Ji Xizhou’s happiness lasted less than three seconds.
Xu Jinsi cut in sharply. “An underdeveloped cerebellum is usually what causes someone to trip on flat ground. Dr. Lu, is there any scientific basis for that?”
Lu Nanxun had, of course, seen what happened just now.
Personally, he didn’t want anyone getting close to Ji Liuyue—not Xu Jinsi, nor Ji Xizhou.
They were both annoying.
But compared with the newcomer Ji Xizhou, he was more familiar with Xu Jinsi.
He nodded. “There is such a theory.”
Ji Xizhou, now labeled as having “an underdeveloped cerebellum,” looked like a beagle teetering on the verge of going berserk. He seemed ready to charge over and pick a fight at any moment.
Fortunately, the quick-eyed staff pulled him back, and after some effort, everyone finally took their seats.
At last, it was time for the late-night discussion.
The production team would throw out several different questions, and the guests would answer them one by one in front of the cameras.
It was a segment that put both their emotional intelligence and their wits to the test. If they answered poorly—or gave the anti-fans something to latch onto—they could easily become the target of online attacks after the episode aired.
Ji Liuyue, however, had nothing to worry about.
The contract she had signed with the production team specifically required her to stir things up.
For the first question, a staff member asked, “Since joining this dating show, have you met someone you genuinely like?”
They answered in order from left to right.
Everyone said yes except Zhang Weiyi, who shook her head.
The second question was: “In a relationship, which would you find less acceptable—the other person changing their personality to please you, or insisting on being themselves and doing things their own way?”
Everyone gave a different answer.
Liu Qingye said, “I’d prefer them to stay true to themselves. They don’t need to change.”
Ji Liuyue smiled and looked at the camera. “Changing for my sake to please me? That sounds great.”
The two male guests sitting on either side of her looked thoughtful.
The third question was: “Would you give up your job for the sake of a relationship?”
The question hit the heart of the matter.
Ji Mingtian nodded. “I would! Actually, I once gave up a stable job for a girl and moved all the way to this city.”
Ji Liuyue wore an expression of helpless regret.
This guy really was hopelessly lovestruck! Sure, we shared the surname Ji, but he was seriously dragging down our family’s average!
Xu Jinsi thought for a moment before saying, “I wouldn’t.”
Lu Nanxun’s answer was the most surprising. He had the most stable job of anyone there—a doctor with regular nine-to-five hours.
How could someone with that kind of career possibly give it up?
Yet his answer was astonishing.
“I would.”
The others all looked shocked. After all, Dr. Lu had always been the quiet, reserved listener sitting calmly beside everyone else. They had all assumed he was mild-mannered and steady.
Who would have thought he could make such an impulsive decision?
Ji Xizhou’s answer was more detailed.
“That would depend on what kind of relationship it was. What if my work and my career were only means of chasing after her and getting closer to her? Why shouldn’t I be able to gain an even better career because of a relationship?”
When the camera moved to Liu Qingye, she lied again.
She was an actress. How could she possibly give up her career for love?
But she smiled and said, “I would! Actually, I’m very much a hopeless romantic. If I liked someone, I’d be willing to give up everything for him.”
It was merely part of the persona she had created for herself.
But Ji Mingtian, sitting two seats away, actually believed her. He flashed her a delighted smile, as if he had found a kindred spirit.
Ji Liuyue didn’t even need to think before answering directly.
“No. Boyfriends are easy enough to find, but a job is genuinely hard to come by. Why would I give up my career and work for a relationship?”
“Besides, only when you become outstanding yourself can the people you meet be equally outstanding. A good relationship should make you better and better. If a relationship requires you to give up your job and career, that only proves you met the wrong person and that it’s the wrong relationship!”
Her reasoning was exceptionally clear.
The female guests present all nodded thoughtfully after hearing her answer.
The serious segment came to an end.
The production team brought out a small game prop to liven up the atmosphere.
It was a green cartoon crocodile toy with a mouth full of teeth. Normally, pressing down on one of the teeth wouldn’t make the crocodile’s mouth close. But if someone pressed the wrong tooth, the crocodile’s jaws would snap shut instantly and clamp down on their hand.
Whoever got bitten had to accept a punishment: truth or dare.
Wang Aitian looked thrilled. “Wow, I’ve seen people play this on dating shows before. I never thought I’d get to play it myself one day.”
Zhang Weiyi said calmly from the side, “Don’t get too excited yet. What if you end up getting punished?”
Wang Aitian lowered her voice and exposed the truth of the matter in one sentence.
“That’s exactly why it has to bite someone for the game to be fun, you know? That’s how you create natural interactions. Hee hee.”
As she spoke, she glanced out of the corner of her eye at Cen Yu, who was sitting in the corner.
Zhang Weiyi nodded. Liu Qingye was sitting nearby as well, and after hearing Wang Aitian’s words, she began to look thoughtful.
The crocodile was passed from left to right during the first round.
Ji Mingtian was the first to press down, so he felt perfectly confident. He chose one of the middle teeth and pressed it.
Nothing happened.
Zhang Weiyi went second. She picked a tooth at random, and it was safe as well.
Next came Wang Aitian, Liu Qingye, Dr. Lu, Ji Liuyue, Xu Jinsi, Ji Xizhou, and Cen Yu.
When it reached Liu Qingye, she hesitated for quite some time before pressing one of the teeth on the upper row.
It wasn’t the one.
Disappointment flashed across her face.
She handed the crocodile to Dr. Lu beside her.
“Just how lucky would you have to be to press the bad tooth on your very first try?”
The words had barely left her mouth when—
Click!
The crocodile’s giant jaws snapped shut around Lu Nanxun’s hand.
He had gotten it!
The punishment for the first round began.
“Truth or dare?” the others asked, egging him on.
Lu Nanxun’s first reaction was to glance at Ji Liuyue.
The others’ expressions instantly became rather suggestive.
He lowered his voice and asked politely, “Would you be all right with a dare?”
At first, Ji Liuyue didn’t understand what he meant. “Sure.”
“Good.”
Lu Nanxun raised his head and looked toward the camera. Slowly, he said, “I choose dare.”
The production team brought over a box containing the game penalties. Lu Nanxun reached inside and pulled out a slip of paper.
He unfolded it slowly.
Dare: Invite a member of the opposite sex to hold hands and gaze deeply into each other’s eyes for thirty seconds.
The moment they learned what the dare was, Xu Jinsi’s face turned livid. Ji Xizhou nearly exploded, shooting up from his chair.
“Dr. Lu, I’ll do the dare with you!” he announced loudly.
Cen Yu reminded him from the side, “The dare requires someone of the opposite sex.”
Ji Xizhou sat back down in disappointment, glaring at Lu Nanxun with such fiery jealousy that it seemed capable of burning a hole straight through him.
Damn it! He was choosing dare when his turn came, too.
Lu Nanxun looked at Ji Liuyue once more and lowered his voice.
“If I invited you to complete this dare, would you feel uncomfortable?”
He really was a gentleman. Even at a moment like this, he was still asking the female guest for her opinion.
Ji Liuyue gave him a mischievous smile, the corners of her lips slowly curving upward.
“If I refused, who would you invite to complete the dare with you?”
