Rebirth from the Ashes

Keeping an eye on the big screen, the host delivered the live update passionately while the trainees, fans, and viewers in front of the TV stared intently at the jumping polls. The ever-changing numbers on the big screen put everyone on the edge of their seats.

Out of everybody, Han Yan was the biggest bag of nerves with her heart in her throat. The numbers on the big screens had a different meaning to her. Her future was at stake.

“Han Yan… Han Yan’s overtaking Su Ruowan in votes. Time’s up!” The host’s voice was hoarse from all the yelling. The clock stopped and so did the ballots.

The set was quiet for a moment before crowds broke into exclamation and cheers. Hot with emotions, Han Yan’s teary fans yelled out Han Yan’s name.

She won!

The final polls.

Su Ruowan – 9823476

Han Yan – 9823477

The host was still going in the background. The dramatic twist had him keyed up. “The 7th place belongs to Han Yan! Congratulations, Han Yan. Han Yan narrowly beat Su Ruowan by one vote. Let’s all congratulate her for making it into the top seven and onward to debut as a group.”

That was right.

A single vote.

The difference between them was one vote.

Su Ruowan gazed at the numbers on the big screen in disbelief. Feeling a rush of blood to the head, her ears were buzzing and her face contorted as she was caught in a whirlwind of resentment, fury, and jealousy. Her breathing turned heavy.

One vote! It was just one vote!

Han Yan managed to surpass her and took the last spot to debut!

Surprised at first, Han Yan quickly let out a happy shriek. She hugged Ye Weiyang who was next to her. “I won! Yangyang, I won! We’re debuting together as a group!”

It was a great feeling!

She felt as though she was in a dream.

Han Yan won by a single vote. This one vote to her was a blessing from the Heavens.

The mentors watched the scene unfold on stage. Apart from Su Muyan, no one wanted Su Ruowan to make it through to the end. To them, this was the best outcome they could wish for.

Su Muyan was on a rollercoaster of emotions. Gazing at Su Ruowan and then the polls, he was tempted to ram his head on the desk. Regret was probably the only thing hanging over his head now.

A single vote. The difference by one vote was the most infuriating, but more so when the final vote came in at the last second. Su Muyan thought Wanwan had it in the bag one second ago, but things took a twist in the passing of the second. All was lost.

The feeling was like experiencing heaven and hell in the split of a second.

“Han Yan really has Lady Luck on her side,” Fang Yao had to say.

That single vote could not come too soon. It was paradise for Han Yan, but abysmal darkness for Su Ruowan.

“It’s such a pity for Su Ruowan.” He Sumo mentioned for formality’s sake since the cameras were on them.

Han Yan was on a roll, snatching the last spot to debut in the last second from Su Ruowan by one vote.

Gu Yang and Xia Mi turned to Han Yan with great relief. Hard work always paid off. Han Yan might not amount to Su Ruowan’s overall strength, but they were happier to have her rather than Su Ruowan debuting in the girl group.

Shen Xi was pleased to see the ashen-faced Su Ruowan. While it was upsetting for Su Ruowan to fail in achieving her goals, it was even more painful to have the opportunity slip past her fingers.

It was no fun if the disparity between vote counts was too wide. One vote was just about right.

The single vote would be Su Ruowan’s nightmare and a thorn in her flesh, forever following and tormenting her.

The grand finale was a fiasco, yet the drama was both thrilling and suspenseful.

Han Yan beat Su Ruowan by a vote and scored the last spot to make the group debut.

Su Ruowan lost to Han Yan by a single vote. Overwhelmed by the aggrieved, bitter, painful, and dire loss, she had no idea how she got off the stage. She was fixated on Han Yan and the other girls, secretly wanting to rush over to rip their faces apart.

Why did things turn out this way? What did she do wrong? Su Ruowan was confident coming into the competition. She was certain she would debut as the most brilliant trainee then.

In fact, everything was so smooth in the beginning as she expected it to be. She was in the lead, the most outstanding, and the most popular of them all.

Where did it all go wrong?

That reminded her. It was when He Lu, that b*tch, put her on the spot in public, forcing her to compose her own music and dance. Things also went awry when Su Muyan found her an unreliable middle person and when the nosy Mr. Xixi brought her plagiarism to light.

It was not her fault. She did the best she could, so they were the ones to blame. Everything happened because of them. They ruined her career and drove her to a path of no return.

She was not bothered by the loss as she had other ways to get into showbiz. However, Su Ruowan was not going to let the matter slide. Just wait, she would be back with a vengeance.

“Wanwan, what a shame. You missed by one vote.”

Across the room, a voice was heard.

Su Ruowan lifted her chin to find He Lu sitting in a wheelchair. Beside her were her on-screen best friends – Lan Feng and another girl.

Judging by their smug faces, the trio showed no signs of regret. Su Ruowan wished she could head up there and wipe that smugness off of their faces.

B*tch!

B*tch!

If only these b*tches went to hell!

“Golly, it’s such a pity since it’s only one vote,” Lan Feng lamentably echoed. This was the best single vote ever because the one vote pushed the losing party to the edge.

Letting out a sigh, the last girl twisted the knife and added salt to injury. “I’m upset for you. Really. It’s only a vote. We thought you were going to win since you were way ahead of Han Yan.”

They were also left in suspense until the final result was out. Compared to Su Ruowan, she would rather Han Yan make the debut. Of course, they would be happier if both never made it to the end.

Fury and resentment overtook every inch of Su Ruowan’s being. It was over. Since everything was over, there was no need for her to waste another breath on these b*tches. She was ready to take off.

“Why are you leaving?” He Lu reached out to pull her back. She scoffed coldly and turned up the volume. “Su Ruowan, you were the one who sabotaged the brakes of my wheelchair, right?”

She was not here to just make fun of Su Ruowan and watch her down-and-out. There was one more thing she had to make certain of – who was behind the malfunction of her wheelchair’s brakes?