"Heart-Fluttering Promise" had other guests filming advertisements as well, but none matched the influence of the Moonlight Couple, nor did they have such clever ideas. Boss Wang of Leyuan Group was indeed a shrewd businesswoman with a keen eye. She understood human curiosity well - the more information was hidden and teased out, the more interest it would generate.
Chu Yueyi had always been tolerant and generous on the show, frequently giving Shi Guanghua opportunities to save face and even stirring up discussions with her skilled "wild queen carries teammate" act. Everyone had grown accustomed to their on-camera dynamic, but who would have thought the situation was completely reversed in private, with Shi Guanghua being the one bullied!
Moonlight is Beautiful Tonight: What's on camera is all an act, off-camera is the real deal. Those who know, know.
Sam: I get it, I get it. This is on another level.
Little Gu: I couldn't ship them before, but now I can again!
Twiggy: As expected of big sis, saving face on camera but making him kneel on the washboard in private [thumbs up]
"What exactly are they shipping?"
After watching the advertisement and scrolling through online comments, Chu Yueyi couldn't comprehend the thought process of modern netizens. She spread her hands in disbelief: "I try so hard to create shipping moments on the show and they don't bite, but they can somehow ship us just by looking at a photo?"
Chu Yueyi: Have you all gone crazy from shipping?
Li You pondered thoughtfully: "Since most CP fans are female viewers, they probably want to see the girl having the upper hand. To be honest, you're quite indulgent towards Shi Guanghua on the show..."
Chu Yueyi corrected her seriously: "That's not indulgence, that's just being professional." She acted that way with all co-workers, it shouldn't be seen as favoritism.
Li You patiently reassured her: "Alright, alright, you two are just colleagues. But isn't it good that people are shipping you? I've noticed a surge in followers recently. It seems people like the contrast."
On the show, Chu Yueyi was more energetic, responsible for driving the rhythm, and easy to get along with. Shi Guanghua was quiet and reserved, appearing slow to warm up and passive, always giving off a sense of distance.
Now with the advertisement out, it was a complete reversal. The warm, friendly, and harmless Chu Yueyi also had a dark side, showing no mercy to Shi Guanghua in private. Meanwhile, the cold-faced Shi Guanghua was unexpectedly subdued, naturally surprising people.
The two had good chemistry on the show as well, but to be honest, it lacked excitement. The yogurt advertisement unintentionally added tension to their personas, instantly causing wavering viewers to fall for them.
Hearing this, Chu Yueyi felt a subtle discomfort rising in her heart. She hesitated: "But that's not the truth..."
Li You, unable to understand her hesitation, asked curiously: "Do you dislike being misunderstood? Don't want to be teased about bullying him in private?"
Chu Yueyi: "No." She didn't mind the persona, after all, it was all just an act.
Li You patiently asked: "Then what's bothering you?"
After a moment of silence, Chu Yueyi frankly said: "The performance on camera is work, but off-camera isn't part of the job. Should we be letting viewers ship us outside of the show?"
Chu Yueyi kept work and life separate. Her attitude towards Shi Guanghua on camera was definitely different from off-camera. Boss Wang's advertisement was actually pushing boundaries - no one had explained the photos, they just presented vague information, yet it sparked a tsunami of discussions.
Viewers were obsessively watching and shipping, but where was the fourth wall for the actors?
She could go on stage, but she had to come off eventually. She couldn't be trapped in front of the camera forever.
Chu Yueyi used to firmly believe she was just acting for work, but now she felt the situation was subtly spiraling out of control. Something invisible was crumbling in the shadows, dragging her into an abyss. She didn't like feeling out of control, but this enormous force gripped her tightly, impossible to break free from.
Li You, not understanding, said: "Other variety show guests interact privately too. The Whistling Couple is always interacting on Weibo. It's not a big deal."
"Besides, the original flavor yogurt that you and Shi Guanghua are responsible for is selling well. Leyuan and the show producers are quite satisfied. Boss Wang even talked to me privately, though of course we haven't explicitly discussed it yet." Li You happily shared the recent developments, then offered her advice, "You probably can't get it on your own, but if it's a duo endorsement, we could discuss it with Shi Guanghua and the others..."
The yogurt flavors promoted by each pair of guests were good. Judging purely on taste, the Whistling Couple's fruit-flavored yogurt was the best and originally had the highest sales. Chu Yueyi and Shi Guanghua were promoting the blue bottle original flavor yogurt, which actually had many similar competitors. The current sales surge was definitely due to external factors.
Chu Yueyi listened quietly, her eyes deep and calm as she said: "Li You, let's forget about it."
Li You, who had been excitedly describing her vision, paused with a smile frozen on her face. She looked at Chu Yueyi in surprise: "Huh?"
Chu Yueyi shook her head: "I'm sorry, but I can't really accept this. Please don't discuss this matter with them."
Cheng wasn't a professional manager. If they were to push for a duo endorsement, Li You would definitely be doing most of the work.
Seeing her expressionless face, Li You suddenly looked flustered and carefully asked: "Why? Do you dislike Shi Guanghua?"
Li You thought the two had been getting along well recently and there didn't seem to be any misunderstandings. Logically, she shouldn't be rejecting this.
"No, I just suddenly dislike myself a bit," Chu Yueyi slowly closed her eyes, suppressing the tumultuous emotions inside, and said in a muffled voice, "Maybe I'm being hypocritical."
She was the one who decided to participate in the variety show, but she still couldn't let go of her principles. She couldn't accept being pried into off-camera, nor could she profit from false sentiments. This could potentially trigger severe self-loathing.
The show was just a show. The guests knew it was fake, and the audience knew it was fake. However, if her and Shi Guanghua's real off-camera words and actions were misunderstood, or even dragged into complex business interests, it would invisibly increase the force restraining her, making it even harder to breathe.
Li You stared blankly at Chu Yueyi, standing there at a loss for words.
Chu Yueyi quickly composed herself and said softly: "Li You, I've been able to persevere until today because I believe that my past achievements were all due to my own efforts. I have a clear conscience. But if I take what I shouldn't, I can't handle it mentally, and I won't be able to continue."
Of course she could promote a duo endorsement, but how could she feel comfortable letting others pay for something she knew was fake?
She knew exactly why they were contributing to sales.
Knowingly selling fakes is the lowest form of behavior.
Li You was stunned for a long while. Seeing Chu Yueyi's serious expression, she conceded: "Alright, it's okay. If you don't want to, I won't mention it again..."
Chu Yueyi certainly knew that a Leyuan endorsement was something countless people would fight for. But now that she had given up this opportunity that was within her grasp, she felt oddly relieved, slightly easing the knot in her heart.
She silently set a rule for herself: acting on the show was professional, but off the show, she couldn't get too involved. She had to maintain clear boundaries to be able to move forward without distractions.
The filming of the fourth episode of "Heart-Fluttering Promise" arrived as scheduled. Chu Yueyi had already adjusted her mindset and threw herself back into the filming.
It was early winter, and the weather was getting cold. The trees in the city were desolate, and pedestrians had already bundled up in down jackets, hurrying past with focused expressions. Christmas decorations were put up early in the streets and alleys. The Christmas trees at the entrance of shopping malls were adorned with colorful lights, adding a touch of joy to the cold season.
Chu Yueyi and Shi Guanghua arrived at the filming location. Today they would be playing in an amusement park while also reaching a turning point in the show. The "Heart-Fluttering Promise" contract had stipulated that the two guests would be given four episodes to interact, and if the results were unsatisfactory, they could choose to leave the show in the fourth episode.
Chu Yueyi had never been one to actively give up on work. She hadn't paid attention to this clause when signing the contract, but now she found herself hesitating for the first time.
If she chose to leave today, the performance would end here.
"What are you thinking about?" Shi Guanghua had returned after buying tickets, holding soft cotton candy in his hand. He keenly noticed her mood and said softly, "You seem to be in a bad mood."
Chu Yueyi, who had been lost in thought, reflexively smiled and said, "No, I'm not."
Shi Guanghua looked at her bright smile. He held the cotton candy forward, covering the lower half of her face, and said flatly, "If you don't want to smile, then don't."
Chu Yueyi was startled by his words, suddenly remembering their agreement. She was about to open her mouth to explain, but her lips touched the fluffy cotton candy. Instantly tasting the sweetness, the stuffy feeling was swept away by the sugary treat. She ended up taking a small bite.
Shi Guanghua clearly didn't eat such things. Seeing her accept the cotton candy, he quietly stood to the side.
The sweet cotton candy was as soft as a cloud, making her mood light and airy. As Chu Yueyi ate the sweet treat, her whole body relaxed. Observing his silence, she muttered softly, "You haven't gotten used to it yet, give Teacher Shi a chance."
Shi Guanghua: "Alright."
Chu Yueyi raised an eyebrow, surprised he actually agreed.
Shi Guanghua caught her subtle expression and, realizing his mistake, quickly tried to salvage the situation: "It's okay, we'll take it slow, there are still many opportunities..."
Chu Yueyi: "..." Good grief, now it seems like I'm bullying you.
The two followed the crowd into the amusement park. After finishing her cotton candy, Chu Yueyi's mood brightened, no longer as gloomy as before.
Shi Guanghua secretly observed her expression. Feeling slightly relieved, and noticing she wasn't taking the lead in conversation for once, he decided to bring up a topic: "Why haven't you been replying to my messages?"
This was something Shi Guanghua had been puzzling over recently. Chu Yueyi used to initiate casual conversations, and later they had back-and-forth exchanges, even settling into a regular greeting schedule. Shi Guanghua wasn't great at finding topics, but he would share photos and music with her, which she usually responded to appropriately.
However, Chu Yueyi had notably been messaging less lately, sometimes not responding at all, which was quite unusual.
Shi Guanghua's tone wasn't accusatory; his clear eyes were full of confusion, simply seeking an answer. He didn't know what he had done wrong, so naturally felt a bit perplexed.
Chu Yueyi found it difficult to explain her complex feelings. She really didn't know how to respond lately. Their chats wouldn't be shown on the program, so she wondered if frequent interaction would break her own rules, since WeChat contact was technically outside the show's content.
Faced with his bewildered question, Chu Yueyi felt like an evasive player. Suddenly spotting an astrology booth nearby, she changed the subject: "Ah... should we go take a look at that?"
Shi Guanghua was taken aback. Forgetting his previous question, he followed her gaze: "What?"
The astrology booth in the amusement park was built intricately, with a pointed tower roof and covered in star and moon patterns, giving off a mysterious and mystical atmosphere. A small wooden sign hung at the entrance, with strange lettering that read "Couple's Synastry, Predicting True Love," adorned with a pink heart.
Shi Guanghua froze completely upon seeing the words on the sign. After a long pause, he tentatively asked: "Are you sure?"
Chu Yueyi just wanted to change the subject. She circled around him, as if urging him inside, encouraging: "Let's give it a try. It looks interesting. Let's hear what they have to say."
Shi Guanghua looked hesitant, furrowing his brow and worrying: "What if the results aren't good?"
Chu Yueyi declared decisively: "It's just like horoscopes - if you hear something good, it's mystical divination; if you hear something bad, it's superstitious nonsense!"
Shi Guanghua: "..." !