Chapter 22: Sensation

Late into the night, market data analysts from various entertainment companies were still sitting in front of their computers, waiting to log the newest results released by RougeNet before heading to bed.

But when they noticed that the top two spots on the Newcomer Ranking had switched—and that the girl now sitting at number one carried a glowing gold “S” rating—they all froze.

According to RougeNet’s grading system, 80 points was an S, 60 was an A, 40 was a B, and so on. Under the light-makeup evaluation standard, ordinary people usually fell between 0–40 points.

Scoring 50 already put someone at “campus beauty” level in most high schools and colleges. Hitting 60 and breaking into A meant standing out even in the cutthroat entertainment industry.

As for S—don’t be fooled by the number being only 80. In the entire entertainment circle, there were absolutely fewer than twenty people who could reach that tier. It was the highest rung of beauty.

At that level, even in the hyper-competitive C-country showbiz, a face like that was enough to become a major selling point. As long as she was willing to appear publicly, exposure would never be lacking.

But what truly shocked these professional analysts wasn’t the “S” itself— it was the fact that this girl was a newcomer.

RougeNet’s scoring system placed considerable weight on “aura” and “presence”—mysterious qualities that usually came with experience.

After spending years as an idol, the subtle changes in posture, confidence, micro-expressions, and overall bearing became completely different from one’s rookie days.

The more fans an idol had, the more confident she became, which in turn influenced her evaluation.

Yet this girl—Lin Xiyue—obviously had zero idol experience. Which meant her potential for growth was enormous.

If she could earn 80 points and land an S before debut, what would happen after two years in the industry?

If those veteran S-tier idols were a fusion of talent and hard work, then this Lin Xiyue was a walking stat monster.

In comparison, the other newcomer who also surfaced today—Summer Jinnan, with an overall score of 72.5—didn’t seem nearly as shocking.

After all, the monthly number-one on the Newcomer Ranking usually hovered somewhere between 50–60 points.

“Which company discovered these two? They’re basically here to wipe the floor with everyone else.”

Staring at the massive gap between first, second, and third place, the analysts sank into deep thought.

Soon, the news spread and began fermenting online.

In a country where idol culture ran deep, everyone knew exactly what this meant.

At first, some people didn’t believe it and assumed the system had glitched—until they saw the two girls’ styling photos. Eyes immediately widened.

Anyone could tell from the slightly stiff, nervous posture in the photos that the two girls were rookies. But even so, their charm was unstoppable. “Stat monster” was the perfect description.

Meanwhile, the “Meteor Shower” choral video was being pushed by all major platforms, quickly gaining traction.

Sharp-eyed netizens soon noticed that the two girls singing at the center—at absolute C-position—looked exactly like the two newcomers who had suddenly seized the top two spots on RougeNet.

This discovery spread like wildfire. Soon, countless night owls flooded the platforms to watch the video.

The video looked casually shot; everyone appeared bare-faced.

But even with zero makeup, the two girls’ facial features, presence, and figures were stunning—perfectly aligning with RougeNet’s high ratings.

People also noticed that the song being sung was completely unfamiliar—clearly something not yet released.

The simple, catchy melody, combined with the shooting-star backdrop and the youthful, warm emotions in the group performance, made even random onlookers pause.

Those originally mesmerized by the two girls’ beauty eventually noticed the charm of the song itself as well.

And so, with a high-quality piece of content, the perfect ambience of the group chorus, the explosive hook of “RougeNet’s Best Newcomer in History,” and the platform algorithms boosting it—the video went viral at terrifying speed.

Overnight, “Meteor Shower” gained widespread attention.

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The Lin Household — Next Morning

At the center of this growing online frenzy, Producer Lin herself was still fast asleep, blissfully unaware of the chaos she had caused.

But Xu Wei had received a call from Secretary Li early in the morning. She now sat at her computer, browsing RougeNet.

The website’s homepage background had already been changed to feature Lin Xiyue and Summer Jinnan’s styling photos. The two best friends hung on the front page, one on each side—an absolute power display.

Lin Entertainment hadn’t paid RougeNet anything. This was entirely the platform’s decision. After all, “Best Newcomer in History” was a surefire traffic generator that benefited the platform as well.

For online platforms, traffic was king. They didn’t mind fanning the flames of this unexpected wave of idol-making.

“Mom… what time is it…?”

A sleepy-eyed Lin Xiyue wandered out of her room, brushing her teeth while mumbling.

“Forget the time. You just performed a meritorious service—permission granted to come in late today, hahaha!”

Xu Wei was scrolling through the video she had uploaded the previous night using a small alt account. Every platform showed impressive view counts—and they were still climbing rapidly.

To achieve this level of promotional impact, even cheap web-marketing strategies would normally cost far more than what Lin Entertainment could afford. Yet now, thanks to Xiyue’s little scheme, it had all happened for free.

This was the power of internet promotion: unlike traditional hierarchical advertising, good online marketing could accomplish massive results with tiny costs.

The entertainment industry knew this, of course—but top-tier S- and A-level companies resisted it to preserve the old order.

“Huh?”

Half awake, Lin Xiyue walked over and glanced at Xu Wei’s screen. When she saw her own huge styling photo plastered across the homepage, she froze.

Her face… was now being shown to tens of thousands of strangers?

For a socially anxious Miss Lin, this might as well be a public execution.