The assistant's face froze, and he didn't dare to look at Lu Jinnian.
"Also, can you explain how Qiao Qiao found out that I leaked the rumors myself?"
The assistant gritted his teeth. This time, he was really dead.
"How would she know that I waited sixteen hours for her on Valentine's day?"
The assistant's heart stopped beating.
At that very moment, on the stage, Qiao Anhao suddenly raised the microphone and said, "I'm so sorry, there's no way I can sign this contract."
The assistant was scared witless by Qiao Anhao's words, and as though clutching onto his last hope, he immediately turned his head. "Mr. Lu, Miss Qiao received first place but she's not signing the contract."
Lu Jinnian was also suddenly stunned by Qiao Anhao's words, so much so he couldn't be bothered to be angry with his assistant right now. He immediately raised his head and looked at center stage.
It was obvious that the entire set was startled by Qiao Anhao's words.
The presenter raised the microphone, and asked in disbelief, "Qiao Anhao, what did you just say? Did you say that you can't sign this contract?"
"Yes." Qiao Anhao calmly gave a nod.
Seeing as she affirmed her decision for the second time, the atmosphere on set became restless once again.
To take part in the competition and get first place but not sign the contract? What did this mean?
It was evident that the team leaders and judges on set were rattled.
"Mr. Lu, why isn't Miss Qiao going to sign it? Such a great opportunity to go to Hollywood and come back having secured the spot of the screen queen!" said the assistant wit a tone full of regret.
The joy Lu Jinnian felt from her confession had disappeared.
She was the reason he invested in the movie. Was she rejecting the role because people online were saying that he was using money to toy with people?
With that very thought, the judge asked, "Qiao Anhao, I'd like to know why aren't you signing this contract? Are you rejecting the offer because you don't want people to assume you've used connections to get the role, considering that the CEO of Huan Ying Entertainment, Lu Jinnian, Mr. Lu has invested in the movie?"
Another judge spoke out. "This is a competition. The winner of the competition must take the role as the female lead of the movie. We're not playing house here. You can't just do what you want, Miss Qiao. Could you please respect the show, respect the judges, and respect the millions of viewers in front of the TV!"
"I'm sorry, as for my decision, I can only say that I'm terribly sorry." Qiao Anhao gave a sincere bow, then raised the microphone, and said, "At first I didn't know that my husband Lu Jinnian had invested in this movie, and he was the one who signed me up for this competition. I worked very hard and did my best for each round of this competition just to make him proud.
"I know that no matter if we are cheating or not, he did invest in the movie, so there's no possible way for me to clear this up. However, I can guarantee that I would never give up signing for this role over arguments online. Not only would I have not given up, I would of did my best to prove to everybody that the female lead is mine... that I am the female lead of the movie.
"But I regret to say that yesterday I went to the hospital, and it made me give up my carefully prepared performance for the show and change it into a story at the last minute."
Qiao Anhao paused for a moment, then said, "I'm pregnant."