Chapter 89 He’s Not a Hero

"I'm Just an Extra" was scheduled to air every Friday at 8 PM. To attract attention, the show was broadcast live. Initially, four media company representatives were supposed to be the judges, but after some discussion, it was decided that having four might lead to criticisms of the show's quality. Consequently, only two media company representatives remained, and the other two judges were replaced by professional directors.

The rules of the show were similar to other performance variety shows: each episode featured rankings, and the group with the lowest scores would be eliminated.

By 7:30 PM, the audience began to trickle in, and the hosts and judges arrived one by one.

Aida Jing, the renowned "celebrity director" wearing a high-profile label, took her seat. Holding a folding fan, she gently fanned herself while exchanging pleasantries with the two judges next to her. She then glanced at the empty seat to her right and the gold-plated nameplate on the table marked "Qingya Media," and smiled faintly.

"I wonder when this beauty will arrive?"

At 7:50 PM, Chu Yuxuan strode in with long legs, accompanied by Director Song. He took a seat right next to Aida Jing. The well-known public figure's hand holding the fan stiffened momentarily, and after a pause, he greeted Chu Yuxuan with a smile, "Oh, Mr. Chu, you're here in person?"

Chu Yuxuan propped up one leg over the other, comfortably leaning back in his chair. Director Song hurriedly served tea and water, smiling as he introduced, "Mr. Chu, this is Mr. Ai, well-versed and accomplished in the arts. He's made significant contributions in the field!"

Chu Yuxuan then glanced sideways at the public figure and replied indifferently, "Oh, I haven't heard of him."

Director Song almost stumbled, and Aida Jing tightened her grip on the fan. He then laughed and said, "Indeed, as a minor figure in the arts, my reputation can't compare to Mr. Chu's fame."

Chu Yuxuan grinned, "Envious?"

"Ah, I really am envious," Aida Jing, a prominent figure from the capital circle, clearly looked down on a rich second-generation like Chu Yuxuan. Since the broadcast hadn't started yet, she felt there was nothing to hold back and said with a fake smile, "I envy how Mr. Chu was born into privilege and didn't need to work hard, unlike me, who had to toil through cold windows to achieve what I have today."

The implication was: without the Chu family, you're nothing, but I have achieved everything through my own efforts.

Chu Yuxuan wasn't angry. He just smiled and ignored it.

Aida Jing, having gained the upper hand in words, saw Chu Yuxuan at a loss for words and seemed momentarily satisfied. The speed of her fan-fanning increased unconsciously.

However, Director Song knew well the nature of this privileged young man. Weighing the options, he decided to accompany Aida Jing with a smile and suggest moving her to another position to avoid further friction.

After all, this was a live broadcast! Although conflicts among judges could enhance the show's drama, if that privileged young man created a scene and the situation escalated uncontrollably, it would be a huge problem.

Yet, Aida Jing, unaware of the potential trouble, questioned Director Song, "Why should I move?"

"Why? Just because we're in Jiangcheng! What does it matter whether it's the capital circle or the Hong Kong circle?"

Director Song looked troubled but knew he couldn't ask Chu Yuxuan to move.

"Director Song, it's fine," Chu Yuxuan said reassuringly, "I don't hold grudges, so don't worry."

Aida Jing scoffed disdainfully, muttering mockingly, "What's with the grudges? How boring…"

Chu Yuxuan ignored him, leaning back in his chair while scrolling through a string of messages from Lao Wu that he had received two hours earlier. A subtle coldness flashed in his narrow eyes.

Though Director Song was nervous, the show was about to start, and there was no time to waste. After fitting Chu Yuxuan with earphones and giving him a pleading look, he hurriedly retreated backstage.

At 8 PM sharp, the show began on time. The fast-talking host "Wu Hua" showed off his skills, introduced the major sponsors, and then introduced Chu Yuxuan before starting the information screen.

At first, the show went smoothly. The actors performed energetically, and the judges gave mixed reviews from a professional perspective. Chu Yuxuan, however, remained terse, seeming indifferent to the performances.

Aida Jing felt that this second-generation was an amateur and seemed intent on making things difficult. During critiques, he would deliberately provoke Chu Yuxuan with questions like, "Mr. Chu, what do you think of their performance just now?" or "Mr. Chu, how do you see it?"

In response, Chu Yuxuan remained aloof and simply replied, "Use your eyes."

He understood that expertise lies in specialization, and he was clearly an outsider in terms of performance; it was better to keep quiet.

Director Song noticed Aida Jing's aggressive behavior but felt relieved that Chu Yuxuan was enduring it. However, his brief relief was soon overturned.

The cause was Wu Hua, the host, who, while introducing a new group of actors, specifically mentioned a disabled actor who had lost his left leg. "I admire his perseverance. Despite his disability, he continues to pursue his acting dream. As you saw, he can even do a somersault. I'm curious, how did you practice somersaults with one leg missing? Also, due to your disability…"

At this point, Chu Yuxuan suddenly slapped the table, frowning and glaring at the host, "Hey, if you're so curious, why don't you break a leg yourself and see? Why keep questioning him?"

The sudden outburst made the scene fall silent. The other three judges looked at him, and the host was momentarily taken aback, his mouth agape.

Isn't it common for TV stations to play the sympathy card? Doesn't every station do this?

Director Song reacted immediately, shouting through the headset, "Mr. Chu, this is a live broadcast!"

Chu Yuxuan didn't care about the live broadcast. Seeing the disabled actor being humiliated by the host, he became even more enraged and declared, "The most shameless people in this world are those who glorify suffering!"

The audience spontaneously applauded.

Wu Hua gave an awkward smile, unsure of how to wrap things up. Fortunately, another host stepped in with a few jokes to lighten the mood and brought the show back on track.

Aida Jing glanced at Chu Yuxuan intentionally or unintentionally, covering the microphone and whispering, "Mr. Chu is indeed righteous!"

Chu Yuxuan didn't respond. He intended to deal with this public figure, who had his eyes on his wife, after the show. However, coincidentally, Aida Jing seemed eager to confront him, and himself headed straight into the line of fire.

On stage, the actors performed a play about Zheng Chenggong. Both their acting and dialogue were impeccable, and the audience gave high ratings. The judges were also quite approving, and even Chu Yuxuan made a rare compliment.

However, Aida Jing began to stir trouble. She initially praised the actors' performance, but after a few sentences, she changed her tone and said, "But you need to respect history. Zheng Chenggong was not a hero; he was a pirate!"