The two challengers approached Wang Lingkai, bumping fists in their own unique greeting.
They then walked up to Ye Huanqiu and flashed a hand gesture common in the rap scene, making it clear they were there to challenge the reigning champion from the previous episode.
Ye Huanqiu remained expressionless, quietly observing their theatrics.
"This episode promises to be particularly exciting. Everyone, please take your seats," Meng Yan announced. Hosting her third consecutive episode, she had found her rhythm and now managed the show effortlessly. She no longer needed Wang Ziqiang to set up jokes; she could seize opportune moments to inject her own remarks.
"Teacher Ye, please hold on for a moment. The audience might have a few questions for you. No need to rush to your seat—come, come, let's give you the center spot." Wang Ziqiang hadn't forgotten his role. He kept Ye Huanqiu on stage, positioning him squarely in the middle.
Meng Yan proactively handed him a microphone, drawing envious glances from the audience.
"Teacher Ye, after last week's episode aired, it became widely known that your absence was due to contractual issues. At the time, the internet was flooded with criticism and harsh comments directed at you. How do you feel about that now?"
Ye Huanqiu was speechless at Wang Ziqiang's impromptu addition to the script, but he knew it wasn't Wang's fault. The show itself had a twisted sense of humor.
They'd found someone to stage the whole thing, then turned around and played the good guys—all for the sake of manufactured drama and social media engagement.
"I don't use the internet or have social media accounts," Ye Huanqiu said. "I only found out about it later. Honestly, I was just at home, lying on the couch, eating pizza and drinking soda while watching..."
"???" Wang Ziqiang's expression mirrored the iconic Black man's question mark meme.
The audience was equally bewildered. Shouldn't Ye Huanqiu be delivering some inspiring lines or playing the victim card?
This was "cyberbullying" we were talking about. The vile, extreme language used in the online attacks was so abhorrent that even Director Zhang, who thrived on scandalous publicity, had ordered his staff to censor it.
Meng Yan stepped forward, asking, "Teacher Ye, how did you cope with the psychological impact? I've also faced harsh criticism while filming. I know I shouldn't read the comments, but I can't help myself. Then I feel awful. I only recovered when my manager strictly limited my phone access."
"..." Ye Huanqiu paused. "Maybe I'm just thick-skinned. There's no special method. I simply don't care about the opinions of people who don't care about me—or who even hate me."
Some people even crave the attention that comes with being criticized, seeing both praise and insults as tools to make money.
Among the five hundred audience members below the stage, there were undoubtedly some who had posted such comments themselves.
Ye Huanqiu's complete disregard for them infuriated them, and they hurled insults:
"Too scared to clap back? What a coward!"
"Classic 'spiritual victory' mentality! He knows he can't win an argument, so he hides in his shell like a turtle. If he doesn't hear the insults, he pretends they don't exist."
Wang Ziqiang chimed in at the opportune moment: "But won't this embolden the cyberbullies? They might interpret your silence as tacit agreement. Why not speak out?"
Ye Huanqiu replied, "Let them bully me, slander me, humiliate me, mock me, belittle me, and degrade me. They're just venting their own frustrations. The harsher their words, the clearer it is they have too much time on their hands. People with both free time and resources should be out exploring the world and enjoying life, not brandishing words like weapons online. I find that truly pathetic!"
He stopped just short of pointing a finger at the hecklers and sneering, "Can't afford to travel? Stuck scrolling and typing insults instead?"
Some audience members nearly lost their composure right then and there.
Fortunately, the fifty staff members stationed throughout the venue quickly restrained them, preventing any outbursts.
Not content with that, Ye Huanqiu added, "They don't understand one fundamental truth: I don't live for others. I couldn't care less about their hateful comments. They're neither family nor friends—they don't know me. They're just attacking an online persona. Maybe tearing me down makes them feel better about their own lives, but it has absolutely no impact on me... And what I love most is watching people hate me while being powerless to stop me!"
This verbal barrage even shook Director Zhang. Ye Huanqiu's final remark felt like a personal dig at him.
He quickly signaled Wang Ziqiang to change the subject before things escalated further.
Meng Yan gazed at Ye Huanqiu with admiration. Interrupted by Wang Ziqiang, Ye Huanqiu returned to his seat.
Li Yuanjie and Gou Bing felt like they had been shot while lying down. Though no names had been mentioned, every word seemed like a veiled insult directed at them.
Of course, they quickly recovered. They considered themselves far wealthier and more accomplished than those online trolls, not to mention being on a popular TV show—they were simply in a different league.
"For the third episode, we're introducing a slight upgrade. The selection process will revert to blind auditions, but this time, the focus is on the singers. Eight teams of creators will each compose a short musical snippet live on stage. The singers will then choose the snippet they most want to hear. Once a selection is made, it can't be repeated."
Director Zhang had considered manipulating the process to ensure Ye Huanqiu selected Yang Chaoyue, but that would be too obvious. If she was chosen in this blind audition, it would be fate; if not, so be it.
He was also eager to see whether the show's high ratings stemmed from the quality of Ye Huanqiu's songwriting or Yang Chaoyue's exceptional performance.
The selection order would follow the previous episode's rankings, with Yang Chaoyue choosing first.
The eight teams of creators retreated backstage, where they had ten minutes to compose their snippets.
Backstage, Ye Huanqiu had an electronic keyboard brought in. He remembered the school bell from his childhood: Richard Clayderman's "Ballade pour Adeline," a familiar piano piece that marked the start and end of classes.
With his Full Musical Instrument Mastery skill, Ye Huanqiu could directly recreate the music from his memory without relying on the power of Starbeam this time.
He finished recording the performance in two minutes and forty-seven seconds, handed it to the staff, and lingered backstage. After all, he had ten minutes—why not steal a little extra rest?
When the time was up, everyone returned to the stage.
Eight short musical pieces were played, each a brief excerpt to help Yang Chaoyue make her choice. By the third piece, she had already made her selection. At the Creators' table, Li Yuanjie and Gou Bing wore expressions of sheer terror.
"No... please, no!" they silently prayed.
Meanwhile, Wang Ziqiang confirmed with Yang Chaoyue that she wouldn't change her mind.
She nodded confidently. Soon, the results were announced: Yang Chaoyue had chosen Li Yuanjie's group, who had ranked fifth in the previous round.
Yang Chaoyue took it well. While she was slightly disappointed not to have chosen Ye Huanqiu this time, she accepted the outcome.
Li Yuanjie forced a strained smile for the cameras.
He was overjoyed. Really...