Chapter 260 - Replacement and the Return Trip (1/2)

“I think I’ll pass?”

Meng Fan heard this and felt his head swell. He smiled bitterly. “I already started a scandal going there with Shan Jin bro last time. If I go with you…”

“What, can the two of us not create a scandal?” Bai Zhi glared at Meng Fan and smiled. “Besides, isn’t this a good way to combat gossip? Everyone will know you’re a professional bodyguard.”

Meng Fan was speechless. “You can do that?”

Bai Zhi’s coquettish attitude was quite convincing. She was like a childish girl, shaking Meng Fan’s hand. “I haven’t shopped around a street food market in a long time, too! And I’m sad I didn’t get the championship, I just want to eat some delicious food to cheer me up. That’s not asking too much, right?”

“Hmm, how come I can’t see a hint of happiness from your demeanor?” Meng Fan smiled. Seeing Bai Zhi glare at him again, he quickly nodded. “OK OK OK, let’s go, let’s go.”

The two exited the Mango TV HQ. The crew and the other staff members were still not off work yet, and the directing group were in a heated meeting, nagging the staff to search through the clips and find what scenes needed to be filmed again before the celebrities left.

“Director Xu, Professor Di.”

After the meeting, Director Xu and Professor Di had been discussing some details that needed to be changed when someone entered through the door. It was a staff member from the production lounge, who was also the assistant manager of the TV station’s broadcasting department.

Director Xu stood up to greet him. “Manager Jin, what made you grace us with your presence today?”

This Assistant Manager Jin burst out in laughter and said a few jokes to retort. Then, he got to his point. “I heard this time your show invited the kid who beat that K-pop idol to be a guest? Meng Fan, was it?”

Professor Di had gotten up to leave, thinking they had some internal affairs to discuss. After hearing the words ‘Meng Fan,’ she stopped in her place.

Director Xu nodded. “Yep. Is there a problem?”

Assistant Manager Jin said solemnly. “Director Xu, you must think about this. Although this Meng Fan character had a reason for the fight, everyone, including me, had been rooting for him with our thumbs up. But still, a fight is a fight nonetheless, and it doesn’t look good. If he goes on a show, it might negatively impact your ratings. So I want to recommend inviting another guest in his place, and film the segment again. I already watched the ending, and Bai Zhi doesn’t win. When the time comes, all you’d have to do is fill in the ‘Classic Voice’ and the collaboration performance. The camera shots can be edited too, so it won’t impact the show in any way.”

Director Xu heard this and creased his brows. At this time, Professor Di stood up and interrupted him. “Manager Jin, have you seen his recording?”

“I’ve heard of him. I hear the results are very good, but I haven’t seen it firsthand,” he responded.

Professor Di suppressed her voice. “That’s the case. Manager Jin, maybe you should watch his clip before discussing this further.”

Manager Jin began to laugh. “Professor Di, even if the results were out of this world, would it affect the show in any way? This will not make the fight incident disappear! When the time comes, people will begin to gossip, saying Mango TV invited a violent man onto their show. Then, it would negatively impact us. Besides, he hit a celebrity too, and celebrities are bound to have fans. You also know that K-pop fans start the most drama. We’re trying to consider this from all perspectives.”

“Manager Jin!”

After Director Xu heard this, the atmosphere in the room began to drop. “It doesn’t impact our show. Our crew is very capable of managing ourselves!” He then smiled coldly. “Your so called ‘consideration’ comes from your advertising department’s ties to that K-pop idol’s endorsement agency, isn’t it?”

Having been discovered, Manager Jin couldn’t help but admit. “There’s already a foreshadowing that we might break apart, so I have to consider this aspect. After Meng Fan got in that fight, we weren’t the first people to invite him to perform. If he really makes it, don’t you think it’ll be difficult for us to get K-pop contracts in the future?”

Director Xu asked: “Everyone already knows about us inviting him to the show, and we’ve broadcasted the promotional material as well. We’re done recording now too, and you want me to find someone else? Then let me ask you, how will we explain this to the public? Tell them that you were worried the K-pop star won’t attend our shows because Meng Fan hit him? Isn’t that asking to be scolded!”

Manager Jin had made himself clear, yet director Xu refused to back down. His face began to darken. “It’s easy to find an excuse. Just say the results weren’t good, and he doesn’t fit the show’s requirements. It’s that easy! It’s not like he’s from the entertainment industry; this excuse will be perfect!”

Director Xu heard this and immediately asked for someone to bring the clip of Meng Fan’s voice acting, handing it over to Manager Jin. “Take a look first before talking.”

After watching for a while, Manager Jin’s expression looked unsettled. He could tell whether it was good or bad, of course, but this affected their company’s profits; it wouldn’t be dissipated that easily.

Back and forth, the two began to bicker.

Manager Jin did have a say-so in this matter, but Director Xu had control over his show, not to mention that Director Xu never liked to back down in matters of show quality.

“I will call Bao Zhi myself. If she agreed to shoot again, you’ll be okay with this, right?”

Without Director Xu’s agreement, he got Bai Zhi’s number and called. Bai Zhi, however, didn’t even give him a chance to argue.

“Replace him? Only if you replace me, too!”

She said and hung up.

Manager Jin’s expression was not pleased as he held the phone.

“I don’t believe this. This is part of my jurisdiction, I’m doing this!” Manager Jin became angry as the argument continued. The two decided to find someone at the production center to decide the matter.

Just as they prepared to leave, it so happened that before the production center sent anyone over, the channel GM arrived. He originally came to congratulate Director Xu for the successful recording of “Voice Legend” and its amazing footage, as well as taking the Strategist and others out for dinner. He came in time to see Manager Jin and Director Xu arguing.

“Meng Fan? Tell me what you all think.”

The channel GM heard the arguments as he sent a WeChat message.

“Lao Tao, was that person you mentioned Meng Fan?”

“Yes, what did he do now?”