Chapter 70: Conditions

"What happened?" Chu Qin coughed dryly and asked, saving Xiao Zhang from the abyss of suffering.

"Panda Crackers suddenly withdrew their resources. They said they won't be sponsoring us any longer," Xiao Zhang scowled miserably. Panda Crackers was a sponsor and was also the one which provided the most resources in the program. If they withdrew their sponsors.h.i.+p, the entire program could not be executed.

Zhong Yibin frowned. "Why was I not aware of this?" Such a large matter, yet n.o.body thought to inform him about it.

"They just said it just now. The people from Panda Crackers came over to take the contract, they should have reached their company by now," Xiao Zhang swallowed.

Zhong Yibin stood up and snorted coldly. "You don't have to worry about this, I'll solve it." As a sponsors, the agreement had been made since the moment the program was in the works. It wouldn't be so easy for them to renege on it now.

The industry for reality shows within the country had not developed and the sponsors lacked understanding about it, hence they would naturally be more cautious with their investment. But since it had already been agreed upon, they should not have withdrawn their investment midway. For them to have breached the contract so resolutely and abruptly meant they must have overheard some news.

Reality was exactly as what Chu Qin had presumed. They had received some insider news that the National Culture Board would pa.s.s down a law restricting entertainment programs. Perhaps this sort of simple entertainment-related reality show would be within the boundaries of this restriction. Should they fail to attain the right to broadcast after filming ended, their money would have been squandered on a failed investment.

Panda Cracker's att.i.tude was firm - they would rather pay some money than continue. Since the capital required for this program was large and the sponsor had left, it would be difficult for the program to continue.

This news was known to everyone in Shengs.h.i.+ TV, and they sympathized for Chu Qin, the newly appointed director. Of course, there was also no lack of people who mocked him.

"In the past when Director Chen was around, nothing like a sponsor running off ever happened."

"That's right, it's also my first time seeing such a thing. Tsk tsk."

"Chu Qin should just go be a host, what director is he trying to be."

Chu Qin was pa.s.sing by the tearoom when he heard the few voices from within, causing his steps to come to a pause for a moment. Hou Chuan, who was following behind Chu Qin, was somewhat indignant. He turned around to go in and argue with them but was grabbed by Chu Qin.

"There's no need," Chu Qin smiled and shook his head. Just from their voices, without seeing, he already deduced which people were saying those words. Those people were all Chen Feng's former subordinates and it was completely normal for them to compare him to Chen Feng. People who were truly capable would not waste their time on those who spoke badly of others, much less those who spoke badly of their leader.

However, since the news had already been leaked, the artists would need to be appeased. Chu Qin ordered his staff to say that filming would start as scheduled if the guests or their companies were to inquire.

Zhong Yibin said he would help him to find a new sponsor. Chu Qin believed in him and continued to methodically arrange for filming. There was no wall that was impenetrable; the matter of the sponsor withdrawing their investment entered a few guests' ears very quickly.

"Sister, will that program not be filmed?" Wenyu was dressed in Zhuo dynasty attire and she drank water while asking Wenqing, who was at the side memorizing her lines.

"Shengs.h.i.+ didn't notify us, so it can still be filmed," Wenqing replied without even lifting her head. They had been friends for a long time; she trusted Chu Qin's capabilities.

"Oh, then that's good," Wenyu immediately brightened and went out with her elder sister to play with immense feelings of antic.i.p.ation.

The two old foxes of the entertainment industry, Mu Chen and Mu Sha, would naturally respond in the most appropriate manner at such a moment - pretending to not know. The other guest was a retired gymnastics champion called Zhao Xu. Ever since he retired last year and started doing business, he didn't have any concerns about his schedule and thus wouldn't say anything either.

Contrary to expectations, it was the singer Sun Xiang who couldn't sit still. During the last two years, the music industry had been in a slump and he was almost past his prime, so he was in urgent need of a program to raise his popularity. By coincidence, another program had also invited him at this moment. The other Korean program called

had its copyright purchased by another television station and had invited Sun Xiang to partic.i.p.ate. However, this program's timeslots clashed with

. If he agreed to partic.i.p.ate in that program, he would have to forgo this.

Chen Feng b.u.mped into his former subordinates at the door to the tearoom and smiled as he greeted them. That person stepped forward and said in a low voice, "I've already leaked the news to Sun Xiang."

"En," Chen Feng nodded slightly. He left while maintaining his smiling expression.  Chen Feng found it very hard to handle being abruptly transferred because the other party had relied on his connection to the director. He wanted to see exactly what the director would say when Chu Qin messed the matter up.

"Is filming confirmed to commence on the third of November?" Sun Xiang gave Shengs.h.i.+'s employee a call to confirm.

"That hasn't been confirmed," The person on the other end was the one in charge of keeping contact with Sun Xiang, Ma Yue.

Sun Xiang's brows simultaneously tensed up. Hee ended the call and contacted another television station. "Are you sure filming starts on the fifteenth of November?"

"Sun-ge, it isn't too good to renege on what has already been decided on right?" The manager was put on the spot.

"Haven't we not signed the contract yet?" Sun Xiang's eyes narrowed. Compared to a familial love program like

that focused on being cute and silly, idol dramas like

were clearly better for attracting fans.

While the reality show was still in the midst of preparations, the drama

had already reached the end of its broadcast. Because Emperor Jingyuan had been harmed by the villain and died an untimely death, Empress Duanhui had also followed after him in the name of love. Emperor Jingyuan's younger brother was left behind, as well as the continuation of Emperor Hongyuan's incomplete undertaking. After that, Emperor Hongyuan did indeed continue his elder brother's policies and founded Jiangshan's golden age. At the end, the elderly Emperor Hongyuan stood on the wide streets of the flouris.h.i.+ng capital and gazed at the well-fed and clothed common people living in peace and happiness. He then recalled the words his sister-in-law had told him when he was still the Great Tutor.

The Golden Age had already arrived, but the elder brother and his wife would never come back.

What was originally a blissful ending became indescribably bleak, earning countless tears from the viewers. The drama's ratings also reached an unprecedented high.

In addition, the popularity of Yu Tang and Song Xiao, the pair who resembled the emperor and empress very closely, and went out of the closet together, rose to a new height. Since Old Waves was under Yu Tang's control, there was completely no one who spoke badly of them. As an orthodox director who had literally no relation to the entertainment industry and yet possessed more than ten million fans, Yu Tang could be comparable to a first-string artist.

Chu Qin glanced at the people opposite the dining table - a child was seated between two handsome men. He felt that the scene was particularly harmonious, they practically had the atmosphere of a family of three.

"Little Yu Lin, long time no see," Chu Qin smiled and waved to the child.

"Long time no see," Yu Lin nodded with a serious look on his face, returning Chu Qin's greetings.

"We happened to pick him up from the kindergarten so we brought him along as well," Song Xiao smiled and said as he poured a gla.s.s of fruit juice for Yu Lin. Thereafter, he chatted with Chu Qin about the follow-up arrangements for

.

The main reason for inviting Yu Tang and Song Xiao to a meal was to thank Yu Tang for his sponsors.h.i.+p. Since time was tight, sponsors would be difficult to find, hence Zhong Yibin directly approached Yu Tang. The Big Fish Group also had subsidiary snack companies, and they had recently launched a snack called "Big Fish Small Biscuit", which could not be more suitable as the sponsor for the program.

"Thank you, Director Yu for your help," Chu Qin thanked Yu Tang.

"Each only takes what they need," Yu Tang sipped his wine slowly and raised his eyes to look at Zhong Yibin. "The things you promised me?"

Chu Qin's heart gave a thump. He had a.s.sumed Yu Tang had agreed so quickly because of their prior friends.h.i.+p but he hadn't expected that it was Zhong Yibin who had offered him additional conditions. Sure enough, people like Yu Tang whose thinking was profound could not be reasoned with on the basis of friends.h.i.+p. He just didn't know what Er Bing this fool had offered to give him in exchange.

Zhong Yibin grasped the hand that Chu Qin had suddenly gripped tightly due to worry and raised his hand to toast Yu Tang. He pa.s.sed Yu Tang a box with delicate packaging.

"What's that?" Song Xiao asked curiously.

"The price he has to pay," Yu Tang said domineeringly. He placed the box aside and glanced at Zhong Yibin with a gaze of mutual understanding.

The corner of Chu Qin's mouth twitched. He recognized that box - the packaging belonged to the French imported skincare products he often used…

The author has something to say:

Small theater:

Yu Tang: You must pay a price if you want my help

Er Bing: I'll tell you the secrets of traditional Chinese medicine

Er Bing: The way to maintain the chrysanthemum[1]

Yu Tang: …. That's good

Qin Qin: ……

[1] Chrysanthemum is slang for a.n.u.s