CEO's Sweetheart is a Super Idol-Chapter 292 - 285: The Final Ranking

"Meng Meixuan, what’s your ideal ranking?" Long Zitao’s question silenced the entire room. Everyone wanted to see how the acknowledged NO.1 would respond.

Meng Meixuan’s face showed neither hesitation nor timidity. Her gaze locked onto a single position: "What I want is the very top of the pyramid."

Wow!

Great!

So domineering!

This is the Meixuan we know!

All the trainees cheered enthusiastically; this was exactly the kind of scene they’d been hoping for.

"Lv Fangxin, if your like-ranking surpasses the last round, will you still find it lonely at the top?"

Once again, his words brought a hush over the room. Everyone’s eyes turned to Lv Fangxin with a mixture of amusement and curiosity.

Especially the girls already standing atop the pyramid; their expressions were even more captivating.

Lv Fangxin smiled shyly and said, "Terrified."

This self-deprecating comment failed to elicit the expected kind laughter.

Ye Yuwei understood how these girls felt. If not for the 24/7 surveillance cameras around them, Lv Fangxin probably wouldn’t survive beyond the third episode.

"But, I think, since it’s my fans who love the ordinary me and voted me to this position, I have to be strong and endure."

Lv Fangxin’s voice grew louder and more confident: "Because as an artist, you must accept others’ doubts, criticism, and rejection."

Chen Yinghan was surprised to see this shift in Lv Fangxin and couldn’t help but gape.

Everyone else froze too; Lv Fangxin was essentially clapping back at her haters in public!

"To those who doubt me, question me all you want!"

"This position was given to me by my fans, and I should rightfully sit here."

Lv Fangxin’s final two sentences stunned the audience, including Yang Xiaoyue.

This girl is even bolder than Ye Yuwei! They’d never seen an idol so fearless in confronting criticism.

Especially someone without any solid foundation yet.

"Well said. Everyone’s position is determined by their fans."

Ye Yuwei was the first to applaud. The eliminated girls also started clapping, followed by the pyramid-level ones.

Long Zitao exchanged a meaningful glance with Ye Yuwei; he understood the implication behind her words.

"Ye Yuwei, what position do you desire?"

"Naturally, the very peak. The halfway point is far too crowded—I’m not used to it."

Ye Yuwei’s words caused a massive uproar in the broadcast hall.

Everyone rose to their feet, giving her the most enthusiastic applause.

The girls who stood there—that 98% competitive, tenacious group—admired strong personalities the most.

Ye Yuwei perfectly fit into their ideal mold: fearless against authority, daring to fight for herself, embodying genuine self-expression. And her abilities were, without a doubt, remarkable.

Meng Meixuan’s face immediately turned dark. She realized that if not for anti-backlash measures from the production team, her "alpha leader" persona might already be unraveling.

Wu Zixuan had an envious expression on her face; she too yearned for such a persona, instead of the "pretty vase" identity she carried.

Lv Fangxin shared the same look of admiration, thinking, Ye-jie always knows how to deliver surprising lines.

Yang Xiaoyue felt a mix of loving and hating emotions. This footage was absolute gold—it would surely bring traffic if broadcast. But in order to abide by Wan Kai’s orders, Ye Yuwei had to be shielded from backlash.

"Wang Na, as Ye Yuwei saved you as an auditing trainee, what ranking do you wish for her?" Long Zitao directed his focus onto the complex-looking Wang Na.

"...Our collaboration this time went really well, and the work turned out beautifully. Ye Yuwei was dazzling, and even if she simply stood to the side, she would still be noticed."

"So what position she ranks, whether or not it’s the center-stage, isn’t important—because she already shines brightly."

Lu Bingbing almost burst out laughing at Wang Na’s words. Clearly, Wang Na was feeling unbalanced.

In front of Ye Yuwei, a true "women’s empowerment" figure, Wang Na’s supposed "anti-conventional feminist" image paled in comparison.

From her words, it sounded as though the song had been her creation under her supervision.

But the audience wasn’t foolish; besides, the show had already aired.

Others expressed mild disdain for Wang Ju too. Ye Yuwei had kindly brought her back, yet she still chose faint praise with hidden barbs.

"Ye Yuwei, do you agree with Wang Na’s assessment of you?" This line was strategically fed by Yang Xiaoyue to Long Zitao.

Once again, everyone’s gaze fell on Ye Yuwei, sensing that today’s drama was far from over.

"No, I don’t agree!"

Ha ha! Ha ha!

Ye Yuwei’s response triggered waves of laughter, and Wang Na looked mortified.

"If you don’t even have the courage to aim for the summit, why should your fans fight for you?"

Ye Yuwei stood tall, her posture strikingly resilient like a white poplar weathered by storms, with a gaze that seemed to radiate a stirring strength directly into people’s souls.

Everyone subconsciously grew respectful toward her.

She hit the mark—if you don’t strive for first place and live passively, why would your fans invest their efforts in voting for you?

"What fans see is our brightest version—they see us as their dreams and hopes. I will never allow my creators to search for me in a dark, obscure corner."

This time, Ye Yuwei was met with thunderous applause. Everyone rose to their feet, and many girls had tears streaming down their faces: "We will grow toward the sun, defy the wind and rise—we are the best."

Yang Xiaoyue noticed the camera in front of her trembling slightly; even the cameraman seemed stirred in the moment.

This Ye Yuwei was unimaginable; in the first few episodes, she’d given no clue that she would erupt like this now.

Lu Bingbing was utterly astonished.

She had never imagined that Ye Yuwei—the quiet and low-profile girl in their group, dismissed as merely a beauty magnet—would possess such maturity and insight.

"Wu Zixuan, you were the ’like queen’ from the last round. What ranking do you hope to achieve this time?"

Wu Zixuan flashed her signature sisterly sweet smile, blinking her sparkling eyes while glancing toward the pyramid.

"I want to be the best version of myself in my heart." 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Her response was utterly empty, lacking any momentum and sounding shallow.

"Then, what ranking do you truly desire?"

Wu Zixuan, bewilderingly, sighed audibly: "First place."

Her words had barely landed when Long Zitao promptly announced: "Congratulations, Wu Zixuan..."

At once, indescribable joy and excitement washed over Wu Zixuan, as others joined the applause.

"...You’ve placed fourth."

Boom!

The ranking instantly plunged her from the heavens into the depths of despair.

She nearly spat out blood and collapsed on the spot, muttering, "Damn it, Long Zitao, you son of a—"

Long Zitao grinned mischievously, saying, "Please proceed to your position and deliver your speech."

Wu Zixuan had no choice but to feign a lighthearted expression, jogging toward her spot and receiving a comforting hug from Liu Feiyu along the way.

"I’ve placed fourth today because I lacked confidence as the first-place holder. So, I want to tell everyone chasing their dreams: you must build self-confidence."

Meng Meixuan flashed her a big heart gesture as a show of teammate solidarity.

"Next, who is ranked third?" Long Zitao’s words heightened someone’s nerves.

This individual knew that failing to seize the throne this round would jeopardize her identity as the top talent.

"Congratulations, Ye Yuwei—you’ve advanced one rank. Please go to your spot and deliver your speech."

Ye Yuwei had already anticipated this outcome, so disappointment didn’t show.

At her seat, she smiled: "Thank you, ’Ye fans.’ I know you work very hard and face so much darkness."

Her gaze became resolute and profound: "But as long as we stay together and move forward boldly, we’ll shatter that darkness."

Her smile grew more confident, fearless: "My creators, I believe we’ll see the light that illuminates our souls from the highest peaks."

Wow! Ye-jie’s words were so powerful, I’m tempted to become her fan.

Ye Yuwei is basically a master of stirring speeches—but I admire her.

Did she mentor Lv Fangxin? I want to learn from her too.

Even Sun Miao had to marvel at the moment: "Lv Fangxin, that ’odd character,’ grabs fans with a single opening remark. Yet, this Ye Yuwei outshines her! Neither of them even graduated middle school?"

Lv Fangxin and Meng Meixuan exchanged glances.

While outwardly smiling, their expressions seemed strained.

In moments like this, maintaining an effortless, carefree smile was nearly impossible.

"It’s down to you two now. Let’s announce who the throne belongs to."

Long Zitao deliberately paused, withholding the answer.

A few impatient trainees started whispering Meng Meixuan’s name softly.

Others looked skeptically at Lv Fangxin, saying, "No way! Don’t scare me like that."