The long-awaited reality show "No Romance Cottage" finally premiered, adopting a live broadcast format before being edited and released on streaming platforms later. The production company behind the show excelled at marketing, and it quickly trended online upon launch. The live viewership had already surpassed one million.
— "Ahhhh! Shen Sizhan's first live variety show! So excited!"
— "I don’t even see Shen Sizhan as a celebrity—I just genuinely want to date him."
— "I’ve never understood the hype around Shen Sizhan!"
— "Shen Sizhan is so rude! Did you see how he ignored Li Huanyu’s greeting?"
— "Ugh, who even stan this arrogant celebrity?"
— "LMAO at the skincare comment! Shen Sizhan’s mouth must be banned from airport security!"
— "Shen Sizhan is such a jerk! Our Gu Jingchuan got tanned from dedication to his craft! What does he know about professionalism?"
— "Wow! Jiang Wan is adorable!"
— "Did she buy her way into the show again?"
— "Everyone knows she’s a nepo baby, unlike our Huanyu, who got here purely on talent!"
— "So what if she’s well-connected? Jiang Wan only takes supporting roles and never steals the spotlight—directors love her!"
— "Lin Mo? A real civilian? Never heard of her."
— "Wait, why is everyone reacting like this? Who is she?"
— "Probably another rich kid shoved in by some investor!"
The barrage of comments flew by rapidly.
But none moved as fast as Gu Jingchuan’s heartbeat.
Lin Mo was actually on the show!
She must have come because of him!
They hadn’t spoken or seen each other since he left for filming in Africa.
Hearing he was doing a dating show, Lin Mo must have panicked!
Li Huanyu wasn’t unfamiliar with the name either.
Shen Yihan’s sister.
What was she doing here?
Was she trying to break into the entertainment industry?
The thought of Lin Mo’s face sent a wave of unease through Li Huanyu.
Her fingers clenched briefly before relaxing.
She had a solid fanbase.
And Gu Jingchuan wasn’t even into Lin Mo’s type.
Nothing to worry about!
Jiang Wan hadn’t seen Lin Mo since Xu Yali’s birthday party.
She’d been too excited back then and forgot to ask for her WeChat.
Later, she reached out to Zhao Ziling, hoping to arrange a hangout for the three of them.
Zhao Ziling said she was busy practicing dance, and Lin Mo was swamped with school—maybe another time.
Jiang Wan had gotten Lin Mo’s contact through Zhao Ziling but didn’t want to bother her too much.
Now, she beamed.
Yes! She could finally hang out with Lin Mo on the show!
Shen Sizhan was startled but quickly composed himself.
The name Lin Mo wasn’t uncommon.
He just hadn’t expected someone with the same name as his sister to appear on the same show.
Until a lively girl in a bright yellow dress walked through the door.
Her delicate, radiant face and starry peach-blossom eyes were breathtaking.
Her wavy hair cascaded over her shoulders, each strand glowing under the light.
— "HOLY—! Not an investor’s ugly kid—she’s gorgeous!"
— "So pretty!! Flawless skin, rosy lips, and pearly teeth."
— "Nuwa, in my next life, I want to look like this!"
Shen Sizhan slid off the couch in shock, scrambling back up with a cracked voice, "Sis!! What are you doing here?"
Shouldn’t she be in class right now?
No wonder she’d skipped dinner with him last night—she’d planned this surprise!
So touched! He could cry!
The other cast members turned to stare at Shen Sizhan.
Jiang Wan found it odd.
Shen Sizhan looked older than Lin Mo!
Li Huanyu frowned slightly.
Real sister or fake sister?
Shen Yihan had never mentioned any connection to the A-list star Shen Sizhan.
Gu Jingchuan finally remembered—Shen Sizhan was Lin Mo’s younger brother.
Shen Sizhan had always disliked him.
And now that Lin Mo had joined a dating show for him, Shen Sizhan must be furious!
— "Sis? What’s Shen Sizhan babbling about?"
— "Wait—I remember now! Someone snapped a pic of Shen Sizhan with a rumored girlfriend at the airport. Was that her?"
— "Oh right! Back then, fans claimed she was his sister!"
— "Great. My idol and I are heart-to-heart, except he’s playing mind games—bringing his civilian girlfriend to a dating show!"
— "AHHHH! (Writhes on the floor) (Screeches) (Convulses) (Struggles to stand) (Sprints forward) Who remembers Shen Sizhan swore he’d never date?!"
Lin Mo smiled at Shen Sizhan. "I’m just here to have fun."
The director hadn’t expected such a strong reaction to Lin Mo’s arrival.
That day, while fine-tuning the show’s details with his team, he’d received an unexpected call.
A young woman’s voice came through: "Hello, I’m Shen Sizhan’s rumored girlfriend. I’d like to join your show."
That one succinct line had grabbed his attention.
He knew about Shen Sizhan’s dating scandal from the trending hashtag.
The topic had been scrubbed quickly, but that only fueled netizens’ curiosity.
Even after Gu Jingchuan’s sunburnt photos went viral, some still dug for clues.
Strangely enough, while netizens managed to dig up even the most trivial details about Shen Sizhan—like an argument he had with a dog abroad—they found no evidence of any additional interactions between him and this girl.
The online community grew even more curious, with speculation posts flooding every platform.
No one expected the girl to reach out to him.
But variety shows thrive on drama and buzz.
Wasn’t this just a stroke of fortune falling right into his lap?
Later, the two met briefly, and he agreed to let her join the show.
Putting everything else aside, her looks alone were enough to set the internet ablaze!
And he wasn’t wrong.
The barrage of comments was already exploding!
Shen Sizhan’s manager, Zhou Sheng, frowned deeply as he watched the scene unfold.
The only glimpse he’d had of Lin Mo before was a side profile in paparazzi photos.
Who knew she’d be this stunning?
With looks like that, signing her would be a goldmine.
But sneaking onto this show to force Shen Sizhan into going public?
She must have taken a wrong turn somewhere.
Shen Sizhan had a notoriously rebellious streak—the more someone pushed, the more he resisted.
Well, now there was no need for him to interfere in their relationship.
Shen Sizhan would dump her on his own!
The director suppressed a grin as he picked up his microphone and announced, "Now that all our initial guests have arrived, let me explain the rules of No Love Cottage."
"Among you, there are real couples, but you must keep it a secret while living here. For this week, no dating is allowed—violators will face consequences."
"The penalties change daily, starting right now."
"Staring at the opposite sex for more than five seconds earns you a hit from the black-clad enforcers. Showing concern for the opposite sex? That’s five hits. Each strike deducts one point from your starting score of 100. These scores will impact what happens later, so couples, be careful—the enforcers are always watching!"
Lin Mo had already settled onto the sofa, listening attentively to the director.
But her head felt foggy.
The flight from Beijing to Jiangcheng took only three hours, but the high-speed train took ten.
She’d slept on the train last night after taking the medication prescribed by Dr. You.
But whether it was the medicine’s weak effect or just the discomfort of sleeping on a train, she kept drifting in and out of consciousness.
It was like being knocked out, revived, knocked out again, and revived—over and over.
She’d left Beijing at 9 p.m. and arrived in Jiangcheng at 7 a.m.
After freshening up at the hotel and grabbing a bowl of hot dry noodles, she’d headed straight to the filming site.
Shen Sizhan only needed a few glances to notice his "older sister" didn’t look well.
He quickly stood up and poured her a glass of water. "Here, have some water."
Just as Lin Mo reached for it, he pulled the cup back. "Wait, it’s too hot. Let me cool it down for you."
And so, the audience witnessed something unbelievable:
The same arrogant, untouchable superstar who usually acted like the world revolved around him was now crouched beside the coffee table.
His slender hands carefully poured water between two cups, back and forth, his expression deadly serious—as if performing a task of utmost importance.
Everyone in the room: "…"
