Post-match interviews quickly began, with many reporters from well-known websites arriving to interview him. Looking at the dozen or so microphones before him, Zhao An's heartbeat quickened slightly. It was a bit too many. Was this what celebrity felt like?
Traditional artists face these kinds of face-to-face interviews, with photographers constantly snapping away. They have to deal with all sorts of unconventional questions and even tricky tactics—things rarely encountered online. After all, they're separated by a screen. If things don't work out, they can just take a break and come back after figuring out a plan.
"Hello, Zhao An, I'm a reporter from Fengyun Daily. You're a really good singer. You've surpassed the four mentors, haven't you?" a male reporter began. It was a tricky question. If Zhao An admitted it, he'd be stepping on Na Ying and Liu Huan to get to the top, which would seem arrogant and would ruin his popularity. After all, no one likes being friends with someone who steps on their shoulders to get to the top.
Zhao An's eyelids twitched. As a seasoned sly sly man, he immediately saw through the man's intentions. He still wanted to play a trick on him? Zhao An smiled faintly, a triumphant smile on his lips. "Your question is quite tricky. Hey, you're the last one to get some rest, aren't you? Those dark circles under your eyes—you're not one of those hardworking employees who pulls all-nighters, are you? Everyone, please give him a close-up. This is what extreme dedication looks like. It's not easy. Amazing!" He then began to applaud, his smile growing even brighter.
All eyes suddenly turned to the reporter who had asked the question, making him blush. Was a grown man being looked at so shyly? Not everyone could ignore the bright lights and cameras. The adrenaline rush could easily cause blood pressure to spike.
Huo Wenxi nodded, watching from the sidelines. Her cheerful and cheerful demeanor didn't sound like a newcomer at all, but rather like a seasoned veteran who had been in the entertainment industry for years.
The second reporter began asking, "Zhao An, would you ever join the entertainment industry? You sing so well, can you keep up with your studies?"
At this question, Zhao An smiled faintly and answered fluently in English, then again in Russian, then English, Korean, French, and German. He answered them all, his smile growing even brighter. "Knowledge is endless; how much you learn depends on the individual. Of course, you should read. Books hold the keys to wealth and beauty."
This pretentious display of power was unexpected; no one could have imagined Zhao An's foreign language proficiency was so impressive.
"Are you proud of your foreign language proficiency?" Another tricky question, one not so easy to answer. If you don't answer it well, you could easily be accused of being pro-Western, which is a serious issue. It could easily lead to criticism and ultimately destroy your image. No one likes a celebrity who licks the boots. Fans can be licks, but licks don't like licks. That's a fact.
Upon hearing this question, Huo Wenxi couldn't help but walk over and stand behind Zhao An, ready to intervene if her boss seemed at a loss. This is what a professional agent must do. Not every agent wants to be like Song Zhe, constantly dreaming of sleeping with other people's wives. So, to avoid being cheated on, it's better to have a female agent.
Zhao An laughed, a laugh that was somewhat arrogant. "A foreign language is just a tool; there's nothing to be proud of. Only when a foreign language serves as a bridge between your own people and a foreign-speaking country do you have value. And never leave your home country, no matter how good your foreign language skills are. There are countless foreigners working as beggars. Are their foreign language skills bad? Why should you expect to get a good job if you go there? Are you going to just get by? You won't make it, and you won't have any value. No matter how good your foreign language skills are, without skill, you won't be respected. The key to a person's value lies in whether or not you have real skills. Therefore, foreign languages are just tools; there's nothing to be proud of. There's no point in worshipping foreign languages. No matter how accurate or perfect your pronunciation is, it's useless; just being useful is enough. Okay, next question."
When he finished speaking, someone applauded, and the applause soon continued. This statement truly stirred excitement and resonated with the truth. Foreign language skills are truly nothing to be proud of.
Zhao An's words were simple and concise, practically shattering the trap. Trying to trick him? Sorry, the tricks here are too simple. Only a cunning old man can deal with a cunning old man. Nothing else will work.
Huo Wenxi's beautiful eyes sparkled. Even though Zhao An was a jerk, she still assisted him wholeheartedly. So far, it seemed to be working well. At least he was a sensible person when it came to the big issues.
After the applause, another reporter asked a question, but this time, no tricky questions, a more normal one. "Hello, have you ever thought about entering the entertainment industry? You're a great singer and have a great personality. Have you considered it?"
"I'm not sure. I'm still a student. If I have time to do other things besides studying, I'll consider it. So I'm not sure. I'll finish my studies first, and then I'll consider other things later." Zhao An replied with a smile. Entertainment industry? Sorry, I don't have any ideas yet. He's just an ordinary person, not interested in anything fancy.
The interview ended quickly. Zhao An handled every question with ease, not needing Huo Wenxi's help at all. His effortless expression, a perpetually smug smile, made everyone feel good. Approachability is a fascinating thing. It's not perfect, but at least it's very useful when dealing with fans.
After the interview, Zhao An signed autographs for some enthusiastic fans and took photos with them, satisfying their fan-chasing urges.
After finally finishing his work, it was already almost seven o'clock, and he was starving.
"Let's go get something to eat. I might have a livestream tonight, and I have an English competition tomorrow, so I'm a bit busy," Zhao An said to his agent.
"Okay, I've turned down a lot of commercial offers for you, but I do have a few directors who want you to try out for camera work. Are you interested?" Huo Wenxi was still quite busy, helping Zhao An manage these external relationships.