As Xie Yu's comments fell, the spotlight that had been on Xu Tingyu gradually shifted to her.
"Wow, as expected of a professional dancer. She notices things others miss. Her comments are so on - point!"
"I was over the moon when I heard our goddess was going to be a judge. The program crew really knows how to pick!"
...
Apart from Xie Yu's fans singing her praises, there were also skeptical voices.
"Come on, I think Contestant No. 1's performance was flawless. Even though she was wearing a half - mask, her eyes were so expressive."
"Yeah, I agree. That crane mask fit the whole performance perfectly. Even a layman like me was drawn into the emotions she conveyed."
"I bet Xie is just jealous. She's a phony anyway. Seeing the contestant outshine her, she can't stand it."
...
Soon, the topic "#Xie Yu Gives 9 Points#" skyrocketed on the trending list.
The comment section turned into a battlefield between Xie Yu's fans and haters, with the occasional remarks from passers - by about the show.
Either way, the show gained more attention because of this.
Xu Tingyu, however, was oblivious to all this.
She didn't take Xie Yu's comments to heart. It wasn't out of arrogance, but as a professional, she could take both criticism and praise in stride.
Some people might like her performance, while others might not. Whether Xie Yu was deliberately making things difficult or speaking from a professional perspective, Xu Tingyu didn't care. Her focus was on the performance. As long as the suggestions were useful, she would accept them humbly.
Next, the performances of the other six contestants were also commendable.
Among them, Sheng Man, a student from a dance academy, performed a Mongolian dance that even Xu Tingyu couldn't help but admire.
Xie Yu, needless to say, heaped praises on him and gave him a full score.
When the final results were announced, Sheng Man was, without a doubt, the champion of the day.
Xu Tingyu ranked third.
Knowing that she had successfully advanced, Xu Tingyu felt a bit relieved.
This show paid according to the number of appearances, and she wanted to appear as many times as possible.
As for the ranking, she was a bit disappointed, but it also ignited her competitive spirit.
After the first episode of the show ended, Xu Tingyu returned to the dressing room to remove her makeup.
Halfway through, Xie Yu barged in.
"Ms. Xu, it really is you. Why would you deign to participate in a show like this?"
She sauntered in, and her assistant, being very perceptive, closed the dressing - room door behind her.
Xu Tingyu's hand paused for a moment but then continued as if nothing had happened.
"Didn't Ms. Xie do her homework before coming to the show?"
Her words were calm but full of sarcasm.
If Xie Yu said she didn't know about the contestants, it would prove her unprofessionalism.
Although the contestants' identities were hidden on the promotional posters, how could the judges be completely in the dark?
If Li Yang had informed Xu Tingyu in advance, he must have told Xie Yu too.
If she said she knew, it would mean that her performance on the show was personal. The 9 - point score that had made it onto the trending list was out of revenge.
Either way, if it were to be exposed, it would be bad for Xie Yu.
So her face paled, annoyance flashed in her eyes, but she quickly calmed down.
"I'm quite curious. Does Shi Feng know that you're parading around on this show?"
When she said "Shi Feng", her voice was soft and coquettish.
Xu Tingyu knew she was here to cause trouble. Frowning, she said, "Are you so interested in other people's family affairs?"
"I'm concerned about you. Your marriage is on the rocks. If you keep showing off like this and anger the Qi family, you'll have a hard time in the divorce."
Xie Yu seemed certain that Xu Tingyu would get divorced. There was an unmistakable smugness on her face.
"Ms. Xie, listen up. I don't know where you got these unfounded rumors, but saying such things doesn't make you look noble."
"Also, in a relationship, the person you should deal with is the man, not the woman. If he promised you something, go to him. Don't act so shameless in front of me."
"I've tolerated you many times because I'm above petty rivalry, not because I'm afraid of you. I have some evidence about what happened back then."
Xu Tingyu didn't even get up. She just sat there, calmly looking at Xie Yu.
Only she knew that her heart felt like it had a hole in it, and all sorts of chaotic emotions were rushing in.
But she was already numb to this kind of pain, so she sat there calmly, showing no sign of distress.
She smiled faintly, as if just chatting with Xie Yu.
Xie Yu's face changed several times. Finally, gritting her teeth, she said, "You're really stubborn."
After a pause, she put on a smug smile and continued.
"Of course, for a woman like you, you say you're above petty rivalry, but your actions tell a different story."
"Shi Feng wanted to give you some dignity and let you back off gracefully. But you'd rather drag the Xu family down than give up your title as the Second Young Mistress of the Qi family."
"So, Xu Tingyu, stop pretending to be noble. You're just a pitiful creature climbing on your father's blood and flesh."
This time, Xu Tingyu frowned. "What do you mean? What do you know?"
Xie Yu looked at her with pity and sarcasm, her delicate features filled with disgust.
"I know nothing. Xu Tingyu, enjoying the wealth and glory bought with your relative's life, are you happy?"
"Oh, right. You can still stand on the stage, so you must be happy. I really feel sorry for your father."
After saying this, without giving Xu Tingyu a chance to ask, Xie Yu sneered contemptuously and walked out, opening the door.
Xu Tingyu went rigid, feeling as if she had been thrown into an ice cave.
Even though she kept telling herself that Xie Yu's words were not to be trusted.
She was just trying to achieve her own goals.
But doubts kept welling up in her mind, driving her almost crazy - Qi Shifeng, is there any connection between my father's death and you?
Unfortunately, she didn't have time to dwell on this question.
Because Secretary Qian called her, his voice full of urgency. "Miss, Mrs. is missing. Did she go to find you?"
She immediately stood up, grabbed her bag, and rushed out. "No. What happened? Where's Jiajia?"
"I went to the apartment to deliver some things just now. I knocked on the door for a long time, but no one answered. The security guard downstairs said he saw Mrs. go out this afternoon. I've been calling her, but there's no answer."
Zhang Qiu still hadn't recovered from the shock of Xu Jianmin's death. Without a nanny, her life was in a complete mess.
Secretary Qian would regularly go to Zhang Qiu's place to deliver daily necessities and check on her mental state to prevent any problems.
"Mrs. has been in a good state these days. She even said she wanted to arrange for the young master to be a day - student. He's going to be a sophomore soon, and she wanted to take care of him herself."
As soon as Secretary Qian said this, both of them gasped in unison.
Mrs. was in a good state, but suddenly disappeared, and her phone couldn't be reached. Could something bad have happened to her?