Chapter 21: On Your First Night Here, Who Would You Text?

Ye Fangfei, puzzled, took out her phone and glanced at it. The production team had just sent out a new task notification:

[On your first night here, choose a member of the opposite sex and send them a goodnight message!]

[Additionally, in a little while, please cooperate with the production team to record your bedtime personal interview. If you have any difficulties, make sure to communicate with your PD.]

Ye Fangfei let out a silent sigh of relief, shot a glance at the camera, and thought: This show really knows how to stir things up.

Without much hesitation, she drafted her message and sent it to the staff, then slipped her phone back into her pocket and left the dining room.

The others had all received the same notification from the production team. Dinner was nearly over, and no one intended to linger; after a brief chat, they all began to disperse.

Li Jiayan and Chu Yao walked arm-in-arm back to their shared bedroom.

“I’m so tired, Jiayan. Can I use the bathroom first?”

“Go ahead!” Li Jiayan replied cheerfully, flopping onto her bed. She pulled out her phone to chat with friends and pass the time.

As she was chatting, a new message popped up. Curious, she opened it and realized it was from the production team—

A male participant has sent you a goodnight message: [You’ve improved your piano skills.]

Li Jiayan: “Huh?”

She hadn’t even begun to process this when another message arrived.

[Your ex chose you.]

She blinked twice in confusion. What’s going on? Didn’t he say he had no intention of getting back together? Why send her a message, then?

But then she reconsidered. It was just a message—was she overthinking it? Maybe he simply didn’t know who else to send it to.

With mixed feelings, Li Jiayan returned to chatting with her friends.

Chu Yao soon finished her shower and emerged, looking relaxed. Li Jiayan gestured at her phone and said, “Looks like you got a message.”

Chu Yao, towel in hand as she dried her damp hair, walked over and glanced at her phone.

Indeed, there was a message—from the production team.

[It’s a joy to taste your cooking again.]

[Your ex chose you.]

Chu Yao’s expression froze for a moment, then she silently tossed her phone aside and continued towel-drying her hair as if nothing had happened.

Li Jiayan watched her closely, trying to read her expression but saw nothing revealing. She couldn’t help but admire Chu Yao’s composure; that kind of self-control was something she aspired to.

Meanwhile, in the first-floor kitchen.

Lu Zhou and Qi Jiajia were on cleaning duty that night, dividing up the chores and finally putting away the last bowl and plate.

“Thanks for your hard work,” Lu Zhou said with a smile as he set down the final dish.

“You too!” Qi Jiajia replied with a cheerful grin, drying her hands. “I’ll head back to my room now!”

“Alright.”

As she rubbed her stiff neck and reached into her pocket for her phone, she remembered hearing a message notification while she was washing the dishes, but hadn’t had the chance to look.

Finally free, she checked her phone.

It must be a goodnight message from one of the male participants.

Qi Jiajia smiled as she opened it, but the grin froze on her face the next moment.

[Your 30-yuan coupon expires today. Click here to redeem...]

Qi Jiajia: “...”

Well, a spam message.

She checked her inbox for any other unread messages, but none were from the production team.

Disheartened, Qi Jiajia returned to her room. Ye Fangfei was nowhere to be seen; who knew where she’d gone.

With a weary sigh, she collapsed onto her bed, letting out a long groan.

...

When Lu Zhou returned to the second-floor bedroom, Zhang Chen was already in bed, playing on his phone after washing up.

“Did you finish cleaning up?” Zhang Chen greeted him casually as he entered.

Lu Zhou grunted an affirmative, turned to grab some clothes, and was about to head to the bathroom when his phone buzzed.

Curious, he picked it up to find a forwarded anonymous goodnight message from the production team:

[You’re the real life of the party.]

Lu Zhou stared at the message for a moment, trying to guess who had sent it.

Earlier, when they’d listened to the exes’ recorded introductions, Wen Yiming’s ex had used the phrase “life of the party.”

Could it be... Wen Yiming’s ex who sent him the message?

But who was Wen Yiming’s ex? He had no clue...

Lu Zhou didn’t bother to dwell on it. Just as he was about to toss his phone aside, another message arrived:

[Your ex did not choose you.]

Lu Zhou: “...”

What the heck? They even felt the need to remind him of that?

The production team really did everything they could to stir things up.

But honestly, Lu Zhou no longer had any lingering feelings for his ex. “Your ex did not choose you” carried no sting for him.

Still, he was curious: Who had Li Jiayan chosen to send her message to?

From the next bed, Zhang Chen noticed Lu Zhou staring at his phone and asked with curiosity, “Did you get a message?”

Lu Zhou nodded. “And you?”

“Not yet. Maybe my phone signal’s bad?” Zhang Chen replied.

Lu Zhou glanced at his phone’s brand and chuckled. “That’s possible. Just wait—you’ll get one.”

With that, he headed for the bathroom.

Zhang Chen was left puzzled. Why was Lu Zhou more confident than he was about him getting a message?

Honestly, Zhang Chen felt his performance today was average. He wasn’t sure any of the female participants would send him a goodnight message.

Just then, three new messages arrived on his phone in quick succession.

Huh? He really did get messages? And three of them?

Three...

A sly, satisfied smile crept onto Zhang Chen’s lips.

He’d received three messages—did that mean the guys in the next room got none?

Excitedly, he opened the messages.

Message 1: [Thanks for taking me for a drive tonight.]

This one was obvious—he’d only taken one person for a drive...

So, this was from Li Jiayan.

Message 2: [Cheer up, you can do it!]

Zhang Chen frowned, rereading this one several times, but couldn’t figure out who had sent it.

But the word “oh” in the message had a certain flair—his ex would never phrase things that way.

He opened the third message:

[Your ex did not choose you.]

“???” For a moment, Zhang Chen didn’t understand, but then realization dawned.

He swore under his breath.

So, he hadn’t received messages from three female participants—now he understood what Lu Zhou’s earlier words really meant.

Meanwhile, in the neighboring men’s bedroom, Wen Yiming and Xu Junze were also waiting for goodnight messages.

“Did you get any messages?” Wen Yiming asked Xu Junze.

“I did.”

Wen Yiming was surprised—even Xu Junze had gotten one, and he hadn’t? Was he really going to get none? That didn’t make sense! What were those female participants thinking?

In the span of a few seconds, he was already grumbling inwardly.

“But it’s not that kind of message,” Xu Junze added slowly.

Wen Yiming was puzzled. “What do you mean?”

Xu Junze didn’t elaborate, just smiled lightly. “You’ll know soon enough.”

Still confused, Wen Yiming changed clothes, grabbed his phone, and headed out. “I’m off for my interview.”

“Go ahead,” Xu Junze waved at him. After the door closed, he couldn’t help but open the message from the production team again.

[Your ex did not choose you.]

He let out a heavy sigh.

Yes, not a single female participant had sent him a message.

When Wen Yiming left, he bumped into Ye Fangfei, who’d just finished her interview.

“Finished your interview?” Wen Yiming greeted her warmly.

Ye Fangfei smiled politely, but looked tired. “Yes, I’m done.”

“Where’s the interview room?” Wen Yiming asked, though he already knew.

“Out the door, turn right, and go straight,” Ye Fangfei pointed out the direction, then headed upstairs.

Wen Yiming left the main villa, and on the way to the interview room, received two messages.

“Finally!” he exclaimed, excitedly opening them.

Message 1: [It’s been a long day—rest early.]

Message 2: [Your ex did not choose you.]

Wen Yiming stopped in his tracks.

Wow, so this was how they played it?

He’d only received one message from a female participant, and he couldn’t guess who it was from.

A long day? He hadn’t found it tiring at all. Was she hinting at her own exhaustion, hoping he’d guess her identity?

That must be it.

So, which female participant had seemed especially tired today?

Who else could it be?!

Ye Fangfei!!!

With this deduction, Wen Yiming’s delight nearly lifted his brows sky-high.

Well, well! Ye Fangfei had sent him a message!

Overjoyed, Wen Yiming ran a hand over his crew cut and strode off towards the interview room.

By now, Ye Fangfei had already returned to her bedroom.

As she collapsed onto her bed, her phone chimed with three new messages.

Message 1: [Good night and sweet dreams!]

Message 2: [I feel like we barely spoke today—hope we can get closer tomorrow.]

Message 3: [Your ex chose you.]

Ye Fangfei pressed her fingers to her brow, tossed her phone aside, pulled the quilt over her head, and went straight to sleep.