The moment the pairings ended, the director nearly collapsed into his chair.
Finally. All names matched, all hearts arranged.
He could rest—or so he thought.
"Alright, everyone!"
His voice crackled over the speakers again, too cheerful to be real. There was even glee in his voice.
"Since our pairings are now official, we'll jump straight into today's first challenge!"
He cleared his throat dramatically.
"I think trust is a big component in a relationship—and teamwork as well. So for your first date, you'll be heading to an escape room! Isn't that exciting?"
"Yeah, exciting." An Ning replied dryly.
The director decided to ignore her—for his own peace of mind and for the sake of his hair.
Once upon a time, he'd been a handsome young man too, now he was just a middle-aged man trying to survive filming day without an existential crisis.
"You guys will be given sixty minutes to complete your mission," he continued.
"The kind of dinner you get tonight," he paused for maximum suspense, "will depend on who finishes first."
He let the silence stretch.
"Please remember communication is the key to success."
An inspiring line—if anyone believed it.
They arrived at the location soon after, and An Ning was trying to recall if this happened in the original timeline.
She vaguely remembered that the first date was simply going to nice places for picnics and taking pretty photos.
She didn't remember the first date being an escape room.
Initially, the plan had been simple—
a nice picnic for each couple,
some light conversation,
a few photogenic moments—
romantic, safe and marketable.
But that plan had died in the cradle.
This was no thanks to the current cast, where it felt as though one spark could turn into a full-blown fire.
After one night of tossing and turning, the director had known better.
What's better than having them trapped together in a room?
Add a little suspense, a touch of thriller element, get the adrenaline pumping—maybe, just maybe, the male cast would get a chance to shine.
There was no way this would fail.
Alas, for all the planning in the world, it was a given that most things don't always go according to plan.
In this case—with An Ning and Zhao Guangyao.
[Oh come on, if anyone's gonna ace this challenge, it's Zhao Guangyao 😭👏]
[He's literally the type to read escape room manuals for fun 💀]
[Mr. Perfect brain + gentleman manners = guaranteed win 💅]
[Meanwhile, An Ning's luck depends on melons 💀💀💀 I'm nervous already]
[This pairing is beauty and brains, what could possibly go wrong 😭😭😭]
[Watch him carry the team and she just stands there eating snacks 😭😭😭]
The comments were already exploding before the challenge even began, the audience's faith in Zhao Guangyao was nearly blinding. It wasn't a surprise since he graduated from one of the top universities in the country.
And honestly—they would be right if Zhao Guangyao wasn't paired with An Ning.
They entered the first room—an old study with a locked drawer requiring a four-letter code.
"I feel like this has something to do with the Latin clue on the wall" Zhao Guangyao said after going around the room. "Maybe something to do with Caesar cipher—some kind of historical reference pattern."
An Ning frowned slightly.
Caesar cipher?
Really?
It didn't make sense for them to overcomplicate this. Normal escape-room designers didn't expect participants to bring an archaeology degree.
She continued scanning the bookshelf again. Something clicked.
"Let me try it out a bit," she said, stepping closer.
"Don't worry, I can do it. Just a bit more," Zhao Guangyao replied to her, making no moves to let An Ning try.
Not wanting to waste time because this will affect her dinner tonight.
Which in turn will affect her mood for the next day.
An Ning reached out and started inputting the first letters of each book title on the shelf.
The drawer unlocked.
Inside, a small brass key gleamed under dim light—ready to open the next room.
[HELLO??? 😭😭😭 SHE JUST—]
[He's out here solving calculus while she's solving reality 💀💀💀]
[Beauty 1, Brain 0 😭👏]
Zhao Guangyao blinked.
"…Oh."
To his credit, he recovered quickly. "Good observation," he said smoothly, tone perfectly polite—too polite.
The next room was dimly lit—bare walls, scattered papers, and an old projector humming quietly in the corner.
A message glowed faintly on the far wall:
"Illuminate the path to find what's hidden."
Zhao Guangyao was determined to show his charismatic side once. He crouched near the projector, examining wires and plugs with deep concentration. "There must be a hidden light switch somewhere. If we can trace the power source—"
An Ning wandered toward a small couch tucked in the corner. "Do you think it's connected to that? This couch feels out of place in this room, don't you think so?"
"Possibly. But don't touch anything yet," he said automatically, tone slipping into practiced authority. "These kinds of puzzles are usually sequential."
Well, honestly, she wouldn't be An Ning if she were the type to listen.
So of course, she wasn't going to stand around and wait. She decided she might as well make herself comfortable, right?
And then she sat down.
Click.
A soft whirr filled the room as the lights flickered on. A hidden panel slid open on the opposite wall, revealing a small compartment.
Zhao Guangyao froze mid-exploration, unable to believe his eyes.
"…You—"
"Oops." An Ning blinked innocently. "I was just trying to stay out of your way."
[HELP 😭😭😭 SHE SOLVED IT BY ACCIDENT AGAIN 💀💀💀]
[Bro out here calculating voltage while she activates it with furniture 😭😭😭]
[This woman's power is 80% chaos, 20% divine intervention 😭🔥]
The camera zoomed in on Zhao Guangyao's face—the exact frame of disbelief, resignation, and mild ego death.
The director nearly fell out of his chair behind the monitor. "This has got to be the best reaction shot of the day!"
The PA nodded solemnly, "He's officially entered his humbled era."
Zhao Guangyao straightened his sleeves, exhaling through his nose like a man regaining composure.
"…Good teamwork," he said at last.
An Ning smiled, tone polite but eyes glinting. "Glad to be useful."
The two moved on to the next room.
This room was smaller compared to the previous room, they almost didn't have space to stand side by side.
A dusty clock hung crookedly on the wall, its hands frozen at 7.42.
Below it, scrawled faintly in chalk, were the words:
"When day meets dawn, the past unlocks the way."
Zhao Guangyao's brows furrowed, stepping closer.
"Does this mean symmetry in time? Maybe something like 6:00 or 12:00–opposite positions on the dial. Or perhaps a deeper metaphorical symbolising renewal—"
An Ning glanced between him and the clock, losing interest halfway through his explanation.
The goal of escape room was to find clues in the room, wasn't it? Didn't it make more sense that the answer was right there?
Her gaze shifted to a framed painting nearby—a sunrise over a river. In the corner of the painting, the clock tower showed a specific time: 5:30.
Without much thought, she turned the hands of the dusty clock to match.
Ah—the ever-so-familiar click.
A faint chime echoed through the room as a hidden drawer beneath the clock slid open.
"…You've got to be kidding me," Zhao Guangyao muttered under his breath.
[NOOO 😭😭😭 HE WAS MID-MONOLOGUE 😭😭😭]
[She solved it before he even finished the thesis 💀💀💀]
[Bro was out here writing a dissertation while she did pattern recognition 💅]
[Every time he tries to flex, she speed-runs the solution 😭🔥]
["When day meets dawn"—yeah, when An Ning meets logic 😭]
An Ning smiled faintly, brushing off the dust on her hands. "Sometimes, the answer really is just what's in front of you."
Zhao Guangyao stared at her for a long moment, then exhaled slowly.
"Right," he said, tone mild but tight. "You're…lucky—"
"I wouldn't exactly call this luck," An Ning cut him off. "I'd call it being observant."
She tilted her head, lips curving. "Besides, I know for a fact that my luck isn't exactly that good."
They thought this was the final challenge.
Then the lights dimmed—everyone watching knew things were about to get interesting.
The last room was nothing like the others.
Dark corridors stretched in every direction—wooden walls, flickering lights, and faint echoes that didn't sound quite right.
A sign on the wall read:
"Find the exit before the shadows catch up."
[WAIT WHAT 😭😭😭 why did the lights just flicker like that 😭😭😭]
[No way they added a horror element 😭💀]
[An Ning about to speed-run this like it's her 9-to-5 😭🔥]
[Zhao Guangyao better not faint 💀]
The sound of slow footsteps echoed through the hall.
A costumed actor emerged from the darkness—mask, cloak, and a flashlight beam cutting around the haze.
Zhao Guangyao stiffened.
"Stay calm," he said, but his voice sounded just a little too high to sound convincing. "It's just an actor—human."
As though sensing them, the "shadow" advanced quickly towards their direction. The lights flickered again.
Seeing the "shadow" nearing, Zhao Guangyao quickly retreated—subtly edging behind An Ning's shoulder.
An Ning blinked. "…Really?"
He coughed, trying to recover his dignity. "You're…closer to the exit."
[NOT HIM USING HER AS A HUMAN SHIELD 😭😭😭]
[Gentleman of the year turned background furniture 💀💀💀]
[Bro said 'ladies first' and meant it literally 😭😭😭]
[This man's chivalry has an off-switch 😭🔥]
The shadow lunged forward suddenly, the sound of heavy boots slamming against the wooden floor echoing down the narrow corridor.
Zhao Guangyao's survival instincts kicked in—not the heroic kind, unfortunately.
His hand shot out, pushing An Ning's shoulder lightly ahead of him as he ducked behind her.
"Go, go!" he hissed, voice cracking halfway through.
"Am I your human shield now?"
"Strategic positioning," he said quickly, straightening up and pretending that wasn't what just transpired. "You're faster."
[😭😭😭 STRATEGIC POSITIONING IS CRAZY 💀💀💀]
[He's fighting for his life and his pride at the same time 😭🔥]
[Bro activated flight mode before she even processed the threat 😭😭😭]
[Chivalry.exe has stopped working 😭😭😭]
Rolling her eyes, An Ning grabbed his wrist and dragged him along. They sprinted through the twisting hallway, the camera shaking as the crew tried to follow their movements.
They came to a stop as they reached a dead end—a locked gate blocking their path.
"We need a key," he said breathlessly, scanning the wall. "There must be one hidden nearby—maybe a compartment."
An Ning crouched by an old cabinet, fingers testing the handle.
It didn't move. Locked.
She frowned, bracing her hand against the side, then gave the drawer a firm pull.
Nothing.
Her eyes narrowed. Her patience lasted all of two seconds.
"Alright," she muttered, tightening her grip. "I guess we are not doing this the polite way."
Using her strength, she gave it a sharp tug—it was strong enough that the old wood groaned in protest.
The cabinet door popped open with a crack.
A small silver key rolled out, glinting faintly on the dusty floor.
Zhao Guangyao swallowed nervously, "…Did you just—break it open??"
An Ning shrugged, completely unbothered.
"I gave it a chance to do this the polite way. I call this decisive problem-solving."
She paused, then added, tone dead serious—
"And their cabinet's quality wasn't that good!"
[😭😭😭 DECISIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING IS CRAZY 💀💀💀]
[She's using brute force in an escape room 😭🔥]
[So it wasn't her strength that mattered—it's the cheap furniture]
[Bro studying ciphers, she's studying torque 😭😭😭]
[This woman is the reason designers add disclaimers 😭💅]
The moment the final lock clicked open, a bright light flared above them.
A cheerful chime echoed through the speakers.
"Congratulations. You've successfully escaped!"
The mechanical voice so cheerful it almost felt mocking.
"Well, that wasn't so hard." An Ning dusted off her hands.
Zhao Guangyao exhaled, shoulders stiff but his smile perfectly in place. "Yes…quite the experience."
[Experience = ego damage 😭😭😭]
[He aged five years in 40 minutes 😭🔥]
[Meanwhile An Ning just out-muscled the escape room 💀💅]
[Please someone give Mr. Perfect a recovery arc 😭😭😭]
Outside, the production crew clapped politely as the pair stepped out.
The director, however, looked like he'd just witnessed a natural disaster in real time.
"…How in the world?" He muttered, staring at the monitor feed, "does she manage to make every scenario look like a survival show?"
The PA hesitated, scrolling through the live-chat reactions.
"On the bright side, they're trending."
"Trending?" The director blinked. "Under what tag?"
The PA grimaced. "…#MissDomineeringAndMrLittleDelicateWife."
The director groaned, dragging a hand down his face.
"Of course it is."
He slumped back into his chair, staring blankly at the screen as An Ning smiled at the camera, Zhao Guangyao standing one polite step behind her, looking spiritually defeated.
"This," the director said flatly, "was supposed to be a romantic episode."
"Technically," the PA offered, "they did hold hands. When escaping."
The director shut his eyes. "That doesn't count."