Can You Believe It? I Ran into My Ex on a Dating Variety Show - Chapter 19

He Xingzhi hated Shi Yu. He hated how heartless Shi Yu had been when they broke up back then. After saying it was over, Shi Yu truly never contacted him again. He left He Xingzhi alone, like a trapped beast imprisoned by the past.

Upon reuniting, Shi Yu looked at him as if he were just an ordinary friend he had not seen in a long time, or perhaps a stranger whose name he happened to know. He had called out He Xingzhi’s name so calmly, greeting him without a single ripple of emotion.

Shi Yu had no heart, but He Xingzhi did. The passionate are always abandoned by the heartless; he supposed he deserved it. He Xingzhi clenched his fists, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.

On the other side, Shi Yu returned to his room and calmly opened his suitcase. He pulled out a pair of pajama pants and a denim shirt, but he even buttoned the shirt incorrectly.

He rarely showed his emotions because he was someone who knew how to hide things well. However, he suffered from severe OCD and was a total neat freak. He never mismatched clothes, let alone messed up his buttons. It was not until he was about to head out and caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror that Shi Yu realized how ridiculously wrong he was.

He took the clothes back off and changed out of the pajama pants. He put on a set of loose, comfortable sportswear, tousled his hair slightly, and walked out.

Standing at the door was He Xingzhi, with one foot propped against the wall and his hands in his pockets, acting as if the previous episode had never happened. He was wearing an all-black tracksuit.

The clothing colors Shi Yu liked were either black, white, or neutral tones. This time, he happened to be wearing pure white. He preferred pure white because it was easier to tell when it got dirty.

However, He Xingzhi looked Shi Yu up and down, from head to toe, and asked, “Are you going running in slippers?”

A rare flush appeared on Shi Yu’s fair face. He whispered, “I forgot.” He then bolted back into his room, locked the door, and began frantically searching for shoes to change into.

During filming, the production crew did not stop guests from engaging in private activities, but they were required to wear microphones and be followed by a camera operator to capture potential footage for the show.

Shi Yu’s cameraman was an older veteran with a square jaw and a sturdy build who had been in the business for over a decade. He was very fond of Shi Yu and frequently took close-up shots of Shi Yu’s incredibly beautiful face.

He Xingzhi’s cameraman was relatively younger and seemed very energetic. At the start, the two of them could keep up by running with their cameras, but eventually, they could not sustain the pace. They had to use the production crew’s small tricycles to follow from a distance.

Shi Yu maintained a fitness routine at home as well. Although he did not train as intensely as He Xingzhi, he had muscle in all the right places. The two ran for a while, remaining silent at first while they kept a parallel pace facing the morning breeze. Neither took the initiative to speak.

The cameramen filmed like this for three kilometers, feeling that after the first episode finished filming, they could edit a “pure running version” together. Simply admiring handsome men running was enough.

The early morning sea breeze was gentle and pleasant, carrying the scent of the ocean. After finishing a ten-kilometer run, the two began walking back. There was a vending machine by the side of the road. He Xingzhi wanted to buy some water, but after feeling his pockets, he realized he had not brought any money or his phone.

He looked at Shi Yu. Shi Yu shook his head and said, “I did not bring anything either. Let’s drink when we get home.”

They had headed out early, so the streets were quiet. Only busy sanitation workers and breakfast stalls were visible. Shi Yu smelled the fragrance of steamed buns and swallowed hard. He was getting hungry. The two picked up their pace.

By the time they arrived home, the other guests had gradually woken up. The veteran actor, Yan Jin, was already sitting on the sofa reading a script. Xie Yuanzhou was in the gaming room, Zhang Bin was working out in the gym, and Liu Xiuxiu was warming up her voice on the balcony. Only Su Jingxi was still asleep.

Both Shi Yu and He Xingzhi needed to shower first. He Xingzhi let Shi Yu go first. Shi Yu, who could not stand the feeling of sweat on his body for long, did not decline. He took his change of clothes and entered the bathroom.

While waiting, He Xingzhi ran a hand through his red hair and picked up his phone to reply to messages from his manager.

[Kelly]: I just asked Xiao Zhang. You went running with Shi Yu? What do you mean by this? Are you trying to get back together?

[Kelly]: I will be finished with my work in two days. I am begging you, before then, do not create any strange scandals.

[He Xingzhi]: It is just a run. Is there a need to make such a fuss?

Kelly sent over a photo.

[Kelly]: See for yourself.

In the photo were He Xingzhi and Shi Yu, running along the seaside track. The staff and cameramen on the two small tricycles followed at a moderate distance. The focal points were He Xingzhi and Shi Yu. The two looked neither close nor distant, but a bit awkward. A moment later, Kelly sent two screenshots of netizens’ discussions triggered by the photo.

• • “These two look so awkward. It feels like two people who are not into each other being forced to run together.”

• • “Is the production team planning to push a Rivals CP?”

• • “You all see them as clashing, but am I the only one who feels like the atmosphere between them has that ‘Reigniting an Old Flame’ vibe?”

• • “You are overthinking it. Looking at how they are dressed, it is eighty to ninety percent likely the crew wants to force a Rivals CP. It is all just a script.”

• • “Does anyone know what time today’s livestream starts?”

• • “No idea, the director has not announced it yet.”

[Kelly]: Now netizens are worried you two might start a fight at any moment.

[He Xingzhi]: If I actually had the heart to do it, I would have beaten him black and blue when we met in the VIP lounge.

[Kelly]: A love-brain like you needs your sister to come set you straight.

[He Xingzhi]: Impossible. My sister likes him more than she likes me. He was the one who initiated the breakup, but I was the one who got beaten. When my sister found out I broke up with Shi Yu, she thrashed me for three days.

[Kelly]: ?

[He Xingzhi]: My sister thinks that if he was driven to break up with me, it must be because I am too much of a piece of trash.

Kelly had not had much contact with Shi Yu. She had only seen him a few times and never even spoke to him. Moreover, they broke up shortly after she took over as He Xingzhi’s manager, so she had only witnessed He Xingzhi acting like a madman.

She had always assumed Shi Yu must be a “player” or an incredibly selfish person; otherwise, how could he have the heart to hurt such an “idiot” so deeply? This “idiot” was clearly very devoted. Three years after the breakup, he still kept a beautiful photo of his ex-boyfriend tucked in his wallet. Once, when he accidentally lost it, he nearly lost his mind with her.

Kelly had been anxious too, worried that a lost wallet would lead to some uncontrollable scandal. In the end, it was found under the sofa at He Xingzhi’s house. It turns out the bastard got drunk the night before, took the photo out of his wallet to wail and cry, and it slipped under the sofa after he fell asleep.