CEO's Sweetheart is a Super Idol-Chapter 350 - 342: Chicken Soup for the Soul

"This ranking is a gift from all of you. Thank you!"

Ye Yuwei’s face was always adorned with a smile, a smile that touched everyone.

"Although it’s fifth place, it’s already very good, because you’ve all given your utmost effort."

"Life must have cracks; only then can sunlight shine through."

"The road ahead is still long; today is only the starting point. Together, we will gaze at the stars and the sea from the mountaintop."

Ye Yuwei’s thousands of fans, upon hearing these words, wept openly.

What kind of girl is this!

Even amidst the dual obstacles set by the program crew and controversies, she still walked the path of flowers.

Today’s achievement represents a noble victory.

Everyone living in society must have the courage to resist injustice.

Ye Yuwei strode toward her flower road with her head held high. When she reached the front of the pyramid, she suddenly stopped.

She crouched down and used her kiss-marked palm to touch the flower road.

The sound within the entire venue froze in that moment.

Everyone knew the significance of that gesture.

It was a tribute to this stage and the journey, as well as a validation of herself.

When she stood up again, everyone could see that it seemed as though she was the true queen ascending the pinnacle of the pyramid.

Lv Fangxin’s eyes were already brimming with tears. Her gaze clung to the back of the girl ahead of her.

How much she envied Ye Yuwei, how much she longed to become like her.

Meng Meixuan’s expression was complicated, but she quickly adjusted her demeanor.

Chen Yinghan’s eyes also concealed a look of envy.

Jiang Mengqi’s gaze was one of a mixture of obsession and pain.

She didn’t even dare to glance in Gao Ziyi’s direction.

Wang Junhe announced the fourth debut member: "Duan Yuxin."

No one was surprised by Duan Yuxin’s inclusion in the group.

Everyone knew her background, but their impression of her was still positive.

Duan Yuxin was never one to compete bitterly; she worked hard and sang beautifully.

Her debut was well accepted by everyone.

Duan Yuxin was extremely delighted; like Ye Yuwei, she didn’t shed tears.

She bounded toward the stage like a joyful bird.

"Everything today feels like a dream."

"I went from being an ordinary girl to where I am now."

"At first, I thought I would be eliminated in the first round, but I stayed until the end unexpectedly."

Her words revealed key information to people like Xiao Du.

Initially, her agency hadn’t reached an agreement with the network.

"Thank you to all the girl group founders who voted for me."

"I will keep working hard; I have plenty of room for improvement. I hope you can see my growth. I’m also deeply grateful to the mentors and initiators."

By the end of her speech, Duan Yuxin couldn’t help but shed tears of excitement.

She walked down her flower road, toward her debut position.

Uncle Bao then began to manage the stage:

"Three months felt like a dream. Five dream chasers are now seated in the debut positions. It’s so nerve-wracking."

"Let’s all relax for a moment. Next, we’ll let our mentors take a break and invite today’s special guest to join us."

Gao reacted theatrically: "Who’s coming?"

"It’s a renowned director. Please welcome Director Jiang!" Following Uncle Bao’s words, a middle-aged man with a buzz cut and dressed in a suit paired with jeans walked onto the stage.

It was Jiang Wu, one of Huaxia’s top directors. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

"Director Jiang, how was your experience watching the stage just now?" Uncle Bao asked with a smile.

"Wonderful. I held back my emotions; I almost cried," Director Jiang replied sincerely.

"So now, may I ask you to announce the name of the 11th-ranked contestant?" Uncle Bao said.

Gao froze momentarily because Uncle Bao had mistakenly disrupted the program’s order.

The 11th rank was meant to be revealed at the very end for greater suspense.

Gao immediately reminded him, "Are we announcing the 11th rank now?"

Uncle Bao hadn’t grasped her point, thinking he was following the correct order.

At this point, Yang Xiaoyue grew anxious and quickly sought clarification from the staff backstage.

The staff had messed up, accidentally handing over the cue card for the 11th rank, leading Uncle Bao to direct Director Jiang to announce it prematurely.

Yang Xiaoyue was about to intervene when Sun Miao spoke up, "We can’t pause now, or the audience might suspect we’re faking it."

Yang Xiaoyue immediately understood her friend’s reasoning and regretfully allowed the sequence to continue.

Gao, being the professional host she was, swiftly fabricated suspense:

"Wait a moment. Does this name include one of Jiang Mengqi, Li Shihan, Liu Feiyu, or Chen Yinghan?"

"Yes, this name is among them," Director Jiang answered promptly.

The few contestants mentioned instantly grew nervous. Liu Feiyu let out a deep breath and swayed slightly under the pressure.

Jiang Mengqi’s smile appeared a bit unnatural, though she still couldn’t believe she might be included.

Li Shihan remained defiant, her tears already ceased.

Chen Yinghan maintained a smile but couldn’t help holding onto a sliver of hope.

Lv Fangxin stared with wide eyes, clutching her hands tightly; for her, Chen Yinghan was her pillar of support.

"Alright, Director Jiang, please announce her name," Gao said.

"She is... Jiang Mengqi," Director Jiang declared.

At the moment Jiang Mengqi heard her name, she instinctively smiled.

This reaction was ingrained in her after years in the idol industry.

Upon hearing her name, she reflexively presented the brightest smile to her fans.

Then it began to sink in: she had debuted. She was overwhelmed by blankness before bursting into tears.

Others came over to congratulate her.

Liu Feiyu and the other contestants felt like they were on an emotional rollercoaster.

Nevertheless, they composed themselves and graciously offered their congratulations.

At the beginning, Gao Ziyi’s expression twisted briefly into a strange smile as she applauded.

Similarly, her action was reflexive.

Years of small theater performances had conditioned her to clap enthusiastically whenever her teammates won.

But then reality hit her: her chances of debuting might be gone.

Her whole being sank into hellish despair and sadness.

She kept consoling herself—there were still 9th and 10th places; perhaps she could rise.

But deep down, she knew it was only wishful thinking.

If her same-company peer Jiang Mengqi had taken the 11th spot, her possibilities were slim.

Fu Xiaoyu also felt rock-bottom desperation.

She had been banking on an 11th or 10th spot for her debut, now leaving just one chance.

Lu Bingbing’s emotions mirrored Gao Ziyi’s, though she remained composed.

She wouldn’t let herself lose dignity under these circumstances.

Watching from their screens, Yu Qingjia and others were sorrowful. How much they wished their overall captain could debut.

"If only we’d supported Bingbing wholeheartedly from the start, there might have been hope," Yu Qingjia sighed.

"We failed because of our lack of unity back then," Dong Yiyi also couldn’t suppress her sigh.

"Ultimately, it was the company that scattered the hearts of our fans," Xu Mengchen said bitterly.

Jiang Mengqi stepped onto the stage, wiping her tears.

Her emotions surged uncontrollably.

Watching from his screen, Xiao Du smiled knowingly—at the final critical moment, he had invested over two million into her campaign, ensuring her debut in this crucial grouping.

"Actually, I feel very happy as long as I can keep doing what I love."

"I love eating. I love smiling. I love dancing and performing for all of you."

"Thank you for letting me continue doing what I enjoy."

Her speech was simple and heartfelt, yet it deeply resonated.

A person’s eyes only shine and their face truly lights up when doing what they love.

Uncle Bao spoke up: "Director, please announce the 10th spot."

Director Jiang glanced at the cue card in his hand and began describing the 10th-ranked contestant:

"She’s someone who has sat at the very peak—the idol girl who dared."

"She possesses great courage, persistence, and talent."

"It shows that with effort, anyone can enter the debut position."

As soon as Director Jiang finished his first sentence, everyone knew it was Fu Xiaoyu.

Among the 22 contestants, only three had ascended the throne before: Wu Zixuan, Meng Meixuan, and Fu Xiaoyu.

The first two were unlikely candidates, leaving only her.

Fu Xiaoyu felt a wave of relief and an uncontrollable surge of joy.

At long last, she had earned the coveted debut position.

Gao Ziyi started to break down, crying uncontrollably. She felt her dreams shatter completely.

Beside her, Li Shihan tried her best to console her, albeit to no avail.

"This contestant is Fu Xiaoyu," Director Jiang announced the final name.

Fu Xiaoyu’s manager was overcome with tears as well.