Two hours later.

The program team's official Weibo posted two statements.

The first statement said that they had just seen the series of incidents on the forum, they were completely unaware of it, they were deeply shocked, and they would thoroughly investigate this matter and severely punish the so-called staff member who leaked the original footage.

The wording of this statement was very harsh, but anyone with discerning eyes could understand.

It was just to avoid being criticized later by the melon-eaters for the program team personally releasing the original footage being too low-level, so they used a staff member's spontaneous actions as a cover.

The second statement was the withdrawal statement issued for Zhen Jia and the other two.

The three statements had the same wording, they all apologized for occupying public resources, they regretfully withdrew from the competition due to personal reasons, but the reason for their withdrawal was unrelated to all the online speculation, please don't pay any more attention to this matter.

Very official.

Of course, it was also very far-fetched.

The three who withdrew were exactly the three involved in the group incident, they didn't withdraw early or late, but chose to withdraw after the group incident was exposed, saying it was due to personal reasons, who would believe that?

It was just the program team giving them some face.

Last night's series of rumors and reversals caused a huge stir but didn't make it to the hot search.

#Chasing Light Girls Program Team Clarification# This topic made it to the hot search fifteen minutes after the program team posted.

But in this hot search, besides the program team's clarification, the rest were Jiang Ye's fans selling endorsements, there were Jiang Ye's stage compilations, or 100-second quick edits of Jiang Ye's cute moments, the hot search control was obvious.

After all, the fans were really driven crazy this time.

Jiang Ye had suffered an unwarranted disaster, and her firm and resolute attitude when clarifying things was enough to make fans feel heartbroken every time they thought about it.

【She's only eighteen years old, how could those rumor-mongers be so vicious.】

【I don't even dare to imagine what would have happened if she hadn't been so strong, if she had obediently waited for the program team to release the results. Even if the program team helped her clarify, wouldn't some people still continue to spread rumors that she reshot the footage, insisting that she ostracized her teammates and grabbed the C-position?】

【I'm still worried about Jiang Ye, she was so strong in front of the camera, but she might be crying in her bed, Mom feels so heartbroken!】

•••

In the dorm.

Jiang Ye, who was worried by her fans about whether she would cry in her bed, was now happily looking at the melon she had just eaten, finally feeling relieved.

But she checked the hot search records and was puzzled, "It was such a big deal last night, but it didn't make it to the hot search?"

Did the program team suppress it because they were afraid it would affect their image?

If it was the program team suppressing it.

Jiang Ye sighed, "That's a pity."

If it had made it to the hot search yesterday, and there was a reversal, the dramatic effect would have been greatly amplified, and it would have definitely attracted more onlookers.

"What a pity? Not making it to the hot search is a good thing, right?"

Cheng Zhen was still feeling uneasy, "You don't know how scared I was last night, I was afraid that you would really be stuck with this black pot."

Jiang Ye reached out and touched her head, smiled, "I know, thank you for speaking up for me yesterday."

"But next time, don't drag yourself into it."

Jiang Ye said, "What if it was really true, it would be easy for you to get into trouble if you blindly take sides."

Cheng Zhen said, "But I know you're not like that."

Jiang Ye was slightly taken aback.

"If it's a real thing, of course I have my judgment, but I'm sure you're definitely not like what they said. Since I know what they said is wrong, then I have to say it."

Cheng Zhen's tone was still very firm, "If none of us speak up, how would anyone know it's wrong?"

Her thinking was still that of a naive girl living in an ivory tower.

Jiang Ye knew that many things weren't that simple, as a public figure, sometimes the more you say, the more opportunities there are for uninformed onlookers to pick on you.

But when she thought about the scene in the live stream yesterday, where a group of people were helping her speak up regardless of the consequences, she softened.

She patted Cheng Zhen's head and smiled, "Thank you."

But after all this commotion, the program team's topic certainly increased.

Chasing Light Girls has always prioritized protecting the trainees and didn't usually maliciously edit to create conflicts.

So, what Zhen Jia did the first time was covered up.

But this time, she was stupid enough to step on Jiang Ye's head, and it was only right that she was sacrificed to generate heat for the show.

With this heat, the number of viewers for the next performance will definitely increase.

But Jiang Ye wasn't happy for long, she was worried about her stage.

According to the usual rules, the performance footage of the trainees who withdrew would mostly be cut.

Although Zhen Jia's parts weren't many, if they were all cut, it would be very abrupt, and the overall stage effect would be greatly reduced.

And if the program team wanted to save trouble, they might even cut the whole stage.

Amitabha Buddha.

Jiang Ye silently wished in her heart, hoping that this wouldn't happen.

•••

Zhen Jia didn't actually want to withdraw.

When she was called to talk, she was still making a fuss, saying that she was framed, how could the program team do this to her just because of a few forum posts?

But the producer didn't care at all, she only gave her two choices.

Either withdraw, or the program team would use their official account to disclose everything she had done on the show.

Zhen Jia had no choice.

The program team wanted her to withdraw, not just because of the group incident or the rumors about the trainee.

The most important reason was that Zhen Jia directly smeared the program team when she spread rumors, directly affecting the program team's reputation.

This was why the program team reacted so quickly this time.

As for Qu Jing, her crime of forming a group wasn't enough to warrant withdrawal.

It was just that she was implicated by Zhen Jia, and she really couldn't face it anymore.

The day Zhen Jia and the others left was Xiaonian (the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month).

There weren't even any trainees to see them off.

The other trainees were either preparing for the upcoming Chasing Light Girls New Year's Eve gala or recording New Year's greetings for their fans.

No matter how much they didn't do, they couldn't help them.

After all, Zhen Jia not only spread rumors about Jiang Ye, who was the top fan-favorite, but also about Jiang Ye, who was also the most popular among the trainees.

The other trainees were naturally united against her at this moment, and it was already good that they didn't cause her trouble.

They left quietly.

Besides a bad reputation, they seemed to have taken nothing away from the show.

On New Year's Eve, the remaining thirty-seven trainees gathered together for a New Year's Eve dinner.

For the sake of the show's effect, the dumplings were made by the trainees themselves.

But Jiang Ye remembered when she was still in the orphanage.

To save money, every child in the orphanage had to work, so every New Year, she would help make dumplings.

She was still small at that time, she had to stand on a stool to reach the table.

And now, in the blink of an eye, she was so much taller than the table.

Jiang Ye dipped her index finger in water, concentrating for a moment, and suddenly felt a little emotional.

While Jiang Ye was lost in thought, Cheng Zhen next to her was still struggling with how to make dumplings.

She tried hard to learn, but after two or three tries, she turned the dumplings into buns.

Tan Meng glanced at it and was almost speechless, "... You don't even know how to make dumplings?"

Cheng Zhen blinked, very calmly and without any shame, "I don't."

"..."

Tan Meng rolled her eyes, then said, "Fine, I'll only teach you once, if you can't learn, then forget it."

She slowly and carefully made a dumpling, then asked Cheng Zhen, "Did you see clearly?"

Cheng Zhen was still very calm and innocent, "No."

She thought for a while, feeling that this was probably Tan Meng's problem, "You worked too fast, right? How could I see clearly like that?"

Tan Meng: "..."

That night, Tan Meng taught Cheng Zhen ten times before finally letting this young lady, who had never done any housework, make a beautiful dumpling.

But the first thing the young lady did after making the dumpling was to show it to Jiang Ye, "Jiang Ye, look, I can make dumplings!!"

Tan Meng: "..."

This girl is going to make her mad!

•••

After making the dumplings, the staff came to tell them.

"The director said, today is New Year's Eve, so there's a special reward for you."

The staff member, seeing the trainees' expectant faces, deliberately made them wait before smiling and saying, "I'll return the phones I collected to you, you guys can call your families."

The trainees: "..."

Almost every trainee secretly hid their phones, and those who wanted to call their families had already done so.

But at this moment, they had to show 100% sincerity.

"Wow—"

"Phones? Really giving us phones!"

"I haven't called my mom for two months, I miss her so much, wuwuwu, I can finally contact her!!"

Jiang Ye: "..."

Their acting is quite good.

There are actually hidden actresses around her.

Actually, calling family members is also a traditional touching moment in talent shows.

Adding that today is New Year's Eve, many trainees who couldn't go home cried in front of the camera while talking on the phone.

However, Jiang Ye entered the recording room, faced the camera, and after being silent for a moment, said, "Can I not record this segment?"

The staff member was stunned, "What's wrong?"

Jiang Ye was silent for a moment.

Nothing much, it's just that she wasn't comfortable using her orphan status to create a dramatic effect.

It's not that she was afraid that people would have colored glasses on her.

She just felt that there were some things in this world that could be used to create a dramatic effect, but some things were better not to.

Jiang Ye thought for a moment and found an excuse, "My family probably won't answer my call."

The staff member still wasn't giving up, after all, Jiang Ye was a top trainee, if this segment didn't have her, the program team would definitely be scolded by her fans, "Then do you know anyone, friends, your company boss, etc.?"

Jiang Ye thought back on her life.

... Except for those she met on the show, she didn't really have many friends.

If she had to say, she could, but those were friends from the orphanage, it had been a long time, who would still be in contact?

"... Okay, I'll call."

Jiang Ye suddenly remembered something and asked, "But can you guys not broadcast this segment?"

The staff member smiled, "That's the post-production editing task, that's not within my purview."

Jiang Ye: "... Okay."

Jiang Ye was holding an old phone, it wasn't very easy to use, she searched through her contacts for a long time before finding the landline number of the orphanage director's office.

She just wanted to talk to the orphanage's grandmother.

The grandmother didn't have a phone, only the director's office landline answered calls from outside.

But today was New Year's Eve, she probably would not be in the director's office, she would just say "Happy New Year, Grandma, I'll visit you later", if she couldn't get through, the program team wouldn't blame her either.

Jiang Ye dialed the number.

The phone rang for a few seconds before being answered, a man's voice came through, "Hello, who are you looking for?"

Jiang Ye: "?"

She was stunned for a moment, guessing it was a new employee at the orphanage, "Hello, is Grandma Jiang Ruoshuai there?"

"Grandma is watching the Spring Festival Gala with the children."

The person on the other end asked, "Do you need me to call her?"

"Ah, no need."

Jiang Ye gave the program team a look that said, "Look, they're busy, there's nothing I can do", "Then I won't bother you anymore, goodbye."

But just before she hung up, the person on the other end suddenly called out to her, "Wait, wait."

He was silent for a moment, then asked in a very uncertain tone, "I'm sorry, this might be sudden, but I want to ask."

"Are you... Jiang Ye?"