CEO's Sweetheart is a Super Idol
Chapter 85 - 83 Opening Performance

Chapter 85: Chapter 83 Opening Performance

Long Zitao emerged from the dazzling lights at the center position: "Hello everyone, welcome. Here, you will reset everything and start a new Chapter."

Long Zitao continued, "You are the ones who stood out among 574 companies and 178,213 trainees. Once you debut, you will become Huaxia’s strongest girl group."

Some people felt their hearts surge with excitement, especially those familiar with traditional girl groups like Magic Numbers, Chasing Moon, and Galaxy.

But some only gave a faint smile, such as Chen Yinghan and Liu Feiyu.

Others looked completely bewildered, like Lv Fangxin.

They thought, "I was clearly invited by the director, how was I selected?"

"Alright, now prepare your performances. Based on your performance, we will assign you to one of five classes ranging from A to F. Class A will hold 11 members—those in debut positions." Long Zitao explained to everyone.

Sitting in the trainees’ seats, Ye Yuwei was extremely nervous at this moment.

She wasn’t sure if her entrance performance earlier would earn her any screen time from the production team.

If the final cut completely edited her out, there would be nothing she could do.

However, during the upcoming singing and dancing evaluations, as long as you performed well, the production team would likely give you decent screen time. To stand out, she had to overwhelm everyone else.

The first group of three to take the stage was an interesting lineup, featuring two from live-streaming platforms.

They were: Zhang Jiarui from Chaochao Live, Wang Qingyu from Xijing Media, and Zhou Xuefang from Shanghai Feiyu.

Seeing these three take the stage, Long Zitao immediately perked up, but what he heard next through his earpiece from the director left him stunned.

"Zitao, after this group’s performance, you need to deliver a harsh critique."

Although Yang Xiaoyue’s words made Long Zitao feel puzzled, he discreetly signaled his understanding as instructed, using a pencil to make a small mark on the table.

Once the three began their performance, Long Zitao finally understood Yang Xiaoyue’s intention.

Not only were their singing and dancing subpar, but their attitudes were also dismissive—they treated the competition as a joke, laughing and joking around.

Long Zitao’s face darkened completely as he stared coldly at the three girls.

In his eyes, wasting such a valuable opportunity was nothing short of a crime.

For a girl group member, every second of screen time was incredibly precious.

Even if Yang Xiaoyue hadn’t told him to teach them a lesson, he wouldn’t have hesitated to do so.

"What are you even here for?"

This question instantly silenced the three, who had been awkwardly laughing moments ago, their faces showing displeasure.

"We are serious about creating a girl group. This is a serious competition. If you’re not capable, go home! No one is here to play games with you. This is a stage."

After Long Zitao finished speaking, the entire studio fell silent, with only the sound of the cameras whirring. None of the trainees in the contestant seats dared to take a deep breath.

The members of traditional girl groups watched with satisfaction in their hearts.

They shared Long Zitao’s sentiment—such a performance deserved to be immediately dismissed.

Their behavior was an affront to the stage and an insult to those who trained relentlessly and endured pain.

"I’m sorry. I’ll do better. Today, I performed poorly, but tomorrow, I won’t be like this." Wang Qingyu, who still had some shame, finally managed to say something reasonable.

Just moments earlier, while preparing backstage, she had been the only one among the three to suggest a motivational huddle for their group, even in the presence of what seemed like a strong rival girl group led by Fu Xiaoyu.

At the time, Zhou Xuefang had even muttered, "Why don’t you just give up already?"

"Maybe they said so much earlier just to ease the awkwardness," Zhang Wei, ever the peacemaker, tried to smooth things over. "They should reflect and practice well after this."

With that, he gave the three an excuse to step down.

Although the first group was a flop, Ye Yuwei became even more focused.

This was likely what the production team intended—to set an example.

By sending out an unprepared group first, they established rules and standards, forcing everyone to take the stage seriously.

At the same time, it sent a message to the audience that they were genuinely committed to creating a quality girl group.

However, if they truly wanted quality, they shouldn’t have chosen those three in the first place.

Ye Yuwei also understood that if the director’s team didn’t intentionally edit the footage but aired it as it was, those three would ruin their public image entirely.

Unless the production added a redemption arc for them later, their fate would likely be a one-round elimination.

Lu Bingbing glanced at Ye Yuwei’s direction, and the two exchanged a knowing nod.

The performance that followed was by the girl seated on the throne.

Backstage, Fu Xiaoyu, who was preparing, felt immense pressure. She already regretted sitting on that throne.

She hadn’t expected the production team to have them perform in order based on their seating arrangement.

If she didn’t perform well, it would drag down the entire team.

The fallout from Zhou Xuefang and her group’s performance had already instilled some fear in them.

"Don’t be nervous; it’s okay. Just follow the routine," Qiang Yueting, the team’s most skilled vocalist, encouraged everyone.

Fu Xiaoyu glanced at her with a complicated expression. The company was clearly promoting Qiang Yueting, yet she hadn’t given up on fighting for the spotlight.

Still, Qiang Yueting hadn’t blamed her for taking the throne.

This filled her with guilt.

"Xiaoyu, the pressure on you will be enormous, but remember, no matter what anyone says, keep smiling," Qiang Yueting reminded her teammate.

She understood that during a debut performance, once nerves set in, people might do unexpected things.

"Thank you, Yueting. I’ll remember that." Fu Xiaoyu looked at her gratefully.

Seeing Qiang Yueting’s generosity, the others in the group let go of their minor grievances as well.

Qiang Yueting took a deep breath in secret. She wasn’t afraid of the upcoming performance.

She had performed on more than a dozen formal stages and participated in similar competitions before.

However, after past competitions, she had faded into obscurity, never again standing on such a high-profile stage.

Now, her desire to perform was overwhelming.

She wanted to bloom with the most vibrant youth on this stage.

She was confident. As a singer, perhaps she wasn’t the top, but she believed she ranked among the best in this crowd of idols.

Moreover, her dance foundation wasn’t bad—many singers could sing, but not dance.

She was proficient in both, and the production team wouldn’t overlook her skills.

"Are you nervous?" Luo Junxiang, a singing and dancing idol who had been famous for nearly a decade, asked.

Everyone knew he was speaking to Fu Xiaoyu, so no one else responded.

"Not too bad!" Fu Xiaoyu replied with a nervous smile.

"Do you know how many pairs of eyes are watching you right now?"

"...Not really. Everyone seems pretty friendly."

"Really? Then why do I feel all the eyes on my back are filled with hostility?"

As soon as Luo Junxiang spoke, the girls sitting behind him quickly chimed in, "No, no!"

Fu Xiaoyu became even more nervous, her eyes scanning the seating area. Although every girl was smiling, she felt a strong, oppressive aura surrounding her.

"Alright, stop scaring her!" Tian Jiaxuan stepped in to mediate.

Fu Xiaoyu gave her mentor a grateful smile.

"Let’s begin." Long Zitao still wore a stern expression.

The five girls started aligning themselves in formation, and suddenly, everyone’s expressions became serious.

"They’ve got the aura," one of the girls said.

"This is what a professional girl group looks like," another added.

Members of groups like Chasing Moon, Fashion, and Magic Numbers also showed solemn faces.

As the saying goes, amateurs watch the excitement, but experts see the details.

This girl group from Bala Entertainment displayed professional dance training from the very first pose.

You could discern whether someone had professional training just from the simplest opening move.

As expected, the group delivered an incredibly professional performance, especially Qiang Yueting’s opening segment. Despite being in motion, her pitch was perfectly on point.

Three lines of lyrics—steady breath control, precise tone, showcasing exceptional professional skills.

Although her four teammates sang more average lines, none were out of tune, let alone hit a sharp note.

That, in itself, was already remarkable. Even the most professional girl groups from neighboring countries couldn’t consistently achieve such a standard.

At this moment, Luo Junxiang’s earpiece relayed Yang Xiaoyue’s voice: "As per the script, give Qiang Yueting a solo performance opportunity and remind everyone to use this girl group as the standard for their performances."