We live in the era of instant gratification—most people can't even sit through a full movie at home, let alone muster the patience for slow entertainment. That's why "quick breakdown" videos are so popular. There are even videos summarizing entire novels. Whether this is an upgrade or a downgrade in entertainment is debatable, but it's the perfect breeding ground for short-video apps to thrive.
Among the new internet giants—TMD (Toutiao, Meituan, Pinduoduo)—Toutiao, representing ByteDance (Douyin's parent company), reigns supreme.
And honestly? The abbreviation fits. These platforms are truly something else—none of them are good news.
This cultural shift explains why so many songs go viral through short videos. "The Wind Blows the Wheat," "Against the Light," and Chu Zhi's cover of "Deserted Island Night" skyrocketed, landing in the top 10 of KuGou's Rising Chart and Douyin's Hot Songs list.
The current music scene is dominated by K-pop and Western tracks—two-thirds of KuGou, QQ Music, and NetEase Cloud's charts are filled with English and Korean songs. The remaining third is monopolized by domestic A-listers like Li Xingwei and Wu Tang. Talented artists releasing albums? Good luck breaking through.
It's an unhealthy market, but that's the reality. Even good songs need promotion. For Chu Zhi's three tracks to dominate like this is unprecedented. KuGou owns exclusive rights to I Am a Singer performances, yet only two of Lin Xia's songs and one of Li Xingwei's made the top 20.
Neither Lin Xia nor Li Xingwei made it to Douyin's Hot Songs list, though—because going viral there depends less on quality and more on how well a song fits into short videos and how catchy it is.
By dawn, the hype hadn't faded—it exploded.
That day, Chu Zhi ascended once more.
That day, he reclaimed his throne as a top-tier star.
His Weibo followers surged from 8 million to over 13 million in 48 hours—an unthinkable leap. Even overnight fame or bought followers wouldn't dare such a jump.
For context:
When Idol Producer aired, four trainees gained 5 million followers in a month—already considered insane.
Buying followers this aggressively? Weibo would ban you.
This wasn't just hype—it was a perfect storm:
—Pre-existing fanbase (even after the scandal, his core fans remained).
—Airtight vindication (evidence, interviews, legal action).
—Sympathy + admiration (his gentleness amid suffering).
Chu Zhi didn't waste time. He posted his first Weibo since his comeback:
@EatABigOrange
"After filming @LittleMangoTeaParty, I've gathered all evidence—both disclosed and undisclosed—and filed a lawsuit against @BailemenGossip, Gaiqing Cultural Media, and @LiTingyu for defamation. The Shanghai No. 2 Intermediate Court has accepted the case." [Photo: Case acceptance notice with official seal]
For those who can't see the image: It's a criminal case filing notice—stamped in red.
Defamation can be a civil case if minor, but Chu Zhi's situation? Undeniably criminal.
¥40 million+ in contract penalties. Severe depression diagnosis. Nationwide cyberbullying screenshots. Any one of these would suffice. All three? Unless the defendants expose their backers, they're done.
Jian Haoyi, who had publicly "disappointed" in Chu Zhi during the scandal, now faced massive backlash.
@EntertainmentTongue
"@JianHaoyi, you said Chu Zhi's actions were 'immoral.' Now that the truth is out, care to explain?"
Jian ignored all interview requests, claiming he was "busy filming."
"Why the hell are these idiots coming after me?" he fumed privately. "At least I called him 'Ninth Brother'—others called him 'Steel Wool' or 'Scum Chu'!"
He drafted two responses:
"Couldn't I have been misled too?"
"Congrats to Ninth Brother for clearing his name..."
Both felt wrong. He deleted them and went radio silent.
The "secret wife," Li Tingyu, disabled comments on all platforms. A few die-hard trolls remained:
"No verdict yet, why are fans celebrating?"
"Chu Zhi's backers are obvious."
"Tingyu's just a helpless girl fighting capital. If the court sides with Scum Chu, justice is dead."
But these were a vocal minority. Most knew the truth—they just couldn't admit they'd been eating shit and calling it chocolate.
At home, Chu Zhi enjoyed hotpot while monitoring the chaos. After dinner, he printed screenshots of: Gaiqing's banned accounts; Li Tingyu and Jian Haoyi's downfall.
He opened the window, placed the papers in a metal basin, and lit them on fire.
As black smoke curled upward, he murmured:
"Rest easy now, brother. Every stain on your name is gone. Even in hell, you'll walk in clean."
(What he didn't say: "Dahua Entertainment—you're next.")
Some say, "If a dog bites you, don't bite back."
Chu Zhi's philosophy?
"If a dog bites me, I'll skin it, grill it, and turn its bones into kebabs."
That night, he achieved [Hangover x3], earning 2 Personality Coins (total: 8).
Time for another blind box? (5 coins per draw.)
"I should. My next move is the live variety show Red Chamber Dream to solidify my comeback. Guilt fades—I need to lock in loyal fans by playing the 'depression' card. Then, launch my own studio and drop an album."
He currently has 11 songs (including "The Wind Blows the Wheat"), enough for an album—but "Against the Light" (originally by Stefanie Sun) leans too feminine.
"System, I'm drawing a blind box."
Six options appeared:
[Ethereal Voice]
[Oddity: 3cm Height-Increasing Pill]
[Song Pack: "Don't Forget Your Heart"]
[Song Pack: "No Place to Hide"]
[Album: "Hero of Heroes"]
[Album: "Poetry of Late Youth"]
Decision time.