Chapter 51

The trainees present were all those who had reached the top thirty in popularity after the recording of the first two seasons.

In addition, there were a few whose popularity hadn't reached the top thirty, but who were distinct and had unique characteristics—in other words, they had variety show effects.

A talent show, to put it bluntly, is also a variety show, combining competitiveness and entertainment. If it were purely comparing dancing and singing, Jin Li could guarantee that at least half the people would definitely be screened out.

But variety shows are just like that; strength doesn't occupy the primary factor; popularity is the most critical.

Jin Li greeted them: "Hello everyone!"

"Teacher Jin Li, hello!" The youthful and beautiful female trainees, wearing pink team uniforms, bowed to her in unison.

Jin Li also hurriedly bowed back, lest she lose years off her life.

The female planner stood in the very center, explaining how the recording would be done. Jin Li listened while looking at the script, and also went over three questions with the trainees.

The trainees asking the questions were also arranged. Among them was Gong Jiajia, the first contestant Jin Li had been willing to speak up for.

When Gong Jiajia went over the questions with Jin Li, she was especially nervous, and her speech wasn't even smooth.

Jin Li met her gaze and smiled lightly: "Take a deep breath, calm down, speak slowly, no need to rush."

Gong Jiajia let out a long breath, reached out to cover her chest, and suppressed her excitement to go over the questions with her.

Jin Li answered smoothly according to the prompts given in the script.

This time it was just going over questions; Jin Li didn't sing. She planned to save this item for tomorrow's recording so that the trainees' expressions could be as real as possible.

By the time Jin Li had finished going over things, Gu Cheng and the others had found their way over.

Jin Li left with the planner, and the two parties met in the hallway.

Chen Lin asked: "Sister Jin Li, have you finished going over the process so quickly?"

Jin Li nodded: "Just a few questions, rehearsing twice is enough; the difficulty isn't high. How about you guys, are you here to rehearse?"

Just as Gu Cheng was about to speak, Chen Lin said: "No, we're here to hang out with you. Mainly Gu Cheng is here to hang out with you; the three of us followed along to see."

Jin Li looked at Gu Cheng and asked curiously: "Hang out?"

Gu Cheng:...

He glanced lightly at Chen Lin, that cold gaze as if saying: You just wait for me next time!

Gu Cheng replied: "Yeah, and by the way, to get the souvenirs from you."

Jin Li thought for a moment, "My souvenirs are all in the car, and the car is in the parking lot there. Do you guys have anything else to do in a while? If not, how about we go over together to get them?"

The Sanyuetian boy band replied in unison: "Nothing."

Just as the planner was about to leave, Jin Li called her back, "I prepared one for you too, come over together to get it."

The female planner was stunned: "Ah, I have a share too?"

Jin Li smiled lightly, looking both warm and sweet: "I bought a lot, but the gifts are quite ordinary; they're just red strings sold at the God of Wealth temple. I hope you don't mind."

The female planner shook her head repeatedly: "Not at all, not at all!"

Their group walked toward the parking lot, while on Sui Lingfang's side, she finally found out something—this was news heard from a temporary worker!

Sui Lingfang had asked the proper staff members whether there had been any personnel changes within the production team recently, and who had been suspended or fired.

The staff member didn't ask her why she brought this up and said without thinking: "No personnel changes. We are currently in the recording period of the show; missing one person might affect the show's effect."

Seeing that she couldn't get anything from him, Sui Lingfang ran off to ask the temporary workers.

The temporary workers all gathered together when eating lunch. She infiltrated their dining table and nonchalantly threw the topic onto resignation.

"Hey, I brought Jin Li here this time and felt like the production team seems to be missing a lot of people. Are a lot of people not doing it anymore? How is your temporary worker salary settled? Daily? Can you leave whenever you want if you're not doing it?"

Someone said: "We all signed contracts; we have to wait until the show recording is finished to get the money, but food and housing are free; we don't spend money."

"Yeah, can't leave whenever we want; if we leave early, we might not get the money!"

Sui Lingfang asked: "Then don't you feel like there are a lot fewer people recently?"

The others thought for a moment, and someone pondered: "Recently there are fewer people. A few temporary workers were cleared out. The production team didn't give a reason, but I heard from a fellow townsman of mine..."

Everyone couldn't help but crowd their heads over.

"I heard from my fellow townsman that one of the people cleared out was a fellow townsman of my fellow townsman. The fellow townsman told me that the one who was fired was possessed by a ghost, sold the production team's news, and ended up being investigated!"

Others said: "Since you put it that way, I also heard a bombshell. It was also heard from my fellow townsman, but I didn't believe it at the time, thinking it was impossible."

Others crowded their ears over again, and that person lowered their voice, mysteriously saying:

"I heard there's a big scandal in the show's planning group. It seems like a big planner committed corruption and bribery, sold the show's news, and even sold the internal videos, so they were fired. It seems the production team even wants to initiate a lawsuit against them!"

Sui Lingfang's heart skipped a beat. Hearing this, there was nothing she didn't understand.

This matter, nine times out of ten, was related to that incident with Jin Li!

Otherwise, why would a perfectly good planner not do their job and commit corruption and bribery? Unless the benefits were enough to move a person's heart, and she hadn't heard of other stations exposing the inside story of the Penguin station's talent show.

Sui Lingfang remained calm on the surface, but inwardly she exclaimed, "Good fellow!" This matter had really been guessed correctly by Jin Li!

Unfortunately, Chenxi Entertainment knew too late.

If the production team really was because of internal personnel problems that led to Jin Li almost missing the rehearsal, then for Jin Li to come and participate in the third season recording, Chenxi should have asked for a higher price.

Hateful, they at Chenxi gave the Penguin station a regular customer discount price!

Sui Lingfang had a plan in mind, quickly shoveled a few mouthfuls of rice, then left to call Jin Li.

"Where are you?"

Jin Li held the phone in one hand and a large bag in the other; the call was a bit difficult.

Seeing this, Gu Cheng helped her take the bag from her hand. Jin Li thanked him with a smile and walked to the other side to reply:

"I'm in the underground parking lot, going to the car with the Sanyuetian boy band and the planner to get the gifts. I plan to take them all out to distribute."

Hearing that she was with the Sanyuetian boy band, Sui Lingfang's brows furrowed slightly, but after hearing that the planner was also there, she didn't worry about anything at all.

Jin Li is steady and knows to avoid suspicion.

"Are the gifts prepared enough? Don't you still have to leave a share for the Pink Girls?" Sui Lingfang asked.

"Enough, I'm only distributing red strings; the red strings are definitely enough. Those souvenirs are for people I'm familiar with. If they're all distributed, isn't there a Mazu temple nearby? I'll go buy some more in the evening."

Jin Li suggested: "By the way, Sister Fang, help me apply to the production team. I won't stay in the dormitory; I want to stay at the temple. I feel the air there is better for my health."

Sui Lingfang agreed immediately, "Fine, they will definitely agree."

Jin Li was stunned; these words were too absolute. Just as she wanted to ask something, Sui Lingfang changed the subject: "Have you eaten? Let's have a small meeting in the afternoon; I have something to tell you."

She paused, the meaning in her eyes unclear: "We were played by the production team this time."

Jin Li glanced at the people not far away and said: "Wait until I finish eating, we'll see each other in the dressing room."