Chapter 39 Bye Bye

The live broadcast was in complete chaos.

There have been many boy group auditions before, but none as ridiculous as this one. One top contestant outright refused to join the group, and another handed his crown to Jian Xingsui, seemingly challenging the producers.

When the rankings were announced, some of Jian Xingsui's fans couldn't believe it. Some even brought flowers, but they never had a chance to meet or speak with him.

They wanted to tell him how hard he'd worked, how wonderful his songs were.

They'd noticed his dedication and countless late-night practices.

He deserved to debut.

These flowers are for you, congratulations on your debut.

They wished to see the once shy boy, who doubted his dreams, shine bright on a path paved with applause and flowers. But he didn't debut. The path he'd walk henceforth, they might never see. That lonely boy, returning to obscurity. The show seemed like a slap in the face to them, leaving them speechless.

The camera focused on a fan in the front row, a young girl holding flowers, tears streaming down her face, covering her mouth trying not to make a sound. Her tears fell on the flowers, a picture of heartbreak.

The chat in the livestream exploded with comments.

"Why?"

"Why?!"

"He's been announced several times at the debut positions. I thought he had it in the bag."

"Ahhhh! Why?"

Next to the award podium, Jian Xingsui wore a small crown. He opened his arms and embraced Ning Ze, gently patting him on the back, whispering, "Congratulations, Brother Ze."

Ning Ze hugged Jian Xingsui tightly, his eyes brimming with tears.

The man was always quiet. He would fetch water for his roommates early in the morning, and at night, he'd help friends who had muscle cramps from dance practice stretch out. He wasn't one for words, but in this moment, in front of Jian Xingsui, his eyes reddened, voice trembling, "Stay on the stage, never give up on music."

Jian Xingsui froze.

Ning Ze wasn't talkative, but he understood everyone deeply. He knew how hard some setbacks could be for someone. He feared Jian Xingsui might give up on performing.

"Don't give up," Ning Ze repeated clumsily. The tall, tanned boy shed tears. This was his dream debut night, his happiest moment, but he couldn't stop worrying about his brothers. He patted Jian Xingsui's back, voice choked up, "You're amazing. You've done well and worked hard. I know."

At this moment, Jian Xingsui could no longer hold back the flood of emotions. His lips quivered as he began to sob. A child who has endured so much, if you let him be, perhaps he'd recover after a while. But if you comfort him, the dam of pent-up emotions would break.

Many in the audience, deeply moved, couldn't hold back their tears either.

A girl's shout rose above the rest, "Xingsui, don't cry."

As one took the lead, others stood up:

"Don't cry, you're the best!"

"We will always support you!"

"You were outstanding today!"

Someone started it, and more and more people stood up. The increasing noise made the event security restless. They tried to calm things down, but couldn't stop the audience, including the chaotic livestream. The comment section surged in volume, filling the screen to the brim.

Meanwhile, the trending topics on Weibo updated.

#StarlightDebutNight#

#StarlightDebutListRevealed#

#JianXingsuiDidNotDebut#

The third trending topic surpassed the other two within mere minutes. Curious viewers tuned into the livestream due to the trend, and the scene's commotion became a spectacle. As the debut list was revealed, the official Weibo account for "Starlight" updated with a post celebrating the formation of the boy band: "Tonight marks the grand conclusion for 'Starlight'. The boy band 'Shine' is officially formed. Let's celebrate the successful debut of the following trainees..."

The top comment quickly amassed 100,000 likes:

Director of the Association for Brain Disorders: "Hello."

Beneath the top comment, angry fans and disgruntled viewers expressed their opinions:

"Two hours before the final ranking, he was still in fifth place!"

"Did they blatantly manipulate the votes?"

"We've worked hard for two to three months, and this is how it ends?"

"Star is doomed to fail!"

Amidst these comments, of course, there are fans celebrating their favorite contestant's debut. No one mentioned Shen Xingchen, who debuted in the C position. However, the most noticeable group was An Ran's fans, whose messages were long and filled with various festive symbols: "Congratulations to An Ran for debuting in third place! A promising future awaits him~~"

Naturally, no one could blame comments that celebrated a contestant.

However, the issue arose when, amidst all the criticism and accusations against the show, some fans started celebrating An Ran's debut right under the comments questioning why Jian Xingsui didn't make it. "Borrowing the thread to congratulate An Ran on his third-place debut! A promising future awaits him~~"

When one did it, others followed suit.

Jian Xingsui's usually calm fans were deeply irritated. Their comments seeking justice for Jian were now overshadowed by congratulations for An Ran. They felt as if they were slapped in the face.

Even the most patient individuals were provoked and began replying to An Ran's fans:

"Do you think it's appropriate to post this under our comments?"

"Can't you post on your own instead of hijacking someone else's thread?"

"Why behave so inappropriately?"

"Can we keep our distance? If you want to celebrate, do it elsewhere, okay?!"

An Ran's fans felt wronged by the sudden barrage and retaliated:

"We're just borrowing a thread to celebrate. Why the hostility?"

"If you're upset, apologize. Understandable your favorite didn't make it, but no need to be so aggressive!"

"Many didn't make the cut. If you lack talent and votes, you don't debut. Why the fuss?"

"Speechless. Just because your favorite didn't debut doesn't mean others can't celebrate."

Some comments were crafted to sting where it hurt the most.

Many of Jian Xingsui's fans, infuriated and upset by these remarks, were surprised when another group joined the fray. Shen Xingchen's fans, known for their fervor and unity, had remained silent due to their idol's emotional display on stage. But seeing their "younger brother's" fans bullied, they intervened:

"Let me check. With such jubilant celebrations, did An Ran debut in the top C position, dear?"

"So jumpy for just third place?"

"Hahaha, ever won anything before in your life, little third?"

"I thought it'd be more impressive!"

"I'm literally dying of laughter. The future looks promising."

As fans of the main 'C' position, their words pack a punch. They masterfully targeted the vulnerabilities concerning An Ran's ranking, retaliating fiercely. In no time, the comment section of Weibo turned into a battleground.

Behind the scenes, the production team was in disarray. The assistant director, beads of sweat on his brow, exclaimed, "Director, what do we do? There are a lot of negative comments on Weibo and other media outlets."

The director, equally anxious, responded after a pause, "Don’t panic. They'll calm down eventually. Right now, our priority is to conclude the live broadcast."

The assistant director had a sinking feeling but held back from saying more.

But, just when the production team thought they could sweep things under the rug, at exactly 10:59 PM, due to a surge in viewership and comments, the two app platforms hosting the live broadcast crashed under the unexpected load!

#StarShowLiveStreamCrashed#

Within 10 minutes, this topic trended. Because of a contestant's failure to debut, the live final show was halted prematurely, making "Starlight" the joke of the industry for the night.

Learning of the situation, the assistant director grew more anxious, "Director, what do we do now?"

Realizing the gravity of the situation, the director quickly responded, "Since the live stream is interrupted, instruct the cameramen to prepare for recording. We need to wrap up this finale. As for Weibo, let's be transparent about our stand and disclose all the votes to show our fairness."

They definitely manipulated the votes.

However, the director believed that if they released the tampered numbers and convinced the fans that Jian Xingsui indeed received fewer votes, they would be in the clear. Little did he know this decision would be his biggest regret.

...

At 11 PM, amid the chaos on Weibo, the official page of "Starlight," which had received hundreds of thousands of critical comments, finally posted an update.

"Dear viewers, due to technical issues on the streaming platform, we are working urgently to rectify it. Recognizing your concerns, here are the detailed vote counts for the top ten contestants. We assure you of our commitment to fairness for every contestant, hoping each has a promising future."

Transparent vote counts for all to see.

First place, Shen Xingchen: 9.8 million votes

Second place, Li Xuan: 7.62 million votes

Third place, An Ran: 6.3 million votes

Fourth place...

...

Sixth place, Ning Ze: 4.62 million votes

Seventh place, Jian Xingsui: 4.41 million votes

The disclosed votes were supposed to clarify and settle the controversies. However, they ended up becoming ammunition for An Ran's fans, who began to mockingly comment:

"If you don't have the votes, you shouldn't debut."

"If you want him to debut, pay up. No money, no talk."

"Some people, really. When they're short on cash, they lash out in frustration."

"If you don't have the popularity, don't blame the production team."

While not all were vocal, many of the voices belonged to An Ran's fans, who having been silenced by Shen Xingchen's fans, desperately sought to establish their presence. Just when the two fanbases were on the brink of clashing again, the live stream was urgently restored shortly after 11:10 pm.

Only the mentors and the host remained on the award stage, with the contestants having left.

The event was nearing its conclusion. Normally, the mentors would be smiling as they watched their students graduate, but tonight, their expressions were grave.

Teacher Li just received a note. The director's voice came through his earpiece, instructing him not to announce its contents. Hesitant, he subtly glanced at Fu Jinxiao. While Teacher Li might not possess the clout to challenge the production team, someone else might if they chose to.

Fu Jinxiao raised an eyebrow: "What's the matter?"

Teacher Li discreetly flicked the note he held.

Sharp as ever, Fu Jinxiao understood immediately that the note contained something the director wanted withheld. Normally, the acclaimed actor wouldn’t bother with such trivialities, but tonight, he was in a mood. He outstretched his hand: "Give it to me."

A victorious glint flashed in Teacher Li's eyes as he handed over the note.

Fu Jinxiao skimmed it quickly, then faced the camera and the audience. "We will now announce the voting results for Octopus Live Streaming and Little Sun Live Streaming apps. From 7 pm to 10:59 pm tonight, the top three most popular contestants have been determined. The third is Shen Xingchen, the second is An Ran, and the first is..."

The venue fell silent.

In the spotlight, Fu Jinxiao's gaze met with a young contestant below. He pronounced, "Jian Xingsui."

The room erupted in disbelief!

The most popular contestant didn't make the debut lineup.

Jian Xingsui, stunned, could barely believe what he heard.

With a deep, magnetic voice, Fu Jinxiao continued, "Congratulations, Jian Xingsui. You will be the brand ambassador for both the Octopus and Little Sun Live Streaming apps."

That night, this honor, presented by Fu Jinxiao, was a gift that rightfully belonged to Jian Xingsui.

The chat in the live stream exploded:

"He received over seven million votes on the live streaming platform tonight."

"He's clearly popular."

"There's no way his vote count is just over four million!"

Meanwhile, on Weibo, some of An Ran's fans who had previously insinuated that Jian Xingsui's popularity was inferior fell silent. In reality, they had no stake in this battle. It was only the gloating of a few that ignited the outrage. Jian Xingsui's proven popularity emboldened his fans.

After being mocked for not having enough money to support their idol, the typically laid-back fanclub was truly angered.

At midnight, Jian Xingsui's official fan club was buzzing with activity. No one could sleep. After over an hour of tallying, they revealed that they had spent approximately 3.8 million, which translated to nearly four million votes. The moment this data was revealed, everyone was stunned:

"Starlight, did you enjoy suppressing the votes?"

“How much more money is needed for him to debut?”

“We just wanted justice. We didn't block anyone's path. Is that wrong?”

“I recall the day he stood on the mountain, urging everyone not to vote any further. I was utterly devastated.”

“Did he know all along about today’s events, and yet endured it all by himself for so long?”

Initially, everyone was blaming the production team, but after seeing the vote count, many turned to @ An Ran's fan club. They had claimed to have invested only three million, almost equal to Jian Xingsui, yet An Ran's final count was six million, while Jian Xingsui's votes were heavily suppressed.

In the end, the aggrieved can't even voice their grievances, yet they have to endure the victors gloating.

This move by An Ran's fans sparked discussions:

“So, why is he in third place?”

“Not many people around me really like him.”

“I've always felt he's a bit pretentious.”

“Hasn’t anyone realized he's a privileged one?”

If An Ran's fans hadn't acted out, perhaps no one would've noticed. But their ungraceful behavior overnight pushed An Ran into the spotlight. Initially, fans of other contestants weren’t against anyone in particular, but the actions of some of An Ran's fans deeply upset them.

That night, which should have been a celebration for An Ran, suddenly saw him swamped with negative comments online. Allegations of his privileged background began to spread. When he checked social media, he was overwhelmed by the backlash.

After midnight, most contestants received their phones.

Observant netizens noticed that several debuted contestants started changing their profile names and pictures uniformly: star—Li Xu'an, star—Ning Ze, star—Jian Anran... etc. Notably, Shen Xingchen, who was in the C position, hadn’t changed his profile. Both Li Xu'an and An Ran started following each other, but Shen Xingchen and Ning Ze didn’t.

Shen Xingchen and his fans, both equally audacious, commented:

“We stand out!”

“Who cares about rules? What if we don't change?”

“It’s perfect this way!”

...

Around 1 am,

Many contestants began to share their graduation sentiments on Weibo. Those who debuted shared a group photo on stage. Unlike other groups where everyone is smiling, Shen Xingchen, at the central position, appeared emotionless, as if he was forcibly included, while the rest forced smiles. To the unaware, it seemed like these six were eliminated.

Almost all the debutants posted photos except for Shen Xingchen and Ning Ze.

Tonight, for many netizens, was a sleepless night. They were afraid of missing out on any gossip. From the chaotic scenes at the "Starlight" event, to the debutants' mournful group photo, and Shen Xingchen's refusal to update his profile, the internet was abuzz.

Past 1 am, amidst constant refreshing by many, Shen Xingchen posted on Weibo!

Shen Xingchen v: We've graduated. Goodbye Starlight. @ Jian Xingsui @ Ning Ze.

The post included a photo, but it wasn’t the expected group shot. Instead, it was an image taken in their dormitory with three of them. Luggage surrounded them; Jian Xingsui sat on a suitcase in the middle, Shen Xingchen stood leaning on his shoulder with a boss-like demeanor, and Ning Ze crouched slightly, snapping the photo while flashing a V-sign.

Both the caption and the picture are hilariously cheeky:

"If it's goodbye, then so be it. Next up, someone more obedient!"

"Classic you, big bro."

"At first glance, one would think only the three of you debuted, haha!"

"Having Xingsui at the center – you older guys do spoil your little brother."

Before this, only Shen Xingchen and Ning Ze had Weibo accounts, while Jian Xingsui hadn’t. With this mention, fans flocked to find Jian Xingsui's profile. As expected, it was a new account with just a few followers. He followed Shen Xingchen, Ning Ze, and a few mentors from "Starlight." His sole post was this same picture, but his caption slightly differed from Shen's.

Jian Xingsui: "Officially graduated today. Thankful for the chance encounters and the fans who supported me, as well as the mentors who guided me. This competition has given me unforgettable memories and genuine friendships. These three short months have flown by, and now we mark the end. Goodbye, Starlight."

Many comforting comments from fans were underneath:

"Keep going, Xingsui!"

"Don't get disheartened. We're always here for you."

"Even if you didn’t debut, there's still a future for you!"

While there were supporters, there were also naysayers:

"Being in a group may not always be great, but there are resources."

"For someone like Jian Xingsui, if he doesn't debut, he'll likely fade away."

"Right now, he's popular, but wait until the hype dies down, and no one will care."

"He used to ride on the coattails of the mentors, even fueling CP rumors with Fu Ge. At least that’s over now."

Given that the post tagged many people, including Shen Xingchen, Ning Ze, and the mentors from "Starlight" as a sign of gratitude, it generated buzz.

Most contestants from "Starlight" would thank their mentors in such posts. Notably, those who debuted, including An Ran and Li Xuanan, did so as well. Established contestants often received responses from mentors, for instance, Li Xuanan got a like from Teacher Li, and Tu Ya followed many contestants. Most mentors responded to mentions, except for — Fu Jinxiao.

Despite many contestants, including popular ones like An Ran and Li Xuanan, mentioning the famed actor Fu, none received any acknowledgment or even a splash of attention.

Fans speculated:

"Maybe Fu Ge didn't log in to Weibo tonight."

"Probably missed it."

"Does he even have a close relationship with any contestant?"

Everyone was accustomed to it. After all, Fu Jinxiao’s reputation spoke for itself. His following list was mostly populated by A-list celebrities, and it hadn't changed for a long time. Most contestants were aware of this, but they couldn't help tagging him, hoping for a golden response. Unfortunately, no one was acknowledged. Just when everyone thought the night would pass uneventfully,

A little past 2:10 in the morning.

Just as many were nodding off, a piece of news invigorated most —

Fu Jinxiao followed Jian Xingsui.