Wei Yumeng accepted the rose, still a little stunned.
So Zhan Mohan wasn't here for Mi Qi?
Zhan Mohan curved his lips at her, "Yumeng, in my heart, you will always be the most beautiful career woman."
Hearing such a confession, the entire venue erupted in warm applause.
Not a single person didn't envy the beautiful love they shared.
Mi Qi, standing beside them, turned pale. She had participated in this program behind Zhan Mohan's back, and now being caught red-handed by him, the consequences were predictable.
If before Zhan Mohan had only caused Zhan's Group to unilaterally cease cooperation with her, at least she still had other avenues for work.
Now, Zhan Mohan might very well cut off all her other paths.
Indeed, she felt his sharp gaze upon her.
But even so, she didn't want to let everything be decided just yet. She had to turn the situation around with her own abilities.
"According to today's special arrangement, it's now time for everyone present to vote. You should all have received the voting machines we distributed. Simply press the corresponding number to vote for your favorite."
The host explained, "Of course, to ensure the fairness of this vote, all your votes will be meticulously recorded by computer and the results displayed directly on the big screen."
"Wait!" Mi Qi stepped forward, "Host, may I make a suggestion? Before voting, could we have a final round of campaigning?"
"Certainly. Then, Miss Wei and Mi Qi, you will each have one minute for your campaigns."
The only way Mi Qi could think of to turn the tide was to openly defeat Wei Yumeng here.
This way, if Zhan Mohan completely blacklisted her from the entertainment industry, she would still have a reason to blame everything on Wei Yumeng.
But if she failed here, then she would have truly failed.
This was a gamble that risked her entire professional career.
Wei Yumeng, on the other hand, frowned. She hadn't intended to campaign at all. For her, the final outcome had never been important.
So, while Mi Qi poured out her heart and mind, articulating her case in a lengthy speech, Wei Yumeng simply stood by Zhan Mohan at the front, and that was enough to elicit cheers from everyone.
Mi Qi looked at Wei Yumeng, jealousy flashing across her face. Why was it that the position she had strived for so long to reach, Wei Yumeng had attained so easily?
Wei Yumeng had the man she yearned for, the popularity she envied, and had become the person she dreamt of being.
Precisely because of this, she was even more determined to surpass her, to defeat her.
In terms of the campaigning, although Wei Yumeng received high cheers, Mi Qi's tears and the applause she received weren't insignificant either.
So, before the voting concluded, nothing was set in stone.
"Next, it's time for our voting segment. Ladies and gentlemen, please begin voting!"
As the host's voice faded, the counter on the screen quickly began to scroll.
"Worried?" Zhan Mohan asked Wei Yumeng by her ear.
Wei Yumeng shook her head. "Rather than worrying about me, perhaps you should worry more about Mi Qi?"
Zhan Mohan looked at her, puzzled. "Why do you say that?"
"Because you already found out what she did, and you wouldn't let her off easily. You would definitely give her due punishment. Yet, she's still here. And it's highly likely she manipulated the previous competition results. So, if she fails this competition, you'll have every reason to make her leave the entertainment industry completely."
Hearing this, Zhan Mohan sighed helplessly. Wei Yumeng had completely seen through his intentions.
"That's right, that is indeed what I'm thinking. And I won't give her another chance to hurt you or provoke you." Zhan Mohan spoke calmly, as if it were simply what he had to do.
Wei Yumeng looked into Zhan Mohan's eyes. She knew that the reason he was acting this way was because he cared too much about her.
But at times, she also felt that perhaps this was going a bit too far.
"Alright, voting time is up! Our voting results are now on the big screen. Who will be today's ultimate champion?"
Following the host's words, the program reached its climax.
Moreover, for Mi Qi, it was an even more significant moment.
The lights on stage flickered, constantly moving between Wei Yumeng and Mi Qi.
Everyone's hearts grew tense, as no one wished to see their favorite idol fail.
"Today's final result is... Miss Wei Yumeng, with an advantage of eleven votes, has ultimately defeated Mi Qi."
Immediately, the venue erupted in thunderous applause. This seemed to be the outcome everyone had been hoping for.
But at this moment, Wei Yumeng stepped forward. "Host, it seems you've forgotten something. Although we've included the audience vote, the previous guest voting segment still stands. Therefore, I believe the final tally should be the sum of the previous votes and the current results."
Wei Yumeng's words were met with some approval.
The host was already sweating profusely. He hadn't expected so many issues to arise during today's program; it was completely unforeseen.
Especially with such a prominent figure present, a misstep could lead to a major incident.
Wei Yumeng glanced at Zhan Mohan, who showed no sign of objecting to her request.
So she continued, "The number of guests isn't large, so it wouldn't be unreasonable to include their votes in the official tally."
The host hesitated for a moment before saying, "After adding the guest votes... the final result is, Mi Qi wins by a narrow margin of two votes."
Mi Qi had won, but her heart felt no joy.
Because this was not an outcome she had earned herself, but one that Wei Yumeng had deliberately granted her.
"What is this?" Mi Qi finally lost control of her emotions and cried out loudly, "You won, you won! Why would you let me win like this?"
"I didn't let you win. Regardless of how you obtained those votes before, they were still earned by you. Therefore, your efforts should be respected, just as the status you've achieved through your own hard work deserves respect."
However, as Wei Yumeng spoke, her tone suddenly shifted. "But what I hope even more is that you will respect the fruits of your own efforts, and not ruin them for your own selfish gains."
Although the audience in the venue didn't know exactly what had happened, seeing Mi Qi's wavering expression, they sensed that the rivalry between the two women was more than just what was displayed on the show.
Mi Qi looked at Wei Yumeng, a complex emotion on her face, and slowly walked towards her step by step...