Desire! This Romance Is Overflowing with Ambiguous Atmosphere! So Sweet! - Chapter 21

The long-awaited beach banquet arrived swiftly!

Matcha TV began its live broadcast promptly at 7 PM, with viewers settling in front of their computers, dinner in hand, eagerly anticipating the couples’ heart-fluttering tests for the evening.

The camera focused on the long banquet table set up on the beach.

In view were romantic gauze curtains and tablecloths, complemented by warm yellow lights that twinkled like stars as dusk began to fall.

“Wow! So beautiful!”

“The production team really knows how to set the mood! A date in this atmosphere, won’t the couples just start kissing right away?”

“Every season’s first dinner has its iconic moments. I wonder which pair it’ll be this time, hehe.”

“I’m betting on ‘Seize the Day’! I’ve been looping their interactions, I’m completely hooked and can’t get out. The more I watch, the more subtle details I notice!!”

“Honestly, I think Yu Zheng isn’t as innocent as he seems.”

“Enough chatting, folks! The banquet is about to start. Xia Zhuozhuo is here with her so-called ‘unlucky-in-love’ rumored partner, hahaha!”

Finally, it was time to get to the main event.

The viewers, who had been happily chatting in the comments moments before, immediately shifted their attention to the two figures stepping into the frame.

A gentle sea breeze lifted the hem of her dress.

Xia Zhuozhuo, as striking and proud as a black swan, walked toward the dining table in a black strapless evening gown, her fair, long legs subtly revealed through the dress’s slit.

“Ugh! Why is Xia Zhuozhuo the first to arrive?”

“Can’t stand this nobody. She’s always clinging to President Fu for publicity and scandals, and she barely has any notable works to her name.”

“LOL. President Fu gave her the cold shoulder all day today. Even during the couple photoshoot, he looked like he was just tolerating it, as if he couldn’t wait to finish and be free of the hassle.”

“But I don’t think Xia Zhuozhuo was trying to win him over either. Wasn’t it President Fu who gestured for her to hurry into his arms for the photo?”

“Still, she looks absolutely stunning!!!”

Xia Zhuozhuo, an 18th-tier celebrity in the entertainment industry.

She gained initial fame for her stunning looks and acting skills upon debut, but before she could capitalize on the momentum, a scandal broke out.

At a cocktail party, Xia Zhuozhuo reportedly smashed a wine bottle over the head of a well-connected investor in the industry. It was said that blood flowed instantly, and the person was rushed to the hospital.

Since then, Xia Zhuozhuo hasn’t landed any acting roles.

Rumors suggest it’s due to suppression by industry powers.

She herself showed little ambition, even skipping variety shows and embracing a laid-back, carefree attitude, indifferent to criticism.

Yet, paparazzi seemed obsessed with following her, repeatedly capturing her entering and exiting hotels and luxury residences with Hua Rong’s CEO, Fu Yuji. Despite the frequent exposure of their rumored relationship, neither ever confirmed it.

Fu Yuji once addressed the matter in a financial column interview, responding indifferently, “We’re not close.”

Netizens relentlessly attacked Xia Zhuozhuo, accusing her of clinging to him in hopes of leveraging his influence for a comeback.

Xia Zhuozhuo couldn’t be bothered to explain.

She even once boldly remarked, “Who would want to be associated with him?”

In the recent poll, the two were invited by the show’s production team as the second-most-voted pair. Xia Zhuozhuo agreed without hesitation, seemingly determined to use this opportunity to draw a clear line between them. Surprisingly, Fu Yuji didn’t refuse.

Now, he too approached, dressed impeccably in a suit.

Fu Yuji’s appearance was cool and aloof, with thin, emotionless single eyelids and narrow, elongated eyes that only lifted slightly at the corners when he smiled. His browline was sharp, and his lips were red and thin.

The well-tailored black suit he wore exuded an air of aristocratic nonchalance and privilege, as if he had been raised in the lap of luxury.

The two met.

The atmosphere around them instantly shifted.

Tension crackled in the air.

Xia Zhuozhuo, holding the hem of her dress, turned her head and saw him. Fu Yuji lifted his eyelids, and as soon as their eyes met, she let out a haughty, dismissive hum and turned her head away.

Then, she quickened her pace, putting as much distance between them as possible.

Live chat reactions were sharp:

“Out of the three pairs, they’re the least convincing as a real couple. Even the fake couple ‘Seize the Day’, who’ve already been exposed as just mutual fans, are sweeter than these two.”

Fu Yuji, however, seemed unbothered.

He merely cast a fleeting glance at Xia Zhuozhuo before striding over with his long legs and taking a seat beside her.

The few remaining fans of their pairing immediately started fangirling hard.

But Xia Zhuozhuo’s anti-fans quickly shut them down, mocking them for being too easily excited.

Xia Zhuozhuo, for her part, made no effort to interact with Fu Yuji.

She poured herself a glass of red wine and took small sips, her gaze drifting repeatedly toward the direction she had come from, as if waiting for someone.

Just then, a commotion broke out on the beach.

Xia Zhuozhuo instinctively looked up, and sure enough, a soft, misty pink figure came into view.

Not far away.

Wen Shiwu, dressed in an evening gown, walked into the frame from off-camera.

Xia Zhuozhuo’s eyes instantly lit up.

The stylist had chosen a dreamy, ethereal gown for Wen Shiwu that perfectly captured her pure and lively girlish charm. The strapless design elegantly showcased her graceful swan neck, fair collarbones, and slender shoulders. Delicate three-dimensional flowers adorned the layered skirt, evoking the image of a lively fairy wandering through a girlishly romantic Monet garden.

The moment Wen Shiwu appeared.

The live stream’s viewership surged.

“Ahhh! It’s my beautiful girl!”

“Baby, that dress today is absolutely stunning! How can a flower fairy descend to earth without any trace of broken wings? I used to think I wasn’t into the pure desire (innocent yet seductive) style, but now I realize I was just fooling myself.””

“Resisting feminine charms starting from… Wait, I’m a woman, why should I resist? Baby, come here and give your big sister a kiss! [kiss][heart eyes]”

“Oh my god! With Wen Shiwu here, who can even tell me apart from a beast now? [heart eyes][heart eyes][crazed]”

The live chat descended into collective madness.

In the observation room, Jiang Ran watched the screen full of explicit comments with a complicated expression: “Is this live stream going to get banned?”

“This is nothing!” Lin Xingyou clasped her hands to her cheeks. “Faced with Wen Shiwu, I have to choose between innocent seduction and prison!”

Jiang Ran: “…”

Wen Shiwu wasn’t his type, so he couldn’t quite grasp why netizens and Yu Zheng were so obsessed with her.

But if Wen Shiwu’s looks were ranked second among female celebrities in the entertainment industry, no one else would dare claim first place.

Luo Xuan, standing nearby, wore a sour expression: “Who knows if she’s had any work done?”

Everyone else: “…” Silence.

Forget it, no point engaging with this jealous lunatic.

The audience continued to admire Wen Shiwu’s captivating beauty, watching as she smiled, her dimples showing, and blinked her sparkling under-eye crescents at the camera: “Good evening, everyone~”

The live chat flooded with responses of “Good evening!”

Even Xia Zhuozhuo couldn’t stay seated.

Her heart leaped with excitement, but she didn’t dare take the initiative to greet her.

It was Wen Shiwu who walked over to the dining table on her own.

She looked at Xia Zhuozhuo generously and didn’t hesitate to praise: “Hello, I’m Wen Shiwu. You’re so beautiful.”

Xia Zhuozhuo immediately stood up excitedly.

She couldn’t contain her pounding heart: “You’re the beautiful one! You’re the most beautiful! Oh my god, if it weren’t for my childhood goddess, I wouldn’t have come to this lousy dating show! Teacher Wen, I grew up watching your dramas!”

Wen Shiwu: “…”