TPLTMOE – Chapter 32

Arriving at the company, Ling Ran noticed his teammates suddenly avoiding eye contact and whispering among themselves.

Before they could sit down, Ning Xinqiao called them into his office.

"Have a seat."

Ning Xinqiao poured them coffee. Ling Ran felt uneasy—his first thought was that something had gone wrong with tomorrow's recording.

"Boss, is there an issue with the program?" Ling Ran asked. They'd grown familiar enough with Ning Xinqiao to address him casually in private.

Ning Xinqiao gave him a complicated look. "There is."

Qin Chengyue grew anxious. He'd seen firsthand how hard Ling Ran had worked these past few days. Though he'd contributed too, Ling Ran had put in at least ten times the effort.

"What could possibly go wrong the day before recording?" Qin Chengyue asked impatiently. "Is it fixable?"

"Yes and no," Ning Xinqiao said cryptically, his gaze lingering on Ling Ran. "We just got word this morning—the host for the first episode of Focus Vision will be from the News Broadcast team next door. They're worried about mistakes in the premiere, so they want an experienced host to start things off."

Qin Chengyue reacted more strongly than Ling Ran, slamming the table as he stood up. "Someone from Yin Chu's team? Why?! We did all the prep work—why hand it over to them?"

Ning Xinqiao sipped his coffee calmly. "Sit down. This was Director Sheng Yi's decision—the manager agreed immediately. There was no room for me to object, so getting worked up won't help."

Qin Chengyue remained indignant. "Ling Ran developed the concept. He's been chasing leads and drafting scripts, working late every night just for this first recording. Now they're replacing him last minute—are they just taking advantage because he's new?"

Ning Xinqiao glanced at the unusually calm Ling Ran and said, "Of course I know he contributed the most, but the issues between him and Sheng Yi—well, I don't need to spell it out. You all understand."

Ling Ran suddenly looked up, locking eyes with Qin Chengyue.

Ning Xinqiao asked, "You didn't actually think you were hiding it well, did you? The company ran background checks before the interviews. Your family backgrounds weren't hard to dig up—it's just that higher-ups ordered no one to discuss it privately. So even if people knew, they wouldn't dare mention it."

Ling Ran's fingers twisted lightly at the hem of his clothes. "I have no ties to the Jiang family now."

He had assumed no one in the company knew about his past with Jiang Shengyi. The shame of once being engaged to him was unbearable—he didn't want anyone thinking he'd gotten into Jiangzhou through some shady connection.

Ning Xinqiao set down his cup and addressed the two Omegas before him. "Relax. I called you in to discuss how to handle this. It's not like there's no room for negotiation. Why the martyr expressions?"

Qin Chengyue was too agitated to stay seated. "Boss, if you've got a solution, just say it already!"

Ning Xinqiao finally spoke. "Yin Chu came to the company today—probably still talking with the manager about tomorrow's recording. He suggested partnering with me again for old times' sake. We haven't appeared together in years, and he thinks it'd give Focus Vision a strong debut."

Ling Ran abruptly stood, his gaze betraying involuntary tension. "So... you agreed?"

As he waited for the answer, his stomach churned with dread. He feared Ning Xinqiao's reassuring words were just lip service—that behind the scenes, he'd prioritize his own interests. Everyone knew a reunion with Yin Chu would be a safer bet than pairing with Ling Ran.

Qin Chengyue held her breath too, both pairs of eyes fixed intently on Ning Xinqiao.

"Of course not," Ning Xinqiao flicked each of their foreheads. "Am I your boss or Yin Chu's? Would I really take him over you two? With his mumbling, what kind of news could he even deliver?"

But Ling Ran's worry lingered. "Then what about the recording? Are we just letting the other team steal our premiere slot? Won't audiences assume our show is just some tacked-on bonus to their exclusive news coverage?"

Without another word, Ning Xinqiao tossed the documents on the table to Ling Ran. "This is the final draft you sent me last night. I only tweaked a few sentences—the rest was already well-written. Since it's your script, you'll naturally deliver it more smoothly. I've already spoken to the manager. We'll do a rehearsal in the studio later. Since so many people aren't convinced you should be the first host, fine—let anyone who's interested try out. The entire department will vote, and whoever gets the most votes gets the spot.

Qin Chengyue still wasn't satisfied. "Wait, seriously? This opportunity was already given to Ling Ran. Why suddenly open it up to everyone? What if Yin Chu actually gets more votes? Are we really going to let him take over?"

Ning Xinqiao countered, "Do you not trust my judgment, or do you not trust Ling Ran?"

Then he turned to Ling Ran, his gaze full of encouragement and approval. "Can you defeat everyone, including Yin Chu?"

Ling Ran clenched the thin sheets of paper in his hand. Every word, even every punctuation mark, had been painstakingly typed out late at night as he hunched over his computer. For a single sentence or word, he might revise it over a dozen times. This was the fruit of his labor, and now he was being asked to hand it over to someone else.

He refused.

The Omega's expression sharpened, the soft curves of his eyes hardening with resolve.

"No problem."

The entire news department flocked to witness the spectacle, and even the entertainment division on the 21st floor caught wind of it. Many who had no urgent tasks that afternoon crowded into the studio, packing it to the brim.

While rehearsals before official recordings were standard, selecting a host through a trial broadcast—and by anonymous vote, no less—was unheard of. It was fascinating.

Ling Ran and seven or eight other aspiring hosts shared a makeup room. Yin Chu wasn't among them—as a director, he naturally had his own private space.

The makeup artist hesitated for a long time before starting on Ling Ran. She wasn't sure how to proceed. The Omega was already stunning, with lips like rose petals and skin like jade. A light touch of makeup to tone down his youthful innocence only accentuated the allure in his eyes.

With a face like that on camera, it would be hard for anyone to focus on what he was saying.

Once ready, Ling Ran entered the studio and nearly thought he'd walked into the wrong place, startled by the sea of onlookers.

Ning Xinqiao stood behind the screen and waved him over. Ling Ran politely greeted the crowd before making his way through to join him.

Murmurs of astonishment rippled through the room.

"Is that the new guy? Holy hell, he's gorgeous!"

"Seriously, why hasn't someone like him been scouted for our entertainment division? Wasting that face on news broadcasts is a crime! What's his name? I'm telling our director to poach him ASAP!"

"Everyone knows the new show has the headquarters' attention, so of course they all want a piece. Make sure to vote for our team's Ling Ran, got it? Anyone who doesn't vote for him is getting their head smashed in!"

"Director Yin is actually going to compete with the newcomers? If he wins, fine, but if he loses, wouldn't that be utterly humiliating? How could he continue working in the news department after that? Even with connections, he'd never be able to hold his head up high again."

"Stop talking, stop talking—Director Yin is here!"

Ling Ran was listening to Ning Xinqiao explain the key points when the crowd parted to make way. Yin Chu walked in gracefully with elegant poise. His gait showed no signs of discomfort—his foot injury must have healed.

After a brief glance, Ling Ran averted his eyes.

Yin Chu smiled as he greeted the others present. He always maintained a composed, gentle, and amiable demeanor in public. Besides, today's competition was merely to silence the murmurs—how could he possibly lose to these people?

After just over a month of rest at home, he returned to the department only to find major changes. Not only had Ling Ran joined the new program team, but Ning Xinqiao was personally mentoring him and even assigned him as the anchor for the first episode.

Yin Chu couldn't believe for a second that Jiang Zhiyu hadn't orchestrated this. What did Ling Ran—a greenhorn rookie—have that could possibly compare to him in experience or ability? Yet Jiang Zhiyu kept giving him special treatment again and again.

As for today's results, Yin Chu had already calculated everything. With his years of connections in the department, his votes couldn't possibly be low.

Today, he was going to teach Ling Ran a proper lesson in front of everyone.

The trial broadcast officially began. Everyone had received Ling Ran's script in advance, though each could modify it based on their own understanding of the event to express their viewpoints.

While the first few anchors took their turns on stage, Ling Ran remained below, reviewing his script and occasionally making notes with his pen.

Someone tapped his shoulder. Ling Ran turned to see a new anchor from the exclusive broadcast team, likely also recently hired.

"Hi, I'm Yang Jia, from the neighboring team," Yang Jia said with a bright smile, his fair skin and crescent eyes radiating warmth. "I'm up after you. Don't be nervous—I'm sure you'll do great."

Ling Ran smiled back. "Thank you."

Noticing the densely written additions on Ling Ran's paper, Yang Jia leaned in and whispered, "Between you and me, Director Yin dragged me into this. I never wanted to get involved in your team's affairs."

Ling Ran was surprised. Why was Yang Jia telling him this? They weren't close—they'd never even spoken before.

Yang Jia met his gaze with pure sincerity. "Just do your best. I hope we can work together in the same team someday."

The previous anchor finished just then, and it was Ling Ran's turn to take the stage.

He stepped up and settled onto the high stool, placing his script on the glass table in front of him.

Dozens of bright studio lights converged on Ling Ran, illuminating his face on the enlarged display. His flawless, porcelain skin seemed devoid of any imperfections. Beneath thick, curled lashes were dazzling peach-blossom eyes—their lids flowing smoothly before forking slightly upward at the outer corners, forming a mesmerizing, alluring curve.

Occasional sharp intakes of breath came from the audience, and some quick-handed individuals had already raised their phones to take pictures.

The director handed the teleprompter controller to Ling Ran, who merely curved his lips slightly and politely declined, "Thank you, but I don't need the teleprompter."

He had already memorized it after reviewing it too many times.

The director was momentarily surprised but quickly asked with professional composure, "Are you ready?"

Ling Ran lifted his gaze to scan his surroundings. The stage suddenly felt small, and when he looked down, all he saw was a pitch-black void, as if the entire world had shrunk to just him alone.

Standing under the spotlight, being watched, judged, dissected from the inside out—it was overwhelming.

The blinding lights felt like they were roasting him alive, melting him down. He knew countless eyes were fixed on him, many waiting to see him stumble. His heart had been pounding wildly since earlier, and his blood seemed to surge backward in his veins.

He thought he might faint right there on the stage.

Once again, he instinctively wanted to escape.

But he lowered his head and bit his lip hard.

A deep voice echoed in his mind, reminding him that deep breaths could help him relax.

He closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, exhaled slowly, and tried to shut out the chaotic noise and stares.

He needed to learn to be braver, more selfish—to just focus on doing what he wanted.

This was his life, and no one else should control it.

The controller had always been in his hands alone.

When he opened his eyes again, Ling Ran said, "I'm ready."

Dozens of cameras turned toward him, their lenses clicking on simultaneously.

"Recording ready."

"Three—"

"Two—"

"One—“

"Action!"

"Focusing on social issues, observing the pulse of society," Ling Ran flashed a bright smile at the camera, "Welcome to Spotlight Perspectives. I'm Ling Ran..."

Even without the teleprompter, Ling Ran flawlessly delivered the entire broadcast, not stumbling once. Fully immersed, he even improvised a few sharp, on-point remarks, each hitting the nail on the head.

His usual speaking voice was gentle and soft, but on stage, he seemed to settle into a deeper, more polished broadcast tone—professional and composed, nothing like a rookie.

As he stepped off the stage, scattered applause reached his ears. Ling Ran turned toward the sound and smiled faintly.

Several people immediately covered their faces, silently squealing.

Unbearable—so damn adorable!

Next up was Yang Jia, who seemed at a slight disadvantage following Ling Ran's performance.

From the moment Ling Ran uttered his first word, Yin Chu's expression in the audience had remained stormy.

Finally, after all the trial broadcasts were completed, they prepared for anonymous voting.

Each group sent one person to distribute ballots, which were then collected one by one. Qin Chengyue personally supervised the vote counting, fearing Yin Chu might try to manipulate the results.

The manager, hearing the commotion, also came over to observe.

Once the votes were tallied, the results were handed directly to the manager for announcement.

"Yin Chu, 17 votes."

"Ling Ran, 15 votes."

"Yang Jia, 2 votes."

As soon as the manager finished announcing, Yin Chu's team began celebrating.

"Director, you're amazing! This means our team will handle the first episode of Focus Vision, right?"

"What's the point of having two teams then? Might as well merge them. If even the first episode needs our director to save the day, how will they even record future episodes without us?"

"Only Director Yin could pull this off. Not just anyone can be a director!"

Qin Chengyue's temper flared instantly. Pointing at the opposing group, she snapped, "You're pushing your luck, aren't you? Don't think I won't delete all our footage right now—I'd rather have the show go dark than let you people take over! Bunch of schemers! Your team already has more members. If you're so confident, why not have your own team abstain from voting?"

The other side fired back, "Why should we abstain? If we can't vote, then neither can you! Let's have other teams vote again and see who really gets more support. You dare?"

Qin Chengyue had never backed down from a challenge in her life. "Dare? Of course we dare! If the manager agrees, let's vote again right now!"

Her teammates, equally indignant, rallied behind her, shouting, "Exactly! We're not afraid! Let's vote again! Manager, we demand a revote!"

All eyes turned to the manager. The uproar was so loud that people outside the studio were pressing against the windows to watch—the news department was certainly making a name for itself in the building today.

Realizing the situation could escalate into a physical altercation if he didn't intervene, the manager relented. "Fine. Members from both teams will abstain. Everyone else will vote again. Do all the contestants agree?"

Yin Chu smiled gently. "Of course. This will ensure fairness. Though I hope no one feels discouraged by the results—it's just a small competition, after all."

He exuded the confidence of someone who already considered himself the victor.

The manager paid special attention to Ling Ran, given his complicated ties to the Jiang family. Though the manager wasn't entirely sure which Jiang executive Ling Ran was close to—or if it was both, or neither—he knew better than to slight him.

Everyone else also focused on Ling Ran, as if waiting for his response.

After a moment of thought, Ling Ran said, "News is meant for the public. Everyone has the right to watch, listen, and understand the truth."

Qin Chengyue didn't quite grasp his meaning but chimed in supportively, "Absolutely right!"

Ling Ran added, "Therefore, I believe everyone should participate in the vote."

His peach-blossom eyes seemed to shimmer with a faint layer of moisture as they swept over the crowd gathered around.

"Everyone present here."

As soon as these words were spoken, the entertainment department staff took the lead, clapping and cheering, "Yes, yes! We should vote too!"

"Even if we're not from the news department, we still watch the news, right? Shouldn't public opinion matter?"

"I want a ballot too! I want to vote!"

Even those watching from outside the glass raised their hands eagerly, "Me too, me too! Count me in!"

The manager glanced at Yin Chu, whose smile had frozen stiff at the corners. He hadn't anticipated things escalating to this point.

Qin Chengyue acted swiftly. Without waiting for the manager's approval, she began distributing ballots to everyone present, whispering as she went, "Vote for Ling Ran, okay? Thanks. Everyone vote for Ling Ran, and I'll treat you all to coffee..."

Soon, they ran out of ballots, but her team had already dashed back to print more. In the end, all two to three hundred people on-site received one.

The manager had no choice but to declare that anyone with a ballot could vote, and all votes would count.

When the votes were tallied and handed to the manager, he stared at the results in stunned silence before cautiously turning around, not daring to meet Yin Chu's gaze.

"Ling Ran—178 votes."

"Yang Jia—37 votes."

"Yin Chu—...32 votes."

“...”

Before the announcement even finished, Ling Ran was suddenly swarmed by his teammates. They enveloped him in their midst —countless hands resting on his shoulders, gently patting his back, ruffling his hair, laughing and congratulating him.

The entertainment department spectators were beside themselves with glee; they lived for explosive drama like this.

The news department's once-renowned anchor had not only lost his youthful charm but was now outperformed by a fresh-faced newcomer—vibrant as morning dew under the sunrise, with striking looks and an exceptional voice.

What a spectacular show.

Ling Ran struggled to breathe amid the suffocating embrace. His head spun slightly—he hadn't just defeated Yin Chu or the others; he had won by an overwhelming landslide.

Yin Chu's smile had long since shattered. Even his usually gentle expression twisted into something ugly as he grabbed the manager's arm and demanded loudly, "Is this really how it's decided? Are you seriously letting a clueless rookie host the premiere episode?!"

Ning Xinqiao, standing at the edge of the crowd, crossed his arms and sneered, "If you can't even measure up to a 'clueless rookie,' can you even call yourself an anchor anymore?"

Not wanting to provoke further outrage, the manager shook off Yin Chu's grip and stammered, "I—I have a meeting to attend. Almost forgot."

The exclusive broadcast team, too ashamed to speak, had already slunk away in disgrace.

Yin Chu clenched his fists until his nails dug into his palms. He had intended to watch Ling Ran humiliate himself in front of everyone—only to become the laughingstock instead. When had he ever suffered such indignity? Without another word, he turned and stormed out of the studio.

Ning Xinqiao promptly reined in the overexcited group—this was just a trial broadcast after all. Now that they had regained full ownership of the program, they needed to make a spectacular debut with the first episode.

This experience had noticeably strengthened the team's cohesion. Even those who had privately harbored reservations about Ling Ran and Qin Chengyue fell silent, throwing themselves wholeheartedly into preparations for the official recording.

By the time the actual recording began, with Ning Xinqiao seated beside him, Ling Ran felt surprisingly less nervous.

Drawing from the trial run, he performed even better during the official recording. Not only did he engage in smooth back-and-forth interactions with Ning Xinqiao, but he also skillfully guided Xu Guanyi's contributions during their video call.

The show aired live, with a dedicated real-time feedback section allowing viewers to share their immediate reactions.

At first, the viewership was modest, but as one gripping short film after another played and shocking real-life cases were uncovered, the ratings began to climb steadily.

The top-voted comment in the feedback section read:

"These unethical doctors and illegal pharmacies must be severely punished! (Also, is that fresh-faced young host on the left new? So pretty—will we get to see him every episode?)" (73K likes)

The official Jiangzhou account quickly tagged Ling Ran's Weibo, inviting everyone to follow their new host.

Ling Ran had just stepped off the stage, unaware of the audience's response. From the moment recording started, he had felt unwell—his flushed cheeks weren't from makeup but from the feverish heat rising beneath his skin.

After taking an inhibitor injection the day before, he hadn't dared to take another today. Instead, he cranked his suppressor to maximum strength and applied two scent-blocking patches before leaving home.

Midway through the recording, he began to notice a dull, throbbing warmth at the nape of his neck. A tingling numbness spread from there, creeping slowly through his entire body.

Yet he maintained a calm smile, showing no outward signs of distress—only the faint whitening of his knuckles as he clenched his hands on the table betrayed his discomfort.

The recording wrapped up smoothly. Upon learning that the show's ratings and reception had far surpassed even News Exclusive's past achievements, Ning Xinqiao planned to treat the entire team to a celebratory dinner and drinks.

But Ling Ran, once offstage, wilted like frostbitten leaves. His head swam with dizziness, and his legs trembled imperceptibly.

Perhaps his prolonged period of normalcy had made him forget he was still ill. Too long had passed since his last heat, and now, abruptly engulfed by this overwhelming surge, he was so overwhelmed with discomfort he could barely hold back tears.

Fortunately, Qin Chengyue had been watching from below and immediately noticed something was wrong. In just a few strides, he rushed forward to support him.

"Xiao Ran, what's wrong? Why are you burning up like this?" Qin Chengyue touched his forehead. "You're running a fever!"

Ling Ran leaned against him, his breathing gradually becoming rapid and labored. "I think I..."

Qin Chengyue instantly understood.

This time, it was a real heat!

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