Chapter 131: Rich
“As the dance mentor…” On stage, Li Daoyu passed the topic along again, not caring at all that no one below the stage was listening to their interview.
This was also the effect the program group wanted—just the final vote-pushing segment.
Jing Xiu Fan Club Group 1
[User A]: There’s a spy from a rival house in the group; they reposted the screenshot of Rich Sister’s (Gu Wanrong’s alt account) donation amount!!!!!
[User B]: How do you know?
[User A]: My alt account joined a few of theirs.
[User C]: Is this the time to care about that? Vote for Jing Xiu quickly, the deadline is almost here!!!
[User D]: Are there any data team members watching? How many votes do we have left? Several rival houses have encouraged big shots to pool hundreds of thousands.
[User E]: Ahhhh, Jing Xiu must debut in C-position!
[User F]: Screenshot. I transferred another thirty thousand to Xiu Xiu’s piggy bank.
[User G]: So nervous, data workers take a look at the group when you have a second, then go back to voting!
[User H]: Everyone, don’t panic. We still have a lot of votes for the final ‘all in’. Everyone who has time, enter the voting group to get accounts and vote.
[User I]: Rich Sister posted another screenshot of pooled funds.
[User J]: Damn damn damn! Rich Sister, you are my god!
[User K]: With Rich Sister in the circle, if Jing Xiu doesn’t debut as C, the officials are definitely suppressing votes.
[User L]: Xiu Xiu signed with Yishang, no need to worry about suppressed votes. Let’s hurry up and vote.
Gu Wanrong hadn’t joined those fan groups of Jing Xiu, but many small fans sent private messages to her account about what was happening in the groups.
Jing Xiu’s C-position looked very stable, but no one knew exactly how many votes each house had for the final “all in.” Gu Wanrong had sent a sum to the Jing Xiu fan club’s fundraising account before the voting channel opened, and then sent money several more times throughout the night after seeing the messages in her inbox.
The fan club calmed the somewhat panicked hearts in the fan group and encouraged the idle fans to continue voting. Meanwhile, the morale in the fan groups of other trainees fighting for C was gradually collapsing.
[Rival Fan A]: That Rich Sister of Jing Xiu’s is worth so many of us alone…
[Rival Fan B]: Let’s secure 3rd and fight for 2nd. Rich Sister is too lavish; I feel like Jing Xiu is going to debut with a massive gap.
[Rival Fan C]: Everyone don’t be discouraged, our ‘all in’ votes tonight will definitely get us into the top three.
[Rival Fan D]: I go to Rich Sister’s DMs every day to promote my cub, why can’t Rich Sister see it? My cub needs a fan as rich as her!!!!
“National Producers on site and in the live broadcast room, the final voting channel for tonight has closed…” The director’s voice came through Li Daoyu’s earpiece. He ended the interview with the mentor and notified the fans watching the live broadcast.
A nervous and anxious atmosphere enveloped the entire scene. Li Daoyu glanced at the script and said with a mischievous taste, “Before the final results come out, let’s take a look at the group formation rewards first!”
After speaking, he turned to look at the big screen on the main stage.
The trainees on stage also turned their heads to look at the big screen behind them, which displayed some of the resource offers secured after the group formation.
“January 22nd to January 27th, the whole group goes to Paris Fashion Week.”
“February 16th to February 21st, the whole group goes to Milan Fashion Week.”
“Zhijia Fashion Magazine cover shoot, KQ Magazine cover shoot.”
“Brand Spokesperson for XXX Brand Greater China Region; Brand Ambassador for XXX; Brand Friend commercial shooting task for XXX.”
“The whole group is invited to join the Major Network’s Little New Year’s Eve Gala.”
“Guest appearance in Hollywood movie XXX.”
The list showed confirmed collaborations, each of which would make artists in the circle extremely envious. Without resources and connections, one couldn’t secure a single one of them.
Yet, before they had even formed a group and debuted, while their status was just that of small traffic stars, the above collaborations had already been finalized.
Topic: Melon Eating Discussion / Can’t accept it. Haven’t even debuted or seen the development yet, and big cakes are already being fed into their mouths.
“The CEO of Yishang Entertainment came back from Hollywood and doesn’t give resources to the actors in the company, but gives them to idols who just debuted. Most of them aren’t even signed to her own company. Speechless.”
“I can’t accept it either. Can they even hold the scene at Fashion Week? I’m afraid they’ll embarrass us internationally.”
“Peaking at debut. Once the rookie period passes, they’ll flop. Why can’t Yishang think straight and feed them such good cakes?”
“Zhijia and KQ are both top five magazines. Can they accept the expressiveness of idols? Still rookies… disdain.”
“The participation in the Major Network’s Little New Year’s Eve stage has been officially announced. It really includes 101. What are idols going up there for? To wink?”
“Right, inappropriate! Simply inappropriate!”
“There are so many sour people in this thread.”
“If Yishang brought it out, they must have evaluated that they are worthy. What are you attacking with your poisonous mouths for? Do you think you, discussing on paper here, are better than the professionals at Yishang with high salaries?”
“Exactly, Yishang Entertainment must have gone through sufficient evaluation and consideration.”
“Guard your alt accounts well, don’t let me catch who your bias is, you sour people.”
“What ‘can’t accept it,’ isn’t it just envy and jealousy?”
“Didn’t Yishang terminate contracts with a large batch of artists before? Maybe those artists got jealous and bought water armies, hee hee.”
“Yishang, you are really so rich (hao)! Feeding such good cakes to rookies!”
“And an album produced by Huanyin… looking at the pre-release tracks tonight, they spent a lot of money. Lavish.”
“Passing by, clicked in. I refused to watch the 101 talent show, but I’m stunned. Are debut resources this top-tier? Real or fake?”
“Another daily question: When can my bias be signed by Yishang? Yishang has many and good resources, come and sign my bias quickly. Can sing, dance, and act, looks are excellent, just missing an opportunity.”
“Interjecting, Li Daoyu, are you not going to announce the debut group yet!!!??? I’m suffocating!!!!”
As if hearing the screams in countless hearts, Li Daoyu finally received the final voting results. His face turned serious. “The final results are in my hands.”
“In this vote, the total number of votes is…” Li Daoyu looked at the host card and read out the total number of votes directly.
Then, without pausing, he said, “Now, I will announce the names of the trainees ranked 11-15.”Caught off guard, he announced, “The trainee ranked 15th is Zhao Jiang, ranked…”
No one expected that after stalling for so long, he would now announce the last five names in one breath. The five trainees who heard that their names were not in the top nine hugged the trainees still on stage reluctantly, then walked down to the area for eliminated trainees.
During the time the trainees were leaving the stage, the audience was in an uproar.
“1.8 billion? My god!”
“If 1.8 billion votes were converted into money, Yishang got at least twenty million in hand tonight.”
“You’re just talking about ticket money; ads and such haven’t been counted in.”
Hearing this total vote count, Gu Wanrong laughed without concealment. It was even more than the vote count in her previous life, and this was the result under her control, forbidding water-pumping and secret manipulation.
The CEOs sitting nearby watching the final stage also whispered to each other upon hearing this vote count.
“The popularity is unexpectedly good.”
“You have two ad spots tonight, you earned it.”
“Aren’t you the same?”
“Heard that someone is also preparing to organize a talent show. Did you get a leg in?”
“What about you?”
The ten trainees remaining on stage had eyes full of unconcealable desire—desire to form a group and debut, desire to possess the resources on the big screen.
Two months of hard work, fame was in sight, right at this moment.
Suddenly, the big screen plunged into pitch blackness, as if a giant invisible hand had covered all the light. Immediately after, a slight sound of mechanical operation was heard. It split into two halves from the middle and slowly unfolded.
The nine debut seats, which had not appeared in the lens all night, slowly appeared before everyone’s eyes. Without exception, all nine seats were visibly magnificent and exquisite. Created with crystal as the main body, every part emitted a shimmering luster, like stars in the night sky.
And the center seat located at the very top appeared particularly magnificent and dazzling.
Above the backrest, an exaggerated crown shape was cleverly carved out, with brilliant gems inlaid within, shining with colorful light. In addition, golden vines intertwined with each other, climbing up the backrest like winding snakes, adding a mysterious and noble atmosphere to the entire seat.
When the stage lights projected down, these golden vines and brilliant gems reflected dazzling light, making the entire seat appear extremely luxurious.
The eyes of the audience on site were firmly attracted, emitting bursts of exclamation, and the online audience was no exception.
“Mama, the seats are so gorgeous.”
“Are those gems inlaid on the C-position seat?! Did I see that right!”
“Help, program group, you are really so rich!”
“I never thought a talent show program group would be so willing to spend money.”
The camera cut back to the main stage, aiming at the ten trainees and Li Daoyu.
The final result was about to come out. Li Daoyu held the microphone and said, “Now I still have the rankings of ten trainees in my hand that haven’t been announced.” He waved the host card with the debut rankings in his hand. “What do you think the rankings of the trainees will be?”
The attention of the scene returned to him, and the atmosphere became increasingly anxious.
“My stomach is starting to cramp from nervousness!” Wu Aiai grabbed Zhou Siyin’s hand and complained, “Why is Li Daoyu so long-winded? Might as well announce it all in one breath.”
She wasn’t the only one nervous; many fans below the stage clenched their fists, looking forward to the result.
After keeping everyone in suspense, Li Daoyu smiled slightly and said in a calm tone, “The initial rating of the eighth-place trainee… let us congratulate…”
While Li Daoyu was speaking, everyone on and off stage was guessing which trainee it was based on his words, and the camera also specially focused on the few trainees who fit Li Daoyu’s description.
Finally, after the name was read out, the fans on site shouted the trainee’s name frantically, shaking the light boards in their hands violently.
“Next to be announced is the trainee ranked seventh. He is…”
…
Until the rankings of the ninth and tenth trainees were announced, only two trainees remained on stage.
Jing Xiu and Zhou Zhijing.
The two stood in the center of the stage, and the whole venue was boiling.
“Jing Xiu! Jing Xiu! Jing Xiu…”
“Zhou Zhijing! Zhou Zhijing! Zhou Zhijing…”
The names of the two were shouted out rhythmically and competitively by the fans on site. Gradually, the sound of shouting Jing Xiu’s name overwhelmingly covered the whole venue.
Jing Xiu and Zhou Zhijing looked at each other. Zhou Zhijing revealed a helpless bitter smile; the final result was obviously clear.
“Help, I’m going to faint!” Yu Yingying held Gu Wanrong’s arm with one hand and placed the other hand exaggeratedly on her chest. “Li Daoyu! Why aren’t you announcing the ranking yet! I’m going to suffocate ahhhhhhh!”
The roar, full of vitality, didn’t sound like she was about to stop breathing as she claimed.
Their position was excellent, very close to the stage. Not far away, there was a microphone that had been taken down, which happened to pick up Yu Yingying’s words.
Now the whole venue heard her words.
A burst of laughter erupted at the scene, and the three people on stage also cast their eyes toward Yu Yingying.
“Since this fan friend is so anxious that the whole venue knows, then I will announce the ranking,” Li Daoyu teased.
“Announce it!”
“Ahhhhhhh!”
“Hurry up!”
“Faster! Faster! Faster!”
“Jing Xiu C-position debut!”
As soon as the voice fell, the whole venue was in a noisy uproar again, urging the announcement of the remaining first and second places.
Everyone had a prediction for the ranking, and the result was just as expected. Li Daoyu didn’t delay any longer: Second place Zhou Zhijing, First place Jing Xiu.
The rankings and vote counts of the two were also announced.
After a brief silence, a deafening cheer erupted at the scene. It seemed as if the venue was about to be overturned, and the cheers traveled very, very far.
“Quick, put me on a ventilator!” Yu Yingying pressed her philtrum and looked at Gu Wanrong. “Jing Xiu debuted with a massive gap?” Her face wore an uncontrollably excited smile.
Gu Wanrong smiled similarly. “Yes! Over 500 million votes, the big TOP!”
“Ahhhhhhh!” Zhou Siyin and Wu Aiai also hugged each other and jumped excitedly in place, venting the emotions suppressed in their hearts all night, then said to the two, “Jing Xiu NB, big gap debut!”
Although their ultimate bias wasn’t Jing Xiu, Jing Xiu’s vote count made them, as casual fans, equally excited.
The whole venue was filled with fans’ screams, which never stopped. Gu Wanrong suspected that after tonight, would their throats still be able to speak the next day?
This suspicion included herself; every scream in the venue included her own share.
On stage, Jing Xiu gestured with his hand to suppress the noise.
Li Daoyu left the center of the stage to him and stood at the edge.
“Hello National Producers, I am Jing Xiu from Idol 101. I am very grateful to my company Yishang Entertainment…
I couldn’t do it without the support of fans…”
After Jing Xiu finished his speech, he bowed deeply ninety degrees to the audience.
“We won!”
“Jing Xiu, you are the well-deserved Center!”
“Genius Idol Jing Xiu!”
“Jing Xiu!”
The fans below the stage couldn’t help but shed tears following his debut speech. Two months of time was not only a test for him but also a test for the fans.
Finally, when Jing Xiu stepped steadily onto the top of the pyramid step by step and sat on the C-position throne that belonged exclusively to him, fireworks were set off around the venue.
Shoo—
Shoo—
For a full nine minutes, fire trees and silver flowers filled the sky, celebrating the nine trainees finally making their debut!
This was the firework display Gu Wanrong had specially designed by a fireworks master for the debut night long before the show was recorded.
The entire venue, as well as the fans outside, looked up at the fireworks in the night sky. The camera in the live broadcast room also cut to the night sky.
“Wow—so beautiful!”
“When did Heng City hold a fireworks festival? Why didn’t I, a Heng City local, know about it?”
“These are fireworks set off for the Idol 101 Grand Finale.”
“I searched and came in from Doudou (TikTok equivalent), it’s so beautiful.”
“The official account updated; it’s Master Cai Xiangchuan’s work.”
“Yishang, you are so lavish!”
“This is a grand ending that belongs to us.”
“This should be the last surprise tonight.”
“Whether the program group put their heart into it or not is just like whether a man put his heart into it or not—it depends on how much money was spent.”
The dreamy firework feast ended, confetti rained down on the stage, blurring the figures. On and off the stage, trainees and group members who were reluctant to part ways hugged and bid farewell. After their lives briefly intersected for two months, they headed toward separation again.
Recommended Reads
![Enemies on a Narrow Road [Esports]](https://beereads.space/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/enemies-on-a-narrow-road-214x300.jpg)
