CHAPTER 202: CHAPTER 195 FANGXIN’S PREDICAMENT

At this moment, everyone was wondering how the production team would handle this situation.

If Chen Afang was gone, did it mean there would be no substitute and they’d have to forgo this opportunity?

"Although Chen Afang has withdrawn, your group still earned this victory through your hard work. The honor you’ve achieved cannot be erased."

"Therefore, the production team reconnected with Chen Afang and asked her to nominate an auditor for your group."

Long Zitao’s words brought a sigh of relief to everyone. After all, this seemed fair.

On the big screen appeared Chen Afang’s matronly face, and she greeted everyone in her unique parrot-like voice.

"Hello, due to new arrangements from the company, I had to withdraw, but my heart remains with you all. I love you."

The girls who didn’t know the full story applauded enthusiastically for this woman, who was widely acknowledged at the base to be one of the top three singers overall.

"The last stage victory belongs to every member of our group. It would be such a pity if no one from our group enters the pyramid."

"Here, I choose Chen Yanran as the auditor because she’s worked hard enough."

Chen Afang didn’t say much and simply announced her choice.

Standing at the front, Chen Yanran couldn’t hide her joy when she heard this. She hadn’t expected to return to the pyramid.

Bursting with happiness, she dashed over while the girls surrounding her offered their congratulations.

"Next, the opportunity for the last group’s comeback will be exercised by Jiang Xijie’s group’s Like Queen, Lv Fangxin," Long Zitao announced with a smile directed at her.

Sitting in the elimination zone, Jiang Xijie was filled with mixed emotions. As a captain, she had been eliminated, yet her group had won.

Now, her group member was tasked with deciding whether she could advance, and this person was someone she had painstakingly guided step by step.

In Jiang Xijie’s group, much like Chen Afang’s, everyone except Lv Fangxin had been eliminated.

Lv Fangxin stood hesitantly from her seat, her emotions conflicted. She didn’t know what decision to make.

Jiang Xijie was her captain and had taken great care of her—really, very deeply cared for her.

Especially when she had willingly offered to drop out of a performance, this captain had persisted in including her, leaving her forever grateful.

If she hadn’t sung during the first public stage, her standing with the fans would have been irreparably damaged.

Inadequate skills can’t be fixed quickly, but neglecting to try or learn reflects an attitude problem. This experience influenced Lv Fangxin’s work ethic for life.

Yang Meilan, her former teammate and close friend, had also been in her little struggling group. They hadn’t had any resources, but their camaraderie was like family.

She couldn’t bring herself to abandon that sense of kinship by voting Meilan out.

Wu Youxuan and Pan Junya had both been patient and meticulous in helping her perfect choreography in the past, while Lu Peiqin had even taught her how to sing.

She truly couldn’t decide—gratitude, kinship, and friendship were three insurmountable hurdles.

"Fangxin, don’t stress. Just make a fair decision, free from distractions," Ye Yuwei suddenly stood up, holding her hand as she spoke.

This was the first time Ye Yuwei had approached her voluntarily since they entered the base.

Lv Fangxin was taken aback. "Why is Sister Ye talking to me like this at this moment, and holding my hand too?"

Suddenly, she felt a tingle in her palm—it was the other tracing a quick character with her pinky finger.

Despite seeming "naive," Lv Fangxin was highly intelligent, just lacking in social experience. She instantly pieced it together. Ye Yuwei had written the character "Lan" in her palm.

She suddenly realized—it was Ye Yuwei subtly telling her not to choose Meilan.

"That’s right! Meilan is my teammate, and she’s also the weakest among the group. If I choose Meilan, I’ll undoubtedly be dragged into a whirlpool of public scrutiny."

Ye Yuwei shuddered inwardly, realizing her instincts had indeed been leaning toward Meilan.

On the side, Chen Yinghan noticed Ye Yuwei holding Lv Fangxin’s hand and her expression darkened instantly. However, hearing Ye Yuwei’s words, her heart skipped a beat.

With her wit, she immediately understood what Ye Yuwei was implying, but she feared Lv Fangxin would ultimately be unable to overcome her emotional bonds.

In the control room, Yang Xiaoyue’s face turned ashen. She had deliberately crafted this scenario, hoping Lv Fangxin would pick Yang Meilan. It was a choice orchestrated by the production team.

Of course, whether it worked depended on fate, but based on their analysis, Lv Fangxin’s personality had a 90% chance of leading her to choose Yang Meilan.

She had already deployed an army of bots on standby to manipulate the narrative.

But unexpectedly, Ye Yuwei intervened. Yang Xiaoyue could naturally decipher the subtext in Ye Yuwei’s words.

Now, she could only hope that this naive girl, Lv Fangxin, wouldn’t catch the hint.

"Ye Yuwei, you haven’t even managed your own issues, and now you’re meddling in others’ affairs. When did you and Lv Fangxin become so close?" Yang Xiaoyue’s face grew colder.

In truth, when Ye Yuwei made that speech earlier, she wanted Long Zitao to shut her down immediately. But Sun Miao had stopped her.

She argued it could become a new point of interest. To keep the show trending, each episode needed explosive moments.

The petty conflicts among the girls were relatively "low-tier" drama. Sun Miao’s ambition was for the show to break through to a broader audience.

"Could you all... could you tell me why you want to stay?"

Lv Fangxin asked this to buy herself more time to think.

Jiang Xijie was the first to grab the microphone, her face filled with guilt. "First, I want to apologize to my team. I’m sorry."

She was taking responsibility for her supposed incompetence that led to her team missing the pyramid.

Everyone felt a pang of emotion hearing this. In truth, it wasn’t Jiang Xijie’s fault.

The other four immediately and almost simultaneously began comforting her. To them, Jiang Xijie had done her best, as had Lv Fangxin.

"Pick whoever you wish. Don’t burden yourself." Dejected, she truly wanted to leave.

Pan Junya took the microphone but seemed at a loss for words.

The other Milky Way Girl members started cheering her on:

"Junya, speak up!"

"Say you want to stay!"

Pan Junya, overwhelmed to the point of breathlessness, exhaled deeply:

"Actually, I’m really scared to speak in front of so many people."

"I lack confidence, and my personality isn’t very likable to everyone."

"But since I’m here, I don’t want to, I don’t want to..."

At this moment, she faltered, feeling embarrassed, as though she were competing for something that didn’t belong to her. She couldn’t continue.

This girl, with her delicate, beautiful features, had striking eyes and a lovely nose.

Her fellow Milky Way Girl members kept cheering her on.

"Junya, don’t be afraid! Keep talking!"

"Junya, there’s nothing you can’t say!"

Pan Junya bit her lip. "I hope I can have a chance—a chance to stay."

Wu Youxuan picked up the mic next. Unlike the others, her face bore no tear stains. She didn’t like crying. To her, all of this was simply part of life’s trials.

"When I joined this show, it was with the intention of learning. Before, I rarely spoke. Now I can talk. Just yesterday, I even became friends with Zijing. So I feel I’ve grown here."

Sitting atop the pyramid, Zhang Zijing’s eyes welled with tears. She dared not look at Wu Youxuan. The heart-shaped letter the latter had given her remained unread.

She knew she couldn’t accept the friendship offered, but rejecting it outright felt too cruel. So she chose to turn away.

Hearing Wu Youxuan mention her now, she questioned if she’d been too heartless.

"Fangxin, no matter what you choose, it’s fine. Don’t make things harder for yourself." Wu Youxuan passed the microphone on.