Chapter 29: Sorry, I'm Not a Kidnapper—Please Come With Me

The information on Cui Meiying and Deng Jiachao’s card read: “Favorite fruit is grapes, favorite numbers are six and three, favorite vehicle to drive is a bicycle.”

Wang Sisi and Wang Zhuorui’s card said: “Favorite fruit is apples, favorite numbers are seven and nine, favorite vehicle to drive is a sports car.”

[There are new partners again, one or two, but who could they possibly be? I can’t think of any other celebrity as eccentric as these…]
[Back to the original pairings, Le Xi and Huo Hongming are going to bicker again, and Deng Jiachao is lucky once more.]
[But is there really any point in the information provided? No names, no height, not even the gender. What’s the use?]

Huo Hongming scratched his head.
“Host, are we supposed to go around the whole airport asking people, ‘Hey, do you like peaches? Do you like the numbers seven and eight? Do you like riding motorcycles?’ This is silly, like looking for a needle in a haystack.”

Wang Zhuorui said,
“If you want suspense, at least tell us if it’s a man or a woman, or give us some physical features.”

The host replied,
“Actually, what you see is all the information you’ll get. Think it through carefully. Now, head back and pack your luggage. Get ready to set off. See you at the Ivory Tower.”

When the four pairs arrived at the airport, they were completely lost.
But for the sake of the budget, they had to push on.
Wang Sisi and Wang Zhuorui really did take their card and start asking around blindly, one by one.
Cui Meiying and Deng Jiachao used a similar approach, but with a twist:
Cui Meiying twisted her waist, gathered everyone together, and questioned them collectively, having each respond in turn.

Gu Xiaomo told Gu Junhao she needed to use the restroom and asked him to wait.
Le Xi knew that Gu Xiaomo was seeking help from the system.

Huo Hongming suggested scavenging after Cui Meiying and Deng Jiachao questioned people; he would then double-check with those same requirements.
Le Xi, however, stayed put. She was genuinely thinking things through.

Huo Hongming said,
“Fine, do as you please. But listen, if I find the person first, the budget is mine to use, and I want more than you.”

Le Xi rolled her eyes.
“Deal. And likewise.”

Huo Hongming walked off. Le Xi pondered,
“Could the favorite numbers be their age?”

No, that can’t be—seventy-eight or eighty-seven years old, their steps would be shaky. Would the show really invite such elderly people? Aren’t they afraid of accidents?

“Then height—one meter seventy-eight, one meter eighty-seven?”
That was possible.

“What about the favorite fruit?”
Le Xi couldn’t figure that one out for now.

“Favorite vehicle is a motorcycle—could that be their means of transport?”
Le Xi immediately went out to see if anyone nearby was riding a motorcycle.

In the restroom, after looking at the photo the system provided, Gu Xiaomo fell silent.
“A fifty-year-old auntie?”
Gu Xiaomo thought: The production team must be out of their minds.

When Gu Junhao saw Gu Xiaomo come out, he asked with concern,
“Xiaomo, are you feeling unwell? You were gone so long. Should we see a doctor?”

“No, let’s go find our person.”

With the location and appearance already known, Gu Xiaomo quickly found the auntie in front of a restroom.

Gu Junhao was bewildered.
“It’s her?”

Just then, the staff’s voice came through all their earpieces:
“Congratulations to Gu Xiaomo and Gu Junhao for finding the new partner arranged by the production team. You’re first. The other guests, keep trying.”

[Xiaomo is amazing, first place!]
[But did the production team do this because they know something about Gu Junhao and Gu Xiaomo? Did they purposely bring in someone old enough to be their mother, so Gu Xiaomo can learn how to be a daughter-in-law?]
[Whoever joked about bringing in a mother-in-law, that’s hilarious. But honestly, I was hoping for a celebrity. Turns out it’s a regular person. Kind of disappointing.]

“So fast,”
everyone except Le Xi exclaimed.

Le Xi kept searching outside. Her eyes were nearly crossing from fatigue when she finally spotted a motorcycle.
A tall, young man was astride it—he must be the one. Le Xi started toward him,
but just then, a guy in a pink hoodie flashed past her.

That flamboyant pink, combined with a well-proportioned figure—she couldn’t help but take a second look.
He looked about one meter eighty-something as well. Could the peach reference be the color of his clothes?

Here was a guy in peach-colored clothing, tall enough, but not riding a motorcycle. There, a tall guy on a motorcycle, but his clothes weren’t peach-colored.

Le Xi made a quick decision. She grabbed the man in the pink hoodie and ran, saying as she dragged him along,
“Sorry, I’m not a kidnapper. Just come with me for a moment.”

[Damn, why isn’t the guy fighting back? Le Xi’s just dragging him off.]
[Wow, Le Xi just did what I always wanted to do but never dared. Who wouldn’t want to grab a handsome guy and run? Even with a mask and hat, you can tell he’s incredibly good-looking.]
[Uh, but switch the genders and this would be harassment. Guys also need to be careful, or they might just get whisked away.]
[Is this guy clueless, or just really sweet? He’s being so cooperative.]

Fortunately, the man was indeed cooperative. Before the motorcycle guy could ride off, Le Xi stopped him.

“Hey, handsome, we’re filming a show. May I ask, is your favorite fruit a peach? Are your favorite numbers seven and eight? You must love motorcycles, right?”

The motorcycle guy shook his head.
“I like a lot of fruits, but not peaches. I don’t have any favorite numbers. I ride a motorcycle not because I love it, but because I can’t afford a sports car.”

With that, he sped off.

“Not him? Did I guess wrong?”
Le Xi muttered to herself. The man she’d dragged along in the pink hoodie just stood there, staring at her.

[Le Xi, aren’t you going to let go? Is his hand that nice to hold?]
[Help, this guy’s definitely never dated before. He doesn’t dare speak up or pull his hand away.]

“So where am I supposed to look? How do I even start? This is so frustrating—and it’s so hot!”
Le Xi flung her arm in exasperation, noticed the sweat on her palm, and suddenly turned to the man in the pink hoodie.

“Is it you? It has to be you. I don’t want to keep searching.”

“It’s me,”
the man in the pink hoodie replied, removing his hat and mask. The comment feed exploded.

[Duan Mucheng, ahhh…]
[Duan Mucheng is back on a dating show—not just passing through, but as a real contestant, Le Xi’s new partner!]
[What’s going on? Duan Mucheng, are you in trouble? Did you go bankrupt? Why must you be on this show?]
[Tagging the person who said Duan Mucheng must do this show: our guy has his own freedom. Whatever he wants to do, we support him. Please don’t say things that might affect him negatively, thanks.]
[Le Xi doesn’t deserve this. I’ll support whatever show Duan Mucheng goes on, but can’t he get a different partner?]