CHAPTER 464: CHAPTER 464: OPEN THE DOOR, I’LL HELP YOU

When Chen Bin arrived at the rehearsal venue, a large crowd was already waiting outside for Wen Wan to show up.

He immediately issued an order that no one was allowed to act overly surprised, let alone take photos or selfies.

"You’re here to work, not to chase celebrities."

Right after, Chen Bin called Wu Jie and told her to get to the venue quickly.

When Wen Wan appeared in the broadcasting hall, the atmosphere was extraordinarily cold.

Lu Jiali, who was used to throwing her weight around, had never experienced such a cold reception and felt deeply dissatisfied.

Since Chen Bin was already simmering with anger, he didn’t have the patience to communicate with Wen Wan.

Seeing this, the assistant director had no choice but to personally step up and take Wen Wan to familiarize herself with the stage.

Throughout the process, Wen Wan remained silent.

Meanwhile, Lu Jiali was busy finding faults with everything, disparaging all the equipment as utterly worthless.

Chen Bin watched the two coldly, already regretting his decision to invite Wen Wan.

Everyone else was cooperative, yet there were these two peculiar headaches dragging everything down.

If it weren’t for Wen Wan’s positive public image, Chen Bin would’ve sent her packing long ago.

Taking a deep breath, Chen Bin picked up the mic and said impatiently, "Rehearsal time is near—let’s run through the routine once to check the effects."

Just then, Lu Jiali stepped onto the center of the stage and snatched the microphone from a nearby staff member.

"Wen Wan hasn’t warmed up her voice yet; she can’t sing now. Give her half an hour!"

The moment these words left her mouth, Chen Bin felt his rage surge uncontrollably.

But for the sake of the Spring Festival Gala, he forced himself to remain composed.

"This is just a run-through, barely even a rehearsal—no need to make a big deal out of it."

"That’s not acceptable. Wen Wan has high standards for herself. Even for a run-through, she has to give her absolute best performance."

"This is the Spring Festival Gala rehearsal, not someone’s private concert. Please, let’s show mutual understanding. Thank you!"

Chen Bin had initially hoped Wen Wan could boost viewership—now he found himself dealing with a diva.

At that moment, he silently vowed that if he ever managed another Spring Festival Gala, he’d never invite Wen Wan again.

Young and barely in her twenties, yet so arrogant—completely lacking in manners!

Humiliated by Chen Bin’s criticism, Lu Jiali angrily tossed the mic onto the floor.

As she stormed off the stage, she muttered sulkily under her breath, "Fine, sing then. Let’s just get this over with!"

Chen Bin couldn’t be bothered acknowledging her. He simply spoke into the microphone, "Alright, let’s all do a run-through to see the effect."

When it was Wen Wan’s turn, she sang an original song.

Her voice was fresh and graceful, like the sound of heaven.

Although the backup dancers were all stunningly gorgeous, compared to Wen Wan, they seemed utterly unremarkable.

After her performance ended, everyone on-site applauded.

Chen Bin then spoke into the microphone, "Take a ten-minute break, and let’s run it again with the lighting effects."

Before long, Wen Wan performed again.

Perhaps because her voice was fully warmed up now, the second performance was even better than the first.

Chen Bin was considering going for a third run, but Lu Jiali adamantly refused to let Wen Wan sing again, claiming it would strain her voice.

Thinking the two previous takes were solid, Chen Bin decided not to push further.

It was then that a sudden realization hit him.

Something hadn’t been taken care of yet.

After some contemplation, it clicked—Wu Jie’s outfit issue was still unresolved!

With this in mind, Chen Bin promptly took Wu Jie to track down the Gala’s wardrobe manager.

"Do we have anything suitable for her to wear?"

After eyeing Wu Jie up and down, the manager shook their head. "No."

"Can’t she wear Ji Yue’s outfit?"

"Definitely not. Ji Yue is shorter—Wu Jie would look small in it."

"The recording is tomorrow. You need to figure this out—her dress must fit properly and match the style of the other three hosts."

After some consideration, the manager reluctantly suggested, "How about once I finish my current tasks, I take her to Tianhai Shopping City? They offer dresses for rent or sale—something appropriate should be available."

After deliberation, Chen Bin finally responded, "Forget it, I’ll take her there myself."

As he began pulling Wu Jie towards the exit, the manager called out loudly behind him, "And don’t forget the high heels!"

Once he reached the parking lot, Chen Bin drove Wu Jie straight to Tianhai Shopping City.

Upon arrival, they found the store was packed with people.

With no other choice, Chen Bin personally rummaged through the dresses.

Soon enough, he picked out a purple gown. "Xiao Jie, hurry into the fitting room and try this on. If it fits, we’ll rent it directly."

Inside the fitting room, Wu Jie noticed the gown did fit, though its low-cut neckline made her feel uneasy.

This left her lacking a sense of security.

But with time running out, Wu Jie didn’t dwell on it. Once she’d put on the gown, however, she found the back zipper impossible to pull up.

As she stood helplessly, Chen Bin’s voice suddenly sounded from outside the fitting room.

"How’s it? Does it fit?"

"It fits, but the zipper seems to be broken—it won’t budge at all."

"Then open the door—I’ll come help you."

Filled with reluctance and embarrassment, Wu Jie eventually opened the fitting room door.

As soon as Chen Bin entered, she turned around so her back faced him.

Wu Jie’s back was smooth and pale like fine jade, remarkably beautiful.

The zipper ran the length of the gown, reaching nearly to the curve of her hips—a tantalizing sight.

But time was of the essence, and Chen Bin had no time to admire.

Following Wu Jie’s instructions, he tried a few times to pull up the zipper, but it wouldn’t move.

Not daring to use excessive force, he said, "Try sucking in your stomach—it seems the gown’s cut is quite fitted."

Sure enough, after Wu Jie pulled in her stomach slightly, the zipper went up halfway.

Just then, Chen Bin felt a pair of scorching eyes upon him from behind.

As he turned around, he saw a bald man in glasses leeringly staring at Wu Jie’s delicate back.

Chen Bin shot the man a fierce glare, but the latter was so engrossed that he didn’t even notice.

To keep Wu Jie from being ogled, Chen Bin quickly pushed her back into the fitting room and closed the door behind him.

The fitting room was roughly two to three square meters, equipped with just a few hooks and a mirror.

Standing behind Wu Jie, Chen Bin could clearly see her reflection in the mirror.

Feeling the incomplete zipper still dangling on her back, Wu Jie looked visibly awkward.

"Is it because I’m too fat?"

"Not at all—it’s probably just because the gown is designed to be so snug."

"Should I switch to a different one?"

Even as she spoke, Wu Jie tightly hugged her arms against the gown, afraid it might slip off.

"I’ve looked around, and this is the best match for the other three hosts’ outfits. Wait—why are you clutching the gown so tight?"

"I’m afraid it’ll fall off..."

"It won’t. Relax. If you keep squeezing it like that, no wonder the zipper won’t go up."

At Chen Bin’s assurance, Wu Jie gingerly raised her arms slightly.

Once the zipper was completely zipped up, she breathed a long sigh of relief.

But to their disbelief—

The zipper head broke off at that exact moment!