Chapter 183 Second Saturday

Yan Baiwei said "You are alone" in a serious tone and expression, with a hint of meaning in her voice. Fan Xinran and Li Qingzi looked at each other silently, and their eyes fell on Ren Limeng opposite them at the same time.

Yan Baiwei seems to be about to cause trouble.

A barely perceptible gleam flashed in Li Qingzi's eyes. This week, Ren Limeng had been making a splash on the Internet, and everyone had seen it.

The host's oral announcement at last Sunday's performance impressed the audience, and the Huangmei Opera stage performance during the live broadcast on Wednesday impressed countless people even more. Coupled with the traffic from Shen Xingzhi's "Announcement to the World" Weibo post on Thursday night, Ren Limeng's current discussion level is far ahead of others, and her followers have increased by millions. Even she couldn't help but sigh with envy.

She and Yan Baiwei have witnessed Ren Limeng's rise from obscurity to where she is today. Nowadays, when people talk about the hosts of the Orange Platform online, many netizens not only mention the top host An Ling, but also start to mention Ren Limeng's name. Ren Limeng is definitely the beneficiary of this "Shan Hai" tour.

As the first public program aired, Ren Limeng's overwhelming popularity overshadowed the collapse of discussion about Yan Baiwei.

The program has limited traffic, and in addition to the normal rise and fall in popularity, certain details of Yan Baiwei's words and deeds, who had conflicts with Ren Limeng, were subjected to endless scrutiny by netizens. The program crew's editing concealed Yan Baiwei's arrogance and domineering behavior, but it also seemed to increase netizens' enthusiasm for exploring the truth, and the related interpretations became increasingly outrageous.

The only discussions about Yan Baiwei were mostly negative reviews. Although becoming a black-and-red celebrity was also an option, even Li Qingzi could imagine the anger in Yan Baiwei's heart because of a reputation crisis caused by a small character like Ren Limeng, whom she didn't take seriously.

In any case, Li Qingzi was just happy to see it happen.

Before appearing on the "Mountains and Seas" program, Xu Jiao, her and Shen Xingzhi's common agent, had repeatedly urged and entrusted her with the task, hoping that Shen Xingzhi could help guide her and increase her popularity. However, Shen Xingzhi only had a stern face at the time.

During the actual recording these days, Shen Xingzhi did not listen to the company at all, and insisted on his own way, entangled with Ren Limeng, and even took the initiative to post on Weibo the night before yesterday!

Li Qingzi was also very curious about what kind of magic potion Ren Limeng had given to Chen Xingzhi that made him so abnormal. The contrast in Chen Xingzhi's attitude towards them was so great that she could no longer ignore it.

You know, even when Chen Xingzhi had the best relationship with the company, Xu Jiao asked Chen Xingzhi to help forward the company's official announcement of her signing on Weibo. Li Qingzi remembered that Chen Xingzhi also ruthlessly and coldly refused.

Thinking of this, Li Qingzi's smile faded even more. She gently took Yan Baiwei's arm and said, "Baiwei, Brother Xingzhi and Li Meng are schoolmates. They knew each other before. It's normal for Brother Xingzhi to take care of Li Meng more. Didn't Li Meng explain this to us?"

"Qingzi, do you believe that Li Meng and Xingzhi are just schoolmates? I don't believe it anyway. Xingzhi's overly excited behavior shows that she is his girlfriend!"

Hearing Li Qingzi's words trying to defend Ren Limeng, Yan Baiwei's face turned even uglier. Every word she spoke seemed to be squeezed out from between her teeth, with undisguised affirmation and hostility. Relying on the company's kindness to her, Yan Baiwei completely ignored the camera.

With the company's help, it would be easy to take this conversation out of context. Ren Limeng is so popular this week, she must make Ren Limeng show her true colors!

It is obviously Ren Limeng who is the hypocritical one, why is she being judged online now!

The corners of Yan Baiwei's eyes were slightly raised, with a hint of resentment and contempt. Her gorgeous makeup seemed to suddenly become ferocious, and she bared her fangs and claws at the calm-looking Ren Limeng.

"Sister Bai Wei, are you saying there's something wrong with the production team?"

"Um?"

Looking at Ren Limeng with a smile on her lips, Yan Baiwei was a little confused as to why she suddenly changed the topic without changing her expression. She was talking about Ren Limeng and Shen Xingzhi, so what did it have to do with the program crew?

"The first public performance has already aired. Sister Bai Wei, how did you know that Brother Xingzhi favored me? When we signed the contract, the production team did a background check. If you think that Brother Xingzhi and I have been secretly boyfriend and girlfriend, do you think that Brother Xingzhi and I deceived the production team, or that they concealed it from everyone in the audience?"

"You! You're so sharp-tongued! Ren Limeng!"

Ren Limeng smiled faintly, and met Yan Baiwei's sharp eyes without flinching. She spoke in a very natural tone of pretending to be doubtful, and her words also carried a hint of meaning. She shifted the blame and threw the problem to the program crew.

Yan Baiwei's agency is one of the four major agencies, so it is easy for them to interfere with certain editing of the program, but no agency can really influence the program team because the Orange platform is behind the program team.

The era of brokerage companies has quietly passed, and now the four major platforms with strong capital hold the real voice in the entertainment industry.

Even artists from the four major brokerage companies need the exposure and support of variety shows, film and television dramas on the four major platforms. The brokerage companies and platforms maintain a delicate cooperative relationship, which seems close but contains too many unspeakable things.

Even though Ren Limeng was an outsider, she had seen all these things after her recent intensive study. Her words at this moment caused Yan Baiwei's face to change drastically. Even Li Qingzi and Fan Xinran, who were also from one of the four major brokerage companies, looked at her with more scrutiny and seriousness.

Just because some shots cannot be broadcast doesn’t mean they didn’t happen. The program crew is watching every move at this moment, and everyone knows this.

Ren Limeng, who was in the center of attention, remained calm. Her gentle gaze continued to look at Yan Baiwei neither humbly nor arrogantly, and seemed to unconsciously cover Yan Baiwei.

Ren Limeng smiled calmly. Yan Baiwei had no way of answering the second half of her question, which required her to choose between two options. If Yan Baiwei chose that there was something wrong with the program team, she would undoubtedly have offended the program team.

If Yan Baiwei chose that Shen Xingzhi and she had deceived the program crew, on the one hand, it would mean that Yan Baiwei was expressing her dissatisfaction with the program crew's poor background check. On the other hand, Li Qingzi, who worked in the same company as Shen Xingzhi, was next to them. Even for the sake of appearances, Li Qingzi would have to defend Shen Xingzhi and her.

Ren Limeng's question was very tricky, the only problem was... although she and Shen Xingzhi did not do it on purpose, they were indeed not innocent.

Her flash marriage and divorce with Shen Xingzhi before entering the circle is still a hidden danger. This matter cannot be considered as deception. Even the program crew's background check will not care about her love life before entering the circle. This is a customary thing in the circle. Ren Limeng admitted that she inadvertently took advantage of this loophole.

It was not an intentional concealment. The background check and interview crew did not ask about this matter. They only verified that she was single. Ren Limeng hesitated slightly at that time and remained silent.

She signed up at the last minute and didn't care about the online rumors about the guests. All her thoughts were on preparing for the emergency interview. Without knowing that Shen Xingzhi would come to the show, Ren Limeng didn't want the program team to choose her just because she had a top-tier ex-husband, and she didn't want to be asked about anything related to Shen Xingzhi on the show, intentionally or unintentionally.

No one expected things to develop like this. Not only did Chen Xingzhi also appear on the show, but they are now no longer strangers to each other.

After arriving in Jiangcheng, Ren Limeng had experienced countless tentative inquiries in just one morning. Some of them were malicious like Yan Baiwei's, and some seemed to be just gossip and curiosity. Even the meeting with Yao Xin scheduled for the afternoon, Ren Limeng did not expect that as the chief director of the program, Yao Xin would also be curious about such a small matter.

"Li Meng, there's nothing wrong with what you said. You're the host of Orange, and this is what we should do. Now that we've finished our business, as someone close to the platform, I want to hear your honest truth behind closed doors. What's your current relationship with Shen Xingzhi?"

In Yao Xin's office, Ren Limeng sat upright on the sofa across from Yao Xin, her expression slightly startled. The corners of her mouth, which had been rising slightly during Yao Xin's first half of the sentence, paused for a moment before quickly returning to their normal curve. "Director Yao, don't worry. If there's any good news, I'll report it to the production team immediately."

Ren Limeng's eyes held some subtle hints, and her sincere gaze revealed obvious closeness. Although Ren Limeng did not answer Yao Xin's question, Yao Xin was not angry. He even smiled readily and did not ask any further questions. There was only a tacit understanding in the way the two looked at each other.

Ren Limeng didn't know whether Yao Xin had asked Shen Xingzhi a similar question, but her answer was correct anyway. She now had something to ask of the program team, or in other words, as a senior executive of the Orange Platform Entertainment Department, Yao Xin couldn't completely avoid this question.

Even if she and Shen Xingzhi really got together, she had already hinted to the program crew. Yao Xin was a smart man, and Ren Limeng believed that her subtle demeanor had been seen through by Yao Xin.

"Director Yao, I'll go back to record first."

Ren Limeng didn't want to stay long because they were talking about good things. She stood up and walked towards the door. Yao Xin glanced at the watch on his wrist and nodded. "Okay, I have an appointment, so I won't see you off. If you have anything, please go to Dong Zhu. I'll tell her. If you and Shen Xingzhi are still in the same team for the third round, she will still be your group's director."

"Thank you, Director Yao, for your concern."

After leaving Yao Xin's office, Ren Limeng closed the door gently. When she lowered her head, the sincerity and calmness in her eyes instantly disappeared. She took a deep breath, raised a gentle smile, and switched from the workplace state to the recording state again.

Ren Limeng had just turned the corner when she suddenly noticed a slender figure with short hair walking towards her. Her steps suddenly paused slightly. Even though she quickly adjusted herself to her normal state, as Ren Limeng looked ahead, her peripheral vision still unconsciously glanced to the left.

Xu Jiao?

If I'm not mistaken, the capable woman in a black suit in front of me is Xu Jiao, Chen Xingzhi's agent and Hanxing's vice president, right?

When did Xu Jiao come to Jiangcheng?

Why did she come?

The contract renewal with Shen Xingzhi?

Shen Xingzhi hasn't mentioned this matter these days. Even if it was just because of their flash marriage that they kept secret, Shen Xingzhi should have informed her in advance when Xu Jiao came. Shen Xingzhi... probably didn't know that Xu Jiao was coming today.

Then... why is Xu Jiao here at this moment? The most important room at the end of the road is Yao Xin's office. Yao Xin just said that the person he was waiting for was Xu Jiao?