In Episode 8 of the show, the standard version racked up over 100 million views within the first 60 minutes. The rest of the numbers were even more impressive, and the exclusive performance version alone brought in a surge of new subscribers.
"Jo Kwon had a stage in this episode too, so why was the gap this wide?" Producer Che Lun frowned as he studied the data sheet, lighting a cigarette.
He stepped onto the balcony, and halfway through his smoke, it clicked. "So much for the fame of Korean idol groups. Chu Zhi's numbers are three times higher."
Once someone makes up their mind, bias creeps in. True, Chu Zhi had defeated Jo Kwon twice. His popularity was definitely higher, but not three times higher.
Thinking back to Episode 8, the spike had been driven by Gunslinger's comments and iQIYI's heavy promotional push. That episode had already gone viral.
Episode 9's "challengers" had been arranged through backdoor negotiations between agencies, with balance and strategy in mind. There was no viral controversy, and the battles weren't as exciting. Of course the views dropped.
"Chu Zhi really is the final boss of the entertainment industry's popularity game," Che Lun muttered as he finished his cigarette.
He needed a new topic to break the online stagnation, so he browsed the internet for anything with potential. Soon he found a post under the show's official account.
[Sunny March and You]: Does Yu Lan have something against Chu Zhi or what? He's been throwing shade nonstop. It's happened so many times now.
That comment had racked up a bunch of replies. Plenty of Chu Zhi's fans, the "Little Fruits," had already felt something off from Episode 1, but since Chu Zhi referred to Yu Lan as "Third Brother," they'd kept their tempers in check.
But the more they watched, the worse it looked. It felt like bullying, like Yu Lan was taking advantage of Chu Zhi's sincerity. The fans had had enough.
They began digging up every instance of Yu Lan's passive-aggressive behavior on the show. And the more they found, the worse it looked.
"Oh?" Che Lun saw the opportunity. This could be a real breakout moment. If he helped nudge the narrative that Yu Lan was sabotaging Chu Zhi behind the scenes, it might just explode.
He knew the fighting power of the Little Fruits. If this blew up, Yu Lan's fanbase would probably get shredded. But Che Lun didn't care. It wasn't like they were fabricating anything or editing the footage deceptively. Yu Lan's behavior was on full display.
With zero hesitation, he called up the PR team to coordinate. He didn't feel guilty at all.
Job done, it was already 11 PM. Still not sleepy, he opened his fridge. No snacks. Didn't feel like ordering food either. So, he turned on a movie app. Not many showings at this hour, just one Hollywood film and the midnight premiere of Wobbly Steps.
"Huh? A new film by Director Gao Wang?" Che Lun frowned. "I thought his new movie had a different name."
Whatever. Gao Wang's movies were a must-watch. It was a midnight showing anyway, so he bought a ticket and headed out.
Late-night movies had become his thing. As a producer running a program, with directors often acting like figureheads, Che Lun was buried in stress daily. Watching movies in the quiet hours of the night was his form of therapy.
Especially afterward, walking home at 1 or 2 AM with the streets mostly deserted and the dim streetlights barely lighting the road—it gave him peace.
Wobbly Steps told a simple story about "communication." Even if a mother's intentions are good, she still needs to talk to her children. And kids trying to care for their elderly parents also need to communicate. Without that, they're left with a lifetime of regret.
The story was ordinary, but Gao Wang's visual storytelling and attention to detail made it deeply moving. Che Lun felt it was well worth the ticket. As he got up to leave, the cleaning staff was already waiting outside. Midnight screenings typically ended around 1:30 AM, and the staff wanted to go home too.
Despite it being a late-night showing, the turnout was decent. About half the seats were filled. As Che Lun stepped into the aisle, he heard a familiar voice in the end credits song.
At first, he couldn't place it. But then the lyrics hit:
"Others are playing games, but I'm leaning against the wall, reciting my ABCs. I said I wanted a big plane, but instead I got an old cassette player..."
"Is that Chu Zhi's voice?"
Before he could confirm, the crowd swept him out into the hallway, and the credits stopped rolling. Back home, he looked it up. Thankfully, the song was already up on music platforms. Currently second on the new song chart: "Listen to Mom" (Theme from Wobbly Steps) by Chu Zhi.
He put on his headphones and hit play. A gentle melodic rap came through. Compared to "Chapter Seven of the Night," this was the complete opposite in style.
"A creative genius," Che Lun murmured. "The range is insane. Both are melodic rap songs, yet one is dark and gothic with a classical flair, swapping between baritone and soprano. This one is bright and catchy. 'Listen to Mom, don't let her get hurt'—it's unforgettable."
If the next episode was going to perform well, Chu Zhi needed a proper rival. But who? No established artist with a strong reputation would want to lower themselves to be called a "challenger."
That night, Che Lun tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep.
As daylight broke, buses, bullet trains, and private cars began flooding the roads. The city's blood began circulating again. People went to work. Others hustled for a living. All part of the cycle.
Meanwhile, Gao Wang's new film, Wobbly Steps, brought in over 30 million yuan from its midnight premiere. Not quite blockbuster level, but excellent for a character-driven drama.
The reviews were strong too. The film opened with an 8.1 rating on Douban. As people discussed the film's emotional impact, the song "Listen to Mom" gained traction online.
"I didn't cry during the movie, but the second the end credits song started, I lost it. 'Listen to Mom, don't let her get hurt.' It reminded me of my mom—she worked hard her whole life and never got to enjoy anything. She's never even been to a cinema."
"I never liked rap. Never even listened to it. But this one hit me. I think I get it now."
"I looked it up. Of course it's Chu Zhi again. Every good song lately seems to be his."
The fact that the audience left the theater talking about the song proved how much it added to the movie. The production team probably owed Chu Zhi a big thank-you.
And Director Gao Wang agreed. With Wobbly Steps earning 120 million yuan on its opening day—the second-best of his career—he sent Chu Zhi a 100,000 yuan red envelope. Not a huge amount, but definitely a token of genuine appreciation.
In the film industry, the discussions were lively. But in the broader entertainment world, the buzz around "Listen to Mom" didn't explode. Why?
Because Chu Zhi had already pulled out two aces in previous weeks. A string of second-place hits after that just didn't feel as impressive.
The movie's success also overshadowed other industry news, like iQIYI subtly fueling the "Yu Lan vs. Chu Zhi" narrative.
More and more Little Fruits flooded Yu Lan's Weibo with criticism. The more rational fan leaders tried to keep things civil, but the questions were still everywhere.
"Care to explain why you're only targeting Little Nine?"
"He treats you well. Why are you doing this?"
"You shouldn't take advantage of his respect for you."
The difference in fanbase strength between Yu Lan's camp and the Orange Orchard was massive. It wasn't that Yu Lan's fans didn't push back, they just didn't push hard enough to make a dent. It felt like kittens clawing at a wall.
Two hours in, it hadn't even reached the trending searches.
Both Yu Lan and his agency issued public apologies soon after.