Chapter 26

1:00 PM.

Zhang Ye hurriedly typed away at his manuscript when his assistant, Little Fang, called out to him from behind.

"Teacher Xiao Zhang."

"What's up, Little Fang?"

"The boss asked me to tell you that the advertiser for your show has arrived."

"Ah? They're here so early? Didn't they say it would be in the afternoon?"

"Um, it is afternoon now. Here, this is the advertisement script, and the recording studio is ready. The director asked you to prepare first, and he will bring them over shortly."

Well, this is even more rushed now!

Zhang Ye had just started typing the next few words of "Ghost Blows Out the Light" on his computer, and he hadn't even fully planned out the narrative. He had no choice but to close his computer and rush to the recording studio.

Sometimes, the enemy knows the enemy best. This saying is true. Tian Bin keenly noticed Zhang Ye's series of unusual actions. Considering the recent decline in the quality of the "Midnight Ghost Stories" broadcasts, with frequent stutters and misuse of words, and the fact that Zhang Ye, who used to record an episode in just one hour, now took at least one and a half to two hours, Tian Bin guessed that Zhang Ye had hit a creative bottleneck, possibly due to problems with the novel. Looking at Zhang Ye's current state, it was clear he had no script prepared. Ha, so you've come to this, huh? You can't continue the story? I'll see how you get through today! Tian Bin was delighted and also got up to go to the recording studio, ready to watch Zhang Ye make a fool of himself and see how he would handle the situation!

...

Recording Studio 1.

This was the most luxurious studio in the station, at least two to three times larger than the other recording studios. This didn't even include the outer room, which had a small outer room for telephone editing and a larger listening room on the other side. The transparent soundproof glass was almost unobstructed, and inside were over thirty leather chairs, making it look like a small conference hall. Clearly, the station had given the green light to the cultural radio frequency for this significant advertising investment, as such a studio was usually only approved for interactive events or leadership inspections.

The setup was grand!

The pressure was even greater!

When Zhang Ye entered, the staff had already adjusted the equipment. They briefly explained the changes in the buttons compared to other recording studios and then left, leaving Zhang Ye alone in the room, feeling like he was sitting on pins and needles, muttering, "What should I do?"

Bluff it? No, that wouldn't work. The advertiser had clearly listened to his show, and he would be exposed as soon as he opened his mouth. Moreover, the listeners wouldn't accept it. Think and speak at the same time? He didn't have that ability, and even if he rushed to create something, the quality wouldn't be good. Zhang Ye had thought of every possible solution but was at a loss, hoping only that the advertiser wouldn't tear up the contract.

In the outer room.

In the observation hall.

The door creaked open, and Zhao Guozhou, along with a deputy, led five or six men and women in. "Please come in. Sit wherever you like. I'll have someone bring you some tea."

A woman said, "Director Zhao, you're too kind."

Another advertiser looked at Zhang Ye through the glass. "Is this Teacher Xiao Zhang?"

"Yes," Zhao Guozhou smiled. "Let's get Xiao Zhang started. We can listen and chat at the same time."

"Sure, I'm a loyal listener of 'Ghost Blows Out the Light.' I listened until midnight last night. It's a privilege to be able to listen live today," the middle-aged man said politely.

They all took their seats in the front row. The pawnshop they represented belonged to the Huatian Group, which operated in pawnbroking, gold and jewelry, and auction businesses. Zhang Ye hadn't heard of this group in his world, but the name "China Pawnshop" was familiar. Clearly, the pawnbroking industry had been modified in this world. Perhaps because the advertising budget was so high and the contract period was relatively long, not just a week or two, this top-tier domestic group took it very seriously, sending five or six leaders and staff from the advertising department to sign the contract and discuss the details. On Zhao Guozhou's side, he also brought some staff, including Wang Xiaomei and a few other announcers. The last to enter was Tian Bin, who had probably come uninvited, but there were no restrictions on who could listen, and the leadership didn't say anything.

Once everyone was seated, Zhao Guozhou signaled to Zhang Ye's assistant, Little Fang, with a raised finger.

Understanding the boss's intention, Little Fang gestured to Zhang Ye through the glass, then started a ten-second countdown. After working together for so many episodes, they could communicate through gestures. Previously, the assistant for "Midnight Ghost Stories" was Li Si, and Little Fang was the general assistant for the station, handling various tasks. After Zhang Ye joined and the show became increasingly popular, Little Fang became Zhang Ye's dedicated assistant, taking on tasks like organizing letters and fetching materials, while other clerical work was given to other staff. Little Fang was now fully responsible for "Midnight Ghost Stories" and was a part of Zhang Ye's team.

With no other choice, Zhang Ye pushed a button, and the countdown began: three, two, one. The program started. "Hello everyone, I'm your DJ, Zhang Ye. Welcome to today's 'Midnight Ghost Stories.'"

He started the story, and the conversation outside continued.

"I've had the contract prepared. Would you like to take a look?" Zhao Guozhou got straight to the point.

The woman, who seemed to be the leader of the group, said, "Director Zhao, if you have other matters, please go ahead. We're not in a hurry. We're here to observe and listen more."

"Sure, no problem," Zhao Guozhou replied.

The woman then asked, "By the way, I noticed... Teacher Xiao Zhang doesn't have a script?"

Zhao Guozhou smiled slightly. "That's right. It's a unique feature of our show. Xiao Zhang never has a script; he improvises everything live."

"Really?" The woman was skeptical.

The others from the pawnshop also thought it was an exaggeration.

Meanwhile, Zhang Ye was recording: "Fatty has a... family heirloom jade pendant, which he always carries with him. This jade is from... the Northwest Field Army... a... a..." He couldn't continue after just one sentence, struggling to think of the words and recall the plot.

Hmm? What's wrong with Xiao Zhang today? Zhao Guozhou finally noticed something was off with Zhang Ye!

Tian Bin had already sensed it and chuckled to himself, eagerly waiting to see Zhang Ye make a fool of himself. That was his purpose for coming!

"What's going on?"

"Huh? Why did he stop?"

The advertisers looked at each other, unsure what was happening.

Zhang Ye coughed to cover up, turned off the recording, and said, "Let's redo this segment. Sorry, my throat is a bit off today. I'll have some water."

Zhao Guozhou looked at him and pushed the microphone away. "Didn't you sleep well last night? No problem, take a few minutes to rest." To smooth things over, Zhao Guozhou quickly changed the topic and started chatting with the advertisers about other matters.

Little Fang looked worried!

Zhang Ye's colleagues were also puzzled!

Many had already noticed the decline in Zhang Ye's storytelling over the past few days. The quality of the novel's text had dropped, and some parts were choppy. They wondered if Zhang Ye had run out of ideas and couldn't continue the story. But why now, when the advertiser was here to sign the contract? If something went wrong today, the significant advertising fees would be lost, and Zhang Ye would be held responsible. This would also tarnish the reputation of the cultural radio station!

Many were holding their breath for Zhang Ye.

Only Tian Bin's expression was different. He was hoping for Zhang Ye to mess up. If "Ghost Blows Out the Light" couldn't continue, Zhang Ye would no longer be necessary. Even if he wasn't cursed by the listeners, the leadership wouldn't stand for it. "Midnight Ghost Stories" had been on air for many years, and while some novels had been cut due to low ratings, none had been left unfinished. If Zhang Ye couldn't continue today, it would be a broadcasting accident, and no one could save him!