Chapter 132: The First Ranking Reveal

The announcement of the premiere rankings and the release of the new theme were scheduled for Sunday at 10:00 AM in the studio. To maintain privacy, no live audience was invited to the recording; instead, viewers could watch the broadcast on the television station and major video portals at 8:00 PM, accompanied by an exclusive collection of highlights from the first episode.

By 8:00 AM, Ling Ziheng, Lin Zhiwei, and their team had arrived at the studio. As Ling Ziheng began his styling session, Lin Zhiwei took the opportunity to chat with Director Lu.

She had specifically chosen to wear a thick-point choker today to hide the hickey left by someone the previous night. Before leaving the house, she had spent quite a while applying concealer, feeling relieved only after she was certain it wouldn't be discovered. Throughout the journey, she had held her breath and refused to speak to "that someone."

After working together for a while, Director Lu had found that he and Lin Zhiwei hit it off remarkably well. He was impressed that such a slender, young man—not yet even finished with his studies—possessed such a wealth of stage experience. He truly was a talent to be reckoned with.

"Director Lin, I haven't had a chance to ask you before: did you gain your stage design experience in the United States? You don't strike me as a novice."

"You are too kind, Director Lu," Lin Zhiwei replied confidently. "In the States, I mostly assisted with the rehearsals of several stage plays. Since my major was stage design, I am quite familiar with the craft."

Director Lu nodded in appreciation. "I see. The theme for the second competition was given to you some time ago. I am quite curious as to why you chose Yin Mi'er as a partner for Film Emperor Ling. Of course, her ability is evident to all, but her career has been quite stagnant over the years."

Director Lu’s words were subtle, but Lin Zhiwei understood his meaning instantly: while Yin Mi'er was talented, she wasn't necessarily suited for reality television.

"You are right. I chose Yin Mi'er because her personality is very much like Ruoyu’s—both are unyielding and take the stage with absolute seriousness. It is truly rare to find artists nowadays who are willing to give their all for the stage. I figure, if I can help one, I should."

"Indeed, Director Lin makes a valid point. I, too, have always hoped to produce a good show that doesn't rely on hype to grab attention," Director Lu said, empathizing. In the current entertainment industry, everyone was desperate to stay relevant through publicity stunts, and some artists were even willing to expose their own scandals just to get eyes on them.

"Director Lu has a keen eye. 'Masked All-Rounder' is truly a heartfelt program. I wonder, what are your plans for the future?" A glimmer of cunning flickered in Lin Zhiwei’s eyes.

"Ha! I knew you would guess, Director Lin. My next program... will be based on a talent show." Director Lu folded his arms, a proud, faint smile on his face. Although talent shows were an aging concept and the boy/girl group variety shows of recent years had been raucous, the audience’s taste was becoming increasingly sophisticated. They wanted to see fresh faces with genuine talent, rather than the stale inventory from major talent agencies.

"A talent show?" Lin Zhiwei’s eyes darted around as an idea formed in her mind. "Would you be interested if I recommended a candidate for you then?"

"That would be fantastic! Director Lin, I thank you in advance. I absolutely trust your eye for talent," Director Lu said, nearly jumping with excitement. He knew Lin Zhi had resources, and he was certain that anyone Lin Zhi chose would be a gem.

"Haha, you're too kind. I’ll let you thank me only after they’ve passed your inspection," Lin Zhiwei replied, feeling slightly embarrassed. She wondered if she could count as a "good candidate" herself.

"Director Lu, we're ready! Come take a look," Xinxin called out from a distance. Director Lu exchanged a nod with Lin Zhiwei and went over to check the setup.

Lin Zhiwei sat silently in the audience, her dark hair slightly lowered. Under the dim lights, her emotions were unreadable.

Xiao Yu, Mei Ning, and Zhao Lei took their seats beside her one by one. Xiao Yu whispered, "Brother Lin, everything is ready. We’re about to start. I just caught a glimpse of Medusa, and she doesn't look well. Even with layers upon layers of foundation, you can still see it."

Lin Zhiwei frowned slightly. She had forgotten about this ticking time bomb. But would Ye Linyun really hold back after being warned by her boss?

The stars took their seats on stage. Chen Yu wore light, natural makeup and a deep cyan suit; she looked cold but greeted the staff with perfect courtesy.

Liu Niwen looked playful and cute today in a pink dress, her smile gentle and charming.

Ye Linyun looked haggard, dressed in a white Dior gown with her hair in a bun. All her usual arrogance was gone. She sat down in silence, but when her gaze flickered toward Lin Zhiwei in the audience, it was as sharp and cold as a blade.

*Lin Zhi, just you wait...*

Chu Chuo clearly had just woken up; he still looked drowsy. In a simple linen suit, his dark green hair contrasted with his arrogant expression, giving him a unique, dashing charm.

Finally, Ling Ziheng took his seat, still wearing the mask from the previous episode. He wore a pink and white shirt embroidered with a "double dragon playing with a pearl" pattern, paired with slim-fit trousers. His hair was styled in a low-key, casual manner, looking lazy and effortless, falling around his ears in a way that felt refreshing.

"How about it? How about it? Isn't the boss handsome? Doesn't he look like a boy from a manga?" Mei Ning asked, clutching her hands excitedly.

"The 'overbearing CEO' turning into a 'manga boy'—what a transformation," Xiao Yu muttered. She still preferred the boss’s more mature look; today he looked so fresh he could be squeezed for water, more like a handsome school senior.

"Alright, check the camera angles. Okay, 3, 2, 1, action!" Director Lu commanded. The stage lights converged on the five of them as the premiere rankings were officially revealed.

Director Lu stepped onto the stage alone to serve as the host. He bowed deeply to the cameras and began with a beaming smile, "Thank you all for your support. Let’s start today's program by revealing the rankings from the last performance. May I invite our stars to greet everyone?"

The five greeted the audience in turn, though Chu Chuo was quite perfunctory, merely waving his hand at the lens.

"Very well. Now, let’s reveal the vote counts as of 12:00 AM tonight," Director Lu said, opening the envelope in his hand. "I won't keep you waiting—I'll announce them directly."

"In first place is... Ling Ruoyu." As soon as Director Lu finished speaking, the screen behind him displayed Ling Ziheng’s vote count: 367 million votes.

"Film Emperor Ling truly is the sweetheart of 300 million girls," Director Lu joked.

Ling Ziheng stood up and bowed, his right hand placed over his heart in gratitude.

Director Lu then proceeded to reveal the remaining votes. As expected, Chu Chuo was second, Ye Linyun third, Liu Niwen fourth, and Chen Yu fifth.

Chen Yu folded her hands together with a serene expression, thanking everyone for their support. Compared to the spectacular stages of the others, her performance had been relatively simple, and she was already deeply satisfied to see the endless praise she was receiving online.