His father wants him to marry a wealthy old man who is both elderly and bald. To escape the marriage, Jiang Zhiyu runs away from home and accidentally joins a dating reality show.
He can earn money to pay his tuition and support himself, while also getting back at his greedy father and that shameless old man. That's three birds with one stone!
On the show, he meets a mysterious big shot: apparently 190 centimeters tall, with broad shoulders, a slim waist, and long legs. Dressed in a suit and radiating wealth and status, he looks as if he has just rushed over after a high-level meeting.
His imposing presence leaves all the guests holding their breath in silence, as if the air itself has frozen.
But Jiang Zhiyu thinks the man looks familiar... Isn't he the head of the top Xi Group, the man his shameless father has desperately tried and failed to curry favor with?
The dating show Heartbeat Signal, featuring celebrities and ordinary people, airs. But the couple who takes the internet by storm is Jiang Zhiyu and Xi Yue, two ordinary people. The whole internet is shipping them.
One is a stunning, slightly mixed-race college student, and the other is a handsome, distinguished big shot who could make anyone swoon.
At every romantic date, the big shot chooses the college student without hesitation.
Netizens: [A domineering CEO falling in love with me, right out of a romance novel!]
[The best-looking couple in dating-show history. This face connoisseur is thoroughly satisfied.]
Most dating shows only get as far as dating, but this couple goes straight to announcing their marriage!
Netizens: We shipped a real couple!
Jiang Zhiyu: If he weren't one of the people involved, he'd almost believe it himself...
To deal with his family, Mr. Xi proposes a marriage of convenience. Jiang Zhiyu agrees so he can finally escape the betrothal his scummy father arranged for him.
After their marriage of convenience, Jiang Zhiyu and Mr. Xi settle into a home life where they act like the perfect couple in public, but sleep in separate rooms and leave each other alone at home.
One day, by an unlucky twist of fate, Jiang Zhiyu runs into his half-brother, who mocks him in public: "You're really good at playing your cards. Didn't you refuse to marry Mr. Xi at all costs back then? You even ran away from home. And yet you still ended up in his bed! Playing hard to get!"
Jiang Zhiyu: ?
Wait, explain that. When did I ever refuse to marry Mr. Xi?
Also known as: After Running Away from My Wedding, I Joined a Dating Show and Married My Betrothed for Convenience. Did I Even Get Away?
1. A dating show in the early part, followed by married life in the middle and later parts.
2. A 12-year age gap, one-on-one romance, and the older gong's long-dormant passion suddenly catches fire.
3. A slow-to-realize, adorably clueless beauty shou x a composed, scheming big-shot gong.
4. A sugary Mary Sue story set in a fictional world. After the gong's identity is revealed, he goes through a mild redemption arc.
Theme: Love and freedom
