AFVSIBS ### Chapter 166: The Production Team Changes the Schedule for Zhou Chen

Cheng Qiang didn't know that Zhou Chen's refusal of his invitation wasn't about money but about timing.

Wan Fangfang, worried that Zhou Chen's response might offend Cheng Qiang and Chen Jie, quickly explained, "Mr. Chen, Director Cheng, the reason Zhou Chen refused is due to the timing of the program, not anything else."

"Timing? We're starting at the prime time slot of nine o'clock, not during low-traffic hours."

"No, no, Director Cheng, you misunderstood. Zhou Chen doesn't care about that. He wants to finish early and go home to rest. The earlier your program starts, the better."

"Uh, is that so? Then tell me, what time do you want our program to start?"

"Six o'clock," Zhou Chen answered directly.

"What! Six o'clock? That's way too early. At six, many people are just getting off work or finishing dinner. Who has time to watch a variety show then?"

Cheng Qiang was shocked by Zhou Chen's suggested time. Though this was his first attempt at producing a variety show, he was well aware of industry norms. No variety show currently aired at six in the evening.

"Yeah, Zhou Chen, isn't six a bit too early?" Chen Jie also expressed his disbelief.

Of course, as the president of Wanhe, Chen Jie had every reason to demand Zhou Chen unconditionally accept the invitation. However, he didn't want to strain his relationship with Zhou Chen. He was siding with Cheng Qiang to give face to an old friend, understanding the importance of social niceties and personal connections in his position.

"Mr. Chen, here's the thing: Zhou Chen recently had a medical check-up, and the doctor advised him to go to bed early and wake up early. He set a schedule for himself, so he requested this early time slot," Wan Fangfang, the manager, explained nervously. She feared Zhou Chen might offend not only Cheng Qiang but also Chen Jie. Offending Wang Wei previously had already caused many issues; offending Chen Jie now would be even more troublesome.

Chen Jie was pleased with Wan Fangfang's explanation. His earlier comments were merely for Cheng Qiang's benefit. Now, Wan Fangfang had provided a reasonable explanation for both parties to save face.

"So that's the reason. Alright, six o'clock it is. We agree," Cheng Qiang decided on the spot, unlike Wei Wentao from "Music 2023." Cheng Qiang didn’t need to think it over because Zhou Chen was the first artist he invited. Adjusting the program's time to six o'clock didn’t require explaining to other artists. Besides, he had thoroughly researched Zhou Chen's background before coming. Zhou Chen's ability to achieve a 4.0 rating on various shows wasn't a fluke or luck but genuine talent. With such talent, Cheng Qiang believed the show’s ratings would be high even if it started at six.

"Really? Thank you so much, Director Cheng."

Wan Fangfang was very happy to see a program willing to accommodate Zhou Chen's schedule.

At least for now, Zhou Chen could participate in another variety show, and her agent could report back to the company with something positive.

"It's definitely true. Although I'm also surprised that the showtime has been moved to six o'clock, I'm willing to give it a try with Zhou Chen. This also shows our program team's sincerity," Cheng Qiang said.

"Thank you, Director Cheng. In that case, I have no issues on my end."

Since the other party had made concessions, Zhou Chen agreed.

"Great, it's settled then. We'll be waiting for you at the show site on the first of next month," Cheng Qiang said happily.

"Thank you, Director Cheng. Could you also send me some of the show's rules beforehand so I can prepare?"

"No problem, I'll have my assistant contact your agent. But before that, I'd like us to sign the contract, if that's alright with you."

Cheng Qiang was a smart man. He knew that many variety shows were lining up to invite Zhou Chen. Now that he had managed to meet Zhou Chen first through Chen Jie and reached an agreement, he naturally wanted to finalize the contract before leaving to avoid any unforeseen issues.

Zhou Chen nodded, indicating no objections.

So, Cheng Qiang immediately had his assistant bring out the pre-prepared contract, and both parties signed it on the spot.

Seeing Zhou Chen sign the contract, Cheng Qiang left Wanhe Entertainment satisfied.

"Director Cheng, I don't quite understand. Why did you agree so quickly? Changing the time to six in the evening could put us at a disadvantage."

As soon as they got in the car after leaving Wanhe Entertainment, the assistant asked with a puzzled expression.

"What do you mean by disadvantage?" Cheng Qiang asked in return.

"If we move the time to six in the evening, since it's not the prime time for viewership, it will be hard to invite big-name artists. Without big-name artists, how can we guarantee the ratings?" the assistant analyzed.

"You have a point, but I can assure you that having Zhou Chen alone guarantees the ratings," Cheng Qiang replied confidently.

"But I'm still worried that other artists might decline because of the early timeslot. We can't just have Zhou Chen as the only artist, right?"

"Don't worry. As long as the money is right, artists will participate. If necessary, we can invite some lesser-known artists. As long as Zhou Chen is there, we don't have to worry about ratings. Besides, we also have foreign artists. Once you get back, have the external team finalize the list of foreign artists. We'll announce it all together later," Cheng Qiang said.

Cheng Qiang was determined to bet on Zhou Chen's influence this time, so he didn't care if other big-name artists declined to participate in "The International Music Festival" due to the timeslot change. When he agreed to move the showtime to six o'clock in the evening, he had already decided to take a risk. He trusted his intuition. If the ratings turned out to be poor, he would accept the consequences.

"Zhou Chen, do you have any plans tonight? If not, I can take you to a celebrity event."

At Wanhe Entertainment, Wan Fangfang came to find Zhou Chen as it was nearing the end of the workday.

"Sister Fangfang, I'm afraid I can't. I have to attend Su Qingge's birthday party tonight," Zhou Chen replied.

"Su Qingge? That little cutie? You've been quite lucky with women lately. First, you were getting close with a rising star in the music scene, and now you're frequently hanging out with the little cutie Su Qingge. So, which one do you like more?" Wan Fangfang joked.

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