novelraw Chapter 359: A Phone Call Reaches the Spring Festival Gala
Chapter 359: A Phone Call Reaches the Spring Festival Gala
Chapter 359: A Phone Call Reaches the Spring Festival Gala
Back at Spark Media, Gu Zhiyuan was like he had been injected with ten pounds of adrenaline.
He plunged headfirst into the conference room, stared at that mountain of junk and the walls covered in storyboard sketches, and let out a terrifying, bizarre laugh.
In less than half an hour, he had bombarded the production, art, and coordination departments with calls one after another. His roars were clearly audible even through two closed doors.
"Redo it! All the props, redo them! We want the best!"
"Don't rent those shabby rags for costumes! Get them custom-made! Tian Guang is footing the entire bill! Got it? The entire bill!"
That Gu Zhiyuan who wanted to borrow from loan sharks was dead.
The one alive now was Niohuru Zhiyuan.
While chaos reigned outside, the president's office was unusually quiet.
Jiang Ci wasn't idle either. He was gesturing towards Lin Wan's prized purple clay tea set,
trying to practice a new skill he saw in the system —【Brick-Splitting with Bare Hands (Beginner Level)】.
He wanted to test if this skill worked on purple clay teapots.
After all, the protagonist Chen San in "King of Extras" was someone who treated getting beaten up as a meal and suffering as seasoning.
He needed to find that feeling of "bones are hard, but life is harder" in advance.
He was hesitating whether to start with the most expensive Golden Toad tea pet when Lin Wan's phone rang.
She hung up without a second thought.
Sales calls, probing calls, collaboration offers—whatever it was, she didn't want to deal with anyone right now.
Not two seconds later.
The ringtone stubbornly sounded again.
Finally unable to bear it any longer, Lin Wan threw her pen on the desk, swiped to answer, and said coldly:
"If you can't explain who you are and what you want within thirty seconds, I'll treat you as a telecom scammer and send you a lawyer's letter package."
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line.
Then, a steady, deep baritone voice came through.
"Hello, may I speak to Ms. Lin Wan of Spark Media?"
The penetrating quality of that voice instantly extinguished all of Lin Wan's anger.
"That's me." She subconsciously sat up straight, sensing the caller was no ordinary person. "May I ask who is speaking?"
"Feng Gang, from the CCTV Spring Festival Gala program crew."
Lin Wan's hand holding the phone gave a violent jerk.
Feng Gang.
The chief director who had helmed the Spring Festival Gala for three consecutive years, renowned for his sharp, discerning eye!
In the industry, that name was equivalent to the highest official stamp of approval!
Would a scammer dare impersonate this titan?
The voice, the aura—it was exactly the same as in interviews!
"Director... Director Feng? Hello, hello! This is Lin Wan!"
Hearing the commotion from the sofa, Jiang Ci put down the Golden Toad he had almost squeezed fingerprints into back on the tea tray and looked over in confusion.
Lin Wan had no time to explain.
She tightly covered the phone's mouthpiece with one hand, while the other hand frantically waved at Jiang Ci, her mouth exaggeratedly shaping the words:
"Spring! Festival! Gala! Director!"
Jiang Ci blinked.
Spring Festival Gala?
What gala?
He looked down at the Golden Toad in his hand, then back at Lin Wan.
Could it be... a village gala?
Did playing the suona horn once in Guizhou province get him a repeat customer this fast?
On the other end of the line, Feng Gang's voice remained calm and measured.
"Director Lin, this call is somewhat presumptuous. Our program crew has been following Teacher Jiang Ci's work, especially 'The Legend of Han and Chu'."
Feng Gang's tone was full of appreciation.
"I've watched the scene of the Wujiang River suicide no less than five times. That tragic tension and sense of gravitas are exceptionally rare."
Lin Wan was so excited she was about to faint.
Official stamp of approval! Mainstream recognition! This was even more intoxicating than Gu Huai's investment!
"You flatter him too much, Director Feng. Jiang Ci is still young..."
"No need for modesty." Feng Gang got to the point. "We unanimously believe that Teacher Jiang Ci's temperament aligns perfectly with the concept of a special program for this year's Spring Festival Gala."
"Therefore, on behalf of the CCTV Spring Festival Gala program crew, I would like to formally extend an invitation to Teacher Jiang Ci."
It was confirmed.
The Spring Festival Gala!
Just half a day ago, the entire internet was waiting to see Spark Media become a laughingstock, waiting for their funding chain to break and the project to fail.
And now, it was the Spring Festival Gala—that stage representing the highest official recognition—personally extending an invitation to them!
This was even more like a resounding slap across the faces of all the naysayers than Gu Huai's investment!
She opened her mouth, about to accept, when the shooting schedule for "King of Extras" flashed through her mind.
Stay calm.
Lin Wan dug her nails into her palm, forcing herself to regain rationality.
"Director Feng, this is a great honor for Jiang Ci. However... he is about to join a comedy film crew soon. I'm worried about scheduling conflicts, and even more concerned about his condition..."
On the other end, Feng Gang let out a hearty laugh, brimming with the confidence of someone in control.
"Director Lin, I know about 'King of Extras', and I know Gu Huai invested. Scheduling isn't an issue; we can coordinate."
"As for his condition..." Feng Gang paused, his voice lowering. "We don't need him to perform a skit, nor do we need him to sing or dance."
"The program we have prepared for him is very special."
"Only he, only the Jiang Ci who brought the Hegemon to life, can carry it."
Lin Wan's curiosity was piqued: "Is it convenient to give us a hint?"
"It's hard to explain over the phone. How about this: tomorrow at 10 AM, at CCTV's Studio One. Bring Jiang Ci, and we'll discuss it in person."
"Director Lin, this is an opportunity. I hope you will definitely attend."
With things put so plainly, refusing would be sheer ingratitude.
"Alright! No problem! We'll be there on time!"
The call ended.
Lin Wan remained frozen in her phone-holding posture for half a minute. The office was eerily quiet.
Jiang Ci looked over curiously and noticed her shoulders were trembling slightly.
Then, she let out a long, deep breath.
She turned around, walked step by step towards Jiang Ci,
her high heels making steady *tap, tap* sounds on the floor.
She placed her hands on the back of the sofa, leaned down, her eyes shining with an astonishing brightness:
"Jiang Ci."
She paused.
"CCTV, Spring Festival Gala program crew, Chief Director Feng Gang."
"He personally called you."
"We are going to the Spring Festival Gala."
Jiang Ci rubbed his neck, his face completely bewildered.
"Sister Wan, who did you say? Feng Gang?"
"Yes! The chief director of the Spring Festival Gala!" A flush of excitement colored Lin Wan's face.
"Inviting *me* to the Spring Festival Gala?" Jiang Ci pointed at his own nose, his brow furrowed. "To do what?"
"What could I possibly do there?"
He had a clear understanding of himself.
Sing? He could send people to an early grave.
Perform a skit? He could annoy the entire nation.
Lin Wan also calmed down and analyzed: "Director Feng mentioned the tragic feel of 'The Legend of Han and Chu'. I'm guessing it's a poetry recital or a situational drama, promoting traditional culture."
"You just stand there in ancient costume. As long as you look handsome and steady, the ratings will absolutely skyrocket!"
But Jiang Ci didn't feel relieved.
He looked down at his own hands that had nearly crushed the Golden Toad.
He remembered his own absurd skills.
A sense of foreboding suddenly washed over him.
Go to the Spring Festival Gala to stir-fry rice? Give the host chiropractic adjustments? Or... play the suona horn?
Jiang Ci shuddered. That would turn next year's Spring Festival Gala directly into a memorial service.
"Sister Wan." He looked up at Lin Wan with extreme seriousness.
"Are you sure Director Feng has seen my acting?"
"Of course! He watched the Wujiang River suicide scene five times!"
"Then is it possible..."
Jiang Ci swallowed hard and pointed at his own chest, "...that he's interested in this physique of mine?"