Li Xingwei: Total peak value 954‰ (Audience votes: 780, Judge panel votes: 174)
Lin Xia: Total peak value 916‰ (Audience votes: 752, Judge panel votes: 164)
Hou Yubin: Total peak value 901‰ (Audience votes: 701, Judge panel votes: 200)
Koguchi Yoshihiro: Total peak value 875‰ (Audience votes: 683, Judge panel votes: 192)
Yang Guiyun: Total peak value 854‰ (Audience votes: 666, Judge panel votes: 188)
Gu Nanxi: Total peak value 830‰ (Audience votes: 670, Judge panel votes: 160)
Zheng Yingying: Total peak value 817‰ (Audience votes: 653, Judge panel votes: 164)
The semifinals would eliminate two contestants. As the challenger, Li Xingwei secured first place, meaning his challenge was successful. With Chu Zhi withdrawing from the competition, Zheng Yingying was the next to be eliminated, leaving the remaining six to advance to the finals.
An interesting observation: Hou Yubin and Yang Guiyun scored exceptionally high with the judges. The former's score was due to his technical skill and seniority, while the latter held the title of "Father of Chinese Soul Music." Even though the judging panel included big names like Fang Sheng, when it came to soul music, few could claim more authority than Yang Guiyun.
What was truly intriguing was Koguchi Yoshihiro's high score from the judges. Clearly, some judges were factoring in nationality when scoring—an unfair practice.
After the recording, Gu Nanxi wanted to treat Chu Zhi to a meal. She believed that if Chu Zhi hadn't withdrawn, she and Yingying would have been the ones eliminated. As an established singer, she wasn't particularly excited about performing at the Bird's Nest, but advancing to the finals was a testament to her ability—especially considering the caliber of the other competitors.
Chu Zhi declined. His comeback was already gaining significant attention, and he couldn't afford to be seen dining privately with women.
At a hallway corner, he ran into Wei Tongzi, who was bouncing toward him. "Teacher Chu, I was just looking for you! Deputy Director Wang wants to see you urgently—he's in the director's office on the 14th floor."
"Thank you, Tongtong. And thanks for your help earlier," Chu Zhi said softly, referring to her assistance in opening the door during his performance.
"N-no, no! I'm really, really happy to help Teacher Chu! Any fan would be overjoyed to assist their idol!" Wei Tongzi stammered, flustered.
"Having a fan like you makes me the luckiest celebrity," Chu Zhi replied.
Beauty isn't the only thing that can captivate—male charm is equally potent. Wei Tongzi felt as if she had just solved the Riemann Hypothesis, her brain flooded with euphoria. No amount of organic milk could compare to this feeling.
This moment would stay with her for years—whether one, two, or even five years down the line, even as she grew into a married woman, she would remain a die-hard fan of Chu Zhi.
Location: Small meeting room, Golden Eagle Building
Time: 10:00 PM
Participants: Chu Zhi and Wang Ke
Wang Ke wasn't just a producer of a hit show—he was also a director at Mango TV, deputy editor-in-chief of the network, and a member of the channel's Party Committee. While he didn't fully represent Mango TV (that would be the deputy station head and station head), he still held considerable power.
"Teacher Chu, it's such a shame that you had to withdraw due to health reasons. Songs like The Wind Blows Through the Wheat, Deserted Island, and today's Against the Light will be remembered as iconic performances," Wang Ke said. "If there's anything you need regarding your health, just say the word. Personally, and on behalf of the entire production team, we don't want anything bad to happen to such a talented singer."
"My illness is mostly psychological. There are things I've wanted to say to the public for a long time—a kind of explanation. But I haven't found the right platform yet," Chu Zhi said.
Mango TV wasn't just a television station. It was part of a massive media empire, including Golden Eagle Media, EE-Media, Xiangchao International, Xiaoxiang Film Group, Fengxing Tianxia Culture Media, and over 80 subsidiaries spanning entertainment, tourism, and real estate.
While Da Hua Entertainment was an industry giant, Mango TV was the undisputed heavyweight.
"Our Mango TV has a well-rated interview program called Little Mango Tea Party Invitation. If you want to share your thoughts, this would be the perfect platform," Wang Ke added. "Little Mango Tea Party Invitation is our only in-house talk show on the app, hosted by Huang Youru, one of our top anchors. As long as the content isn't politically sensitive, there's no risk of being shadowbanned or restricted."
Now that was confidence—the kind only a deputy director of Mango TV could have.
Huang Youru was one of Mango's most famous female hosts, a staple at major events like New Year's Eve galas and the Golden Eagle Awards.
"Thank you, Producer Wang. I believe this will help improve my condition," Chu Zhi said. "When does Little Mango Tea Party Invitation film? And when does it air?"
"The airtime…" Wang Ke thought for a moment. "Saturday at 7 PM."
Perfect timing. I Am a Singer aired on Fridays, and the talk show would follow on Saturdays—a flawless one-two punch.
"Mango TV also has another show in the works—Red: Dream of the Red Chamber. The next episode features Korean superstar Jung Wook-young, and the guest for the following episode hasn't been decided yet. If you're interested, we could consider you," Wang Ke offered.
"Not for now. My health isn't up for variety show recordings," Chu Zhi declined.
"He knows when to hold back", Wang Ke thought to himself. Chu Zhi's withdrawal had helped the production team immensely, so Wang Ke was willing to offer not just promotional resources but also a prime variety show spot. If Chu Zhi had accepted, their professional relationship would have ended there. But by refusing, Chu Zhi left room for future goodwill.
Of course, Chu Zhi's real reason for declining had nothing to do with "knowing when to hold back" or disinterest in Red: Dream of the Red Chamber. In fact, he had already planned to leverage the show for fan growth after his comeback.
The real reason? Once he regained his fame, he could negotiate for higher pay. Signing now would mean settling for less—and Chu Zhi was a man who enjoyed Sichuan and Shandong cuisine but hated suffering losses.
The recording for Little Mango Tea Party Invitation was scheduled for the next day at Golden Eagle Building, meaning Chu Zhi would stay in Star City for two more days.
"Get in, Chu-san!"
As he walked to the parking garage, Chu Zhi heard heavily accented Chinese from his left. Turning, he saw Koguchi Yoshihiro in a baseball cap.
Chu Zhi felt like hats were Koguchi's defining feature—each of their three meetings had featured a different one: a baseball cap, a beret, and their first encounter's bucket hat.
"Next time, let's eat together. Last time, we said 'next time'—so this time is that time. I've been waiting since the recording ended," Koguchi said in Japanese before using a pen-like translator to convert it to Chinese.
"Uh…" Didn't he know that in China, "next time" usually meant "never"?
"It's nutritious! I know Chu-san isn't in good health, so I picked a healthy restaurant," Koguchi added via translation.
Since the invitation was so earnest, Chu Zhi couldn't refuse. He got in the car.
Koguchi had a driver's license, but his Japanese one wasn't valid in China, so he had rented a van with a driver. In the passenger seat sat his manager, Matsuki, an ordinary-looking middle-aged woman.
The restaurant lived up to its promise—"Osmanthus Soup House," a place specializing in nourishing broths. Whether the soup tasted good or not, Chu Zhi couldn't say, but after the meal, Koguchi considerately had him driven back to his hotel.
Back in his room, Chu Zhi tallied his gains:
[Early Leave King]
(Overtime is warmth, full attendance is attitude, early leave is speed.)
Early leave from schedule ×1: 1 Personality Coin ★
Early leave from schedule ×2: 3 Personality Coins
His total Personality Coins now stood at 6. Even his withdrawal from the competition had been counted as "early leave" by the system.
"Some of these achievement categories are nearly impossible to farm. Like 'Early Leave King'—without a valid reason, doing it too often would ruin my reputation," Chu Zhi mused. Fortunately, there were plenty of other achievements to pursue.
"Ah, I forgot about the 'Little Fairy' achievement. I should have refused Koguchi's invitation. Combined with turning down Gu Nanxi, that would have completed [Reject 3 Industry Invitations]."
A restful day.
The next morning, Chu Zhi returned to Golden Eagle Building to film Little Mango Tea Party Invitation.