Is this issue Su Yunjin's idea? (Please add to your favorites)

Just a few words, yet they struck like a thunderbolt, shaking all of China to its core.

“Whoa, the Central Broadcaster?”

“Unbelievable—how did the leading girl group catch the attention of the Central Broadcaster?”

“To promote traditional culture—what high praise! For the Central Broadcaster to offer such an endorsement, that's incredible.”

But what is the Central Broadcaster? What does it represent? To be commended by such an institution—this is a triumph of epic proportions for the leading girl group!

Fans swelled with pride. The audience was proud. Netizens were left in shock. For a time, the leading girl group outshone all others.

News of this quickly reached Zhang Zhichang. Upon hearing that the Central Broadcaster had praised the group, he was overwhelmed with excitement. Without hesitation, he snapped a screenshot and shared it in the group chat for the leading girl group.

By then, he hardly needed to say a word—news of the Central Broadcaster’s praise had already spread, and many were well aware. For the young women in the group, such recognition was an undeniable encouragement. For the higher-ups and support staff, the Central Broadcaster’s approval felt like an honor.

Undoubtedly, the Central Broadcaster’s praise during this Mid-Autumn Festival was the greatest gift the leading girl group could have received.

“But I think the credit for our results goes especially to Teacher Su.”

“That’s right, the credit definitely belongs to Teacher Su.”

“So many people keep asking me how we came up with this idea—ha! I won’t tell them. This is just the way Teacher Su celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival every year.”

The group chat was ablaze. Once merely a place for official notices, it had transformed into a forum for cheering on Su Yunjin.

The trainees might not fully understand, but those working behind the scenes knew exactly how this episode had come together. When Su Yunjin first proposed the idea, everyone was instantly intrigued. As the program took shape, the whole team found joy not only in their work, but in the playfulness and delicious food that came with it.

Most importantly, when they first conceived the episode, their only intent was to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival ahead of time. They never imagined it would receive special praise from the Central Broadcaster!

It was simply spectacular.

Unfortunately, Su Yunjin was not in the group chat at that moment; otherwise, she too would have been able to share in their happiness.

Meanwhile, as Zhang Zhichang and the others celebrated on their end, there was another commotion in places they couldn't see. In the chat groups of other variety show production teams, things were just as lively.

But the excitement there wasn’t born out of being praised. Rather, after the Central Broadcaster singled out the leading girl group’s Mid-Autumn special, other variety teams were fervently discussing how to jump on the bandwagon.

These days, what’s the most lucrative strategy? Imitation, of course. Otherwise, if every program tried to create something new each time, the producers would be worked to death. There is, naturally, also the option of purchasing the rights to overseas variety formats. But that costs money—copying is always cheaper.

“Look at them—how did they come up with such a brilliant idea? Timing it with Mid-Autumn, grabbing attention, and earning a review from the Central Broadcaster?”

“Why can’t we do that? Where exactly are we falling short?”

“This Mid-Autumn, we should stop focusing on feasting and think carefully about how we could achieve something on par with them!”

At Xu Corporation, the chief producer Wang shared the news about the leading girl group’s recognition in the work group chat. But right away, he raised the question: why?

Based on his understanding of Zhang Zhichang, he knew that Zhang wasn’t one to come up with such a novel angle.

Given how dismal the ratings for his own productions had been this year, Wang felt a deep sense of frustration—not just because of the results, but because of his pride.

“Director Wang, don’t be upset. Don’t we have a new variety show coming up next year? I think it’s the perfect opportunity to take the ‘heritage’ route. Who doesn’t love such a strong, positive message?”

Seeing Wang’s anger, someone quickly spoke up.

“‘Heritage’? That’s a great theme, but how do we find the right people? How do we plan it? Take this Mid-Autumn special—if it weren’t for some real experts, could they have come up with such a concept?”

As a producer, Wang could see it at a glance. Only someone truly knowledgeable could have conceived this Mid-Autumn special.

People talk about inspiration, but most inspiration is drawn from life. If you lack life experience or a solid knowledge base, you simply can’t come up with these ideas.

Sure, it’s easy to make a show about heritage, but making it fresh and innovative is the real challenge.

It’s not as if the entertainment industry hasn’t tried the ‘heritage’ angle before—most attempts have fizzled out or outright failed. There’s only so much to draw from when it comes to cultural heritage. If you focus on what everyone knows, it quickly becomes stale. If you delve into the little-known, you need to invest a huge amount of time to find the material.

So, either you need ample funding, or a cadre of true experts.

“Director Wang, what I’ve heard is that Su Yunjin was behind this Mid-Autumn special. She played a pivotal role. Perhaps… should we try to poach her?”

“Su Yunjin? Isn’t she the inheritor of the Yue People’s Song tradition?”

Wang had heard of Su Yunjin, but didn’t know her personally. He only knew she was the successor of the Yue People’s Song, but he had no idea what that entailed. Could this woman really be so capable?

“Yes, yes, that Su Yunjin! Word is, over at the leading girl group, everyone’s talking about her—she’s got so many hidden talents to be discovered. Zhang Zhichang has been so protective, he won’t even let official accounts leave comments on the group’s livestreams. He treasures her.”

“Oh? If she’s so valued, their relationship must be close.”

“I can’t say, but I’ve heard people in the industry suggest there’s something between Su Yunjin and Zhang Zhichang. But, in private, everyone says they’re not close at all—it’s just that she was discovered by him. At most, their relationship is like that of a mentor and a gifted protégé.”

In the entertainment world, rumors are a dime a dozen. But among insiders, truth is often easy to spot. The gossip linking Su Yunjin and Zhang Zhichang had been examined in private, and it seemed to be entirely innocent.

Of course, outsiders could never be certain.

“Let’s arrange a meeting, then. If possible, we could make heritage the focus.”

Wang made the decision.

Elsewhere, at other companies, Su Yunjin was just as coveted. It was clear that the leading girl group’s Mid-Autumn special owed much of its success to her.

Many wanted to invite Su Yunjin to join their own shows.

Yet the more they wanted her, the more they resented Zhang Zhichang. That old fox had clearly intended to keep Su Yunjin in his grasp from early on, and now none of them even knew how to get in touch with her.

“Damn you, Zhang Zhichang! That sly old dog is too cunning.”

“The real pity is that Su Yunjin is too naïve—how did she let herself be taken in by Zhang Zhichang?”

“It’s infuriating! How can we get Su Yunjin’s contact information? I want to work with her!”

“She’s debuted, hasn’t she? Doesn’t she have a manager?”