Chapter 387

"The one who was beaten was clearly me, yet you cried as if the sky had collapsed... At that time, I was actually a bit afraid, afraid that I had truly caused your sky to collapse."

When Seeing Mu Wei held her and said these words with a light laugh, she no longer struggled with the question of "what point of hers attracted him."

He would hold her so gently, cherish her, and protect her; why should she continue to look for trouble for herself?

"Wei..."

"Hmm?"

She didn't speak again, instead snuggling into his embrace and closing her eyes with peace of mind. Their existence made her feel... that she must have saved the entire universe in her past life.

As He Lele's long, steady breaths exhaled against his chest, Seeing Mu Wei opened his deep brown eyes and kissed her black hair. Yes, he was afraid; even now, he was still afraid, afraid that one day the filth and evil in his bones would completely awaken, cruelly tormenting her and hurting her in the name of love! Therefore... she needed enough strong protection, and those powers that protected her were the cage for his evil desires.

On January 22nd, after several changes following the gathering of the Top Ten, the competition format was finally set: two Top Ten matches, with the top three selected based on the total score of both matches for the peak showdown.

There is only one Queen!

When these six words appeared at the top of the competition schedule, it was undeniable that even He Lele, who didn't consider herself overly competitive, felt a surge of excitement.

Who doesn't hope for their abilities to be publicly recognized? Who doesn't crave more and better opportunities for choice? Since they came to compete, who is truly completely indifferent to the results?

January 25th, the first Top Ten battle; February 2nd, the second Top Ten battle; and immediately after, on February 6th, the Peak Battle! Logically, the final should have the most preparation time to maximize ratings, but because it was close to the Spring Festival, the television station and several production companies were short on manpower and resources. If the final were held after the Spring Festival, they worried that the audience would be distracted by holiday activities, and even with great effort in promotion, they might not be able to recover the ratings, so they simply arranged it before New Year's Eve.

This arrangement required all contestants to prepare content for three matches, because for the final Peak Battle, the Top Ten contestants who didn't make the top three, as well as previously eliminated contestants with high popularity, would all be invited as guest performers.

Time was tight, and the first Top Ten battle was imminent. Although the winner would be decided by the total score of two matches, the result of the first battle would directly determine the pressure for the second, and its importance went without saying.

And the first battle was a group battle.

"Lele, why don't... we be in a group together." Pan Enli moved to the empty seat beside He Lele with a fawning smile and said.

The two rows of contestants swept a glance at the two of them, their expressions varied.

After the last competition, they had already learned from Pan Enli that He Lele had a team behind her with extremely strong planning and directing capabilities. As competitors, they were naturally envious and jealous, but if there was an opportunity to use it for themselves...

Many contestants began to hesitate, and a few even started to get restless.

"Angel Xiao Ya, are you interested in being in a group with me?" Qiao Yiyi asked with considerable confidence.

As soon as Qiao Yiyi spoke, everyone realized they had almost forgotten about a person like Cui Yaran. In terms of family background, physical appearance, and reputation, how could He Lele compare to Cui Yaran? Although He Lele had a team behind her, that was likely just the strength of her agency, including that lawyer, who anyone could guess was hired by the company for He Lele's PR. As for that Mr. Mu, they had inquired about him; he was just a playboy with eclectic tastes. Although he was famous in the fashion circle, how could a photographer compare to the child of an official? Cui Yaran had connections, money, and a good reputation; being in a group with her was definitely much safer!

For a moment, even Pan Enli wanted to change her mind, but thinking that she had no friendship with Cui Yaran and likely couldn't compete with Qiao Yiyi in terms of strength, she decided it was more reliable to stick with He Lele.

"I think that idea we passed on last time was quite a pity, and we've practiced it before, so we're familiar with it. Why don't we modify that idea and use it for the first battle?"

"..." He Lele smiled faintly. For some reason, facing everyone now, even facing Cui Yaran, she felt completely calm. And it wasn't the kind of calm that came from deliberate ignoring, but a clear, sweet, and refreshing calm like a gentle breeze. "Sorry, let me ask someone first."

Ask? Ask who? Pan Enli was suddenly flustered.

"Li Jing, can you be in a group with me?"

"Okay." Li Jing agreed readily and walked to Pan Enli's side. "Excuse me, please move."

Pan Enli's face turned ashen as she moved aside. Turning her head, she caught the gloating gazes of several contestants.

"We can invite artists to help in the first battle, arranged by the organizers. Do you have any target candidates?" Li Jing pointed to a line in the first battle arrangements and asked.

Artist assistance... would it be too much of a bully if she asked Ruan Lin or Qin Zhixiu to help?

He Lele lowered her eyes to think, and when she looked up, she happened to see Cui Yaran's cold gaze and her instantly blooming, elegant smile.

Hmm... why did she, somehow, seem to, want to bully someone?

☆, Chapter 319: The True Goddess

Although there were only two and a half days of preparation time, the Top Ten contestants basically all had agency backgrounds, and many segments had backup plans in advance. It was just that this artist assistance was a last-minute addition by the organizers and partners, so the agencies didn't have time to invite artists in advance. Therefore, whether they could invite someone suitable who also had an open schedule depended largely on luck.

Of course, relying on connections also worked.

"Auntie Liu, it's Angel Xiao Ya. Do you still like the bag I brought you last time? Hehe... I'm glad you like it. As soon as I saw that bag, I felt it matched your temperament so well, so I rushed to send it back to the country for you. My mom also asked me to send you her regards. Hmm, haha, you know about it too? Hmm, I thought it would be fun, so I signed up to see, and who knew I'd accidentally make it into the Top Ten. Yes, I'm preparing for the Top Ten matches now and need to find an artist to help. Candidates? Haven't decided yet, afraid those big stars won't have time. No, no, how could I trouble Uncle Zheng with such a small matter? It's really not that important; I'm just here to play. I'll come visit you after the competition. Hmm, thank you, Auntie Liu." Hanging up the phone, Cui Yaran lowered her eyes to glance at the invitation list confirmation in her hand and let out a contemptuous snort. So what if they are Best Actresses? Aren't they all just playthings for the powerful? Not all high-ranking officials are as stubborn as her father.

On one side, Cui Yaran used the wives of high-ranking officials to throw a curveball and pressure the two Best Actresses she wanted to invite, while on the other side...

"Lele, are we... really inviting them?" Li Jing looked at the list in her hand, her usually steady expression showing a hint of wavering.

"Yes." He Lele nodded firmly.

"... Not to mention whether the organizers can invite them, just for this combination of two men and one woman, how are we supposed to match them?"

He Lele looked at the confused Li Jing and smiled without saying a word.

January 25th, the stars were shining brightly. One familiar face after another took the stage, making the atmosphere of the first Top Ten battle explosive from the very beginning. The tight schedule meant the media didn't even have time to dig up which stars had been invited, so every group of contestants was full of suspense before taking the stage. Even during commercial breaks, the audience didn't dare leave the television, fearing they would miss the moment the mystery was revealed!

The fourth group, the "Quietly Thinking of Joy" group.