Tender Love

The heroine falls in love over time | The hero's secret crush comes true

An ex or a new arrival | A three-way tug-of-war | The pursuer goes off the deep end

"The knight took off his heavy mascot head. Sweat dampened his bangs, and his eyes were like the sea, tender but not cold. He was utterly captivated by the beloved figure walking away."

[Knowledgeable law professor & gentle internet mogul]

The day Xiang Sui broke up with her ex, she met a pair of aloof yet gentle eyes.

The transparent umbrella in his hand was covered in little trinkets. She used to have one just like it, but on a rainy night, she gave it to a boy curled up in a corner.

Not long after, Xiang Sui was invited to join an amateur dating show called "Chain Reaction."

On her first day in the house, she met Shen Huairuo for the second time.

Xiang Sui thought Shen Huairuo looked familiar, and that he only seemed to have no sense of boundaries with her.

Were they even flirting a little?

On her second day in the house, she met Shen Huairuo for the third time.

Xiang Sui started to think Shen Huairuo was pretty good-looking, and that he was unusually attentive only to her.

Were they practically a couple already?

On the sixth day in the house, she went on her first date with Shen Huairuo.

!

At a Western restaurant.

Shen Huairuo walked up to Xiang Sui, bent down slightly, and held out a hand. "Miss Xiang, may I have this dance?"

"Hmm?" Xiang Sui was confused. She looked around and realized it was time to dance.

They went to the corner of the dance floor, where not many people would be watching.

But everyone else was wearing suits and evening gowns, while they were in casual clothes and white sneakers.

Xiang Sui stared into Shen Huairuo's eyes and finally asked, "Have we met somewhere before?"

The piano reached its crescendo.

Shen Huairuo pulled Xiang Sui into his arms, held her shoulders, and leaned down to whisper in her ear, "If you don't use an umbrella, you'll go bald."

Xiang Sui: Frozen, what?!

Later, after the show ended, they failed to leave as a couple, but ran into each other on the campus of Wu University.

Xiang Sui kicked Shen Huairuo without a care for appearances. "Didn't you say you were about to die?"

Shen Huairuo clutched his waist with one hand and wrapped his other arm around her as she squirmed, pleading pitifully, "Will you give me one more chance to pursue you?"

"No."

"Please."

"...How did you become like this?"

[Bonus scene]

In a studio, one of the dating show's commentators suddenly shrieked, "Ah!"

A (faints): Mom, I got to see them in person!

B (gossiping): Are you two still together?? (Calling out Jian and Shuo's CP)

C (starry-eyed): You two are such a good match!! (Calling out Lotus Leaf CP)

D (angry): I ship you two and you didn't even get together! How dare you show up together for the final reunion episode???

Xiang Sui punched Shen Huairuo in the waist and laughed. "Ask him."

Shen Huairuo gave a light cough and tugged at Xiang Sui's sleeve with a bent finger. "Babe..."

A/B/C/D: ??????

Audience: ?

So when exactly did you two get together?!

#So the legendary `meant to be` really did happen to him one day#

#She is hopelessly `lost` in love#

Reader's guide:

1. The early chapters follow the dating show and his pursuit of her; later chapters focus on their push and pull off-camera.

2. A dating-show mashup. Some details are entirely fictional.

3. Daily life / old-school romance / slow burn

Theme: When the right person and the one you love collide