This top guy is crazy!

The discussion about Cheng Cheng returning to the Chasing the Wind forum the following day was still ongoing, or rather—

It’s just the beginning!
The internet frenzy spread from social media to the front pages of major news outlets and entertainment reports:

"Chasing the Wind" concludes its 15-year run: a farewell to a variety show era and an emotional redemption.

Cheng Cheng: From "Variety Show Outcast" to "Rule Maker"

"Tearing Lou Guang apart, trampling Qu Jun underfoot, Cheng Cheng went on 'Chasing the Wind' and slapped everyone in the face."

"Looking at Cheng Cheng's Current Status in the Chinese Entertainment Industry Through 'Chasing the Wind'"

Cheng Cheng returns to "Chasing the Wind," and veteran guests showcase a diverse range of personalities.

Last night, the 15-year-old show "Chase the Wind" came to a grand end.

When the noise subsides and the cameras leave, what remains is not only the laughter and joy of fifteen seasons, but also the ups and downs of the show, the comings and goings of people, and the grudges and affections of the past fifteen years.

In the final episode, Cheng Cheng, a name that had been abandoned by the show, returned to the stage that had brought him both glory and pain after seven years.

This is destined to be a scene that cannot be replicated in the history of variety shows: Cheng Cheng's return is not just "participation", but a precise and violent "revenge".

Beneath his figure, the true "faces" of the other guests more nakedly reflect the ups and downs of the entertainment industry.

One of the many faces of humanity: Lou Guang—the lost patriarch.

As a veteran who had never missed a single season of the show, Lou Guang was undoubtedly the "soul" of the program. However, when Cheng Cheng, now a superstar, returned, Lou Guang's "captain" aura instantly dimmed. His smile was tinged with awkwardness, and his proactive hug was met with a polite but distant handshake.
The Second Facet of Life: Zhong Shi – A Gentle “Regretful Person”

She was one of the few older sisters who had shown kindness and guilt towards Cheng Cheng in the past. Throughout the program, her hesitant gaze, her forced composure, and her eventual reddening eyes all conveyed complex and unspeakable emotions. She represents the majority who may possess warmth and conscience within, but choose silence due to the pressures of reality.
The Third Facet of Life: Qu Jun – A Survivor from the Heart

He represents the most realistic survival rule in the entertainment industry: when faced with absolute power, quickly admitting defeat and currying favor may be the only correct choice.
The Four Faces of Life: Luo Han – A Former Senior Who Suffered “Persecution”
He contributed the show's most hilarious and tragic moments. He was the most direct "victim" in this "revenge," but it was also this "persecution" that allowed him to emerge from past public opinion. In a sense, he was lucky.
The Fifth Facet of Life: Liu Yidan
The end of "Chasing the Wind" transcended the finale of a show with Cheng Cheng's return. His comeback showed everyone that the tides of the entertainment industry will eventually recede, but the strongest reefs are always talent and solid work.

Besides mainstream media, major marketing accounts also started a traffic frenzy, with all sorts of rumors and so-called "insider information" spreading like wildfire.

The gossipmonger with hundreds of thousands of followers in the Chinese entertainment industry, known as "Gossip King," confidently stated in his live stream:
"You all don't know, one of the conditions Cheng Cheng agreed to return this time was that he would have the final editing rights."

That's why those micro-expressions and awkward moments were preserved so completely!

You ask me how I know so much? Of course I know! You don't even know why I'm called "Master Gossip" (扒爷).

You know, Lou Guang's team originally wanted to cut it out, and you almost missed seeing "Thank you for signing up for the card, thank you~" But as soon as they heard that Cheng Chengfang had explicitly requested that it be kept, they immediately stopped talking and didn't dare to mention it again.

Hilarious! Some people are saying I should wait for a lawyer's letter. Why don't you call Lou Guang over and ask him if what I said is true? Let's see if he dares to sue me.
"I'm putting my words right here. You can cut and spread this all you want, but if I say a single lie, I'll immediately quit the internet and give up this 300,000-dollar Douyin account." This revelation, you could say it's baseless, but it's fabricated with logic and evidence, perfectly fitting netizens' conspiracy theories. But if you say it's true, it's all his one-sided story.

Regardless, it's true that this revelation has a market; the most liked clip has 300,000 likes.

Furthermore, he revealed Cheng Cheng's fee for participating in this episode—80 million RMB.

When this number was announced, everyone was stunned.

I rely on!

Participating in just one round would cost 80 million, which is beyond astronomical; it's practically a galactic figure!
It's worth noting that Lou Guang's salary for the entire season was only 2000 million. If you calculate it carefully, Cheng Cheng's salary is more than forty times that of Lou Guang!
However, some netizens expressed understanding, saying that given Cheng Cheng's current top global status, his incredible influence, and the fact that he has completely rejected all external variety show invitations since becoming famous, the price seems quite reasonable.

After all, if Cheng Cheng had that time, he could easily earn hundreds of millions in royalties from writing a movie script or composing a few songs. Looking at it this way, the production team might have actually made a profit by paying him 80 million.

At the same time, major short video platforms, such as Bilibili, have also released professional, frame-by-frame "micro-expression analysis" videos, which netizens exclaimed were "fast and good"!
Wushan TV Station.

The station director, beaming with joy, called Liu Wei into his office.

"Old Liu! Did you see that? It's exploded! It's completely exploded!" He personally poured Liu Wei a cup of tea, his tone enthusiastic. "Back then, you went against everyone's advice and spent 80 million to invite Cheng Cheng. That move was absolutely right."

In contrast to the excited station director, Liu Wei was in low spirits.

His purpose in inviting Cheng Cheng was to give "Chasing the Wind" a happy ending, to make up for past regrets, and to give everyone, including himself, an explanation.

But the current online discussion is going against what he hoped for.

Moreover, the final episode did have a high viewership, even surpassing the viewership of the previous dozen or so episodes of the season. This proves Cheng Cheng's unparalleled appeal, but conversely, doesn't it also prove how unsuccessful and mediocre his previous dozen or so episodes were?
Viewers only want to see Cheng Cheng, not "Chase the Wind".

Moreover, although Cheng Cheng's departure back then was due to multiple factors, the final decision was still made by him, which made him feel even worse.

He nodded in agreement:

"Yes, it's quite tall."

The station director, oblivious to Liu Wei's emotions, continued:
"This level of buzz, this level of discussion, we haven't seen anything like this in years! The audience's demand is so high, Lao Liu, do you think we should strike while the iron is hot and start another season? You go and talk to Cheng Cheng yourself. As long as he's willing to come back, you can name your price! Even if he only signs for one or two episodes, and he's just an 'honorary captain' or something, this level of buzz is enough for us to live off for a year!"

Liu Wei said incredulously:
"Director, we've already promoted this; this is the last episode." (End of Chapter)