Chapter Seventy-Two: Do You Dare Make It Even More Far-Fetched?

After leaving Future Films, Chen Qi hurriedly made his way to the post-production company he’d worked with last time to discuss a new round of collaboration.

To capitalize on the current buzz, he had decided that for the second season, he would adopt a "shoot-and-air" model. As soon as an episode finished filming, it would immediately enter post-production and be released online. Since the show was only airing on web platforms, even if something went wrong during production and they had to skip a day or two, it wouldn’t be a big deal.

Still, he didn’t think that kind of delay would actually happen. Each episode, even including ads, was only seven or eight minutes long; a day was more than enough for post-production, especially now that he had some experience under his belt.

To save time and avoid running back and forth, Chen Qi needed two post-production staff to follow the crew directly.

The general manager at the post-production company agreed without hesitation. In his words, "As long as the money’s right, anything’s possible!"

Chen Qi didn’t mind the extra expense. Compared to the time saved, he wasn’t the least bit concerned about the additional cost.

After signing the new contract, Chen Qi immediately hurried off to choose the new shooting locations. At the same time, Xu Bunan was also busy preparing props and assembling the necessary crew.

In this quiet, unannounced way, the second season of “Never Expected” began to take shape.

But as they worked in secret, some media outlets who’d been investigating Chen Qi caught wind of the project through their own channels.

The moment they heard the news, the journalists were stunned.

A second season?

Not only had they received confirmation from Simple Video that there wouldn’t be a second season, but Chen Qi himself had publicly declared on his microblog that there was definitely no second season!

How had he changed his mind in just half a day?

So which was it?

As the journalists were still debating whom to call for confirmation, the news had already appeared online.

Seeing their peers break the story, the entertainment reporters panicked. Real or not, they had to get their own reports out first to grab attention!

So within just half an hour, several entertainment media outlets published stories about the second season of “Never Expected.”

The show had only been online for three days and was at the height of its popularity. The news quickly caught the attention of netizens.

“No way! Is this real?”

“Wow! What a surprise—I just finished season one! Do you know how it feels to see this news right after finishing season one?”

“This has to be fake, right? I just checked Chen Qi’s microblog—he said himself there’s no second season.”

“Yeah, I saw him say there wouldn’t be a second season too. What’s going on?”

“These media outlets wouldn’t just make things up for clicks, would they?”

Just like the journalists, ordinary viewers were stunned by the news. Many even went back to Chen Qi’s microblog to check, confirming he had indeed said there would be no second season. That reply, in fact, had been automatically pinned because it had so many comments.

Within minutes, hundreds of new comments appeared under Chen Qi’s post, most asking whether the second season was real.

Not just his microblog—Zhao Wu and Bai Xiaoke’s accounts were also flooded with similar questions.

Zhao Wu and Bai Xiaoke saw the comments immediately. Their expressions turned a little odd.

They’d both seen Chen Qi’s earlier statement denying a second season, but now, though they didn’t know why he’d changed his mind, they were certain—there was a second season! The scripts were already in their hands.

Should they tell the fans?

Of course not!

Both Bai Xiaoke and Zhao Wu wisely pretended they hadn’t seen the questions. If the director says there’s no second season and they say there is, they’d be slapping him in the face. Even if you gave them the courage, they wouldn’t dare!

Better let the director contradict himself.

...

Simple Video.

Zhao Qingqing, just off the phone, didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

She’d just received a call from a media outlet asking about the second season of “Never Expected.”

This was already her third such call in half an hour.

What could she do? She was helpless.

“I don’t know! I haven’t heard anything yet,” she replied each time.

If not for Chen Qi’s ill-considered microblog post, she would have given the media a definite answer, helping build hype for the second season and getting some free advertising.

But now, that was impossible.

If Chen Qi said no on his microblog, and she told the media yes over the phone, where would that leave his dignity?

Forget it. Let him handle the mess himself.

She really couldn’t understand Chen Qi’s logic. If you’ve decided to make a second season, why not just delete your earlier statement?

Just log in and take it down! It might not be the most dignified move, but it’s better than leaving it up for all to see. Besides, which celebrity hasn’t deleted a post and contradicted themselves at some point?

Yet, for some reason, Zhao Qingqing wasn’t worried for him at all—she almost wanted to laugh.

He’d really made his own bed this time.

Let’s see how he gets out of this one!

Amused, Zhao Qingqing decided to send Chen Qi a message about it.

...

On location.

Chen Qi was busy confirming the shooting sites.

By coincidence, the site he was looking at was the same one he’d used for his low-budget martial arts drama.

Perhaps he was just fond of the place, or maybe he was simply being lazy—it seemed perfect to use it again.

Just as he made up his mind and was about to leave, he received Zhao Qingqing’s message.

Reading it, he paused for a moment, as if only now recalling his public denial of a second season.

He logged onto his microblog.

Wow!

Nearly ten thousand comments!

Just under his “no second season” reply, there were over six thousand responses.

He skimmed through them—some asked why there was no season two; others begged him to make it.

Naturally, the latest comments all demanded to know whether the rumors of a second season were true.

After a moment’s thought, he posted an update:

“That’s right, I went back on my word—there will be a second season. It’s in preparation now. If all goes well, the first episode will be online in three days.”

After posting, Chen Qi couldn’t help feeling a little smug.

What a clever move—not only did he clear up fans’ doubts, he also slipped in a bit of advertising!

With Chen Qi confirming the news himself, fans of “Never Expected” were thrilled.

But something felt off.

“Wow, you’re just going to admit it like that?”

“What happened to ‘no second season’?”

“Aren’t you going to delete your old reply down below?”

“Doesn’t matter if you delete it—I already took a screenshot, ha ha ha…”

“Welcome to the grand self-owning event!”

“I’ve seen people contradict themselves, but never so quickly, so thoroughly, and with such ease!”

Seeing these witty comments, fans realized what was odd: his denial was still sitting right there, just a few lines away from his new announcement!

This realization sent everyone into fits of laughter. Some spectators, relishing the chaos, playfully asked why he’d changed his mind.

Reading these questions, many people couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Why?

Isn’t it obvious? Of course, it’s because of advertising revenue!

Almost everyone could guess why Chen Qi had suddenly decided to film a second season.

That’s only natural.

Still, they were curious how he would reply. Surely he wouldn’t shamelessly admit he got sponsors, would he?

Perhaps seeing these questions, Chen Qi posted again:

“Why the sudden change of heart? Well, the situation was just so unexpected. Here’s what happened: after seeing so many people begging for a second season, I was really torn. If I went ahead, I couldn’t get any investment; if I didn’t, people would say I’d run out of ideas. So in the end, I decided to flip a coin—heads, I’d do it; tails, I wouldn’t. Guess what? I tossed it ten times, and every time it was heads!”

“Pfft—”

Seeing this obviously nonsensical reply, netizens burst out laughing.

Flipping a coin? And ten times in a row, all heads?

Could you be any more ridiculous?

“No way! That really is unexpected!”

“Ten heads in a row? I don’t buy it—unless you flip one for us right now!”

“If I hadn’t just tried it myself, I might have believed you!”

Everyone knew he was making it up, but the playful atmosphere delighted them all.

Among the many celebrity microblogs they’d seen, Chen Qi was definitely the most shameless and the least image-conscious. Compared to those lofty, untouchable stars, he was in a league of his own.

As fans amused themselves replying, a comment from a verified entertainment reporter caught their attention:

“Don’t let him fool you. I’ve just gotten reliable information—Chen Qi is rushing out a second season because he’s received a lot of sponsorship from advertisers!”

For a moment, everyone was stunned. Then, laughter erupted.

“Look, here’s an honest person! Come tease him!”

“Are you really going to slap Chen Qi in the face like that? Ha ha ha…”

“That’s it for Chen Qi, he’s about to get exposed!”

The fans were in stitches.

This really was a spectacular self-own. It was one thing for Chen Qi to contradict himself, but now even outsiders were joining in!

Strangely, though these comments were hardly flattering to Chen Qi, no one seemed anxious—if anything, they were secretly enjoying the show.

Serves you right for making things up—let’s see how you get out of this!

At that moment, Chen Qi replied directly to the entertainment reporter:

“Nonsense! I am a pure artist, a man of artistic ideals. How could I possibly accept sponsorship from advertisers? It’s impossible!”

“Pfft—”

Once again, netizens burst out laughing.

A pure artist? A man of ideals?

Is there any bottom to your shamelessness?

Are you treating your microblog like your own comedy set?

Yet, truth be told, this reply did have a touch of Wang Dachui’s signature flair.

More importantly, his cheeky answer deftly sidestepped the reporter’s accusation.

Surely, no one would take this nonsense seriously.

Just as everyone thought the little episode was over, the reporter replied again.

This time, when everyone read the message, they couldn’t help but gasp, their jaws dropping in shock.

The reporter claimed that the second season of “Never Expected” might be canceled after all—because the advertising prices were too high and the sponsors were pulling out!