These women all wore makeup that suited them, and most were dressed in glamorous evening gowns and adorned with expensive jewelry. A few, too, wore ethnic-style clothing made of costly fabrics, reflecting their individual characteristics.
“Jianfei, these are all beautiful anchors vying for the host position in the Genius Challenge,” Song Ying whispered in Gao Jianfei’s ear, linking her arm with his. “They’ve gathered a group of outstanding female anchors from the capital’s television station and local television stations in Z country.”
"Uh..." Gao Jianfei glanced around, and sure enough, the women entering the Broadcasting Building not only had top-notch figures and outstanding looks, but also very elegant demeanor. A few of them, overall, probably scored as high as Song Ying!
"Hehe, Jianfei, if you go public, you'll be one of the main characters in the Genius Challenge, with the power to decide the host's spot. I bet all these women will be vying to let you have your way with them!" Song Ying made a harmless joke.
Gao Jianfei noticed that some of the female hosts were indeed entering the broadcasting building arm in arm with male companions. Some of these companions were middle-aged, balding, and overweight, with the air of bosses; others were young and arrogant, with the style of playboys. Undoubtedly, these women had managed to hook up with powerful men and were among the most competitive.
Gao Jianfei chuckled, "Alright, Xiaoying, didn't you already tell me to go undercover?"
"Tch...nonsense! They're dating you, what's with all this talk about 'secret relationships'!" Song Ying said irritably, then tightly linked arms with Gao Jianfei, "Come on, Jianfei, let's go inside."
The two walked directly toward the Broadcasting Building.
At that moment, a man and a woman swayed and walked over from the side.
"Hey! Sister Ying!" The couple walked straight up to Gao Jianfei and Song Ying, and the woman called out to Song Ying.
Song Ying's eyebrows furrowed involuntarily.
Gao Jianfei touched his nose and looked at the couple.
The woman, around 23 or 24 years old, was adorned with jewels, tall, and possessed extremely beautiful features. However, there was a seductive quality to her demeanor; Gao Jianfei could tell at a glance that she was the rather uninhibited type. Objectively speaking, she certainly had the qualities to be promiscuous!
The man was a middle-aged, stocky fellow, dressed in fine clothes, with the air of a successful person about him.
"Sister Ying, really... sigh, I only found out today that you were expelled from the Song family. What a pity... Sister Ying, look at you, without your family, your clothes... sigh, they're quite shabby." The woman's eyes were full of provocation and revenge. "I remember three years ago, Sister Ying and I entered the TV station together. Back then, Sister Ying was so beautiful, with the reputation of an international family, her career was going smoothly, and she naturally became the number one host of our highly-rated treasure appraisal program. And me? Hehe, I just bought Sister Ying lunch boxes and did her makeup. Sigh... At that time, I was full of resentment, but I had to force a smile in front of Sister Ying. It was so hard... Time flies, three years have passed, Sister Ying, you can compare with me now... hehe, Sister Ying, you're so down on your luck..."
The woman laughed, an exaggerated laugh, a wild, vengeful laugh. "Sister Ying, Boss Yang really appreciates my talent, so while I don't dare hope for the number one host spot this time, I'm quite qualified to be number two or three. And you, Sister Ying... hehe... Wow, Sister Ying, look at this diamond of mine, isn't it sparkling? Actually, it's only a few hundred thousand, really not expensive. Sister Ying, didn't you drive your BMW today? Where's your luxury apartment? Wow! I feel so good today! So comfortable!"
The woman's male companion smiled arrogantly at Song Ying, then said to the woman, "Alright, Ajiao, you've had your fun, let's ignore this ungrateful woman and go inside." He paused, then glanced at Gao Jianfei. "I thought she was going to find some outstanding man, but I didn't expect... he's insignificant, utterly insignificant!"
With that, the couple swaggered into the building.
"Huh? Sakura, it seems like we've been slapped in the face for no reason? What happened?" Gao Jianfei smiled helplessly.
Song Ying was somewhat amused and exasperated. "Jianfei, that woman, Ajiao, joined the TV station with me. She originally had a chance to become an anchor, but unexpectedly, she had problems in her personal life, so she could only run errands for me and be my assistant. Back then, she was quite obsequious to me. I never expected that now that I've lost power, she'd be the first to come out and retaliate against me." After a pause, Song Ying continued, "The man next to her is Mr. Yang, the CEO of a large real estate development company in Beijing. Back then, Mr. Yang also hinted that he was willing to keep me as a mistress, but I directly refused."
"A real estate tycoon in Beijing, wow, what a big tycoon!" Gao Jianfei exclaimed with an exaggerated expression. "How much wealth must he have?"
Song Ying said irritably, "There must be several billion US dollars."
"A piece of shit!" Gao Jianfei rolled his eyes and dragged Song Ying into the building. "Let me tell you, wife, anyone who tries to slap me in the face without assets of 50 billion US dollars is an idiot."
"Pfft..." Song Ying chuckled, "Jianfei, how could you say someone is...is...is shit...hehe..."
The two seemed oblivious to their earlier embarrassment and entered the elevator with smiles on their faces.
Chapter 378 The Final Winner
Chapter 378 The Last Winner
This time, the meeting place, which brought together many hosts, was a huge conference room on the 14th floor of the Broadcasting Building.
Song Ying led Gao Jianfei to the 14th floor and entered the venue.
Along the way, Song Ying encountered many colleagues from the station, as well as out-of-town anchors she knew. In the past, as the top anchor at Beijing Television, these people would have stopped, respectfully addressed her as "Sister Ying," and chatted in a flattering manner. But… human relationships are fickle!
Today, Song Ying not only cannot enjoy the glory and respect she once had, but she also suffers excessive ridicule and mockery! Some jealous female anchors even directly mocked Song Ying!
In reality, Song Ying was dressed in very ordinary casual clothes today, and Gao Jianfei wasn't dressed formally either, just a simple outfit. Therefore, not only was Song Ying ridiculed, but Gao Jianfei, as her male companion, also suffered mockery!
Although Gao Jianfei is a world-renowned artist and doctor, he is ultimately not a member of the entertainment industry. Unlike celebrities who are heavily promoted and featured on television every now and then, Gao Jianfei is low-key. Therefore, despite his fame, very few people actually recognize him.
Therefore, Gao Jianfei was regarded as an ordinary man. The only thing that attracted attention was... "How did this guy manage to win over the beautiful Song Ying?"
As I entered the venue, several beautiful female anchors rushed up behind me, calling out, "Make way, make way!"
Then, in an exaggerated manner, he rushed into the venue, ahead of Gao Jianfei and Song Ying.
Song Ying smiled calmly, "Jianfei, this world is very realistic, isn't it?"
Gao Jianfei put his arm around Song Ying's slender waist and laughed, "There's no need to bother with these vulgar people. Right now, they can ridicule you, mock you, and find some unfounded sense of revenge in you. But you and I both know that the winner tonight will be Miss Song Ying. Therefore, anyone who has mocked you will feel utterly humiliated!"
Song Ying shrugged indifferently. "Jianfei, I've seen through fame and fortune now. I don't care. Actually, the only reason I want to be the number one host is because you'll be participating in the competition. And..." Song Ying smiled playfully, "I'm already being kept by Mr. Gao, who's worth hundreds of billions. I'll be set for life. Why would I bother with these women who rely on their youth? Hehe, Mr. Gao, let me ask you a question: would you be willing to keep Miss Song Ying for life?"
Gao Jianfei tightened his grip on Song Ying's slender waist, which was free of any excess fat. "Well, I'm not only going to support Song Ying for the rest of my life, but also raise her child, which is my child. Hmm, when we're old and gray, I'll still hold hands with Miss Song Ying and take a walk in the park. How about that? Are you satisfied with this answer? By then, my eyebrows and hair will be thinning, and you'll be overweight, but appearances won't matter that much. What matters is that we'll still be together."
Song Ying trembled slightly, her eyes welling up with tears. She was genuinely moved by Gao Jianfei's words. She turned her head, wiped her eyes, and gave Gao Jianfei a charming smile. "Jianfei, let's go in!"
The two entered the venue hand in hand.
I saw the station manager, wearing a name tag, working with a group of male TV staff to maintain order and a pleasant atmosphere. They were arranging for everyone to sit where they were supposed to.
The station director's eyes swept over Gao Jianfei and Song Ying, and immediately, a hint of suspicion flashed in his eyes... "No way? Didn't that slut Song Ying cling to Young Master Zhou? What, she's changed partners? This young man next to her, being so openly affectionate with her, they seem like a couple... Hmm? I haven't seen this young man before, but he's dressed very casually, he shouldn't be anyone important... Tsk tsk, how strange!"
As the station director pondered this, he walked towards Song Ying and Gao Jianfei. He greeted Song Ying with a forced smile, "Xiao Ying, and who is this?"
Song Ying introduced him, "This is my boyfriend."
"Oh?" The station director looked at Gao Jianfei, then narrowed his eyes. "Really? Xiaoying, you were with Young Master Zhou yesterday, and I bet you were in his bed last night too. What, you've changed partners again today? Sigh, Xiaoying, I never thought you were this kind of woman, so promiscuous! But if you're going to change partners, you should at least change someone decent. How about this... knock-off phone?"
Song Ying was furious. If the station director had only been mocking her, she might have laughed it off given her current calm and indifferent attitude after seeing through the cruelty of reality. However, the station director used such insidious words to ridicule Gao Jianfei, and Song Ying was instinctively enraged!
Just as Song Ying was about to retort, Gao Jianfei stopped her. Gao Jianfei smiled at the station director, "Alright, I see you're quite busy. Don't waste your time mocking me and Xiao Ying. Go do what you need to do, cherish tonight, and starting tomorrow, perhaps you should change jobs."
After saying that, Gao Jianfei pulled Song Ying along and started looking for seats in the venue.
The station manager was stunned... "Huh? I'm changing jobs tomorrow? Damn! This guy's out of his mind! I earn nearly a million a year, and I'm thriving at the TV station. I'm changing jobs? I'll change your mother's job!"
However, Gao Jianfei's composure surprised the station director. The director had planned to mock Gao Jianfei to his face, hoping that if Gao Jianfei became angry and disruptive, he could use that opportunity to expel him. But Gao Jianfei remained calm and collected, adopting an attitude of "I won't bother with you," completely thwarting the director's plans!
"Fine! Anyway, you two are just here tonight to watch the show. This grand event has absolutely nothing to do with you! After the hosts are announced, I'll come back and slap you in the face!"
The station director grumbled to himself for a moment, then went to work.
Gao Jianfei and Song Ying found a seat at the back.
The venue was laid out much like a movie theater. There were tiered sofa seats above a large circular stage. The stage was illuminated by bright spotlights.
At this moment, several rows of VIPs are seated on the stage!
Gao Jianfei saw several familiar faces... The man who had just mocked Gao Jianfei, Ah Jiao's male companion, Boss Yang, was sitting in the second row of the VIP section.
In addition, Liu Feng personally attended the event and sat in the first row of the VIP section.
In addition, Gao Jianfei saw on Beijing TV that the mayor and party secretary of Beijing were also seated in the first row of the VIP section.
There was also a middle-aged man who looked somewhat similar to Zhou Shao, and he was also sitting in the first row of the VIP section.
In front of the VIP seats, there was a small table covered with red silk, and on the table was a stack of something that looked like red envelopes.
Song Ying turned to Gao Jianfei and explained, "Jianfei, the people in those VIP seats on the stage are all very important figures. There are leaders from the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, members of the Beijing Municipal Party Committee leadership, government officials, retired sports stars, and many bosses of large corporations. Actually, the host for this Genius Challenge is chosen through a vote by these people. The one with the most votes gets the position of host number one; the second-highest vote-getter is host number two... and so on. For this Genius Challenge, the TV station has set up one host number one and ten assistant hosts. That's eleven spots. Of course, the host number one oversees everything and gets more screen time than the other ten assistant hosts combined!"
Gao Jianfei nodded, indicating that he understood. "Heh, actually, this voting is just a formality. Basically, the female anchors who are willing to pay the price and find the right connections have already secured a host position. As for the number one host, it's already a foregone conclusion for us!"
Gao Jianfei glanced at Liu Feng's face in the VIP section. He was very calm, occasionally chatting and laughing with those around him. Seeing Liu Feng's demeanor, Gao Jianfei knew that he had successfully completed the task he had entrusted to Liu Feng.
No surprise, the number one host is Gao Jianfei's girlfriend... Song Ying!
Soon, the venue quieted down, and an emcee began the event. He first introduced all the guests in the VIP section, and then began to announce the hosts for this talent challenge.
Just as Song Ying said. There is one main host and ten assistant hosts.
The 10 assistant hosts were also ranked according to their importance and screen time.
"Now, let's invite Mr. Wu, Chairman of the Xiaomimi Group, a well-known mineral water and beverage company in Z Province, to announce the name of assistant host number 10!" The emcee smiled and gestured to a middle-aged man in the VIP seats. "Please welcome Chairman Wu to step forward."
Chairman Wu walked up, picked up an envelope from the small table in front of the VIP seating area, took out a card from it, and said into the microphone, "Assistant host number 1 is Ms. Xu Jiali from the Provincial Variety Channel!"
"Wow! It's me! It's me! I... I got elected!" In the audience, a petite and beautiful anchorwoman, around 18 years old, stood up abruptly, clasped her hands together, and her eyes glistened with tears of excitement! She was both excited and heartbroken. In order to win a host position, she had actually slept with six celebrities, and finally found the right way!
Immediately afterwards, one guest after another stepped forward to announce the names of those assisting the host.
Each announcement was followed by a burst of excited shouts.
When the name of assistant host number 3 is announced, all the shortlisted hosts will go on stage to give a speech, because number 3, number 2, and number 1 are already considered to be three very good opportunities to advance.
The assistant host number 1 is... Gillian Chung!
The woman who slapped Song Ying in the face at the entrance of that venue, in an almost perverted manner!
At this moment, Gillian Chung stood in front of the VIP seats, her left hand pressed against her heart, her right hand gripping the microphone, tears streaming down her face. "I...I'm so happy...so happy to have this opportunity...I'm really so happy! This is an affirmation of my abilities! Along the way, there have been ups and downs. Although my career hasn't been very smooth, I've never given up on my original aspirations. I want to prove to everyone that I can be an excellent host! I can do it! I want to thank my mom and my dad. If it weren't for your guidance, I...sob..." As she spoke, she seemed to break down in tears, wiping away several tears before continuing, "I also want to thank Mr. Yang from Kyoto Real Estate Development Company. Mr. Yang is like an older brother to me. He appreciates my abilities and often teaches me principles of life...and..." After listing a series of names, Gillian Chung said, "Finally, I also want to thank someone...Ms. Song Ying!"
"Ms. Song Ying, I used to be her assistant. When she was at her peak, I always envied her. I learned a lot from being around her, and she has always been my role model! Today, I'm standing here because I really want to thank Ms. Song Ying for her encouragement and motivation. Although Ms. Song Ying's career has hit a low point, I'm willing to accompany her and get through this difficult time together! I'm willing to help Ms. Song Ying overcome this challenge as much as possible! Hi, Sister Ying..." Ah Jiao started waving her hands haphazardly.
At that moment, a spotlight shone directly onto the spot where Song Ying was sitting on the stage.
Song Ying was without makeup today, and her clothes were casual and ordinary. Compared with these female anchors who were dressed up and made up, Song Ying did look a bit "down and out".
Immediately, a chorus of boos erupted from the audience.
In fact, everyone knows that Gillian Chung is looking for an opportunity to slap someone in the face!
She had always lived in Song Ying's shadow. When Song Ying was at the height of her fame, Gillian was just a delivery boy!
Furthermore, when Gillian Chung's private life was considered immoral, Song Ying advised her not to rely solely on her youth and body to pursue her career. This was misunderstood by Gillian, who thought Song Ying was just showing off. Later, when Gillian was exposed for having an abortion, she also suspected that Song Ying had leaked the information to the media.
In short, Gillian Chung has now found an opportunity and will definitely take revenge on Song Ying.
Moreover, most people in the room knew that Song Ying had been abandoned by the Song family. She had lost her house, her car, and was in debt for millions of dollars. She had nothing left!
Since Song Ying refused to sleep with powerful and influential people, naturally, she wasn't chosen as the number one host.
Perhaps Song Ying could have competed for one of the ten assistant host positions based on her own abilities. However, all ten assistant host positions have already been announced, and Song Ying is not among them!
That means that tonight's grand event has indeed said goodbye to Song Ying!
Faced with a chorus of boos and Gillian Chung's seemingly aggressive demeanor on stage, Song Ying could only smile and let it go. She truly disdained to argue with anyone.
After Gillian Chung stepped off the stage, the emcee announced loudly and passionately, "Alright! Ladies and gentlemen, tonight, the important moment has arrived! Who will be the protagonist of this grand event? Who will be the number one host? Ladies and gentlemen, I have an envelope here, and even I myself, and all the guests present, do not yet know whose name is written inside. Now, I would like to invite our Mayor Tian to personally open this envelope and announce to everyone who the ultimate winner is! Please wait and see!"
The entire room fell silent instantly!
Everyone hold your breath!
Several beautiful female anchors, who were very confident in winning the number one host position, even perked up their ears.
Mayor Na Tian smiled slightly, stepped forward, took the envelope from the emcee, opened it, and paused for a moment, looking somewhat surprised. Then, he spoke loudly into the microphone, "The number one host for the Genius Challenge two months from now, the one fully responsible for the live broadcast of this competition, is our beautiful, noble, angelic... Miss Song Ying!"
Chapter 379 Boiling Water
Chapter 379 Boiling Water
"The host for the Genius Challenge two months from now is... Ms. Song Ying!"
After a moment of surprise, Mayor Tian of Beijing made a decisive announcement.