When a fragrance reaches its utmost intensity, it becomes a stench.

At the same time, Yiniu released three related posts on Weibo in a row. The pink sea of flowers paired with their cherry blossom yogurt attracted quite a bit of attention.

"I thought this yogurt was supposed to taste bad?"

"I don't care; after listening to 'Sea of Flowers,' I can't resist anything pink. I'll buy it first, ask questions later."

"Well, it's Yiniu after all, it can't be that bad, right? They're even running a promotion, and my yogurt at home just ran out—perfect time to try some."

Because it was yogurt, sales were usually average, so the manufacturer hadn't prepared much stock. Yet, in the time it took to play a single song, the product was completely sold out on every major e-commerce platform.

Sellers were forced to frantically restock and even impose purchase limits. But people are like that—the more unavailable something is, the more they want it. With Ji Fanxing's popularity fueling the fire, buyers' enthusiasm only grew stronger.

Not only did this wave fulfill the entire quarter's sales target, but many buyers, after bringing the yogurt home and tasting it, discovered it was nothing like the rumors online. Instead, it was delicious.

There was none of that artificial floral flavor common to flower-themed foods; instead, the yogurt exuded a natural floral fragrance, blending perfectly with the creamy tartness. The surprising harmony between blossoms and yogurt left an unforgettable aftertaste.

In the end, this limited edition, once nearly discontinued, became Yiniu’s must-have classic for the spring season.

At the show’s live recording—

Song Qing stared in disbelief at Ji Fanxing, who was stepping down from the stage hand-in-hand with Hai Lan. Why was she perfectly fine?

Aren’t allergies supposed to cause immediate reactions?

Ji Fanxing and Hai Lan returned calmly to their seats.

Song Qing didn’t have time to dwell on the whys, because she and Chu Hao were up next.

With a heart full of confusion and anxiety, she took the stage, unable to resist glancing back at Ji Fanxing and Hai Lan, both seated loftily in the king’s seats.

Ji Fanxing reclined lazily on her throne, meeting Song Qing’s gaze.

For the first time, Song Qing saw this side of Ji Fanxing: like a lion at rest, claws fully displayed and ready to devour its prey at any moment.

A chill crept through her heart; her hand trembled as she clutched her skirt, her panic plain for all to see.

"Contestant Song Qing, please come to the stage," Brother Du reminded her amicably when she failed to move for a long time. Chu Hao, waiting ahead, was already showing signs of impatience.

"What’s up with Song Qing? Is she mesmerized by our Fanxing? What is she spacing out for?"

"Maybe the pressure’s just too much, going up right after the king."

"How does Ji Fanxing manage to look so fierce even in all that pink? Ji God, look at me!"

"Oh—so that's Song Qing. She’s decent-looking, but why is she interested in that kind of person?"

"Who knows. But as the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. She and that guy are already so blatant; they can’t be good people."

"Song Qing, you shameless woman, get off the show!"

Unnoticed, the tide of the barrage turned, and everyone’s ire was now directed at Song Qing.

Oblivious to the online uproar, Song Qing began her performance.

She and Chu Hao stood on opposite sides of the stage.

This time, Chu Hao, known for his rapid-fire rap, chose a ballad instead.

As the gentle breeze lifted his jacket, his deep, warm voice seemed to penetrate the soul:

"Thousands of flowers bloom, and each one looks like you."

The lyrics were simple and direct, but in Chu Hao’s delivery, they became inexplicably moving and alluring.

The audience was stunned by this side of him. They’d expected the rap specialist to be awkward with a ballad, but he was like a changed man—instant fireworks on the screen.

"Chu Hao is so handsome! My heart is melting."

"He really is my treasure boy. Rap must be his camouflage, he sounds amazing!"

As Song Qing and Chu Hao performed their duet, countless petals rained down from above. An intense floral fragrance filled the air; pink and white petals wove a dreamlike, beautiful, yet dangerous scene.

Most petals fell on Song Qing’s side. The pollen mixed into them slipped into her nose, the pungent scent making it hard for her to breathe.

"I wish I could become... cough, cough..." She fought to keep herself under control.

Next came a small high note—not difficult, but as she opened her mouth to reclaim the melody, she faltered.

"I wish I could wait for you—" Her voice broke off abruptly, her expression turning bitter, panic and confusion in her eyes.

Dizzied by the scent, Song Qing realized she couldn’t sing anymore.

She was on the verge of collapse. As an outstanding music conservatory graduate, she’d always prided herself on her singing. Yet here she was, live, with countless watching eyes, off-key and voiceless.

The audience, unaware of the petals’ secret, were stunned by this unprecedented trainwreck.

"What kind of pitch disaster is this!"

"I thought she was something special with all that drama—just this?!"

"This was finally a chance for my Hao not to rap, and look what she’s doing!"

Luckily, Chu Hao was far enough away to avoid the worst effects.

He took over the main melody steadily: "Even as the seasons change..." pulling the song back on track.

As expected, Chu Hao scored a high 88, while Song Qing barely scraped a passing 61.

But this was an elimination round from 44 to 22. Even with decent overall marks, that 60 would make it hard for Song Qing to avoid being cut in such fierce competition.

Her face turned even paler at the score.

"Someone sabotaged me!" she shouted into the mic, her eyes bloodshot as the harsh pollen left her mind muddled. She screamed, heedless of the consequences.

"There’s something wrong with the petals! Someone put pollen in them! It was Ji Fanxing! She did this!"

Her voice was shrill and piercing. She glared at Ji Fanxing, finger quivering as she pointed.

"You! It was you! You want to ruin me!"

As soon as she spoke, producer Liu Qi made a snap decision to cut to commercial.

Viewers saw an ad starring Ji Fanxing, Hai Lan, and Chu Hao for Yiniu yogurt—youthful men and women playing volleyball on the beach, a feast for the eyes. The audience accepted it with little complaint.

Only in the studio did whispers fill the tense air, so silent you could hear a pin drop.

Under accusation, Ji Fanxing remained immovable. Watching Song Qing dig herself deeper, she only felt bored. How fragile was this woman’s mindset? Already breaking down?

At that moment, the stage designer, Zhang Li, was pushed forward by the director. In all her years, she’d never seen a scene like this. She composed herself before addressing Song Qing:

"Song Qing, calm down. The stage props were all prepared by the contestants themselves. Our team didn’t touch anyone’s things."

The outburst subsided and Song Qing regained some clarity. She realized how ridiculous she’d just been, but there was no turning back now.

She swallowed, forcing herself to retort through gritted teeth, "Then why were there issues with my petals? With all that pollen—why would I sabotage myself?"

Zhang Li frowned and took the surveillance screenshots from her assistant, confronting Song Qing:

"The only irregularity was before recording. When we checked the props, we found the name tags for you and Ji Fanxing had been switched.

But it was quickly resolved, because the scent of the petals in your bag was overwhelming."

A murmur swept through the room as eyes focused on Song Qing.

Zhang Li continued, "Later, we checked the surveillance footage. The last person to enter the prop storage room yesterday was you."

She stepped forward, pressing Song Qing.

"Shouldn’t you be asking yourself what you did before all this?"

Song Qing's anger drained from her face, replaced by pallor. Backed into a corner by Zhang Li, her last shred of confidence vanished.

"I... I didn't..."

Her faltering words betrayed her guilt for all to see.

Anyone clever enough could now guess the truth behind the petals.

But since the broadcast was still live, the matter could end only there.

Producer Liu Qi glared icily at Song Qing, who had caused trouble again and again, before instructing the host, "Take her down."

"Haha, our contestant Song Qing must be feeling the pressure. It’s just a misunderstanding! Now, let’s welcome our next performer!" Brother Du brushed it off with a laugh, glossing over the incident. Everyone else watched Song Qing with poorly concealed disdain, and under such pressure, she could only stumble off the stage.

The live feed cut back, and the show went on.

When a fragrance is too strong, it becomes a stench. Song Qing returned to the contestants’ seats, overwhelmed by humiliation, and the others all moved away, covering their noses.

Ji Shengxue smiled and shifted closer, inviting Song Qing to sit beside her, gently patting her shoulder in comfort.

This display won Ji Shengxue much favor from viewers.

But what the audience couldn't see was that beneath her lowered lashes, Ji Shengxue's eyes held neither concern nor sympathy, but disappointment and regret.

Song Qing sat dazed and hollow, not hearing a word Ji Shengxue said. Her mind was filled with remorse.

She’d planned to debut her new song next episode. With "King of All Voices" so popular now, it would have surely become a hit. But now, after offending the production team again...

She stared in agony at her bottom-ranking score. With no backing, no connections, she would never find another stage like this to promote her music.

Her heart churned with regret, unable to fathom how her carefully laid plans had been exposed.

In the audience, Zhang Li and Ji Fanxing exchanged a glance, a flash of understanding passing between them.

Zhang Li nodded slightly, her respect for Ji Fanxing deepening.

Before the performance, Ji Fanxing had reminded her to check whether she had enough petals for the stage effect. Out of professional habit, Zhang Li had someone count them, only to discover a few boxes had been mixed up.

The scent from Song Qing’s petals was far too strong, making them stand out among the otherwise scentless fake petals.

Thankfully, the problem was caught early. Otherwise, a slip-up by their team could have ruined the performance, and with Ji Fanxing’s current popularity, Zhang Li, as chief designer, would’ve faced serious consequences.

She’d even checked the surveillance footage, planning to review the team’s discipline after the contest.

Unexpectedly, this mistake ended up solving the crisis instead.

After the performance, Chu Hao ignored Song Qing and went straight to the front row beneath Ji Fanxing’s seat—the perfect spot to talk to her.

Resourceful as ever, Chu Hao quickly pieced together what had happened.

The production team had tolerated Song Qing’s frequent trips between Robin Island and the studio before the show only because she was his partner.

He vaguely remembered the director asking him about stage design, but his focus had been on the song and he’d casually left it to his partner.

He hadn't realized Song Qing would use his status to cause trouble. Though it had little to do with him, for some reason, once he understood the situation, his first instinct was to explain himself to Ji Fanxing.

Awkwardly, Chu Hao turned to Ji Fanxing. She wore a flowing gown of pale pink tulle today, like a peach blossom blooming at dawn—fresh and ethereal.

The soft stage lights seemed tailored for her, cloaking her in a gentle aura that made her both dreamlike and impossible to overlook.

Chu Hao felt his heart race. All his carefully prepared words were swept away in a sudden rush, and after a long silence, he finally managed, "I... I apologize for what happened today."