Xie Qian and Jiang Youjia had been preparing for a long time. They were only waiting for the right moment to arrange the “special interview” for Zhao Dong.
Zhao Dong himself was unaware that he was about to have a “special interview”.
Neither Xie Qian nor Jiang Youjia intended to notify Zhao Dong.
Without prior preparation, the interview would be authentic and unscripted.
Jiang Youjia proposed bundling the broadcast rights for the Shui Mingyue adaptation with the “Mr Zhao special interview”. To avoid any leaks, he first ruled out Oriental TV, which had deep advertising ties with Zhao Dong.
Oriental TV had no idea why they were excluded. They suspected Hunan Satellite TV had offered better terms and privately cursed Director Fan thoroughly.
What Oriental TV did not know was that Jiang Youjia had ruled out Hunan Satellite TV second.
Hunan Satellite TV had a large market share. How could Zhao Dong overlook it when advertising “Si Lan”?
Cooperating with Hunan Satellite TV carried the same risk of leaks.
Jiang Youjia’s plan was sound, but Director Fan at Hunan Satellite TV was not entirely satisfied. Was there really another satellite station offering better terms than Hunan Satellite TV?
Director Fan was a man of action. He had connected with Jiaxin through Wen Ying, so instead of bothering Jiang Youjia with his doubts, he chose to intercept Wen Ying at the university.
Of course, Director Fan went under the pretext of a “visit”.
He even brought a fruit basket for Wen Ying.
Seeing Director Fan carrying a fruit basket, Wen Ying felt her scalp tighten. “If there is anything, a phone call would suffice. How could I trouble you to come in person?”
Director Fan smiled cheerfully and joked, “What is it? You have switched to writing film scripts and do not want to see an old fogey from television like me?”
“I have not switched careers. You are in the prime of life.”
Even if she had truly switched to writing film scripts, Wen Ying would never underestimate Director Fan. She quickly took the fruit basket.
Director Fan pointed to the coffee shop at the university gate and said he wanted to talk with Wen Ying.
Wen Ying had arranged to go to the library with Xie Qian. She could only send a text explaining the situation and temporarily stand Xie Qian up.
In the coffee shop, Director Fan did not mention buying the drama. Instead, he showed concern for Wen Ying’s personal life.
He asked whether she could keep up with her studies and whether she got along with her classmates.
Then he moved from the flavours of Shanghai food to the reception of Wen Ying’s new book “Exploring Thorns”.
He circled around without getting to the point.
At first, Wen Ying was in no hurry. Whatever Director Fan wanted to chat about, she would keep him company. She was never afraid of conversation.
However, after Director Fan had talked for a full two hours and stood to leave, saying he would come again tomorrow, Wen Ying swallowed and her throat felt dry. “Please just say what you have to say directly.”
Director Fan sighed. “Little Wen, do you find me annoying? I do not want to be disliked either, but the task assigned to me by the station remains unfinished, so I have to stay in Shanghai. As an outsider here with no relatives, I can only thick-skinnedly come to you for company.”
Wen Ying’s eye twitched slightly.
No one at Hunan Satellite TV would assign tasks to Director Fan. He decided independently what dramas to buy.
Director Fan’s subtext was clear. Until Hunan Satellite TV acquired the adaptation rights to Shui Mingyue’s drama, he would come to Fudan every day to chat with Wen Ying.
A man like Director Fan could hardly lack connections in Shanghai. Many people wanted to dine with him.
If nothing else, there would certainly be budget to arrange business meals for him daily.
Yet instead of seeking out Yuan Fenghui at Tianjiao, Director Fan had fixated on Wen Ying. Thinking of another two-hour chat tomorrow, Wen Ying’s vision darkened.
“If you come again tomorrow, I will arrange for Mr Jiang from Jiaxin to meet you.”
There was a hint of gritted teeth in Wen Ying’s tone.
Director Fan pretended not to notice. “Would that be too much trouble for you?”
“No trouble at all.”
Wen Ying did not want to interfere in Jiaxin’s business. She hoped Jiang Youjia could provide a plausible reason to make Director Fan give up.
Director Fan immediately brightened. “Ah, I knew you were kind-hearted, Little Wen.”
Director Fan left satisfied. Wen Ying carried the fruit basket back to campus, huffing slightly. She took out her phone and called Xie Qian.
“Tell Brother Jiang to properly brush off Director Fan. Jiaxin will still produce dramas in future. There is no need to fall out completely with him.”
Shui Mingyue was known as the “Little Queen of Romance”. The most suitable platform for a drama adapted from her novel was actually Hunan Satellite TV, which in recent years had attracted a large young audience through talent shows and idol dramas.
Wen Ying did not know why Jiang Youjia refused to sell the broadcast rights to Director Fan. If he would not sell, so be it. There was no need to offend Director Fan irreparably.
Since the television executive couple Liang Dan and Director Guan had followed fell from power, Director Fan’s influence at Hunan Satellite TV had grown even stronger.
Since Wen Ying had asked, Xie Qian did not conceal it. He explained Jiang Youjia’s reason for avoiding cooperation with Hunan Satellite TV.
“Do you think Director Fan is trustworthy?”
Wen Ying hesitated. “Compared to others in the industry, Director Fan has some principles, but not many, especially when his own interests are affected.”
Director Fan did have some principles. The problem was that Wen Ying could not gauge exactly how many.
She honestly admitted she could not judge.
From a distance, Xie Qian held the phone and saw his girlfriend carrying a large fruit basket with a troubled expression.
Her cheeks were puffed out, and a few stray hairs on her head fluttered in the wind.
Xie Qian strode over, took the basket with one hand, and could not resist rubbing the top of her head with the other.
“Alright, do not worry. I will have my brother-in-law talk to Director Fan.”
Wen Ying clutched her head with both hands to protect her precarious hairstyle. “Do not touch my hair.”
Previously, Xie Qian had restrained himself. After Valentine’s Day, he had become increasingly uninhibited around her. He had secretly pinched her cheeks several times and loved ruffling her hair. Wen Ying often suspected that in Xie Qian’s eyes, she was some kind of fluffy animal.
Moreover, actions like pinching cheeks or ruffling hair always felt like treating a child.
Xie Qian quickly withdrew his hand. “Alright, I will not touch it.”
Liar.
He had said the same last time, yet he still did it today.
Under Wen Ying’s glaring stare, Xie Qian carried the basket to the canteen and immediately unpacked Director Fan’s gift. From the basket of fruit, he selected the largest, reddest apple without blemishes for Wen Ying, washed it, and placed it in front of her.
Xie Qian’s movements were fluid. As his long fingers rummaged through the basket, Wen Ying momentarily felt like a pear in it, then wished she were that bunch of grapes. How could she remember what she had been annoyed about?
What was she angry about again?
Oh, the hair-ruffling.
With such attractive hands, what harm was there in a little hair-ruffling?
Enthralled by her boyfriend’s looks, Wen Ying happily crunched into the apple. “Tell Brother Jiang not to trust Director Fan too much. He even came to the university to intercept me. Whatever principles he had left might have diminished further.”
Xie Qian nodded earnestly. “It does not matter. My brother-in-law has not much left either. They are evenly matched.”
Wen Ying: “…!”
…
The meeting between Director Fan and Jiang Youjia took place without Wen Ying or Xie Qian present.
Jiang Youjia did not mention names. He vaguely expressed his concerns and his intention to bundle the “interview programme” with the drama broadcast rights.
Director Fan’s eyes gleamed. “These are two separate matters.”
Jiang Youjia sighed. “Exactly. I think it is tricky too. After all, it is a major advertising client of your station. I simply do not want to put you in a difficult position…”
Director Fan laughed heartily. “Difficult for me? I mean they can be handled as two separate projects. The drama counts as one ratings boost, the interview programme as another.”
Would Hunan Satellite TV fear losing an advertising client?
High ratings attract many clients wanting slots.
As long as Jiang Youjia was not trying to destroy Hunan Satellite TV’s biggest sponsor, Director Fan felt other smaller sponsors could be sacrificed if necessary.
Jiang Youjia was silent for a moment, then spoke gravely. “Wen Ying said you have strong principles.”
Director Fan did not blush or falter. He accepted the compliment calmly. “She is not wrong. I do have professional integrity.”
It was all for the ratings, after all.
