Chapter 145: Weren't These Two Shows Planned by You? [Second Update]

"Old Yang, I've arrived!"

After reaching the television station, Yu Zhile gave Yang Bing a call.

When Yang Bing came to fetch him, his expression was somewhat grim. "Old Yu, the situation isn't looking good. I presented the program proposal you sent me last night to the executives, but they aren't optimistic. They feel a 'slice-of-life' reality show doesn't fit the mainstream and that the target audience is too small."

Yu Zhile replied, "So, you mean there's no room for cooperation?"

"Not necessarily," Yang Bing countered. "Being pessimistic doesn't mean we can't cooperate. It’s just that if the station does sign on, the allocated budget will certainly be meager. Compared to 'King of Mask Singer,' frankly speaking, it wouldn't even be enough to fill the gaps in our teeth."

Yu Zhile said calmly, "As long as we can cooperate, this trip won't have been in vain. As for how we handle the rest, I have a plan."

As they walked, Yang Bing said, "I'll take you in first. If we decide to move forward, I'll try my best to put in a good word and see if we can secure a bit more funding."

"Don't worry about that," Yu Zhile said. "We aren't hurting for production funds. I’m a multi-millionaire, after all. The station's budget isn't the priority; advertising sponsorships are. So, as long as we confirm the collaboration, everything else is manageable."

Yang Bing felt a sudden, sharp pang in his chest.

Why the hell did I have to say that?

Does this guy look like he’s short on cash?

He offered a bitter smile, feeling invisibly stung by Yu Zhile’s display of wealth. He sighed inwardly, wondering when he would ever reach a net worth of over a hundred million. Thanks to the massive success of "King of Mask Singer," he had only just entered the ranks of the millionaires through bonuses and profit-sharing; he still had a long way to go to reach a hundred million.

After leading Yu Zhile into the conference room, Yang Bing said, "Wait here for a moment. I’m going to go report to the executives."

Yu Zhile replied, "Sorry for the trouble."

Yang Bing smiled as he walked out. "Don't be a stranger! No need to be so formal with me!"

Before long, the station's Director, a department head, and Director Zhang—along with Yang Bing—arrived.

Yang Bing introduced Director Chen to Yu Zhile. Director Chen immediately reached out, offering praise: "Mr. Yu, you are truly talented for your age! Thanks to you and your wife, the ratings for our 'King of Mask Singer' have broken record after record!"

Yu Zhile shook his hand, responding modestly, "Director Chen, you are too kind. The high ratings are a testament to the station's production quality; my wife and I were merely the icing on the cake."

Director Chen chuckled. "When you two were on the show, the ratings were sky-high. When you weren't, they dropped significantly. So, there's no need for such humility!"

Yu Zhile offered an embarrassed smile. Yang Bing continued by introducing the department head and Director Zhang.

Yu Zhile was quite familiar with Director Zhang, though they hadn't spoken before. Director Zhang looked at Yu Zhile with a hint of resentment. "You were the only singer on 'King of Mask Singer' whose identity I couldn't figure out. Yang Bing here refused to tell me, and because of my curiosity, I've lost so much hair over the summer directing this show!"

Yu Zhile apologized awkwardly, "I owe you an apology for that. After all, it was I who insisted that Yang Bing keep it a secret from everyone."

Director Chen interrupted, "Let’s sit, let’s sit. We can save the pleasantries for later; let’s discuss the matter at hand!"

Yang Bing tactfully activated the projector, displaying Yu Zhile’s proposal. Director Chen began, "A 'slice-of-life' parent-child outdoor reality show... this would be opening up an entirely new genre of variety entertainment."

He analyzed further, "However, in the current variety market, this type of 'slice-of-life' show is too niche. If we use high-traffic celebrities to prop it up, the ratings might not be terrible, but the cost would outweigh the benefits. It wouldn't be profitable—that's the conclusion we reached."

The department head added, "According to market research, other stations have aired similar shows, but they were too dull and monotonous, failing to achieve good results. That’s why there are so few of them on the market."

Director Zhang also weighed in: "Adding a parent-child theme sounds interesting, but according to your proposal, other than the stars, the only draw is the parent-child interaction. Since there hasn't been a show like this, we can't say for certain it won't succeed, but based on big data analysis, the probability of this show flopping is very high."

After listening to the three executives, Yu Zhile nodded. "I understand. The first person to eat a crab always takes a huge risk. I won’t boast, but let me be clear: if the station is willing to cooperate, I don't care about the production budget. I will handle the advertising sponsorships, and you only need to provide the staff for filming."

Director Chen looked at Director Zhang, clearly hesitant. To them, collaborating on such a niche program didn't seem necessary.

Yet, thinking of the immense popularity of Qin Haiyu and her husband, he feared that if the show became a hit after they rejected it, they would be filled with regret.

At that moment, Yang Bing, who had been unable to get a word in and hadn't dared to interrupt his superiors, suddenly spoke up: "Director Chen, I believe this show has great market potential! People's lives move so fast nowadays; watching a relaxing, heartwarming show in their spare time would be very comforting! It’s precisely because this type of show doesn't exist on the market that it has the potential to be a sudden, sensational hit!"

He continued, "Just like 'I Am a Singer' and 'King of Mask Singer'—before these shows appeared, who would have thought a music program could be done like that? Who would have thought a music show could achieve such high ratings without relying solely on high-traffic stars?"

Having said that, he decided to play his trump card.

"Director Chen, Director Zhang! In truth, 'I Am a Singer' and 'King of Mask Singer' were not my ideas!"

Upon hearing this, Director Chen and Director Zhang were stunned.

What did he mean? If these shows weren't his ideas, whose were they?

Yang Bing said earnestly, "If it weren't for Yu Zhile giving me advice and suggestions behind the scenes, 'I Am a Singer' and 'King of Mask Singer' would never have been born! Therefore, I trust his vision, and I trust his program proposal!"

Hearing this, Director Chen and Director Zhang were completely floored.

'I Am a Singer' and 'King of Mask Singer' were actually planned by Yu Zhile?