Chapter 167
When Zhong Ruanxing and Song JinXing returned, the live stream had already ended, and online discussion about "Love by Instinct" had reached its final peak.
This was the only dating show in history where none of the guest couples got together, except for the real couple hidden among them.
Not until the very end when Yong Yun smiled and appeared at the meeting place Yang Ze had agreed on, did the audience finally confirm that this sibling couple was the real couple concealed among the eight guests!
Apart from them, none of the other six people matched up.
Xia Xi didn't get to meet Bai Yinyue, Zhuang Xueyu didn't get to meet Cheng Yaowen, and of course Cheng Yaowen didn't get to meet Zhong Ruanxing either.
The fans who were looking forward to seeing couples form were furious at the production team: If you wanna do a survival show then do a survival show! If you wanna do a dating show then do a dating show! What the heck is this survival dating show hybrid! Now you've succeeded at the survival part but failed at the dating part - apart from the real couple, all the ships fans were rooting for ended in tragedy. Who understands this?! Dear family and friends!
No more shows are allowed to copy this format in the future, you hear me! Although we did enjoy the survival part at the time... But! We must complain!
Production team: Go ahead and complain, complaints are still engagement. The more you complain the better.
Tonight's livestream officially ended, but the first episode of "Love by Instinct" officially launched on Mango Video. The twenty-plus days of livestreaming provided enough footage to edit into a twelve episode show, not only for new viewers who didn't watch the livestream but also for fans who did watch to rewatch and sustain engagement.
So the more dissatisfied people are, the higher future engagement will be.
As the saying goes, expired candy tastes the best. Knowing the final outcome of no successful couples, watching their interactions again from the start suits the current trendy tragic aesthetic!
With this mentality, Director Yan cheerfully announced with a small megaphone: "The livestream officially ends here. Thank you everyone for your hard work these past days. Rest well tonight. Tomorrow the production team will send boats to take everyone off the island."
Apart from the real couple Yong Yun and Yang Ze, and Yao Jingshan who gave up on getting asked out, the rest felt somewhat awkward and didn't chat much.
Xia Xi looked at Bai Yinyue longingly but saw refusal in her eyes, so ultimately didn't approach her. When Zhong Ruanxing came back, Bai Yinyue had just showered and was a bit surprised to see her: "You came back?"
She'd assumed Zhong Ruanxing would stay at the mansion tonight.
Zhong Ruanxing said softly: "It's the last night, best not to give others an excuse."
Bai Yinyue looked her up and down and clicked her tongue: "You didn't leave a trace of lipstick behind huh."
Zhong Ruanxing shyly nudged her.
Bai Yinyue sighed: "I won't get to be the bride, so remember to make me your bridesmaid in the future."
Zhong Ruanxing glared: "You're thinking too far ahead!"
Bai Yinyue: "I'm reserving in advance! What if someone else snatches the role?"
Zhong Ruanxing: "..." She looked at Bai Yinyue speechlessly: "You're using that 'else' very suggestively."
The two chatted and laughed for a bit before going to bed. Some slept very well that night, others tossed and turned. Zhong Ruanxing slept quite soundly, dreaming of the glowing coral she saw at sea the night before.
She was sleeping sweetly when a ringtone woke her.
Zhong Ruanxing fumbled with eyes still closed, trying to turn off the alarm disrupting her pleasant dream. But something felt off.
The ringtone was very familiar - Song JinXing's alarm that she used to wake up to every morning when they had switched bodies, kicking off her domineering president days.
And the bed didn't feel right either.
It was too comfortable, nothing like the wooden bed she slept on in the cabin. Zhong Ruanxing's fuzzy consciousness instantly sharpened. She bolted up in bed. What met her eyes was the spacious master bedroom in the seaside mansion, with Song JinXing's signature woody cold fragrance hanging in the air.
Her body was filled with tremendous power. Realizing what was going on, she slowly widened her eyes in shock. With a sudden jerk of her arm, she saw bulging veins appear along her sinewy limb.
After a long pause, a muffled scream sounded from under the covers.
Zhong Ruanxing angrily pounded the bed: "Why did we switch again! Nothing even happened this time!"
Weren't they supposed to only switch when danger struck? Turns out that was just their own wishful thinking?!
You're so shameless, body swap!
On the other side, in the cabin, when Song JinXing was woken by Bai Yinyue grabbing her hand, a fleeting confusion passed over her face. Bai Yinyue was still holding her hand: "Ruanxing, I don't want to take the production boat off the island, to avoid seeing Xia Xi. Can you take me to Song JinXing and get him to arrange a boat to take me away?"
As consciousness returned, Song JinXing instantly realized he and Zhong Ruanxing had switched again.
He silently slipped his hand out of Bai Yinyue's grip and calmly sat up in bed.
Bai Yinyue was taken aback, suddenly sensing something off about the person before her. Although Song JinXing didn't do or say anything out of the ordinary, just meeting his eyes, she gradually revealed an incredulous look on her face. "You... you two..."
She abruptly stood and backed up two steps, lowering her shocked voice: "What's going on?! Ruan... where is she?!"
Being back in this body felt different again.
After all, it wasn't a stranger's body anymore, but his girlfriend's.
Song JinXing tidied the pajamas he was wearing and said in a low voice: "She's probably at the mansion. Get ready, we'll go find her."
Although she already knew about this bizarre secret, seeing it happen before her eyes still dealt a huge blow to Bai Yinyue's worldview.
She stood frozen for a good while. Seeing Song JinXing's nonchalance, prepared to start changing clothes, even though it was Zhong Ruanxing's body, Bai Yinyue still couldn't bear to watch. She quickly turned around: "You! What's going on with you two?! Why is this happening?!"
Song JinXing expertly put on the bra and slipped a shirt over it: "We still haven't found the cause."
Bai Yinyue exclaimed in succession: "Oh my god! Oh my god! Unbelievable!"
Song JinXing swiftly dressed, briefly washed up, casually tied up the long hair, and looked at the flabbergasted Bai Yinyue: "Do you even tie hair that skillfully!"
He smiled: "Let's go."
Bai Yinyue watched him, feeling he was both Song JinXing yet not the Song JinXing she knew. The iceberg had yet to completely melt, but more sunshine was getting through, no longer giving off an unapproachable vibe.
After bidding the other guests farewell and notifying the production team, they finally left the cabin with minimal luggage and headed for the mansion.
They took the closest path, the one with the rest stop Song JinXing had specifically built for Zhong Ruanxing. Waiting there was a tall, slender figure.
Seeing that heartthrob "man" again, Bai Yinyue's sense of absurdity reached new heights.
She suddenly felt ready to move on.
Her secret crush came back to life!