Chapter 12: Farmer Romance, or Reality TV Drama?

At the start of the year, Qin Li enrolled in a language class to improve her German for the upcoming matchmaking program.

The class had a few Chinese students, and among them was Ma Shushu, a chatty girl in her early twenties who had come to Germany as an au pair. Her mornings were spent attending language classes, while her afternoons were dedicated to helping a German family with childcare. In return, she got room, board, and a modest €400 monthly stipend. Her one-year contract would end with her returning to China.

Shushu was a natural extrovert, and the two quickly became close. Qin Li, still new to Munich, welcomed Shushu's chatter and appreciated her local knowledge. They often went shopping or strolled through markets together. Shushu spent lavishly on clothes and makeup—designer items costing hundreds of euros didn't make her blink. She was equally generous with Qin Li, frequently paying for their meals out and refusing any attempts to split the bill.

At first, Qin Li assumed Shushu came from a wealthy family. She later learned that Shushu's spending habits were fueled by her rich boyfriend, whom Qin Li had met once or twice. The boyfriend, Li, was a tall and quiet economics student at the University of Munich. Shushu bragged about him constantly, calling him a "second-generation rich kid" whose father was a prominent businessman in China. Li supposedly came to Germany with enough wealth to buy a house and a fancy car within a year.

In the early days of class, Shushu practically clung to Li, skipping her lessons just to accompany him.

Despite Shushu's insistence on paying for everything, Qin Li didn't want to feel indebted. One weekend, she invited Shushu and Li over for dinner to repay their kindness. She bought groceries and prepared a meal, but when evening came, Shushu arrived alone.

"Where's Lee?" Qin Li asked.

Shushu, casually blowing on her freshly painted crimson nails, replied, "We broke up."

Thinking it was just a lovers' spat, Qin Li began to offer some words of comfort, but Shushu waved them off. "His dad got taken in for corruption. They have to sell the house and the car, and he's going back to China. We're from different cities, anyway, so there's no future. Better to cut it off now."

Qin Li was taken aback by Shushu's blunt pragmatism. Just days ago, they had seemed inseparable, flaunting their relationship everywhere. Now, it was over, just like that.

Sensing Qin Li's shock, Shushu shrugged. "Look, I'm the third of five daughters. My parents don't care about me—I have to fend for myself. While I'm still young and good-looking, I need to marry well. That's the only way to secure a comfortable life."

Qin Li couldn't agree with Shushu's philosophy. She knew firsthand that "marrying well" was often a myth. Relying on someone else's wealth for security was as uncertain as winning the lottery.

Shushu, however, was unapologetic. "Don't compare us. You had a good hand and threw it away. If I had a husband like your ex, there's no way I'd let him become an ex. And that little mistress? She wouldn't have stood a chance."

The comment stung, but Qin Li didn't refute it. Shushu wasn't entirely wrong. If she had been better at navigating her marriage, perhaps things wouldn't have ended so bitterly.

The conversation drifted into lighter topics as they prepared dinner, but Qin Li's thoughts lingered on Shushu's words. She remembered the social media posts of her ex-husband, Sun Yi, flaunting his new life with his mistress, Xu Jing. Qin Li couldn't deny that Xu Jing was better at pleasing Sun Yi in ways she never had been.

Halfway through their conversation, Dani burst through the door with her usual whirlwind energy. "Li, great news! Someone chose you, and the location is set. Filming starts next month!"

Weeks earlier, the show's production crew had visited Qin Li to film an introduction video and take some lifestyle photos. These were sent to the participating farmers, who then selected their matches based on whom they found appealing. If chosen, the women would travel to the farmers' homes for a month-long "dating period," during which the show would document their interactions. If either party felt the match wasn't working, they could opt out early.

Shushu looked at Qin Li, wide-eyed. "Wait—you're going on TV? What show?"

Dani jumped in to explain, "Farmer Wants a Wife! It's a huge deal here—airs every Wednesday. Everyone in Germany knows about it!"

"I don't watch TV," Shushu admitted, shrugging.

Ignoring her, Dani turned back to Qin Li with unbridled excitement. "Li Li, this is huge! It's a cross-cultural romance—you'll be a sensation! You should start a Facebook account or a blog. Who knows? You might even go viral and become an influencer!"

Qin Li froze. "Didn't you say no one back home would know about this? Now you're talking about me going viral?"

Dani hadn't even replied when Shushu jumped in eagerly, "Becoming a social media influencer is amazing! Just look at those mega-bloggers on Weibo. They spout random inspirational nonsense, and boom, millions of followers. They make a killing from ads alone. Hey, what if I became your manager?"

Qin Li couldn't help but laugh. "Whoa there, we're not even close to that. You're getting way ahead of yourself."

Dani smirked with satisfaction. "Well, we're about to make it happen. All thanks to yours truly."

Sensing an opportunity, Shushu latched onto Dani's arm. "Dani, if there's still a spot, sign me up too!"

Dani rolled her eyes. "What are you talking about? Don't you already have a boyfriend?"

"Not anymore. Broke up ages ago," Shushu said nonchalantly.

"Really? That rich boy? The one you couldn't stop gushing about a few weeks ago?"

Shushu waved dismissively. "Oh, him? Turns out his dad got investigated for corruption. Their mansions and luxury cars are all gone, and he's heading back to China. No future in that, so I cut my losses."

"Funny how his questionable morals didn't bother you when you were spending his money," Dani quipped sharply.

Unlike Qin Li, who tended to be more forgiving, Dani had disliked Shushu from the moment they met. She found her too opportunistic, the kind of person who'd trade anything for money. Dani had even told Qin Li to steer clear of her, but Shushu's generosity and shared experiences had kept their friendship afloat.

Shushu, unfazed by Dani's jab, turned to Qin Li. "If you're not interested, why don't you tell the director to let me take your spot?"

Dani scoffed. "This is a show about farmers looking for wives, not sugar daddies. What are you even doing here?"

Shushu grinned mischievously. "You're missing the point. Getting on TV is the real win! Imagine the bragging rights when I go back home. I was on German TV! That's big. If we spin it the right way, I could totally go viral."

Dani snorted. "Yeah, sure. The internet's a double-edged sword, though. One wrong move, and you'll be infamous for all the wrong reasons."

"Infamous is still famous! Look at people like Sister Feng. They all come back around eventually," Shushu shot back.

Qin Li, growing tired of the argument, shifted the focus back to herself. "So, who picked me? Do you have a picture?"

Dani clapped her hands as if she'd just remembered. "Oh, right! Almost forgot." She pulled out her phone and swiped to a photo. Handing it over, she said smugly, "Here he is. What do you think?"

Qin Li and Shushu leaned in simultaneously.

The photo showed a man wearing a simple t-shirt under leather suspenders, the quintessential farmer aesthetic. He was perched on a ladder, seemingly in the middle of building something. His sun-kissed neck glistened with sweat, veins running up to his pronounced collarbones. Rolled-up sleeves revealed muscular arms that exuded raw strength.

He was looking directly at the camera, a reserved smile on his lips. Fine laugh lines framed his sharp eyes, and the dimples on his cheeks added a boyish charm to his ruggedness.

Shushu gasped. "Oh my god, he's a total hunk!"

He really was attractive—at least in photos.

Dani smirked smugly. "Told you I wouldn't steer you wrong."

Shushu tilted her head, skeptical. "But why would a guy like him pick Qin Li?"

Qin Li herself was puzzled. "Yeah… Is there some sort of catch? Does he have, you know, a… peculiar hobby or something?"

Shushu nodded fervently, adding fuel to the suspicion.

Dani crossed her arms, exasperated. "You two need to stop overthinking this. You're not some hideous troll, Qin Li. Of course he'd find you attractive. And don't forget, the production crew will be there the whole time. Even if he's a creep, he wouldn't dare try anything shady."

"Fair point."

Shushu clasped her hands together in excitement. "A hot guy like that? You could totally use this to blow up online!"

Qin Li frowned. "Don't even think about it."

"Relax, I was just joking… kinda."

Dani glared at Shushu before turning to Qin Li with a grin. "We're not aiming for internet fame. The goal here is to find your second chance at love. So, Qin Li, don't overthink it. Just go for it!"