C18 Director Midautumn Festival Gala

Having come to a realization, Lin Haoyu stopped dwelling on the issue. He detachedly observed how events unfolded and redirected his attention to the recording process.

Time flies, and before long, it was already the afternoon. Lin Haoyu strode out of the building, contemplating a leisurely stroll in the park to clear his mind when Xie Chengyun's hearty voice caught his attention.

"Hey, Lin Haoyu, you haven't left yet! Perfect timing—I won't have to go looking for you. Mr. Jian Yang wants a word with you."

At the sound of this, Lin Haoyu felt a jolt of surprise but quickly nodded and made his way to Jian Yang's office.

Truth be told, Lin Haoyu wasn't keen on vying for the newcomer award, but knowing that Zuo Qiushu had been nominated sparked his competitive spirit.

"Is it because he's not fond of Kang Biqin that he's considering giving me a nomination spot?"

Lin Haoyu felt a surge of energy at the thought, although he knew it was a long shot. The nomination slots were limited to ten, and ultimately, only one winner would be selected, not to mention the potential for underhanded dealings during the judging process.

Rumor had it that the previous newcomer awards had gone to young, attractive women, hinting at the unsaid implications...

With a click, the door handle turned, and Lin Haoyu knocked before entering the office. He was greeted by the sight of Jian Yang sitting behind his desk, beaming.

Upon Lin Haoyu's arrival, Jian Yang stood up and greeted him with effusive praise and a warm welcome.

"Brother Yu, welcome! Have a seat. My, what an asset you've been!"

If Lin Haoyu hadn't been the genius behind the late-night show that achieved a listenership rating of over 2.5%, Jian Yang might have been in jeopardy of losing his deputy director position.

Lin Haoyu, looking somewhat perplexed, nonetheless took a seat across from Jian Yang.

"So, Mr. Jian, what was it you wanted to see me about?"

"Oh, it's nothing too serious. The station is planning a Mid-Autumn Festival Gala, and it's going to be broadcast on our TV channel tonight."

Jian Yang let out a chuckle and pulled out a stack of documents from beside him. They were covered in various marks, likely just a draft of a proposal.

Lin Haoyu offered a sly smile and inquired, "So, what are you getting at?"

It was merely a Mid-Autumn Festival Gala – nothing to fuss over. Frankly, Lin Haoyu couldn't have cared less. The reality was that, in this era, Flitrora TV Station was known for its stellar radio broadcasts, while the television side was rudimentary at best.

If one were to rate it out of a hundred, Flitrora Radio could easily score a ninety, with ratings sometimes exceeding 3%, making it a broadcasting powerhouse.

Reading Lin Haoyu's expression, Jian Yang could guess his thoughts and, with a resigned cough, clarified, "Ahem, it's not what I think, but what the station leaders think. They've heard about an exceptionally talented newcomer. After hearing several episodes of 'After Midnight,' they've decided to assign you the directorial role for the upcoming gala – and this is strictly confidential."

Lin Haoyu's bewilderment deepened. Who was setting him up this time?

"Confidential?"

With that, Lin Haoyu began to speculate and assess the potential gains and losses of the situation.

"The technology at Flitrora TV Station might not be terrible, but the program quality is another story – it's subpar compared to even local channels," he mused, frowning. Nowadays, radio still had its place with traffic broadcasts, but television was losing its grip on the market.

Jian Yang stood, pouring Lin Haoyu a cup of tea with leaves freshly taken from a newly purchased bag.

"Tieguanyin – give it a taste."

The cup made a crisp clinking noise as it touched down on the wooden table.

"Here's a copy of the gala proposal. Take it with you and review it thoroughly. I need to hear about any revisions within a week. The Mid-Autumn Festival is less than twenty days away."

Lin Haoyu sipped his tea, still harboring doubts, and pressed further:

"What's the deal with the newcomer award nomination? So Zuo Qiushu got nominated because of Kang Biqin, huh?"

Jian Yang furrowed his brow and sighed deeply. It was clear enough that Kang Biqin had strong connections at the top.

"Let's avoid such talk in the future. The higher-ups will soon be conducting a discreet inquiry, and Old Granny Kang is quite chummy with them."

With that realization, Lin Haoyu didn't linger. He took the Mid-Autumn Festival Gala proposal from Jian Yang, ready to overhaul some of the acts.

Before he could examine it closely, Lin Haoyu jumped at an unexpected voice:

"Hey!"

The sound boomed through the corridor, startling Lin Haoyu so much he thought he had encountered a thrill-seeking executive at the TV station...

It was only when he saw Yu Dandie's playful grin that Lin Haoyu breathed a sigh of relief, his face draining of color as he exhaled deeply.

"Whew, Yu Dandie, please don't pull that kind of prank again. It's terrifying..."

After all, if he had actually bumped into such a situation, it wouldn't just be awkward for the leader, but even more so for Lin Haoyu, leaving him in a bind whether to stay or go.

And the most pressing concern was, if the leader did invite him, should he accept? Such a dilemma...

"Ahem, Yu Dandie, you didn't come here just to give me a fright, did you?"

Lin Haoyu gave an exasperated eye roll, his gaze wandering aimlessly as he sought an exit strategy.

Experience had taught him that nothing good ever came from spending time with Yu Dandie.

Yu Dandie's brow knitted together as she clenched her fists in frustration.

"Lin Haoyu, what's that supposed to mean? Are you telling me you're not pleased to see me, even at this late hour?"

Late hour? Lin Haoyu glanced at the 6:00 PM on the wall clock and then at the still-bright sky outside, sinking into contemplation...

"Right, have you heard about the Mid-Autumn Festival Gala?"

Lin Haoyu remained silent for a long while before finally breaking the silence.

Yu Dandie looked at him, puzzled.

"Hmm? The Mid-Autumn Festival Gala? Isn't that the TV station's responsibility? It doesn't seem to have anything to do with our radio department."

"No, you're mistaken."

Lin Haoyu smiled slightly, his eyes gleaming with a mix of triumph and the joy of having finally outdone Yu Dandie.

Yu Dandie's eyes sparkled with excitement upon hearing Lin Haoyu's words. This was an excellent opportunity!

The greatest benefit of working on a gala was that you didn't have to plan the program yourself. Moreover, the director hardly needed to lift a finger, yet could claim the event's success as their own hard work.

"Could it be..."

Yu Dandie's lips parted in astonishment, her eyes widening as she looked back and forth at Lin Haoyu before murmuring in disbelief.

"I never would have imagined that the station would entrust such an important task to Lin Haoyu."

As Yu Dandie pondered this, she was overwhelmed by a profound sense of defeat at the hands of Lin Haoyu.