Chapter 137: Distinct Styles (Combined Chapter)

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Four experimental dating pairs each boarded a dedicated vehicle arranged by the show’s production team, heading to hotels located in different areas of Beilai City.

Hotel A.

Qi Jiajia arrived at the hotel ahead of her male guest. After stepping out of the car, she waited by the hotel entrance, pushing her suitcase.

Though today was a trial date, she hadn’t put much effort into dressing up, opting for her usual casual style as seen on the show. Perhaps it was because the person she was about to meet wasn’t the one she most hoped for.

Still, due to the nature of the date, she had taken the time to apply a sweet, date-appropriate makeup look. Maybe there wouldn’t be any romantic sparks today, but creating a pleasant atmosphere was uplifting.

No one wanted to feel uncomfortable every day. She resolved to try her best to get along—if they couldn’t become lovers, being good friends would be just fine.

Before long, the male guest’s car arrived at the hotel entrance.

Xu Junze stepped out, dressed casually yet with a touch of formality.

The moment Qi Jiajia saw him, she covered her mouth and laughed.

Xu Junze grabbed their luggage and approached her, extending his right hand with a smile. “Shall we reintroduce ourselves? Hello, Miss Qi, I’m your temporary boyfriend for today, Xu Junze.”

Qi Jiajia chuckled, brushing away his offered hand. “Cut it out.”

She pulled a room card from her jeans pocket and handed it to him. “This is the budget and room card the production just gave me—only one card.”

“Let’s go in and see how things look first,” Xu Junze said, ignoring the card and instead grabbing her suitcase with one hand and his own with the other, heading toward the hotel steps.

Qi Jiajia hurried after him. “The luggage’s pretty heavy. Maybe I should carry it myself.”

“You said it’s heavy, so how could I let a lady do it?” he replied, briskly climbing the steps.

Qi Jiajia flicked her short hair and followed.

They entered the hotel and reached the assigned room.

Before swiping the card to open the door, Qi Jiajia felt a flutter of nerves.

Her mental image of a couple’s room was a bedroom with only a large bed, decorated in soft pinks and romantic touches. If it were like that, she thought she might just sleep on the floor tonight.

Upon entering, she quickly scanned the layout and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, it was a deluxe double suite with two bedrooms—though one was the master and the other secondary, at least they were separate rooms.

“Which one do you want to sleep in?” Qi Jiajia asked after checking the bedrooms, seeking Xu Junze’s opinion.

“I’ll take this one,” he smiled, pointing to the secondary bedroom.

Although Qi Jiajia had politely asked him first, since today was a simulated couple’s day, she guessed most men would choose the secondary room to let the woman have the master bedroom.

“Alright,” Qi Jiajia smiled at him. She had actually favored the secondary bedroom’s view, but since he liked it too, she was happy to let him have it.

They put their luggage in their respective rooms then gathered in the living room to discuss how to plan their date.

“What do you usually do on dates with your girlfriend?”

The production team had left them to decide their own itinerary, and Qi Jiajia suddenly felt uncertain about how to plan their activities.

Xu Junze chuckled softly upon hearing her question and reminisced, “We didn’t do anything particularly special—usually just go out for good food, watch movies, shopping, or visit tourist spots for photos. If there’s anything that makes you uncomfortable, we can avoid it today.”

“No need. Why avoid it?” Qi Jiajia quickly waved her hand, a bit nervous. “We can’t ban things just because we did them with an ex, right? Does that mean no more dining out?”

Xu Junze scratched the back of his head and laughed, “True. Honestly, I’m fine with whatever we do. The main thing is that we enjoy each other’s company. Even just sitting quietly is fine, as long as it’s not awkward.”

Qi Jiajia nodded with a smile. “Me too... but I don’t think we’re close enough yet to sit silently without awkwardness. Maybe we should find something to do.”

“Is there anything you especially want to try?” Xu Junze asked.

“Anything I really want to try?” Qi Jiajia rested her head on one hand, turning her eyes thoughtfully before grinning, “I want to try horseback riding. My coworker once told me it’s fun, but I’ve never done it. Have you?”

Xu Junze nodded. “I’ve tried it once briefly—it’s interesting. Shall we go horseback riding today?”

“Really? You’ve already tried it, won’t it be boring for you?” Qi Jiajia’s expression was a mix of anticipation and worry that he might find it dull.

“With you around, how could it be boring?” he replied with a gentle smile.

Qi Jiajia froze for a moment.

Then she burst out laughing, lightly punching his arm and raising an eyebrow. “Mr. Xu, are you getting too into character? Lost in your role?”

Xu Junze shrugged with a smile. “Since I’m your temporary boyfriend today, I have to act like I’m really dating you. Otherwise, how can it be called a half-day dating experience?”

Qi Jiajia laughed while covering her mouth. “So you always talk like this when you’re in a relationship?”

Seeing her so amused, Xu Junze’s mood brightened. “More or less.”

“I never would’ve guessed before. I’m shocked,” she said, fanning her face. “You’re so dedicated. Compared to me, I’m ashamed.”

“Then how are you when you’re in love? I’m curious,” he asked.

“Me?” Qi Jiajia recalled how she’d been in her past romances and quickly shook her head. “No way, can’t show that. I might scare you off.”

Xu Junze raised his eyebrows. “Now you’ve made me even more curious.”

“All right, back to business. I’m a bit hungry. Let’s find a good restaurant to fill our stomachs first, then look for a place to ride horses. Not even sure if there’s one nearby.”

Xu Junze agreed, and the two set off to find food.

...

Hotel B.

Zhang Chen arrived early, bored as he waited for his matched female guest, Chu Yao.

He was in a terrible mood. What half-day dating experience? He had no interest in that. His partner wasn’t Ye Fangfei. What was the point?

His mind was full of imagined scenes involving Lu Zhou and Ye Fangfei.

It was infuriating. He had come on the show thinking that even if Ye Fangfei didn’t fall for him, she wouldn’t fancy anyone else. But shockingly, she hadn’t chosen him—she had her eye on another man!

The man who beat him was a washed-up entertainment industry nobody.

Just thinking about it made Zhang Chen furious, wanting to tear Lu Zhou apart. But then he reminded himself Lu Zhou hadn’t done anything wrong. Love was never one-sided. If it were, Zhang Chen would have been with Ye Fangfei long ago.

That Lu fellow dared to act arrogantly only because he sensed Ye Fangfei’s signals. Without those signals, Zhang Chen didn’t believe Lu Zhou could have achieved anything—just a poor loser daydreaming about swans.

But now Ye Fangfei had bolstered Lu Zhou’s courage, making Zhang Chen feel like the dream might come true, so Lu Zhou pushed forward recklessly.

Damn it, Zhang Chen vowed to make Ye Fangfei regret it someday.

While his thoughts tangled in confusion, Chu Yao arrived.

She got out of the car with her suitcase and noticed Zhang Chen was deep in thought, completely unaware of her arrival.

She walked over and gently tapped his shoulder. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”

Zhang Chen snapped back to reality. “Oh, you’re here.”

“What were you thinking about? You seemed so distracted,” Chu Yao smiled.

“Nothing,” Zhang Chen hid his feelings and reached to take her suitcase. “Let me carry that.”

Chu Yao smiled and declined. “No need, I can manage.”

She hadn’t forgotten the hilarious moment in the ‘Pink Room’ when Zhang Chen struggled to carry two suitcases alone, and she wasn’t about to let him embarrass himself again.

“The troubles we worry about don’t solve themselves just because we dwell on them. The situation today is what it is. Worrying only adds to the burden. It’s better to let it go and enjoy the day. Then we can watch how things unfold later. What do you think?” she said gently, her eyes smiling warmly.

Zhang Chen studied her quietly. Though her words sounded light, he realized she was comforting and guiding him, seeing through his troubles.

Suddenly, clarity broke through his mind. Why bother overthinking useless things? What good does it do? Better to enjoy himself and have fun.

Chu Yao was truly wise.

It was definitely more comfortable to be with someone considerate.

Zhang Chen smiled brightly at Chu Yao. “No problem! Let’s go check out the couple’s room.”

Chu Yao followed with a smile.

She no longer felt the same way about Zhang Chen as when they first met; now, she regarded him as a friend.

She had come to understand herself—she was not the type of woman who needed to depend on a man. She admired men with wisdom who could grow alongside her.

The allure of wealthy heirs might be strong briefly, as those grand backgrounds were things she never had. Her lack of confidence made her subconsciously seek such support.

But she had come to see the truth: not everyone was suited to climb into the aristocracy. Even if you tried hard and succeeded, would you be happy?

Maybe yes, maybe no. She hadn’t tried, so she didn’t know. But from what she knew of herself, she probably wouldn’t truly enjoy that kind of life. She was a proud, career-driven woman.

Rather than struggling to reach for something unstable and far above her, she preferred to strengthen herself and become that high standard.

As for a partner, she would rather find a promising person to grow with.

If Xu Junze hadn’t once done that selfish thing behind her back, they would have been a great match—helping each other reach where they were today. But unfortunately, things soured.

Still, one should not give up on love because of one bad experience. She wouldn’t stop seeking a man to strive and grow with.

So now, she was clear-headed.

She liked the nurturing type of men. There was no need to deny her preference just because of past failures.

She preferred talented men with great potential, not someone she had to climb up to.

Then why was Zhang Chen her second choice today?

Because she wouldn’t choose Xu Junze again, Wen Yiming didn’t meet her standards, and besides her first choice Lu Zhou, who else could she pick?

Only Zhang Chen.

But it wasn’t for love—just to make herself feel better today.

The two walked into the hotel and found their room—a double suite.

Zhang Chen glanced at the layout, raised an eyebrow, and joked, “This is called a luxury couple’s room? Maybe they misunderstood the word ‘couple.’”

Chu Yao laughed. “I think it’s fine. Newly confirmed couples tend to be more reserved. Many couples choose suites with separate rooms when they travel, if their budget allows.”

Zhang Chen rarely heard of such a thing. Except for when he was with Ye Fangfei, when they didn’t even hold hands, let alone share a room. For other relationships, once official, they usually...

Well, he just hadn’t had much experience.

They settled their luggage and discussed where to go.

Zhang Chen handed over the budget from the production. “I was thinking if we had enough money, I’d take you to experience the thrill of a casino, but this amount isn’t enough. Let’s find something else to do.”

Chu Yao counted the money and thought it was actually quite enough for a half-day date. Besides, she wasn’t interested in casinos.

She glanced around and spotted a small AI robot by the TV in the living room. She got up, picked up the manual, and then asked the robot:

“Hello, Bebe, can you tell me what fun places there are in Beilai City?”

The robot’s eyes lit up blue and it began listing various tourist spots.

Zhang Chen was surprised to find such a device indoors. “Is it connected to the internet?”

Chu Yao smiled at him. “I think so.”

A mischievous light flashed in Zhang Chen’s eyes as he approached the robot and asked, “Bebe, can you tell me what netizens currently say about me online?”

Bebe: “Who are you?”

Zhang Chen: “I’m Zhang Chen.”

Bebe: “Who is Zhang Chen?”

Zhang Chen: “…”

Zhang Chen: “Zhang Chen is your ancestor.”

Bebe: “You’re a liar.”

Zhang Chen: “…”

Chu Yao burst out laughing, patting his shoulder. “Stop fooling around.”

Zhang Chen shrugged and stopped, feeling much better.

“Have you decided where to go?” he asked.

“I want to try real gun shooting. Do you want to?” Chu Yao smiled brightly.

“That’s great. I like it,” Zhang Chen agreed immediately.

“Then, shall we go?”

“Let’s go!”

...

Hotel C.

Wen Yiming arrived first at the hotel entrance; Li Jiayan arrived a little later.

As Li Jiayan’s car pulled up, Wen Yiming warmly greeted her, opening the door for her. As she bent down to get out, he raised his hand above her head to prevent her from hitting it on the car.

“Thank you,” Li Jiayan said.

Afterwards, Wen Yiming naturally went to the trunk to unload her luggage.

Li Jiayan tidied her hair, feeling much better thanks to his considerate gestures.

Indeed, being with a man who liked her made all the difference.

“Yiming, you’ve become so gentlemanly. I’m a bit unaccustomed,” Li Jiayan smiled at him.

Wen Yiming stood before her, holding her luggage. “I haven’t become more gentlemanly—I’ve always been this way toward you. You’re just noticing it now. I’m a little hurt.”

Li Jiayan widened her eyes, showing disbelief. “Really?”

Wen Yiming feigned sadness. “Say more and you’ll hurt me.”

“All right, I won’t tease you. You really are thoughtful toward girls,” Li Jiayan laughed softly.

“As a man, being considerate is basic courtesy. But there’s a difference between how you treat ordinary friends and special people. For them, I’m more attentive.”

Wen Yiming’s gaze suddenly grew tender.

Li Jiayan smiled shyly and averted her eyes toward the hotel, avoiding his intense stare.

“Let’s go, dear girlfriend,” Wen Yiming said, noticing her embarrassment and grinning as he pushed the luggage inside.

Li Jiayan raised her eyebrow slightly and followed. “What did you just call me?”

“Dear girlfriend,” Wen Yiming repeated, looking back at her. “We’re officially in a half-day dating relationship now. That’s appropriate, right?”

Li Jiayan snorted. “I don’t really like that name.”

“What would you prefer I call you? Let’s be more intimate today,” Wen Yiming slowed his pace with a smile. “How about Yan Yan?”

“No!” Li Jiayan’s face stiffened. “That’s not allowed...”

That nickname belonged only to Lu Zhou!

Wen Yiming hadn’t expected such a strong reaction. Without thinking, he guessed the reason and smiled. “Then I’ll just call you Jiayan like usual.”

Li Jiayan realized she had lost her composure and quickly switched back to a soft, cute smile. “That’s good.”

They found their couple’s room, surprised there were two bedrooms. Wen Yiming felt a bit disappointed. Where was the romance in couples having separate rooms? Two single beds would’ve been better.

Li Jiayan, however, thought it was fine.

They settled their luggage and discussed their date plans.

Wen Yiming also noticed the AI robot and used it to find a few activities they both liked.

“Budget and time are limited. Choosing one or two activities seems best,” Wen Yiming suggested. “How about we go ice skating indoors? I’ll show you how to glide on ice. It’s fun.”

Li Jiayan had wanted to try hot air ballooning, but that place was far away, and she didn’t want to tire herself out today. She preferred something more relaxing.

“Okay,” she agreed, guessing Wen Yiming’s reasoning but going along with it.

Thinking about what Lu Zhou and Ye Fangfei might be doing today made her feel stubborn.

“Are you hungry?” Wen Yiming asked gently.

“Not really. Still a bit full,” Li Jiayan replied. “How about you?”

Wen Yiming rubbed his stomach teasingly. “Do you want to hear how loudly my stomach’s growling?”

Li Jiayan made a funny face and shook her head. “No, how do you get hungry so fast? Is it because you exercise?”

“No, you’re the strange one. It’s already mealtime, and you’re still not hungry,” Wen Yiming said, showing her his watch. “You didn’t eat much this morning either.”

“That’s true. Weird,” Li Jiayan touched her stomach, puzzled.

Wen Yiming suddenly leaned in with a smile, meeting her gaze. “Could it be you’re so upset, you’re ‘full of air’?”

“Huh? What?” Li Jiayan was startled by the closeness and instinctively leaned back.

Seeing her recoil, Wen Yiming quickly stepped back and teased, “He’s not thinking about you today. Worrying yourself is pointless. Better to eat well, drink well, and have fun.”

Li Jiayan understood the “he” Wen Yiming referred to.

Though she disliked him being so blunt, and didn’t need him to spell it out—if she hadn’t understood this, she wouldn’t have chosen him today—she couldn’t deny his words echoed her inner thoughts.

Right, Lu Zhou wouldn’t be thinking of her today.

Li Jiayan got up swiftly from the sofa, grabbed her designer bag, and said, “Let’s go eat something delicious.”

...

Hotel D.

Lu Zhou arrived at the hotel first, collected the room card and budget from staff, and soon after, Ye Fangfei arrived.

The car door was pushed open from the inside. Her pristine right foot in high heels first touched the ground. She nodded slightly, gracefully bent forward holding the door as she stepped out. When she removed her sunglasses, her face brightened the scene.

Lu Zhou smiled and approached. “You look like you’re about to walk a red carpet.”

Ye Fangfei paused briefly, then smiled. “Who goes to a red carpet looking this plain?”

“Some people manage to make ‘plain’ look like a red carpet style—I don’t know how,” Lu Zhou chuckled, then went to the trunk to get her luggage.

Ye Fangfei couldn’t hide her smile. She tidied her wind-tousled hair and teased, “So should I wear a sack to our date today?”

Lu Zhou laughed. “Wearing a sack might make you look even more like you’re on a red carpet. There’s a saying online: good looks make even a sack fashionable.”

Ye Fangfei took the luggage from him, smiling. “So, were you just being self-conscious about not looking as good as me?”

Lu Zhou didn’t compete for the luggage. The floor was flat, so she could push it. He replied, “I’m not a woman. If I looked better than you, I’d probably have to check myself into a hospital.”

Ye Fangfei laughed.

“Thank you,” she said.

“For what?”

“For complimenting me.”

“Oh, and that’s it?”

“What else?” Ye Fangfei looked puzzled.

Lu Zhou rubbed his forehead and smiled. “I thought usually when someone says thanks, they also compliment the other person.”

Ye Fangfei giggled. “So that was your setup? Pretty deep, Lu Zhou.”

“Obviously, no tactic works on you,” Lu Zhou joked.

“You look very handsome today—so spirited,” Ye Fangfei played along.

“Too perfunctory. No feeling.”

“…”

They laughed as they entered the hotel.

After checking in and choosing bedrooms, Lu Zhou and Ye Fangfei sat in the living room listening to the AI robot introduce the city’s famous attractions.

They both showed little interest in the tourist spots, exchanged smiles, and decided not to visit them. Instead, they chose a nearby university campus to stroll around, letting their mood guide the rest of the day.

They both disliked feeling constrained.

Thank you for the 1,000 Qidian Coins from the poet!

(End of chapter)