"Next guest, please."
The door opened again.
In walked Jiang Shuyue—composed, unhurried, every step measured like she was walking into a board meeting instead of a dating show interview.
She didn't have Wu Shiyun's brash confidence nor Sun Qiaolian's sugar-sweet act; her power came from subtlety.
One look, and you could tell—she was the kind of woman who liked to be in control, the center of attention, the kind who didn't take "no" for an answer.
She sat before the camera, crossing her legs as if she were in her own boardroom rather than a dating show.
"Ms. Jiang," the interviewer greeted with an almost unconscious note of respect. "What's your impression of your fellow guests?"
Jiang Shuyue smiled—a slow, measured curved of her lips. "They're very energetic," she said, voice smooth, deliberate. "It's nice. Reminds me of the early days, when I still had time to chase variety schedules instead of managing them."
[She really said 'I'm not one of them—I run them' 😭😭😭]
[That's an A-lister tone if I've ever heard one 😭]
[The way the crew automatically respected her?? Queen behavior 💅]
The interviewer hesitated, choosing their words with care.
"Ms. Jiang, you've been so busy managing artists these past years…many were surprised you agreed to appear on a dating show. What made you decide to join Heartbeat Cottage?"
"Let's just say I was doing someone a favour," she answered. "And since I was already here…I decided to treat it as a little vacation."
['Doing someone a favor' 😭 she's not even pretending this is for love]
[Queen behaviour 😭 vacation while everyone else is fighting for screen time]
[Imagine being so powerful you treat a dating show as annual leave 💀]
[Lowkey flexing that she's here because she can, not because she needs to 😭🔥]
"But I have to say, I am having fun so far." Her lips curved in amusement. "I certainly am anticipating how things will turn out."
Then interview ended without a hitch as the crew called in the next guest.
The door opened once more, and in walked Shen Xiyu.
The faint hum of equipment seemed to soften as he took his seat—camera lights catching on the clean lines of his shirt, the easy calm that seems almost too natural for someone constantly under the spotlight.
He looked devilishly handsome.
[Main lead energy unlocked 😭🔥]
[Bro didn't even say anything yet and I'm already swooning 😭😭😭]
[See the difference between 'trying to be cool' and just is cool 💀💘]
"So the audiences are very interested if anyone manages to catch your eyes?" The interviewer asked in a half-joking manner.
"I mean everyone has their own cons and pros, it is too early now to say anyone's name." Shen Xiyu answered, his tone polite.
[Classic PR king 😭😭😭 he's not giving us anything 😭💀]
[Bro's been media-trained by gods themselves 😭🔥]
[He really said 'no spoilers' 😭😭😭]
The interviewer chuckled, pushing a little. "During our interview with Wu Shiyun, she says she is for you. What do you think about it?"
"I mean we have met a few times at events," Shen Xiyu replied, tone even, eyes calm. "She's…confident. Knows what she wants."
He paused for a heartbeat, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly, "That kind of directness isn't a bad thing. But on a show like this feelings take time. You can't just decide them in advance." A soft smile ghosted his lips. "I would say—leave it up to time and fate."
[He's so calm about it 😭😭😭 is that a yes or a no??]
["Leave it up to time and fate" = the most PR way to say I'm not choosing you yet 😭]
[Nooo he's being polite 😭 he didn't reject her!! My CP still stands 💘💘💘]
[Classic Shen Xiyu move — gentleman mode activated 🕶️]
['Confident, knows what she wants' — that's praise, right?? RIGHT?? 😭😭]
[Main-lead behaviour — keeps everyone guessing till finale 😭👏]
The director exhaled quietly—another perfectly neutral answer secured. The next name on the list glowed under the light: An Ning.
"Finally, An Ning." The interviewer said, tone bright and curious. "How have you been these few days?"
The camera refocused, light catching on the faint glimmer in An Ning's eyes—calm, amused, unreadable.
"Interesting, I would say." An Ning replied. "We definitely entertained everyone."
The interviewer leaned forward. "No one makes your heart flutter?"
She smiled faintly, the question rolling off her like water.
"Here's a piece of advice to everyone before settling on anyone or starting a relationship," An Ning said, instead of answering the question. "It isn't always what is being said but what is being done."
[Queen behaviour 😭😭😭 so calm but so savage 💅]
[She really said actions speak louder than words 😭🔥]
[That's not advice, that's a warning 😭😭😭]
[The way she dodged and still dropped wisdom 💀👏]
[Main character energy — everyone else just extras 💅]
"Final piece of advice, always look beyond the surface." An Ning said, ending her interview.
The director blinked, half-impressed, half-terrified. There had to be something wrong with this season, was it because he wasn't sincere enough when he was praying? Why was everyone not into wanting to make this lovely dovey?
Did they forget that this was supposed to be a dating show? Where were his fluttering moments? Shy smile? Blushing cheeks?
The universe was definitely out to get him and those few strands of hair that were left on his head.
Above the cottage, the night sky stretched wide and silent—the cameras dimmed, the laughter fading into the dark.
But somewhere far beyond those clouds, another storm was brewing.
Meanwhile, somewhere above the clouds, the dull roar of the airplane engines filled the cabin. Han Yichen's girlfriend, Zhang Yazhi, sat stiffly in her narrow seat, phone clutched tightly in her hands as she recalled the call earlier.
The plane was bound for the very city where he played at being single — and she would be there to see the performance for herself.
She had dialed his number, heart pounding, desperate to hear his voice and dispel the whispers gnawing at her. But instead of assurances that she wanted to hear, all she heard was his frustration and annoyance.
When did they come to this?
Then his manager called.
"This is Manager Zhang," the man had said, curt and professional.
Her chest tightened, "Did he really have to join this dating show? There must be some kind of mistake…?"
There was a pause, heavy and deliberate. Then the manager's voice came through, smooth and practiced.
"Miss Zhang, you should understand — this is for both your future and his. Opportunities like this don't come often. If Han Yichen becomes more popular through this show, everything he has, everything he earns, will benefit you as well. Isn't that what you want?"
Zhang Yazhi's breath hitched, her heart twisting. For their future?
The words pressed down on her chest until she could barely breathe. The manager's voice had made it sound noble, almost selfless, but to her it was nothing more than betrayal wrapped in pretty phrases.
Yet even then, she clung on to the faintest hope. Maybe he really had no choice. Maybe it really was just for his career. Maybe he'll explain everything when this is over….
With each excuse she made for him, the words rang more and more hollow. Who was she trying to fool?
She recalled watching how he helped another woman to cook, she recalled his smile as he mentioned another person so fondly.
The smile which used to be for her, the smile she didn't see for long time now didn't not belong to her.
And in that moment, she knew. She remembered the way he used to promise her forever in quiet whispers, words that now crumbled to ash. The truth had always been there, waiting for her—she had just been too cowardly to face it.
His future had never included her.
Not long after, her trembling fingers hovered over the screen of her phone. She opened the fan group she had once poured her heart into — the fan group she had founded, managed, and nurtured from nothing to thousands strong.
She was their leader, their "big sister", the one who had organised birthday projects, fan support drives, and trending hashtags for Han Yichen.
With one final breath, she pressed quit group.
[💔 Wait what?? Did the fan leader just quit??]
[Something must've happened… this doesn't sound like her 😭]
[No way… not our Yichen… right? 😨]
[She was the heart of the fandom… if she's gone, something's seriously wrong 😭]
The chat window blinked with silence for only a short while before her phone buzzed again. A private message.
It was from Xiaomei, one of the younger fans she had always looked after like a sister.
[Jie…why did you quit the fan group? Did something happen? Without you, the group won't be the same]
Zhang Yazhi stared at the glowing words, her vision blurring. For a moment, she almost wanted to say nothing, to disappear quietly. But her fingers moved on their own, heavy and deliberate.
Her thumb hovered over the keyboard, the plane's turbulence rocking her gently, as if daring her to send the message.
[Han Yichen doesn't deserve the love from his fans.]
A long pause followed before Xiaomei replied again, hesitant.
[…Jie, what do you mean? Did Yichen do something?]
For a moment there, Zhang Yazhi wanted to just type everything, to pour out the truth, but words caught in her throat because no one would believe her. To his fans, she would only sound bitter, jealous, delusional.
Her fingers hovered uselessly above the keyboard, the blinking cursor mocking her silence. For one wild moment, she thought of closing the chat, pretending none of this had ever happened. But the thought died as quickly as it came.
If no one would believe her in private, then she would make them see in public. Not through rumours. Not through whispers. But with her own voice.
For the first time since boarding the plane, her tears stilled. Her hands no longer trembled. She had made her choice.
Her gaze dropped to the boarding pass clenched in her hand, its edges bent and worn from her grip. Soon, it would carry her straight to the set — and to him.
She would go to the set — not to win him back, but to end this chapter of her life with her own hands.
Below the clouds, cameras kept rolling; above them, a storm gathered. And Zhang Yazhi was flying straight into it.