The Academic God Becomes an Internet Sensation After Joining a Dating Show - C47 - Encountering a Die-hard Fan

Qing Lin paused.

He suddenly realized he didn’t fully understand the show’s boundaries. They were just pretending to be a couple. So why did they have to keep kissing? Was it because these veteran variety-show stars knew exactly how to create buzz, or was he simply too tense himself?

Shen Xuzhi, however, seemed to understand immediately.

Probably because in Buenos Aires last time, they hadn’t objected to Zhang Nanyin’s assumption. They had assumed they were a real couple. And for real couples, kisses weren’t an issue.

“Ah, Qing Lin, don’t stress too much,” Zhang Nanyin said. “Kissing is a beautiful thing. Don’t treat it like a task, just kiss whenever you feel like it.”

Qing Lin realized he had fallen into his “too serious” trap once again. Relaxing his clenched fists, he said, “Understood, Nanyin-jie.”

[Qing Lin takes the initiative! Qing Lin takes the initiative! You guys really get it!!]

[Ahhh, I’m so excited. Will Qing Lin be shy?]

[ShenLin Immersion!!]

[Ahhh, it’s like New Year’s! Ahhhh!]

The more enthusiastically the CP fans cheered, the more furious the solo fans grew.

[What’s wrong? Just touching each other isn’t enough? Our Ah Zhi can’t be kissed casually!]

[Not acceptable! Last time wasn’t even explained properly! No forced pairing!]

[Our Linlin didn’t say anything, and we love Qing, so we don’t even want Linlin to kiss SXZ!]

But after all, it was a dating show, so the couple fans still dominated, while the lone, discordant fans were quickly pushed aside.

Qing Lin glanced secretly at Shen Xuzhi.

Standing calmly beside him, Shen Xuzhi’s face was naturally sculpted, the light accentuating its distinct contours. His expression serene, thick lashes catching the sunlight, he brushed his knuckles through his hair as he adjusted the goggles on his forehead.

Qing Lin tugged gently at his sleeve. “Shen Laoshi, lower yourself a bit.”

Shen Xuzhi complied without hesitation. Qing Lin leaned in and placed a quick kiss on his cheek.

Shen Xuzhi: “?!”

After the kiss, Qing Lin lingered on the feeling for a moment.

His heartbeat was steady, his complexion normal, and his expression calm. Everything seemed fine and completely acceptable.

Then, he looked at Shen Xuzhi.

The usually composed and reserved man was frozen in place, a hint of awkwardness spreading across him. His ears and the side of his neck flushed red, and he was using his sleeve to cover most of his face.

Huh?

Qing Lin’s pupils contracted. Everything seemed fine…until he saw Shen Xuzhi shy. And then his own face heated up instantly.

He quickly turned away, fanning his face with his hand, finally muttering after a long pause, “…That was the first kiss.”

[What are you two doing!?]

[Why are you suddenly shy? So cute!!]

[The God of pure love just fell to the ground in response!]

“Oh my, oh my~” Zhang Nanyin loving every moment, “Young people are just too cute~”

Liu Xin wrapped an arm around her and said, “The task was already assigned, let’s go, honey. Let’s check out the sightseeing path over there.”

“Okay,” Zhang Nanyin replied, blowing kisses to the two of them as she walked away, smiling happily.

Qing Lin looked at the backs of the two people who had gone to play, covered the microphone when the camera was not captured, and quietly talked to Shen Xuzhi.

Qing Lin watched the backs of the two departing figures. Once the cameras were no longer on them, he covered the mic and leaned quietly toward Shen Xuzhi.

“Don’t be shy,” he murmured, cheeks still tinged red. “When you get shy, I can’t help but get shy too.”

Shen Xuzhi’s voice was slightly low. “Next time, linger longer. Give me a chance to react.”

Qing Lin blinked. “?”

“Shen Laoshi, Qing Laoshi!” a staff member called after them. “Wait a moment, I’ll get your body cams ready. Later, when we enter Big Ice, there won’t be a VJ following, so we’ll hand you handheld cameras and ask you to record some of the footage yourselves.”

Qing Lin and Shen Xuzhi nodded in agreement.

After wandering a little, the group made their way to the dock and boarded a boat that would take them to the main base on the opposite shore.

Eight other participants had joined their Big Ice trek group. Once checked in, everyone began fastening their safety harnesses.

Qing Lin’s eyes scanned the group: three young Russian men traveling together, a middle-aged Australian couple, and a lively backpacker.

Everyone spoke English, each with a distinct accent, and with so many conversations overlapping, Qing Lin struggled to catch everything.

Suddenly, a clear, unmistakable voice rang out. “Ah, is that Shen Xuzhi?”

In the sea of multilingual chatter, Chinese immediately stood out… and it was a girl.

Shen Xuzhi turned toward the sound and spotted her in the corner, a backpack slung over her shoulder. Her eyes lit up the moment she saw him.

She seemed thrilled and ran a few steps closer, stopping two or three meters away. “Ahhh! It’s really Shen Xuzhi! Oh my gosh!” she exclaimed.

[It’s a fan of Ah Zhi!!]

[Ahhh, what luck!]

[So jealous!!]

Shen Xuzhi hadn’t expected to encounter any Chinese travelers on the trek, and it turned out to be one of his fans.

“I’m freaking out a little, he’s even more handsome in real life!” the girl bounced up and down. “Ah Zhi, I’m your fan! I was in VIP1 at your anniversary concert! And Watching the Tides, I’ve seen it four times! Ahhh, I know you’ve been filming a show in Argentina recently, but I didn’t expect to run into you here!”

Shen Xuzhi smiled and thanked her for her support.

“Um, could I get a signed autograph?” she asked, a mixture of nerves and excitement in her voice.

“Of course,” Shen Xuzhi replied.

“Wait, let me grab a pen!” she exclaimed, rummaging through her bag and pulling a small notepad from her wallet. “I’m Hua Qi!”

Qing Lin stood to the side, quietly watching.

Shen Xuzhi carefully signed her notepad.

“Since I came to Argentina, I haven’t been able to follow the Follow Heart livestreams,” Hua Qi said, still brimming with excitement. “So… may I ask what you two are doing now?”

Shen Xuzhi gently pulled Qing Lin closer and affectionately draped an arm around his shoulders. “We’re here for the trek.”

When Hua Qi saw Qing Lin, her expression immediately stiffened. “Uh… hello.”

Qing Lin: “……”

It was obvious. Hua Qi was a diehard fan of Shen Xuzhi alone. Qing Lin had never encountered someone like this in person before. She glanced at him briefly, her interest clearly minimal.

“Later we will have filming tasks, so please cooperate and don’t cause disruptions,” Shen Xuzhi reminded her.

“Okay, no problem,” Hua Qi quickly replied, nodding.

Qing Lin’s eyes scanned the area, then he asked casually, “Are you here alone?”

Hua Qi hesitated, biting her lip before answering, “Yes… I’m alone.”

From her attitude, Qing Lin quickly understood that this girl had no interest in shipping him with Shen Xuzhi. In fact, she seemed to harbor a certain dislike for him.

This could be tricky.

[No way… could she be an anti-couple fan? That attitude shift is kind of rude.]

[SXZ’s solo fans are probably all wary of QL. A little nobody paired with a top star, it is normal that some people are not happy. Not confronting them on the spot is already impressive.]

[Who says only Shen Xuzhi has diehard fans? I don’t care! I’m Team Qing! Lin Lin Lin!]

The Big Ice trek was led by three guides, with a total of thirteen participants in the group. Besides Dylan, the other two guides were Kevin and Colt.

Kevin came over to check everyone’s harnesses. When he saw Shen Xuzhi and Qing Lin, he smiled. “Ah, you two are the couple from the show, right? Welcome! Enjoy the trek!”

They each shook his hand politely.

Kevin then glanced at the roster and at Hua Qi, his brow furrowing slightly. “Hmm… how about you join the couple? Or go with Grosso?”

“I-I’ll go with them!” Hua Qi blurted out quickly.

[Uh… this doesn’t seem right.]

[What is she doing? Didn’t she say she wouldn’t disturb filming?]

[Don’t attack random people! Focus on shipping ShenLin!]

Shen Xuzhi felt a flicker of awkwardness, but the production team hadn’t intervened and leaving her behind wasn’t an option.

Qing Lin, standing nearby, was also thinking.

His five kisses… if he dared to kiss Shen Xuzhi in front of this fan, the girl would probably erupt on the spot.

Once everything was ready, they began ascending the mountain.

The first stretch followed a path toward the glacier, steadily climbing with occasional steeper sections that required the harnesses. Gray pebbles crunched underfoot, and beyond them stretched only the pure, crystalline expanse of the glacier.

The glacier loomed ahead, a vast expanse of ice that was both silent and alive, far more imposing than the delicate imagery of ordinary snow. Deep valleys of ice twisted and turned, glowing in a surreal, serene blue under the sun.

Hiking up was physically demanding. On the steeper sections, several stretches were especially challenging, naturally consuming more energy.

Hua Qi, petite in stature, had already begun to feel exhausted after only half an hour of climbing. One uphill section was dotted with protruding rocks she had to scale to reach the next level.

She tried twice but couldn’t make it. Frustrated, she paused and stomped her foot. A hand then reached out to her.

The young man stood against the light, his features sharp and striking. His pale skin contrasted with the vivid color of his lips. Hair peeking out from under a knit cap curled slightly above his forehead, and his amber eyes were as pale and clear as water.

He bent down toward her and said gently, “Here.”

Hua Qi was momentarily mesmerized by his looks. But when she realized it was Qing Lin, she quickly looked away, declined his help, and stammered with a flustered expression, “I… I’ll do it myself.”

[Yikes… a bit awkward.]

[Ignore the chatter ahead! Qing Lin just wants to help her up. Can’t you see she’s stuck?]

[Hugs for QL, running into a diehard fan is tough luck.]

[Fans, please don’t start arguments here! And don’t attack ordinary people! Keep it friendly.]

Qing Lin didn’t insist.

He watched as the girl struggled up the ropes, tugging several times before finally making it, then continued forward. After another ten minutes, they were nearing the summit.

It was indeed exhausting. The uneven uphill path left even Qing Lin slightly out of breath.

Suddenly, his body jerked backward. Qing Lin looked back and realized his harness loop had caught in a rock crevice. He tried to step back, but the loop wouldn’t budge.

“What’s wrong?” Shen Xuzhi called from ahead, pulling back the rope as he noticed Qing Lin fumbling with the buckle. He reached out to steady him. “Let me handle it.”

Guiding Qing Lin closer, Shen Xuzhi positioned a leg beside him, subtly blocking the path and threading the rope between them to prevent any slip.

“Almost there,” he murmured, eyes down, carefully loosening the knot. “Tired?”

Qing Lin shook his head. “Not really.”

The corner of Shen Xuzhi’s mouth twitched slightly, his focus still on the ropes, working with deliberate patience.

They were close—so close that the faint citrus scent clinging to Shen Xuzhi seemed to overtake the crisp mountain air. Qing Lin’s gaze lingered, lips parting ever so slightly, and he licked them unconsciously.

[Kiss! Kiss!]

[Ah, what a perfect spot!]

[Ahhh, QL, what happened to your career focus?! You two are really going hiking!]

Qing Lin studied Shen Xuzhi’s flawless face, glancing briefly at Hua Qi following behind, yet he didn’t act.

“All done,” Shen Xuzhi said.

Qing Lin looked at the now-smooth rope and smiled. “Thanks, Shen Laoshi.”

“Mm,” Shen Xuzhi murmured, pausing mid-motion.

…So why hasn’t he kissed him yet?

He had gone slow enough already. Why hadn’t Qing Lin made a move?

Qing Lin pointed ahead. “Let’s hurry and catch up.”

Shen Xuzhi: “.”

Fine.

The rest of the path leveled out, and they gradually neared the glacier.

Qing Lin remained attentive and professional, chatting with Shen Xuzhi along the way, helping him straighten out the collar that had flipped up, moving alongside him, yet he still didn’t kiss him.

Two hours later, they reached the summit.

“Okay, guys! You all did great!” Dylan clapped. “Rest here a bit. We’ll be entering the glacier soon!”

“Phew… finally!”

The group dispersed.

Shen Xuzhi settled onto a rock, removing his hat and goggles, running a hand through damp hair. Though the main group had moved farther away, the view opened fully onto the glacier, its colors shifting from earthy gray to crystal blue, forming a dreamlike world stretching before them.

Shen Xuzhi stared in silence, then noticed Qing Lin approaching. Assuming he was tired, he scooted slightly to make room.

But Qing Lin didn’t sit. He stood between Shen Xuzhi’s spread legs.

Shen Xuzhi looked up. The boy’s eyes were bright yet calm, his delicate, warm face filling Shen Xuzhi’s view.

“Hua Qi’s over there, watching the guide fit the crampons,” Qing Lin said lightly.

Before Shen Xuzhi could respond, the boy lifted his face. His gloveless hand was icy at first, then burned immediately upon contact. He pressed a soft kiss to Shen Xuzhi’s forehead.

The kiss was light and fleeting, withdrawn almost instantly. Then he leaned closer, looping an arm around Shen Xuzhi’s neck and planting another kiss on the skin beneath his ear.

Two kisses.

Shen Xuzhi’s hands, previously at his sides, instinctively rose, wanting to pull him closer.

“Your fan is watching. She likes you so much… how could I kiss you in front of her?” After the kiss, Qing Lin didn’t move far away. Instead, he whispered into Shen Xuzhi’s ear, “We can only do this secretly.”

After a moment, a soft smile appeared on his lips, and his voice softened further.

“Doesn’t it feel a bit like having an affair?”