Chapter 122: The Grand Finale of the Dating Reality Show (End)

Inside the small villa by the lake on the estate, Tang Zhichu, now wearing the shirt Zhou Yun had bought for him, sat on the sofa watching the show. Under the editing and embellishments of the production team, it did indeed look a bit like a television drama.

Zhou Yun, her hair tied in a messy bun, rested her head on Tang Zhichu’s lap. She wasn’t watching the screen; instead, she was focused on her phone. Only after sending an email she had been editing for a long time did she turn her gaze toward the television.

"Aren't you afraid of being criticized?" Zhou Yun asked suddenly.

"Afraid of what? Who in the entertainment industry doesn't get criticized?" Tang Zhichu glanced at the dense stream of bullet comments—expressions of heartbreak, lingering regrets, and so on. He knew that since he hadn't kept the truth from the audience, criticism was inevitable. But as long as no fundamental principles were violated, it would be fine. Tang Zhichu understood his own positioning; he was going to rely on his work in the future. He was also glad that he had managed a small, final performance, ensuring the audience could at least see that he and Chen Siyang had mutual feelings for each other. That way, even if he were blamed, rational viewers would direct their ire at the production team, Tianhe Entertainment, or DY. If two people like each other but can't be together, whose fault is that?

"Hey, what kind of expression do you think they’d have if they knew I was lying next to you right now?" Zhou Yun added.

Tang Zhichu paused, then reached out and tapped her forehead. "What are you thinking about!"

"Hehe, it’s so thrilling!" Zhou Yun looked up at him with an aggressive glint in her eyes. On screen, he was confessing his feelings to Chen Siyang; in reality, would he dare to touch her? She nudged her head against his stomach, looking provocative.

Tang Zhichu didn’t move. He knew Zhou Yun too well—this wasn't just a provocation; it was forcing him to make a choice, something Jiang Lan had done long ago. He reached out, cupped her face with both hands, and rubbed it vigorously. When Zhou Yun failed to dodge, she rolled over, buried her face in his stomach, and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Don't move around, it tickles!" Tang Zhichu said helplessly.

A muffled voice came from Zhou Yun: "Hmph, then let's fight it out and see who gives in first!"

Tang Zhichu shrugged and pulled the blanket down to cover her slender, fair waist, which had been exposed by her movements.

Things turned out much as Tang Zhichu had expected. The fans, deeply invested in the "shipping" of the couple, rushed to attack the production team, Tianhe Entertainment, and even DY. Of course, there were those attacking Tang Zhichu as well; if he were on DY right now, his inbox would surely be flooded with angry inquiries. Some who considered themselves clever realized that Tang Zhichu held the initiative in his interactions with Chen Siyang, and if blame were to be assigned, he would have to take the lion's share.

On Weibo, Yang Jiaxing and Huang Zejun made rare public statements. Yang Jiaxing’s post was simple: he reposted Yun Miao’s update with the comment, "Is it possible that it's precisely because they like each other that they aren't together?" Huang Zejun wrote his own: "Do you guys see it so clearly? I still don't know if they are together or not." Both posts carried subtle implications.

Just then, a major influencer with over ten million followers, known as "Big Liu Talks," posted an essay, and the tide turned instantly.

"I watched it on a friend's recommendation. After finishing the last episode, I felt like I hadn't understood it because it didn't make sense. Tang and Chen clearly liked each other, so why weren't they together? Did the company forbid it? Did the production team?"

"Impossible. As the show progressed, the ones who wanted Tang Zhichu and Chen Siyang to be together most were the production team and Tianhe Entertainment—being a couple would maximize their profits. So, where did it go wrong?"

"Go back and watch the second episode, the date at the riverside. They were communicating so well, the emotions were spot on. Why, after Tang Zhichu went to the restroom, did he linger by the railing? To look cool? Is that really who he is?"

"What kind of person is Tang Zhichu? After studying him, I was truly shocked. Let alone the 'Sugar God' persona—I know some insider info: Changwang Group is in talks with DY, trying to secure an exclusive endorsement or have him take a position there. He is the 'Sugar God' in every sense. Plus, those two dances he taught casually have accumulated over nine figures in traffic on DY, and word is he’s also the winner of the DY Magic Sound Cup singing competition."

"Can anyone really doubt the intelligence of a man like that? Looking back at the second episode, when he watched Chen Siyang’s back, what was he thinking? I think he was already contemplating the ending of the reality show."

"Why did he take her to the movies? To see her dreams. When they talked about films, Chen Siyang must have touched his heart, which is why he stood by that railing, deep in thought."

"Thinking about what? Obviously, how to help her fulfill those dreams."

"Ask yourselves: if they had ended up together, what would the outcome be? It's self-evident—endless commercial deals, endless variety shows. Why? Because of profit maximization. Do you really think they could have resisted the combined pressure of Tianhe, DY, and the show?"

"So, in the second episode, Tang Zhichu decided on one thing: he and Chen Siyang could not be together—at least not publicly. Get it?"

"If he had stayed with her, Chen Siyang wouldn't be able to pursue her dreams, and his own life trajectory would be passively altered. You might think I’m overthinking this, that it sounds too magical."

"But let me tell you, the magic is yet to come."

"Tang Zhichu decided they couldn't be a couple on the show, but he faced three major obstacles: the production team, DY, and Tianhe Entertainment. This is where he’s at his most absurd!"

"Which of the three is the smallest obstacle? DY, of course, because they are 'his' people. So, he had to handle them first. How? By demonstrating his own value. We know DY is a music app. When he showed that his musical worth far outweighed his 'CP' (couple) value, DY had to make a choice: protect the couple's heat or protect the musical talent of Tang Zhichu himself!"

"Why do I say this? Because of the song 'If I Were You'! Go back and watch—you’ll see he deliberately prepared subtitles, even marking the lyrics and composition as his own. I thought it was a bit cringey at first. Why put the lyrics and credits on a song you’re singing to her? To show off? No, that was for DY to see."

"Clearly, DY chose to protect his talent. But how did he handle the other two? This is his most brilliant move."

"Because of that same song, the show’s heat is through the roof. Does anyone think this song won't be a hit? It’s clearly written for Chen Siyang. It’s a gift of heat to her. Anyone who sings this song in the future will think of her. Doesn't Tianhe Entertainment see that?"

"When DY decided to drop the 'couple' angle, Tianhe realized Chen Siyang had enough heat, and coupled with her own professional capability, converting that heat into her career was acceptable. From their perspective, a 'couple' is a short-term interest; her career is a long-term one. Why force a 'couple' if she has the potential for long-term development?"

"As for the final party? I can only say you’re all cursing the wrong people. The production team were the real victims. Tang Zhichu set the pace, handled DY and Tianhe, and once their backers stopped caring about the couple, what could the production team do?"

"If you still want to curse after hearing this, I can't help you. If you don't believe it, treat it as a fairy tale. If you do, go back and watch the show—there are too many clues. As for the result? Let’s wait and see. They definitely haven't broken up; they’re playing a very new game."

"I am awestruck by this realization. Sugar God! No offense intended! Just a super fan digging for Easter eggs! If I’ve overstepped, I apologize and will delete the post!"

The post instantly hit the trending list. His perspective and the revelations were too shocking—unbelievable, yet perfectly logical.

"Holy crap, have I been watching a fake show this whole time?"
"Damn, is this a detective show?"
"I'm shocked. Is he really that extreme? Manipulating three parties and playing all of us?"
"Whatever, it’s just another conspiracy theory. Who believes this?"
"I went back to watch the second episode. It actually makes sense! I was wondering why he took her to the cinema—it was so cliché. Turns out he was planning something big from that very moment!"

The post’s heat soared again.

In Beijing, at the headquarters of Tianhe Entertainment, Liu Yu sat in her office reading the post. Could this theory be true? She massaged her temples; the impact of the post was indeed staggering. Tang Zhichu was only twenty-four, a small-time singer—could he really have such machinations? Yet, recalling the events, both she and Su Qingzhu had initially been intent on pushing the couple together. It was only after Tang Zhichu sang that song that they changed their minds.

"Did you see that post?" Liu Yu messaged Su Qingzhu.

Su Qingzhu replied quickly: "Saw it. Why? Surprised? I’ve known all along."

Liu Yu paused and immediately replied: "I knew too. I was just asking if you knew."

Su Qingzhu: "How could I not know? No way, right? Is there really someone who doesn't know?"

Liu Yu rolled her eyes and stopped replying. She had to admit that, in a way, they had been led by Tang Zhichu. But she felt it was a matter of perspective; they hadn't bothered to consider what Tang Zhichu and Chen Siyang were thinking, focusing only on the bottom line—how to maximize profits.

Liu Yu took a deep breath. She suddenly felt they really should tie Chen Siyang and Tang Zhichu together; the implications of what that guy had pulled off were just too outrageous.

Elsewhere, Su Qingzhu sat in her office, looking at the WeChat message. She smiled with satisfaction before turning back to her computer. "Tang Zhichu, oh Tang Zhichu, how do you manage to juggle all this while chasing girls? How many brains do you have?" she sighed, leaning back in her chair.

She picked up her phone, opened the chat with Tang Zhichu, and considered testing him, but felt it would reveal too much. If she asked, wouldn't she be admitting she had been led by him? What about her pride?

She put the phone down, looking at the ID of the person who posted the article, and muttered, "You got lucky with this exposure. I don't believe you could have realized all this from an objective viewpoint."

Indeed, "Big Liu Talks"—the post had been reposted and fermented so quickly that it had the distinct flavor of hindsight. Su Qingzhu didn't believe it was an original insight; someone must have leaked it to him. Who would do that? Tang Zhichu was the most likely, yet also the least—he could do it, but there was no need.

A thought flashed through Su Qingzhu’s mind: Zhou Yun? Or Jiang Lan? Chen Siyang was out of the question; she was just a little girl being led around by the nose.

"You’re quite lucky to have someone going to such lengths to clean up after you," she muttered.

That evening, when Tang Zhichu saw the post, he was stunned. Who was it? His first thought went to Zhou Yun, who was doing yoga on a mat, looking quite serious. It didn't seem like her. Huang Zejun and Yang Jiaxing? Even less likely; if they were that smart, they wouldn't have been nicknamed the "Loser Alliance" by netizens.

There was only one answer. Tang Zhichu’s brow relaxed as a certain figure came to mind, his heart racing. He sent a message on WeChat.

"Sister Lan, you didn't have to do that. Leaving things unfinished is a kind of ending, too."

Jiang Lan’s reply came quickly: "Huh? What did I do? Oh, you finally messaged me. I thought you’d forgotten."

"Stop pretending. The last time you were sketching on the coffee table, that was it, right?"

"Hee hee, you caught me! But there’s no prize!"