Drink This Bowl Of Dog Blood! [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 9

“Knock, knock, knock.”

The sound of tapping at the door roused Song Yanxing. His fingers twitched as his deep eyes slowly blinked open. He sat up, rubbing his aching temples, and glanced at his watch. It was 11:00 PM. He looked down for a moment, feeling a bit dazed about having fallen asleep on the sofa.

Song Yanxing shook his head, stood up, and opened the door. It was Ye Hui.

“What is it?” Song Yanxing asked, his gaze drifting over the other man with a casual and languid air.

Under the weight of that look, a sudden nervousness welled up inside Ye Hui. “Chi Ting and I bought some late-night snacks. Do you want to eat?”

Song Yanxing was about to shake his head and refuse.

“Everyone is in the living room,” Ye Hui added with a forced smile.

“Alright,” Song Yanxing replied.

Having gained his consent, Ye Hui led the way, though he could not ignore how quickly the man had changed his mind upon hearing that everyone was there. He wondered if it was because a certain someone was there. Ye Hui thought bitterly.

The eight guests gathered in the living room. As they ate, there was a tacit agreement not to mention their earlier dates.

Cheng Siyou, prompted by the director to move the schedule along, took out a task card and read to the group: “After nearly two days of getting to know each other, are you more curious about the others? Next, we will spin a wine bottle to select the first guest to reveal their profession. After that, you may personally designate the next person!”

“Shall I start the spin?” Cheng Siyou placed an empty bottle in the center of the table.

“Mhm.” Everyone nodded, their eyes fixed on the bottle.

Cheng Siyou gave it a light flick. The bottle spun a few times before slowly stopping in front of Chi Ting.

“Aha! Chi Ting, please introduce your profession,” Cheng Siyou said.

Chi Ting looked up. “I am a singer-songwriter. I have been developing my career abroad and only recently returned to the country.”

The group nodded, and Cheng Siyou chimed in, “No wonder your voice is so nice! Who do you designate next?”

“Song Yanxing,” Chi Ting said, looking at the distracted man. “Even though we have a general idea of his job, let us make it official.”

Song Yanxing had not expected to be picked so soon but reacted quickly. “I am an actor, primarily focused on films. If you are interested, you can look up my past work.”

“I am a fan, I know!” Cheng Siyou joked. “If anyone wants to know what genre to watch, ask me. Brother Song, who is next?”

Song Yanxing tilted his head toward Tan Qiuyi, who was also watching him. He smiled faintly. “Qiuyi. I have always been curious about his profession.”

Ye Hui’s lips thinned as he looked away, seemingly trying to control his emotions.

Tan Qiuyi’s lips curved almost imperceptibly. He looked at the man waiting for his answer and spoke to the group: “I am a pianist. Currently, I am a visiting professor in the Arts Department of a university in A City.”

Meng Can looked at the man beside him and praised, “You certainly look like a piano artist. Your hands are truly beautiful.”

Everyone’s gaze shifted to Tan Qiuyi’s hands as he casually held his drink. His fingers were long, fair, and clean, and they looked powerful, with nails trimmed short as required for a pianist. Tan Qiuyi merely lowered his head and smiled slightly.

“Who do you designate, Qiuyi?” Cheng Siyou asked.

Tan Qiuyi’s gaze swept over those who had not yet spoken before settling on Zhou Xiangyu. “Brother Zhou.”

Zhou Xiangyu smiled and said straightforwardly, “I am a racing driver. I am currently the first driver from China to win an F1 World Championship. Now that I have retired, I opened a racing club. You are all welcome to visit.”

“That is very cool. It was one of my childhood dreams,” Chi Ting said with a smile.

Meng Can leaned forward curiously. “I really want to experience what drifting feels like!”

After a few laughs, Cheng Siyou asked for the next designation. Zhou Xiangyu looked at the one person who had not been looking at him. “You.”

“Me?” Cheng Siyou was stunned. He found it strange that Zhou Xiangyu would choose to learn about him, his ex, instead of someone else. He quickly regained his composure. “I am a surgeon. Although I suppose I do not quite look like one.”

“You really do not,” Ye Hui agreed, trying to rejoin the conversation. “I thought you studied broadcasting; you have the vibe of a host.”

Cheng Siyou laughed at himself. “The doctor who looks most like a host, then.” He turned to the last person, Zuo Yi. “Your turn.”

Zuo Yi raised his cold eyes. “I am the CEO of a listed company. Currently, I am primarily responsible for managing our operations in A City.”

“A big CEO is right beside me? Let me get close to that aura!” Cheng Siyou joked.

Zuo Yi said calmly, “It is a family business; it is nothing much.”

Everyone privately noted the art of the CEO’s humblebrag.

Once the professions were revealed, Cheng Siyou cleared his throat and took a box of cards from a drawer. “Next, everyone draw a card. There is a big surprise for whoever draws the Joker.”

The guests stepped forward to draw. After looking at their cards, they each showed different expressions before returning to their rooms to rest and send their anonymous heartbeat messages.

In his room, Ye Hui gripped the Black Joker card. He looked down at the newly received message from the production team: “Your X did not choose you.” It was as stinging as the day before. He looked at the Joker card, hope rising in his eyes. Regardless of the outcome, he had to try.

Late at night, a post surged onto the hot search rankings.

[Explosive! Best Actor S has been spotted participating in a dating show! Photo proof included!]

The attached image showed two men walking on a beach, caught in a moment of accidental eye contact, with cameras trailing in the distance. Night owls quickly flocked to the comment section:

“LOL, Song Yanxing: Why do you not just post my ID number while you are at it?”

“A dating show? Seeing that the other person is also male, I have a thought. Could it be a Transit Love show for divorced male couples?”

“Do you guys not know? When S announced his retirement for love, he said the other person was a male lover. But he protected him well; in three years of marriage, the paparazzi could not dig up a single bit of information. I am super curious about him!”

“Does no one else think the guy standing with Song Yanxing has incredible chemistry with him?! That look under the sunset. It feels like they are the only two people in the world!”

“I admit the vibes are strong, but what if he is the ex? Only people who know each other deeply could be that natural in front of cameras.”

“Wait, so they are getting back together? That cannot be right. Based on the Weibo posts from Song Yanxing and his studio on the day of his comeback, a reconciliation is a no-go!”

Amidst the shippers and the curious, anti-fans also appeared:

“I just want to say, can this washed-up actor only get attention through variety shows now? His acting must be so bad he has no scripts left. This is hilarious.”

“Joining this kind of show is beneath him, but it is understandable. Those who retire for love at their peak have to face the consequences.”

“Do not worry, brother. Once the show airs, you will have popularity again, and trashy scripts will be waiting for you to pick.”

At 5:00 AM, the production team seized the momentum and released the first teaser clip: The First Interview — Song Yanxing.

A handsome man in simple attire sat before a white wall, nodding to the camera.

Narrator: Why did you choose to join this show?

Song Yanxing raised an eyebrow and thought for a moment. “Many people might doubt the existence of love because of a failed relationship. For me, even if we eventually parted, that relationship allowed me to recognize my shortcomings and improve myself.” He looked directly into the lens. “Just like the name of the show, Heartbeat Again, I hope everyone can regain the courage to love.”

Narrator: How do you define a healthy relationship?

Song Yanxing: “Sincerity, respect, mutual understanding and growth, and the ability to provide positive emotional value.”

Narrator: Anything to say to your fans?

Song Yanxing sat up straight, his deep eyes full of sincerity. “I hope to bring more excellent works to everyone. I am truly grateful to every fan who stayed and did not give up on me.”

The clip ended with a montage of blurred interactions: the first meeting in the garden, the self-introductions, the hot pot accident, and the letters from X.

The internet exploded. Loyal fans cried tears of joy, while shippers began analyzing the beach photos. Before the anti-fans could launch another attack, a famous movie director stepped in:

Xu Zhenyang V: “Very happy to collaborate with an actor I have always admired to complete the film ‘Breeze,’ which has been shelved for several years. Happy collaborating! @SongYanxing V”

The anti-fans were silenced. If a legendary director was willing to work with him, his acting skills were clearly not in question.

The next morning, Song Yanxing and Tan Qiuyi were eating breakfast at the table. Just as they finished tidying up, footsteps sounded on the stairs.

“Good morning, Qiuyi.” Ye Hui walked to the table with a bright smile, then turned to Song Yanxing, who was washing dishes. “Can we head out now?”

Tan Qiuyi looked up to greet him, but upon hearing the question, his brow furrowed for a split second before returning to its usual cold composure. So, Ye Hui is one of the lucky Jokers with the power to choose any date partner, Tan Qiuyi thought, his eyelids drooping slightly.

Song Yanxing placed the clean bowls in the sterilization cabinet and replied, “Soon.”

Just then, another person appeared. Zuo Yi, wearing a black coat, walked toward Tan Qiuyi. His usually cold features softened as he spoke. “Is it convenient to go on a date this morning? It was too late to tell you last night.”

On the other side, Song Yanxing wiped his hands, his expression unreadable.

It appeared Zuo Yi was the Red Joker, the other lucky individual with the power to initiate a date.