The first leg of the Starry Night Couple's trip has come to a perfect end. Compared to the other three couples who are still getting to know each other and testing the waters, their progress has been incredibly fast. They've even said things like "May you have a long and happy marriage!" Their performance on the show has won over many viewers, who exclaim how sweet they are every time they see them. However, some people dislike them, thinking they're too fake. They argue that it's impossible for someone to act like this right after a blind date, and that it's all just for the sake of the show.
They were deliberately trying to get closer, that's true. The show only has 12 episodes, so how could they enjoy the trip if they didn't deliberately try to get closer? Like the four couples from the previous season, they filmed the first 11 episodes with awkwardness, conflict, and deliberately created surprises, only to have a sweet ending in the last episode, leading many to suspect a script. But even so, many people still enjoyed watching the show, hoping their favorite celebrity couples would become a real-life couple.
Xu Zifan and Bai Xingchen wanted to use this show to openly and honestly test each other and see if they were suitable to be partners. They were both seasoned veterans, not shy and naive teenagers; they were more pragmatic, observing each other from various angles. However, they never forgot they were acting as a couple on a TV show, and the necessary entertainment value and surprises had to be there, including the awkward moments, so they didn't distance themselves too much from the other three couples.
Even so, after this episode aired, Xu Zifan and Bai Xingchen still became the ones spreading sweetness, since the other three couples were still awkwardly interacting like strangers. This season's guests were more famous than the previous season, and with popular stars like Xu Zifan and Bai Xingchen, the show's fans grew and the ratings continued to climb, completely surpassing the previous season from the very beginning.
Some fans worried about whether Xu Zifan and Bai Xingchen's relationship was real or not, since the four couples from the previous season hadn't kept in touch after filming. The thought that the "Fanxing CP" (Xu Zifan and Bai Xingchen) might also break up after filming made the fans a little anxious. However, they quickly found their own motivation to believe in Fanxing: Xu Zifan's Weibo post stating he wanted to find love, get married, and have children before he turned 30 was still up—it couldn't be fake, because he didn't have time to fake it; he was already starting to look for a wife!
As a result, the "Starry Night Couple" suddenly became the most favored couple in this season's show, with some even matching their zodiac signs and birth dates to see if they were compatible. Their participation in the show was like that of stars in idol dramas; their popularity soared, they gained a large following, and became even more famous on top of their existing fame.
Of all the CP fans, Xu Yuqin was the most concerned about the outcome of Fanxing's relationship! She hadn't watched any other dating reality shows, and now that she saw her son dating a nice girl on TV, she couldn't help but believe it was real. After watching their segment on the Lotus Heart recording, she called Xu Zifan and asked, "Son, have you fallen for Xingchen yet?"
Xu Zifan asked, puzzled, "What's wrong, Mom? Why are you asking this? Didn't we say we'd decide on this after the show was finished recording?"
"Hey, this show is just a dating show, not a movie. I think if you don't like someone, don't say things like 'we'll be together forever,' otherwise Xingchen will be heartbroken if she takes it seriously. We have to do what we say, don't you think?"
"Yes, Mom, you're right. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Xu Zifan and Bai Xingchen often spent time together outside of filming the show, so he already had a good idea. Seeing how much Xu Yuqin cared, he had a sudden inspiration and said, "Mom, would you like to see Xingchen?"
"What do you mean? You're bringing Xingchen home for dinner?" Xu Yuqin asked in surprise.
"I think our next stop could be a trip to our hometown, to see where I grew up, and then we could have a meal at your house. Mom, could you help me out then? Maybe Xingchen and I will become even closer!"
"So you mean you like her? Is that right?"
"Yes, what do you think of this daughter-in-law?"
"How about that? That's great!" Xu Yuqin slapped her thigh with a smile and hurriedly got up to pack her clothes. "I'll go back now and tidy up the house properly. Let me know before you go home so I can buy groceries in advance. Don't worry, Mom will definitely help you."
"Okay, I'll buy you a plane ticket. Thank you for your hard work, Mom."
"It's no trouble at all. I'm so happy you brought your girlfriend home! Okay, I'm not talking to you anymore. I'm packing my things. Be careful out there." Xu Yuqin hung up the phone, feeling happier and happier as she packed her clothes, humming a tune as she did so.
After obtaining Bai Xingchen's consent, Xu Zifan asked the production team to change the next travel destination to his hometown. It's a small city with no famous tourist attractions, but filming an episode with a hometown theme would still be very interesting, especially since Xu Yuqin would provide crucial support, which would be the biggest highlight of this episode. Of course, Bai Xingchen assumed Xu Yuqin lived in Beijing and had no idea she would be participating in the filming.
After this episode began, Xu Zifan and Bai Xingchen traveled together from Beijing to his hometown by plane. As soon as they got off the plane, an airport staff member greeted him with delight, exclaiming, "Xu Zifan! You're back!"
Xu Zifan smiled and nodded at her. She then saw Bai Xingchen beside her, but because of work, she refrained from saying anything, only watching them leave with an excited smile on her face. As they went outside, several passersby recognized them, excitedly calling out Xu Zifan's name. The production crew quickly helped them into their car.
Bai Xingchen took off her sunglasses and leaned out the car window to look out. "Zifan, you're very popular back home. They're all so excited to see you."
Xu Zifan leaned close behind her, looked outside, and waved to the people outside with a smile, "We only have one celebrity here, so they must feel like they've finally met a real celebrity."
Bai Xingchen was stunned by the hot breath on her ear.
She paused for a moment; this was the first time they had been so close, as if she were in his arms—a truly intimate distance. She couldn't help but turn her head, and sure enough, she saw his handsome face so close to hers. Xu Zifan looked down at her, "Are you tired? Should we go back to the hotel and rest for a while?"
Bai Xingchen tilted her head slightly and smiled, "Mmm." She suddenly felt happy because Xu Zifan had started to take things seriously, which meant one thing: he had fallen for her!
Xu Zifan smiled, turned his head, sat up straight, and stretched his long arm over her head to quickly pull the car curtain shut. "It's sunny here, move over a little."
Bai Xingchen moved closer to him as instructed, and the cameraman in the passenger seat captured their sweet interaction without missing a single detail. They sat closer than before, and unlike the previous two episodes, they didn't try to make conversation, but this quiet didn't feel awkward at all; instead, it finally revealed a genuine intimacy. Intimacy is never what's acted out in front of the camera; it's the true closeness between hearts.
Xu Zifan and Bai Xingchen stayed in a large courtyard house when they last visited the ancient town. Their rooms weren't close to each other, but they were still in the same courtyard. This time, in this small city, the best hotel room was one with an inner bedroom and an outer living room with a sofa. Xu Zifan helped Bai Xingchen check in, carrying their suitcases inside. As soon as Bai Xingchen saw the room, she stopped at the door, pointed to the sofa and then to Xu Zifan's suitcase, and asked with a smile, "You only got one card, you...you don't want to sleep on the sofa, do you?"
Xu Zifan sat on the sofa and waved to her, "I'm home now, of course I should stay at my place. Come with me to my house later?"
Bai Xingchen sat down next to him. "Hasn't your house been uninhabited for a long time? Is it safe to live there now?"
Xu Zifan smiled at her and dropped the bombshell, "Of course you can stay. My mom's home, and she really likes you and wants to see you. So how about we go over to her place for dinner later?"
"Auntie's home? So, so you mean..." Bai Xingchen paused, then asked with a surprised and incredulous smile, "It's not what I think, is it? That was too fast!"
Xu Zifan raised his arm and placed it on the back of the sofa behind her, nodding. "It's exactly what you mean. We'll have to meet sooner or later, and you two are so close, what's there to be afraid of?"
"That's different! How can it be the same for me now? This is a formal meeting with the parents. I don't want to. I'll be nervous, and it will be so awkward."
"What's so awkward? I'm here for you. Don't worry, if it's really awkward, I'll liven things up and make sure you two have a good meal and drinks."
"What do you mean by 'eat well and drink well'? It's not like we're here to eat." Bai Xingchen took a deep breath and nodded. "Auntie has probably already prepared everything. Okay, let's go. But we need to buy something before we go. What should I give as a gift for the first formal meeting with the parents? Oh, and I need to change my clothes."
As Bai Xingchen spoke, she stood up and quickly pushed her suitcase into the bedroom, closing the door behind her. Only her voice could be heard, "Wait for me a moment, I'll be there soon."
A camera had been installed in the bedroom, recording Bai Xingchen taking a piece of clothing out of her suitcase, looking at herself in the mirror, shaking her head, throwing the clothes on the bed, then taking out another piece of clothing and looking at herself in the mirror, repeating this more than ten times until the bed was almost full of clothes. Only then did she choose a satisfactory outfit, go into the bathroom to change, and then come out to touch up her clothes. This "quick" process took half an hour.
Bai Xingchen, all dressed up, grabbed Xu Zifan as soon as she came out and pushed him towards the door, saying, "Come on, come on, tell me quickly what Auntie likes. Where's the shopping mall around here? Is it too late to go buy it now?"
"There's still time. My mom will like whatever you give her."
The cameraman, having recorded them leaving the room, quickly locked the door and followed them to the mall. The department stores here weren't particularly good; the selection was mostly average. Bai Xingchen walked from the first to the fifth floor without finding anything she liked. Luckily, she was experienced in shopping and quickly found several boutiques nearby. In Xu Zifan's hometown, it turned out she was the one leading Xu Zifan shopping, and they finally found a silk dress—breathable, comfortable, and perfect for summer—which also suited Xu Yuqin perfectly.
Bai Xingchen personally bought the gift box and wrapped the dress carefully before feeling a little relieved. She smiled at Xu Zifan and said, "Let's go, Auntie must be getting impatient."
Xu Zifan glanced at his watch. "It's still early. We can chat a bit longer before having dinner when we get home."
Bai Xingchen breathed a sigh of relief, "Then we can help Auntie cook."
"Are you sure?" Xu Zifan chuckled twice. "I think we should make a good impression when we meet the parents for the first time."