Chapter Sixty-Seven: Unexpected, Yet Within Reason-After Becoming a Side Character, I Became a Sensation on a Dating Show(Chang'an, Upon Entering the World)

For the first time, Song Waning found herself this close to Wen Jingxing—so close she could feel his breath, warm and damp, brushing against her cheek.

She looked into his eyes first, and in the deep, ink-black pupils, she saw her own reflection. She had never experienced such an intimate gaze before and, unable to help herself, lingered a moment longer.

Then, as she examined his eyes more closely, she realized just how beautiful they were—his lashes long and delicate, the corners of his eyes naturally tinged with a hint of red. They were clearly a pair of gentle, soulful eyes, yet there always seemed to be a chill in his gaze that made people hesitant to meet it. Only now did Song Waning notice the subtle difference; this time, when she looked into his eyes, the coldness had faded, replaced by a spark of warmth, something almost human.

Song Waning suddenly felt a bit embarrassed and quietly averted her gaze. In the same moment, she caught sight of Wen Jingxing’s heart rate monitor—it was nearing ninety.

She was slightly surprised, though she had no idea what her own heart rate was. Still, she could clearly sense that, under Wen Jingxing’s influence, her heartbeat was steadily increasing.

Wen Jingxing glanced at Song Waning’s monitor. Eighty-five. The result was somewhat unexpected. He hadn’t thought her heart would race so quickly, so soon. He also realized she kept glancing at him, her gaze darting everywhere.

Wen Jingxing raised an eyebrow. What could she be thinking right now? He noticed that today, Song Waning seemed to be avoiding him, which could only mean something was on her mind. Yet whenever he tried to ask, she acted as though nothing were amiss, only solidifying his suspicion—perhaps she really did remember what happened the night before.

But how much did she remember? The last time she got drunk, she remembered nothing the next day. This time, however, she was avoiding him.

Usually, Wen Jingxing kept a polite, measured distance from Song Waning. Only when she was drunk did he dare to draw closer.

Now, for the first time, they were this close while both fully sober—a first for them both. One was struggling to control the storm inside, desperate to keep the heart rate monitor from going off the charts. The other, recalling flashes of last night, felt her pulse race uncontrollably.

In the livestream, viewers watched the steadily climbing heart rates, grinning so hard their faces nearly split.

[Why is it that they say nothing, merely exchange glances, and yet I can taste the sweetness in the air!?]
[Ah! The Wen & Wan couple is on the move. Will they win this round, I wonder?]
[Ugh! What nonsense are you spouting up there?]
[People always say their interactions are scripted, but look at the way they’re gazing at each other now! Who could call that acting?]
[Exactly! I’m going to clip every moment and shove it in your faces—let’s see whether it’s your eyes or your brains that aren’t working.]
[I don’t care what anyone says—until they get married, I refuse to believe otherwise.]
[Young Master Wen! I’ve brought the civil affairs office right here. You two are perfect for each other—please just get married on the spot and silence these stubborn mules!]
...

Nearly everyone’s attention was fixed on Wen Jingxing, including Li Weiwei, who was supposed to be monitoring the stream and cameras but now watched only the heart rate monitors of Wen Jingxing and Song Waning.

She saw Wen Jingxing’s heart rate climbing higher and higher. Although she was only the referee, Li Weiwei’s own heart was pounding as if she herself were part of the competition.

Indeed, her suspicions had been correct! She didn’t know exactly what had happened between the two over the past few days, but it was clear—Wen Jingxing had fallen for Song Waning. A man as cold as Wen Jingxing would never have such a high heart rate otherwise.

Yet alongside her relief, Li Weiwei felt some concern. Song Waning, after all, had a notorious past. She seemed normal enough these days, but was it genuine change, or merely the influence of the ever-present cameras? Li Weiwei didn’t want to think too poorly of her. Song Waning’s past might be checkered, but she was guileless at heart, more like a willful child than a schemer. Besides, that incident wasn’t only a betrayal of Wen Jingxing—it hurt Song Waning too. When things were bad for her, Li Weiwei had borne criticism herself, simply because she didn’t want Wen Jingxing’s life to be miserable.

But if Song Waning truly had changed, as a sister-in-law, Li Weiwei wouldn’t mind playing matchmaker for Wen Jingxing.

Meanwhile, Song Waning, whom Li Weiwei had now defined as pure-hearted, was blushing, as though some untimely memory had surfaced. She silently cursed herself—why did that moment keep popping into her head?

Ever since she’d recalled being carried in Wen Jingxing’s arms this morning, she couldn’t speak to him without remembering it—his noble, handsome face calling her a little liar, his tone petulant and accusing, so at odds with his appearance. Any time she drew near, she remembered the strength of his arms, the hard lines of his chest, the searing heat of his body...

She had spent the entire day pretending to be nonchalant, even going out of her way to avoid Wen Jingxing, as if her feelings for him had faded. In truth, she was a bundle of nerves.

Lost in thought, Song Waning suddenly noticed Wen Jingxing’s heart rate had reached a hundred. When had she started spacing out? She hadn’t even realized his heart had climbed that high.

At that moment, Li Weiwei’s voice sounded, “Both parties have exceeded a heart rate of one hundred. The game is over. The final time for this round of eye contact is fifty-two seconds.”

“Alright, the game has concluded. Congratulations to our Shen Yue team for taking first place! They are awarded a day off from tasks and will enjoy a full day of complimentary resort activities, all expenses covered by the production team.”

After Li Weiwei finished speaking, there was no great uproar—only Jiang Mingzhao leapt up, bursting with joy. For the first time, no one applauded the champions; everyone seemed unsure whether they should even clap in this strange situation.

Jiang Mingzhao didn’t care about any of that. After so many games, he’d finally come in first—how could he not be over the moon? This game might as well have been tailor-made for him!

On the other side, Shen Yue couldn’t bring herself to smile. Watching Jiang Mingzhao revel in his victory, she felt deeply uncomfortable. After all, she’d been present for the win. If only Jiang Mingzhao would show a little restraint… but no, he acted so pleased, it was hard to tell how long he’d go on boasting. He left her with not a shred of dignity.