Chapter 474: Chapter 313: Big Shots Gather, The Final Rehearsal_2

“Are we still supposed to wait in the lounge, or should we go take a look out front?”

“No, they won’t let us.”

“What’s the big deal? If you ask the regular staff, of course, they’ll say no. You need to ask someone who actually calls the shots.”

According to the rules, it definitely wouldn’t be allowed, but it all depended on how you looked at it.

Anywhere in the world, navigating social situations was key. For instance, if you wanted to enter a place and you asked the security guard, they’d almost certainly refuse. Once you’d asked, their first reaction—since they didn’t know you from Adam—would be to follow the regulations. But if you didn’t ask and just walked straight in, most people couldn’t be bothered to stop you. Were they really going to chase you down and demand your papers?

Of course, places with strict management were an exception. This was about places that had rules, but those rules were effectively useless.

Chu Tian led them swaggering from the backstage corridor, looping around to another back entrance of the broadcasting hall. He led the way, striding right in as if he owned the place.

No one they encountered on the way paid them any mind. However, a person guarding the door glanced up, and his gaze locked onto Xu Qingqiu when he noticed her evasive eyes.

“What are you doing here? This is an employee passage; you can’t come in.”

Chu Tian didn’t realize how they’d given themselves away, but Xu Qingqiu and the others behind him were terrified and froze on the spot.

“Thanks for your hard work, brother,” Chu Tian said smoothly. “We just need to pop into the studio for a moment. Director Zhao asked us to discuss something. This is Xu Qingqiu—you recognize her, right? He asked her to come over to talk about the performance details.”

Seeing Chu Tian’s perfectly confident and seemingly flawless demeanor, the guard looked skeptical. But when he leaned to the side and got a clear look, confirming it was indeed Xu Qingqiu, his wariness lessened considerably, though he still wasn’t entirely convinced.

“Director Zhao really called for you? Why didn’t you use the front entrance?”

“It’s too crowded out front, and people from the rehearsal are still waiting in line there. We just need to pop in to discuss something quickly. It probably won’t take long, and coming this way means we won’t disturb anyone.”

Of course, this explanation wasn’t very convincing, so Chu Tian quickly added, trying to persuade him, “There’s no need for all this, brother. A big star like Xu Qingqiu, what danger could she possibly pose? It’s not like we plan to ruin our careers in the country. We definitely wouldn’t do anything reckless, right?”

Since Chu Tian put it that way, the guard thought about it. He wasn’t specifically assigned to guard this door anyway. He just thought it was a bit unusual and said something casually. If it turned out they really were invited, pressing the issue further would just be pointlessly offensive.

“Alright then,” the guard conceded. “Just make sure no one sees you. This is an employee-only passage; other people aren’t allowed through here.”

“Heh, of course! Absolutely no problem,” Chu Tian assured him.

Having finally bluffed his way past the guard, Chu Tian confidently pushed the door open and walked in. He even glanced back and gave Xu Qingqiu a nonchalant wave to follow. He certainly didn’t see himself as an outsider at all.

Seeing this, the others quickly hustled inside after him. Once inside, they understood why it was designated as the employee passage.

The broadcasting hall had several main entrances alone. With such a large area, sufficient passages were necessary, if only to meet fire safety regulations. But each door served a specific purpose: there were audience entrances, backstage entrances for performers, prop passages, and, naturally, passages for equipment and staff.

This particular door was the staff passage for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it was close to the equipment room, and various electrical cables snaked across the floor near the entrance. Secondly, it was located at the very back, where lighting, screens, and all sorts of other equipment were situated. Non-staff personnel were generally not allowed in this area. If some ignorant person started carelessly fiddling with things, the expensive equipment could easily be damaged, leading to another dispute.

Chu Tian certainly wouldn’t lead them to cause any trouble. He guided Xu Qingqiu and the others down an aisle between the seats for a considerable distance, then found some empty seats and sat down.

Sensing the guard was still watching them from behind, Chu Tian, after settling Xu Qingqiu and the others, quickly walked towards the front, pretending to look for Zhao Fengsheng.

Only then did the guard seem to breathe a sigh of relief and turn away.

Of course, Chu Tian wasn’t just putting on an act; he genuinely wanted to find Zhao Fengsheng, but it just wasn’t the right moment.

Once he saw the guard leave, he turned around and rejoined his group.

“Impressive, Chu Tian! How did you know we could get in this way? Have you been here before?”

“No.”

“Then how did you know?”

“See those people? That one is the ’King of Comedy’; the director invited him personally, and he’s been here for a while. Over there, that’s a film star from Huamei, also invited by the director. They’re all here to discuss the show.”

“And look at the two rows further back. Those are all people who sneaked in to watch the excitement. See them? Those young women in colorful dresses are probably from some organization, here to enjoy the show. And those few singers over there also slipped in this way.”

Everyone was stunned as he rattled off the details as if he knew everyone.

“No way, how do you know all this so clearly? Don’t tell me you’ve planted undercover agents here?”

“What are you thinking? Watched too many TV dramas? I just wandered around earlier and saw them. If we hadn’t run into that guard, we would have been in much sooner.”

“But weren’t things supposed to be kept confidential? How did they all get in so easily?”

“Confidential? We’re about to go on stage; what’s there to be so secretive about? Besides, these are all industry people. Who would be so bored as to leak things just two days before the show?”

“Everyone’s just here to see the excitement, not like they’re business spies. Plus, this event isn’t high-stakes enough for that kind of intrigue. It’s not as difficult as you imagine.”

Indeed, it wasn’t that difficult, setting aside any management issues.

It was the final dress rehearsal today. Frankly, most people involved likely already had a good idea of what was happening. This was evident from the fact that Zhao Fengsheng had gathered the main performers for several key acts here for a meeting. Besides, apart from the performers, there were still quite a few scattered audience members. Weren’t they worried about leaks from them?

So, secrecy was secondary; it really just came down to how bold you were. If it was your first time and you were all anxious and respectful, you’d just wait obediently backstage. But if you were an old hand, sneaking in to watch the excitement was nothing. You could even stroll around openly, and hardly anyone would bother you.

“Oh!”

CLAPPING AND SHOUTS!

As they were chatting, the performance on stage reached a thrilling moment. The sparse audience below started jeering and applauding, creating a surprisingly lively atmosphere.

“What’s happening? What are they performing? Why is everyone so worked up?”

“Just watch, and you’ll find out. Let’s stop talking for now and get a preview of the show.”

Despite saying that, Chu Tian wasn’t particularly interested in watching the performances. He had actually come with a specific agenda.

As the saying goes, “Know your enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles without defeat.” In the business world, the most crucial element is the informational edge.

Unlimited Entertainment was still a small company. Even though its profit margins this year far surpassed many competitors, its standing was low; calling them mere up-and-comers wouldn’t be an overstatement. One major drawback was their lack of connections; they had no one to champion their cause or publicly endorse them. This was when Chu Tian and Hou Yichuan needed to forge new connections, to add some prestige to their company’s image.

It’s not that I particularly want to engage in mutual business flattery, but it really can increase the company’s influence. Another key point is that it will help avoid a lot of future trouble.

As the saying goes, success and failure often hinge on one’s relationships. With relationships come ties, and these ties prove the existence of a complex network. If someone took a disliking to you, their first instinct would be to investigate your backing. The more complex your network, the more cautiously they’d tread, wary of repercussions. The “cleaner” your background—meaning, the fewer powerful connections you had—the less they’d hesitate to act against you.

Right now, I’m thinking I need to build up my own ’persona’ a bit, expand my network. One needs to wrap oneself in the tiger’s skin to put on a grand show, after all. The company is planning a big push next year, so I need to get a clear picture of the landscape and find some influential support. But to build connections, first, I need to know who the key players are and what channels are available.

So, seizing a moment when no one was paying attention, he excused himself and inconspicuously moved to a spot three or four rows behind Zhao Fengsheng. From this position, he wouldn’t be too obvious, nor too far away, allowing him to faintly overhear the conversations at the front.

“Shen, what do you think of my suggestion just now?”

“Director Zhao, given our relationship, I’ll be frank. Your idea is good, but it places too much burden on the entire show. The performance would feel unnatural, and the overall effect wouldn’t be great.”

“What if I revise it like this? What do you think then?”

…

“Lin Zhe, no need for formalities. You and I are old acquaintances; I even watched your boss grow up. Huamei has done well this year. After the New Year, there’s a variety show I’d like you to appear on. And later, there might be a film project that could be useful for you.”

“Then thank you, Director Zhao.”

…

Overhearing these bits and pieces, Chu Tian silently began to map out the network of relationships and identify potentially useful information.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep