Under the gaze of the cameras, guests, and staff, the first male guest made a stylish entrance. Dressed in casual wear, he appeared clean and gentle, immediately earning applause and cheers from the female guests.
Following him, the second, third, and fourth male guests also appeared one after another. There was the muscular type, the cute puppy-like one, the wise elite, and the lively and outgoing one. Each had their own distinct characteristics, delighting Mai Su and the others.
While the women assessed the four male guests, the men were also observing them. The female guests might not have noticed, but the cameras captured their gazes: all four men were almost uniformly staring at the fifth female guest.
With such an overwhelming advantage, it was impossible not to spot her in the crowd.
The host stood in the center and also noticed the male guests looking around. He joked, "Gentlemen, don't be too eager. You'll have a chance to interact with the female guests later. Now, let's welcome the fifth male guest. Who is this mysterious guest rumored to be the one every single woman in City A wants to marry? The answer will be revealed shortly. Please welcome the fifth guest."
As he finished speaking, the cameras and everyone present turned their attention to the entrance. Quan Jiu also looked over, curious about who it could be.
But when a tall figure emerged, wearing a casual tracksuit, exuding a sense of coldness and detachment, she couldn't help but hold her breath in surprise.
How could it be him?
The female guests beside her couldn't contain their excitement.
Mai Su cupped her face with both hands and stomped her feet, "It's Chu Rong, the CEO of Chu Corporation. The show is too amazing, they actually managed to invite him."
The other three female guests also looked at Chu Rong, trying their best to showcase their most beautiful sides.
Mai Su didn't hide her admiration at all, "Let me state upfront, I've set my sights on him."
The first female guest joked, with a hint of sarcasm, "Every unmarried woman in City A has set their sights on him."
Mai Su smiled smugly, "But hasn't he always been single? Actually, handsome men are often shy. At times like this, you just have to..."
She stepped aside, waved happily at Chu Rong, and called out, "Fifth male guest, I like you."
It was incredibly bold. The other female guests, faced with such a tempting prize, also cast aside their reservations and called out, "I like you too!"
It was a pity that the fifth male guest didn't even glance at them, his gaze locked solely on the fifth female guest.
Mai Su observed that Quan Jiu hadn't called out, nor had she even looked in that direction. She then smiled and said, "Host, what do you mean every unmarried woman in City A wants to marry? You think too highly of Sister Quan. I think Sister Quan prefers the first male guest."
The host looked over and indeed saw Quan Jiu's expression was calm, showing no interest.
At this moment, Chu Rong also reached his seat and briefly introduced himself, "Hello everyone, my name is Chu Rong. I came to participate in this program primarily for the fifth female guest."
As he spoke, except for the staff off-camera who were earnestly watching the drama unfold, everyone on stage had a different expression.
Although the female guests tried their best to maintain their smiles and appear unbothered, facing the fact that the most handsome and wealthy CEO in City A had already found his heart's desire, their forced smiles, jealousy, and awkwardness were beyond their control.
The cameras behind the scenes quickly captured their expressions perfectly. This genuine reaction was exactly what the audience loved to see.
However, not all female guests were displeased. The fifth guest, the person in question, had a neutral expression. While her emotions were unreadable, it was clear she was unmoved by the fifth male guest's declaration, appearing almost too calmly elegant.
As for the other four male guests, some smiled helplessly, some made bold declarations of war, and some appeared indifferent yet were actually assessing the situation... In short, to put it simply, they turned the expressions of the male and female guests into a colorful palette.
The host exclaimed, "Wow!" again, "This season's guests are very different from previous ones. There's no unnecessary probing, just brave expressions of affection, which is also the theme of this season, 'Brave Love.' Next, we will be grouping the guests..."
Quan Jiu immediately said, "It's said that fate is predetermined. Are our groupings random? Random feels more interesting, don't you think?" She looked at the other four female guests.
The female guests, having been invited, were not unintelligent and immediately understood her meaning.
Based on the current number plates, there were only two possibilities for grouping: either by number plate or randomly. However, if it were by number plate, the show wouldn't complicate the rules too much; it would likely be arranged as one-on-one, two-on-two, or five-on-five.
If that were the case, these female guests would essentially lose their competitive edge for the fifth male guest in the first round. Coupled with the fifth male guest's introductory declaration, the chances of winning him over in the future would be even slimmer.
Therefore, when Quan Jiu spoke, Mai Su was the first to agree, "That's for sure, right? They won't be forming teams by number plate."
The other three female guests also chimed in, subtly pressuring the production team.
Director Zhang Xin, behind the cameras, instinctively glanced at Chu Rong, remaining silent for a moment.
The host's expression also became a little stiff, frantically signaling to the director: What should I do?
Quan Jiu sneered inwardly. Chu Rong's presence here, and his being number five just like her, was too much of a coincidence.
As the host hesitated, the male guests also chimed in, some requesting a draw, others suggesting a game to decide. In any case, it seemed no one wanted to be grouped by the same number.
Chu Rong remained stern and silent. Finally, the host, unable to bear it any longer, had to propose a draw. In fact, they had used the draw method before, and it was only because of a special guest this season that the rules were changed temporarily.
Soon, the draw bucket was brought up. The male and female guests each picked a ball. After all ten people had picked their balls, the host continued, "Now, those who have drawn balls of the same color are in a group. Please stand with your group members."
"Then our staff will distribute camping equipment to you, including tents, pots, pans, and utensils. We will depart tomorrow morning at six o'clock to head into the mountains for a two-day, one-night wilderness survival experience."
"From now until six tomorrow morning, your time is free, with only one requirement: you must set up your tents and prepare a meal on this lawn. At seven o'clock tonight, I will come to check. The best group will have priority in choosing their accommodation."
"There are five rooms of different levels, from A to E. The best is naturally the luxury suite, and the worst only provides a sleeping bag. So... guests, good luck!"
Quan Jiu held a yellow ball. Looking around, she saw that the first male guest also held a yellow ball. She breathed a sigh of relief and walked over.
The first male guest also saw Quan Jiu and smiled, walking towards her.
The accompanying photographer stayed close.
But as the two stood together, another person, exuding a palpable aura of low pressure, intruded and stood between them.
Chu Rong pushed his blue ball into the first male guest's hand and took his yellow ball.
Although the first male guest smiled, his displeasure was evident. "What do you mean by this? Robbery in broad daylight? It's hard to win a beauty's favor like this."
Chu Rong took out a business card and handed it to the first male guest, saying calmly, "Chu Corporation is still looking for a Design Director. The annual salary is one million. You can come in for onboarding anytime."
The first male guest's heart skipped a beat. He was currently a design manager at a major corporation, earning five hundred thousand annually. He had been quite content, but compared to the business card in front of him, it was truly... hard not to be tempted.