The Academic God Becomes an Internet Sensation After Joining a Dating Show - C1 - Dating Show
Qing Lin unlocked his phone just as Weibo pushed a trending topic: #FollowHeartDatingShow
[@AuntieLiuInC-Entertainment]: Shocking! The elite-stacked travel dating show “Follow Heart” reveals its BiliBili special guest—an educational content creator with under 100 fans?!
The post quickly went viral, reposted by countless promotional accounts, racking up hundreds of thousands of likes. The comments were filled with mockery.
Qing Lin tapped in and skimmed through.
The insults were one-sided:
【…Under 100 fans? You’ve got to be kidding.】
【Seriously, director? Wasn’t it supposed to be big-name creators based on contribution scores??】
【His popularity doesn’t match at all. He’s going to be totally insecure on this show. And it’s a dating show too, lol In the brief pause between steps, he casually flicked his pen into a spin with practiced ease, long fingers sending it twirling before catching it and continuing to write.
.】
【Who the hell is this nobody?】
Qing Lin remained silent, eyes downcast, unreadable.
He didn’t look further. Instead, he set his phone aside, pulled out some worksheets, and began solving problems.
“Damn it, Qing Lin! Are you for real?!” Huang Zishun cursed as he stormed into the dorm, slamming the door behind him. “Have you seen Weibo? They’re doxxing you now! You’ve been dragged into the mess!”
“They don’t even understand the law, do they? Malicious doxxing is literally illegal!”
Qing Lin sat calmly at his desk, his pen gliding across the paper without pause. As he paused to think, he gave his wrist a slight twist, then deftly picked up the fountain pen. With a gentle push of his slender fingers, he twirled it once before smoothly returning to his writing.
“Qing Lin? Qing Lin!” Huang Zishun called out, stepping closer when he got no response. “What are you doing?”
Qing Lin responded softly, only speaking after finishing the last equation.
“Solving problems.”
Huang muttered, “You’re still working on problems at a time like this?”
He glanced at Weibo again, noticing the doxxing post was rapidly gaining attention.
【@NoFlagPlease: This creator goes by Qing Lin, listed under the education category. Just 88 followers and no videos on their homepage, yet somehow ranked #1 in contributions last month. Shot up by 3 million points on the last day of May!】
【Three million overnight? This guy’s clearly chasing clout.】
【3 million points with only 88 followers… He’s not a genius, just some rich kid.】
【Qing Lin? Sounds nice. Is that a stage name picked just for Follow Heart? LOL】
【Tch, seriously, any random nobody thinks they can join the entertainment industry now.】
The comments were harsh. Huang reported every one of them, then his eyes lingered on the words “Follow Heart.”
“Follow Heart” was one of the most anticipated variety shows of the year, with a concept focused on travel and romance.
The program featured only the most popular single celebrities in the Chinese entertainment industry. Its distinguished lineup included a national level ballet dancer, a Golden Film Award winning actress, a top boy group dancer, an internationally recognized young pianist, and a chart-topping singer.
The only non-celebrity participant was chosen from BiliBili based on online contribution points.
However, no one expected the highest contributor for June to be an educational content creator with only 88 followers who was Qing Lin.
The show had previously gone viral for its “overly luxurious cast”. Now it was trending again, this time because of its “embarrassingly low-profile BiliBili guest”.
Yet the content creator facing all the harsh criticism was now sitting quietly at his dorm desk, calmly working through problem sets as if none of it had anything to do with him.
“Qing Lin… are you really okay?” Huang Zishun sat down beside him, looking genuinely concerned.
He couldn’t wrap his head around how someone who only occasionally livestreamed himself studying, had no posted videos, never showed his face, and was practically invisible online could suddenly receive three million contribution points overnight, top the monthly ranking, and get invited to a major dating show.
Had Qing Lin somehow become the target of something shady?
“I’m fine,” Qing Lin replied evenly, his tone casual and detached. “There’s no need to pay attention to those comments. It’s all just temporary hype. It’ll die down. I didn’t plan on participating in the show anyway.”
Zishun had never seen anyone with such a strong mental game. Then again, thinking back, Qing Lin had always been this calm and unbothered ever since they met.
He had the kind of face that seemed easy to bully, but his overall vibe was distant and quiet.
Qing Lin had never dyed his black hair, which stood out starkly against his fair skin. His amber-colored eyes and slender frame carried a youthful, fragile beauty that was difficult to describe.
The sunlight streaming through the window lit up his eyelashes, casting faint shadows across his delicate features.
With his blank expression, quiet and obedient demeanor, and slow, precise movements, he looked like a living BJD doll.
Huang Zishun suddenly recalled how the internet had mocked Qing Lin as a sloppy shut-in bookworm.
But how could any bookworm look this beautiful?
“Well, that’s good! At least those people from the entertainment company haven’t come pestering you to sign anything lately. Maybe they finally gave up,” Zishun said with a grin, giving Qing Lin a light pat on the shoulder.
Qing Lin responded with a faint smile and stood up to return a reference book to the shelf.
His frame was slender, and as he reached up, his shirt lifted slightly, revealing a hint of his pale waist.
“Oh, right. Did you sign that contract yet? The counselor’s been asking,” Zishun added, suddenly remembering.
“Which one?” Qing Lin asked.
“Youth Learning Program,” said Zishun. “Didn’t I send it to you last night? Have you already signed it?”
The university had arranged for a lecture under the Youth Learning program, and Qing Lin had been asked to be the student representative. It was a school requirement, so Qing Lin couldn’t refuse. He had agreed to sign the contract.
He had been busy the night before, and the contract needed to be confirmed quickly. The school had already reviewed its contents, so all that was left for him to do was sign and submit it.
As Qing Lin tidied up his desk, he replied, “Yeah, I signed it and clicked confirm. Didn’t you receive it?”
“Nope.” Zishun scratched his head. “Maybe the confirmation didn’t go through? Can you check again?”
“I’ll look.” Qing Lin opened his laptop and pulled up the contract he’d signed the night before. But when the cover page loaded, his expression changed slightly.
“What’s wrong?” Zishun noticed and leaned over to look.
The screen showed not the “Youth Learning Student Representative Agreement” but the “‘Follow Heart’ Filming Participation Contract.”
Zishun shouted, “Holy crap, holy crap, we’re screwed! Qing Lin, you signed the wrong contract!!”
Qing Lin frowned, lips tightening, and quickly scrolled to the last page.
“This contract is made in two original copies. Both parties shall hold one each. This agreement takes effect upon signing.
Party A: Starmei Entertainment
Party B: Qing Lin”
Qing Lin lowered his gaze, a flicker of frustration passing through his eyes.
Damn. Both contracts had arrived from different companies on the same day, and in the rush, he hadn’t double-checked. He had accidentally signed the wrong one.
“Sht, sht, sh*t—how could even you mess this up?!” Zishun blurted out. “Does this mean… you really have to go on the dating show now?!”
He started pacing the dorm room, hands flailing in panic. “It’s over… you’re actually going to have to fall in love!”
Qing Lin, who had been quietly sitting at his desk, suddenly stood up.
Startled, Zishun shouted as he saw him grab his phone and head for the door, “Wait! Where are you going?!”
“To Starmei Entertainment,” Qing Lin said without looking back.
“I’m not falling in love.”
—
The June heat had settled in with the arrival of summer. The sun blazed high overhead, casting a bright, clear light across the city.
This district was Hangzhou’s busiest commercial center. People flowed steadily between towering buildings, the streets alive with energy and movement.
Holding the business card given to him by the agent who had once approached him, Qing Lin arrived at the entrance of Starmei Entertainment’s headquarters.
The modern glass facade reflected the sunlight intensely, while the shadows of nearby trees danced across its light-colored surface.
He let out a soft sigh and stepped through the front doors.
“Hello, how can I help you?” the receptionist greeted him with a warm smile.
“I’m here to see Director Hong Shanyue,” Qing Lin replied.
“Do you have an appointment?” she asked.
“No.” He hesitated for a moment. “But could you please let Director Hong know that I’m Qing Lin? I have something urgent to discuss with him.”
“All right, please wait a moment.” The receptionist made a quick call, then turned back to him. “Mr. Qing, please follow me.”
Qing Lin followed her to the thirtieth floor, arriving at what looked like a large meeting area.
It was clear the company was large-scale. From the building’s layout to its equipment, everything was top-notch. Everyone moving through the halls wore badges and walked briskly with purpose.
The receptionist stopped in front of a guest room door and said, “Director Hong is waiting for you inside.” With that, she turned to return to her duties.
Qing Lin glanced at the sign reading “StarMei Entertainment” on the front door. His slender fingers lightly tapped the side of his pants before he pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The room was spacious, with quite a few people seated within.
As soon as everyone saw Qing Lin walk in, they turned their eyes toward him, making him feel a bit self-conscious.
“Ah, you must be Qing Lin, right?” A young man wearing a beret waved at him. “Come, have a seat.”
Qing Lin figured this must be Director Hong, so he walked over and sat across from him on the sofa. “Sorry to disturb you.”
“Wow, I really didn’t expect you to actually come. After getting rejected so many times, we thought there was no hope.” Director Hong was clearly excited and talkative. “I’m so glad you agreed to join Follow Heart. We were over the moon when we heard you’d signed the contract yesterday.”
Hearing this, Qing Lin realized he couldn’t drag this out much longer. There was no point in wasting time. He got straight to the point.
“I’m really sorry, Director Hong. The reason I came today… is to terminate the contract.”
“Huh? Terminate the contract?” Hong Shanyue was stunned, completely blindsided. “Didn’t you just sign it yesterday?”
Qing Lin pressed his lips together, lacing his fingers before preparing to explain. “The thing is—”
Just then, the reception room door suddenly swung open.
Caught mid-sentence, he turned to look behind him.
A tall man walked in slowly, pausing where the light met the shadow.
He wore a black dress shirt with the collar undone, revealing broad shoulders, a slim waist, and the subtle contours of toned muscles beneath the fabric.
His brows knitted slightly, dark bangs falling over his forehead to reveal a pair of deep black eyes cold and indifferent.
His face carried a predatory charm.
Though he did not seem pleased, when his gaze landed on Qing Lin, he visibly froze for a moment.
After a few seconds of stunned silence, he quickly turned his head away and looked elsewhere.
“Xu Zhi, why are you here so early?” said Hong Shanyue. “I’m not finished yet. Why don’t you wait in the lounge?”
Xuzhi…
Qing Lin recognized the name and suddenly it clicked because he knew who this was.
This was the hitmaker, the hottest singer recently and one of the guests on the dating show, Shen Xuzhi.
Shen Xuzhi pulled his hand from his pocket, his muscles flexing with the movement, wrist bones sharp and defined, clean and powerful.
He glanced at Hong Shanyue, then at Qing Lin who had turned away. With a light cough he said calmly, “No need. I will just wait here.”
Fans either called Shen Xuzhi their “husband” or described him as cold and unapproachable, difficult to deal with, a genius dressed in black.
Seeing him in person, all of that seemed accurate.
Qing Lin fidgeted with his fingers, thinking it would be best to finish this quickly and leave.
He did not want to expand his circle of acquaintances. Besides, that famous celebrity was probably just going to sit on one of the empty sofas nearby. It should not matter.
He needed to
But suddenly, he felt the cushion beside him sink.
Qing Lin looked up and saw that Shen Xuzhi had taken a seat on the same sofa.
The man’s broad shoulders and long legs took up nearly all the remaining space.
There were empty sofas all around the room.
Yet Shen Xuzhi didn’t even glance at them and went straight to sit beside Qing Lin.
Qing Lin: “?”