Who would ever let a man affect her own life!

Hai Lan replied, “Yes, this time my accompaniment is the ‘Blaze’ band…”

“Blaze? Never heard of them, but they seem cool. Kind of looking forward to it.”

“A live band? Will it be like that old-school disco stuff, haha.”

“Honestly, there are so few bands in the Dragon Kingdom. Mostly just idol groups.”

“I love this show because it brings out so many refreshing songs, totally different from all those clichés.”

When the third contestant, Chu Hao, took the stage alone, the audience was immediately drawn to his unruly appearance.

Brother Du asked, curious, “Hey? Chu Hao? Where are your friends and family? Didn’t they come?”

Chu Hao took the microphone, glanced nonchalantly at the VIP section, and said with indifference, “They’re here, but he’s too shy to come up.”

Lu Tianyu, the idol in question, tugged his cap lower and muttered behind his mask, “Hmph, too shy? I’m just afraid if I show up, I’ll shock you all to death.”

Brother Du continued, “I heard you’ve been in seclusion creating music and haven’t appeared in ages. Can you share how your songwriting is going?”

At this, Chu Hao’s spirits lifted considerably. “Today I’m going to perform this new song. I hope everyone likes it.”

His words sparked an enthusiastic response from the audience, who couldn’t wait to hear the new piece.

Brother Du nodded with a grin, keeping the energy up. “Well, there’s no need for us to say more—everyone can barely contain themselves! Let’s give Chu Hao’s new song debut a thunderous round of applause and cheers!”

“All right! Let’s welcome our next contestants—currently ranked fourth—Ji Shengxue and her companion, Xu Mo!”

Hearing this name, Ji Fanxing was surprised. Knowing Xu Mo, he definitely wouldn’t have come of his own accord—unless it was at her elder sister’s invitation.

Her elder sister already had the support of their mother and younger brother. She didn’t lack allies, so why ask him?

Ji Fanxing couldn’t help but wonder: what was Xu Mo’s reason for coming?

As a former child star, Xu Mo was recognized by many in the audience.

“Oh my god, Xu Mo actually showed up!”

“Heavens! My heart can’t take this surprise. I’ve liked him since I was a kid, and he’s even more handsome now.”

“Old memories are flooding back. I can’t believe I’m seeing these four on stage together—this ticket was worth every penny!”

Led by the usher, Ji Shengxue and Xu Mo stood next to Ji Fanxing and Ning Ze. Ji Shengxue wore a shimmering silver tasseled gown, its hem swaying lightly with her steps, while Xu Mo appeared in a classic black suit, his aloof and reserved aura perfectly matching Ji Shengxue.

At this moment, Ji Fanxing stood in the center, with her partner Ning Ze on her left, and Xu Mo a little over a meter away on her right.

For some reason, Xu Mo glanced at Ji Fanxing beside him, and their eyes met unexpectedly.

The last time Ji Fanxing had worn a traditional stage costume, he’d thought she was just trying to attract attention and hadn’t looked closely.

Now, seeing her up close, Xu Mo was actually struck by how unfamiliar she seemed. Dressed in a red gown with dark hair, Ji Fanxing stood not far away, exuding a confidence that had completely transformed her presence.

For a moment, Xu Mo could hardly believe that this was the same Ji Fanxing who used to trail after him as a child.

Ning Ze, standing to Ji Fanxing’s right, caught the admiration in Xu Mo’s eyes and felt his heart sink. Without a word, he circled halfway around Ji Fanxing to stand on her other side, placing himself squarely between her and Xu Mo.

He even greeted Xu Mo with a bright smile, “Long time no see!”

Xu Mo suddenly felt the vast stage had become crowded. He merely nodded slightly at Ning Ze and quietly stepped further aside.

Sensing the shift, Ji Shengxue also moved over a couple of steps and looked at Ning Ze.

Adopting an air of magnanimity, she greeted him amicably, “Long time no see, Ning Ze.”

Though she spoke to Ning Ze, her gaze lingered in Ji Fanxing’s direction, trying to catch her expression through the two people between them.

Yet, from Ning Ze’s reaction, she sensed something—Ning Ze only acted this way on stage if it was for someone Ji Fanxing didn’t want to upset.

She hadn’t cared about past competitions, but today’s contest was one she was determined to win.

Ning Ze, unbothered by such machinations, had learned his lesson with Ji Shengxue in the past and wanted nothing to do with it. He gave a dry nod and returned to Ji Fanxing’s side, even gently pulling her a bit closer as he did.

He was finally satisfied to see that Ji Fanxing was now at least three meters away from Xu Mo.

Ji Fanxing noticed Ning Ze’s little maneuver and couldn’t help but feel amused. This guileless guy had gone to all that trouble just to keep her away from Xu Mo.

But this was a live broadcast—did it really have to be so obvious?

Still, she suddenly understood something: her dear elder sister actually intended to use Xu Mo to undermine her, hoping she’d lose focus during the competition.

This thought made Ji Fanxing laugh in disbelief. Who would let a man interfere with their goals?

Wait—she suddenly remembered the pain of a former secret crush, and her smile froze on her face.

The cameraman wasn’t missing a thing. Even as other contestants came on stage, he ignored them, zeroing in on the four of them with his camera.

Their subtle interactions were magnified on the big screen for everyone to see.

Ji Fanxing in blazing red, Ji Shengxue cold as snow, Xu Mo elegant and aloof, and Ning Ze—delicate and charming, his fox-like eyes rounded into almonds as he hovered around Ji Fanxing.

Each was a picture on their own, but together—with their tangled pasts and grievances—they created a spectacle.

In the audience and at home, viewers scrutinized their micro-expressions with metaphorical magnifying glasses, inventing countless dramatic scenarios in their minds.

What a swirling undercurrent of intrigue among wealthy heirs and heiresses!

Scheming socialites, sisters at odds, unrequited love—she loves him, he loves her, she loves her, he loves her, she loves her…

“This is a hundred times more exciting than TV, my god!”

“Honestly, if these four starred in a drama, I’d watch it no matter how bad it was.”

“Any pairing among these four would be perfect. I have a bold idea…”

“Don’t even think about it—the odd pairings are always doomed!”

“Ji Fanxing has to debut! This industry would be so dull without her!”

Such explosive scenes were rare in domestic entertainment, and the live stream’s audience kept swelling, everyone growing more excited.

It was already so dramatic before the performances had even started—what would happen next?

At last, all the contestants had taken the stage. Host Brother Du returned, now with great ceremony, to introduce the evening’s heavyweight guest.

“Now, please allow me to extend the warmest welcome to our special guest tonight—the maestro, Master Fang Zhijing!”