Chapter 50: CHAPTER 50

Jiang Ye quickly found a thread with a collection of posts, browsing through the whole story of Xue Zhihan's situation.

She couldn’t find any flaws for now.

The situation was escalating quickly.

Within half a day, it was already trending on the top of the hot searches.

School bullying was a hot topic that the public was already interested in. Many passersby who didn’t know the situation saw the hot search keywords and clicked in, expressing sympathy for Xue Zhihan’s experience.

Although Jiang Ye felt that the timing of this incident was a bit too coincidental, she thought for a moment and decided that maybe she was being too conspiratorial.

If the school bullying was true, even if it was inspired by her own background being exposed, Xue Zhihan was still a victim, and there was nothing to criticize.

So, Jiang Ye didn’t mind too much. She quickly scrolled past the news about Xue Zhihan and searched for posts about herself.

As expected, all the posts related to the orphanage were removed.

The company was pretty quick.

She scrolled down further.

Today was also the day the second performance was aired.

But because Xue Zhihan’s big news was dug up at this critical moment, the attention for tonight’s performance was suppressed.

Fortunately, the heat from Zhen Jia’s withdrawal was still there.

So, their “Listen to the Night Rain” group still received special attention from the casual viewers.

Jiang Ye opened the episode and took a look.

Because of Zhen Jia’s group’s withdrawal, the practice room footage before the stage was barely shown.

Other groups had 10-minute practice room segments, but for their group, the program team only showed Jiang Ye and Shen Zhiyi receiving the script for their performance, and it ended in five minutes.

After all, the most dramatic part had already been released when the program team was clearing Jiang Ye’s name.

As for the stage, it was even more exaggerated, directly cut into a duet performance by Jiang Ye and Shen Zhiyi.

Jiang Ye: "..."

She had to admit, the program team was ruthless.

It was fortunate that when Jiang Ye choreographed the dance, she had already focused on herself and Shen Zhiyi, so the cut didn’t feel jarring at all. It was as if the stage was always meant to be this way.

Of course, Jiang Ye’s fans were very satisfied with this almost pure enjoyment version.

They were already annoyed by Zhen Jia. Even if the program team didn’t cut Zhen Jia’s group, the fans would have taken action themselves.

This way, the program team saved them the trouble.

Shen Zhiyi’s fans were also quite happy.

Originally, their girl didn’t have much camera time in the early stages.

This time, she benefited from Jiang Ye, not only getting a stunning killing part but also gaining extra spotlight moments.

As for the Yi Ye Zhi Qiu CP fans, they were even happier.

Although in terms of CP popularity, they were still a tiny North Pole CP among Jiang Ye’s many CPs.

But in terms of the program team personally cutting a duet stage for them, did other CPs have that?

So, everyone was happy.

As usual, the program team released the performance stage and the practice room version simultaneously.

The practice room version was a full-screen shot, so it couldn’t be edited and had to be released as is.

Therefore, fans quickly discovered that Jiang Ye’s movements in the practice room version and the performance version were different before the chorus.

In the practice room version, it was just a regular fan opening.

But in the official performance, it was replaced with the stunning fan-throwing move.

They initially thought it was a last-minute change before the rehearsal.

But after comparing frame by frame, the fans felt something was off.

Although most of Zhen Jia’s frontal shots were cut from the official performance, the fans quickly found clues from the practice room version and the scattered footage in the main episode.

It was clear that Zhen Jia was a beat late, forcing Jiang Ye to improvise!

Who would have thought that Jiang Ye’s highlight moment, which was praised to the heavens in the performance report, came from her improvised reaction to Zhen Jia’s mistake.

The fans were stunned.

After realizing what happened, they mercilessly criticized Zhen Jia for withdrawing from the competition while praising Jiang Ye’s improvisation to the skies.

The company’s publicity team followed suit, buying the hashtag #JiangYeGodSaveTheDay onto the hot searches.

Many passersby who initially came in to watch the drama were also shocked.

【Wow, the girl is so amazing! What kind of instant reaction is that?】

【This fan-throwing move wasn’t rehearsed? How did she do it?】

The hashtag’s popularity continued to surge, showing signs of going viral.

Even people who didn’t usually follow talent shows couldn’t help but click on it and exclaim how amazing this trainee named Jiang Ye was.

After seeing all this, Jiang Ye couldn’t help but say silently in her heart,

“Thank you, Zhen Jia.”

“Although you are indeed simple-minded and vicious, your existence wasn’t completely worthless.”

“At least after sacrificing for so long, you helped me gain new heat.”

“I guess you did serve one purpose after all.”

•••

The next day, in the ‘Tiny’ group’s practice room.

“——Really?”

The trainees erupted in excitement, “We can actually perform on stage?!”

Jiang Ye nodded, “The program team has agreed.”

“However, our stage won’t be on the official performance stage. There’s a simple stage in the studio that we can borrow, and the lighting, photography, and sound will be set up for us.”

Jiang Ye paused, then apologized, “But we definitely won’t have costumes or makeup, since it’s not an official stage…”

The trainees didn’t mind at all.

Having a stage was already like winning the lottery, how could they dare to ask for more?

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Having a stage is good enough.”

“Oh my god, I thought we were just going to record an eight-person practice room version.”

“Me too! I thought I’d never be able to stand on the stage of this show again…”

“But our version will definitely be released after the official performance airs.”

Jiang Ye continued, “And it probably won’t be included in the main episode.”

After all, if everyone did this, what would be the point of the official third performance?

Their eight-person version would likely be released as a special bonus after the official performance aired.

But for the trainees about to be eliminated, this was enough.

“It’s okay, Jiang Ye!”

They chirped, “We understand. We just want to save a record of the time we trained together as eight people.”

“That’s right, actually, even if it doesn’t air, it’s fine. The program team can just give me a separate copy.”

“Yes, yes, years later, we can look back and say, ‘Oh, we eight people actually performed together on stage’.”

They laughed together.

Jiang Ye smiled too.

Although she sounded relaxed when she described it, she had faced many difficulties when negotiating with the program team.

But she didn’t want to spoil their good mood. She clapped her hands and said, “Alright, everyone, go get ready. We’ll meet up in the afternoon.”

•••

The other groups of trainees were unaware of this.

While they were practicing and anxiously waiting for tomorrow’s ranking announcement, the eight members of the ‘Tiny’ group were already standing on their own stage.

Although there were no audience members in the audience.

But the moment they stood on the stage, their hearts were filled with anticipation and excitement.

The program team didn’t provide them with costumes, so they chose the most suitable outfits from their own wardrobes.

The program team didn’t provide them with a makeup artist, so they put on their best makeup themselves.

The program team provided simple photography, lighting, and sound, but it didn’t affect their good mood in the slightest as they prepared for this stage, which was destined to have no audience.

They didn’t rehearse, and they didn’t have a chance to redo it.

This was their official performance.

The music started.

Everyone faced the camera, fully immersed in the performance.

Two trainees stepped forward and began to sing the first rap verse.

The original design of the stage was for five people.

But Jiang Ye adjusted the positions to be symmetrical, so that during certain parts, two people would sing the same verse together.

This design allowed these two trainees to have a cute interaction on stage.

Jiang Ye always took her stage performances seriously, even those without an audience, striving for perfection in every detail.

But to her surprise, the trainees were even more invested than she expected.

They cherished this last opportunity more than she did.

When the music ended, the lights dimmed.

The cameraman greeted them and left after the recording was finished.

Liang Yu stretched her wrists and asked the others on stage, “Shall we go?”

Jiang Ye also looked at the other trainees.

However, most of them didn’t move.

“I… I’ll stay here for a while.”

“Me too, I want to stay a little longer.”

“After all, we won’t have this opportunity again.”

This stage was much simpler than the performance stage.

But they sat down, touching the stage with a look of reverence and seriousness.

Jiang Ye sat down with them.

After a while, one trainee started to cry.

It began with quiet sobs, then slowly spread to those around her, until several trainees were crying together.

“Don’t cry.”

Jiang Ye wiped the tears of the closest trainee with the back of her hand, smiling helplessly, “You’re smudging your makeup, dear.”

“It’s okay.”

Her voice choked, “No one’s filming us now anyway.”

Jiang Ye was stunned by her words and sighed softly.

This vast, empty stage.

This empty audience.

The eight of them quietly completed their own performance here.

“I’m saying,”

Liang Yu sat cross-legged, trying to sound lighthearted, “The ranking announcement is tomorrow, you don’t have to make it seem like we’re saying goodbye forever.”

“After all, until the last moment, no one knows the outcome, right?”

“That’s right.”

Someone echoed, “What if our team actually makes a comeback? What if we all miraculously advance?”

Someone reminded her, “Even if we all advance, we’ll still be split up.”

No matter what, the ‘Tiny’ group, consisting of eight people, was destined to stay only in this moment.

“Oh, right.”

The trainee pouted, then whispered, “I was just thinking that it would be good if everyone could stay.”

“You guys still have a chance, I don’t.”

“I barely made it through last time, coming in 39th. There’s no way I’ll make it this time.”

The trainee buried her face in her knees, then suddenly broke down, “But I really don’t want to leave so soon.”

“I really want to stay.”

“I really want to participate in the third performance with you all.”

“I’ve been practicing for so long, can’t I sing for my fans?”

“They haven’t heard it yet, I really… I really don’t want to leave.”

“It’s okay.”

Jiang Ye patted her head, “They’ll hear it.”

She looked at the empty audience seats and comforted the trainee next to her, “One day, someone will see our hard work.”

She had cried many times in dark practice rooms.

In places without cameras, without an audience, she had cried countless times, but she always stood up from the same place.

“Come on, don’t cry.”

Jiang Ye stood up again.

Just like she had done countless times before.

She smiled, “Let’s all take a bow.”

The trainees stood up one after another.

The eight of them held hands.

No lights, no cameramen, no audience.

But they all bowed to the empty seats, their voices choked, their expressions resolute, “Thank you!”

It is said that the applause in the recording studio that night lasted for a long, long time.

It was the final farewell gift they gave themselves.