I changed the world.

Page 173

"Okay... Miss, you're busy, goodbye!"

After hanging up the phone, Zeng Yuanji still had a respectful smile on his face. He took a deep breath, glanced at the night view outside the window, and couldn't suppress his excitement.

To outsiders, he is in charge of Qianluo Culture Investment Co., Ltd., backed by a powerful entity, with an annual investment quota of hundreds of billions of yuan. His word is law, especially in the entertainment industry, where everyone has to show him respect.

However, he knew his own situation well. He was aware that within the Qianluo Group, his rank and priority were not high; he could only be considered a mid-level manager.

Qianluo Cultural Investment is not a department directly managed by Qianluo headquarters, but a subsidiary of the Digital Media and Entertainment Business Unit. Lu Liqing, the president of the Digital Media and Entertainment Business Unit, is his direct superior. As for big shots like Group CEO Luo and even Chairman An himself, he only occasionally gets to see them when they are in meetings at headquarters.

For Qianluo Group, which started with social networking, although it has invested heavily in its digital entertainment division every year in recent years, Zeng Yuanji also knows that this is essentially a bet on the future. At least for now, the importance of the digital entertainment sector within the group ranks after social networking, gaming, finance, and other business modules. At best, digital entertainment can only be placed in the same tier as "technology" and "space exploration," which have also received significant investment from Qianluo in recent years.

Although to others Zeng Yuanji he appeared glamorous and held a high position of power, deep down he always felt a persistent sense of urgency. He knew all too well how many eyes within the group were secretly watching the chair he sat in.

He was a self-aware man. He understood that he was not like Lu Liqing, the president of the entertainment division, who was a veteran of Mr. An's early days and had a strong sense of loyalty, thus securing his position.

He was merely a professional manager recruited into the group, and despite overcoming numerous hurdles to reach his current position, his performance had consistently been underwhelming. However, lacking a foothold within the group and without any powerful backing, someone like him in such a large corporation was easily sacrificed at the slightest sign of trouble…

Therefore, Zeng Yuanji has always tried to find a powerful patron to rely on. However, relying on a powerful patron is a skill, not something you can simply do on a whim.

However... it's like heaven has taken pity on me; it's like a pillow has come to my door when I'm sleepy. The young lady actually came to me this time to do some "private business".

Anyone with workplace experience knows what it means when your boss asks you to do a "personal favor"... It's a sign of trust! Doing it well is more important than handling a bunch of "official business"...

Although the eldest daughter currently holds no official position within the company, she is, after all, Mr. An's only daughter and undoubtedly the future "heir apparent." Especially considering recent rumors circulating within the group that the eldest daughter, who was reportedly recuperating from illness, has recovered and is in good health, Mr. An intends for her to gain experience within the group after graduation…

Therefore, the moment Zeng Yuanji received the call, he made up his mind that he had to handle this matter perfectly and exceed the young lady's expectations, so as to leave her with the impression that he was "capable of getting things done".

As for this time, judging from the young lady's words, she was not very satisfied with the organizing committee's cancellation of that singer's song. Although she didn't say much about it, as the saying goes, one can understand the underlying meaning from the sound of the music. Zeng Yuanji felt that he needed to handle things more "meticulously"...

He thought for a moment, then dialed the number again: "Hello, Ryan?"

"Hmm... You handled that matter well, I'm very satisfied. Just keep a close eye on it later, make sure nothing goes wrong with the finale..."

"Hmm... I know you're always reliable. Okay... Hmm... Just remember that..."

"Also, there's something else I need you to look into. I want to know exactly what happened regarding the cancellation of Wei Hanxin's program..."

"...Forget about excuses like 'temporary adjustments,' I want to know the real reason behind it. You know what I mean?"

"Hmm... I'm glad you understand. I'll wait for your reply and give me an answer as soon as possible."

"Hmm... Remember, as soon as possible!"

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Sitting in the car, watching the night view of Songjiang along the way, Wei Hanxin kept replaying the scene in her mind. She was not a stupid woman. After the initial surprise and delight, she gradually came to understand what had happened.

This matter is probably not as simple as what Ms. Deng, who was sitting in the passenger seat, said, that it was just a "misunderstanding." After all, she had previously asked that Teacher Xu to try to smooth things over. If it were just a misunderstanding, then it should have been resolved back then.

Then, something must have happened during this time that I don't know about...

Could it be that Teacher Xu went to help me with the activities again?

Wei Hanxin almost instantly ruled out this possibility. Based on her understanding of Teacher Xu, Xu Yuanyin didn't have that much power. Besides, if she had done it, she would have definitely called to inform her. In the entertainment industry, there's no such thing as doing good deeds anonymously. You have to leave a clear record of how you do favors, and you'll have to pay them back later...

So, if it's not Teacher Xu, then who could it be?

Suddenly, a tall and handsome figure appeared in Wei Hanxin's mind...

Oh right, I just spoke with Brother Hongjian on the phone not long ago...

In Wei Hanxin's eyes, this Brother Hongjian had always been shrouded in a mysterious mist, and at this moment, that mist seemed to grow even thicker...

Yes, only him, and only him, could help me...

But this favor can never be repaid...

That knight-like man was mysterious, handsome, gentlemanly, exceptionally skilled, and exceptionally talented...

He was like a blazing flame, and Wei Hanxin suddenly felt that in front of him, she was like a clumsy moth, involuntarily wanting to fly into him...

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"Hanxin, what are you thinking about? We need to get off the bus..." Nan Feifei's urgent voice suddenly came from beside her ear. Wei Hanxin panicked, her face turning red to her ears, and she got off the bus...

However, no one noticed her little thoughts at the moment; everyone looked tense and preoccupied.

Because it was a last-minute notice, when they entered the backstage area through the main venue's dedicated entrance, there was only about half an hour left before they were to go on stage. After finishing their final touch-ups, they immediately began communicating with the stage crew about equipment placement, lighting arrangements, and so on.

Because these were added at the last minute, they all seemed a bit rushed. Fortunately, the festival staff were quite professional, and both sides were able to reach a consensus through communication. As for the specific effect, it's impossible to rehearse now, so we'll just have to see how it goes on stage...

Then, without giving them much time to communicate, it was almost time for them to go on stage.

What surprised Wei Hanxin and the others was that just before they went on stage, several big names from the music festival came over to offer their encouragement, and in the end, they all left their business cards and left.

However, they didn't have time to think about anything else at this point, because it was almost time...

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Chapter 290 The Brightest Star in the Night Sky

In a quiet corner backstage, Shen Zhou and Deng Punan were talking: "Ziyu, tell me honestly, what exactly happened with Wei Hanxin this time?"

"Brother Rui'an, is it possible that President Zeng has some complaints about our arrangements?" Deng Punan asked with a somewhat uneasy expression.

“I’ve already reported your arrangements to President Zeng, and he’s satisfied with them.” Shen Zhou sighed. “However, judging from President Zeng’s expression, he wants to know the real reason behind Wei Hanxin being removed from the list.”

"Well... Brother Rui'an, I'm a little uneasy about your question." Deng Punan looked around cautiously and said, "We've known each other for a long time, so tell me the truth, what exactly is President Zeng thinking?"

Shen Zhou remained silent for a moment upon hearing this, then frowned as he looked at Deng Punan, making the latter somewhat uneasy. He then sighed and lowered his voice, saying, "Based on my understanding of President Zeng, this matter may not be his own intention..."

As a veteran of Qianluo Cultural Investment, Shen Zhou had worked under Zeng Yuanji for six years and had a fairly good understanding of his former superior's character and conduct. In his eyes, Zeng Yuanji was a very controlling person, especially regarding his own sphere of influence. However, he seemed rather indifferent when it came to women; at least over the years, he hadn't been known to have any scandals with any women in the entertainment industry. In fact, given his status, if he wanted women, plenty of entertainment companies would be offering themselves to him…

In particular, Shen Zhou did not believe that Zeng Yuanji, given his character and conduct, would do something so inquisitive about a woman.

In fact, this was the first time he had ever seen President Zeng show such urgency and even such an attitude of repeatedly reminding and confirming things that he didn't think were very important...

Shen Zhou sensed something unusual about his boss's unusual attitude.

"This wasn't Mr. Zeng's own idea?" Deng Punan was stunned for a moment, then his face slowly paled. He was never a fool. If this wasn't Mr. Zeng's own idea, and Mr. Zeng was acting so urgently, then the conclusion was clearly that some force was compelling Mr. Zeng to do this...

Damn you, Zhu Jun! You've really got me killed this time!!!

At that moment, Deng Punan had a real urge to kick Zhu Jun to the ground and then strangle him to death.

She was supposed to be just an insignificant, washed-up actress, how did things turn out like this?!

You say you don't even consider your target before provoking someone?! You dare to make a move without even understanding their background?!

"Anyway, Ziyu, tell me the truth, what exactly happened this time?"

Deng Punan looked troubled, but he also knew that this kind of thing couldn't be hidden forever, so he might as well think about how to extricate himself from the situation...

"Brother Rui'an, then I'll tell you the truth. Here's what happened..."

So, gritting his teeth, he slowly recounted the events, minimizing his own involvement as much as possible and shifting all the blame onto Zhu Jun…

"...That's how it is, Brother Rui'an, you have to help me out..." Deng Punan looked at Shen Zhou with pleading eyes, being very cautious.

"You... sigh! You're so foolish! You don't even know their background, yet you dare to make a move?" Shen Zhou looked at him with a disappointed expression.

"I was too trusting of others, I was negligent, I was negligent..." Deng Punan said with deep regret. Then, he looked at Shen Zhou again: "For the sake of our long-standing friendship, Brother Rui'an, please give me some advice..."

Shen Zhou was also facing a headache. In terms of personal relationships, he and Deng Punan were indeed quite close. In fact, Deng Punan had strongly supported Qianluo Wentou's investment in Cangjiang Music Media Co., Ltd. He had personally benefited greatly from this investment, both publicly and privately.

Therefore, if possible, he still wants to protect Dunpunan.

He closed his eyes and thought for a moment, then took a deep breath and looked at Deng Punan, who was still staring at him expectantly: "Well, I think the one who tied the knot must untie it. Think about what you can do to remedy the situation. After Miss Wei steps down from the stage, seize the opportunity and quickly make amends. This is the best chance. If you wait any longer, things will get out of control..."

"As for that Zhu Jun... he's gone down the wrong path. You'd better not get involved with him again..."

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Led by staff, they were taken to the backstage entrance to wait. Soon, the host's loud voice pierced through the curtain and reached backstage...

"...Next up is the grand finale of this opening ceremony! Next up is a very talented young singer! This time, she'll be bringing us her latest song... Please welcome... Ms. Wei-Han-Xin! She'll be performing... The Brightest Star in the Night Sky!!!"

Taking a deep breath, Wei Hanxin walked onto the stage through the curtain that had been drawn backstage and stood under the spotlight. With her years of stage experience, she had already calmed down. She held the microphone in both hands, half-closed her eyes, and tilted her face slightly upward as if gazing at the starry sky.

A few rounds of applause began to rise from below, but compared to the previous big-name singers, the applause was not very enthusiastic, and could even be described as sparse. In fact, many of these were staff members arranged by the music festival to infiltrate the venue, also known as "plants," to create an atmosphere and avoid awkward situations such as awkward silences.

This shows that Wei Hanxin's appeal alone is indeed quite insufficient. However, some whispers arose below, as many viewers seemed puzzled, given that this was indeed different from the usual closing act performances.

The equipment was set up and put on stage before the performers, so Wei Hanxin's accompaniment partners were already in position behind her. At this moment, most of the lights suddenly went out, leaving only spotlights shining from different directions onto Wei Hanxin's head, creating a feeling of twinkling starlight...

The band behind her was in a relatively dimly lit area, and the sounds of guitar and bass began to fill the air...

The noise below the stage quickly subsided.

Then, a pure female voice, with a gentle, storytelling quality, began...

The brightest star in the night sky