The Academic God Becomes an Internet Sensation After Joining a Dating Show - C23 - Body Temperature

Even though he was reluctant to let go of the embrace, Liang Beiqi still walked toward the boiling tide.

The sun slipped swiftly beneath the horizon—such beauty always seemed to vanish too quickly.

As darkness crept in, colors spilled from where the sky met the sea, spreading like ink staining the heavens, swallowing the light whole.

Qing Lin and Shen Xuzhi sneaked back quietly. It seemed everyone had turned a blind eye, tacitly allowing the two to escape.

After dinner, a brief lull settled in. The mutual selection wouldn’t begin until nightfall. Until then, everyone was sent to their own corners to rest and prepare.

Earlier, after crossing paths with that couple and Daniel at the aquarium, Qing Lin had decided to open his BiliBili account, which he hadn’t logged into for a long time.

The moment Qing Lin logged in, a flood of notifications overwhelmed him—private messages poured in relentlessly, and his follower count had skyrocketed to 750,000.

He scrolled through a handful of messages and comments with casual curiosity, pondering whether he might have an opportunity to schedule a livestream.

Just then, a notification popped up on his phone, it was a message from WeChat at work.

[Director Hong Shanyue: Lin, do you have a Weibo account?]

[Director Hong Shanyue: Our official Weibo account will post daily clips and behind-the-scenes content, and we might need to tag you.]

Weibo?

Qing Lin actually did have a Weibo account, but it was a personal account and, for some reason, it wasn’t convenient to share it with the production team.

Might as well say he didn’t have one.

[Qing Lin: Sorry, Director Hong, I don’t have a Weibo account.]

[Director Hong Shanyue: No worries. Just register one on the company phone, then.]

[Director Hong Shanyue: And maybe post something like a selfie. Of course, if it’s related to the Follow Heart program, that would be even better.]

Follow Heart had been gaining incredible momentum lately, with countless celebrity couples in the entertainment world tuning in and even reaching out to Director Hong, eager to appear as guest stars.

Qing Lin quickly registered a Weibo account, using his real name as the username. Once everything was set up, he paused to consider his first post.

What should he post? It had to connect to the show, ideally something that would stir up buzz and fuel the CP hype.

He switched on the front camera and glanced at the large bag of souvenirs he’d brought back from the aquarium.

Just two minutes later, his Weibo post exploded across the platform, going viral in no time.

[@Qing Lin: Thanks to Shen Laoshi for the gift 💙🐬]

[Image]

The photo attached was a selfie. Qing Lin hugged the fluffy collection of head accessories Shen Xuzhi had given him, the dolphin headpiece perched atop his head, almost identical to Ellie’s.

His skin was flawless, glowing with a natural rosy fairness even without filters. Shot from a slight downward angle, his clear eyes gazed softly ahead. Though his expression remained neutral, there was a gentle innocence to his look, subtle yet effortlessly captivating.

Comments began streaming in instantly, filling the post one after another.

[Aaaahhh, wifey!! My destined wifey! The selfie is so cute!]

[Are those the plush headbands Shen Xuzhi gave you? They suit you so well! Mama also wants to buy you some flashy accessories! You’re made for them!!]

[The first Weibo post and it’s about Ah Zhi! What is this? THIS IS LOVE! RAISE THE SHENLIN BANNER HIGH!! SHENLIN SUPREMACY FOREVER!!]

[Ahhh, Xuzhi, come quickly and see what your wifey posted on Weibo! @Shen Xuzhi-Liam]

[@Shen Xuzhi-Liam]

But of course, the haters weren’t far behind.

[Oh look, the persona-faker finally made a Weibo account.]

[Don’t know why people praise him here; he just rode the hype and got popular with some maifu help, yet still claims to be a top student.]

[Stop mooching off our brother’s glory! Bloodsucking parasite! Scheming guy! Quit pretending!]

Qing Lin barely glanced at the comments. Instead, he grabbed his computer, knowing he had important matters to handle.

An hour later, a staff member approached him. “Qing Laoshi, it’s time to start the recording over there.”

Qing Lin nodded, set his phone aside, picked up the bag he had brought from the market, and headed toward the recording venue.

Night had fallen. Along the darkened beach, the sound of waves gently lapping the shore was clear and steady.

Tonight was the mutual selection segment. To set the mood, the beach had been adorned with delicate touches, vivid red roses lined both sides, and a bonfire flickered at the center.

The dancing flames cast a mysterious, enchanting glow over everything.

Staff led Qing Lin to a row of finely crafted lockers, each one labeled with a guest’s name.

“Please choose the person who has captured your heart. Open their locker, and give the rose in your hand to them,” a staff member instructed.

For Qing Lin, the choice was clear—there was no doubt he would give the rose to Shen Xuzhi. Protecting his partner’s interests came first, always.

Yet, no matter how certain he felt now, the show’s twists would soon make him question his decision.

“Alright, please make your choice,” the staff member prompted.

Qing Lin opened Shen Xuzhi’s locker.

At once, a subtle change flickered across his face.

The production had designed the segment cleverly: opening a locker revealed not just the person’s belongings, but also the roses they had received from others.

Inside Shen Xuzhi’s vase, two roses already stood.

Qing Lin lowered his gaze.

One was unmistakably from Bai Wenle, but who had given the other?

He gently placed the rose into Shen Xuzhi’s vase before following the staff back to join the main group.

All the guests had gathered.

The night breeze on the beach was cooler than usual as everyone settled into their assigned seats arranged by the crew, waiting for Hong Shanyue to begin.

[Another round of mutual selection—will our CP get to go on a date together?]

[Please, silly couple! Xuanxuan and An-An, run toward each other already!]

Hong Shanyue stepped forward with a microphone, cleared his throat, and greeted, “Good evening, guests!”

“Good evening,” the crowd replied in unison.

“There’s a saying online: ‘We call the heart that dances in the dark the moon.’ We meet many people and experience many things. After spending so much time together, the person who still makes your heart flutter remains. Please express your love slowly, following the sound of the tides, and show your sincere feelings with a rose. As for me, I will give my rose to the moon I discovered.”

“The theme of tonight’s mutual selection is ‘My Moon.’”

Hong Shanyue continued, “Just now, everyone was brought to the lockers to make their choices. Some of you may have noticed. One reason why the ‘white moonlight’ is so beloved is because he is the white moonlight for many people.”

He paused deliberately, scanned the crowd, and then drew out his words, “Now, let’s announce the successful one-on-one mutual matches.”

[Xuanxuan and An-an! Xuanxuan and An-an!]

[It has to be Wei Lan and Yu Yu!]

[I ship BAILIN—losing four strands of hair just praying for Bai Wenle and Qing Lin!]

[That’s wild!]

The camera zoomed in sharply, capturing every reaction.

Close-ups of each guest flickered across the screen as they each glanced toward the person they had chosen.

Hong Shanyue’s voice broke the silence. “Su Mingxuan and Ning Yian! Please come forward and accept the rose the other has given you.”

Su Mingxuan and Ning Yian exchanged a look, their smiles soft and sweet like honey.

[Ahhh! My CP!]

[The silly couple finally got their happy ending!]

Only one pair had successfully matched. Qiao Weilan’s gaze fixed on Nan Yu, but Nan Yu furrowed her brows and turned away without responding.

“Alright, next is a group with a very complicated relationship,” Hong Shanyue announced. “Shen Xuzhi, please come forward and open your locker.”

That evening, Shen Xuzhi wore an outfit styled by the crew—gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose, the hem of his clothes fluttering gently, his broad shoulders perfectly balanced.

At the sound of his name, he rose, walked forward, and opened the locker.

Inside, four roses rested quietly.

[!!! OMG! Four roses! What does this mean! Who are they from! So many people chose our Xu-ge!]

[Ahhh, my Ah Zhi! What a complicated situation!]

“Please step forward if you gave roses to Shen Xuzhi.”

After the announcement, Qing Lin and Bai Wenle rose from their seats, followed by Jiang Wen.

The live comments erupted in surprise.

[Oh my gosh!! Wenwen-jie! You’ve hidden it well!]

[I guessed Lele and Lin, but Wen-jie, what’s going on with you!]

[It said four roses but there are only three people]

“Here’s the situation: Xuzhi did a reverse selection,” Hong Shanyue explained. “If any of the three want to confess, please do.”

Jiang Wen stepped forward, wearing a sleek red dress that hugged her figure. Her delicate curls rested gently on her shoulders, exuding queenly charisma.

She spoke with steady resolve, “Xuzhi, from the very beginning, I was the most interested in you, but I hesitated halfway through. Watching you happily date Linlin, and seeing Lele bravely confess to you, I realized I regretted holding back. I felt I couldn’t stay silent anymore. I needed to be braver. So, I gave you a rose. Let’s give this a try, maybe I’m a better choice for you.”

The room erupted in cheers, with Su Mingxuan clapping and shouting his approval from the side.

[Wow! OMG, a secret crush! So exciting, so thrilling—how did this suddenly turn into a battle?]

[Wenwen-jie likes Ah Zhi, it makes sense now—how did I only just realized?]

Seizing the moment, Bai Wenle spoke up, trying to keep the momentum going. “Xu-ge, I came on this show just for you. You’ve always been my only target. Since we met, I’ve been hoping for a date with just the two of us. Wenwen-jie is right—I’m brave, and I want the two of us to date together!”

[Ahhh, Lele, you’re so brave!]

[Though, always emphasizing dating “just the two of us” is kind of hilarious.]

All eyes then turned to Qing Lin.

Qing Lin was currently Shen Xuzhi’s most popular CP, making everyone eagerly await his words.

He stood quietly, his handsome profile softly illuminated by the moonlight. There was a gentle, cool aura about him, but this time, his brows and eyes held a deeper emotion.

“Shen Laoshi, I gave you two red roses,” Qing Lin said calmly.

His words fell like clear spring water onto a pebble, stirring ripples within Shen Xuzhi’s heart.

“I’m very grateful for your care at the aquarium and truly like the gifts you gave me. So, I prepared a small gift in return.”

With that, Qing Lin pulled a bag from behind him—it was the secret he had brought back from the market.

Qing Lin stepped closer to Shen Xuzhi and gently asked him to extend his wrist. Carefully, he fastened something around it.

Everyone behind them leaned forward, eager to see. Xu Jing squinted and asked, “A body temperature wristband?”

Indeed, it was exactly that.

The wristband had been DIY-modified to resemble a watch. Its strap was painted with delicate vines that curled around the temperature display dial.

The dial’s edge was wrapped in clay, skillfully sculpted into two bright, vivid roses—lifelike, radiant, and exquisitely detailed.

Once in contact with the skin, the device quickly displayed the wearer’s body temperature.

“This wristband, apart from the temperature sensor, was handmade by me,” Qing Lin said softly, a slight upward tilt to his eyes.

“As for why I want to give it to you…”

“True love raises one’s body temperature by 0.2℃.”

Shen Xuzhi’s gaze darkened subtly as Qing Lin reached out his hand and moved closer, shortening the distance between them with the movement of his body and arm.

Their eyes met for just a brief moment, yet everything seemed to blur.

A fresh, fragrant breeze brushed against Shen Xuzhi’s neck and shoulders, gently stirring his hair.

The temperature wristbands sat close, almost touching.

So did their bodies.

The cool moonlight highlighted the paleness of Shen Xuzhi’s skin, his pink lips delicate like finely painted flowers.

Qing Lin appeared almost on tiptoes, or perhaps he merely brushed Shen Xuzhi’s shoulder lightly from the side.

His voice, warm and soft, carried a gentle breath that caused a faint blush to bloom on Shen Xuzhi’s ears. “For the first mutual selection, I abstained. I did not choose anyone else.”

The flowers are all yours.

Romance blossomed in the quiet night.

The once-quiet waves of emotion now surged, filling the air with an abrupt, sail-like tension.

“Beep.”

Their fingertips touched, the wristbands pressed together, the temperature flickering, showing a gap of exactly 0.2℃.

Qing Lin tilted his head up, a brilliant smile lighting his face, his cheeks softly flushed like the gentle glow of a sunset kiss—as if everything was unfolding just as he had hoped

All that reached Shen Xuzhi’s ear was that soft, teasing voice.

“Shen Laoshi, since our body temperatures have both risen,”

“May I invite you on a date?”