Chapter 277: Li Tao’s Reputation Destroyed!
After dinner.
The sun had set. The lights in the house were now on.
Dong Shanshan gathered the dishes, “I’m going to wash the dishes.”
“Let me.” Zhang Ye said, “It’s always you doing the washing.”
Dong Shanshan slapped his hand away and smiled, “When I can afford to pay such expensive rent, you can be rest assured that I won’t be polite to you. You can do the dishes everyday then.”
Zhang Ye did not insist, “Alright then.”
Wearing a qipao and high heels, Dong Shanshan did not bother changing out of her getup. Hua la la, the running water could be heard.
Zhang Ye said loudly, “Oh yes, how’s your program going?”
“What do you mean how’s it going? It’s doing alright.” a female voice drifted out from the kitchen.
Zhang Ye said, “The second episode’s going to air tomorrow, right? Why did you come back so early today? Is the recording done? Or will you be doing the recording tomorrow? There won’t be enough time, right?”
“It’s already recorded.”
“Then that’s OK.”
“Hur Hur, you should be more worried about your own job.”
“What’s there to worry about? I will rest for a few more days first.”
“You’ve lost your status as a host, but you can still take on a guest role.”
“Guest? In this situation, I’ve offended Li Tao and the Shanghai SARFT, who would still dare to invite me on as a guest.”
“Eh, that’s true.”
The two of them chatted sporadically.
After a long while, Zhang Ye switched on his phone as he was afraid he would miss out on important matters. His phone had already been switched off for 2 days now, and when he switched it on, a phone call came in immediately.
Ring, ring, ring.
It was a call from his colleague host, Wang Bei. His relationship with her wasn’t too bad, but Wang Bei and Dong Shanshan were much closer than he was to Wang Bei. He spoke in the direction of the kitchen, “I’m going to answer a call, so don’t speak.” Saying that, he went into his room and closed the door before answering, “Hello, Teacher Wang.” No one in the company knew that he and Dong Shanshan were living together. Even now that he had resigned, he had to keep it a secret. He might not be working anymore, but Dong Shanshan still had to go to the office. If anyone found out, it would affect his old classmate greatly.
Wang Bei’s voice came on, “Teacher Zhang, you finally turned on your phone!”
Zhang Ye laughed, “I wanted some peace and rest, so I switched it off. I’m sorry, yea, how’s the office? Is there a reason why you are looking for me?”
Wang Bei said, “I’m not looking for you. I’m actually looking for Shanshan. Her phone has been engaged all this time.”
“Ah?” Zhang Ye looked out towards his room door’s direction, “That can’t be?”
Wang Bei said helplessly, “She hasn’t been taking any calls since she knocked off. I’m looking for her, but I can’t reach her. You’re Shanshan’s old classmate, do you know where she went to?”
Zhang Ye said, “I contacted her a while ago. Why don’t I get her to call you back? Is it urgent?”
“Nothing urgent, but I want to comfort her a little. To meet up for a drink, hai.” Wang Bei sounded a little depressed.
Zhang Ye did not understand, “Why do you need to comfort her?”
Wang Bei was shocked, “Didn’t you just contact her? You don’t know?”
“I don’t know.” Zhang Ye was stunned, “What should I know? What happened?”
Wang Bei hesitated for a while and said, “It’s not convenient for me to say. If Shanshan wanted to tell you, she would have done so.”
Zhang Ye replied, “Teacher Wang, don’t leave me hanging like this. You’ve already said all these things, so finish it up? Quickly! What happened?”
Wang Bei hesitated for a long while before saying “Alright then, let me tell you. Even if I don’t tell you, you will still find out. Shanshan’s ‘Online Talents’ received a visit from Li Tao and his team. They were informed that the program has been indefinitely halted. The reason for the halt was because a performer in the first episode used his head to crush 20 bricks. Another performer could eat 250g of glass. Li Tao said that Shanshan’s program promoted negative influences and that if people copied what they saw, the consequences will be unimaginable. So they halted it based on this reason!”
Zhang Ye’s rage, which had already been suppressed, suddenly rushed into his head, “What? Isn’t he f**king finding issues out of nothing?”
Wang Bei said, “Everyone knows that Li Tao has something against us, but since the program halt instructions were already given, the company couldn’t do anything about it. Shanshan’s program would definitely be halted. The SARFT’s penalty directive has already been issued, they even want to fine our company. Right now, everyone’s job in our WebTV department is at risk!”
Zhang Ye took a deep breath, “It’s because of me right?”
“You can’t put it that way.” Wang Bei sighed.
Zhang Ye angrily said, “Haven’t I already resigned? I did it so that no one would be affected like this. What does that Li Tao want? Does he still respect the law? Is he trying to pull the wool over the public eye!?”
Wang Bei said, “You’re not to blame. It’s Li Tao and his people, they’re bastards! Shanshan’s program has been stopped, but luckily her host status has not been revoked. She can still do another program in the future.”
Zhang Ye said, “A talent program that has so many views, how much pain and effort was put in for it! Too much was invested into the earlier episode! Being halted after finishing the first episode? F**k his grandfather!”
“Cool down, don’t be impulsive.” Wang Bei knew Zhang Ye’s temper. She appeased him, “If you try to take it up with Li Tao again or scold him. Their crackdown might be even harder. By then, Shanshan might not only get her programs halted, she might even lose her hosting qualification. I’ve heard that Li Tao would be promoted soon. He will hold a lot of power and authority, and his word will become law! The reason why Li Tao took action against Shanshan, was definitely because he knew that she was your classmate. You’ve mentioned it multiple times on ‘Zhang Ye’s Talk Show’ before, so don’t be so impulsive!”
They hung up.
Zhang Ye threw his cellphone down onto the bed in frustration. He pulled a long face and walked out of his room. He saw Dong Shanshan’s cellphone was still on the TV console, so he picked it up to check. It was indeed on silent mode. He quickly went towards the kitchen to confront Dong Shanshan, who had just finished doing the dishes, “You still want to keep it from me?”
Dong Shanshan looked at him, “What’s the matter?”
“What do you think!?” said Zhang Ye angrily, “Didn’t I just ask how your program was doing! You told me it was doing alright and even said that you finished the recording!”
Dong Shanshan smiled and shrugged, “Who told you? Ah Qian? Wang Bei?”
Zhang Ye said, “The program has been halted and you still have the nerve to smile!”
“What can I do besides smiling?” Dong Shanshan threw down her washcloth and walked out of the kitchen, “Should I torch Li Tao’s house with fire?”
Zhang Ye looked at her and said, “You should’ve told me!”
“What can you do if I told you?” Dong Shanshan replied.
“I can think of a solution for you! You never tell me the truth!” Zhang Ye caught his breath, “Forget about this, your program was halted because of me. I thought that if I resigned, Li Tao and his people would not target you and the others. Who knew that he would be so ruthless?! Alright! He’s not playing by the rules and bullying people again and again! Then don’t blame me for being unreasonable! Shanshan, I will definitely resolve this matter for you!”
Dong Shanshan waved her hands, “Forget it. If you scold them again, even if you scold them to their deaths, it would not solve the matter. The penalty directive has already been issued, it won’t change anything.”
Zhang Ye closed his eyes, “This time….I won’t be scolding anyone.”
Dong Shanshan was probably a little worried, so she said, “You better not try anything funny. It doesn’t matter, it has nothing to do with you. Even if the program’s gone, I can do another. Your old classmate still has her looks and figure. How could a program of mine not end up popular? Hur Hur, so don’t worry anymore. Who knows? Maybe my next program will be better than ‘Online Talents’. At that time, I might even need to thank Li Tao and gang.”
Zhang Ye knew that she was forcefully saying all this, “If you move on to your next program and Li Tao’s people come after you again?”
Dong Shanshan lightly laughed, “Then I will do another program again.”
“You say it like it’s so easy!” Zhang Ye could see now that it wouldn’t help even if he were to scold Li Tao. Two days had passed since the incident, and yet, there was no action from the SARFT headquarters. It seemed like they had no intention of starting an investigation and Li Tao was still doing fine. Zhang Ye’s scolding might make them lose face and get angry, but it didn’t hurt them in any other way. As long as he was in charge, he could abuse his authority the same way he halted Dong Shanshan’s program with just a word. Zhang Ye’s poem did not make Li Tao take a step back, but instead made him go from bad to worse!
That Li guy!
You’re f**king courting death!
Zhang Ye only said simply to Dong Shanshan, without saying anything else more “Call Wang Bei back. She’s been looking for you and feeling worried.”
“OK, I will go back to my room then.” Dong Shanshan pressed her hand to her forehead, “I might have had too much too drink, I will rest early today. Should I wake you tomorrow?”
Zhang Ye said, “I’ve no work, don’t bother.”
“Hur Hur, I am also not working tomorrow. Then I won’t be waking up too early either.” Dong Shanshan casually waved her hand and took her cellphone with her to her room.
Zhang Ye also carried his laptop and returned to his room. He closed the door and sat heavily onto his bed. He narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath. His eyes became colder and colder with each moment!
Before, Zhang Ye would take on Li Tao’s provocations by scolding him relentlessly. In this aspect, he was already holding back. Otherwise, it would not be simply a matter of words, but with this development now, it was no longer something that affected him. He had dragged his old classmate, Dong Shanshan, into the matter with Li Tao’s slaughtering of Dong Shanshan!
You can keep torturing me!
You can even stop my program!
But now you even want to touch my friend? Go f**k yourself! Am I still leaving you guys with too much face!?
Zhang Ye could bear anything targeted at him, but this! This matter left him with no room for tolerance! At this moment, Li Tao and his people had really driven Zhang Ye into a rage!
It was in such a situation that Zhang Ye’s reaction was quicker. To keep scolding them would no longer mean anything. Right now, he had no other thoughts than to ruin Li Tao’s reputation and cause his downfall.
How was he to do that?
How could he bring down Li Tao?
Zhang Ye suddenly remembered a skill experience book he had gotten in the lottery back then. He had already ‘eaten’ and learned it, but had never had the chance to use them!
21 books of [ Computer Programming Skills Experience Book ]!
And another 11 books of [ Computer Programming Skills – Network Technology Experience Book ]!
Zhang Ye eyebrow ticked slightly in anger. He had now conceived a wicked plan. Back when he drew those books, he had bemoaned with regret thinking that they were useless, but just like the lockpicking skill, some things that might look useless at first usually turned out to be extremely useful at the right moment!