Chapter 108 The Finals (Part 1)
When the ninth episode was released, Meng Fanxi ranked second and topped the trending searches. In the real-time comments, many people asked if it was possible to move up to that position.
Although many fans who have watched so many episodes and know Meng Fanxi say, "At this point, Fanxi is probably thinking more about debuting with his teammates in a high position. When Gu Huailang's ranking was announced, he looked a little worried, and it seems that he no longer cares about his own ranking."
But many people still hope to witness that moment, to see Meng Fanxi take that position.
Various popularity surveys outside the program and data from the Starlight APP finals before the vote count was masked all showed that Meng Fanxi's votes were already leading by a small margin.
In the history of talent shows in China, there has never been a trainee who made a comeback and reached the top. In the talent shows that are currently airing, the initial center is often the final center, or the top two always take turns sitting in the center position.
The song selection for the final of the Eternal Six Stars competition has also sparked a lot of discussion.
[They actually chose such an upbeat song! I can't even imagine how they'll perform it. All I can picture is their cool, domineering, and swaggering image.]
[So exciting! These six are always pushing their limits!]
They always bring a fresh experience; I can guess some of their song choices with my eyes closed.
[Will it work? Will it not disappoint?]
No matter who disappoints, Yongliu will never disappoint. They must have planned a lot for the final.
Am I the only one who noticed the look in their eyes when they heard "The Only One"? They were so in sync.
...
Fans waiting outside the recording camp found it increasingly difficult to spot their idols; it was as if they had entered the practice room and never come out.
The fans plan to wait until the trainees appear.
The production team had no choice but to have all the trainees come out and formally remind the fans to be careful and not to let the fans wait outside, as it was unsafe and very tiring.
Under the cover of night, the dim lights in the recording camp illuminated the unadorned faces of each trainee, revealing their natural beauty and youthful energy. They sincerely thanked their fans for their support, and their eyes also showed the fatigue of a day's training.
Fans felt both heartache and emotion, and the feeling of the finals approaching step by step lingered in everyone's hearts.
If the practice room floor hadn't been so cold, Meng Fanxi would have really wanted to live in the practice room, practicing whenever he woke up and sleeping whenever he was tired. But as an idol, he still had to pay attention to his appearance, so all that effort would inevitably leave him looking utterly exhausted.
The show's official promotional platform has also started a daily countdown. Every day, along with the release of the countdown, glimpses of everyone's practice that day will be posted on social media, allowing fans to catch a glimpse of their idols.
With only five days left until the finals, all the trainees received a notification that the competition venue would no longer be Mushroom Park, but would be changed to Yuncheng Olympic Sports Center, the largest stadium in Yuncheng.
A stadium capable of holding 100,000 people for a major sporting event.
The production team didn't expect it to actually be approved. Originally, they planned to hold the finals at Mushroom Park, but the show's popularity continued to rise, which gave them great ambitions, so they tried applying for the Yuncheng Olympic Sports Center.
Before applying, they learned that the venue was the main venue for various sports events in Yuncheng and was generally not lent out, so they did not have high hopes.
Unexpectedly, the organizers were very happy and praised the program for helping more people understand Yuncheng, providing tremendous support in all aspects of the venue.
In these last few days, they practiced in the practice room during the day and took a bus to the venue for rehearsals in the evening.
When everyone first stepped into the Olympic Sports Center, they were amazed by the scale of the event. Considering the stage setup and the audience's perspective, the venue was not fully occupied by 100,000 people, but rather about 60,000 seats were open.
In the eyes of the teenagers, there is no difference between 60,000 and 100,000; it's just a lot of people.
Meng Fanxi had certainly attended countless concerts and sat in dozens of performance venues of all sizes, but the realization that he would have a place on this stage still thrilled him. This was a completely different feeling from watching any other performance.
While other teams were rehearsing, they sat below, facing a massive stage that stretched endlessly both horizontally and vertically. The production team was still building and perfecting the outer parts of the stage, and compared to this colossal structure, they were all tiny.
The trainees in the rehearsal were Zero Degrees. They were experienced trainees with a long track record and were quite experienced in performance, but it was clear that they had difficulty controlling this spacious stage, which was arguably the most luxurious in history.
For once, the six people were at a loss for words, their mouths slightly agape as they watched the team perform on stage, creating an inexplicably somber atmosphere.
Meng Fanxi broke the silence among the six people: "I'm suddenly starting to get nervous."
Xu You stared at him with wide eyes: "No! If you're nervous, what am I supposed to do? My legs are shaking. You're my pillar of support, you can't be nervous!"
Meng Fanxi was speechless, his lips twitching slightly: "When did I become your pillar of support? How come you don't know about this?"
Gu Huailang stood firmly on Xu You's side: "I've never seen you nervous before, so you'd better stay calm."
Meng Fanxi: ...
The most nerve-wracking time for him was during the first public performance, when he had to perform in front of thousands of audience members for the first time. He still remembers that tingling feeling.
After Meng Fanxi's words, the tension in everyone's hearts seemed to disappear without them realizing it, and they began to joke around as usual, curiously looking around the entire venue.
The rehearsal went smoothly. Jiang Xunzhen attached great importance to the final, spending many times more time on each team. She would patiently explain to each member of each group how to cooperate with the camera and how to control the stage.
As they left the venue, a cool evening breeze caressed their faces. Meng Fanxi walked at the back of the group of six, his smooth, dark hair swaying freely in the wind, brushing against his long eyelashes. At that moment, his mind was blank, he wasn't thinking about anything, he was just enjoying the present moment.
Just then, a noise came from an SUV with its lights on parked in the distance. Everyone looked in the direction of the sound.
The passenger window rolled down, revealing what appeared to be a girl holding a megaphone. Mustering her courage, she shouted, "Go Fancy! Go Meng Fanxi! Go Eternal Six Stars!"
Then, as if fleeing in panic, the windows were immediately rolled up and the vehicle slowly drove away.
A sense of warmth filled their hearts. They had waited here so late just to cheer them on. The six of them smiled as they watched the car drive away.
This scene was captured by paparazzi waiting to take photos after work, and uploaded to Douyin as behind-the-scenes footage. The fans' sudden shyness and immediate runaway after their energetic shouts, as well as the boys' smiling backs as they watched, touched many people. The video spread rapidly after two hours, adding to the hype for the finals.
The time leading up to the finals flew by, and everyone seemed to have matured suddenly. On the eve of the finals, the production team suddenly put all the tables together in the cafeteria and had the 35 trainees sit in a circle as a final blessing before the finals.
Jiang Xunzhen sat in a prominent seat where everyone could see her, and raised a glass of plain water in front of her.
The plain water was a safety measure to ensure that all the trainees' voices would be fine tomorrow. The trainees found the scene a bit funny and raised their water glasses with laughter.
Jiang Xunzhen's voice has become hoarse due to overuse during this period. "Tomorrow is the final. Many voices on the Internet are saying that 'the success or failure of the show depends on this.' I don't think so. I think you have already given this show new vitality. It is already a successful show."
Meng Fanxi nodded silently. That was true. Compared to the situation in his previous life where there was no splash at all, the current situation was obviously completely different. Even though the production team had tried their best to prevent them from communicating with the outside world, they could still feel the great enthusiasm from the outside world.
Perhaps the other "teen idol" program is the opposite.
Jiang Xunzhen continued, "Tomorrow will be the end of your show, but it will only be a new beginning in your lives." She smiled, which was rare for her. "We've put you through a lot of trouble these past few days, but that won't be the case tomorrow. There won't be any sudden changes to the rules or procedures. All you have to do is immerse yourself in the stage, immerse yourself in that wonderful moment, and enjoy every minute and every second."
"I wish you a perfect end to this 'Team-Based Camp' trip!" She raised a glass of cooled boiled water and drank it all in one gulp.
Meng Fanxi also drank the cool beverage, his gaze resolute.
The weather was exceptionally hot on the day of the finals broadcast.
The performance will not start until it gets dark in the afternoon, but countless fans have already lined up to reserve their spots along the route outside the venue.
Nearby, fans from various teams and individuals were giving away gifts and merchandise. Some gifts had certain restrictions, such as forum level, while others were given away without any requirements. Each merchandise area was packed with people.
The trainees were taken to the backstage of the Olympic Sports Center at the crack of dawn for makeup and styling, and had their final dress rehearsal.
The lounge's television broadcast the spectacle outside live. Director Jiang said that all 60,000 tickets sold out instantly, and even well-known figures in the industry couldn't get tickets to watch the event in person.
Several small areas near the stage were specially marked: the seating area for the five mentors, the area for the returning trainees, the area for the invited judges, the area for the company representatives, and the area for the trainees' parents.
Meng Fanxi guessed that the company representative was probably Wei Ye, but since the limit for parents was two per person, he should be one of the parents. However… he carefully glanced at Gu Huailang’s expression, which seemed very calm. He wondered which of his parents would be coming.
After the final rehearsal, all the teams returned to the rest room to rest and replenish their energy with some food, since the live broadcast that night would last for at least three or four hours without interruption.
Half an hour before the start, they reviewed the stage movements from the beginning, only once, without any hesitation, and then gathered in the large waiting room where all the competing teams were.
This was probably the least tense moment in the waiting room. They were rivals, but also partners who had walked side by side through this period. The expressions on everyone's faces were not relaxed. They faced the important task of ensuring the show could end perfectly.
Everyone high-fived and encouraged each other, waiting together for the grand final to officially begin.
At this moment, the program's outdoor set was holding its final warm-up, randomly interviewing the invited judges on site.
As Jiang Xunzhen's calm voice began the countdown: "3, 2, 1—"
The live broadcast of the finals has officially begun.
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