Chapter Sixty-Five: Crossing Swords

Stepping out of the villa, Tang Zhichu glanced up at the sky. Was fate truly dropping a pie right onto her head?

Go or not? Tang Zhichu didn’t hesitate for a second—of course she’d go.

She had opened her eyes and found herself in a romance reality show. If she had survived that ordeal, what was there to fear from a music competition?

Still, this unexpected windfall made her uneasy. Which guardian angel was pulling strings behind the scenes?

It didn’t seem like DY’s doing. If it were, there’d be no need for Yuhua to go to such lengths—a simple written notice would have had her eagerly running over.

Tang Zhichu was about to return to the business van when she suddenly noticed someone waving at her from a short distance away.

She looked over and, to her surprise, it was Zhou Yun.

“I’m free to move around, right?” Tang Zhichu asked a staff member.

“You’re free, but you have to call us before five o’clock. The final shoot isn’t here,” the staffer replied.

“Alright.”

Zhou Yun was driving, as always in her luxurious coupe.

Today, her outfit was quite striking: elegant, understated luxury, Chanel-style, her legs clad in sheer tights.

Zhou Yun opened the car door, her fair face brimming with pride. “You met them, didn’t you?”

Tang Zhichu stared, baffled. What did that mean?

Seeing Tang Zhichu’s disbelief, Zhou Yun suddenly burst out laughing.

Hmph, even Tang Zhichu had moments of surprise, it seemed.

“Get in,” she said.

Tang Zhichu took two steps back. “Where to?”

“Nowhere special. Don’t you want to know why they reached out to you?”

Tang Zhichu got in.

Zhou Yun drove them to the edge of an artificial lake. When Tang Zhichu stayed silent, Zhou Yun laughed. “You’re handling it pretty calmly.”

Tang Zhichu glanced at her. “Who exactly are you?”

Zhou Yun folded her arms, her sparkling eyes gleaming with a mixture of pride and excitement. She was clearly enjoying herself.

“Didn’t you once say that people our age shouldn’t play manipulative games? Convinced yet? Hmph!”

“So it really was you?”

Zhou Yun nodded, her expression returning to seriousness as she took out her phone and opened DY.

Tang Zhichu took the phone. It was a short video—footage from their second date, the background music she’d given Zhou Yun, and that dance routine.

“That’s... that doll-faced coach from your place, right?”

Zhou Yun rolled her eyes. “Her name is Wang Xiaoyan.”

Tang Zhichu watched the video several times. Performed by a professional, the dance had a distinctly different flavor. The video had over half a million likes already—it was a viral hit.

“I thought you were going to use that dance yourself,” Tang Zhichu murmured.

Zhou Yun pulled the handbrake, bringing the car to a full stop.

“Who do you think I am? Have you ever seen me do a losing deal? I may have stumbled once with you, but Wang Xiaoyan is a dance major—credit where it’s due, she’s a professional. This video has gained her over eighty thousand new followers and counting.”

At this, Zhou Yun glanced at Tang Zhichu, a grudging respect in her heart. A casual idea from him, given to the right person, yielded immediate and visible results.

“Still confused? What I’m about to tell you stays strictly between us. Do you know why that person wanted to meet you? Two reasons. First, that villa belongs to him—he’s the one who told Li Hongzhou to have me join the romance show, and all the villas we filmed in were his resources. Second, Wang Xiaoyan is his protégé…”

Tang Zhichu’s mind raced as he looked at Zhou Yun.

Zhou Yun, suddenly smug again, grinned. “What, don’t recognize me anymore?”

Tang Zhichu was genuinely taken aback by Zhou Yun. He gave her a thumbs up. “So you gave the dance to Wang Xiaoyan?”

Zhou Yun nodded. “Everyone has a weakness. Don’t be fooled by that person’s refined, gentlemanly appearance—deep down, he likes girls like Wang Xiaoyan, with that doll-like face. I helped move things along between them. Only later did I learn he was one of the top variety show producers at Penguin Video.”

Tang Zhichu’s expression grew complicated.

He understood now—he understood why Yuhua had been so forthright about certain matters. It wasn’t to make him feel insecure; on the contrary, it was to give him a greater sense of security.

Zhou Yun had made everything clear—it was all orchestrated through Wang Xiaoyan.

From Yuhua’s perspective, Tang Zhichu was aligned with Wang Xiaoyan, someone not meant for the spotlight, which was why he insisted on a personal meeting and arranged everything for him.

“I’m sorry,” Tang Zhichu suddenly whispered.

Zhou Yun was momentarily stunned. She’d thought hearing those words would make her happy, maybe even feel victorious over Tang Zhichu in a way.

But her feelings were more complicated than expected. She turned to look out the window and replied softly, “Don’t apologize. The Tang Zhichu I know is formidable—not just cunning, but talented too. Don’t bow your head.”

“I came straight to you to claim credit—think of it as an investment. If you have a conscience, you’ll repay me.”

Tang Zhichu nodded, then said earnestly, “Let’s be partners.”

Only then did Zhou Yun turn back from the window, but suddenly she grew wary. “Can I trust you?”

“Uh… what kind of tone is that? I’m rarely this sincere, you know!”

Zhou Yun pouted, “But… but now I’m even more scared.”

“Like Brother Jun, join my company under your own studio’s name. Don’t worry, I won’t take advantage of you. As for Brother Jun, he has his own team—you’re free to use it.”

“Really?”

“As good as gold! But I have one condition.”

“What is it?”

“You must bring Wang Xiaoyan along!”

Zhou Yun glared and punched him. “I knew it! Out of the car!”

Tang Zhichu rubbed his arm where she’d landed the blow.

Damn, fitness buffs really are something else—a woman with that much strength, it hurt.

“Don’t, don’t… I was just joking.”

“Get lost!”

With no choice, Tang Zhichu got out.

The coupe roared away, only to reverse back and stop beside him. Tang Zhichu quickly stepped aside.

The window rolled down, Zhou Yun stuck out her fair hand, tugged her lower eyelid in a mocking face. “Hmph! Remember, let me know when you’ve taken over Brother Jun’s company.”

Before Tang Zhichu could reply, she floored the accelerator and vanished around the bend.

Tang Zhichu shrugged, glanced over at the villa, and muttered, “So stingy, couldn’t even give me a ride over.”

...

At seven in the evening, with makeup perfectly applied, Tang Zhichu was driven by a business van to an overpass nearby.

It wasn’t far from the villa district, but the area was quiet and sparsely populated. The production team had booked the space for the final recording of the seventh season of “Love at First Sight.”

Given all the twists and turns this season, the team had debated many possible scenes for the finale.

In the end, Li Hongzhou clapped his hands and said, If you want to play, let’s really play.

No more phone calls—this time, it would be a direct showdown. Each male contestant had to choose a female contestant, then face off on the bridge.

If a couple succeeded, they’d walk hand in hand down the bridge together. If not, they’d part ways then and there.