~ "Even the strongest smile can hide a storm, even the brightest stage can cast a shadow." ~
"Two questions for the Journey Among the Stars production team.
First: Is there a dedicated medical team on standby? Are there proper emergency procedures in place? (National broadcast regulations require outdoor reality shows to provide qualified medical support for cast safety.)
Second: After seeing a guest sleep only three or four hours for several consecutive nights, did anyone step in?"
These were the opening lines of a pointed open letter posted online, backed with sources and screenshots. A mama fan—Ni Xia—had written it with calm but undeniable fury. Her message spread like wildfire.
Within hours, the comment section under the show's latest official post surpassed seventy thousand messages.
The controversy had pushed Journey Among the Stars out of niche fandom discussion and into the wider public eye. Netizens beyond the usual audience were now watching closely.
To some, Ni Xia's post read less like a fan complaint and more like a personal reckoning. It felt like she had poured all the grief of her past into every keystroke, with iQIYI and the show itself as the target.
Mid-rant, Ni Xia's phone rang. It was her mother again, this time urging her to meet a new matchmaking candidate.
Her mother, already in her sixties, meant well. She just didn't want Ni Xia to spend the rest of her life alone. Ni Xia understood that.
But what kind of men was her mother introducing? Alcoholics, drifters in their forties who had never held a proper job. "You and your ex divorced because of fights, right? So what if he drinks? He doesn't hit women. You're 43 already, you can't afford to be picky."
Ni Xia didn't think all drinking was bad, but alcohol abuse was different. Still, she couldn't argue. Her mother would only respond with more scolding.
This new candidate was 58, divorced twice, and fifteen years older than her.
She declined, politely. The response was swift. "Fifty-eight isn't that old! You're in your forties too, what makes you think you're above him?"
Beep. Ni Xia hung up. If she kept listening, it would only end in another shouting match.
"Why is it always me and Chu Zhi who get bullied?" she whispered.
The weight of her depression pressed harder. Suddenly, everything felt wrong—the phone, the laptop, the couch. The world itself felt hostile.
But some small part of her reason held firm. She curled up, hugging her knees, and cried in silence.
That same night, new details emerged online.
Months ago, Wang Yuan had privately shared Chu Zhi's hospital results with a few trusted fans. They in turn had passed it along to their own circles. By now, many mama fans were aware of his condition—even if it hadn't been made public.
As the hashtag #JourneyAbusedChuZhi climbed to the number-one spot on the trending list, a fan named "Shi San Zheng" posted a bombshell:
"It's not fair to say the production abused Chu Zhi—he's far too popular to be pushed around casually. But the team did make mistakes.
Back during the university concert, he had a major coughing fit. That incident caused a stir, and he was sent to the hospital. Below are parts of the medical record.
I know it's a violation of privacy, and it pains me to share this. But Chu Zhi is not the carefree idol everyone assumes. The Little Fruits may have lashed out at iQIYI today in a moment of impulse, but their anger wasn't baseless.
According to the diagnosis, there hasn't been much improvement since the medical records revealed during the Dream of the Red Chamber project months ago."
That was all it took.
The moment this post went live, Che Lun—the producer overseeing the show's PR—saw it. He had an alert system in place to monitor trending topics. He knew the show wasn't trending on its own merit. The spike had been fueled by the PR firm he hired.
"I thought Chu Zhi's depression was under control," he muttered, remembering how calm the idol had seemed in person. "Maybe even improving."
"What does depression have to do with all this 'emo-cloud-music' stuff anyway?" Che Lun had always seen depression as melodramatic. Just overthinking. Just... being stuck in your own head. Couldn't they just snap out of it?
Unfamiliar with the actual disorder, he made a call to a doctor friend. As a comfortably middle-class producer, he had no shortage of such contacts.
The answer changed everything.
"Cure? For major depression? Not easy. Most patients struggle just to maintain baseline stability. Even with treatment, it takes at least six months to a year of consistent therapy and medication. Sometimes more."
Che Lun hung up, stunned. That timeline... it didn't fit with stardom. No rising celebrity had the luxury of slowing down for a year.
If his friend was right, then the idea that Chu Zhi had "recovered" was absurd. It would be a medical miracle.
"Maybe we should..." He hesitated, then called his assistant, Tang.
"Send out a statement. Clarify things."
Tang was confused. The original PR plan was to ride the trending wave for another two days before clarifying anything. But he didn't push back. The boss had spoken.
Che Lun wasn't a hardened capitalist yet. After talking to the doctor, a sliver of guilt crept in. Was he... bleeding the kid dry?
He had liked Chu Zhi. They weren't close, but even a plastic friendship came with some sense of conscience.
And if Che Lun, the one behind the entire marketing scheme, was now backing off... imagine what the Fruits felt reading Shi San Zheng's post.
For Ni Xia, it was overwhelming.
She had already been upset. Now her chest felt tight just scrolling through the reactions.
"Chu Zhi and Min Jeongbae are the ones who kept the show lively. He talked more than usual just to ease the group tension. And now I can't even describe how I feel..."
"Please stop hurting him. Min joked about a 'chocolate storage fee,' and Chu Zhi remembered it—actually exchanged his credits to get chocolate for him. He's been suffering silently, and he still wants to give candy to others. Don't be like this, Jiu ge."
"My friend is dealing with something similar. Trying to heal. And even she can't bring herself to care for others the way Chu Zhi does. I'm a normal person and I can't match his thoughtfulness."
"He stood night watch without saying a word. Gave out all the sweets he earned. Why is he always thinking of others?"
Reading those comments broke Ni Xia.
Her depression wasn't as severe as Chu Zhi's. She could still go to work, still make it to the occasional office dinner. But that was it. Every day felt like forcing her soul to drag her body forward.
Her one joy—petting her cat and listening to Chu Zhi's music after work.
Because she understood. She knew what it felt like.
How had he managed to keep going?
Her cat must have sensed something. Normally standoffish, the little furball walked over and lay down beside her.
This cat almost never allowed cuddles. Only on very good days. But tonight, it stayed close.
Back online, even Orange Haven's servers were overwhelmed. They had rented more than enough capacity—or so they thought. This scandal was too big.
Comment sections flooded with one line:
"The world is bitter. Let Jiu ge have his candy."
To Little Fruits, that line was no joke. It was tears in spring water. Emotions running too deep to speak.
Finally, iQIYI and the production team issued a response, addressing the "Two Questions for Journey Among the Stars" that Ni Xia had posted.
The show confirmed it had a full medical team on standby.
As for the second question, Che Lun said he had personally asked the artists if they were okay with the lack of sleep.
~ "Even if I'm hurting, don't let the others see. Even if I'm fading, I'll light the way for you." ~