After the explosive news, the Moonlight Science Club was flooded with a massive influx of new members. All kinds of old textbooks were dug out, making it the most prominent example in the CP (couple pairing) world for a time.
This wasn't just due to the efforts of Moonlight scientists, but more crucially because of the official announcement. Which other CP fans could boast that their ship had become reality? This alone was enough to make them stand tall and proud!
The pinned Weibo comment section of the Moonlight Science Club was filled with fans of other CPs and passersby. While they congratulated the Moonlight CP, they also robotically posted comments like "Sharing in the joy", "XX and XXX, did you see that? When will it be your turn?", and "This humble girl begs for the power of CP science to change fate and make my ship come true too."
The Moonlight Science Club, which was originally full of a research atmosphere, now somewhat resembled a large-scale deity worship scene.
Moonlight Science Club: Thank you to all the visiting students for your attention, but the science club's powers are limited. We currently don't offer wish-granting services. Please visit various well-known temples and religious activity sites to burn incense.
My CP Won't Have a Bad Ending: As everyone knows, the science club is called Moonlight, has divine power but it's moonlight, spends all its money each month, only one pair is effective [doge]
Lake Lake Lake Color: So many outsiders have come in recently, I'm afraid the teacher will be rubbed bald, with what little hair he has left being rubbed off.
Whining Monster: Wuwuwu why is there no news after the official announcement, I thought we could see them together again, will Teacher Shi only stay in the castle from now on?
Xiao Jie: Don't panic, it's a small matter, it's the new rule of Moonlight, the longer the silence, the bigger the news [doge]
Red Every Day: That's right, last time there was an official announcement after the sugar drought, now there's no news again, obviously there will be even bigger news!
Seagull Flies: I get it, I get it, next time it'll be a wedding, right? [OK]
After Chu Yueyi and Shi Guanghua's official announcement, they took the opportunity to travel for a while. When Chu Yueyi returned, she went through team adjustments and got a new position in the company, then returned to work.
Shi Guanghua still wasn't active in the public eye, but his Weibo and Instagram posts were obviously different now. Sometimes the content didn't mention Chu Yueyi at all, yet anyone could see what he was expressing. For example, on the Mid-Autumn Festival, he posted a photo of the moonlit scenery with an English caption saying it was a suitable day for singing.
The Moonlight scientists were initially excited about his wild dance, but gradually got used to this brother's frequent rhythm. Even their comment style changed, taking on a somewhat sarcastic attitude.
Zysne: Chang'e was so scared by your way of showing off love that she fled back to the moon overnight.
Iilya234: Others eat mooncakes while you sing, don't the mooncakes stuff your mouth, do you have to cook up two more pounds of dog food?
Cici_: On this wonderful day of reunion, I hope people inside the wall can come over and mock him too.
Youmoon: Teacher Shi: No one listens when you sing, yet you can still be sarcastic towards me, speechless.
In comparison, Chu Yueyi, as a public figure, was much more low-key. She basically never mentioned their relationship in front of the camera, which made the Moonlight scientists even more eager to extract sugar from her side.
After all, everyone now saw through Chu Yueyi. She was the type to show nothing on the surface, but have an explosion of inner thoughts in private. She actually managed to act like nothing was happening before the official announcement. Anyone would have to admit she was a great actress!
CP fans used to grumble that solo fans were just making things up, but now it seems the solo fans understood her best, actually being able to decipher the truth from beneath layers of masks.
Of course, although Chu Yueyi generally didn't mention the officially announced relationship, the media couldn't help but publicly ask about it. Occasionally, when she couldn't avoid it, she had to give an answer.
Reporter: "Have you considered going on variety shows again? For example, bringing someone close to you?"
"Not at the moment," Chu Yueyi pondered for a few seconds. She knew well who the other party was hinting at, and calmly said, "After all, it's not like we're short on money?"
Reporter: "?"
-- I see, I see, there's no more Mr. Shi, only an old house husband now!
-- So Teacher Chu is a traditional woman, doesn't like men who are in the public eye (dog head for protection)
-- Boss Chu: I'm super rich, why would I need my spouse to come out and do anything?
-- One word and she's the Juliet clan leader! Killing it inside and out!
Apart from this, the same topic was mentioned at a film promotion event. This time, the reporter asked Chu Yueyi about her male co-star's composing skills, trying to get her to comment and guide her to say he was the best composer.
The male actor was a multi-talented artist. Faced with the media's flattery, he was startled and waved his hands, humbly saying, "No, no, I wouldn't dare to show off in front of an expert. She knows much more talented musicians!"
Everyone present burst into laughter, obviously knowing who he was referring to.
Faced with the teasing, Chu Yueyi became more open, smiling as she said, "I feel this question isn't very valuable. I don't understand music, so my evaluation wouldn't be professional and I can't give good advice."
"But if I have to say who's the best composer, I definitely wouldn't dare to nod. It's not that Teacher Li isn't excellent, but even if you brought out the master Beethoven, I wouldn't dare to nod," Chu Yueyi said with a helpless smile. "There's no way around it, please understand a music illiterate. We listen to songs based on the person, not the song."
Chu Yueyi said this to escape the "best composer" trap without embarrassing the senior Teacher Li, which immediately sparked online discussions.
-- Chu: Sorry, I don't understand music, only musicians.
-- Wuwuwu even Beethoven isn't as good as you, because she can only see him, I'm dying from this ship!
-- Beethoven: If you're dating just date, don't always ride on my popularity.
-- That's right, do I buy my idol's songs because they're good? No, it's entirely because he's my husband!
-- It's over, musical talent is Teacher Shi's only advantage, and Teacher Chu can't even understand it, this must be true love if she can still fall for him [stick]
After the relationship was officially announced, Chu Yueyi consciously controlled public opinion, trying not to focus external attention on it, until she received an invitation from the original production team of "Heart-Fluttering Promise".
The Chief Director sincerely invited the two of them to appear as special guests in the new show, leaving Chu Yueyi unable to find an excuse to refuse.
She didn't like feeling indebted to others, and considering how absolute Shi Guanghua had been at the time, she inevitably felt apologetic towards the production team.
The Chief Director had said that "Heart-Fluttering Promise" was his starting point for producing romance shows, similar to the childhood stage of humans. And Shi Guanghua had brought trauma to the director, perhaps needing a lifetime to heal from childhood (?)
Hearing such an absurd reason, Chu Yueyi could only reluctantly discuss with Shi Guanghua whether he was willing to participate in the new show.
Shi Guanghua had no objections to this. He certainly didn't have the mindset of making it up to the director, he simply felt that he could be with Chu Yueyi. Yes, this was also his thought when he participated in "Heart-Fluttering Promise", still without any self-reflection or change.
The new show was certainly not a dating reality show, but rather a mystery-adventure variety show. Each episode featured eight celebrities, paired into four teams of two.
Chu Yueyi was very interested in this. She had originally talked about going to play escape rooms with Shi Guanghua, who knew the show would give them an opportunity.
This was the first time the Moonlight CP appeared together on a variety show after their official announcement, immediately raising the expectations of Moonlight scientists, who waited punctually in front of their screens for the broadcast!
At the show's location, Chu Yueyi and Shi Guanghua got out of their cars one after another. They were surprised to see Zou Qian waiting outdoors, clearly not expecting to meet an old friend.
Zou Qian was the first celebrity to arrive. Seeing the familiar couple, he immediately had a sense of foreboding. Instantly putting on a pained expression, he couldn't help but complain: "Why do I run into you guys even here?"
As one of the victims of the Moonlight official announcement, Zou Qian really didn't want to be fed dog food. He had been avoiding the two of them, yet he still ran into them?
Knowing that Shi Guanghua wouldn't say a word even if prodded ten times, Zou Qian simply asked the decision-maker of the pair, challenging: "Chu Yueyi, didn't you claim you wouldn't go on variety shows? Are you finally short on money now?"
Chu Yueyi was long used to his childish remarks. She calmly counterattacked: "No, I feel like you're the one short on money."
Zou Qian: "I never said I don't bring my boyfriend on shows because I'm rich."
Chu Yueyi: "But I've only been on variety shows twice, and I've met you each time. I just feel like you're more in need of money."
Shi Guanghua, who had been spacing out, came back to his senses upon hearing this. He looked seriously at Zou Qian and agreed: "Indeed, I've only been on shows twice, and met you both times."
Chu Yueyi laughed: "See? Basically everyone present agrees with me."
Zou Qian: "..." There are only three people here, and you two are recording together. How dare you even speak!
Zou Qian, stabbed in the back by his good friend and feeling inexplicably shown up, was on the verge of bursting into tears: "Waaah, Guanghua, you weren't like this before. Now you only speak up for her..."
Chu Yueyi calmly said: "It's because you always rush to offer yourself up."
Zou Qian angrily retorted: "I don't care! I resent you both! Your relationship has hurt me and left me with a terrible reputation!"
Chu Yueyi hesitated: "Are you talking about that meme online? The one that says 'To play the deeply depressed and extreme character of the Joker, Joaquin Phoenix spent a week observing Zou Qian's life'?"
Zou Qian: "How dare you bring that up!?"
After the "Moonlight Romance" was officially announced, Zou Qian, as a recurring character throughout the storyline, naturally became the butt of jokes among netizens, often being used as a synonym for "clown." Occasionally, comments like "Zou Qian is actually me" would pop up, along with phrases like "There were no clowns in the world until Zou Qian appeared too often."
Zou Qian still couldn't understand why he, as a peripheral figure in the relationship reveal, suffered more damage than the actual parties involved. When Moonlight joined a dating show, he became the clown; when Moonlight attended a gala, he lost his seat; when Moonlight appeared on screen again, he was the one getting hurt?
Zou Qian lamented in anguish: "Does your relationship have to be built on my suffering?"
Shi Guanghua, faced with his indignant expression, sincerely said: "You really do look a bit depressed and extreme right now."
Zou Qian: "..."
-- Teacher Chu is so good with words, Teacher Shi is so bad with words, and Teacher Zou is speechless.
-- Suddenly feels like we're back in the early days of "Heart-Fluttering Promise"!
-- The production team is toxic, haha, still persecuting Zou Qian [doge]
-- Zou Qian is like me on Valentine's Day, left at home but not daring to get angry at my parents.
Not long after, other guests arrived, including the singer Ren Qinyan. Chu Yueyi had met her on a show before. She stood with Shi Guanghua but also greeted Ren Qinyan.
Ren Qinyan was a bit tense on the variety show, but seeing Chu Yueyi, she managed a slight smile and relaxed a little.
Zou Qian, seeing Ren Qinyan approach, immediately averted his gaze, not daring to look at her directly.
"Now we'd like to ask everyone to pair up in groups of two. We'll be heading to a mysterious location to begin today's adventure."
Chu Yueyi was originally going to pair up with Shi Guanghua, but looking around at the other guests, she felt that Ren Qinyan might end up alone. She remembered that Zou Qian and Ren Qinyan knew each other, and that Zou Qian had a bit of a crush on her, but Zou Qian always knew his boundaries and didn't dare show it on camera, so naturally, he didn't have the courage to pair up with Ren Qinyan.
Shi Guanghua noticed Chu Yueyi hesitating and naturally stopped as well, asking puzzled: "What's wrong?"
Chu Yueyi quickly ran back: "Wait a moment, I'm going to ask!"
Shi Guanghua looked confused but followed her back.
The remaining guests were still discussing pairings when Chu Yueyi approached the hesitant Ren Qinyan, asking with concern: "Haven't you found a partner yet?"
Ren Qinyan, with her model-like height, responded a beat late, answering with difficulty: "No..."
Chu Yueyi: "Is there anyone here you're familiar with?"
Ren Qinyan replied sheepishly: "...Not really familiar with anyone."
Chu Yueyi pondered, realizing that Zou Qian truly was useless, apparently falling into the "not familiar" category.
She naturally wouldn't try to match up Zou Qian and Ren Qinyan, as it was someone else's personal matter, but she didn't want Ren Qinyan to be left alone.
After thinking for a moment, Chu Yueyi suggested: "Why don't we pair up then?"
Ren Qinyan wasn't familiar with many celebrities, so she smiled when she saw Chu Yueyi.
Ren Qinyan looked surprised: "But aren't you..."
Shi Guanghua, who had come over after hearing the news: "?"
Shi Guanghua looked at Chu Yueyi with slight annoyance, his eyes flickering as he probed: "What about me then?"
Chu Yueyi scratched her head, facing her questioning boyfriend, and said with a dry laugh: "Why don't you pair up with Zou Qian?"
Shi Guanghua: "..." You convinced me to join the show just to pair up separately?
-- Oh boy, he's been cuckolded, cuckolded, cuckolded, he's anxious, anxious, anxious!
-- Shi's look at Ren: Don't you have a wife? Why are you pairing up with my wife?
-- Chu: I'm not a player, I just want to give all tall people a home.
-- No, no, no, I want to see Moonlight pair up, they can't be separated here!
-- So Zou Qian is the backup plan?!
-- Two couples fighting, let the battle between the house flower and the wild flower begin!
Shi Guanghua clearly didn't agree with Chu Yueyi's suggestion. He simply pulled Zou Qian over, intending to discuss the new situation among the four of them.
Zou Qian actually didn't dare to talk to Ren Qinyan on camera, always keeping his distance, but was unexpectedly dragged over by his friend. He immediately panicked, sweating profusely, and not daring to steal a glance at Ren Qinyan, he asked helplessly: "Guanghua, what's going on?"
Shi Guanghua calmly said: "You come and solve this."
Zou Qian, confused: "Solve what?"
Shi Guanghua directly assigned: "You pair up with her."
Zou Qian realized he was referring to Ren Qinyan and stuttered in shock: "W-why!?"
Shi Guanghua insisted: "Because we need to pair up."
Zou Qian: "???" What kind of confusing pronoun usage is this?
Shi Guanghua saw that Zou Qian had been wandering around without a partner for a while, and thought he could pair up with Ren Qinyan for the adventure, so he and Chu Yueyi wouldn't be separated. He naturally didn't know about Zou Qian's little crush, nor did he have Chu Yueyi's strong observational skills, simply forcing the two together.
Zou Qian finally understood the situation, recognizing his role as the old tool, and realized Shi Guanghua just wanted to use him to take Ren Qinyan away. Since he didn't actually mind, he suggested a compromise: "Why don't the four of us go together?"
Zou Qian didn't dare interact frequently with Ren Qinyan on camera, so he proposed a middle ground.
Chu Yueyi: "That works too."
Ren Qinyan: "I'm fine with anything."
Shi Guanghua: "..."
The four of them moved together towards the starting point of the adventure, but as soon as they took a step, their formation scattered, with Chu Yueyi and Shi Guanghua naturally walking together.
Shi Guanghua, walking beside her, muttered quietly: "You said you wanted to record the show with me..." Shi Guanghua actually wasn't interested in recording the show, but how could she lure him here and then not care?
Chu Yueyi: "Well, we're still recording together now. Plans change, you know."
She did want to explore with Shi Guanghua, but they spent a lot of time together in private, and it would have been pitiful to leave Ren Qinyan without a partner. Now with the four of them as a group, it was the best outcome.
The adventure room was dark and deep, with strange sounds seemingly echoing, though it was unclear if it was the production team's sound effects.
Ren Qinyan looked hesitantly at the narrow passage, and Chu Yueyi, sensing her body stiffen, reassured her: "Are you afraid of these things?"
"A little," Ren Qinyan, with her high-class looks, actually had a small courage, and said softly, "Mainly because I can't see the path clearly."
The passage was truly terrifying and gloomy, as if something could pop out at any moment. The sense of the unknown was the scariest part.
Chu Yueyi: "Then why don't you hold onto me?"
"Ah, okay..." Ren Qinyan's vision was truly poor in the darkness, so she honestly held onto Chu Yueyi as they moved forward.
Faced with this scene, Shi Guanghua suddenly said: "I'm scared too."
Chu Yueyi turned back to glare at him in disbelief. She examined his expressionless face and scolded: "How do you look scared right now?"
Shi Guanghua took her other hand decisively and said: "I am scared."
Chu Yueyi had just started holding Ren Qinyan's hand, and now she inexplicably found herself leading two tall people, one in each hand, leaving Zou Qian confused and isolated at the end.
The isolated Zou Qian: "???"
Zou Qian originally didn't know how to interact with Ren Qinyan on camera, but feeling the familiar experience of being the clown, he finally spoke up numbly: "Qinyan, let's pair up. Let them go, I really can't take this anymore."
Zou Qian: Can this couple do anything normal people would do!?
Ren Qinyan was startled. She stopped and hesitated: "I'm fine with anything..."
Ren Qinyan saw Zou Qian left behind and indeed felt a bit sorry for him.
Chu Yueyi: "Huh? Is that really okay?"
Shi Guanghua's lips curled slightly upward. He was more decisive than the parties involved, already taking Chu Yueyi's hand, and directly waved goodbye: "Alright, see you at the finish line."
Chu Yueyi: "..." !