Chapter 45: Who is the Prime Alpha?

Gu Jingyi exchanged a glance with Cai Xukun, his lips parting to softly and casually murmur the other's name.

"Hello, Gu Jingyi."

Captured by the tracking camera, the image was exceptionally sharp, and the live bullet comments exploded with activity.

[Holy crap, what kind of cinematic story-vibe is this! Are the rival arcs starting already? I literally have goosebumps.]
[Ahhhhh, the C-position of this show is definitely going to be fought between these two.]
[I can't take it anymore, how can someone be so devastatingly charming! Gu Jingyi, stop being so hypnotic!! My roommate on the lower bunk just asked me why there was suddenly water leaking from above, and I had to clamp my hand over my mouth, too terrified to speak.]
[Sister upstairs, you really dare to say anything.]

The next second, Gu Jingyi walked over and took a seat directly beside Cai Xukun.

[Ahhhhh, Gu Jingyi actually chose seat number 5!]
[Saw it, you could visibly see Song Shuiying in seat number 1 let out a sigh of relief.]
[Rest assured, Jingyi never slays nobodies.]

Gu Jingyi's fans, projecting themselves onto their idol, felt a surge of secret satisfaction.

However, the production crew quickly shifted the camera angle, cutting to a massive close-up of Cai Xukun and Gu Jingyi seated side by side.

[Wait, is it just me? Why do I feel like seat number 5's handsome features are so overwhelmingly prominent that seat number 6 is completely overshadowed?]
[The sister upstairs is voicing my exact thoughts. When Kunkun first came out, I thought he was stunning, giving off that soft deer-like vibe. But the moment Gu Jingyi walked out, my eyes could hold no one else. OMG. What a magnificent face; I already have my material for tonight's dreams.]
[Speechless, why are you guys bringing unrelated comparisons into this? Kunkun is super handsome too, alright? Gu fans, please observe comment etiquette!!!]
[Oh right, right, right. Can't even handle a comprehensive evaluation based purely on looks. Objectively speaking, an actor's face just hits different compared to an idol's face. This is a face that withstands the scrutiny of the screen while naturally pulling off all sorts of expressions.]
[Lol, people's glass hearts shatter just because someone said Gu Jingyi is more handsome? The trainee voted number one in appearance in the internal poll of "Produce 202", hailed in South Korea as the "legendary visual." There's no need to feel inferior about losing to Gu Jingyi; handsomeness is objective.]
[Both fandoms, please calm down. Stop arguing.]
[Putting looks aside for a moment, let's talk about styling. In terms of outfits, Gu Jingyi definitely won. Cai Xukun's outfit is just a bit too overly suggestive for his age. Gu Jingyi looks fresh and clean, perfectly fitting my fantasy of a nineteen-year-old youthful college guy. Not saying Cai Xukun is ugly, just that he picked the wrong spot. Standing next to Gu Jingyi takes a certain kind of courage in itself.]
[Ah, doesn't anyone else think Cai Xukun's outfit looks super familiar? Park Ji-min wore that exact one!]
[Emmm, Cai Xukun's look is giving greasy vibes. Side by side, Gu Jingyi completely crushed him.]

The comment section descended into bickering, and the IKUNs' hearts instantly shattered.

---

**Interview Room**

The scene transitioned, and the voiceover from a staff member instantly piqued the audience's curiosity.

"Gu Jingyi, when you were choosing your seat, how did you make your decision?"

"Number 5," Gu Jingyi answered without a second thought.

"Oh?" His tone seemed a bit too absolute. Even the writer in the interview room looked somewhat surprised.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, I'm just a bit curious. Jingyi, you once generated massive buzz in an overseas survival show, so why choose such a mediocre number?"

[Ahhhhh, the writer is literally voicing my mental state!]
[Please, he is Gu Jingyi. With that kind of talent and that kind of face, not standing in the C-position is a complete waste!]
[A handsome man belongs in the C-position!]
[As a viewer who followed "Produce 202", seeing this still makes me emotional. I don't know what Gu Jingyi went through this past year, but compared to his time on 202, he has become a lot more low-profile and grounded.]
[If you had experienced being suppressed yourself, you would understand Gu Jingyi.]

"Because the number 5 is my lucky number."

When asked the question, the young man being interviewed looked slightly embarrassed. A shimmering pool of light flowed within the depths of his eyes, and when he raised his gaze back to the camera, he looked absurdly gentle.

The camera gave Gu Jingyi an extreme facial close-up, and the bullet comments surged once again.

[The cameraman really gets us; the production team better give him a raise.]
[Such a magnificent face, it jolted my soul awake with its handsomeness.]
[Those who don't understand Gu Jingyi are missing out. An 185cm tall hottie with long legs. He can act, and he can sing and dance.]