Chapter 63: Demand

"Well, if it's a matching pair of bracelets, would the price be even higher?"

"Naturally!" Chen Sisi said smugly, enlightening her. "After all, items from top luxury brands are extremely limited in quantity."

"Oh, I see," Xu Zhaozhao nodded thoughtfully.

In the days that followed, this matter lingered in Xu Zhaozhao's mind. Especially the next day, when everyone went out to harvest rice together, Xu Zhaozhao seized the opportunity and made a request to Shen Mu, "About that bracelet of yours..."

Shen Mu looked at her in silence. Ever since she answered all the quiz questions wrong, he hadn't paid much attention to her. Coupled with the fact that she had refused his request to exchange and wear each other's bracelets, the two of them had fallen into a cold war ever since, exchanging almost no words. At this moment, seeing Xu Zhaozhao speak up, the sternness on Shen Mu's face softened a fraction. However, when he heard clearly what Xu Zhaozhao was asking for, his expression turned icy once more.

Yet, unexpectedly, as soon as they returned to the small courtyard, Shen Mu rushed into his room, retrieved his bracelet, and tossed it to Xu Zhaozhao. Xu Zhaozhao's request had been to ask if he could give her his bracelet as well. Shen Mu never imagined that Xu Zhaozhao would break the ice first, only to ask for this. Right after harvesting the rice, he had handed his bracelet over to her without hesitation. Xu Zhaozhao's actions kept shattering the impressions he had formed of her. Shen Mu sighed inwardly; oh well, what on earth was he even fantasizing about?

Xu Zhaozhao caught the box gingerly and glared at Shen Mu. "Be careful! Do you know how much this—" Then she lowered her voice and asked, "Do you know... how much this bracelet is worth?" Shen Mu glared at her impatiently, completely unwilling to speak to her. "You don't know?" Xu Zhaozhao assumed Shen Mu had no idea of the bracelet's true value and hinted, "If you find out later that this bracelet is very expensive, will you come asking for it back?" "Xu Zhaozhao, would you please stop already!" Shen Mu said irritably. "Things I give away, I never take back." With that, he turned on his heel and strode back into his room. Xu Zhaozhao hurried back to her room as well.

[Good grief, both of them rushed back so fast. One finds Xu Zhaozhao annoying, and the other is afraid the other person might change their mind.]

[So, seriously, does Shen Mu actually know how much this bracelet is worth?]

[Do you really think Shen Mu, who wears niche, luxury handmade suits, wouldn't know the value of a bracelet? I think he simply doesn't care.]

[Isn't that an exaggeration? Not caring about something worth tens or hundreds of thousands—just how insanely rich must he be?]

[Does anyone know Shen Mu? Come drop some inside info, which company's high-ranking executive is he anyway?]

Up to this point, all the participating guests have had clear backgrounds, except for Shen Mu, who has remained so mysterious all along.

The mysterious guest.

This guy looks a bit familiar to me, but I'm not entirely sure...

Speak, speak quickly, let the vast community of netizens help you verify if it's true.

He seems to be the acting president of Extraordinary Construction.

What? Who? Come on, you must be joking. The president of such a massive company—why would he come on a dating reality show to find a partner?

I said I wasn't sure, didn't I? Extraordinary Construction's acting president rarely makes public appearances; only a few top executives deal with him regularly, and ordinary employees never get the chance to see him.

Since you never get the chance to see him, how did you recognize him?

I happened to catch... just a fleeting glimpse of him before!

Based on what the previous commenter said, I just looked it up online. There really are very few traces of this president of Extraordinary Construction, and there are hardly any frontal photos, making it really hard to verify.

I don't believe it. Such a high-profile president would come participate in some dating show...

I don't believe it either. Oh well, I'll remain half-skeptical!

The following two days were spent busy drying and threshing the rice. The guests were all covered in grime and dust, and upon returning to the courtyard, none of them wanted to clean up—they just wanted to collapse and fall asleep. Every day was filled with exhaustion, yet it also carried a unique sense of fulfillment. Under the scorching sun, they shed sweat and experienced the hardship of manual farming. Although Xu Zhaozhao and Shen Mu still didn't converse much, a special kind of tacit understanding seemed to exist between them. They would cast inadvertent glances at each other, only to quickly look away.

Before they knew it, the final day of the dating show arrived. Everyone woke up earlier than usual. After all, being the final day, everyone's heart was filled with a mix of emotion and reluctance to part, along with a deep curiosity about today's task. Every day felt like opening a blind box, never knowing what challenge the production team would set up.

Noticing that everyone was a bit nervous, the director smiled and offered reassurance, "There's no need to be nervous, everyone. Today is the last day of the dating show, and the task won't be too difficult."

"Tell us what the task is already," Xu Zhaozhao urged impatiently, "Stop keeping us in suspense!"

"Alright, I announce that today's mission is to live-stream selling goods for the villagers!" This task came as both a surprise and a thrill to everyone. They knew this wasn't just a challenge, but a meaningful action as well. They could help the villagers market the fruits of their hard labor and bring them tangible income. The guests immediately sprung into action, preparing for all aspects of the live broadcast. They divided into teams; some were responsible for product introductions, others for interacting with the audience, and some managed the backend operations. Everyone worked together with one heart, striving toward the exact same goal.

Even though Xu Zhaozhao and Shen Mu were still slightly awkward around each other, faced with this task, they temporarily set aside their personal emotions. Each of them played to their strengths, contributing to the success of the broadcast. Relying on her approachable charm and eloquence, Xu Zhaozhao vividly introduced various agricultural products. Shen Mu used his composure and wisdom to answer questions from the audience. Throughout this process, the distance between them seemed to slowly close.

Shen Mu stepped onto the stage, his gaze fixed firmly on Xu Zhaozhao. "Xu Zhaozhao, your letter moved me deeply. I admit that at first, I had many prejudices against you. But now, I have seen your sincerity and kindness. This bracelet—I gave it to you, and I will not take it back. I hope we will have more opportunities to spend time together in the future and create many more wonderful memories." As Shen Mu finished reading his letter, the guests offstage burst into cheers and applause.

The production team arranged a final farewell ceremony, allowing everyone to hug each other and say goodbye to this unforgettable time. Xu Zhaozhao and Shen Mu embraced, their hearts filled with anticipation for the future.

After the dating show ended, Xu Zhaozhao and Shen Mu both returned to their respective lives. However, they did not cut off contact; instead, they frequently went out for meals and watched movies together. As time passed, their affection for each other grew deeper. Finally, on a romantic evening, Shen Mu confessed his feelings to Xu Zhaozhao. Tears of emotion welled up in Xu Zhaozhao's eyes, and she accepted Shen Mu's confession without a moment's hesitation.

From then on, Xu Zhaozhao and Shen Mu became a happy couple. They weathered many storms together, yet their bond only grew stronger. They knew that this journey on the dating show was one of the most precious memories in their lives, as well as the starting point of their true love story.