50: Chapter 50: Just a one-on-one date, and everything went completely wrong.

But right at that moment, Director Zhou's eyes suddenly lit up, and he immediately made a decision.

"Alright, alright. Regarding the issue of two male guests using their dating rights at the same time, after an emergency consultation, the Program Team is now announcing the handling plan!"

Everyone immediately perked up their ears.

"Since the rules do not explicitly specify how to handle this situation, in the spirit of fairness and impartiality, the Program Team has decided…"

Director Zhou deliberately dragged out his tone, sweeping his gaze across the audience before finally landing on Zhou Yichen and Lu Li.

"The two male guests will use their dating rights simultaneously to go on a joint date with Shen Qingxue!"

"In other words, all three of you will be present at the same time to complete this solo date together!"

As soon as those words fell.

"Pfft…"

Xu Hao couldn't hold it together anymore, almost spitting out a mouthful of water.

Meanwhile, Lin Yu frantically pinched his arm from the side, telling him to stop laughing, but the corners of her own mouth couldn't help turning upward either.

Zhou Yichen's face darkened instantly.

A joint date with three people?

He asked Shen Qingxue out so they could be alone together; if there was a third person present, what kind of damn solo date was that?!

The main point was that that brat Lu Li was obviously doing it on purpose.

He was simply trying to disgust him.

In the livestream chat, the netizens who were laughing themselves to death were laughing themselves to death, and those whose defenses were broken had their defenses broken.

[Hahahahaha, a three-way joint date. Program Team, you really know how to create content.]

[Is the Program Team sick in the head? What kind of crappy rule is this?]

[A three-person date is fine? Is this a dating variety show or a team-building event, damn it?]

[I mean, why doesn't the Goddess also invite someone to join in? It'll be livelier with more people for a team-building event.]

[My idol used his dating right to ask Shen Qingxue out, what right does Lu Li have to butt in?]

[Zhou Yichen: The one I asked out is Shen Qingxue, not Lu Li!]

[Lu Li: What a coincidence, the one I asked out isn't you either.]

[Boycott Heartbeat 72 Hours! What a crappy show! I'm not watching anymore!]

[Sisters, charge! Go scold them under the official Weibo post! Make them give an explanation!]

[This crappy show isn't worth watching anyway! Brother Yichen, let's go!]

Looking at the backend data, Director Zhou's mouth was practically splitting to his earlobes, and he was already calculating how many extra chicken drumsticks to add for dinner tonight.

But on the surface, he still maintained a businesslike demeanor, cleared his throat, and raised the loudspeaker.

"Alright, alright, the rules have been announced, and that's how it's settled…"

"Wait!"

A voice suddenly rang out again, instantly making everyone's gazes turn in unison toward the source of the sound.

Su Qing pursed her lips, her expression looking a bit nervous, but her gaze was very firm.

"Director, I also want to use my solo dating right, and I'm using it on Zhou Yichen!"

At this moment, even Director Zhou couldn't hold it together.

Su Qing asked Zhou Yichen out, Zhou Yichen asked Shen Qingxue out, and Lu Li also asked Shen Qingxue out…

Damn! A quadrangle romance? No wait, counting Shen Qingxue herself, shouldn't it be a pentagon?!!

This damn thing was completely messed up!

"Fine, then you can join them too."

Director Zhou waved his hand helplessly; he no longer knew what to say. Forget it, this group of people was crazily exploiting loopholes, he was exhausted.

[I'm laughing to death, you can join them too]

[It's all Lu Li's fault as the instigator for silencing the director]

[Hahahahaha, Su Qing is here too! This really is a team-building event now!]

[I can only say this date is completely pointless]

[You date yours, I date mine, everyone does their own thing]

[With four people, you can already make up a table of mahjong]

[Zhou Yichen, do you have a heart? Su Qing treats you so well and you treat her like this?]

[Can you guys stop scolding Brother Yichen? He's just exercising his own rights]

Soon, led by the staff, the four of them changed locations and arrived under a white parasol by the seaside.

The parasol was quite large, set up on the beach, and underneath it were a log-colored long table and four rattan chairs.

On the table were a pot of lemonade, four glass cups, and a small dish of fruit snacks.

In the distance was the azure sea water and white waves, and close by was the fine, soft beach and a few crooked coconut trees.

The scenery was indeed nice, but the atmosphere…

Zhou Yichen arrived first and sat in the leftmost position, with an empty chair next to him.

Lu Li arrived next and plumped himself down into the rattan chair on the right, leaving the position on his left empty.

Su Qing arrived third. She stopped outside the parasol for a second, her gaze lingering on the empty seat next to Zhou Yichen, seeming to hesitate whether to go over.

But in the end, she still chose to sit next to Zhou Yichen, at a distance neither too far nor too close, just right.

Shen Qingxue was the last to arrive.

She walked leisurely from the beachside under the parasol, and then glanced at the seating arrangement.

Su Qing was sitting next to Zhou Yichen, and beside Lu Li was empty.

Shen Qingxue didn't hesitate, not even sparing Zhou Yichen an extra glance, and walked directly to Lu Li's side, pulling open the rattan chair and sitting down.

Her movements were smooth as flowing water, neat and decisive.

Zhou Yichen's hand, which was stretched out ready to greet her, froze in mid-air.

"Teacher Shen, you…"

Shen Qingxue turned her head slightly, looking at him with a calm gaze.

"What's wrong?"

Zhou Yichen slowly withdrew his hand, pulling a dry smile onto the corners of his mouth.

"It's nothing, sitting anywhere is fine."

But his eyes had already betrayed him, and the smile on that face was uglier than crying.

Lu Li sat nearby, then picked up the lemonade on the table, took a leisurely sip, and slightly raised his cup toward Zhou Yichen's direction.

Zhou Yichen's face darkened even more. He took a deep breath, turned his head away, and didn't want to look at Lu Li's punch-me face anymore.

…

A few minutes passed, and the atmosphere under the parasol became even more subtle.

Zhou Yichen was still chatting idly with Su Qing on and off, but his gaze glanced toward Shen Qingxue from time to time.

Su Qing, on the other hand, responded with a smile on her face.

On the other side, Lu Li sat across from them, propping his chin with one hand, looking boredly at the distant sea level.

Until Shen Qingxue turned her head over, her voice lowered very softly.

"Thank you."

Lu Li was stunned for a moment and turned his head to look at her.

Shen Qingxue was lowering her head, her fingers pinching the rim of the glass cup, not looking at him.

"What?"

Lu Li didn't hear clearly and subconsciously leaned in a little closer.

Shen Qingxue's fingers paused on the rim of the cup for a second, then she raised her head and looked at him expressionlessly.

"I said, thank you."

Lu Li only then realized that she was thanking him for what happened just now.

"What's to thank? I wasn't helping you, I just purely found him an eyesore."

Shen Qingxue glanced at him and didn't pick up the conversation.

Lu Li didn't mind either, leaning against the back of the chair and stretching lazily.

"But seriously, that guy is really annoying."

Shen Qingxue picked up the lemonade, took a sip, and put the cup down.

"How so?"

"Don't you think so?"

"If you think so, then he is."

Shen Qingxue neither denied nor affirmed it, just gave such a vague reply.

Lu Li turned his head to look at her. The sunlight fell on her side profile, the shadow of her eyelashes cast on her cheekbones, trembling slightly.

"You seem to have this attitude toward everyone?"

Lu Li suddenly asked.

Shen Qingxue turned her head, looking at him with a calm gaze.

"What attitude?"

"Just… lukewarm, looking like you're not close to anyone."

Shen Qingxue thought for a moment, seemingly weighing her words.

"Not really, I'm slightly nicer to certain people."

Lu Li became interested, straightening his body and placing both hands on the table.

"Like who?"

Shen Qingxue glanced at him and didn't answer.

Lu Li waited for a moment, and hearing no answer, pursued with another sentence.

"Don't say things halfway, like who?"

"Guess for yourself."

Shen Qingxue withdrew her gaze, picked up the lemonade, and took another sip.

"Seriously, making it so mysterious, it's not like it's some dark secret."