Mysterious Assistant of the Washed-Up Queen-Chapter 456 - 304 - : An Invitation from the Spring Festival Gala【Extra】_2

Chapter 456: 304 Chapter: An Invitation from the Spring Festival Gala【Extra】_2

Even after transmigration, this desire not only failed to diminish, it grew even stronger.

And Xu Qingqiu was the one he had chosen, so what was there to hesitate about?

With his current identity and the industry he was in, could he find a more suitable person?

They both knew each other inside out and had mutual feelings. Aside from Xu Qingqiu, Chu Tian really couldn’t think of a second person who was more suitable for him.

So when faced with Xu Qingqiu’s desire to get married, he had no inclination to resist whatsoever.

"Chu Tian, you’re so nice!"

"Haha, of course. What do you think, have you decided yet? When shall we go register our marriage?"

"Oh, stop it! I was just asking casually. My parents don’t even know yet."

"Is that so? They really don’t know?"

"Of course, I haven’t told them yet. I was planning to bring you home during the New Year as a surprise, but it looks like this year is not going to work out."

Regarding Xu Qingqiu’s idea, Chu Tian felt somewhat noncommittal. If it were solely up to her, her parents probably really wouldn’t know. After all, they were so far away, out of immediate reach. But with her younger sister, Xu Ruyan, in the picture, that was another story. It was quite possible his photo had already been placed on her parents’ table.

Actually, on this point, Chu Tian had really overthought it.

Xu Ruyan did have this intention, but after her secret pursuit of acting was exposed, and still hoping Xu Qingqiu would speak up for her, she quickly dismissed the idea. Tattling on her sister to watch the drama unfold was certainly tempting, but not as important as her own survival. If she had to choose between the two, she’d choose to live, and living well depended entirely on her older sister. If she annoyed Xu Qingqiu again, she could very well become an enemy to the entire family, with no one left to help her.

So, Xu Ruyan might be a bit reckless, but she was not stupid at all.

"So when do you plan to tell them? You’re not planning on hiding it forever, are you?"

"What do you mean ’hiding it’? What’s there to hide? I just think that my parents are always pestering me to get married, and now that we’re together, I just don’t want to tell them right away. Then later, I’ll bring you back and give them a huge surprise!"

"But it looks like that won’t happen now. No worries though, we can go back after we’re done here; it’s the same, isn’t it? Would you like to come home with me for the New Year?"

Hadn’t this question been asked before? Chu Tian couldn’t quite remember, but he didn’t see any problem with it.

After all, he didn’t have family anymore, so what difference did it make where he spent the New Year? But was it really okay to just show up at her parents’ home when their relationship hadn’t even been officially confirmed?

"Me going directly there? Is that okay? Won’t that make your uncle and auntie uncomfortable?"

"What’s there to be uncomfortable about? You’re my boyfriend! My parents will probably be thrilled. Their precious daughter finally has someone. I bet they can’t wait to treat you like their own son!" 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"But... what if they don’t like me?"

"How could they? What reason would they have not to like you? Look at you, you’re tall and handsome, wealthy with a career, talented, and you have a good character..."

Watching Xu Qingqiu list his good qualities on her fingers while leaning on his shoulder, Chu Tian couldn’t help but touch his nose.

Wow, was I really that good? Looking at it this way, it seemed like I had no flaws at all. Maybe it was a case of beauty being in the eye of the beholder.

As a man himself, Chu Tian understood that it wasn’t simply about liking or disliking; it was mostly a matter of first impressions. If the first impression was bad, no matter how excellent he was, Xu Qingqiu’s parents would probably just see him as some whippersnapper. If the first impression was good, then things might be better. But if he put himself in their shoes, imagining some pig had just ruined his family’s prized cabbage, he wouldn’t be pleased either, no matter how good his mood.

However, he didn’t voice these thoughts. Maybe her parents are open-minded, he mused. Why worry so much about something that hasn’t even taken shape yet?

...

After the release of the new album, the routine at the studio finally relaxed quite a bit, a stark contrast to the war-like atmosphere of the previous period, where everyone had been rushed off their feet. For the time being, Xu Qingqiu didn’t have any pressing work; the filming of the music video and the production of the physical album were all scheduled for after the New Year. In the lead-up to the New Year, one task was to wait for news from the Spring Festival Gala, and the other was to prepare for the end-of-year wrap-up. Chu Tian had thought that, even if Sister Hua went to inquire, it would take a few days at the earliest to get any news, but unexpectedly, a clear response came the very next day.

"Qingqiu! Chu Tian! Come here! Look what this is?!"

"What?"

"What’s up, Sister Hua?"

Chu Tian and Xu Qingqiu, who were sitting in the office snacking, rushed out when they heard the voice. As soon as they stepped out, they saw Li Chunhua beaming with joy, winking and holding up a tablet towards them.

"Guess what?"

"What is it? Let me see!"

Xu Qingqiu tried to grab it, but Sister Hua dodged her.

"Tsk, guess. What are you snatching for?"

Chu Tian glanced at Sister Hua’s joyous expression and after a moment of thought, his eyes lit up with realization.

"Is it the Spring Festival Gala’s reply?"

"EH? TSK, TSK, TSK. Impressive! But it’s not a reply, it’s an invitation!"

Sister Hua couldn’t help but give Chu Tian a thumbs up; she hadn’t expected him to guess it right away. Although it wasn’t exactly accurate, the gist was the same.

"An invitation? Does that mean it’s a sure thing?"

"Yes! It’s a sure thing! At first, they were a bit hesitant, but someone in the office played one of Qingqiu’s new songs, and the chief director casually asked, ’Is Xu Qingqiu really popular online lately?’"

"Without a second thought, the person nodded and even told the chief director just how popular she was. Then the chief director agreed, although we need to submit a piece first; they want to see if it’s suitable."

Listening to Sister Hua’s vivid description, Chu Tian nodded in understanding. Receiving an invitation isn’t as simple as it sounds, he thought. This opportunity was entirely forged by the sheer impact of that album. Without that album, relying on Xu Qingqiu’s own development, the chance might not have come until next year or even the year after. But now, because of their all-in gamble, coupled with some external assistance, they’ve finally landed this.

Yes, it was an opportunity.

Receiving an invitation doesn’t mean the deal is sealed. Every year, countless acts and teams receive invitations, but how many actually get to perform on stage? The Spring Festival Gala requires at least five rehearsals, each stricter than the last. Perhaps the first batch of invited acts totals a thousand, but after various rounds of screening, only a precious few remain. So, getting an invitation is just clearing the entry threshold; the road ahead is still long.

This is particularly true for solo fighters like them. The real powerhouses, to put it bluntly, either have recommendation slots or direct qualifications every year. Take, for example, long-established connections, like those from the ’Black Land’ region; they have direct quota spots. As long as the work’s quality is decent, they can often skip the first three rehearsals entirely. Or consider the large domestic record companies and the five major entertainment conglomerates. These corporations have intricate relationships with the Spring Festival Gala, CCTV, and the chief director. It’s possible that some of their executives have even shared dinner tables and hobnobbed with the chief director. Do these people need to bother with releasing albums to generate buzz? Recommending a few people for the Spring Festival Gala is as simple as a word from them. And besides, it’s just a recommendation, securing an invitation slot, not a guarantee of performance; as long as it’s within the rules, this sort of thing is quite common.

To be frank, it all comes down to whether you have backing. For those with it, getting through the threshold is the easy part; it’s staying in that’s the challenge. For those without backing, entering the threshold is the hardest part. But once they’re in, relying on the strength they fought tooth and nail to build from the ground up, staying might not be so difficult after all.

"What were you guys eating in there just now?"

After a brief chat, Yiyi, who had been following quietly, suddenly popped up. She had actually arrived earlier but hadn’t spoken. Suddenly, she smelled something fragrant in the room, like delicious food, and her stomach couldn’t help but growl with hunger.

"Hey, it’s the end of the year, so we’re supposed to be distributing year-end goods, right? Someone sent over some samples, and we were just tasting them to see if they’re any good."

"Are they good?"

"Not bad, try some."

Chu Tian grabbed a handful of snacks from the table and handed them to her. Yiyi immediately accepted them.

Meanwhile, Sister Hua, who was still speaking, saw this and found herself fighting the urge to grind her teeth—a mix of amusement and exasperation. What a little foodie, she never forgets about eating, no matter where she is.