To those on the outside, nothing seemed amiss; they probably just thought the song was particularly challenging and a true test of one’s dance ability, unaware of Li Chu’s knee injury.

But was Shen Huai truly oblivious like the others? After all, the original performer of the song “Knees” often danced wearing knee pads under their pants due to the intense choreography, which most wouldn’t dare attempt casually.

If Shen Huai’s choice wasn’t intentional, Su Ning would write his name backwards.

He sensed something was off and abruptly stood up, only to be stopped by Shen Mingzheng.

“Sit down,” Shen Mingzheng seemed to know what he was thinking, “This isn’t the right time.”

Su Ning held back, realizing Shen Mingzheng was right.

With the recording in progress, it wasn’t feasible to storm the stage and halt the performance; switching songs on the fly was laughable. The media seated without voting rights, though not blind, along with Jiang Chenfeng’s presence, meant any interruption would be scrutinized.

What would they write about Li Chu if he stormed up there—another pampered trainee from Guang Ying Entertainment, too fragile for anything but his comfort zone? It would just undermine all of Li Chu’s efforts and performances to date, making any explanation about his knee injury sound like a mere excuse.

Moreover, Su Ning was too late.

The impromptu performance had started; there was no time to react, and Li Chu on stage had already begun.

Aware of his lingering knee injury, Li Chu knew he had options. Being an impromptu performance, he could alter the choreography to avoid strenuous knee movements, opting for simpler steps.

He was creative enough to make those changes easily.

But Li Chu couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Skipping the iconic kneeling move would strip the performance of its soul. The essence of the climax in the song was about a proud man kneeling to propose to the woman he loves.

Changing that move would significantly lessen the impact.

Shen Huai was waiting for this.

By not performing the move, the stage effect would falter, and his impromptu show would pale in comparison to previous ones, especially with Qilin’s performers following him. If Li Chu did perform the move, the knee issue would be his to bear alone. Since it was an impromptu segment, no one was forcing him; any problem that arose from pushing himself too hard could only be blamed on him.

Thus, for Li Chu, there was no real choice.

He had already thought through these considerations in an instant, but as someone trained to the point where his body reacted instinctively to music, he began to move as soon as the music played.

His expression changed subtly, a slight smile different from the youthful arrogance of his previous “Bad Kid” performance. The original song was performed in a suit, portraying a mature male image.

Li Chu’s outfit was no longer suitable, so during his dance, he shed his jacket with a swift move.

Underneath, he wore a simple tank top, which drew cheers from the audience when revealed. His muscular build was apparent when he exerted himself, making him look less youthful.

After a moment, a spinning move flipped his bangs up, revealing more of his forehead, instantly aging him. His features, quite attractive even in a casually tousled look, appeared exceptionally good on camera.

Performance was more than just dance; it required setting a mood, hence the quick change in makeup and demeanor.

Li Chu’s effortless display, full of casual flair, showcased his dance skills were not limited to any single style—he danced like a seasoned pro.

As the song reached its climax, he knelt down in the lyrics, the movement going unnoticed by the audience.

This kneeling wasn’t a one-off; it needed to be repeated in various ways several times.

Performed at center stage, this scene had no direct audience; the closest were the judges at the front, who were in line with Shen Huai when Li Chu knelt.

At that moment, Li Chu distinctly saw a smug smile on Shen Huai’s face. No wonder he had been told to wait—this was what he was waiting for.

This man wanted him to bow, but he refused.

He knew why he was kneeling, and it wasn’t for Shen Huai.

As the music ended and he stood, Li Chu felt faint.

His body urged him to leave the stage for a break or just collapse there, but he couldn’t—not with the judges’ comments next.

Shen Huai appeared overly pleased on the surface, making the feedback session particularly lengthy and involving discussions with other judges.

His face still wore a kind smile, the camera still rolling, the media still watching. Li Chu couldn’t show any signs of distress. So, he smiled and nodded, though the pain in his knee caused a buzzing in his head and his lips began to pale.

Finally, when the feedback ended after an excruciatingly long time, Li Chu stepped down the stairs. The camera couldn’t catch him anymore, and he couldn’t hold back any longer, collapsing.

The stage was slightly elevated, and he hadn’t yet reached the next step.

Unexpectedly, someone caught him from below.

It was Su Ning, who had been waiting there. The strong stage lights had blinded Li Chu temporarily, making it hard to see who caught him. But as the person came closer, he recognized the faint scent of agarwood, likely from the incense often used in Su Ning’s house.

Instantly, he felt at ease, then slightly aggrieved.

Even though his knee hurt terribly on stage, he hadn’t felt so pitiful.

Zhou Chunqing, standing by, was anxious but spoke softly, “How’s your knee? Are you okay? Why did you have to perform that move?”

She spoke from a sisterly concern, but Su Ning wouldn’t have asked that.

He knew the Li Chu on stage had no choice but to perform.

“Don’t panic, go rest and apply some medicine first. I’ve brought some, and the show’s doctor is nearby,” Su Ning said, wiping away Li Chu’s sweat, “There’s still a segment to go, we have time.”

Chen Yuan hadn’t noticed anything amiss due to her focus; she didn’t even see when Su Ning had left. After the performance, she finally realized something.

“Where did Su Ning go?”

“And, was this song even in our random playlist? It’s so challenging; we wouldn’t normally include such songs.”

The random playlist contained about a couple of hundred songs; she couldn’t possibly remember them all clearly. As the chief director, she wasn’t supposed to handle everything, so she wasn’t sure.

Shen Mingzheng then added, “It wasn’t.”

“I’ve seen the playlist; that song wasn’t there.”

Chen Yuan’s first reaction was to admire his memory, then she realized something and frowned.

Shen Mingzheng glanced aside as he spoke, catching the moment Su Ning caught Li Chu and then looking towards the judges’ seats.

During breaks in the performance, like now, the crew would tend to the judges and contestants, applying makeup, offering drinks—like a class break. Shen Huai’s mood seemed much improved compared to when he first arrived.

His and Chen Yuan’s attention was on the fact that having Li Chu perform that song seemed highly suspicious.

In his past life, Shen Huai had indeed sabotaged the fourth season of Idol Star Map, so it was normal for him to have his people within the crew. After the last incident, some were removed, but others, well-hidden, were not yet unearthed.

If he still had people within the crew, changing the song to target Li Chu wouldn’t be difficult.

However, he couldn’t touch Qilin’s people.

Liang Xiaoliang, aware of something, was fully prepared not to partake in the impromptu performance segment. Qilin had plenty of hit songs to choose from for their performances, ensuring a good show.

Soon, Li Chu returned to his seat among the contestants, no longer showing discomfort after emergency treatment. With pants covering his knee, sitting posed no issue.

The show must go on, as per Li Chu’s own insistence.

After sorting things out, Su Ning returned, looking upset. Shen Mingzheng approached, touching his arm, “Come on, I have something to tell you.”

Su Ning didn’t move, prompting Shen Mingzheng to continue, “Don’t you find it strange why Shen Huai is targeting Li Chu? Simple anger doesn’t explain it all.”

Su Ning then turned to look at him, “What do you mean?”

“If you want to know, come with me,” Shen Mingzheng said, “Su Ning, this isn’t the place to talk. I have something to discuss with you. It’s not as simple as you think between Li Chu and Shen Huai.”

“We have the same goal; I also want Shen Huai to pay and preserve this crew.”

Su Ning gave one last look at the small figure of Li Chu sitting there, then followed Shen Mingzheng away.

At this moment, Qilin’s Qu Shou Bai and Shan Chuan took the stage, with the contest proceeding as usual.

Their performance time was lengthy, featuring both a duo act and solo showcases, with one being the main dancer and the other a rapper. Their individual talents were outstanding, and they had strong overall abilities.

Logically, everyone should have been impressed by such a performance.

But somehow, it wasn’t as impressive as expected.

Coming from Qilin, people naturally assumed their abilities should be stronger, thanks to Qilin’s halo, which also set higher expectations.

At least they should have been stronger than Li Chu, right?

After all, no one had such high expectations for Li Chu before he went on stage.

Qilin’s performance was excellent, but in terms of sheer impact, it seemed Li Chu’s was unexpectedly better.

It wasn’t that Qilin’s lacked the wow factor; it just didn’t have it.

As Qilin’s performance ended and the replacement competition wrapped up, there followed a longer break.

During this time, the judges needed to discuss the final ratings, requiring a debate that would last a while.

The final results would take at least half an hour to confirm, allowing just-performed contestants like Li Chu to recuperate and prepare for the next segment, while the production team made some adjustments.

Li Chu, having just taken a break, now needed to check on his knee issue and have it examined by a doctor.

Idol Star Map’s medical team was extensive, not just one doctor, and Su Ning had already informed Chen Yuan of the situation. Of course, she prioritized the health of the trainees, so Li Chu didn’t return to the makeup rooms, which were too cramped for a doctor.

Instead, he was escorted by staff to a dedicated treatment room.

All this happened quietly behind the scenes, unnoticed by the journalists or many within the crew.

Su Ning was busy outside, momentarily absent, while Zhou Chunqing stayed with him. However, after a while, she was politely called away by Chen Tao, Shen Mingzheng’s assistant.

“There are some arrangements for the upcoming segments being discussed with the trainees. Mr. Su asked you to listen in, especially since Li Chu can’t leave right now,” Chen Tao said, “Let’s go, it won’t take long.”

Zhou Chunqing felt compelled to go, knowing Li Chu was in good hands. After giving some instructions, she left.

The doctor patiently examined Li Chu, applied a thicker layer of medicine, and secured it well, ensuring it wouldn’t be visible under pants. After asking a few questions, he said, “Wait here, I’ll get a device.”

Li Chu obediently nodded.

Once the doctor left the room, Li Chu sat alone on the sofa for a while, checking the time.

It wasn’t long before someone else entered the room in the same manner, pushing the door open.

This uninvited guest was none other than Shen Huai.

The judges’ discussion was a kind of intermission, and he easily slipped out under some pretext—no one thought it inappropriate.

But this time, Shen Huai’s expression upon seeing Li Chu was far more relaxed than before, almost triumphant. After closing the door, he leaned against it, giving off an air of inevitability.

“How are you feeling now?”

Li Chu ignored him, not wanting to move his freshly medicated knee, and turned his head away.

But Shen Huai had much more to say.

“Li Chu, those few kneels on stage were nothing, just an appetizer.”

“Don’t worry, I still have many ways to ruin you in this show, and just as easily, I can ruin others.”

“Do you think standing with Su Ning really gets you anything? Come with me, I’ll give you another chance.”

Li Chu didn’t even glance at him, scoffing before replying, “Shen Huai, you’re a mentor on Idol Star Map, is this how you should be responsible for the show? You’re a disgrace to this stage.”

“Idol Star Map? What’s that to me? The stage?” Shen Huai scoffed, “This show was meant to be destroyed by me, it’s only lasted this long by luck.”

Hearing this, Li Chu slowly responded, “Don’t bother talking, you’re not worthy. Seeing you just makes me sick, get out.”

Shen Huai intended to say more, seeing Li Chu as a still useful pawn, but given the circumstances, he realized it was pointless to continue.

Li Chu’s stubbornness left Shen Huai no choice but to take harsh measures.

He hadn’t planned to stay long, just wanted to shake Li Chu up while he was still in pain. As he prepared to leave, however, the door behind him wouldn’t open.

Shen Huai twisted the handle, but it wouldn’t budge.

It seemed to be locked from the outside, which shouldn’t be the case.

Who locked the door? Who was outside?

The treatment room area was secluded, unlikely to have passersby.

Shen Huai quickly sensed something was wrong, and soon someone answered his question.

A three-panel screen in the corner of the room, unnoticed by anyone, suddenly fell with a loud bang, revealing Su Ning, who had been standing there, face stern.

“Going somewhere?”

“Repeat what you just said.”