After finishing the meal, Yan Xi had a rough understanding of her colleagues' backgrounds. Zhao Peng, the cameraman in his forties, was a person who just got by; Chen Pei, the director, was more tactful and had previously been a village women's federation director. Now in her forties, she had become a television director, which, for an ordinary person, could be considered a great success. The other two post-production staff were younger and seemed to have little influence in the station.
Director Jin seemed eager to make friends with Yan Xi, so he acted like a familiar elder in front of the colleagues. This kind of behavior was more effective than just flattering her with pretty words. Yan Xi appreciated his kindness and, when she went to the restroom, settled the bill for the meal at the front desk.
The cost wasn't much, but after everyone learned that Yan Xi had already paid, their attitude towards her became warmer.
As a newcomer, even if you have a powerful background, you still have to do the right things, or you won't truly integrate into the circle. These seasoned professionals had been through the ups and downs of society for years. It wouldn't be difficult for them to let Yan Xi learn nothing while also not offending her.
It's best when everyone gets along.
When she returned home, Song Hai asked Yan Xi how her colleagues were, and she praised them all, mentioning that Director Jin was particularly considerate towards her.
A few days later, the still-unbroadcast show Things Around Us secured its first advertisement sponsor, Ocean Company.
Thus, on Yan Xi's first official day at work, she was warmly welcomed by her colleagues. She even got her own office, furnished with brand-new desks, chairs, and a computer.
The Imperial City Television Building had nearly a dozen floors, and the Imperial City Satellite TV occupied four floors, with several studios where nationally famous hosts worked. Unlike the neglected Imperial City Channel 8, which shared a floor with Channel 9, where they had nothing to do but swat mosquitoes.
After a few days of work, Yan Xi became familiar with several colleagues from both channels, since the two channels together had only about twenty employees, and many of them worked for both channels. The biggest leaders of both channels were called station directors, but in the building, they were not as important as the main creators from the satellite channel.
"Xiao Yan, the content for our first episode has been decided," Chen Pei handed Yan Xi a proposal on her desk. "We'll focus on traffic issues, but you might need to go out for filming. Is that okay?"
She had already planned to film a few pedestrians or vehicles violating traffic laws, and then emphasize the importance of obeying traffic rules in the program to fill up an episode.
The proposal was very simple. Yan Xi understood that the team had no intention of making a serious program; they were just fulfilling the central station's requirements.
She looked at the proposal again and asked, "No problem. Chen Jie, I see the show is going to air soon. Will there be enough time to finish everything?"
"Ah," Chen Pei said nonchalantly, "As long as the footage is enough, we can edit it later. It's not like we're making a blockbuster, how much time can it waste?"
"Got it," Yan Xi smiled, not arguing. She maintained the posture of a well-behaved newcomer.
Seeing her like this, Chen Pei felt a little guilty and kindly advised her, "Our channel has always had poor ratings. If it weren't for the central station's hard requirements, our channel might have been shut down already. Don't push yourself too hard. If there's an opportunity, just move up."
Not wanting to say much, she started explaining the challenges they might face while filming on location.
The next morning, Yan Xi and the cameraman headed out. The vehicle provided by the station was a van with a large Imperial City Television logo, and a number "8" on the back.
The weather was hot, and Yan Xi waved a fan, saying, "Zhao Ge, is the air conditioning in this car broken?"
Zhao Peng adjusted the camera and replied, "Get used to it. This is the only van we have for filming. The air conditioning broke last month, but you're lucky that it's fixed now."
Yan Xi took out a mirror to check her face. Luckily, her waterproof makeup held up, or else she would have ended up with panda eyes on camera.
Zhao Peng saw her checking herself in the mirror and sighed, "When I worked at the satellite station, a host with a bit of status would have a makeup artist and an assistant when they went out for filming..."
He paused, seemingly not wanting to continue. Yan Xi thought he might be feeling down, but it turned out he was just rolling down the car window and taking a picture of a car illegally parked over two lines.
Nowadays, many outdoor shoots involved live sound recording, so Yan Xi seized the opportunity and said, "Driving over the double lines like that, driving like a crab, is very dangerous. Drivers, don't learn this bad habit. Let's follow this driver for a bit and see who it is, and maybe we can teach them a thing or two about traffic rules."
Zhao Peng looked at her in surprise, impressed that the newcomer knew how to find topics to talk about, which seemed to show some experience.
As they were about to catch up with the car ahead, the light turned green with only a few seconds remaining. Yan Xi spoke up again: "Drivers, remember, sometimes it's better to slow down for a minute than to rush for the yellow light. Safety comes first."
Zhao Peng gave her a praising look. Her Mandarin was standard, and her voice soft and pleasant. If this was edited into the show, even if the audience didn't see her face, they would still have a positive impression of her.
Unfortunately, they didn't have many viewers.
In the scorching summer, some people are busy with work, others are struggling to make a living, and some are simply enjoying life.
"Yuan Er," Zhang Wang jogged to catch up with Yuan Yi, "Xiaowei said something a bit too much earlier, I apologize on her behalf."
Yuan Yi stopped and looked at Zhang Wang, frowning. "Zhang Wang, are you really still a man, letting a woman have the upper hand over you all the time?"
"Heh," Zhang Wang laughed awkwardly, "She's my girlfriend, I should let her have her way."
Yuan Yi frowned even more. "What I do is none of your business, but I don't need her to judge what kind of man I am."
"She has that temper. In the future, when we have gatherings, I won't bring her along. Don't hold it against her," Zhang Wang said, feeling a little embarrassed. He hadn't expected a conflict between Yuan Yi and his girlfriend.
"I'm a grown man, why would I argue with a woman?" Yuan Yi scoffed, seeing Zhang Wang's awkwardness. "Anyway, if I find a woman, I'll never carry her bag or shoes. What's the point of losing your masculinity for a woman?"
"Just for the person she is," Zhang Wang laughed. "When you find a woman you truly like, you'll understand."
"Tch," Yuan Yi sneered, "Even if I find a woman, she'll be gentle and graceful. I, Yuan Yi, would never carry a woman's bag in my life."
Seeing Yuan Yi's indifferent posture, with his head held high, Zhang Wang knew his words hadn't really sunk in.
"Forget it, just do what makes you happy," Yuan Yi, who wasn't interested in other people's affairs, said impatiently as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "I've got some stuff to handle, I'll leave first."
Knowing that Yuan Yi was the type to speak his mind, Zhang Wang didn't try to keep him. "Alright, we'll hang out next time."
Yuan Yi nodded and turned to leave. As he entered the parking lot, he saw a black private car pull in. Before the driver had even parked, an old white van followed behind.
A man and a woman got out of the van. The woman was holding a microphone, and the man had a camera slung over his shoulder. They walked straight up to the black car, blocking the driver who had just gotten out.
"Hello, sir, I'm a reporter from Channel 8 of the Beijing TV Station..."
Yuan Yi stopped and turned to glance at the female reporter. Wasn't she the one who looked so delicate?
He couldn't help but feel curious about what this woman wanted to say to the driver.
"Sir, I saw your car not only frequently crossing double solid lines but also changing lanes without signaling. I'm very concerned about your driving safety, so I followed you to ask," Yan Xi handed the microphone to the driver, flashing her trademark gentle smile.
The driver, who had been upset, was instantly calmed down upon hearing she was from the TV station. Her soft and pleasant voice made him feel much less angry.
Hearing her mention his violation of traffic rules, the man looked a little uncomfortable. He glanced at the camera nervously, feeling embarrassed.
"Please don't worry, we're just following to remind you to stay safe. We will blur your face and license plate," Yan Xi reassured the driver, sensing his concern. Then she explained the possible consequences of not following traffic safety rules, ending with a tragic story caused by a real traffic accident.
The story was quite ordinary, but Yan Xi's tone was so persuasive that even the driver, a tall man, could feel deeply moved. He nearly cried on the spot. Afterward, not only did he apologize to the camera, but he also asked Yan Xi about the child who survived the incident. He wanted to donate some money to help.
"Rest assured, the child is being cared for by the state, and life is going well. However, no one can replace the role of their parents," Yan Xi smiled gently, looking at the man who was red-faced with shame. "I hope you always think of your family when you go out. They are waiting for you to come home safely every day."
"Go out happy, come home safe," Yan Xi smiled warmly, her presence exuding the glow of an understanding big sister. "It's a simple phrase, but I still wish you and all the viewers at home a happy and safe return."
The driver nodded repeatedly, promised to change his bad habits, and only left after a final apology.
Zhao Peng turned off the camera and gave Yan Xi a thumbs-up. "Xiao Yan, your eloquence is impressive." In their line of work, a host who can stir up emotions is a blessing.
This newcomer has some real talent.
Yan Xi smiled shyly.
"Flattered, flattered. You're too kind."
A little more praise wouldn't hurt; she could take it.