—"Little sis, I've got an incredible opportunity lined up for you!" At the time of the call, Ivy Green was brushing her teeth. It was four in the afternoon, and she'd only just gotten up.
With the university winter break underway and no job prospects as a D-list idol, what else was she supposed to do with her time other than sleep?
Ivy spit out the foam, her voice still a bit drowsy, and asked, "What kind of opportunity?"
—"A love reality show. The confirmed participants are quite the big shots."
Ivy: "..."
She was only nineteen and had just debuted. A dating show?
Was this really her big brother?
The caller was her older brother, David Green, five years her senior. He had debuted at eighteen as a superstar and had successfully transitioned into a shareholder of his entertainment company within six years. A heartthrob to millions, at home, he was simply a doting brother who revolved around her.
But that was precisely why his suggestion to join a dating show seemed suspicious.
"Hold on." Ivy tossed the phone aside, finishing up her teeth brushing before rinsing her mouth. She then picked up the phone again.
"Repeat that, please. What opportunity?"
—"A dating show, Stars' Guide to Love. It hasn't started filming yet, but the promotional material is already everywhere online."
She hadn't misheard; it was indeed a dating show.
Ivy had heard of it. With its parade of popular stars, the show had generated endless fan wars and a buzz that far exceeded most official show promotions.
While it was indeed a hit show, Ivy wasn't remotely interested in romance. Besides, with no real work under her belt, diving into a romance show felt like watching her dreams crash before they could even take off.
Ivy rejected it immediately: "Not interested." She might be obscure, but she had standards. Even as a D-lister, she wasn't about to jump at just anything!
—"Just think of it as a favor to me. Who knows, maybe this year you'll get a sister-in-law."
Ivy frowned, bewildered: "Bro, have you been overworked? How am I supposed to help with that? Next time, will you ask me to join Where's My Daddy??"
"I'm not asking you to date!" David coaxed, "The woman of my dreams has agreed to join the show, but my schedule's too packed. Just help me stir things up a bit. Make sure no one else gets close to her."
Ivy sighed, "Alright then." It wasn't as if she had other offers. Plus, stirring things up was her specialty.
"Who's the unlucky lady who's your 'dream girl'?" she asked.
"Unlucky?!" David coughed with slight embarrassment, "Kate Stone."
Ivy had just taken a sip of water and nearly choked.
Kate Stone had started as a child star and, at only twenty-four, had been famous for over a decade. When Ivy was participating in a girl group competition, the media had labeled her as the "Little Kate Stone," which had drawn a storm of fan backlash her way.
But the media had a point—they did share a slight resemblance.
While Ivy was in elementary school, Kate had already won a major child actor's supporting role award.
After a few moments of coughing, she told her unreliable brother, "You just love me too much, don't you?"
Brother: "What?"
Ivy grinned, "Your 'dream girl' and I even look a little alike."
Brother: "You're twisted!"
To prevent his sister from saying anything further, he added, "Go easy on the snacks the next couple of days. I'll have your agent go over the details with you," and hung up.
Ivy made a face at the phone. "Can't even take a joke, huh?"
A chance to be on the same show as Kate Stone…
Ivy sank into the plush loveseat, tightened her core, and raised her legs, starting an imaginary bicycle routine.
If only she hadn't snuck that midnight snack last night. Would she have time to get those abs in shape now?
In a blink, the filming day arrived.
The show had arranged for the contestants to stay in two adjoining villas, one for the women and one for the men.
Ivy was the first to arrive, dragging her suitcase into the villa. The crew told her she could choose her room first. Being lazy by nature, she naturally opted for the first-floor room. She headed straight for the door, ready to drop her bags, when her manager, standing off-camera, gave a discreet cough.
Seeing her manager's signal, Ivy reluctantly changed course. "Guess I'll check out the upstairs rooms," she muttered.
The first-floor room was a spacious suite with an en-suite bathroom and a well-stocked drink bar. On the second floor, there were two rooms, one as nice as the one downstairs, and the other with two twin beds and a shared bathroom in the hallway.
Ivy: "..." Was the show trying to make the guests fight over rooms?
Looking at her manager, she forced herself to say, "I'll take this room."
Her assigned production assistant asked, "Why did you pick this room, Miss Ivy?"
Ivy replied, "Well, I'm the youngest here, and the others will probably be more senior than me. I'll leave the bigger rooms for them." Besides, if she hadn't picked this one, her manager would've nagged her to death.
She flashed a radiant smile at the camera, then immediately turned and made a beeline for the hallway bathroom.
The ride here had been long, and she hadn't had a chance to use a restroom. Another moment longer, and her bladder might just explode.
...
After washing her hands, Ivy headed back upstairs but soon realized her phone was still in the room.
"... Another trip up the stairs; by the end of filming, she'd be all bones!"
She spun around, ready to dash up again, only to bump into someone. The other person hadn't even reacted when Ivy, startled, lost her balance, pulling both of them down onto the stairs.
Her lips collided with the person's chin, leaving a clear lipstick print.
Once she collected herself, she realized she was sprawled on none other than Kate Stone, her hand clutching Kate's collar.
Ivy blinked, her long lashes fluttering. In this situation, should she apologize first or get up?
After a brief pause, Ivy said earnestly, "I'm sorry."
"It's alright," Kate replied.
Ivy: "I accidentally got lipstick on your face. Let me wipe it off for you." She lightly rubbed Kate's chin with her fingertip, but the more she wiped, the worse it seemed. "Sorry, now your chin's smudged."
Flustered, she pulled out a small mirror from her pocket and mumbled, "Here...see my handiwork. I didn't mean it."
Though Ivy hadn't done it on purpose, her series of actions would make anyone doubt her intentions.
Kate's face remained expressionless, "You're not planning to get off me?"
Her voice was soft, each syllable clear—a testament to her years of acting experience. Simply hearing her speak was a pleasure.
"Uh..." Ivy quickly grabbed the railing to pull herself up. "Sorry, you're just…really comfortable."
Kate's eyes widened, seemingly at a loss for how to respond, and remained silent after standing.
"I thought I was the only one here," Ivy said, looking around, searching for something to say. "I wonder who the other female guest will be?"
She was sure she'd be the youngest on this dating show, so her mouth naturally added "sister."
"I don't know," Kate replied.
With that, the conversation ended, as Kate's aloof expression seemed to imply a disinterest in continuing. A touch of awkward silence fell over them.
The cameras recorded everything, and the production crew exchanged glances, slightly embarrassed by the unexpected quietness.
Ivy blinked, her words a beat behind. After a pause, she said earnestly, "Guess we'll find out soon."
The cameraman thought, "...With the right post-production effects, maybe it'll actually be funny."
Kate hadn't moved. Ivy lightly tugged on her sleeve, "I just need to grab my phone upstairs."
"... She was in the way."
Nearby, the crew stifled their laughter, careful not to let their voices be caught on camera. They hadn't anticipated the first meeting between the two guests would be this amusing.
When Ivy returned to the first floor, Kate had already cleaned the lipstick smudge off her face.
She sat on the opposite end of the sofa, with what seemed like an ocean of distance between them.
Just then, two more people entered—Annie Lin, one of the new-generation "Four Flowers," and Sophia Snow, also one of the "Four Flowers." One was twenty-four, the other twenty-three.
Half of the "Four Flowers" powerhouse had joined this show.
Ivy mused, "Weren't these two rumored to have dated the same male celebrity? That trended for ages."
The producers really knew how to stir things up.
Wait, hold on.
One, two, three...four.
Four female guests?
Ivy quietly texted her brother: "Didn't you say it was four guys competing for three girls? Why are there four female guests?"
Brother: "Forgot to mention, you're the observer. Dating isn't in the cards for you."
Ivy: "..." She was furious.
Her hand, resting on her knee, anxiously picked at her nails.
They had promised only two other women besides her. Although it was only one extra person, still...
Ivy picked up the glass on the table and took a few sips of water. Her hand shook a bit, and she nearly tipped the glass when she set it back down.
Kate, who had been sitting a galaxy away, appeared beside her. "Are you alright?"
Ivy shook her head. "I'm fine, just a little anemic."
After a few seconds, Kate said, "You should drink more warm water."
Ivy: "...Thanks."
She wanted to leave, but the show was being filmed, so running off wasn't an option.
While everyone's attention was on Annie and Sophia settling in, the cameras finally panned back to the two on the sofa.
The director rubbed his chin. Weren't they sitting on opposite ends before? When did they move closer together?
Were they friends? He hadn't heard anything.
Relationships and intrigue were the bread and butter of reality TV, and as a director, he was instinctively alert to any shifts in dynamics.
But that wasn't the focus at the moment.
Since all the female guests had arrived, the highlight of the show—the meeting between the male and female guests—was next.
The audience was here for romance.
Clapping his hands twice, the director took up the loudspeaker and announced, "Now for your first task: using the clues we've provided, try to guess the identities of the male guests."
If anyone could figure it out, fans would likely dig into the relationship timelines. It would be an instant hit.
"Director Xu, excuse me. I'm feeling a bit unwell; can you film this part without me?" Kate said suddenly.
Director: "We can adjust the setup and give you a moment to rest before filming."
Kate: "I don't want to delay everyone. I should be okay to miss this segment."
After a few moments, the director replied, "Then we'll present you as the mysterious final guest."
"Thank you, Director Xu." Kate rose from the sofa and glanced at Ivy. "You, help me upstairs."
Director: "... Was she planning to take someone with her too?"