1157 There Can Only Be Me Without Her

"Lu Man," Lu Dongliu repeated himself.

Liang Chengbing's face immediately hardened. "You think a C-list celebrity like Lu Man is fit to be on the same show as me? Director Lu, the guests that you mentioned previously were all not bad, but Lu Man? Her celebrity status is obviously not high enough for her to be on the same show as us. Won't it be too strange to bring her on the show?"

They were all A-listers. Even the lowest-ranking ones were the best of the B-list celebrities or directors. The sudden addition of Lu Man skewed the whole picture.

Lu Dongliu understood the implication behind Liang Chengbing's words. Lu Man's celebrity status might not be the only thing he was disdainful of.

"It's like this, Lu Man attended our show previously and the rankings for that episode did quite well. The audience loved her very much. Inviting the most popular guests back for our finale episode is the norm for our show. We invited Lu Man based on her popularity," Lu Dongliu explained. "Although Lu Man's celebrity status is not very high, she is very well-liked by the public."

"That still won't do. A small-time celebrity is a small-time celebrity. If she wants to be on the same show as me, she can wait until her ranking rises," Liang Chengbing insisted stubbornly.

Lu Dongliu frowned as he asked, "Director Liang, you're saying that if I want to invite you, I can't invite Lu Man?"

"That's right." Liang Chengbing did not disguise his words and continued, "I won't be in the same show as Lu Man, be it for this program or for others. There can only be me without her. If you want me to be on your show, remove Lu Man from the list."

Liang Chengbing's words were very harsh.

Lu Dongliu frowned. Liang Chengbing's actions were effectively out to ban Lu Man!

Be it for this show or for other events, as long as he, Liang Chengbing, was to attend, Lu Man would not be allowed to attend.

Liang Chengbing had said this rather confidently as well. When he said it, he even smiled afterward.

He felt that anyone with brains would know which choice to make.

He was an A-list director. A C-list actress like Lu Man was obviously not comparable to his caliber.

Take that episode that Lu Man participated in, for example. Actually, Lu Man's appearance did not really help much. It was because Sun Yiwu and Ji Cheng were around that hot topics were created and viewership ratings were raised.

Even if Lu Man were not there and was replaced by another person, the effect would have been the same.

Lu Man's presence was negligible. Credit for the ratings of that episode should in fact go to Sun Yiwu and Ji Cheng.

It showed how much influence A-list directors like them could have on the show's viewership ratings and audience.

He believed that with him in the finale episode, the same result could be achieved.

As for the hot topics and popularity that Lu Dongliu attributed to Lu Man, those were all illusions.

Lu Man merely got some exposure because of Sun Yiwu and Ji Cheng.

Hence, it did not matter whether Lu Man appeared on the show or not.

It was the same this time around. Without Lu Man around but with him around, the viewership ratings for the finale episode would still be equally high and popular!

Liang Chengbing believed that Lu Dongliu knew which choice to make.

Lu Dongliu frowned and only said, "I understand. Let me think about it."

Liang Chengbing got angry the moment he heard it. It was clearly obvious who Lu Dongliu should choose in such a situation. Why did he still need to consider it?

He was slighting him!

Liang Chengbing's voice stiffened as he replied, "Okay."

He actually needed to think about choosing between him and Lu Man!

After Lu Dongliu ended the call, he pressed the space between his eyebrows and thought for a while before he called Lu Man again.

"Director Lu?" Lu Man asked curiously.

"Lu Man, did you offend Liang Chengbing?" Lu Dongliu asked.

Lu Man was shocked and could not recall anything immediately. "Why do you say so?"