Chapter 597
: Ruth's One Sentence Touches the Heart of Every Boy
Liu Wei touched his nose, a bitter smile appearing on his lips, and whispered in agreement, "That's right."
Zhao Lushi took a deep breath as she observed everyone's reactions.
You can tell that her proposal was very effective.
Zhao Lushi's eyes hardened, and she said with certainty, "That's right, I'm talking about boys."
She turned to the female agents who were questioning her, her tone slightly mocking: "You probably all think that guys are all the same, that they don't know how to comfort people, and that when they argue they just say 'I'm sorry, I was wrong' or 'Cheer up,' or they just stay silent. They don't know how to comfort people at all, right?"
"Yes, yes, yes!"
Several female agents nodded immediately. One of them, with short hair, said, "That's exactly how my boyfriend is! Last time I was angry, all he did was say, 'Don't be angry, I'll buy you milk tea.' He had no idea why I was angry, and the more he said, the angrier I got!"
Another chimed in: "My best friend's boyfriend is even more outrageous. After an argument, he just gives her the silent treatment. When my best friend takes the initiative to contact him, he still thinks he did nothing wrong and says, 'I thought you would calm down and be fine!'"
Guo Xuefu joined the discussion, her tone tinged with helplessness: "I have a best friend who was upset by her boyfriend last time and cried for a long time. Her boyfriend just sat next to her and all he could say was, 'Don't cry, it's my fault.' He wouldn't even give her a hug. He really doesn't know how to comfort people at all!"
The female guests at the scene all chimed in.
Discussions rose and fell.
"It seems like guys really don't know how to comfort people."
"Do they think that an apology is all they need to do?"
"Sometimes I really feel like they're just being perfunctory."
After Zhao Lushi and the others quieted down for a while, she slowly spoke up: "That's because many boys have never been coaxed since they were young."
The whole place fell silent.
The female guests who were just discussing the matter were stunned.
Some of the male agents in the junior agent section lowered their heads, their eyes showing emotion.
But no one agreed with what Zhao Lushi said.
They knew Zhao Lushi was right, but in front of the camera, admitting that men need to be pampered would risk being labeled as pretentious or not manly enough.
Guo Xuefu opened her mouth as if to say something, but then swallowed it back, pondering the meaning of her words.
Xue Zhiqian completely dropped his joking expression, sat up straight, and asked in a serious tone, "Lu Shi, why do you have such thoughts? Have you had many relationships?"
Zhao Lushi shook her head: "I've never been in a relationship."
She paused for a moment, then continued, "But I have sponsored some students, some of whom are in junior high school and others are in university like me. They often write to me to thank me, and in the process of communicating with them, they tell me about their life experiences."
Just then, Wang Han's voice rang out. He spoke into the microphone, "Actually, Lu Shi has always been very kind-hearted. Since high school, she has been adopting stray cats and dogs for organizations such as the Bo'ai Animal Protection Center in GY City, Sichuan Province, paying for their medical expenses out of her own pocket, practicing adoption instead of buying, and posting adoption information on social media platforms. In addition, she has been sponsoring rural children and left-behind children, providing them with academic support..."
As he spoke, the large screen at the back of the studio suddenly lit up.
A series of photos are displayed on a scrolling screen.
A photo of Zhao Lushi wearing a volunteer uniform and holding a stray cat or dog.
Photos of her distributing books and stationery to children in rural areas.
A close-up of the thank-you letters the children wrote to her...
Amid a chorus of exclamations, Zhao Lushi's face darkened.
These were all sent over by the production team beforehand, who said it was just to check whether the proposals were relevant to their own experiences.
She specifically emphasized that these things should not be made public to protect the privacy of the students she was sponsoring. She didn't want to talk about these things and just wanted to do them quietly. She didn't expect the program team to expose them directly.
Zhao Lushi gripped the microphone tightly, staring at Wang Han, her lips pressed into a straight line.
If it weren't for the fact that they were recording a TV show, she would have loved to start yelling at them on the spot.
I now understand how Yang Chaoyue felt when the production team betrayed him.
They previously used Yang Chaoyue's nervousness and embarrassment to gain traffic, and now they're using her charity work to attract attention.
The production team completely disregarded their demands.
Wang Han continued speaking when he suddenly noticed something was off about Zhao Lushi's gaze. He instinctively stopped and asked, puzzled, "Lushi, why are you looking at me like that? Is there something you want to say?"
Zhao Lushi took a deep breath, suppressing her anger: "Brother Han, I want to apologize to you first."
"What?"
Wang Han was stunned.
The entire room fell silent, and everyone looked at Zhao Lushi with curiosity.
“Because after the recording, I’m going to yell at you, and Jiang Yang won’t be able to stop me.” Zhao Lushi’s voice wasn’t loud, but it clearly carried throughout the entire studio: “We clearly agreed yesterday that these things couldn’t be released.”
The audience burst into laughter.
Although they knew Zhao Lushi was joking, many of the junior agents still looked relieved.
Many of them have experienced the production team going back on their word, with agreed-upon rules being changed at the last minute, and privacy that was promised not to be exposed being made public.
But most of them were newcomers, powerless and without influence, so they could only swallow their anger.
It's so satisfying to see Zhao Lushi dare to speak out directly now.
Yang Di, sitting in the front row of the junior agent section, whispered to the person next to him, "Ruth seems quite polite, but she's so fierce right off the bat! She directly confronted Brother Han, my god, you wouldn't even dare to joke like that!"
Wang Han chuckled twice: "This...this is all a good thing. It lets everyone know about your kindness, isn't that great?"
Zhao Lushi completely ignored him and turned to Jiang Yang: "Boss, can I swear now?"
"Hold it back."
"Okay," Zhao Lushi replied reluctantly.
Jiang Yang added, "You can start scolding after you finish recording."
Zhao Lushi immediately raised her head, her eyes lit up, and said confidently, "Okay!"
The audience burst into laughter again.
Everyone then realized that Zhao Lushi wasn't joking; she was genuinely angry.
"Jiang Yang, what does Ruth mean?" Wang Han asked Jiang Yang with a smile.
"It means, don't leave after school," Jiang Yang said.
Guo Xuefu burst out laughing.
Everyone else laughed too.
After making a few jokes, Wang Han whispered into his earpiece, "Li Wei, what's the next step?"
In the control room, Li Wei watched the lively scene on the monitor: "Take down the big screen! Lu Shi's proposal is fine, and her performance is genuine enough. As long as she doesn't actually swear on the show, we can do whatever we want, as long as it's entertaining!"
The staff quickly operated the system, and the photo on the big screen disappeared almost immediately.
The studio has been restored to its previous state.
Zhao Lushi took a deep breath, picked up the microphone again, and spoke in a calm tone, but still with firmness: "The gentlest words many boys have ever heard from childhood to adulthood are probably when their parents say 'Open the door, I promise I won't hit you' before they get beaten up, and when their parents say 'Come out and eat, dinner is ready' after they get beaten up."
The scene was silent for a moment.
Xue Zhiqian nodded with a smile: "That's true! That's how it was when I was a kid. When I made a mistake, my parents would ask me to open the door and say they wouldn't beat me. But when I opened the door, I would inevitably get a beating. After dinner, everything would be fine. No one would ask me why I made a mistake, and no one would comfort me."
After the laughter subsided, the scene gradually quieted down.
Many people fell into deep thought.
One of the female agents couldn't help but ask again, her tone no longer skeptical but filled with curiosity: "Sister Lu Shi, do boys really need to be coaxed?"
"Yes, I need it," Zhao Lushi answered without hesitation.
"Why should we?" another female agent pressed. "Usually, it's us girls who suffer, while the boys stand up for us. Why do we need to be coaxed?"
“Based on what I’ve seen,” Zhao Lushi said, taking a stack of letters from her small bag and clutching them in her hand.
As soon as she took out the letter, a camera lens came close, wanting to film the contents of the letter.
Zhao Lushi immediately covered the letter with her hand, her brows furrowing: "Don't take pictures! I'm only reading a short section related to the proposal. This is the children's privacy and cannot be exposed. If you keep taking pictures, I won't wait until the recording is over. I'm going to start cursing Han Ge right now!"
The audience burst into laughter again.
This time, the laughter was filled with tolerance and understanding.
Xue Zhiqian deliberately stirred things up: "Don't leave after the recording, everyone! Let's see how Ruth scolds Brother Han and the production team. Even if we can't help Brother Han, at least we can join in the fun!" The atmosphere on set completely relaxed, and laughter rose and fell.
Everyone knows that the reason why everyone is laughing so sincerely is mainly because there are actually hidden class distinctions hidden in the variety show recording.
As the director of the program bureau, a senior host, and a member of the main creative team of this variety show, Wang Han belongs to the highest level among the guests.
Xue Zhiqian, Ning Jing, and Jiang Yang are veteran artists who are in the middle management.
New generation agents like Zhao Lushi and Yang Chaoyue, as well as junior agents, mostly belong to the lower ranks.
People at the bottom often have to follow orders. Even if they are harassed by the production team or interrupted by upper-level guests, they can only swallow their anger and no one dares to resist easily.
Seeing Zhao Lushi dare to directly confront Wang Han and the production team, saying what many people want to say but dare not say, and doing what many people want to do but dare not do, is both satisfying and exhilarating to watch.
Zhao Lushi cleared her throat and, speaking against her will, said to the letter: "To be honest, I'm a girl, so I don't really know what kind of environment boys grow up in. Let me read you some of the letters they wrote to me, about the things they heard in their lives that made them really want to be coaxed."
That was actually her excuse.
The letters she wrote to the children she sponsored were mostly expressions of gratitude.
I rarely contact those children.
Occasionally, I would contact them only to encourage them to study hard and promise to continue to sponsor their tuition fees; we would never talk about trivial matters in their lives.
So she was very afraid that the camera crew would come on and discover that she was lying.
The reason she said that is because her parents raised her as a boy from a young age.
My parents always tell me to be independent and strong.
I rarely spent time with my parents and grew up with my grandparents.
When she was wronged at school, she would call her parents, but they would never comfort her. Over time, she developed a boyish personality, standing up for herself and swearing better than anyone else to protect herself.
But deep down she wants to be a lady and hopes someone can comfort her and understand her grievances.
Zhao Lushi looked at the letter in her hand, her tone gradually lowering, and she read aloud words she had been accustomed to hearing since childhood:
"Hold back your tears!"
"Try crying again!"
"If you cry again, get out of here!"
"What's there to feel wronged about?"
"Stop crying and shut your mouth!"
"Just ignore him and let him cry."
These words seemed to have a penetrating power, spreading throughout the entire studio.
The smiles on the senior agents' faces vanished.
Ning Jing frowned slightly, her eyes filled with heartache.
Guo Xuefu pursed her lips.
The female agents also quieted down, their faces showing thoughtful expressions. Perhaps it was the first time they realized that behind the boy's strength, there might be many untold grievances.
Tian Yuan stood up, partly to grab the spotlight, and partly out of genuine emotion: "Honestly, Ruth is absolutely right! Since I was little, I've had to apologize to my mom for everything I did, to my teachers for not doing well in school, to my boss for making mistakes at work, to my girlfriend for arguments in relationships, and to my wife after marriage. We men spend our whole lives comforting others, but who comforts us? Isn't all that's left with cigarettes and alcohol? Don't you all agree?"
This immediately drew cheers from the male agents: "Yes!"
Wang Han picked up the small hammer on the director's desk and tapped it lightly, his tone teasing: "Tian Yuan, are you subtly mocking me?"
Tian Yuan reacted extremely quickly, immediately bending his knees and kneeling down, shouting in an exaggerated tone, "Brother Han, I was wrong!"
The whole audience burst into laughter.
That concludes our discussion on this topic.
Wang Han took over the conversation, not leaving the part about elevating the theme to Ruth:
"Lu Shi's words are so touching. We always say that girls are made of water and need to be cherished, but we forget that no matter how broad a boy's shoulders are, there is a soft corner hidden in his heart. They are always taught to be strong, not to cry, and to shoulder everything. But even the toughest person needs a gentle word and a heartwarming response. In love, no one should always bow their head and coax the other. Mutual accommodation and tolerance are the most lasting forms. Come on, everyone who agrees with our junior agent Lu Shi's feelings, let's give her a round of applause and slap the table, and let her feel the enthusiasm of our Mars Intelligence Agency!"
The words fell.
The studio erupted in cheers.
The agents slammed their fists on the table, applause and cheers erupting in waves.
The tense atmosphere relaxed.
Zhao Lushi put down the microphone and slowly sat down.
Feel the overwhelming enthusiasm.
His tense back slowly relaxed, and the tension in his eyes turned into a smile.
Her proposal has come to an end.
I can finally relax.
Yang Chaoyue turned to the side and gently nudged Zhao Lushi with his elbow: "Lushi, are you really going to scold Brother Han after you finish recording?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Lushi whispered, "It was just a moment of impulse. How could I really curse? It was just for the sake of the show. If anyone should curse, it should be the production team. Han Ge was just pushed out to take the blame."
Jiang Yang, who was in front, turned his head and looked over: "So you know you should play it safe now?"
"I know, I know," Zhao Lushi nodded quickly.
How could she truly be without any complaints?
The program team must have had Wang Han's permission to suddenly release photos of the students she sponsored.
Although I knew it was for the sake of the show, I couldn't hide the awkwardness of being suddenly thrust into the spotlight.
But I also know that once you enter this industry, there's not much room for freedom.
You have to learn the show's tricks and how to behave in front of the camera.
I need to control my temper from now on. I can't be like I was in middle school, where I would curse anyone I didn't like, and if I couldn't win an argument, I would roll up my sleeves and fight. I can't stand those bullies picking on honest classmates.
Following Jiang Yang, who knows how many more things like this we'll have to go through.
At the same time, he also knew that his performance just now was not as natural as Yang Chaoyue's.
It lacks that natural authenticity.
After all, part of her proposal was false.
Not in a hurry.
Take your time.
In Jiang Yang's words, it's about taking it one step at a time.
At least she made an appearance on a variety show today. As long as she's on camera, she'll always make an impression on the audience.
I secretly prayed that they would give her more screen time in post-production, but then I was afraid that if someone criticized her after the broadcast, what would I do?
Anticipation was tinged with trepidation, and trepidation was mixed with anticipation.
They joked around for a while to liven up the atmosphere.
Wang Han continued to control the recording pace and follow the procedure: "Lu Shi's proposal just now made us talk about mutual tolerance in relationships. Jiang Yang, your two artists have finished presenting their proposals. What is the content of your proposal this time?"
Jiang Yang stood up and stated his proposal: "I discovered..."
The spotlight slowly moved onto Jiang Yang.
The cameras all adjusted to close-up shots.
The noise in the room gradually subsided, and the agents all sat up straight, their eyes all falling on Jiang Yang. Jiang Yang said, "The older you get, the more you lose interest in many things."
In the quiet studio, a few soft murmurs could be heard.
Everyone knows that whoever makes a proposal will be the focus of the camera.
If you interrupt at this moment, it's easy to get a shot.
Ning Jing spoke first: "Jiang Yang, you're only eighteen this year, the age when you should be having fun. How could you have such thoughts? When I was your age, I had so many things I wanted to do and eat every day, I couldn't stay still at all!"
Guo Xuefu nodded in agreement.
There was confusion in his eyes.
Xue Zhiqian smiled, a hint of regret at not having met sooner: "Jiang Yang, you, Ruth, and Chao Yue, your proposals—I might sound a bit sentimental, but every word you said really resonated with me." (End of Chapter)