CEO's Sweetheart is a Super Idol-Chapter 296 - 289: Threats and Temptations
Base
Ye Yuwei, meticulously preparing the show, had no idea she narrowly escaped another "deadly" ambush.
To increase the program’s entertainment value and showcase more girls, the production team came up with a variety-show-like segment for every contestant to demonstrate their talents.
The remaining 36 contestants naturally understood the importance of this opportunity.
Many were so overwhelmed they burst into tears.
Ever since arriving, many of them hadn’t had any chance to showcase themselves.
Although there had been two live performances, plus rehearsal room documentary footage before each performance, those mostly just highlighted training and afforded them barely any camera time.
Lv Fangxin was astonished at how talented the contestants were.
They brought out all sorts of musical instruments, practiced various dances, and even rehearsed scenes from movies and dramas.
Lai Ruoxuan was meticulously preparing her act back at the dormitory.
Everyone thought she and her groupmate Jiang Meixing would perform a classic-style song-and-fan dance together, but unexpectedly, they each chose to prepare their programs solo.
The idea to split up was proposed by Lai Ruoxuan; if they performed together, neither of them would stand out.
The audience was probably tired of their traditional style of song and dance.
Unless they had a new song that could stun everyone.
"Go for it, Xiao Qi. This time, it’s all or nothing."
Lai Ruoxuan cheered herself up in the mirror. She knew her current popularity stemmed entirely from her past as a content creator; she had barely any new fans now. So, she wanted to present something unique to ensure the audience would remember her.
Duan Yuxin was also preparing in the practice room, getting coached by Zhang Wei.
The latter couldn’t help but admire the girl, whose prominent collarbones hinted at her significant weight loss.
Losing weight required immense willpower, and this girl had done it.
Her talent was startling; she had achieved in just over two months what others with good potential typically took years to master.
Zhang Zijing was sitting at the table, staring blankly. Her paper was filled with musical notes.
She was skilled in guitar and composition, so this time she wanted to produce an original song.
She learned from Ge Xiaohui’s mistakes and didn’t want her tune to be overly complex, but it had to be catchy.
Jiang Mengqi and her best friend Luo Tiantian were also rehearsing.
Her "puppet dance" had indeed caught many people’s attention.
Her company had even promoted her, allowing more people to notice her.
It was evident the company was preparing for her future after potential elimination, probably aiming for her to boost their group upon her return.
"Rainbow, do you think our dance this time can even be aired? Isn’t it too suggestive?"
"This is our last all-out effort. On the stage for the third performance, there’s no chance we’ll be center stage. The best moments will only focus on the ones with high popularity; we’ll just become props."
Jiang Mengqi’s words deeply saddened Luo Tiantian.
Both had short hair, but she resembled Yang Ni’s style too closely.
She appeared more boyish, but lacked distinction.
Yang Ni’s aura had seductive intensity.
Liu Feiyu and Lv Xiaoxue were also preparing their drama performance.
They were going to act out scenes from the Huaxia classic "A Man and His Two Daughters."
At this moment, Liu Feiyu felt deeply troubled.
She desired to debut, but her original company maintained a very ambiguous stance.
Though the company still supported her and Su Ruiqi externally, Liu Feiyu sensed through the messages that they didn’t want her to join the final group.
This deeply upset her. Despite being only 17, her maturity far exceeded her age, and she knew debuting was the best choice for her entertainment career.
Lv Xiaoxue, meanwhile, was earnestly rehearsing.
Her agency held substantial power, especially in film and television resources, and she herself was already a rising star they heavily supported.
Her inclusion in the program was entirely unexpected, intended only as a brief appearance for exposure.
The plan was for her to get eliminated after the first live performance and return to acting. However, the program unexpectedly gained popularity, giving her newfound recognition. Her company decided to keep her in the variety show for now.
In Lv Xiaoxue’s opinion, pursuing acting was the true path. Idol careers were too fleeting.
The entire base was filled with idols, yet none of them seemed capable of making waves.
Even if the program made them recognizable, once it ended, their popularity was likely to fade quickly.
Every year, countless talent shows produced groups that eventually fizzled out!
Furthermore, debuting in a group meant losing freedom to act.
For her, this could be dire—an actress only had a few years to truly shine.
Lu Bingbing was also preparing her performance.
To boost her visibility, the production team had paired her with Gao Ziyi in a group.
The two would perform a comedic dialogue routine.
She felt both amused and helpless about this arrangement.
She strongly suspected the production team had reviewed her previous performances with Galaxy.
Galaxy’s best draw was their small theater comedy sketches.
She had actually wanted to perform a "subtextually romantic" act with Ye Yuwei, but the production team outright rejected it.
In reality, the team was only looking out for her; if such material were released, the already tarnished Ye Yuwei would surely drag her down.
Who could have guessed Lv Fangxin’s situation would completely disrupt their plans?
The production team went all-out in their efforts for Lu Bingbing.
They knew her singing and dancing weren’t exceptional, and even performing alongside Meng Wu’s duo would leave her overshadowed. While Lv Fangxin had high popularity, pairing with her was unfeasible!
After exhausting their options, they landed on Gao Ziyi.
The latter had decent audience appeal, and Lu Bingbing excelled at jokes—forming a comedic duo seemed like the natural choice!
Near the Min locality’s filming site
Li Jiaqi sat in the room, watching Mr. Shen’s grim expression, feeling her heart pounding furiously.
"Jiaqi, think carefully. As long as you agree, you’ll be the second female lead in Little Juzi’s next film."
"Mr. Shen, I won’t agree to it. Even if I said it, not a single Galaxy fan would believe me."
"Heh! Galaxy fans, those brainless losers?"
Mr. Shen’s face twisted into an expression of utter disdain. Although Li Jiaqi was terrified of the man before her, she couldn’t resist the urge to punch him.
These small idols often joked privately about Galaxy fans, but in their hearts, they valued their fans deeply, considering them their lifeline and support along with Galaxy.
But Galaxy’s relentless manipulation left them powerless.
"Jiaqi, all we need is for you to accuse Ye Yuwei of domestic abuse and violating you; we’ll handle everything else. You’ll get the opportunity you’ve dreamed of."
"Yezi treats me well! She’s never abused me!" Li Jiaqi was trembling with rage. "Mr. Shen, please get out of here."
"Hmph! Li Jiaqi, what do you think you are? You’re nothing but a tool."
Hearing such humiliation, Li Jiaqi froze in place, her face filled with sorrow as she stood there, forcing herself not to cry.
"If you refuse, the company will shelve you, and your scandals will be exposed."
"Scandals?"
"Heh, do you think the company isn’t aware of your private interactions with fans? Take a look at this!"
Shen Xing tossed an envelope onto the table in front of Li Jiaqi.
Almost fainting, she staggered as she crouched to pick it up.
When she opened it, she froze in shock: "You—you followed me?"
"These were taken by your extreme fans; the company has always suppressed them."
Li Jiaqi didn’t believe his lies, but she knew that if these photos were leaked, her career would be finished.
"Listen, I want results by 7 a.m. tomorrow. If not, you already know the consequences." Shen Xing threw down the ultimatum and stood to leave.
