Mysterious Assistant of the Washed-Up Queen

So even though he had seen through it, he did not point it out; he was even a little moved.

"Do you know what President Chu said? Without a second word, he just spread his hands and asked, 'How much money do you want? I've got eighty million to start, and I'll add more if it's not enough, up to two hundred million is fine, beyond that we'll see.'"

As he spoke, he looked at Brother Sheng and Hu Zhenglun excitedly and said, "Listen, listen, what kind of talk is this? Just eighty million, up to two hundred million is fine! Did you hear that? Who has ever seen such generosity?"

"Hu, Brother Sheng, you two have dealt with those sponsors quite a bit, right? Do they hand out money this willingly?"

"And then there's our station—sorry, it's your station now—how hard is it to ask them for money? Begging and pleading just to start a new program."

As soon as this was mentioned, both Hu Zhenglun and Chen Sheng nodded in agreement, their gazes involuntarily turned to Chu Tian.

Not just them, even Wei Chuan and Lu Yongxin couldn't help but look at him.

These days, except for those large corporations, who doesn't need money?

Lu Yongxin needed money too. How much could he earn from teaching? If he didn't need money, why would he come out to act?

And Wei Chuan, though he was a director, directors needed money even more. Doesn't a movie require tens or hundreds of millions?

Not to mention variety directors at the station competing with a host of others; even Chen Sheng, the host, wanted more money for his own programs.

Unconsciously, Chu Tian had acquired the reputation of a wealthy financier.

Wei Liangxiao's goal was achieved. Chu Tian now appeared to everyone like dazzling gold, entirely different from the casual chats they had before.

Now, everyone occasionally steered the conversation towards him, clearly much more enthusiastic.

Facing this situation, Chu Tian was well-prepared. After all, he wasn't here to make friends, but to develop connections.

As for them valuing his interests, did it matter?

There was money to be made together, and shared interests might even make relationships more solid.

Only, Wei Liangxiao felt this was diverging somewhat from what he had envisioned and wondered if he could steer it back.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't rush, I haven't finished yet."

"You think President Chu is just about money? Wrong! A big mistake!"

Seeing him sputtering like a storyteller, Wei Chuan couldn't hold back anymore.

This little rascal, putting on airs for so long, always speaking hesitantly and keeping people in suspense. It would be unsatisfying not to sort him out.

A slap landed on his head, startling Wei Liangxiao.

Seeing his father's sharp gaze fixed on him, Wei Liangxiao finally toned it down a bit.

"COUGH COUGH, um~ I'll continue then."

"Hurry up! Stop dragging it out!"

"Here's the thing, you probably don't know, but our President Chu also has another identity."

"What identity?"

This time, Chen Sheng asked. He was genuinely curious.

He and Wei Liangxiao had been good friends for many years. For Wei Liangxiao, who bore the title of 'genius director,' there weren't many people he truly admired.

He had seen through today's gathering early on; it was clearly Wei Liangxiao's setup for Chu Tian. But not many people could make Wei Liangxiao go to such lengths.

"HEH HEH, you guys probably don't know this, right? Hu, have you seen my program?"

"Program? The 'King of Mask Singer,' right? Of course, I've seen it. You just mentioned it; you said the program was promising. I'm not blind."

"Of course you're not blind. But did you see who the chief planner of the program was?"

Hearing this, Hu Zhenglun was stunned for a moment. His gaze froze, then turned towards Chu Tian, his eyes filled with astonishment.

"Is... is it President Chu?"

"Exactly! It's our President Chu. How about that, surprising, isn't it?"

Seeing Wei Liangxiao's smug expression, Hu Zhenglun was genuinely amazed.

It wasn't just him; even Chen Sheng and Lu Yongxin couldn't help but glance over.

They never expected that this young man named Chu Tian not only had money but was also so talented.

A variety show isn't something one can just conjure up. Many variety directors wouldn't dare claim their programs would definitely be a hit.

Yet this President Chu had casually produced one that not only won Wei Liangxiao over but also caused such a huge sensation.

All of them had heard about it, though they hadn't seen it, as they had received the news too late, and the online version hadn't been released yet.

But the sheer intensity of online discussions proved the program was already a success, and that was no simple feat.

Everyone inevitably gained a deeper understanding of Chu Tian.

Not short on cash, and talented too—he was definitely a high-potential prospect!

Moreover, he owned an entertainment company. Who knew, perhaps he could even become a major investor in the industry one day.

With this realization, the desire to build a good relationship with him intensified.

This was especially true for Hu Zhenglun. The man was almost fifty and had yet to produce a single hit variety show.

He'd idled away half his life, and with retirement approaching, he'd be too ashamed to show his face if he still had no achievements.

Seeing Wei Liangxiao come up with another hit variety show, it would be a lie to say he wasn't envious.

Crucially, Wei Liangxiao's smug, nose-in-the-air attitude was even more infuriating.

If their relationship hadn't been so good, he would have started punching Wei Liangxiao first thing in the morning. It was just too damn damaging to his pride!

Now that he had encountered Chu Tian, such a prime investor, what was he waiting for?

His dignity? What was the use of dignity if he couldn't make money?

He had no achievements, no reputation, and no money. Why would he still cling to his dignity?

So, he immediately picked up a cup of tea, gestured towards Chu Tian, and said with a flattering smile, "President Chu, I, Hu, don't have much talent, but our meeting must be fate. Let's get acquainted. I hope we can have the opportunity to collaborate."

He had figured it out. Despite his long tenure at the station, he had never produced significant results. He couldn't secure substantial funding unless he had a program that was obviously going to be a hit from the get-go.

But how easy was it to come by such good programs? Wouldn't everyone scramble to invest in a show that was guaranteed to be a hit?

Besides, which variety show director or planner could guarantee their show would be a hit? That was unrealistic.

So, when he encountered a strong backer, he should latch on first, regardless of whether it would be useful. Even if the other party lacked talent, their financial power was enough.

It didn't matter if there wasn't a program immediately. If he could build this connection, it would be great if they invested some money in him in the future.

He had grand aspirations, but he was also very realistic. To get others to invest in him, he either needed to offer value or have connections.

He lacked both, which left him with only one option: shamelessness.

Whether it worked or not, he would try to curry favor first. What if it succeeded? Losing a bit of face was nothing.

No one expected he would go this far; even Wei Liangxiao was somewhat surprised.

But Wei Liangxiao also understood inwardly that Hu Zhenglun was desperate. Approaching fifty, if he didn't make a name for himself soon, there was basically no hope left for him.

Chu Tian gave him a surprised glance and, quickly picking up his tea, gestured in response.

However, an idea had formed in his mind.

"Actually, Director Hu, speaking of collaboration, it's not out of the question. I just happen to have an idea."

As soon as these words were spoken, the room instantly quieted.

Was he serious? Hu was just being polite, at most swallowing his pride and trying his luck, hoping something might stick. And Chu Tian immediately had an idea? Was he kidding?

Had all the praise gone to his head? Was he, being young and impulsive, just planning to show off?

Everyone who had climbed to their positions in the industry was astute.

Even with some doubts, no one spoke. Only Wei Chuan glanced at Wei Liangxiao, his eyes full of inquiry.

Wei Liangxiao didn't know either. He knew his boss was indeed talented, but he couldn't guarantee this particular claim was genuine; he had just been boasting earlier.

How had his boss gotten so carried away?

Chu Tian wasn't getting carried away; he had plenty of good ideas.

He hadn't planned to bring them out, at least not yet. One reason was that his current capabilities were still limited, and he lacked sufficient resources and energy.

After all, the company was only so big, and funds weren't ample; taking too big a step might lead to trouble.

Another reason was that he hadn't been particularly interested in rapid development before; taking things slow had been fine.

But now, wanting to help Xu Qingqiu, the company needed strengthening. Money could be earned, and staff could be hired, but professionals like directors were hard to find.

Since Wei Liangxiao had already set the stage today, and with a ready talent like Hu Zhenglun available, it would be a waste not to make use of him!

Hu Zhenglun was also a bit stunned. But since Chu Tian had spoken, and clearly to him, he had to respond.

This man was an investor, after all. What if he made a fool of himself and offended Chu Tian by not responding appropriately?

"Oh? Please elaborate, President Chu."