Chapter 1019: Showdown!

Translator: Legge Editor: Legge

At Beijing Television.

In the recording studio.

The audience gradually arrived and entered the studio.

Zhang Ye's parents and three sisters did not have to line up to get in. Xiao Lu had gone out to bring them in via the staff entrance. She politely invited them to the back row where it was less conspicuous. She even gave each of them a bottle of water and some snacks.

Zhang Ye's third sister said, "Thank you, Sister Lu."

Xiao Lu smiled and said, "You're welcome."

his second sister asked eagerly, "Sister Lu, is Sunflower really my Li Yu?"

"Li Yu is yours?" his eldest sister said in annoyance.

His second sister said, "But I'm his fan!"

Xiao Lu simply acknowledged, "It's him. Didn't he already say so himself?"

His second sister slapped her own thigh and exclaimed, "That's great! I didn't come here for nothing then!"

His third sister shouted, "I like Li Yu too! He's so handsome!"

His eldest sister said, "Didn't you say that you support The Clown?"

His third sister replied, "Hehe, I've defected."

Zhang Ye's father said, "Xiao Lu, go on and get back to your work. There's no need to stay here with us."

Xiao Lu said, "Alright then. You can find our staff anywhere, so if there's anything you need, just approach one of them." Just as she was about to leave, she spotted some people coming in and holding LED placards with Li Yu's name on them.

She immediately went up to them and said, "Hey, you guys can't bring that in!"

Those girls were very unhappy to hear that.

"Why!"

"You can use the contestant's stage names, but not their real names. If the cameras capture it, it will mislead the audience."

"How would it mislead the audience? Everyone already knows that Sunflower is Brother Li Yu!"

"This won't do. You guys can't bring the signs in."

"Why are you being so troublesome!"

"If you're here to attend our show, please respect our show's rules. Otherwise, we have to right to deny entry to you."

"I'm going to bring it in. What about it? Who are you trying to scare!"

A squabble broke out.

Several employees and security guards immediately ran over to take control of the situation.

Just one post from Li Yu on his Weibo had caused so much trouble to the program team's work. A well-planned King of Masked Singers was now screwed up by him from the inside out!

...

In a backstage hallway.

The other program team staff also had a squabble, this one with Li Yu's assistant.

Hou Ge asked, "When are you all going to delete that Weibo post?"

Assistant Xu was being quite unreasonable about it. "Are you all just going to keep harping on that?"

"You all have already affected the show from being recorded normally!" Dafei said angrily. "Just because of one person, the program team is now busy putting out fires. The other contestants were also badly affected by this. It's you who needs to get this clear. This show does not belong to you all, nor is it here to serve one person! Can you guys give some respect to others?"

Assistant Xu pointed at him and said, "Young man, don't speak to me in that angry tone. When I started out in the entertainment industry, you weren't even born yet. Do you think that the appearance fee that your show is paying us is a lot? Teacher Li only agreed to join the show because he thought you all were sincere. He doesn't usually participate in these Mainland China variety shows. The viewership that Teacher Li alone can bring to your show is greater than everyone else combined!"

"You broke the rules!"

"Teacher Li is helping your show get more popular!"

Their argument got fiercer and fiercer, with both sides' tempers flaring!

The employees on the program team felt a little grossed out by such behavior. They really could not accept that Li Yu could suggest that they were doing this for the good of King of Masked Singers and their program team when it was so blatantly obvious that he was just using them for his own gains by violating the rules with underhanded methods and asking for votes!

Wasn't this too hypocritical?

A former A-list celebrity would actually resort to something so despicable?

All of a sudden, Hu Fei came walking over from afar. "Don't bother trying to reason with them. It's about time to start recording, so let's get down to work!" He did not even look at Assistant Xu as he led the others away.

Hou Ge said angrily, "Brother Hu, aren't they pushing it too far like that?"

One of the staff members said, "I just heard from my friend that Li Yu's team has been buying and running PR campaigns to help promote their cause. There were already several media outlets predicting that the overall champion of King of Masked Singers would be him. All those reports were due to them dumping money to create hype! They even bought and ran campaigns here at Beijing TV!"

It was no wonder the media had reacted so quickly!

It was no wonder the public opinion had switched over to Li Yu so one-sidedly!

Hu Fei told them, "I've already reported this to the station. From now on, Beijing TV will no longer have any dealings with Li Yu and his team!"

However, that would be something for the future.

But right now?

What were they going to do about the show right now?

Now that they had arrived at this point, they could no longer use any unseemly means to kick Li Yu off the show. They were forced to let him continue taking part in the recording. Even if he were to take the crown of Masked King for every episode from now, they would still have to continue recording the show as usual. Li Yu and his team had probably accounted for this, which was why they were so daring and unscrupulous in their methods!

...

The drawing of lots began.

The contestants were all sitting in their individual waiting rooms and watching their TVs.

The first person to draw lots was Sunflower in the Starlight. But after knocking on his door for a long time, no one responded until the female producer shouted from outside, "It's time for the drawing of lots!"

The door immediately opened with that.

Assistant Xu allowed her and the cameraman to go in.

The female producer was furious. So you people were inside all this time? Then why didn't you open the door just now? Why did you act like you didn't hear us? What kind of people are these!

Sunflower's mask was already on and he was no longer indifferent as before. When the cameraman came into the waiting room, Sunflower's laughter rang out. "Am I the first to draw lots?"

The female producer said, "Yes, please draw lots to decide your order of appearance."

"OK." Sunflower put his hand into the box and took out a ball.

Number 2!

It wasn't exactly a good or a bad position.

The female producer nodded, then turned around to leave without saying another word.

The other contestants could observe the entire process on their televisions.

Yesterday's Daylily let out a quiet curse.

Spinach's face sank. She started complaining incessantly to the employee assigned as her liaison. She was not worried as this part would not be broadcast.

Sunset Glow was silent.

Petal Shower was calmly drinking from her thermos, possibly something she had brought to soothe her throat. With the mask covering her face, any expressions she made could not be seen.

The Clown was just as calm.

Before long, the draws to decide the order was complete.

Number 1: Spinach.

Number 2: Sunflower in the Starlight.

Number 3: The Clown.

Number 4: Petal Shower.

Number 5: Sunflower.

Number 6: Yesterday's Daylily.

Spinach was on the verge of tears.

First to appear?

And her opponent was going to be Li Yu?

There was practically no chance of winning. For a moment, she even thought about not going onstage. What battle could be fought against Li Yu, an elite singer who had cheated?

However, someone pushed opened the door to her waiting room not long after.

It was someone wearing a flower mask.

Petal Shower extended the ball in her hand and said with a smile, "Wanna switch?"

Ah?

We're really switching?

Spinach was startled. She thought that Petal Shower had just been making a passing remark back in the conference room!

The camera linked to the internal transmission cut to the scene in this room.

The other contestants could all see this!

When Sunflower saw this, his eyes narrowed. What was the meaning of this? Switching their order of appearance? Petal Shower intended to meet me in the first round? He found it a little funny and let out a laugh. He already knew about Petal Shower's singing. She could sing very well and her falsetto was very good too. However, she was at most as good as him. Now that he had revealed himself, and with the media talking about it, he knew that no one could beat him in this episode, in the next episode, and even the following episode. Even if the other contestants revealed themselves, he didn't feel that he would lose. He believed that he was the contestant with the best fanbase on this stage.

When the program team staff saw this, they did not say anything. There were no rules stating that the contestants could not change their order of appearance. They just needed the contestants themselves to agree to the change.

Spinach stood up quickly. "Big Sis, is this, is this really alright?"

Petal Shower nodded. "It is, although my number isn't that good either. Do you still want to switch?"

Petal Shower's number was matched against The Clown.

However, when Spinach heard that Petal Shower wanted to switch numbers, she immediately nodded furiously like a chick pecking at seeds. "Yes, yes, let's switch!"

"OK." On camera, Petal Shower and Spinach switched the little balls with their numbers.

Spinach said gratefully, "Thank you, Big Sis."

"You're welcome." Petal Shower twirled her hair and took large strides while walking away without any hesitation.

Everyone knew that Petal Shower had been angered. However, no one thought that she would win because they all felt that her opponent was too strong. Further, her opponent's identity had been revealed as well.

...

In The Clown's waiting room.

Han Qi was also very angry.

Today's main attraction should have been The Clown. Teacher Clown had taken the throne of the Masked King in two consecutive episodes and his popularity was the highest as well. In this third episode, he was initially the favorite to win. But with that stunt from Li Yu, the people's attention immediately shifted to him instead. No one cared about the other contestants anymore, whether it was The Clown, Petal Shower, or Sunset Glow. They had all become supporting characters to Little Yu, as everyone was shouting that Li Yu was the true Masked King!

Han Qi said aggrieved, "If Sunflower gets eliminated, that'll be such a face smacking!"

The Clown chuckled, "Yeah."

Still, Han Qi got discouraged again. "However, that's going to be impossible."

The Clown laughed. "It's not impossible."

Han Qi said, "Do you think that Teacher Petal Shower can win?"

The Clown thought for a moment before answering, "I don't know who she is, but I have an inkling of who she might be. If, and I'm saying if she is the person I think she is"—He then paused—"then the serious her will definitely win!"

Han Qi was surprised at this. "Really?"

Zhang Ye nodded.

But the prerequisite had to be that Petal Shower was that woman.

Could it be her?

Zhang Ye stood up. "Come, recording hasn't started yet, so let's go to the studio to watch."

Han Qi said, "I heard that Petal Shower has made a last-minute change for her choice of song. I wonder if the band can accommodate her."

Zhang Ye laughed and said, "Then all the more reason we ought to cheer her on."

The other contestants had the same thoughts as him.

Sunset Glow, Spinach, and Yesterday's Daylily also went to the studio to watch. Faced with Li Yu's despicable behavior, they no longer cared about their victory or defeat against each other. They were all hoping for a miracle, that Petal Shower would beat Li Yu, then for Li Yu to make some mistakes in the elimination round and get eliminated as a result!

But what were the chances of that?

Ai, none of them wanted to think about it.

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