Rejected by the Campus Belle, I Find My True Love-Chapter 339 - 337: The TV Station Interview

Without a doubt, when he returned to the office on Sunday, he was immediately surrounded by his colleagues.

"Cui Hao, how did your date go yesterday?"

"Yeah, Cui Hao, you look like you’re walking on air. It must’ve been a success, right? Was she pretty? Did you guys go to a hotel? Did you two..." The man gestured with his thumbs, bumping them together.

Cui Hao could only stare back, confused. What the hell? Which one of his eyes saw me walking on air? Just because my face is flushed doesn’t mean I’m in high spirits, alright? It’s because I stayed up all night!

Yu Kexin stood up from her seat and asked him, "Cui Hao, why aren’t you saying anything? Are you shy?"

"Shy, my ass! I totally bombed the meet-up, happy now? Stop asking, or I’ll lose it right here for you all to see."

"..."

To think he had actually failed! Since he had failed, there was no point in rubbing salt in his wounds. Everyone promptly scattered like birds and beasts, returning to their desks to get serious about their work. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

「...」

On Monday morning, as soon as Xue Yang arrived at school, he was called to the office by Gong Lee. She then handed him a list of interview questions.

First question: What do you think is the biggest gain from attending university?

Answer: I gained confidence, a broader perspective, and a sense of my own value and my value to society.

Second question: I heard that you chose to start your own business right after starting university and succeeded. What’s your secret?

Answer: The secret was getting into Yanbei University. Being in such a great academic environment gave me the confidence to start my own business.

Third question: What do you think was the biggest setback on your entrepreneurial journey, and how did you handle it?

...

Fourth question: Who do you feel you need to thank the most for your current success?

Answer: I’m grateful to the nation for supporting student entrepreneurs, grateful to my parents, grateful to Yanbei University, grateful to my mentor Professor Gong Lee, grateful to Principal Hu, grateful to the big boss of Trendy Apparels, grateful to...

In short, he was supposed to list every name he could possibly thank. Fearing it would seem too promotional, his position at Trendy Apparels wasn’t written down on the script.

But Xue Yang planned to thank them verbally. That shouldn’t be too much, right? Yeah, not too much!

"Go through this draft first. The people from the TV station should be arriving soon. Once you’ve gone over it, I’ll take you there. With your experience, you shouldn’t be nervous about the interview, right?"

The experience Gong Lee was referring to was his time as the spokesperson for Trendy Apparels. In a way, Xue Yang was already a public figure.

"I understand. Thank you for your guidance, Professor."

"This is just a simple initial draft. I don’t know for sure if they’ll ask you other questions during the interview. Just respond as you see fit, stay positive, and stick to the main theme."

"Got it."

The point of interviews like this was simply to present a positive image and establish him as a role model for other students. As for the actual setbacks he encountered or what he truly wanted to express, none of that was important.

After about half an hour of review, Xue Yang followed Gong Lee into a spacious classroom that resembled a studio. It was equipped with several fill lights, an expensive-looking camera, and the interview team: a young female reporter and a young male photographer from the TV station.

The female reporter had neat, short hair and a charismatic air about her—in fact, she was very pretty. Her welcoming smile could easily draw anyone in.

The male photographer wore a baseball cap and had a DSLR camera hanging around his neck, which appeared to be a Canon.

Xue Yang had once wanted to buy this kind of camera, but he had been reluctant because it was a bit expensive. He could afford it now but had no immediate plans to make the purchase. Perhaps he would consider it after Xiao Xi graduated from high school. That way, he could take pictures of Xiao Xi...

When the reporter saw Xue Yang enter, she paused for a second, then her eyes lit up. She walked over to him with a smile and extended her right hand. "Hello, my name is Zhang Bingbing, from Yancheng TV Station. Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview."

Xue Yang, smiling just as brightly, shook her hand. "I should be the one thanking Yancheng TV Station for interviewing an ordinary university student like me."

Zhang Bingbing burst out laughing at Xue Yang’s humorous opening. This small exchange instantly lightened the tense atmosphere, making it lively.

Gong Lee gave Xue Yang a surprised look. This kid is really something else. And because of that, the last trace of worry in her heart vanished.

"I heard that even though you’re only a freshman, you’ve already opened your own studio and are the executive director at a well-known clothing company," Zhang Bingbing said with a smile, her surprise no less than Gong Lee’s. "You even arranged for the company to set up on campus to provide a design platform for students. When you list them out, none of these accomplishments sound ordinary at all."

Initially, she too had been concerned that he was just a freshman. She’d wondered if he would be too reserved for a television interview or too nervous for it to proceed smoothly. Now, it seemed her worries were for naught. The moment they met, he had skillfully closed the distance between them and broken the ice. Most importantly, her own looks weren’t bad. In the past, when she interviewed people—especially men with a little bit of talent but not much else—they often liked to hold onto her hand and not let go. This young man, however, had only shaken it appropriately before letting go. It didn’t feel awkward in the slightest. A university student like him was a rare find. He was full of pleasant surprises.

The rest of the interview proceeded smoothly. The questions were largely the same as the script Professor Gong Lee had given him, and Xue Yang was able to answer all of them. His answers were smooth and articulate, leaving Gong Lee, who was listening from the side, even more satisfied. Zhang Bingbing also thought this young man was outstanding; no wonder the station director had made an exception to interview him.

After several questions, she couldn’t find any flaws in his responses. However, as a reporter, it would be unprofessional of her if she couldn’t ask one or two explosive questions.

She smiled slightly and asked, "Classmate Xue, as I understand it, you initially received an offer from the Lin Corporation. Why did you end up turning it down? Everyone knows that if you refuse an offer from the Lin Corporation, you won’t get another chance to join them. Do you regret giving it up?"

Hearing this question, Gong Lee, who had just been relaxing, felt her heart leap into her throat. She knew the reporter might ask other questions, but she never expected one like this. Although Chairman Lin had asked Xue Yang a similar question when the Lin Corporation held its recruitment fair, that had been in private. Even if Xue Yang’s answer had been unsatisfactory, at least he wouldn’t have lost face in front of everyone...