The news of Ye Lan’s injury didn’t just alarm Young Master Cao.
It also stirred up quite a few foreign company bosses.
After spending a whole month cleaning up the public opinion, finally managing to turn the tide, now something happened to one of the Eight Golden Maidens.
Was all that effort for nothing?
Everyone knew just how strong Ye Lan was.
If she had to withdraw due to injury and leave a spot open, it would be like handing an opportunity right to their rivals.
This...
Was definitely not good!
So, almost without any consultation, companies from various countries issued official statements.
The content was more or less the same.
Filled with praise and compliments.
They also expressed concern for Ye Lan’s condition.
In short, they elevated Ye Lan to a high pedestal, making it difficult for her side to simply announce a withdrawal over a “minor injury.”
This was also a way to shape public opinion.
International public opinion, no less.
So many people were rooting for her, so many fans from overseas were supporting her, so many were eagerly awaiting her performance... how could she just quit?
No withdrawals allowed.
Even if she was crippled, even if she had to sit in a wheelchair, she had to compete.
That was true sportsmanship.
Don’t forget, this was an idol training reality show—not just about dancing and singing, but also about showcasing the spirit of the girls, even the spirit of a nation’s youth...
And so, the matter slowly began to ferment.
Fans both at home and abroad learned about it and rallied behind Ye Lan, cheering her on!
For a while, Ye Lan’s fanbase and popularity surged once again.
There were very few haters.
After all, the show hadn’t ended yet; the groups hadn’t debuted; no scandals had broken out.
Besides,
Viewers and fans who had watched the show generally didn’t harbor any ill feelings toward the Eight Golden Maidens.
Only after the show ended and the groups debuted did the haters gradually appear—these haters were mostly people who hadn’t watched the show, at best only some clips.
It was like...
A dream.
There was a certain Kun Ge.
This pigeon... had massive traffic.
And even more haters.
All kinds of memes were played to death.
But whether male or female fans, those who had watched Idol Producer from the start and witnessed his gradual debut basically didn’t develop any animosity.
...
As the situation intensified,
Cao Cheng quickly treated Ye Lan’s injury.
The swelling visibly went down.
The sharp pain disappeared as well.
Finally, a smile appeared on Ye Lan’s face.
Removing the stitches.
Cao Cheng said, “All done.”
“Thank you, Young Master...” Ye Lan cried tears of joy.
The few girls nearby also beamed with happiness.
Cameras were recording everything.
Cao Cheng spoke up: “Don’t be too happy just yet. Your injury isn’t light. No rehearsals or training from now on—just rest and recovery. Save your strength for the final stage. It should be fine.”
“Mm...” Ye Lan obediently nodded.
Cao Cheng glanced at the other girls nearby: “You all too—balance work and rest. I respect each of your dreams, and I know how hard you all work and struggle, but... when it’s time to rest, rest; when it’s time to have fun, have fun.”
...
After a little scolding, Cao Cheng left with the Fourth Sister.
Then, he posted a message:
“As for Ye Lan’s injury, it’s nothing serious at the moment. Well, that’s just luck—she happened to meet a boss like me who knows a bit about bone-setting and acupuncture. Fixed her up in no time.”
“Sigh, I really am amazing!”
“……”
“……”
“Just your usual daily dose of narcissism, huh?”
“Honey, you’re incredible, ah~~”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Honey, can you do acupuncture?”
“No idea, but I do know that your husband is definitely a blowhard, tsk!”
“So Ye Lan is fine now? That’s great! My Lan Bao can finally make it to the final stage. She’s been working hard for half a year. If she had to quit because of injury now, that would be just cruel fate.”
“Go Lan Bao!”
“The best Lan Bao, champion debut!”
“……”
……
After posting the update, Cao Cheng and Lao Si didn’t rush off right away. They took a stroll around the small town.
Cao Cheng also took the chance to check out the fans and reporters gathered on the outskirts.
He answered a few questions.
Announced that Ye Lan’s injury was nothing serious.
After chatting for about half an hour, everyone was satisfied.
Lots of group photos.
As for autographs, forget it—Cao Cheng wasn’t a celebrity, and his signature wasn’t worth anything.
After saying goodbye to fans and reporters, Cao Cheng and Lao Si headed back into the town.
They found a milk tea shop run by the production team.
It was also sponsored advertising.
They ordered a free cup of milk tea…
Once the show started, Lao Si came by a few times.
But Cao Cheng showed up only rarely.
Instead, he found himself somewhat fascinated by this small town.
Though he had visited many times before filming began,
that time there was hardly any buzz.
Not like now!
Now the place was buzzing with energy and star power.
It felt completely different.
In the future, this would become a must-visit spot for fans from all over the world!
“Now everything’s falling into place…”
“The top eight debuting without a hitch.”
Lao Si said, “What about the ninth person? Who do you think it’ll be?”
Cao Cheng countered, “What do you think?”
Sitting on a bench outside the shop, sipping milk tea, chatting.
Lao Si didn’t hold back—she had her eye on a girl from the small western team.
Cute.
Easy to debut.
And her ranking wasn’t low either. In the recent eliminations, whether from 101 to 55 or 55 to 36, this western girl consistently ranked high, once reaching as high as fifth place!
Later her ranking slipped a bit but hovered just outside the top ten.
She could break through anytime.
The outcome was still up in the air; anyone could be the dark horse.
Of course,
Lao Si wasn’t just talking about her; others were strong too, but she favored this western girl because she was cute and harmless.
“What do you think?” Lao Si looked at Cao Cheng.
Suddenly, Cao Cheng pointed into the distance: “I think that’s the ninth person.”
“……”
Lao Si followed Cao Cheng’s finger and saw a girl running.
She wore the training camp uniform, full of youthful energy.
Running while glancing back at her companions, she shouted, “Hurry up, or there won’t be any seats left in the cafeteria!”
Her companions muttered something, but it was too far to catch the words. From their expressions, it was clear they were annoyed.
Lao Si naturally knew who Cao Cheng was pointing at.
It had to be the girl who always rushed for food.
She knew her well.
And quite intimately.
In the first half-year, she was steady and low-key, crying all the time.
But in the latter half, once the elimination rounds began, she exploded.
At one point, she even outperformed the top eight, reaching second place.
Now she was probably ranked eleventh…
“Yang Chaoyue?” Lao Si chuckled.
Cao Cheng raised an eyebrow.
The situation on Blue Star was different from the Earth in the dream.
The timelines didn’t quite match up either.
But this girl... she was truly a luck magnet.
Good fortune really seemed to follow her.
Sometimes...
Destiny is just inexplicable.
Someone who’s good at nothing, debuted in the bottom three, with the whole group flopping, yet she still managed to maintain a decent level of fame.
She got invited to all the good variety shows.
A whole bunch of dramas were lined up for her to shoot.
But if you talk about talent, it’s just two words: none whatsoever!
Even after six months of hard training, she made great progress, but compared to the others who hadn’t been eliminated yet—
Ugh!
Even compared to those already out—
Her singing and dancing skills were still at the very bottom.
Given all that, with just over twenty people left, she was still ranked eleventh.
Only six foreign girls remained.
Besides that,
This “lucky koi” had quite a few fans on foreign websites. Many thought she was cute and beautiful.
Especially considering she hadn’t had plastic surgery.
Just that alone made her super popular over at Xiaoxi Ba and Xiba Ga.
Although plastic surgery was rampant there, and Xiba fans didn’t mind it, when there’s a natural beauty, who would still want silicone?
Even if some men didn’t say it out loud, deep down, they preferred natural looks.
So,
It wasn’t just this lucky koi—this applied to all the Eight Golden Maidens as well.
...
The fourth guy pulled out his phone and glanced at it, saying, “This Yang Chaoyue, currently ranked eleventh, are you sure she still has a chance to break into the top nine?”
Once someone dropped from as high as second place, it was really hard to climb back up.
That was the case for everyone else.
Cao Cheng nodded. “She’s got a chance. She’s an exception. To be honest, with her level of skill, making it this far among the last twenty-plus is already a miracle. So... who knows if this miracle will continue?”
The fourth guy said, “But she’s progressing too slowly. Even if fans like her, they wouldn’t really push her to debut, right?”
“Heh, you’re seriously underestimating the fans. These people just love drama.”
“Especially…”
Cao Cheng paused and pointed toward the other girls heading to the cafeteria.
“This last batch, they’re all skilled and strong, but... their training shows. Even our Eight Golden Maidens started dancing from a young age and then went through two and a half years of polishing.”
“That kind of deliberate grace, every move perfectly beautiful—it’s not truly natural.”
“Only this lucky koi, I think the fans might actually vote her in.”
“That’s what I call true public participation.”
“If it was just backstage deals, and voting was merely a formality, what’s the point?”
“To have fans personally create an idol—this feeling, I bet no one can resist.”
After hearing this,
The fourth guy didn’t say anything more.
Suddenly, Cao Cheng asked, “Wanna bet?”
“...”
The fourth guy almost laughed in disbelief.
You really don’t let anything go, huh?
Addicted to betting now?
He kicked Cao Cheng’s foot under the table and rolled his eyes, “I’m not betting with you. Go play by yourself.”
Cao Cheng tempted him, “This time I’m not so sure I’ll win, especially if we don’t cheat. Your favorite Xiaoxi Ba is ranked tenth, and mine’s eleventh.”
“No one knows how this will end right now.”
“Your chances of winning are definitely better than mine.”
“Whether to bet or not is up to you. Either way, you’re guaranteed to lose the title of top idol. But this is a golden opportunity to turn things around.”
Hearing this,
Old Fourth actually felt a bit tempted.
Indeed.
Without cheating, no one knows the final rankings yet.
There’s even uncertainty about whether all eight finalists will debut together.
It’s not a sure win.
Let’s bet~
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
] This is a dark fantasy-themed dating simulation game. The main gameplay involves containing various monster girls and investigating the truth of a world shrouded in mist alongside your companions. However, due to his love for the dark and bizarre atmosphere, Luo Wei ended up turning a dating game into a detective mystery game. Women? Women only slow down his quickdraw! To Luo Wei, the female leads in the game are more like tools to perfectly clear levels and squeeze out rewards. For Luo Wei, flirting with every girl he meets and then discarding them is standard procedure. Worried about characters losing affection points? No need. With his maxed-out charm stat, Luo Wei is practically a "human incubus." A little psychological manipulation and those points come right back. It's a bit scummy, but the paper cutout heroines in the game won't actually come at him with real cleavers. However... Luo Wei has transmigrated. He's accidentally entered the second playthrough of this game. His past actions have caused all the girls to transform into terrifying yanderes. Due to the game's setting, most of the heroines he once contained are "troubled girls." Obsessive, twisted, mentally unstable, all aggressive yanderes... The type who will kill you if they can't have you... Luo Wei wants to cry but has no tears left. "I really just want to survive..." In short, this is a story of battling wits and engaging in a love-hate relationship with yanderes.
