fangfei’s answer is…”

Zhang Chen interjected, “She definitely picked A!”

The staff twitched. “...She did pick A.”

Zhang Chen nodded, snapping his fingers. “See how well I know her.”

Ye Fangfei pressed her lips together, glancing at him.

Livestream chat:

[Zhang Chen’s given up]
[Is he upset?]
[He seems angry]
…

“No point for you.”

The staff hurried along.

“Wen Yiming answered B! No other female guest he wants to partner with.”

“???” Li Jiayan was surprised—this wasn’t like him.

“Partner Li Jiayan answered A—yes, there’s another male guest she’d rather team up with!” the staff read. “Sorry, no compatibility point.”

Wen Yiming’s smile froze. He glanced at the other men, wondering who Li Jiayan wanted as a partner—rich boy Zhang Chen, whom she’d shown interest in, or ex-boyfriend Lu Zhou?

He fiddled with his fingers. Interesting show.

“Finally, the last group.”

The staff checked the final questionnaires, then smiled.

“Xu Junze and Chu Yao both picked A! If given the chance to change partners tomorrow, both would choose someone else!”

“Unfortunately, though your answers match, it doesn’t fit the criteria for a compatibility point.”

With all the answers read, each guest wore a different expression.

Livestream chat:

[So dramatic]
[The human heart is unpredictable]
[The competition is about to heat up]
…

“To sum up, based on the compatibility scores, today’s Best Partner award goes to—”

“Congratulations to Lu Zhou and Qi Jiajia! You’ll receive an endorsement opportunity for Bai Boli. Your poster will be displayed in subway stations in major cities for a week.”

The announcement left everyone stunned. An endorsement for a luxury brand, displayed in major city subways? That was as good as cash.

Livestream chat:

[Wow, the show has money!]
[How many sponsors did they land?]
[Lu Zhou’s won two big prizes now! Is it rigged?]
[I bet he’s here just to clean up on prizes]
[Everyone wants a share, but only those who play well as a team win. The fact that he’s always in sync is a bit scary]
…

Qi Jiajia was overjoyed. She hadn’t expected to win—she just wanted to enjoy time with Lu Zhou. To earn this by chance was a real surprise. An endorsement for Bai Boli? As an ordinary girl, she’d never imagined such an opportunity… It felt as if her career path was opening up.

Lu Zhou hadn’t expected to win again either, but was pleased, if somewhat amazed by the show’s generosity.

The other three pairs, except for Ye Fangfei and Zhang Chen, wondered why Lu Zhou always won. Was there a secret? Was he under some kind of lucky star—whoever partnered with him seemed to win.

Wen Yiming and Xu Junze even suspected the prize was designed for him, perhaps with a sponsor behind the scenes pushing him to stardom.

It was suspicious. Lu Zhou had started as a nobody, showing little interest in romance, just occasionally showing off his musical skills. Then after the show aired, he suddenly became popular… Was he playing the dark horse? They’d all assumed Zhang Chen was the real big shot, but now it seemed Lu Zhou was the hidden boss.

Were all those rumors online about his poverty and lack of background just a smokescreen?

With that idea, both Wen Yiming and Xu Junze gave Lu Zhou a different look.

Meanwhile, Li Jiayan and Chu Yao were both plotting to partner with Lu Zhou the next day.

Only Zhang Chen, legs crossed and brow furrowed, was still brooding over Ye Fangfei’s lack of desire to team up again.

Thanks to Zeng Daren for the 500 Qidian coins.

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