Chapter 191 Is This Even Possible?

Chen Qi recognized that woman.

She was one of the top-tier hosts at Beijing Satellite TV.

Yes, she was indeed among those who had refused to host his program when he was first setting it up.

Of course, Chen Qi hadn't gone out of his way to dig up this information; after all, he wasn't the type to hold grudges.

Beijing Satellite TV was only so big, and having worked here for over two months, it was completely normal for him to recognize a few famous figures around the station, wasn't it?

By coincidence, almost at the exact moment Chen Qi spotted the female host, she noticed him too.

Then, her body stiffened slightly, and she stopped in her tracks involuntarily.

She stood there in a daze, unsure whether to advance or retreat.

Judging by the bewildered expression on her face, she clearly hadn't expected to run into Chen Qi here.

Strictly speaking, none of the station's hosts had ever officially met face-to-face with Chen Qi.

Although Chen Qi was currently a massive sensation at Beijing Satellite TV, he almost never appeared anywhere outside his own territory.

Watching Chen Qi walk toward her, the female host's expression suddenly grew somewhat complicated.

The nationwide explosive success of *The Singer* was witnessed by all television viewers. The ones who regretted their decision so bitterly that their intestines turned green weren't just the singers in the music industry.

The hosts at Beijing Satellite TV were among them as well.

In fact, they had started regretting it the moment they saw the massive ratings of the very first episode of *The Singer*, but back then, pride had forced them to keep up a false front and pretend they didn't care.

At that time, they never imagined that the premiere's nearly 1% ratings were just the beginning.

The subsequent episodes practically skyrocketed with every single broadcast!

Seeing such astonishing growth left them all dumbfounded.

To be precise, their worldviews were almost completely overturned.

With a single move, Chen Qi had trampled all over Beijing Satellite TV's previous records, including viewership records and title sponsorship records!

Nine episodes in, the average ratings were approaching 2%!

It ranked first in the same time slot among all television stations nationwide! And it had left the runner-up trailing miles behind!

Those rival stations that they used to look up to and envy with absolute awe had been beaten so thoroughly they lost their fighting spirit, and not a single one dared to lock horns with him!

Over the short span of the previous two months, Beijing Satellite TV's fame had soared thanks to this program, and its status had risen so steeply that the top four comprehensive networks ahead of them in overall ranking felt a massive threat!

It was unbelievable!

This was something they had never even dared to dream of.

Yet, it had happened right before their eyes, just like that.

A person with virtually no production experience had actually produced an epoch-making phenomenal show, driving the biggest names in the entire music industry crazy for it.

And yet, it was precisely such a show that they had rejected the opportunity to host!

Every time they recalled saying something so utterly suicidal, they felt a heartache so intense it took their breath away.

To put it without exaggeration, this was the single most regretful thing they had ever done in their lives so far.

Because of this incident, the top hosts had spent the past two months living in absolute agony.

They felt as though everyone looking at them was filled with mockery.

In the dead of night, they couldn't help but imagine: if they had been the ones to host such a nation-wide hit, how much fame would it have brought them?

They didn't know.

But one thing was certain: if they had truly seized that opportunity, leaving aside everything else, their status as the number one figure at Beijing Satellite TV would have been beyond question.

Yet an opportunity like this, which might not come twice in a lifetime, had been completely ruined by their own foolish pride!

Watching Chen Qi draw closer and closer, the female host's state of mind grew increasingly tangled.

She was torn over whether she should greet him.

To be precise, she was hesitating over whether to swallow her pride and offer some kind of apology.

Having witnessed Chen Qi's almost monstrous capabilities, she really didn't want to make the relationship this hostile.

In fact, she and the others had shared this thought for a while now, but they simply hadn't found the right opportunity.

Without leaving a trace, she glanced around.

Some passing staff members in the vicinity were repeatedly turning their heads to look at them, their expressions both curious and peculiar.

The fact that the station's top hosts had been heavily slapped in the face by Chen Qi was no secret within the building, which was why everyone was so intrigued upon seeing this accidental encounter.

They wanted to see if the female host would have the nerve to greet Chen Qi.

Meeting these repeated glances, the female host grew even more conflicted internally.

Seeing the distance between her and Chen Qi shrinking, she still couldn't make up her mind.

20 meters...

15 meters...

10 meters!

Just as the female host was steeling herself to go all out and greet Chen Qi, he changed direction.

"..." The female host, who had mustered up the courage to greet him, twitched the corners of her mouth. In the end, she could only look at Chen Qi's retreating back with a trace of disappointment and let out a silent sigh in her heart.

In the distance, the staff members watching this scene were also stunned in bewilderment.

At this moment, their minds were full of question marks.

They bypassed each other?

And it was Chen Qi who had actively steered away?

What was going on here?

Some observant people specifically paid attention to the direction Chen Qi took.

Then...

They watched him make a half-circle and walk right back onto his original path.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Watching this, the corners of everyone's mouths twitched involuntarily.

On purpose?

He had actually detoured on purpose?

What was the meaning of this?

He didn't want to cross paths with her at all?
He wouldn't even give her a chance to say hello?

Petty?

Was he being petty?

Seeing Chen Qi act with such childish pettiness, as if they were schoolchildren who had quarreled and refused to speak to each other, everyone found it somewhat amusing.

However, they also understood one thing clearly: Chen Qi genuinely wanted nothing to do with the top hosts of the station.

He didn't even want the casual acquaintance of exchanging pleasantries!

This guy...

He really held a serious grudge!

...

A few minutes later, Chen Qi arrived at Vice President Wang's office.

After a brief exchange of polite remarks, he brought up his idea of turning the grand finale into a live broadcast.

Producing a live show required the station's support, and such a matter had to be prepared well in advance.

"Y-You... what did you say?" Hearing Chen Qi's words, Vice President Wang, who had been busy writing something, froze instantly.

She raised her head with an astonished look, seemingly thinking she had misheard.

"The grand finale, live broadcast," Chen Qi repeated.

"..." Vice President Wang stared at him blankly, a deep sense of disbelief welling up in the depths of her gaze.

Live broadcast?

He actually had the notion of doing a live broadcast again?

No wait...
What on earth was going on inside his head all day long?!

Wasn't that sudden crisis last time enough to test everyone's hearts?

She gazed blankly at Chen Qi, suddenly gaining a profound understanding of the comments netizens had made about him.

Seeking death in creative ways wasn't just a joke after all!

Did he have any idea how many unknown risks a live broadcast entailed?

Did he know how easily accidents happened during a live show?

We try our absolute best to avoid live broadcasting whenever possible, and you...

Massaging her temples with a headache, Vice President Wang asked powerlessly after a long silence, "Are you serious?"

Chen Qi nodded.

"..." Vice President Wang couldn't help letting out a sigh in her heart, then shook her head. "I wouldn't advise it. The risks are simply too high."

Chen Qi smiled, not surprised by this outcome in the least.

"I insist," he said.

"You know, our Beijing Satellite TV isn't like the top two networks. When it comes to live broadcasting, we lack experience."

"I know."

"..." Vice President Wang, who had wanted to say more, was choked into silence by his single sentence.

Then, she fell silent.

According to the contract, she could not refuse the request Chen Qi was making.

She had no choice but to cooperate.

"Do you know how high the risks of a live broadcast are?" she asked with utmost seriousness.

"I know," Chen Qi nodded again.

"Why do you insist on broadcasting live?" Vice President Wang asked, completely unable to fathom his reasoning.

Wasn't the recorded broadcast working out just fine?

Couldn't they just keep doing it safely and steadily?

"A live broadcast feels grander, can stir up more topics, and attract more attention. Most importantly—" Chen Qi paused, smiling, "We won't have to worry about leaks, and we can let the audience find out the big suspense of who becomes the King of Singers right at that very moment."

"..." Vice President Wang looked at him speechlessly. After hesitating several times with words on the tip of her tongue, she forcibly held back and refrained from saying anything more.

"Fine, I'll arrange it," she conceded.

She knew she had no other choice; persuading him to abandon this idea was utterly impossible.

"What else do you need?"

"I need a host."

"What did you say?" Hearing this, Vice President Wang was visibly stunned.

She once again suspected she had misheard.

A host?
He actually said he needed a host?

Didn't he previously say he would rather scrap the show than use any of Beijing Satellite TV's hosts?

"Wait—" Vice President Wang was growing confused. "Didn't you say before that you wouldn't use the station's hosts?"

Chen Qi smiled nonchalantly and said, "It's fine, just pretend I never said it. After all, it's not my first time slapping myself in the face."

"???" Vice President Wang was dumbfounded.

You can do that?

Seeing Vice President Wang's astonished expression, as if she had never witnessed such a maneuver before, Chen Qi remained entirely calm.

Yes, he needed a host.

With the grand finale airing live, as the chief director, he definitely wouldn't have the time to spare.

An occasion like this still required a professional host to keep the situation under control.

Not use the station's hosts?

He would have loved to invite a host from the outside, but the problem was that Beijing Satellite TV would never agree to it!

"Who do you want?" After a while, Vice President Wang asked.

Chen Qi shook his head. "I don't know yet. Let me observe and see first, but I definitely won't use those few people."

The corners of Vice President Wang's eyes twitched slightly.

Of course she knew who "those few people" were.

However, excluding those few, the station didn't have any other hosts worth mentioning.

"It's fine, let me look into it first," Chen Qi shook his head indifferently. "Later on, have someone organize the profiles of the remaining hosts at the station and give me a copy."

Vice President Wang glanced at him and finally gave a slow nod.

"All right, then there's nothing else for now. I'm off."

Chen Qi waved goodbye and stood up to leave.