Mysterious Assistant of the Washed-Up Queen-Chapter 486 - 319: Giving Knives during New Year_2

On the other side, the camera responsible for capturing the audience tirelessly pushed its lens into the faces of viewers over and over again. Even the director in the control room couldn’t help but switch the focus to the crowd a few times.

Emotions are contagious, and humans are inherently empathetic. The more intense the emotion, the more it resonates, leading to an unavoidable sense of shared sentiment. Even some leaders who had made a special effort to attend the venue this year were visibly moved, fighting back their emotions as they gave a thumbs up, saying, "This is good. This program is excellent, the song is good, and the video is too."

And over at Zhao Fengsheng’s end, his phone had been ringing off the hook for quite a while. The first messages to come through were from the station, congratulating him.

"This program, ’Where Has Time Gone?’, is excellent, truly excellent."

"The nation has always advocated for respecting the elderly and fostering happier families. I think this year’s program has had the most significant impact in that regard."

People often say that having too many superiors can constrain one’s actions. Zhao Fengsheng used to think so too. But now, he realized having many higher-ups also had its benefits—namely, receiving multiple streams of praise. By now, he was smiling so broadly he could barely close his mouth, his heart brimming with joy.

On stage, Xu Qingqiu’s eyes still reddened. Perhaps it was due to overwhelming emotion, coupled with the significance of the special day, even though she tried to suppress her feelings. Fortunately, the song was nearing its end, and she ultimately managed to hold back her tears.

When she came off stage, the hosts who followed still hadn’t quite regained their composure.

"That song was sung so beautifully."

"Yes, and at this moment, we would also like to pay tribute to those who are still diligently working at their posts today..."

Luckily, those present were all highly capable professional hosts. In just a few words, they managed to steer the mood around. They elevated the program and its message to another level, successfully diverting everyone’s attention.

But by then, the audience wasn’t focused on that. Some put down their phones and went to sit beside their parents. They didn’t do anything in particular; just sitting there, chatting with their parents, made them happy. Others, watching television, deliberately leaned closer to their parents, feeling a bit warmer inside. And there were those who, seeing their parents still busy preparing for the New Year’s Eve dinner, decided to help out for a change.

In any case, the song itself may not have been exceptional. However, it awakened a sense of awareness in countless people and had the power to make families warmer and happier. That alone was enough.

"Teacher Xu, hello. I’m Bai Taotao’s agent. Here’s my business card. We should get to know each other when there’s an opportunity."

"Teacher Xu, Teacher Xu, that performance was amazing! We’re from Pioneer Entertainment. Let’s exchange contact information; perhaps we can collaborate in the future."

Just as Xu Qingqiu got backstage, before she even had a chance to take a sip of water, a crowd suddenly rushed over. One by one, they were either asking to exchange contact information or handing out business cards, all with the same goal: to establish a connection first.

Nobody present was a fool, especially those who had the connections to be at such an event. This occasion could be said to have gathered half of the domestic entertainment industry’s elite—all the cream of the crop.

Previously, Xu Qingqiu was, at most, an up-and-coming talent with skills and influence. However, most people in the industry were more concerned with protecting their own interests, even to the point of resisting or trying to withstand Xu Qingqiu’s growing impact. But after her performance, especially witnessing the live audience’s reaction, even a fool would realize something. With the Spring Festival Gala as a platform, and this particular performance, Xu Qingqiu’s name was about to become famous throughout the entire country.

At this point, it was impossible to suppress her, let alone resist. Since that was the case, the best approach was to befriend her and establish a good relationship; it might prove useful later. Xu Qingqiu’s rise was clearly unstoppable, so the natural course of action was to build goodwill and expand one’s network.

That’s why, without even waiting for the show to end, many big stars and company executives had already arranged for their subordinates to wait there for her.

Luckily, Sister Hua and Chu Tian had also arrived by then. Under their management, the scene didn’t become too chaotic. With Sister Hua mediating, they quickly managed to handle the eager crowd.

Just as that crowd dispersed and they all breathed a sigh of relief, another wave of people surrounded them. These weren’t representatives from various companies or artists like before, but members of other performance troupes—singers, dancers, acrobats, opera actors, and so on. The older individuals among them were generally fine; they either held a certain status or were well-known veteran artists. But the younger ones were different. Many were at an age where they embraced novelty and had fewer inhibitions. They had all watched the performance and already admired Xu Qingqiu’s work. Coupled with the impact of this show, they couldn’t hold back any longer.

Once one person took the lead, the others quickly followed, surrounding Xu Qingqiu and her group. They didn’t want anything in particular, just to exchange a few words, chat, and take some pictures.

Xu Qingqiu happily spoke with each of them, posed for a round of photos, and finally, after a group photo, she had managed to satisfy everyone.

At this time, Sister Hua, who was busy to the point of breaking a sweat, didn’t feel the slightest bit of relief. Others might be done, but her work had just begun. Despite the sizable crowd at the venue, many more people were not physically present. Ever since the performance ended, Sister Hua’s phone hadn’t stopped vibrating in her pocket.

Now, finally having a moment’s respite, she hurriedly took out her phone. A string of messages and missed calls immediately popped up. She could only offer a quick word before finding a spot to deal with them.

"Let’s go too. Now that the singing is over, and since we have to wait until the end, why don’t we go to the front and watch the performances?" Chu Tian suggested to Xu Qingqiu. "After all, we’ve come all this way; it would be a shame not to experience it."

"Okay, but we don’t have enough seats."

"We do, don’t worry. I’ve taken care of it."

Chu Tian had anticipated this and had been keeping an eye out. He had just seen a local veteran actor whose performance had finished and who was heading home for his family’s New Year’s Eve dinner. So Chu Tian asked casually and managed to borrow their seats.

Actually, the seating arrangements weren’t that strict. Still, he had made sure to ask carefully. In this industry, far too many careless people fell into traps set by others. It was always better to be overly cautious than to regret it later.

However, the seats weren’t even needed in the end because Sister Hua was busy with phone calls and didn’t return.

Finally, after the midnight chimes, the crowd gradually began to disperse. Xu Qingqiu and Chu Tian found the director to bid their farewell.

However, Zhao Fengsheng, who was in high spirits, wouldn’t hear of their departure. He insisted they stay for a meal, saying there was something important to discuss.

With no other choice, they had to stay. Fortunately, not much time remained; they expected the event to conclude around half-past twelve, so they decided to wait.

At half-past twelve, the Spring Festival Gala concluded perfectly. The atmosphere was jubilant. Zhao Fengsheng stood below the stage, smiling broadly, as a lively crowd gathered around him, offering congratulations and engaging in cheerful conversation. Then, staff began organizing the audience’s departure and directing people to dinner. The earlier boxed meals were just for emergencies and didn’t count. The real New Year’s Eve dinner had already been prepared next door; this was the main meal.

Xu Qingqiu and her group were also invited. Along the way, Zhao Fengsheng kept an eye on them. She was the main reason for the praise he received this year; naturally, he couldn’t let her slip away.

Helpless, they could only follow obediently.

Meanwhile, seeing that the event had ended and that Xu Qingqiu and her group couldn’t leave, Xu Ruyan hurriedly urged her elder brother and parents to drive home first. Liang Yuehong was still anxious to prepare the New Year’s Eve dinner for her daughter, and Xu Ruyan was looking forward to giving her sister a surprise.

Ultimately, Chu Tian and his group did leave. However, it wasn’t before they had a long conversation with Zhao Fengsheng at the dinner table, during which they toasted with several glasses of wine. A good relationship had been established. They only managed to extricate themselves with difficulty and left first.

"Sigh, I’m so tired," Xu Qingqiu murmured on the way back, her voice laced with exhaustion as she leaned against Chu Tian’s shoulder, brows tightly knit.

Chu Tian had shielded Xu Qingqiu from much of the alcohol. In such situations, regardless of his own dislike for drinking, he knew it was necessary for Xu Qingqiu’s sake, so he had consumed a fair amount himself. Thus, he was now leaning back against the seat, resting his eyes. Yiyi drove in front, while Sister Hua was still busy sending messages and making calls.

Tilting his head to glance at Xu Qingqiu’s exhausted state, Chu Tian smiled faintly but didn’t speak. Instead, he reached out and gently pulled her closer, holding her securely in his embrace.

And so, the group silently drove home through the quiet, somewhat empty streets of the Capital on New Year’s Eve.