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Became a National Couple with My Ex Chapter 7: What’s Worse Than One Love Rival? Three of Them.
Two days later, at 8 p.m., the first episode of season two of the reality dating show "You Are My Late Joy" officially premiered online.
Unlike most dating shows that are fully recorded before airing, this one uses a "record-as-you-go" format. It's known in the variety show world for its high-priced post-production team and near real-time updates. While it’s not live, each week features two episodes, and the events shown are usually no more than three days behind real time.
This setup allows viewers to practically follow the participants’ romantic developments as they happen—and in some cases, even influence them. After all, online buzz can easily affect how contestants behave in their relationships.
To make this real-time effect possible, the post-production is intentionally kept minimal. There are fewer close-up shots, minimal on-screen text, and less manipulation through editing, all to keep the story as authentic as possible.
With more authenticity, viewers get more emotionally invested in the couples they root for. That’s one of the reasons season one became such a massive hit last year.
Riding the wave of season one’s popularity, season two attracted widespread attention from the moment its air date was announced. On the night of its premiere, it even trended twice on Weibo.
At 9 p.m., Lu Yuan arrived at the presidential suite on the top floor of the Xiangting Hotel.
Two nights ago, just after checking into a business room in the same hotel, Lu Yuan got a call from Bian Xu asking him to book the best suite available.
Lu Yuan was confused—was something wrong with the apartment at Lancheng Tianfu?
Bian Xu replied vaguely: "Bad feng shui."
Right. A luxury property in the core CBD of Nanhuai, worth 150 million yuan—and it’s suddenly got bad feng shui…
If the real estate manager at Lancheng Group heard that, he’d probably want to hunt down the feng shui master with a knife.
Standing in front of the suite’s double doors, Lu Yuan noticed the "Do Not Disturb" sign wasn’t lit. He pressed the doorbell.
The door opened. Bian Xu stood there in a loose robe, his eyelids drooping—clearly still groggy from a nap.
Lu Yuan was used to his chaotic sleep schedule and held up the insulated food bag. "Boss, your order’s here. Nanhuai’s finest crab roe noodles—made with twelve hairy crabs, six males and six females. Eat it while it’s hot!"
Bian Xu shuffled over in slippers and sat at the dining table. He glanced at the clock on the wall. "Fresh from Yangcheng Lake? Much appreciated."
"……"
Lu Yuan chuckled awkwardly. "Sorry, Boss—I saw your message late." He started laying out the bowls and chopsticks, then pointed at the tablet tucked under his arm. "I was gathering intel for you—Miss Liang’s show premiered tonight, remember? Thought I’d check the reactions..."
Bian Xu took a sip of ginger tea and nodded. "Clearly, you've got too much free time."
Lu Yuan licked his lips. "So… anything you actually need me to do?"
Bian Xu looked over his shoulder and pointed to an open area behind him. "Get out of my peripheral vision."
"……"
Ever since working with these high-maintenance types, Lu Yuan had learned that eating isn’t just about taste—it’s also about the nose, ears, and especially the eyes.
So, to spare Bian Xu’s eyes the offense, Lu Yuan obediently backed up two meters before pulling out his tablet and opening his notes.
Just as he was flipping to the part that recorded Liang Yixuan’s screen time, he suddenly heard chopsticks clatter onto the table.
Lu Yuan looked up and saw Bian Xu push his bowl away, lean back in his chair, and press his fingers to his temples, rubbing them slowly. In a lazy tone, he asked, "What did you say this was supposed to be rated as?"
The slower he spoke, the bigger the problem.
Lu Yuan stepped closer to take a look—only then did he notice that the crab roe, which was supposed to be rich and glistening, had dried out into a sad little heap. It looked completely overcooked and dull.
"Ah… maybe there was traffic on the way, so the sauce dried up. I could call the chef to make a fresh one?" he offered quickly.
"Mm."
Lu Yuan pulled out his phone.
"I’ll wait for you to make a round trip to Yangcheng Lake then."
"……"
He muttered, "Honestly, with takeout—even if it tastes like a state banquet, it still takes a hit, right? You don’t like hotel food, you’re too lazy to go out, and you don’t have the patience to wait for a private chef to show up… what do you expect me to do?"
Bian Xu got up and walked to the sofa. He glanced at the tablet in Lu Yuan’s hands and motioned with two fingers.
"What?" Lu Yuan followed his gaze and looked down. "Oh… you want to hear about the show?"
Realizing what he meant, Lu Yuan thought for a second and said, "So, about that ‘enemy intel’—it’s a little complicated… You know how the show has that rule where each night the contestants send an anonymous message to one person of the opposite sex? It’s basically a way to vote for the person they’re interested in. Well, Miss Liang got three votes both nights."
Bian Xu tugged at the corner of his mouth. "All this… over three votes."
Lu Yuan froze, picking up a hint of "Three votes and I’m already being cheated on?" in his boss’s unimpressed tone.
"Uh… Boss, this isn’t some old-school dating show like If You Are the One. There are only three male contestants total! Miss Liang getting all three votes is honestly super impressive!"
Bian Xu slowly turned his head and gave him a look.
Lu Yuan instantly backpedaled, "A bunch of toads dreaming of swans, honestly. Do they even look in the mirror before thinking she’d be into them?"
"And she’s not into any of them?" Bian Xu nodded. "Sounds about right."
Lu Yuan choked on his own words. "Well… that’s not exactly what I meant…"
Bian Xu raised an eyebrow.
Lu Yuan swallowed nervously. "Maybe you should just see for yourself?"
Ten minutes later, Lu Yuan projected the first full episode onto the living room wall.
Bian Xu leaned back on the couch, watching the opening video with a blank expression—
The camera swooped down from hundreds of meters above, panning over the towering skyline of Nanhuai’s CBD, the foghorns along the riverbank, the packed subway trains.
A deep, dramatic voiceover began:
"In this bustling city, we brush past hundreds—thousands—of strangers every day. Rushing to meet… and rushing to part. When night falls and the city lights up, do you, weary from the day, still search for the one light that belongs to you?"
"No matter how many lonely nights you’ve endured, there’s always one light that will shine just for you. And always one person… who will become your long-awaited joy."
Bian Xu frowned and pointed to the screen. "What the hell is that?"
"Hm?" Lu Yuan glanced at the big onscreen title, "You Are My Late Joy," and echoed quickly, "Yeah! Exactly! What is this nonsense? I mean, our boss shows up on time and reliably—who needs someone ‘late’?"
"……"
Bian Xu hadn’t even thought much about the show’s name until now.
"I meant the small text."
「It’s from the trending topics.」
「Same here, I saw it trending and came to see what kind of heavenly face has the nerve to talk that big.」
「Watched it twice already—gotta say, these contestants really are the best-looking I’ve ever seen on a reality dating show.」
「Just a heads-up though—if someone even hotter shows up later, pretend I never said this, lol.」
「I saw the results and came back with peace of mind—my favorite couple is totally mutual, ahhh!!」
「Not gonna lie, it’s only the first episode and I already picked out their future house and named their future kid :p」
Lu Yuan explained, "Oh, that’s called danmu—it’s real-time comments from viewers. Since we’re screen casting, they’re showing up automatically."
Not long after the premiere began, following an official promotional hashtag, another one—#BestLookingCastInDatingShowHistory—also started trending on Weibo. The danmu comments were flying in.
"Not too distracting?" Bian Xu asked.
Lu Yuan wanted to say, "Nah, this is half the fun," but one look at Bian Xu’s expression—that "Is this how you peasants watch shows?" look—and he wisely shut his mouth and went to turn the comments off.
Right after he did, the first female contestant, Cheng Nuo, appeared on screen.
Bian Xu lifted an eyelid. "Next."
"I’ll just skip to the male contestants then and give you the rundown." Lu Yuan dragged the progress bar and pointed to a guy in a hoodie. "This is Male Contestant No. 1, Lin Xiao Sheng. He’s a college student majoring in visual design at Nanhuai University. He’s a year younger than Miss Liang and the youngest among the cast. He’s got that sunny boy-next-door vibe—"
A soft snort came from the room.
Lu Yuan paused. "Sunshine’s useless! Still smells like baby formula and already trying to date? Go grow up first!"
"Now, this second guy’s a little more impressive," Lu Yuan continued, skipping ahead to Shen Ji’s scene. "Graduated from the University of Chicago Business School, now a risk control director at Lin Sen Capital. Only 28, and already has a legendary career in—"
Bian Xu shot him a glance.
Lu Yuan quickly pivoted, "Legendary for what? Can’t even get a girlfriend at 28? Maybe reflect on why you’re still single, bro!"
Next came Liang Yixuan’s entrance.
On screen, two men were tripping over themselves trying to get her attention. As Bian Xu’s expression grew colder, Lu Yuan hurriedly skipped forward.
The camera landed on a man with striking eyebrows and sharp features.
Compared to the others, Male Contestant No. 3 looked more physically built, with a healthy tan suggesting he spent a lot of time outdoors.
"This is Duan Ye, Contestant No. 3. When he introduced himself, he just said he works at a car repair shop, which caught me off guard. Turns out he builds custom race cars. Bit like you—never says things directly. My guess? Probably a rich second-gen just here for fun. He barely talks to the girls, so nothing to worry about..."
Lu Yuan scrubbed ahead in the video. "Out of the three, I think this guy’s the one to really keep an eye on."
The screen flashed through a montage before stopping on a close-up of Shen Ji and Liang Yixuan together.
They stood across from each other, separated by a kitchen island. For a few long seconds, they just stared into each other’s eyes.
Shen Ji was smiling. Liang Yixuan looked surprised.
Right after Shen Ji said, "I’ve seen you perform before."
Lu Yuan glanced over. "Wasn’t that how you and Miss Liang started, too? Because of a performance?"
The room fell silent for a moment.
A chill ran down Lu Yuan’s spine. He was about to say something to ease the mood, but when he turned, he didn’t see the usual glare.
Instead, Bian Xu simply reached for the lighter on the coffee table and lit a cigarette.
It was past 9:30 when Liang Yixuan came out of the villa’s yoga room after finishing her cardio.
Just like Qin He had described before, this reality show wasn’t too strict. There were no fixed filming hours. If contestants wanted more screen time, they had to interact with others. If not, they could just go about their day. Aside from a group dinner on weekdays, there were no mandatory activities.
Since filming had just started, everyone was still adjusting to living together, and interactions were sparse. Liang Yixuan kept to her own routine—up at 6 a.m., dance center by 8:30, off work at 5, back at the villa by 6:30. After two and a half hours of mingling, she’d go straight to the yoga room.
When she walked into the bedroom, Cheng Nuo looked up and said, "So you and Shen Ji have history? No wonder it felt like you two had a little secret."
"What?" Liang Yixuan walked over, towel in hand, wiping off sweat.
"The part where he said he’d seen your performance," Cheng Nuo said, flipping her phone screen toward her.
The producers had suggested the cast avoid watching the show while filming, or paying too much attention to public opinion—so it wouldn’t mess with their emotions.
But that was just a suggestion. It wasn’t like they’d be fined for watching. After Liang Yixuan went to the yoga room tonight, Cheng Nuo had snuck back to her room to secretly watch the premiere.
The screen was now flooded with danmu.
One poetic line had racked up hundreds of likes: "Every meeting is a long-overdue reunion." Followed by a string of dramatic reactions:
「I’m literally a screaming chicken right now!」
「I KNEW IT! Why was Mr. Cool suddenly flustered when he saw her?」
「That’s it, I officially ship Male 2 and Female 2 forever!」
「If this isn’t scripted, they’re basically destined to get married :)」
Liang Yixuan was briefly stunned by the overwhelming response and finally understood why the production team had warned them to stay off the internet.
With pressure like this, even someone with nerves of steel would start feeling it.
Actually, the other night, because of confidentiality rules, Liang Yixuan and Shen Ji didn’t get the chance to talk much in the kitchen. It wasn’t until last night, when everyone’s jobs were revealed, that she asked him if he often went to the theater.
He said he occasionally went with business clients—he’d seen ballets, operas, and musicals.
Since Lin Sen Capital is based in Nanhuai, and if attending performances is part of the usual social scene, then the chances of Shen Ji having seen one of her shows were actually pretty high.
Still, the fact that he remembered her was a bit surprising.
Her title might sound grand—"principal soloist"—but in reality, even a soloist is still just a supporting role in a ballet, not the center of attention.
Just like she was surprised before, when Bian Xu had remembered her from a short solo in a 30-minute performance.
Liang Yixuan zoned out for a bit and didn’t hear what Cheng Nuo was mumbling. When she snapped out of it, the video had already moved forward.
"Wow, the fans shipping you with Shen Ji and Lin Xiao Sheng are arguing in the comments. One person said if they can’t choose between the first and second male leads, they might as well go with the third," Cheng Nuo sighed. "Seriously, all three guys are kind of great. If only you could be in an NP relationship…"
Liang Yixuan sipped some warm water and blinked. "What’s NP?"
Cheng Nuo was a screenwriter, and these days she often threw around weird abbreviations.
"NP means one girl, multiple guys—like 1vN!"
Liang Yixuan choked on her water.
"Relax, I was just joking…" Cheng Nuo got up and patted her back. "But honestly, I’ve been picking up signals from Shen Ji and Lin Xiao Sheng for a while now. Duan Ye’s the only one playing it cool, huh?"
Liang Yixuan had been surprised, too, when she received a vote from Duan Ye the other day.
That seemingly aloof third male lead had barely even spoken to her.
Their only real interaction was during meals—he was currently on a bulking diet and happened to share the same chicken breast dish with her.
She figured out he was the one who’d sent her those two anonymous texts—on the first night, it was just a thumbs-up emoji. The second night, it was two thumbs-up.
Maybe he was just complimenting her cooking.
It felt like those little red thumbs-up icons on restaurant menus that highlight customer favorites…
Because on the first night, she had only boiled the chicken in plain water. The next evening, realizing someone else was eating it too, she made the effort to pan-sear it.
"I think…" she said seriously, "he just really likes chicken breast. Probably."
"That doesn’t look like amateur work to me," said Lu Yuan in the hotel suite, watching Liang Yixuan pan-sear chicken breast. "Didn’t know she could cook."
Bian Xu glanced at the apron she was wearing, didn’t respond, and lit another cigarette.
Lu Yuan had been about to ask whether Bian Xu had ever tried her cooking, but then he noticed the cold, untouched crab roe noodles on the table… and imagined how things might go if she cooked chicken breast for Bian Xu now.
That level of awkwardness? Yeah, better not bring it up.
The screen shifted to the dinner scene.
Six seats lined the long table—three on each side. Liang Yixuan sat in the corner, surrounded by men on all sides.
Totally boxed in.
Bian Xu leaned his temple against his cigarette-holding hand.
What’s worse than one romantic rival? Three of them, showing up all at once.
The tension was real. Even Lu Yuan started to get a headache.
Bian Xu made a gesture. "Just skip to the results."
Lu Yuan fast-forwarded, saying, "I was prepping dinner for you when this part aired—I haven’t seen it either. Maybe something important happens."
Bian Xu frowned, exhaled slowly, and stubbed out his cigarette hard. He gestured again: stop.
The video resumed at normal speed.
This was footage from last night. The six cast members sat around the coffee table, taking turns revealing their age and job.
The show had set up a little drawing game. Each person pulled a name from a bowl, then had to share their first impression of that person and guess their age and profession. If they guessed right within three tries, they’d get a small gift from that person.
When Shen Ji drew his slip, he smiled.
Cheng Nuo asked why he looked so happy.
He said it was because he drew the "easiest one."
Everyone glanced knowingly at Liang Yixuan.
Cheng Nuo played MC: "Let’s go then—set the tone for the rest of us. Give us one sentence to describe your first impression of Yixuan."
Shen Ji folded the slip carefully, looked across at her, and said:
"Then I’ll borrow a line from an old poem—‘Beside the stove she stands, fair as the moon, her pale wrists gleaming like snow.’"
Liang Yixuan blinked. Her gaze flickered slightly when she looked at him.
From a distance—from behind the camera, behind the scenes, across the 24-hour time lag—Bian Xu understood that look.
While everyone else was thinking "Wow, what a beautiful metaphor," or admiring Shen Ji’s literary flair… she was probably the only one who got the hidden message.
Last December, the Nanhuai Ballet premiered a new original piece called By the Stove, inspired by Jiangnan’s local folklore.
Liang Yixuan had played the daughter of a boatman.
In the second act, she danced alone by the river mist—her grace, elegance, and quiet beauty shone through every movement, completely natural and authentic.
Shen Ji was telling her: that was when he first noticed her.
And her momentary pause—was because Bian Xu had seen that performance too.
He’d asked to meet her that very night—after seeing that same show.
That night, both Shen Ji and Bian Xu had been sitting in the audience.
The difference between getting there first and missing the chance is just a single step.
One small decision—and the story goes in a completely different direction.
On the screen, the footage felt like it slowed to 0.2x speed. The people, the room, the lights—all blurred slightly.
Bian Xu didn’t move, watching in silence until the very end, when the votes were announced.
Shen Ji received a message from Liang Yixuan:「I don’t know what kind of gift you’d like. Maybe, if there’s a chance… I could invite you to watch《By the Stove》again?」
She was going to dance it once more.
To let a new story cover up the old one—to let the wrong person, and the wrong memories, fade away for good.