Chapter 48: Sudden Change in the CCTV Interview

Just as Zhou Yanran returned to the company, she saw a sensational piece of news explode online. For a moment, she felt dazed, then couldn’t help but let out a muted laugh.

Inwardly, she couldn’t help but wonder—could this truly be Su Bai’s design? If it really was, then Su Bai was indeed a terrifying person. To anticipate every possible situation in advance and prepare for them accordingly—this was chess played at a master’s level.

In Zhou Yanran’s view, Su Bai was certainly capable of playing the piano; this move wasn’t set up to cover for any inability, but rather because he foresaw that the other side might use some underhanded means to prevent him from performing. To guard against any contingency, he had arranged for a piano performance to be recorded even before heading to the competition.

And the recording was entirely genuine—anyone could investigate and verify it. With such preparation, his position was unassailable.

As for the video released later by Wise Capital, Zhou Yanran immediately recognized it as a ploy to confuse the public. It might fool the ordinary fans who knew nothing, but anyone familiar with the tricks of the industry—or simply smart enough—would understand that it was just Wise Capital’s attempt to muddy the waters.

Such deceptive tactics worked well at first, shifting public attention and blurring reality and falsehood. But in the end, they were merely low-level tricks. With time, people would inevitably see through them.

Moreover, using such tricks once or twice was one thing; use them too often, and the trust of your fans would gradually erode. By then, the consequences would be far more severe than what they faced today.

Still, Zhou Yanran could understand why Liu Siyan acted as she did. Had their roles been reversed, she might have done the same. After all, facts speak louder than words. If you want to pass off the false as truth and confuse the public, you have to lie with your eyes wide open.

As for conscience? If you had one, you wouldn’t survive in this industry! Most who clung to their conscience were devoured completely, left with nothing in the end.

If Zhou Yanran had pinned her hopes on her enemies having a conscience, the Xingyue Media her father left her would have been swallowed up long ago.

Having seen the instrument store owner's statement in her defense, she naturally also saw the misleading video released by Liu Siyan. This entire affair only made Su Bai more certain of his inner conviction: waiting passively was no longer an option. If he didn’t take the initiative, the other side might truly leave him with nothing, his reputation destroyed.

Resolving himself, he decided—after finishing the interview with Yu Lan, he would go straight to Zhou Yanran. There was no time to delay their cooperation.

Su Bai chuckled, shaking his head. “Let’s take care of business first, shall we?”

Seeing that Su Bai was in good spirits, Yang Mengke offered an encouraging smile and said no more.

Arriving at their destination, Yang Mengke was momentarily stunned by the sight of the grand, imposing building of China Central Television. Once upon a time, this had been her ultimate dream. She had imagined, more than once, coming here for a performance or an interview after becoming famous. She thought that, perhaps then, she would have no regrets for the rest of her life.

Yet things had ended so bitterly for her. What she hadn’t expected was that, when she was at her lowest, her brother would unwittingly embark on a similar path—and, in just one short week, step into a place many artists strive their whole lives never to enter.

Though her brother’s journey here was filled with twists of fate, coincidences, and challenges, he had finally arrived. And that, in itself, was the best result she could hope for.

Yang Mengke stood still, gazing longingly at the building, hope shining in her eyes. Su Bai could more or less guess what she was thinking. He wanted to offer her a few words of comfort, but when the moment came, he swallowed them back. In the end, he simply grasped her hand tightly.

“Xiao Ke, one day, you’ll be invited here with honor.”

Yang Mengke turned to him with a sweet smile. “But I’m here now, aren’t I? I’m just feeling a little sentimental, that’s all. Let’s go, brother.”

Inside the CCTV building, everything exuded an air of solemnity and authority. Instinctively, both felt a sense of awe.

After registering at the front desk, fifteen minutes later, Yu Lan appeared with a smile. “Su Bai, Mengke, you’re here! Come with me.”

As they walked, Yu Lan said, “I’ve just seen the news that broke online.”

Su Bai was a little surprised; he hadn’t expected Yu Lan to hear about it so quickly.

“When Entertainment Focus starts, we’ll begin with an interview. I’ll ask you about what happened just now, and you can explain to everyone. After that comes the talent segment—backstage, a piano’s already been prepared for you. I think, when you play, you shouldn’t sing—just perform on the piano. That’s the best way to silence those who still claim this was all a setup or a show.”

Yu Lan didn’t say much more and headed straight for the studio.

At the studio entrance stood the famous CCTV host, Yang Liuqing. Even Su Bai couldn’t help but feel a hint of awe.

Yu Lan had long since gone behind the scenes, working in management, while Yang Liuqing remained a fixture on screen. Su Bai knew that Entertainment Focus was always hosted by Yang Liuqing. He wondered if Yu Lan’s sudden appearance as host might seem a little abrupt.

At that moment, Yang Liuqing greeted him with a smile. “Hello, you must be Su Bai! Welcome.”

Then she turned to Yu Lan. “Sister Lan, the station just sent word—it isn’t appropriate for you to suddenly take over as host. Even though you used to host this show, it would look too abrupt if you did now. So, there’s been a little change. I’ll still be hosting, and you and Su Bai will both appear as special guests. The theme is now ‘A Host’s Golden Decade.’ We’ll talk about your journey from joining the station to becoming a star host. Su Bai will come on in the second half, and we’ll discuss the recent events. Of course, there will also be time for Su Bai to play the piano. This way, it’ll be easier for the audience to accept. Otherwise, some people might say we’re putting on a show.”

Yu Lan nodded. She understood the station’s concerns. As the leader of the media industry in Daxia, CCTV feared no rumors, but it was still best to avoid any possible misunderstanding.