To say the least, this outcome was completely unexpected for those present.
However, the live chat remained eerily calm.
— "I’ve been so overwhelmed by all the drama lately, I almost forgot about the voting!"
— "Hahaha, I voted for Option 3! It’s obvious Xie Guanyan and Lin Mo are completely mismatched. I can’t wait to see whether Jiang Wan or Li Huanyu loses it first!"
— "I also voted for Option 3! I just want to see Shen Sizhan lose his cool!"
— "Now I regret voting for Option 3! Lin Mo is Shen Sizhan’s biological sister—he wouldn’t be that upset."
— "Nah, a brother-in-law is a brother’s worst enemy! When my boyfriend came over, my little brother’s face was so sour it could’ve hit the floor… until my boyfriend handed him 10,000 yuan."
— "Come on, Xie Guanyan only joined for Lin Mo. I’m just here for the ship!"
— "Wake up, dreamer! The train’s already left the station!"
Shen Yihan and Shen Ji'an saw the results from the hospital room.
Shen Yihan immediately sat up, his face turning a sickly shade of purple.
Jiang Tang looked at him. "Don’t worry too much, Mr. Shen. Shen Sizhan should be able to keep himself in check."
She knew about Shen Sizhan’s condition.
Once, at an event, Shen Sizhan had nearly punched Gu Jingchuan—the backlash was so severe it blew up on social media.
The CEO had ordered her to suppress the trending topic.
But before she could even contact Weibo’s team, the hashtag had already vanished.
Probably his agency’s doing.
Gu Jingchuan never pursued the matter either.
Clearly, he knew exactly why Shen Sizhan wanted to hit him—guilty conscience!
That was when the CEO had told her about Shen Sizhan’s illness.
Shen Yihan touched his prayer beads, lips trembling. "I sat up too fast."
Jiang Tang: "…"
Shen Ji'an quickly asked, "Second Brother, should I call a doctor?"
Shen Yihan rolled onto his stomach, wiping away a tear of pain with the hand wearing the black beads. "I’m fine."
Shen Ji'an was also uneasy about the results.
Didn’t this mean Zhao Zixin had gotten his favors for nothing?
At that thought, he rubbed his buzz cut and texted Zhao Zixin: [Don’t you dare leak this!]
Zhao Zixin actually demanded a selfie of him with his hair wet.
For the sake of his sister and third brother, he had no choice but to go to the bathroom, soak his head, and send one over.
He was convinced Zhao Zixin had some screws loose—what was so interesting about that photo?
Meanwhile, the teachers at First High School had learned Lin Mo had taken leave to appear on a variety show.
For a top student like Lin Mo—who was also twenty-nine—there wasn’t much to say.
But Director Wang of the Academic Office still issued an urgent notice during evening self-study: [No phones during class or self-study! Violators will be penalized.]
After sending the notice, he hopped into the live chat: "Hey! Isn’t that Lin Mo, my wife’s former student? Wait, my student Xie Guanyan is there too!"
But the chat was moving too fast, and barely anyone noticed his message.
The atmosphere on set was tense.
After announcing the results, director Wu Gui immediately ducked his head like a turtle retreating into its shell.
This was going to be a disaster, wasn’t it?
A man as dignified as Xie Guanyan wouldn’t want to be alone with Lin Mo, right?
But instead of Xie Guanyan’s voice, Gu Jingchuan’s erupted.
"Who voted for this? Absolute nonsense!"
The director looked up, baffled.
Li Huanyu was equally confused, staring at him for three seconds before smirking.
Gu Jingchuan must’ve wanted to be alone with her.
He’d just returned from Africa and jumped straight into filming—they hadn’t had any time together.
Lin Mo’s heartbeat spiked.
She’d often shared a kitchen with Xie Guanyan before, but back then, they were just friends.
Now, they were mutually in love.
But her little brother…
Shen Sizhan’s anxiety eased slightly—but not entirely.
Thank goodness it wasn’t Gu Jingchuan, but Xie Guanyan wasn’t ideal either!
Then again, Lin Mo and Xie Guanyan were sworn rivals.
And Xie Guanyan already had someone else in his heart—he wouldn’t dare make a move on her.
Just then, Gu Jingchuan’s eyes flicked toward Shen Sizhan. "You know—"
Lin Mo’s brow twitched. She had to cut him off before he could finish.
"The situation is what it is. What exactly it is depends on how things unfold. Shen Sizhan, go pour me some water."
Obeying his sister was as natural as breathing.
Shen Sizhan immediately turned to fetch water, completely forgetting whatever Gu Jingchuan was about to say.
Gu Jingchuan’s face darkened further.
He glared at Xie Guanyan.
This guy must’ve rigged the votes.
He’d been set up by the higher-ups!
Xie Guanyan, upon hearing the results, calmly closed his magazine and picked up his gold-rimmed glasses.
"Understood, Director. We’ll proceed."
Lin Mo’s ears burned red at his words.
The director’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.
Xie Guanyan was truly the most refined tycoon he’d ever met—so gentlemanly, so poised.
— "These two look like an old married couple already!"
— "Wait, Xie Guanyan just… went along with it? Just like that?"
— "Shouldn’t he have protested? He could’ve refused, right?"
— "The director never said protests were allowed. Xie Guanyan follows the rules!"
— "Jiang Wan seems fine, but Li Huanyu’s lips are pressed into a thin line."
— "How badly does this guy want to be alone with Li Huanyu? His teeth are practically grinding!"
Shen Sizhan went to pour water and found someone had already boiled a pot.
It was now lukewarm—perfect.
To encourage more interaction, the director hadn’t provided a water dispenser in the villa.
And since Lin Mo’s period was due in a couple of days, Shen Sizhan had been avoiding giving her cold drinks from the fridge.
Lin Mo didn’t follow Xie Guanyan into the kitchen right away.
She waited for Shen Sizhan to bring her the water.
After taking a sip, she stared straight ahead and asked, "I’m going to cook. What do you want to eat?"
On the surface, she was asking about his preferences—but her peripheral vision was locked onto his reaction.
If Shen Sizhan truly couldn’t handle her being alone with Xie Guanyan, she’d challenge the results.
Most shows allowed contestants to refuse, with some penalty.
She’d have plenty of time alone with Xie Guanyan later—no need to rush now.
Shen Sizhan blinked, then leaned in to whisper, "Sis, I don’t want food poisoning. You get me, right?"
Lin Mo: "…"
She raised her hand to smack him but remembered they were on camera. Instead, she flicked his forehead.
Shen Sizhan rubbed the spot, grinning. "Ouch! Didn’t hurt at all!"
Seeing his playful expression, Lin Mo relaxed slightly.
She drained the cup and handed it back to him without a second thought.
Then she strode toward the kitchen.
But Gu Jingchuan suddenly called out, "Lin Mo, do you even know how to cook?"
Lin Mo shot him a look. "So what if I don’t?"
She might not, but Xie Guanyan did—and he was amazing at it.
Lucky them!
Shen Sizhan’s disgust flared at the sound of Gu Jingchuan’s voice.
"You’re too nosy. If a sewage truck passed your house, would you grab a spoon to taste it too?"
Then he yelled, "Black-Clothed Person! Gu Jingchuan just stared at my sister for five seconds and asked about her!"
Gu "Old Soy Sauce" Jingchuan: "…"
