49: Chapter 49 Zhou Yichen extended a date invitation, but it ultimately fell through.

In fact, he hadn't guessed wrong; it really was intentional.

After all, the show needed traffic and gimmicks; if they didn't do it this way, where would the entertainment value be?

But Zhou Yichen ultimately said nothing.

What could he say? Rules were rules, and besides, Director Zhou had spoken with absolute flawlessness. If he raised objections on the spot, it would instead make him look petty.

Su Qing sat beside him, noticing the change in his expression, and softly comforted him with a remark.

"It's fine, we just need to do our best."

Zhou Yichen didn't reply, only nodding slightly, while his gaze glanced over toward Shen Qingxue.

...

Everyone quickly moved to the beach.

The Program Team had already rearranged the venue on another section of the beach.

A huge white background board stood by the sea, with the large characters "Heartbeat 72 Hours · Tacit Test" written on it.

Even the font was that cute, pinkish romantic style, looking very much like a dating variety show.

Director Zhou stood behind the camera, holding a megaphone, with two staff members following beside him.

"Alright! The venue is ready!"

"Now, please have the first group..."

But! Just at this moment, Zhou Yichen suddenly spoke up to interrupt Director Zhou's speech.

"Director, I want to use the individual dating right."

As soon as these words were said, the scene fell quiet for half a second.

Director Zhou almost lost his grip on the megaphone in his hand, his expression instinctively shifting from astonishment to excitement.

"What did you say?!"

"I said, I want to use the individual dating right."

Zhou Yichen repeated, his gaze falling on Shen Qingxue, his tone a bit more resolute than before.

"I want to initiate a date with Shen Qingxue."

The moment his voice fell, Su Qing beside him instantly stiffened by a fraction, her expression immediately turning ugly.

And when Shen Qingxue in the distance heard these words, a rare trace of annoyance appeared in her cold, detached eyes.

[Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit! What is Zhou Yichen trying to do? Poaching someone from under another's nose in public?]

[No, Su Qing is still standing right beside him, and he's directly asking someone else out like this???]

[Well done, Zhou Yichen! Shen Qingxue was meant to be a pair with him in the first place!]

[I'm dying of laughter, I took a screenshot of Su Qing's expression, hahahahaha]

[Where are the people shipping Lu Li and Shen Qingxue from earlier? Step out and walk a few steps? The actual principals aren't even anxious, what are you panicking for?]

[Su Qing is so pathetic, confirmed tool character.]

[Where are Su Qing's fans? Your big sister just got slapped in the face publicly, aren't you going to come out and say something?]

The bullet comment section instantly became a complete mess.

Director Zhou stood behind the camera, trying hard to keep his expression calm, but the upward curve of his lips was still harder to suppress than an AK.

They really knew how to stir up trouble; it was simply too exciting.

A Shura field, a textbook-level Shura field!

This lord Zhou Yichen was even fiercer than he expected, directly poaching someone in public without even any buildup.

"Zhou Yichen, are you sure you want to use the individual dating right at this exact time?"

According to the rules, the individual dating right could indeed be used at any time.

But generally speaking, guests would choose to use it during the rest periods between segments. It was extremely rare for someone like Zhou Yichen to directly interrupt a segment to initiate a date.

"Certain."

Zhou Yichen didn't hesitate at all.

"The rules of the individual dating right do not specify the exact time and occasion for its use."

He paused, looked toward the camera, and hooked the corners of his mouth into a just-right arc.

"I feel that right now is the best time."

Finished speaking, Zhou Yichen turned his head, his gaze sweeping past everyone present and landing straight on Shen Qingxue.

"Teacher Shen, is that alright?"

This sentence was asked very gently, but everyone could hear the sense of determination to win it at all costs.

Lu Li curled his lips; this was just too hypocritical.

After all, once this dating right was used, the other party had no right to refuse, yet in the end, you still had to add "is that alright?"

This wasn't just stepping on a landmine; it was stepping on a nuclear bomb.

"Then do you think I can still refuse?"

Shen Qingxue retorted, not giving any face at all.

The smile at the corner of Zhou Yichen's mouth froze for a fraction of a second, but quickly returned to normal.

Just as he was about to speak again, another lazy voice suddenly sounded.

"Director Zhou, I also want to use the individual dating right."

The scene went quiet for an instant.

Everyone's gaze instantly turned toward the source of the voice.

Lu Li was leisurely holding a bottle of yogurt and drinking it, and noticing that everyone's gazes were cast toward him, he didn't forget to bare his big teeth in a smile.

Even Shen Qingxue seemed to have her eyes light up for a fraction of a second when she looked at Lu Li.

The netizens in the live stream room instantly went wild.

[Oh my goodness, initiating a date with Shen Qingxue at the same time, what kind of fairy-tale script is this?!]

[Holy shit! What is Lu Li trying to do? Is he snatching a bride in public?]

[Snatching what bride, they're already a pair to begin with!]

[Lu Li, what are you joining in the fun for?! What business is it of yours that Zhou Yichen is asking Shen Qingxue out?!]

[What do you mean what business is it of his? Lu Li also has a dating right; he can ask whoever he wants out, is it any of your concern?]

[Exactly, Zhou Yichen is allowed to ask someone out but Lu Li isn't? Don't make your double standards so obvious.]

[Hahaha, a Shura field! A true Shura field! The scene I've been looking forward to has finally arrived!]

[Look at Zhou Yichen's expression, it's killing me with laughter, hahahahaha]

At this time, Director Zhou's expression was completely dazed.

Damn it, the rules he set himself, yet in the end, the two dating rights actually crashed into each other.

And they even crashed over the exact same person.

At the same time.

At the same place.

He hadn't considered this matter at all beforehand; after all, who could have thought that two people would use their dating rights to ask out the exact same person simultaneously?

Even if you staggered the times, it would still be understandable!

And the main point was that the rules didn't write at all how to handle this kind of situation!

Director Zhou took a deep breath, his brain spinning at high speed.

The Deputy Director nearby leaned over, lowering his voice.

"Director, what should we do about this? Will it work? It's not written in the rules."

"You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask?"

Director Zhou glared at him.

But after all, he was the chief director; what kind of big winds and waves had he not seen? He quickly made a decision.

"Um... Lu Li, are you sure you want to use the individual dating right now?"

Lu Li took a sip of yogurt and nodded leisurely.

"Certain, the rules didn't say two people couldn't use it at the same time."

Director Zhou's mouth twitched.

Indeed it didn't say, but what normal person would do this?

However, he could more or less guess that Lu Li probably did this purely to snipe Zhou Yichen.

Fortunately, it was acceptable.

"And..."

Lu Li paused, glanced at Zhou Yichen, and continued speaking.

"If Teacher Zhou can ask someone out, why can't I?"

Zhou Yichen's complexion turned completely dark; this was fucking blatant targeting!

"Lu Li, what do you mean by this?"

"I don't mean anything by it."

Lu Li spread his hands, his tone calling itself innocent.

"I just feel that since Teacher Zhou thinks right now is the best time, then I also feel right now is the best time."

"What, is Teacher Zhou allowed to set fires, while I'm not allowed to light a lamp?"

Zhou Yichen was choked up for a moment, his mouth opening and closing again. After all, before the director spoke, he didn't know how to refute either.