Chapter 288: Team Popularity on the Rise

The situation developed just as Fang Zhou and his team had anticipated.

The day after they emerged victorious, their team sparked a heated discussion online.

People were buzzing about whether this team could shine and achieve an outstanding result in the national competition.

Of course, there were both supporters and skeptics.

Some sarcastic comments appeared under BreakWind’s Weibo account.

“What kind of dark horse? I think it’s just luck. Those two teams they beat were having an off day, otherwise they wouldn’t have stood a chance.”

“I agree. This team was nowhere to be seen in the provincial competitions, so how did they suddenly become champions? I don’t believe it. They won’t even make the top 10 in the nationals; it’ll be a joke.”

But there were also voices defending them.

“To the person above, stop being so salty. They are a dark horse, so what? They’re just better than your favorite team. Your bitterness is almost coming through the screen.”

“I love BreakWind. I hope they win the national championship and shut you haters up!”

While netizens argued endlessly, Li Siming and Fang Zhou couldn’t stop grinning.

The more heated the online debates, the more attention their team garnered. This meant more viewers for the competition.

Even if they couldn’t clinch the top spot, as long as they made a name for themselves, they’d be paving the way for next year, making it much easier.

This year, they were feeling their way through the dark.

Plus, thanks to the conditions Han Xi set, her cosmetics company would become the biggest beneficiary from all this attention.

To capitalize on the hype, they decided to create a streaming account for their team.

They streamed their daily training life, though not the actual training sessions—those were off-limits. If their strategies were thoroughly analyzed by competitors, their team would be in trouble.

Instead, they focused on creating engaging content to attract followers.

Unexpectedly, their comedic approach was a hit.

Li Siming, being a natural entertainer, along with two other lively teammates, turned the team’s activities into a lively spectacle.

Viewers initially tuned in to see their gaming skills but stayed for the humor, becoming loyal fans.

Surprisingly, within three days of streaming, they attracted tens of thousands of followers.

This matched Fang Zhou’s expectations perfectly—their studio needed this kind of popularity.

The higher their profile, the more money they could earn. By the end of the national competition, each team member could probably make a name for themselves.

With such popularity, the studio could transition into a full-fledged streaming company, ensuring a steady income.

Thinking about bags of money coming in made Fang Zhou couldn’t help but smile.

So, apart from streaming, Fang Zhou spent his days training with the team at the base.

He occasionally appeared on camera, and viewers quickly recognized him as the mastermind behind the team, leading to a lot of astonished reactions.

More people tuned in, boosting the team’s popularity even further.

This made it difficult for anyone to get in touch with Fang Zhou.

People either saw his closed doors or received brief replies on their phones.

Finally, two days before the fourth episode of the dating show was set to start, Chu Xinran caught Fang Zhou at their training base.

Her big, watery eyes looked at him, seemingly on the verge of tears, stirring compassion in Fang Zhou’s heart.

“Xinran, what are you doing here?” Fang Zhou rushed over, feeling sorry for the girl standing there alone.

Although he knew she was likely protected by her family’s people, seeing her like this was still heart-wrenching.

Chu Xinran wore a white dress, her hair styled in a gentle half-updo. Her slightly wavy bangs framed her misty eyes, reminiscent of morning dew on gardenias.

She pouted slightly, looking a bit aggrieved but holding back. Eventually, she simply said, “I miss you.”

Those four simple words revealed her anxious feelings over the past few days.

Since the last episode ended, Chu Xinran had scarcely seen Fang Zhou. She had been busy with her studies and learning to manage family business affairs.

According to Chu Xuan, it was time for Chu Xinran to get involved in the company.

After she grew old, all responsibilities would be handed over to Chu Xinran and her future husband.

Although initially scared, Chu Xinran understood it was her duty.

From the day Chu Xuan took her from the orphanage, she had assumed part of the Chu family’s responsibilities.

But she still missed Fang Zhou.

After failing to see him for several days, she decided to come here.

Fang Zhou’s heart softened, and he led Chu Xinran into the villa, seating her on the sofa and gently comforting her.

“Sorry, I’ve been busy these days and haven’t had time to check my phone.”

He wasn’t deliberately ignoring Chu Xinran. He hadn’t been able to reply to anyone else’s messages either.

Chu Xinyan, naturally gentle, was easily comforted by Fang Zhou’s words.

She smiled sweetly, holding Fang Zhou’s hand and earnestly said, “I understand. You’re busy starting your business. I’ll always support you.”

She had seen the online news.

Knowing Fang Zhou had started a studio and was preparing for the national competition surprised her.

She realized he had been working hard behind the scenes.

As the saying goes, “A soldier who doesn’t want to become a general is not a good soldier.” A man without ambition couldn’t achieve greatness.

Comparing herself to Fang Zhou, Chu Xinyan felt like a sheltered flower, unable to withstand wind and rain.

Their teacher had once said that in a relationship, both partners needed to progress together.

If one person climbed too high alone, they’d drift apart, and eventually, the other wouldn’t even see their partner’s back.

Chu Xinyan clenched her fists lightly and bit her lower lip.

She realized she couldn’t rely solely on her family anymore.

To stand alongside Fang Zhou, she needed to work hard too!