The Academic God Becomes an Internet Sensation After Joining a Dating Show - C13 - The Battle

After signing the contract, Shen Xuzhi had to leave early due to a filming commitment.

Left with nothing in particular to do, Qing Lin pulled out his phone and started scrolling through Weibo, watching the chaos unfold on the trending page.

He wasn’t too bothered by the online hate, but he was curious about the CP-related posts featuring him and Shen Xuzhi.

After all, it might soon become part of his job performance metrics.

Time slipped by as he continued reading.

Around five in the afternoon, someone from the production crew came to pick him up and bring him back to regroup with the other cast members.

“So, where are we headed next?”

There were eight guests, and they all got on the van one after another. Since no seats were assigned, they were free to choose their own.

Nan Yu was the first to get on. She headed straight for the back row and took a window seat. Qiao Weilan followed and naturally sat down next to her.

Shen Xuzhi had arrived a little earlier and was already seated in the row in front of Nan Yu.
He had deliberately placed his bag on the empty seat beside him.

His cold, aloof aura was enough to keep most of the other guests from even considering sitting there.

As expected, everyone avoided the seat beside Shen Xuzhi.

Even Jiang Wen, who had originally planned to chat with him, picked up on the atmosphere and veered off with a polite smile, choosing to sit beside Ning Yian instead.

Then Qing Lin stepped onto the van.

He had changed outfits, now wearing a pale blue button-up shirt with a carrot-shaped pin on the chest, paired with dark blue knee-length shorts and a neatly cinched belt. He looked fresh, clean, and composed.

Shen Xuzhi glanced at him, then casually moved his bag off the seat beside him. He turned his head to look out the window, pretending like nothing had happened.

But Qing Lin didn’t even glance in his direction. Without hesitation, he sat down in the single seat in the front row.

Shen Xuzhi: “…”

“Sorry, sorry! I’m late!” Xu Jing finally arrived, scrambling onto the van.

He got on the van and saw that the only seat left was beside Shen Xuzhi.

So, he made his way over and sat down, greeting him, “Hi, Xuzhi.”

Shen Xuzhi didn’t even turn to look at him. His face remained expressionless as he gave a perfunctory, “Mm.”

Xu Jing froze on the spot, a chill running down his spine.

What the heck? Did this guy swallow ice shards or something?

Shen Xuzhi turned his head again, eyes drifting out the window with a puzzled expression.

That kid had been so sweet earlier in the afternoon, even asking what type he liked. But now? It was as if nothing had happened at all.

Shen Xuzhi frowned slightly.

Has he been too hasty….?

Just then, director Hong Shanyue climbed aboard. After checking in briefly with the tech team, he picked up a mic and cheerfully greeted, “Good evening, everyone!”

The livestream had officially begun, and the comment barrage followed immediately.

[Good evening! The esteemed VIP has arrived!]

[Good evening!]

[LOL look at the seating arrangement]

[Qiao Weilan and Nan Yu are sitting together in the back!! Flirting in private, huh!]

[What the heck! Xu Jing is sitting next to Shen Xuzhi?! That’s such a random combo]

“Wow, so everyone chose their own seats today, huh?” Hong Shanyue looked around with visible amusement. “Quite an eye-opener.”

“Where are we headed this time?” Jiang Wen asked.

Hong Shanyue replied, “We’re heading to a town at the intersection of North and South Rowan Island, where the next round of mutual selection will begin.”

“This time, we’ll be introducing a brand-new rule. The theme for this round is… ‘Fate.’”

“Fate is like standing at opposite ends of a maze. Even if you can see each other and are only a step apart, countless twists, turns, and unseen barriers still lie between you. In this love maze, you’ll have the chance to open doors in every direction, 360 degrees, and search for the one your heart desires. But love is always a mutual choice. If someone extends their feelings to you… how will you respond?”

[Wait what? A maze?!]

[It must be the island’s signature attraction, the Rowan Island maze! A massive grid where each cell has six doors, opening in all directions, 360 degrees!]

“The rules are as follows,” he continued. “Inside this multidirectional maze, your goal is to find the person you want to invite. Each person gets only one chance, either to invite or to respond. If you’re not interested, you may pass each other in silence. But once someone makes a complete invitation, the other party must give an answer.”

Hong Shanyue smiled as he made the announcement. “Those who succeed in the mutual selection will be staying at a luxurious hotel, complete with a presidential suite on the top floor. As for those who don’t… well, you’ll have to settle for the rustic wooden cabins near the village entrance.”

[Damn! This just got intense!]

[Hold on, doesn’t that mean each person only gets half a chance? You either invite or respond, not both!]

[Couldn’t two people just plan it out together and end up in the suite?]

[But what if the person you like doesn’t like you back? Would you really be okay watching them share a room with someone else?]

[So, do you follow your heart or go for comfort? I can’t wait to find out!!]

The car bumped along the road as it finally pulled into the small town.

Before anyone could get out, they were all blindfolded and led into the maze, one at a time, each escorted to a different section.

Qing Lin followed the staff member inside. With the blindfold on, it was impossible to tell where they were going. He only knew they opened four doors in succession, winding deeper and deeper into the maze.

The director’s voice came through the mic. “Everyone, please remove your blindfolds.”

Qing Lin took his blindfolds off and was met with the sight of identical pink doors stretching in every direction.

[Oh my god! They seriously all look the same! How did anyone even get through this? It will be pure blind luck at this point!]

Qing Lin picked a door at random and peeked inside. It looked exactly like a perfect copy of the last. Every path in this maze was the same. There was no strategy, no pattern, no way to guess right.

Was this really all just fate?

He honestly hadn’t expected the second round to unfold like this. He’d thought it would be as simple as casting a vote for Shen Xuzhi.

“Well then, let’s begin! Will you meet the one destined for you?” the director’s voice echoed.

Qing Lin gripped the doorknob and turned it.

Might as well go find Shen Xuzhi first.

Elsewhere in the maze, Shen Xuzhi had already set off as well, silently hoping he’d run into Qing Lin amidst the twists and turns.

But of course, things were never that straightforward.

After winding through several identical corridors, he eventually came face-to-face with Qiao Weilan.

They paused, exchanged a courteous nod, and continued on without a word.

[Well-mannered kings!]

[Alpha meeting another alpha!]

After pushing through about five more doors, Shen Xuzhi suddenly heard movement ahead. He paused, opened a door slightly, and waited in silence.

A moment later, Jiang Wen appeared on the other side. Her eyes lit up the instant she saw him, and she raised a hand excitedly.

“Xu—”

Before she could even finish calling his name, he shut the door right in her face.

[HAHAHAHAHAHA]

[This is peak reality TV. HAHAHAHAH]

[Jiang Wen: muttering curses]

“Hey! That was way too fast! Can’t you at least give yourself a chance?”

Two doors down, Jiang Wen was still shouting complaints into the maze.

Shen Xuzhi ignored her completely and chose a different path.

[Xu-ge’s definitely looking for someone.]

[Is it Qing Lin? Is it really Qing Lin?!]

[Ahhhhhhh our CP is so real! I’m all in!! No regrets investing!]

[Why do you all assume Xu-ge likes guys? I actually think he’s looking for Nan Yu]

The camera then switched to several other contestants. Xu Jing tried inviting Ning Yian, but Ning Yian declined. With one rejection, both were eliminated from the round.

A bird’s-eye view of the maze appeared on screen. Some sharp-eyed viewers caught something strange.

[Wait… why does it look like there’s one extra person in there?]

Meanwhile, Shen Xuzhi was growing visibly frustrated. The rule set wasn’t just complicated, it was exhausting. You had to find the right person and fend off the wrong ones.

At one door, just as he reached for the knob, he felt the same pressure from the other side.

“Ah, Xu-ge!”

The door swung open. Standing there was a young boy, beaming with excitement. His eyes practically sparkled when he saw Shen Xuzhi.

Shen Xuzhi frowned slightly. “Bai Wenle?”

[AHHHH BAI WENLE!!]

[Wenle! Our Lele is here!]

[Didn’t he rank second in contribution points? Why’s he suddenly here too?!]

“Xu-ge, we must really be destined to meet!” Bai Wenle beamed. “Out of this entire maze, and I still managed to find you!” He looked like he could barely contain his excitement, almost practically bouncing on his feet.

“What are you doing here?” Shen Xuzhi’s expression grew cold.

“I came to see you, of course.” Bai Wenle said cheerfully. “Want to go on a date with me?”

“No.” The reply came out instantly.

“…Did you have to reject me that fast?”

[SHEN XUZHI IS MERCILESS TODAY I’M WHEEZING]

[Nooo Xu-ge! Rejection means you’re stuck with the wooden cabin!]

It suddenly dawned on Shen Xuzhi. If that counted as his response, didn’t that mean he had lost the chance to invite Qing Lin?

Just then, one of the doors in the same room creaked open.

And there was Qing Lin, peeking through.

“Ah…” Qing Lin paused, his eyes flickered between Shen Xuzhi and the unfamiliar boy beside him. The scene looked… ambiguous. Did someone already invite Shen Xuzhi?

Bai Wenle immediately noticed Qing Lin, then casually walked over and took a long, blatant look.

“Damn,” he muttered. “This face is really beautiful.”

Qing Lin: “…”

“I mean—hi, my name is Bai Wenle.” He cleared his throat, shifting to a more innocent tone. “You probably don’t know me, but I’m the second top contributor on BiliBili~”

Qing Lin, still unsure what was going on, nodded politely. Then turned to Shen Xuzhi. “Did someone already invite you?”

Before Shen Xuzhi could open his mouth, Bai Wenle cut in.

“Xu-ge and I are heading to the presidential suite together!”

Qing Lin: “?”

Shen Xuzhi: “?”

Shen Xuzhi turned to look at him, clearly baffled. “Did I agree to that?”

Bai Wenle smugly waved a card in front of them both. “I just used my Power Card to force a successful match with Xu-ge.”

Qing Lin stared at him in silence. Bai Wenle stood there, a little too proud, a little too pleased with himself.

?

Xu-ge?

Shen Xuzhi’s voice was colder than before. “Where did you get that Power Card?”

“Oh, that? I solved a logic puzzle. The director gave me a little reward.” Bai Wenle answered.

The comment exploded immediately.

[Battle alert!!]

[Didn’t expect Lele to just barge in like this! A surprise guest drop!]

[The top two contributors on BiliBili! Wenle clearly came back like a reborn phoenix, ready to fight the system! And now he’s even going up against Qing Lin for Shen Xuzhi? Spicy!]

Qing Lin looked at the scene, feeling a bit helpless.

Well, that’s fine. He could just head back to survival mode for a bit. It was more relaxing anyway.

Too bad. He’d let those two stick together for now. After all, romance and ambiguity always came with a bit of turbulence.

Bai Wenle’s thoughts were practically written across his face.

He clearly didn’t like Qing Lin. To him, Qing Lin was just some outsider who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, snatched the top contributor spot, and was now clinging to Xu-ge to form a CP on the show? Ridiculous.

That’s why Bai Wenle had cashed in a personal favor to get Director Hong to sneak him in as a flying guest.

But… why didn’t Qing Lin look the least bit rattled?

Was his little jab not sharp enough?

Bai Wenle cleared his throat and said with deliberate sweetness, “Xu-ge, I heard the presidential suite in this hotel has a private pool. Let’s go have fun there later, okay?”

“I joined this show just to see you, you know. I missed you so much. How long has it been since we last met?”

“Xu-ge, you’ve gotten even more handsome! Have you been working out, lately? Next time, take me with you!”

[Wait, Bai Wenle and Shen Xuzhi actually know each other??]

[Come on, let me enlighten you. Bai Wenle is the second young master of the Bai family. His family has a long-standing tie with Shen Xuzhi’s. The two have known each other for quite a while!]

Shen Xuzhi looked visibly annoyed and didn’t even want to engage. “Don’t touch me.”

Bai Wenle wiped away imaginary tears. “Xu-ge, how could you be so cold after we haven’t seen each other for so long? Boo hoo…”

From a few steps away, Qing Lin quietly observed Shen Xuzhi’s darkened expression and Bai Wenle’s emotional theatrics.

It was clear Bai Wenle liked Shen Xuzhi and was deliberately putting on a show to provoke him.

But honestly, his skills seem…. mediocre.

Hmm.

He’s quite a lively kid.

Just doesn’t seem very smart.

Qing Lin wondered if there was any point staying. Since he couldn’t invite anyone, there wasn’t much for him to do here.

That was when he suddenly heard Bai Wenle chirp, “I’ve already thought of our couple name! We’re such a good match. If we team up, we’ll definitely be the nation’s favorite CP!”

That snapped Qing Lin out of his thoughts. A cold realization hit him, he still had a job to do.

If Bai Wenle and Shen Xuzhi became a hit CP, then under clause eight of his contract… wouldn’t that count as a breach of contract?

“I’ve changed my mind.” Qing Lin suddenly spoke up from the side. “I want to use my Power Card.”

Bai Wenle’s head jerked toward him in alarm. Damn, he’d forgotten Qing Lin had one too.

“Are you sure you want to use the Power Card?” the production crew asked over the speaker.

Qing Lin gave a firm nod.

Bai Wenle narrowed his eyes, thinking to himself. It didn’t matter. Qing Lin can only make one request. He might be able to break them up, but he couldn’t go on a date with Shen Xuzhi now. And if he really did try to interfere, Bai Wenle could just milk the drama to stir up public backlash. Either way, he wouldn’t lose.

Bai Wenle was confident.

Come on, Qing Lin. Let’s see what you’ve got.

Qing Lin probably realized this too. He pressed the card lightly to his lips, eyes lowering as a faint gleam passed through them.

After a moment of thought, he said calmly, “Let the three of us go together.”

Bai Wenle: “?”

Three of them, together?