The Academic God Becomes an Internet Sensation After Joining a Dating Show - C19 - YouTube

Bai Wenle nearly dropped his jaw.

What… what?!

Comeback? Superstar?

Every word struck him like a thousand thunderclap.

Just then, the live chat immediately blew up.

[??????]

[That’s Daniel! His tech company just went public and is worth over a billion. His YouTube videos are insanely popular. No joke.]

[Wait! Give me a second to process this]

[HOLY! Don’t tell me Qing Lin used to be a famous YouTuber?!]

Qing Lin stared at the man who had suddenly surfaced from the water, still uncertain. “Daniel?”

“Yeah~” Daniel grinned and flashed a hand gesture.

Bai Wenle pointed at Qing Lin and asked, “He used to be a YouTuber?”

“Absolutely,” Daniel said. “Lin was a total legend on YouTube. He got over a million subs just by livestreaming his study sessions. Foreigners loved his looks.”

Bai Wenle stood there, dumbstruck.

Wasn’t Qing Lin just some barely known D-lister who landed a spot on the dating show thanks to a sugar daddy?

How the hell did he suddenly become a legendary million-follower YouTuber?!

Then, a few more heads surfaced from the water, shouting toward the front, “Daniel! Why’d you come up all of a sudden?”

Daniel turned and said, “Can you believe this? I ran into Lin!”

One of the diver gasped, “Lin? Oh my God—is that the ‘luck charm’ you mentioned before?!”

Bai Wenle: ??

“Yes! Four years ago, my first video went viral, all thanks to my lucky charm,” Daniel said with a dreamy look.

Shen Xuzhi frowned, cold and distant.

Since when was he yours?

Meanwhile, the internet was going wild. A new post hit the forums like a storm:

“An Internet Deep Dive into Qing Lin’s YouTube Background”

1st comment: Because of China’s separation from international platforms, we never really heard much about YouTube. But it’s essentially the global equivalent of our BiliBili. Daniel, the guy who showed up during the livestream, is a massively popular tech YouTuber. So why does he know Qing Lin?

I’m a tech fan myself, so I know a bit about Daniel. In one of his interviews after his company went public, he said, “The reason my first video went viral was thanks to a gorgeous YouTube creator who livestreamed himself watching it twelve times. He brought in massive traffic.”

So… based on that storyline, could that mysterious top streamer be Qing Lin…?

2nd comment: I am absolutely losing my mind.

12th comment: I searched YouTube and didn’t find any Chinese million-subscriber channels like that…

13th comment: I searched the keywords. It’s all reuploads of the livestreams, and the comments are filled with people making wishes like it’s a wishing well. The original channel? Gone. Deleted.

289th comment: Okay sisters, this is the one you need to see!

I dug through Twitter and Instagram. It’s CONFIRMED: Qing Lin was a million-sub-YouTuber four years ago. He livestreamed study content and daily life. And yes, he showed his face. Every time he streamed, he dominated the donation charts.

But this was four years ago. He disappeared in a blaze of glory after deleting his account, but back then, he was already a YouTube legend.

With so much information online and so many years gone by, people had gradually stopped paying attention. Never expected it to resurface now.

There were even rumors that anyone who appeared in one of his streams would get a burst of good luck.

432nd comment: What kind of walking lucky koi fish is this?? Damn!

433^rd comment: If he livestreamed on BiliBili with his face, he’d be ridiculously popular by now.

434^th comment:  I honestly thought Qing Lin was just a pretty face who got on the show through connections. Who would’ve thought he was already a hit overseas? Those contribution points were probably from his old fans. Makes sense now.

435^th comment: How much money did that top supporter have to spend to get that high on the rankings?

510^th comment: Wait, four years ago…? No way! He was only 17 and still in high school?!

The thread kept gaining traction as more and more people joined the heated discussion about Qing Lin’s YouTube history.

At the aquarium.

“That was a long time ago. The account doesn’t exist anymore, so let’s not talk about it,” Qing Lin replied politely.

But Daniel remained enthusiastic. “What a shame! None of us ever understood why you suddenly stopped streaming back then.”

“I still find your old videos incredible whenever I rewatch them. And you’re just as stunning now~” Daniel smiled at him. “So, what brings you here today?”

At that, Qing Lin pressed his lips together and glanced toward Bai Wenle.

Then, as if a thought had just occurred to him, his expression softened. His long lashes caught the light as they curled upward, shimmering faintly and drawing the eye.

He leaned in close to Shen Xuzhi and gently took hold of his arm.

The sudden closeness caught Shen Xuzhi off guard. Still slightly sulky, he let his guard down at the unexpected tenderness. For a moment, it felt almost like Qing Lin had leaned in to whisper a kiss against his ear.

With a playful smile, Qing Lin clung to him and said sweetly, “I’m here on a date with my boyfriend.”

[AHHHHHHHHH WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING!!]

[How is anyone supposed to survive this?! I’m losing my mind!!]

[The ShenLin immersion is so real! I’m waving the CP flag like crazy!]

[Just kiss already! I’ll personally the civil affairs office to you both!]

“Oh! Congratulations!” Daniel said sincerely. “You two look perfect together. Wishing you all the best!”

Bai Wenle nearly exploded. “What are you even talking about?! Since when is Xu-ge…”

Before he could finish, Qing Lin turned around, still half nestled in Shen Xuzhi’s arms, and said with an innocent expression, “You’re the one who said dating makes someone your boyfriend.”

Then he looked up at Shen Xuzhi, eyes sparkling, and added sweetly, “Right, darling~?”

Bai Wenle: “…………”

Shen Xuzhi couldn’t stop the smile that tugged at his lips, the corners curling up almost involuntarily. “You’re absolutely right.”

[He’s jealous! He’s bitter! He’s in love! Marriage! Honeymoon! Babies!]

[One of us, me, him, or them, is going to lose it and it’s definitely going to be me!!]

[This level of double standard is exactly why I adore romance shows! Poor Lele, but this is gold!]

“Wow, going to the aquarium for a date is really romantic. Your boyfriend really treats you well.” Daniel still hadn’t quite followed the earlier exchange, but he smiled warmly at Qing Lin. “Oh, were you the one petting Ellie just now?”

Qing Lin nodded.

“Hey, let me get a photo with her!” Daniel beamed. “She’s been touched by the lucky god! Anyone she touches is blessed with good fortune!”

He motioned for someone to bring over a camera.

The other diving enthusiasts who had come with him quickly followed, all hoping that a photo with the dolphin would bring them some of Qing Lin’s so-called luck.

“They’re really exaggerating,” Qing Lin said. “There’s no such thing as a god of luck.”

In the pool, everyone was gathering around Ellie for a group photo. The clever dolphin played along, diving underwater to lift divers on her snout and spraying them with water like a performer on stage.

“Let’s sneak away,” Shen Xuzhi said quietly, turning to Qing Lin with a smile as he gently took his hand.

At first, he hadn’t fully understood Qing Lin. But now he did. And he knew, this person treated him with sincerity.

His voice was light, steady, and incredibly gentle. “You said it yourself. This is a date.”