Chapter 14 : You Come Out
Chapter 14 - You Come Out
In fact, cold medicine doesn't always work.
The next day, Chen Ran still had a headache; it was slightly better than yesterday, but only marginally.
When Director Zhang saw him today, his attitude was worlds apart from yesterday's.
"How is your cold still not better? How about I have your Auntie Yun brew some more soup to bring over later?" Director Zhang was extremely concerned for Chen Ran.
Chen Ran hurriedly said: "No, don't trouble Auntie Yun. A cold is normal; I'll be fine in a couple of days."
Director Zhang smiled and said: "Why be so polite? We're all family now."
Chen Ran gave a dry laugh. Never mind that this was fake; even if it were real, it wouldn't be to this extent—they had only just started dating.
He said: "Auntie Yun has to work too; she doesn't have enough time."
Director Zhang nodded.
"Alright then. Don't go out with your colleagues at noon; I'll take you to a medicinal cuisine restaurant. The flavor is quite good, and it can help nourish your body."
After parting ways with Director Zhang, Chen Ran let out a breath.
Director Zhang was treating him directly like a son-in-law, which made him feel a great deal of pressure.
"I'm just afraid that the greater Uncle Zhang's expectations, the greater his disappointment will be," Chen Ran muttered in his heart.
Right now, Director Zhang was beaming with joy, but if he found out that he and Zhang Fanzhi were faking it, the gap...
"I've truly boarded a 'thief's boat' now," Chen Ran sighed.
There was no other way; he just had to do as Zhang Fanzhi said—if he was going to act, he had to be professional about it.
Let them be happy for as long as they could.
The production crew held a meeting.
Since it was still a news program, everything prepared a while ago could be used, so the progress was very fast.
Now, everyone was considering the issue of news gathering and editing.
"A large portion of the program is devoted to livelihood news, but where will the news come from? There isn't that much livelihood news; this is a problem," Liu Bing raised the issue.
There were many sources for news, but those didn't fit Chen Ran's proposal.
Chen Ran had written the core theme of the livelihood news: stay close to life, reach into the lives of the common people.
There was a difference between the two.
Furthermore, news has timeliness; using news that is too old won't work either.
"Release a news hotline and then run plenty of advertisements," someone suggested.
Others also said: "It can only be like this."
"But we've released news hotlines before; not many people call, and it's not enough to support the content needed for a program," Liu Bing shook his head slightly.
With that said, everyone felt troubled.
After all, whether big or small, people just find the police for mediation, and once it's over, it's over. There's no need for them to broadcast it on the news, right?
Chen Ran was also pondering this problem.
If people don't call the news hotline, where would their material come from...
Chen Ran thought for a moment and said: "If people's enthusiasm for calling the news hotline isn't high, then we should find a way to mobilize their enthusiasm."
As soon as Chen Ran spoke, everyone looked over.
Liu Bing asked: "How so?"
Chen Ran said: "The public doesn't call the news hotline, likely because being on the news isn't a very dignified thing. Let's change our way of promotion; replace the 'news hotline' with a 'livelihood hotline' and focus on promoting that we help the public solve difficulties and mediate disputes."
"But there's no real difference..." Liu Bing frowned. If they hadn't thought about calling before, they wouldn't call just because you changed the promotional slogan.
"There is a difference, though it might not be very obvious in the early stages." Chen Ran's nose felt itchy, so he rubbed it before continuing: "Actually, the best way to mobilize people's enthusiasm is to give everyone a motivation..."
"Motivation?" Everyone looked at each other.
"For our livelihood hotline, we can set up a calling reward. If someone discovers news or difficulties around them and the reporter goes to interview and solve it, and the news is adopted and aired on TV, the person who provided the news lead can receive a cash reward ranging from 500 to 2000."
Chen Ran stated his idea.
The members of the production crew were all stunned; they really hadn't thought of such a method.
Mainly...
Isn't this a bit too pragmatic?
But that said, this idea really might work.
Money can always mobilize people's enthusiasm; calling the hotline can solve troubles and potentially yield a cash reward. It could indeed become a motivation for calling the livelihood hotline.
"Just now Director Liu said that changing the promotional wording makes no difference, but with this, there is a difference. The setting of rewards is meant to mobilize people's enthusiasm and also to make them remember the livelihood hotline."
"If our program broadcasts and is combined with cash rewards, it can further deepen the impression that people should call the livelihood hotline when they encounter difficulties."
Chen Ran spoke eloquently.
Everyone was lost in thought.
Thinking carefully, a news hotline really isn't as direct as a livelihood hotline.
With the addition of cash rewards, it seemed feasible.
Liu Bing was the first to nod: "This idea is good."
Chen Ran added: "When promoting the program, let's not be confined to television channels. Invest more in the early stages—repeat advertisements on the radio, both sides of lamp posts, and along the roadsides; plaster the livelihood hotline everywhere. Basically, we need to forcefully instill the idea that one should call the livelihood hotline when in difficulty..."
He spoke simply and bluntly. Everyone there was a veteran of the industry and understood his meaning immediately.
"Does anyone else have any other thoughts?" Liu Bing asked.
Everyone shook their heads.
"Chen Ran's point is very good."
"This livelihood hotline is quite good."
"......"
Since everyone approved, things became simple.
The program needed to enter the early promotion phase now. Once the livelihood hotline was publicized, it would take quite some time for reporters to gather and edit the news.
This program was not an entertainment show; it didn't need a stage or special recording sessions—what it needed was news.
After this matter was resolved, there were other things to discuss, such as hot news commentary and interactive topics for discussion...
Chen Ran was busy until noon. His headache became somewhat unbearable, and he felt a bit better only after taking two painkillers.
At lunchtime, Director Zhang took Chen Ran to a medicinal cuisine restaurant.
He truly wasn't wrong; the food at this restaurant tasted very good.
He ate happily with Director Zhang. The food was piping hot, making Chen Ran sweat.
By the time they left, he felt much lighter; at the very least, his nose was clear.
"Your body really won't do. Once this busy period is over, go work out more. Don't let your health collapse while you're still young," Director Zhang said earnestly.
Chen Ran nodded.
He knew this even without Uncle Zhang saying it. His current body was much worse than in his previous life; it was basically the physique of an otaku and prone to getting sick.
He had ended up in the hospital right after transmigrating, and he had been busy ever since being discharged. He had no time to exercise, so he did need to find some time to train.
Afternoon.
It was hard to say whether the medicinal food Director Zhang took him to eat was effective or if the painkillers had kicked in, but Chen Ran felt that his head didn't hurt as much.
Needless to say, there would be overtime again tonight.
Chen Ran's phone suddenly rang.
He stopped his work, glanced at the phone, and was immediately stunned.
Sniffling, he picked up the phone and said, "Hello, what are you looking for me for?"
"Come out." The voice was cold and clear.
"Ah?" Chen Ran was dazed.
Holding his phone, he stood by the window and looked down.
There stood a tall, graceful silhouette with waist-length hair and a mask over her face.
Who else could it be but Zhang Fanzhi…