Quan Jiu had been searching for someone who could bridge the gap between her and "Always Smiling," believing that an introduction through an acquaintance would be far more efficient than her barging in and failing to meet the higher-ups.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Xin immediately understood and said, "The General Manager of their artist management department is Yu Jia, and we have a decent relationship."
Quan Jiu let out a sigh of relief, not hiding her intentions. "I'd like to meet their management. Would you be able to help make an introduction?"
Zhang Xin readily agreed to a simple introduction. "No problem. In that case, why not strike while the iron is hot? Are you free this afternoon? How about we meet shortly? Or I can come to your company, haha, sorry, Chen Fei sent me your business card. He thinks very highly of you, practically recommending you with all his might."
It wasn't surprising he was in a hurry. The official recording was only two days away, and he was still missing a guest, making him as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
Quan Jiu smiled. "Then I must thank Director Chen for thinking so highly of me. I'm at the Film and Television Park right now, so you can choose a location that's convenient for you."
Zhang Xin jumped with excitement. "You're at the Film and Television Park too? That's wonderful! I'm in Studio One on the twenty-seventh floor. Are you at... Chen Fei's recording studio? Studio Five on the nineteenth floor?"
Quan Jiu gave an embarrassed smile. "I just went down to the first floor. I'll come up to the twenty-seventh floor to find you. Please wait a moment."
After hanging up, Quan Jiu went back up to the twenty-seventh floor. On her way up, she searched for information about "Heartbeat Rhythm." After reading it, she was somewhat taken aback: she hadn't expected it to be a currently popular dating reality show.
...
Zhang Xin could barely contain his excitement and was already waiting at the elevator entrance. However, this was the Film and Television Park, where countless artists recorded programs. The elevators brought up and down numerous beautiful people, making it impossible for him to identify anyone.
Until the third batch of elevators arrived and stopped on the twenty-seventh floor. Several people emerged, and among them, one person stood out like a splash of red amidst a sea of green, so exquisitely striking that it not only caught the eye but also caused people to stare in stunned silence.
Zhang Xin subconsciously recalled Chen Fei's words: "You'll be begging her to participate."
Earlier, he had been wondering what kind of person Chen Fei would speak so hyperbolically about.
But upon seeing the person emerging from the elevator, he involuntarily agreed with Chen Fei's assessment: he might indeed have to beg, if necessary.
Before the newcomer could speak, Chen Fei, with inexplicable certainty, stepped forward and asked, "You must be Boss Quan, right? I'm Zhang Xin."
Quan Jiu smiled faintly. "Hello, Director Zhang. Just call me by my name." She then handed him her business card.
Zhang Xin quickly reciprocated with his own business card, his hands trembling with excitement. "No wonder Chen Fei recommended you so highly. Don't worry, as long as you can participate in the show, we can discuss any terms."
They chatted as they walked towards the recording studio.
Quan Jiu smiled with difficulty. "I have no experience with cameras, and I have two children. I might not be very suitable for the tone of your show."
She had just seen that the participants in this show were all young, successful, single ordinary people. Although she intended to divorce, she hadn't yet obtained the divorce certificate, and a dating reality show still felt somewhat inappropriate.
Zhang Xin was slightly taken aback and quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind. He was in urgent need, and with Quan Jiu's image, he could even predict that this episode would set a new viewership record. However, how could someone with a family participate in a dating show? Should he give up? Such an excellent candidate was impossible to find even with a lantern. He truly couldn't bear to let her go.
Finally, after much hesitation, Zhang Xin said apologetically, "Please forgive my forwardness, but what is your current situation? I really want to invite you, but if you are already married, I cannot force you."
Quan Jiu didn't find this offensive and replied without reservation, "We've been separated for five years, and I'm in the process of divorce."
Zhang Xin scratched his forehead. "In the process of divorce" meant not yet divorced, but having been separated for five years was practically no different from being divorced. It wasn't an insurmountable situation.
He immediately said, "Since you've been separated for five years, as long as you don't proactively disclose this fact to the audience, it shouldn't be a big problem."
Quan Jiu understood his meaning and asked after some thought, "Are you just short one female guest?"
Zhang Xin sighed. "I had originally arranged to interview a doctoral student, but she unexpectedly stood me up. She only told me yesterday that she couldn't participate in the recording. With the recording so imminent, I'm about to pull my hair out."
They arrived at the negotiation room.
After sitting down, Quan Jiu continued, "I also have a request for you. I'll try my best to participate if possible, but I have a few humble requests. Firstly, I don't want my two children to be exposed. They are still young, and I'm afraid it might cause them trouble in the future."
Zhang Xin immediately nodded. "You can rest assured about that. While the guest's identity needs to be real, not all information needs to be publicly disclosed."
"Secondly, I also don't want to reveal my identity as the owner of Chuxin Culture. I'd like to use my identity as a screenwriter, as I majored in Drama and Film Literature."
Zhang Xin didn't see any issues with this either and readily agreed.
"And finally, I know that many current variety shows require elements like explosive moments, conflicts, or CP pairings for marketing purposes, which inevitably involves scripts and deliberate editing. But I don't want to act out pre-set content with a script..."
Zhang Xin breathed a sigh of relief, overjoyed. "You can be completely at ease about this. My show, and Chen Fei's show, are both known for their unscripted nature. No matter what happens to the guests, we record and edit from the most authentic perspective. That's why many guests are a bit hesitant to participate in my show, because even if they make a fool of themselves or feel awkward, we retain any unexpected situations. And this is one of the reasons why audiences like us."
Quan Jiu nodded. "You and Director Chen are both people who take their work seriously and deserve respect."
Zhang Xin smiled modestly. "At most, I have a good attitude. Chen Fei is truly respectable. His show requires professional skill to do well. Mine is just a simple task of young people dating; I can't compare to him."
"You are too modest," Quan Jiu said with a slight smile. After a pause, she added somewhat sheepishly, "I might participate more, but forming a CP with a male guest..."
Zhang Xin immediately understood. "I understand. You don't need to deliberately form a CP, and our production team won't require you to do so. But to be honest, with your qualifications, there won't be just one male guest vying for your attention on the show."
Quan Jiu gave a helpless smile. "I hope the production team can give me less screen time." In her heart, she felt she was just there to fill a spot and wasn't particularly interested.
Zhang Xin seemed to sense her thoughts and assured her, "Don't worry. The theme and content of each episode are different. This season combines the social elements most favored by young people, such as escape rooms, parkour, exploration, and wilderness survival. It's very interesting, and you'll definitely like it."
Quan Jiu was surprised. This didn't sound like a dating show at all; it sounded like a physical training session.
Zhang Xin continued to explain, "Many old shows are undergoing reforms, and this season is my initial attempt at reform. It's no longer about traditional sweet dates, but more about male and female guests sharing hardships, supporting each other, and growing together. So the theme will be a bit more exciting. Can you accept it?" He looked at Quan Jiu somewhat apprehensively.
Quan Jiu sighed softly and smiled. "Fortunately, I still have some martial arts skills. Otherwise, I really wouldn't dare to take on this job."
Zhang Xin was completely relieved. Finding a female guest wasn't particularly difficult, but the challenge was his reform this season, which had high requirements for the female guests' physical fitness and survival skills. Before this, there were several suitable candidates, but upon hearing the show's theme, they all backed out.
Thinking of this, Zhang Xin felt like he wanted to bow and thank heaven for sending him such an extraordinary person at this crucial moment. He could wake up smiling.