Chapter 181: Someone Is Looking to Stir Up Trouble

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The Same Major System?

Hearing Chen Qi say that, Deputy Station Director Wang was momentarily speechless. She had no idea how to answer him.

There did not seem to be anything wrong with what he had said, but did he know how many people belonged to this major system? How could she possibly know every one of them?

“To be honest, I’m really not that familiar with Li Hongti.” Deputy Station Director Wang looked at him helplessly.

She truly was not familiar with her.

At most, she knew that such a person existed. Beyond that, she knew nothing.

“...” Chen Qi was speechless as well. He said, “You don’t need to worry about the program. The third episode has turned out very well.”

“What place did Li Hongti take?” Deputy Station Director Wang still looked somewhat uneasy.

“Fourth.”

“Fourth?” Deputy Station Director Wang nodded thoughtfully. She seemed to feel that the ranking was not too bad.

At least it was much better than Chen Qi’s seventh place.

“Why did you choose her as the substitute singer?” she asked curiously.

After seeing the doubts raised by the public, she too found it puzzling that Chen Qi had suddenly invited someone as little-known as Li Hongti.

Wouldn’t it have been better to keep inviting famous singers and maintain that high level of attention and discussion?

It was not as if he could not afford them.

Chen Qi glanced at her and smiled. “Director Wang, don’t underestimate her. Later on, she may give all of you a tremendous shock.”

Deputy Station Director Wang looked at him skeptically.

A tremendous shock?

Just how tremendous could it be?

Chen Qi smiled but did not elaborate.

They were questioning Li Hongti’s ability?

How naive!

Before long, they would understand what it meant to crush someone from an entirely higher dimension.

By then, they would understand what a true national-level performer was.

He had thoroughly investigated Li Hongti’s abilities, and he believed that her performance later on would surely amaze audiences across the country.

Seeing that Chen Qi had no intention of explaining further, Deputy Station Director Wang did not press him.

After exchanging a few words with him, she turned and left.

She had already learned what she wanted to know, so there was nothing left for her to worry about.

As far as she was concerned, ensuring the quality of the program was enough.

“Director Wang.” Just as she was about to leave, Chen Qi suddenly called out to her again.

Deputy Station Director Wang turned around and gave him an inquiring look.

“Can you find out who is pushing all this from behind the scenes?” Chen Qi asked.

Deputy Station Director Wang frowned slightly as she looked at him. “What are you planning to do?”

Chen Qi smiled. “Nothing. I’m just curious whether this person is targeting me or your television station.”

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“...” Deputy Station Director Wang looked at him with helpless amusement.

Curious?

Anyone who believed that would have to be a fool.

“I’ll have someone look into it. I’ll tell you if I hear anything, but don’t get your hopes up. Even if there really is someone behind this, uncovering them won’t be easy.”

“Alright.” Chen Qi nodded.

Deputy Station Director Wang said nothing more and turned to attend to her own work.

Just as Chen Qi was preparing to get busy as well, his phone rang.

It was Li Hongti.

Seeing her name on the screen, Chen Qi smiled helplessly and pressed the answer button.

He could already guess why she was calling.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Well...” Li Hongti’s voice on the other end carried a hint of guilt. “I haven’t caused you any trouble, have I?”

“You mean all those comments out there? No. I haven’t taken them seriously at all.” Chen Qi tried to keep his tone light. “Just look at those comments and leave it at that. Don’t let them get to you.”

“Mm, I know.” Li Hongti answered with a smile.

She truly had not taken the voices outside very seriously.

Doubt?

Contempt?

It did not matter.

They did not understand her, so it was only natural that they would have doubts.

The only thing that made her feel guilty was that, because of her, Chen Qi and the production team seemed to have been dragged into the matter.

“Just prepare well. Don’t worry about the production team.”

“Alright.”

After hanging up, the smile on Chen Qi’s face gradually faded.

He took out his phone and carefully read through the doubts being voiced online. Then he merely curled his lip in disdain and went back to his own work.

...

Friday.

Perhaps because Chen Qi and Capital City Satellite TV had continued to make no response, the public’s doubts had eased slightly over the past two days.

But as the broadcast of the third episode of Singer drew near, the online discussion once again grew intense.

Most netizens were not fools. After letting the matter settle for a couple of days, they too realized that something was wrong.

Someone was deliberately steering the conversation.

Someone was stirring up trouble.

Jealousy?

Envy?

Whatever the reason, the matter was clearly not as simple as it appeared.

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Quite a few people felt embarrassed when they saw the comments they had posted a few days earlier.

Embarrassed beyond words.

They did not even know whether the news of Li Hongti joining Singer was true, yet they had already begun questioning the quality of the program?

And even if the news was true, the program had not even aired. Who could possibly predict its results in advance?

Once they had calmed down, these netizens became much more rational.

“Do you think the substitute singer might really be Li Hongti?”

“No idea. Chen Qi and Capital City Satellite TV haven’t responded at all.”

“They definitely won’t respond. They’re probably using the suspense to draw viewers into watching!”

“I think it’s probably true that Li Hongti is the substitute singer. After all, the media outlet that reported it is a major one. If they got something like this wrong, they’d be in serious trouble!”

“I think so too.”

The calmer netizens no longer questioned Li Hongti’s abilities.

Although Chen Qi had little experience producing programs, he was certainly more capable in that area than ordinary viewers like them.

If he had truly chosen Li Hongti, he must have had his reasons.

If Li Hongti really lacked the necessary ability, inviting her onto the show would not amount to smashing the reputation he had worked so hard to build?

Who in their right mind would do that?

Of course, that was what the netizens told themselves. Deep down, they still harbored some doubts about the little-known Li Hongti.

But because they trusted Chen Qi, most of them merely buried those doubts in their hearts.

Whether Li Hongti had the ability, and whether she had joined Singer only to be cannon fodder, would be clear after watching the third episode.

Soon, eight o’clock in the evening arrived.

The third episode of Singer began broadcasting on time.

As before, the program opened with footage of several singers rehearsing, but compared with the previous episode, the rehearsal scenes had clearly been sped up.

Only six people were shown rehearsing.

The substitute singer still had not appeared.

The audience was not anxious. They waited patiently.

They knew there was no point in rushing.

The rehearsal footage passed quickly. Then the audience saw the familiar men in black appear once again.

Here they came!

Here they came!

At the sight of that scene, many viewers inexplicably grew excited.

With such a grand entrance, the substitute singer was clearly about to appear.

At that moment, everyone watching the program unconsciously sat up straight.

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