CHAPTER 280: CHAPTER 280: GALA INVITATION

On this day, the winter sun was warm and gentle. Before heading out, Gu Cheng moved a rocking chair into the yard, along with a small table holding fruit and snacks.

"I’ll definitely be back before lunch."

"Alright, alright, drive safely and smooth sailing in everything!"

Tuanzi waved her little paws, and once the car disappeared from view, she ran back, picked up a glass of juice, and chugged it down.

"Refreshing!"

She wiped her little mouth.

The system increasingly felt that this scene was reminiscent of a scene from a TV drama. In martial arts films, some heroes in the Jianghu would drink wine from a bowl with just this posture and tone.

[Ancient Martial System: Have you been watching TV dramas with your second uncle again?]

Tuanzi personally liked watching cartoons, but she often visited her second and third uncles’ homes, and whatever they watched, she would watch along.

Lately, the system had been on standby more often, not constantly monitoring the host.

Couldn’t let the host develop odd habits.

The heroes in TV dramas could be carefree, but outside of TV, if the host behaved like that, her little face and paws would be all dirty.

"Alright, alright, Little Gu, don’t be so naggy, you’ll lose hair."

When no one was around, Tuanzi was even lazy to speak in her mind.

[Ancient Martial System: I don’t have hair to begin with, also, your obsession with hair is too strong.]

Clearly just a child, with thick, black, and beautiful hair, yet always worried about going bald? Has the bald crisis spread from middle-aged people to the young, and then to children?

Tuanzi covered her little ears, showing with her actions: ’Not listening, not listening, the system is chanting.’

She lay there leisurely, even trying to cross her legs, but found it uncomfortable, so she put down her short legs and just swayed them.

The learning machine beside her played some knowledge about wild animals and plants, making her sleepy.

Just then, the phone rang.

When outside, she usually used a smartwatch, as there was no time and Gu Cheng didn’t allow her to play on the phone. But at home, there was no need to use the smartwatch to contact, her big brother had given her an old phone to occasionally make calls and send voice messages.

"Huh, who’s calling me?"

She only thought of her brothers.

Others, if they needed to contact her, would certainly reach out to her brothers first and get permission before discussing things with her. Her big brother said this was to prevent her from being tricked.

"Humph, how could Miaomiao be tricked when she’s so smart?"

She slowly got up to get the phone.

[Ancient Martial System: Who almost got tricked by a candy haw into going downhill for the first time?]

"Oh, that was ages ago."

Tuanzi stretched her legs in frustration.

Looking at the caller ID, it was Tan Sheng, now the vice president and head of publicity of the Jiang City Xingyi Boxing Association.

"Mr. Tan."

Tan Sheng greeted her and got straight to the point.

"Huh?"

After listening, Tuanzi sat up immediately, her wide, shiny eyes.

"Let Miaomiao perform on stage?"

"Yes, the association has been in talks with the TV station, initially aiming for you to perform during the Lantern Festival, but nothing was finalized, so I hadn’t mentioned it."

Tan Sheng was talking about the Jiang City TV station, since the association was in Jiang City, working with the local station had a higher success rate.

"It turned out a program at a gala had issues, and the head saw your performance in a program and simply decided to let you perform, while also inviting you for a show during the Lantern Festival."

Nowadays, many galas livestream boldly, while the cautious ones still opt for pre-recording.

Anyway, pre-recording allows for post-production tuning, avoiding singing disasters. Post-production can also apply mosaics to prevent a single problematic artist from ruining an entire event.

During the Spring Festival Gala, every leader is extra cautious.

The Jiang City TV station had initially invited a fairly well-known artist to perform, but this morning, a multitude of scandalous behaviors exposed, with solid evidence.

Before, the TV station had already released the program schedule, and now everyone is mocking them.

The station originally prepared other backup programs, but showing those wouldn’t easily restore the station’s image, they needed positive and popular programs.

Tan Sheng rarely treated Tuanzi like a child, always explaining things clearly and earnestly.

This time was no exception.

"Not only because of your recent popularity, but also because of your efforts to promote traditional martial arts. Promoting tradition easily wins audience favor, and might make people more reserved when criticizing the TV station."

If no program schedule had been released, everything would have been easy to fix, but since it was released, anyone replacing that artist would be at risk.

"I’ll contact your big brother later, but now I’d like to hear your opinion first."

Tuanzi’s focus was elsewhere.

"Will a lot of people watch this gala?"

"Based on viewership from previous years, it’s among the top five nationwide, so not a small number. Additionally, it will be rebroadcasted repeatedly during the New Year. If the program goes viral, various self-media will make clips and play it on different platforms."

"Then I must agree!"

Tuanzi was clear-headed, "Miaomiao wants to promote traditional martial arts, and they want to use Miaomiao’s popularity and the positive image of traditional martial arts. It’s mutual use and cooperation, Miaomiao understands."

She couldn’t just receive benefits without giving something in return, right?

And after the issue with Ai Zhen, the deputy director of Pineapple TV, she understood a principle, never owe anyone a favor in this industry. Mutual use is better than a one-sided favor.

She wouldn’t want her big brother to run around repaying favors again.

Tan Sheng was a bit surprised, but thinking it was Gu Miaomiao who said it, he found it natural.

Long ago, he thought Gu Miaomiao lived transparently, a kind of transparency unrelated to age, it was Gu Miaomiao’s essence. That’s just who she is, as a child and likely so when older.

"I’ll discuss the subsequent details with your big brother. But Miaomiao, you’ll definitely face criticism after the broadcast."

"It’s alright, Miaomiao is mentally prepared."

When Gu Cheng returned, he discussed the matter directly with his sister.

He wasn’t surprised by her choice, and after confirming her thoughts, he drove her to the TV station.

Soon, people from the Xingyi Boxing Association also arrived.

All parties gathered, various negotiations, finally reaching a consensus.

The performance would start with Tuanzi and Xingyi Boxing Association members showcasing the Twelve Forms Fist of Xingyi Boxing, imitating the characteristics of twelve animals’ moves for combat, highly spectator-friendly.

Because the association had filmed promotional videos before, everyone had already worked together, gathering again posed no difficulty.

After the performance, Tuanzi still had a minute and a half of personal time. She decided to perform the Multi-blade Style, ensuring she could make the stage exciting all by herself.

Taking advantage of everyone’s presence, the people from the TV station also confirmed the Lantern Festival program.

Once everyone left the TV station, Gu Cheng received another call, this time from the National Martial Arts Association, also inviting Tuanzi to perform.

"It’s indeed a bit late to say now, originally, Chairman Ye wanted Miaomiao to participate in the CCTV gala, but the program there was finalized early, even with his connections he couldn’t... In short, he later contacted other pre-recorded TV stations, hoping for Miaomiao to make appearances on different stations, whether a solo or group show, performing different martial arts."

Gu Cheng: "..." He thought his younger brother would be the busiest this New Year, but it turns out his little sister is the busiest?