Chapter 96: Someone Has Turned On the Spotlight

At the sound of those words, the male contestant’s face noticeably flushed crimson. He glanced at Han Bin with a hint of embarrassment and asked, “Can I choose a partner right now?”

“No, you need to pick someone you find appealing at first glance—just the girl who leaves you with a good initial impression. Then we’ll proceed to the next stage. Whether you can successfully hold hands depends on how you perform here, understand?” Han Bin explained patiently.

“Ah, got it. So I just pick one here?” The contestant nodded and quickly began swiping through the screen.

Photo after photo of the twenty-four female contestants flashed by, yet Chen Gong’s brow only furrowed deeper. As time ticked away, his expression grew ever more conflicted.

Five minutes passed in the blink of an eye, and Chen Gong still hadn’t chosen a girl who moved his heart.

Han Bin was starting to lose patience; how long could this take? It was just a matter of picking a photo that looked pleasing—did it really need to be so difficult?

“Chen Gong, have you made your choice?” Han Bin asked.

“Han, my name is Chen Gong—Chen, as in the surname, not Cheng…” Chen Gong lifted his head, correcting his name as his first order of business.

Han Bin was speechless but smiled and nodded. “Alright, Chen Gong, which one have you chosen?”

At that, Chen Gong frowned, swept his gaze across the audience and the twenty-four girls watching him, and leaned in to whisper quietly to Han Bin.

At first, Han Bin nodded with no expression whatsoever. But as he listened to the end, his face changed dramatically, and he exclaimed, “What? You want me to pick for you? Are you here to find a partner or am I? My choice doesn’t count, and what if you’re not satisfied? That won’t do…”

A burst of laughter erupted throughout the venue. Even the female contestants wore helpless expressions.

At that moment, Teacher Yang Na, seated to the side, commented with curiosity, “I wonder if the contestant has selection anxiety, given how long he’s been choosing?”

“That’s right, Teacher Yang Na. I really do have selection anxiety…” Chen Gong nodded vigorously, as if he’d found a kindred spirit.

“Selection anxiety? You should’ve said so earlier! Here, just tap this button and all your anxieties are solved,” Han Bin said with sudden understanding.

“Han, what’s this?” Chen Gong didn’t tap right away, but questioned it.

“This is a feature our show offers for contestants like you—just tap lightly, and the system will randomly select a girl you find appealing. Convenient, isn’t it? All your troubles resolved…” Han Bin explained.

“This is good, this is reliable!” Chen Gong beamed.

After finally selecting his preferred girl, Han Bin breathed a sigh of relief. Too much time had been wasted.

“Alright, ladies, what are your impressions of Chen Gong? Please consider,” Han Bin pressed on without delay.

No sooner had he finished speaking than thirteen of the twenty-four lights went out in rapid succession, more than half.

Clearly, Chen Gong’s entrance had left a poor impression on everyone present.

“Han Xuan, why did you turn off your light so soon? Why not watch a little longer?” Han Bin asked with a smile.

“Han, I already said I’m looking for an untamed stallion, but the contestant’s performance is far from what I expected. He’s not a wild stallion—he’s more like a frail, sickly horse…” Han Xuan replied.

“How can you be sure he’s a sick horse? Maybe he’s a hidden, domineering man,” Han Bin laughed, then turned to another contestant. “Li Qian, do you have anything to say?”

“Han, may I ask the contestant a question?” Number sixteen, Li Qian, had both elegance and a striking figure, the only flaw being her somewhat brash manner.

“Go ahead, ask whatever you wish. This is your chance to get to know each other,” Han Bin nodded.

“Uh… Contestant, are you always like this? I mean, are you a bit silly?” Li Qian asked.

Han Bin, glancing down at his cue cards, nearly choked at her words. This girl was brash enough, but to ask such a blunt question in front of everyone—how could she just toss out ‘silly’ like that?

Fortunately, Chen Gong didn’t take offense. He smiled generously. “Hello. Actually, I’m not like this usually, nor am I really silly. This is my first time on a matchmaking show, and with so many people watching, I’m a bit nervous. If you’re willing to get to know me in real life, I believe you’ll change your impression.”

The audience erupted in cheers at his answer.

I seem silly because I’m nervous—if you want to know the real me, come with me… What a sharp and tactful response; Li Qian was left speechless.

Seeing no more raised hands among the ladies, Han Bin smiled and said, “Now, let’s take a look at Chen Gong’s life. Please watch the big screen…”

No sooner had he spoken than the screen showed a bustling city night. The camera slowly zoomed in on a spacious office.

A man stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows, hands in his pockets, exuding a commanding presence. It was the very Chen Gong who had just been labeled ‘silly.’

Everyone was stunned; nobody had expected Chen Gong to be the CEO of a company. When the first video ended, the female contestants’ jaws dropped.

Truly, appearances are deceiving; the sea cannot be measured by a bucket.

“See, those who turned off their lights must regret it now. Han Xuan, do you have anything to say?” Han Bin said smugly.

“Ah! Han, I didn’t expect the contestant to be so commanding in real life. Can I turn my light back on and observe a bit longer?” Han Xuan said, full of regret.

“It’s too late—there’s no second chance. If you missed this one, maybe the next contestant will be your wild stallion,” Han Bin teased.

“Ah!” Han Xuan covered her face with both hands, clearly filled with remorse.

The short film had introduced Chen Gong’s job, then his lifestyle and hobbies. One had to admit, Chen Gong was a man of taste.

He wasn’t a second-generation rich, nor did he have a powerful family background. Everything he had today was earned through his own hard work. Though his company wasn’t large yet, its prospects were promising. In real life, such a man would be sought after by many women.

Those who turned off their lights early must have regretted their impulsiveness. Even among the eleven remaining lights, two more went out, leaving only nine.

The show continued, and the atmosphere was lively. When the screen showed Chen Gong’s romantic history, five more lights went out instantly.

The main reason was that in real life, Chen Gong seemed overly domineering, a stark contrast to his initial appearance. He’d had three girlfriends, but his relationships were marked by pronounced machismo.

He forbade his girlfriends from wearing makeup, skirts, or high heels, wouldn’t allow excessive contact with other men, and even banned any such interactions altogether.

This was unacceptable for most women and led to his failures in love.

The third, and final, short film featured messages from his colleagues. What should have been a supportive, encouraging segment turned into a critique session; everyone in the film repeated a few phrases:

“Too domineering, a bit hot-tempered.”

“Hard to get along with, always stern-faced—really scary.”

“Boss Chen, if you smiled more, I think you’d attract more girls. Please, smile!”

Before the clip finished, all twenty-four lights had gone out. Not a single one remained. Melancholic music played, and Han Bin reached out with a smile. “Unfortunately, you didn’t manage to hold hands with a contestant. Do you know where things went wrong?”

“Uh… Maybe I was too nervous at the start.” Chen Gong smiled ruefully.

“No, nerves are unavoidable. Everyone’s nervous their first time on stage. But I think you should call a meeting with your colleagues—especially those who made the short film. How could they sabotage their boss like that? Haha, just kidding. Even though you didn’t succeed here, maybe someone outside the show is interested in your type. Wishing you happiness.”

Chen Gong’s regretful exit sounded a warning for the next contestants. To win a girl’s hand on this stage, looks alone aren’t enough. You can’t be too timid or nervous. Most importantly, never ask mischievous friends to make your video—that’s a trap.

Soon, the second male contestant appeared—a literary type, twenty-six years old, with long hair that made him look closer to forty. Tall and thin, but still he failed to win the ladies’ favor; as soon as the emotional segment began, all twenty-four lights went out.

When the third male contestant entered, more than an hour had passed. Just as fatigue crept across the audience, the appearance of contestant number three made everyone sit up.

Fair-skinned, of medium build, clean and refined—a young man with a humorous manner and, most importantly, a genuine second-generation wealthy background.

During the second short film, when his romantic history wrapped up, a red heart appeared—a female contestant had activated the “burst light.”

Everyone’s attention turned to the girl, even Han Bin and the contestant were momentarily surprised.

This was the very first episode of “Only Sincerity Matters,” and someone had burst their light. Without a doubt, it was an excellent start.