My childhood best friend and I decided to become the ultimate slackers on a reality dating show just to collect the appearance fee. During missions, we couldn't stop laughing. While the others were busy coupling up, we were fighting each other. Right up until the surprise celebrity guest segment, we were still eating sunflower seeds and enjoying the drama. The next second, my best friend pointed at the untouchable heir of the city's top conglomerate, his face turning pale: "That's your ex-fiancé!" I pointed at the filthy-rich heiress next to him, my hand trembling: "That's your ex-fiancée!" We practically scrambled on our hands and knees to find the director and beg to quit the show. The director gave a cold sneer: "The penalty for breach of contract is ten times the appearance fee, payable immediately in cash." Leo and I looked at each other. We were screwed. We had walked right into the wolf's den. 1 Leo and I go way back. We've been inseparable since we were toddlers running around in diapers. The elders in our families always joked that we were a match made in heaven—a perfect pair of menaces. During our freshman year college orientation, a random photo of us went viral, and somehow we stumbled into the entertainment industry. To avoid any weird rumors and to protect our ridiculous egos, we agreed to pretend we barely knew each other, swearing we'd meet at the top of the A-list. Turns out, we never even made it to the top. We rolled right back down from the halfway point. After struggling for a few years, we were still D-list nobodies, mercilessly mocked by netizens as the "Wooden Beauty" and the "Emotionless Pretty Boy." But that wasn't even the worst part. On New Year's Eve, while fireworks lit up the sky, the two of us squatted on the curb crying like dogs. Because we both got dumped on the exact same day. Freezing and with a runny nose, Leo gritted his teeth: "I am never acting like a pathetic simp for that woman again!" I used his ridiculously expensive puffer jacket as a tissue to wipe my tears: "I broke up too! For real this time! Whoever wants to serve a high-and-mighty man like him can go right ahead!" We ended up getting blackout drunk and dragging each other home. When we woke up sober, we were completely disillusioned. We couldn't stay in this trashy industry for another day. "Let's quit the industry." "Agreed!" Leo replied faster than anyone. We both graduated from top universities; it wasn't like we'd starve without acting. Just as I was about to contact a lawyer to draft my termination letter, my manager, Joan, threw a gig my way. It was a live-streamed reality dating show, and the main theme was "wild." "Chloe, you're taking this show whether you want to or not. You're quitting the industry anyway, so go be the villain. Be crazy, be dramatic. Even bad publicity is still publicity, understand?" Why should I? I thought. I'm leaving anyway, why should I be a stepping stone for someone else? I typed out a message: "Joan, I'm out. Whoever wants to deal with this garbage can have it..." Before I could hit send, another message from Joan popped up. "The pay is one million dollars." My finger hovering over the delete button instantly froze. One million? I quickly deleted my previous message and replied with restrained elegance: "This isn't about the money." Joan: "One million per episode." Hiss— I immediately replied: "Joan, to be completely honest, I'm absolutely wild in my private life. This job was practically made for me!" 2 After happily signing the contract, I pushed open my apartment door, only to bump into Leo, who was over to freeload a meal. Our eyes met, and the air was instantly filled with a bizarre, guilty tension. Wait a minute. I felt guilty because I sold out for money. Why was he acting guilty? My parents and Leo's mom were chatting enthusiastically in the living room. My mom's eyes were practically glowing: "Is it finally happening? I always knew these two had a spark!" Leo's mom was even more excited: "I've already prepared the dowry, we can officially propose anytime!" Seeing the conversation veering toward having a second child, Leo quickly interrupted: "Stop, stop, stop! Chloe and I are talking about work, strictly work!" He dragged me to the balcony and shut the door. Leo's eyes darted around nervously: "So, uh, did you send that termination letter?" I picked at my fingernails, stammering: "Not yet... um, I still have a mall promotional event to finish." I couldn't exactly tell him I was going on a dating show to rake in cash. It would make me look like I had no backbone. Hearing this, Leo immediately straightened his posture: "What a coincidence, I didn't send mine either. I have a cameo in a drama I need to finish." We looked at each other, both seeing the words "I totally believe you" dripping with sarcasm in the other's eyes. But neither of us called the other out. This mutual understanding stemmed from the fact that we had another mutual friend, Julian. Back in the day, Leo, Julian, and I were an inseparable trio. But those two were always arguing, turning me into a double agent. In front of Leo, I would loudly complain: "Julian is so cheap, let's not hang out with him!" Happy, Leo would give me all his snacks. Then I'd go to Julian and sigh: "Actually, Leo's life is pretty sad, you shouldn't be so hard on him." Moved, Julian would take me out to eat all over town. Until one day, Julian treated me to expensive crab, and Leo shoved two persimmons into my hands. That night, I ended up in the ER. When the two creditors compared notes by my hospital bed, my double agent cover was completely blown. Julian sneered: "I'm cheap?" Leo ground his teeth: "I'm sad?" I huddled under the blankets, trembling: "That's what the doctor said, you can't blame me..." Now, with history repeating itself, we both silently chose to keep our mouths shut. 3 Three days later, on a tropical island at the dating show set. I was wearing a backless red gown and towering heels, ready to add a stroke of brilliance to the end of my showbiz career. According to the script, I had to choose a male guest for a romantic first encounter. When I looked up, I saw a guy in a tailored suit looking sharp and professional. It was Leo. As the ocean breeze blew, the cameramen frantically zoomed in. The directors probably wished they could plaster the word "Destiny" across the screen. I pursed my lips, fighting the urge to laugh. Leo's cheeks were puffed out; he was clearly holding it in too. The moment our fingertips touched, we completely lost it. "Pfft-hahahahaha!" Our laughter startled the seagulls and thoroughly confused the viewers watching the live stream. "Are these two crazy?" "I thought they didn't know each other? What's with this chemistry?" "Can I get a refund? I came to watch sweet romance, not a comedy duo!" We didn't care. We found a corner, sat down, and started slacking off. On the surface, it looked like we were just playing on our phones, but we were actually bombing Julian in our "Anti-Scumbag Alliance" group chat. Me: "Dr. Julian, watch the live stream! How's our acting?" Leo: "Son, doesn't your bro look handsome in this suit?" Julian: "Get lost. I just got out of surgery, I don't have time to watch you two act like monkeys." Me: "Don't be so cold! Should we talk about the time you got chased and bitten by a goose when we were kids?" Leo: "Or the heroic time you threw firecrackers into cow manure?" Julian: "...Looks like you guys really have moved on. You even have the mood to make fun of me." With that one sentence, the group chat instantly went silent. That familiar, sharp pain in my chest flared up again. Conveniently, the production team had prepared red wine. Leo and I started downing glass after glass like it was water. As the alcohol hit, we lost our filters. We completely forgot about the dozens of hidden cameras around us. Leo's eyes grew red, his voice choked: "Chloe, do you think she never loved me? I was so obedient, so good. If she said east, I never went west. And she still dumped me." I slammed the table, even more agitated than him: "You call that bad? My ex was a piece of work! He walked around all day with a cold face, like I owed him a million dollars. If I looked at another guy for a second, he'd say I lacked morals. Even my breathing was wrong!" The live stream exploded. "Holy crap! Is this premium paid content?" "Who on earth are these two nobodies' exes? This sounds juicy!" "Leo crying makes me want to wipe his tears, he's such a puppy!" "Chloe's mouth is ruthless! This is what I call being real!" Just as we were about to drop more bombs, Julian's call came in. The piercing ringtone instantly sobered us up. Julian roared through the phone: "You idiots! Do you want to get blacklisted by tomorrow?! You're on a LIVE STREAM! LIVE!" Leo and I looked at each other, cold sweat instantly breaking out. I let out a forced laugh, giving a thumbs up to the camera: "Leo's line delivery is amazing! What did everyone think of our little improv performance just now?" Leo caught on immediately and followed my lead: "Chloe's not bad either! Full of emotion, great layers! Come on, let's keep discussing that script..." 4 Thanks to our "crazy" episode that night, Leo and I unexpectedly went viral. Netizens were fiercely debating the identities of our "terrible exes." But we weren't panicked at all. Those two untouchable figures—one the supreme ruler of a business empire, the other a haughty, aristocratic heiress—would never stoop so low as to appear on a trashy entertainment show. Unless the sun rose in the west. The next day, the sun was shining brightly. Leo and I grabbed handfuls of sunflower seeds, squatting under the shade of a tree to watch the other guests flirt. "Look at that innocent girl, her eyes are practically glued to him. She's definitely into that award-winning actor." "No way, that's just acting. I bet you fifty cents the actor likes the mature woman." The comments section was filled with "Hahaha." "Are these two here to be commentators?" "I've never seen celebrities so down-to-earth, I love it." "They look like the gossiping elders at the village entrance." Right as we were enjoying our snacks, the production team's megaphone blared. "Attention all guests, two mystery guests are about to land on the island. Please prepare to welcome them." Leo and I exchanged a glance and kept cracking sunflower seeds. "Hope it's a handsome guy to cleanse my eyes." "A beautiful woman would be fine too. Even if I can't pursue her, it'll be nice to look at." The next second, a yacht docked at the pier. A man and a woman stepped off the boat. The man was tall, his presence commanding, and his face was so cold it looked like he had just been pulled out of a freezer. The woman was dressed head-to-toe in designer brands, hiding behind sunglasses. She walked with authority, exuding the scent of old money with every movement. The live stream instantly boiled over. "Holy shit! Is that Arthur Sterling? The CEO of the Sterling Group?!" "And the one next to him is Elena Vance? The Vance family's eldest daughter who just returned from abroad?!" "Did this production team sell a kidney? How did they manage to invite these two gods?" The sunflower seeds in Leo's and my hands scattered all over the ground with a clatter. Our smiles froze on our faces, looking uglier than if we were crying. With a trembling finger, I pointed at the man: "Leo, that's... your ex-fiancé..." Leo, shaking, pointed at the woman: "Chloe, that's... your ex-fiancée..." Run! That was the only thought in my head. We sprinted toward the production team. "Director! We want to quit! We'll pay the breach of contract fee! Even if we have to sell everything we own!" The director slowly took a sip of his tea and held up one finger: "The penalty fee is now ten times the original amount, and it must be paid immediately in cash." Leo and I went weak in the knees, almost dropping to the ground. We were doomed. We had definitely been set up this time. Before we could even think of a plan, two familiar, chilling voices sounded from behind us. "Running away? Aren't you going to say hello to old acquaintances?" 5 Those two voices overlapping were more terrifying than a midnight horror movie. I stiffly turned my neck, feeling like an un-oiled robot. Arthur stood there. The sea breeze ruffled the hair on his forehead, but it couldn't scatter the overwhelming, predatory aura surrounding him. His deep eyes were locked onto me, a faint, unreadable smirk playing on his lips, making my scalp tingle. Next to him, Elena took off her sunglasses, casually hooking them onto her collar, revealing a pair of sharp, stunning eyes. She crossed her arms, tilted her chin up slightly, and scanned Leo from head to toe like an X-ray, her gaze finally resting on his pale face. "What, young Master Leo ran away from home for a few months and forgot how to speak?" Leo, trembling, hid behind me, tugging at my shirt and whispering, "Chloe, save me! This demoness's eyes are too scary, she definitely wants to drag me back and turn me into a specimen!" Unable to even save myself, I gritted my teeth and whispered back, "You're a man, can you show some backbone? Hold the line! I'll go draw Arthur's fire!" Taking a deep breath, I forced a smile that looked worse than crying and waved at Arthur: "Hi, what a coincidence. Is Mr. Sterling here to... inspect the work?" Arthur took long strides, stopping right in front of me. A shadow loomed over me, and I smelled the familiar scent of cedar mixed with a faint hint of tobacco—the scent he always carried when he was annoyed. "Inspect the work?" He let out a soft chuckle. His voice was deep and magnetic, making my ears itch. "I'm here to catch a runaway little liar." The live stream comments exploded. "Am I deaf? Did CEO Sterling just call Chloe a 'little liar'?" "That tone, the indulgence! Who said they were exes? This is clearly currently happening!" "Leo acting like a coward is killing me. Ms. Vance's aura is off the charts!" The director was so excited he almost swallowed his walkie-talkie, screaming through the megaphone: "All departments attention! Close-ups! Get those close-ups! This is the destiny we want!" Destiny my ass! This is a death sentence! Elena clicked over in her high heels, stopping in front of Leo, extending a finger to tilt his chin up. "I heard you've been telling everyone that I dumped you?" Leo swallowed hard, his survival instinct kicking in: "No... never happened! I meant... I wasn't good enough for you, so I voluntarily stepped aside for someone better!" Elena sneered: "Stepped aside? For who? For those sycophantic idiots out there?" She applied pressure with her hand, pinching Leo's cheek: "Leo, you've really grown some nerve. Blocking my number, moving, and now you have the guts to come on a dating show to find a new fling? Looks like you're itching for a beating." Leo grimaced in pain but didn't dare fight back, only shooting me pleading looks for help. I was just about to speak when Arthur suddenly stepped forward, blocking my view. "Don't look at him," Arthur's voice dropped a few degrees, "Look at me." I was forced to tilt my head up and meet his dark, fathomless eyes. "Chloe, you've grown some nerve too. Break up? When did I ever agree to that?" My heart skipped a beat. Leaving without saying goodbye back then did make me feel a bit guilty. But whose fault was that? He was always so busy he was basically a ghost, and that childhood "sister" of his was constantly hovering around him. I just got mad and left. "Um... it was an unspoken agreement. In the adult world, not contacting each other means a breakup." I lied through my teeth. Arthur let out a laugh born of sheer anger and reached out to pinch my earlobe. It was my sensitive spot; my body went soft, and I almost fell into his arms. "An unspoken agreement. So if I start pursuing you again right now, is that also part of the rules of the adult game?" The entire set erupted in an uproar. The other guests dropped their sunflower seeds, and the production team went absolutely crazy. The number of viewers in the live stream skyrocketed, nearly crashing the servers.
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