Chapter Thirty-Seven Proposal
Xu Cangyan revealed a hint of approval. The song had been completely changed, but in a positive direction. No one could have imagined that this "catchy pop song" could be turned into a dance song.
Zhou Xingzhi even revealed a slight smile, which boosted Meng Fanxi's confidence even more after he noticed it.
Among the department heads, only Meng Tan, the head of the artist management department, swayed gently to the music during the video playback, and at this moment, she did not hesitate to nod slightly, showing her appreciation.
She wore her hair in a high ponytail, exuding a cool and capable air, a far cry from the leader Meng Fanxi had in mind.
Although the remaining leaders were serious and had excellent control over their expressions, Meng Fanxi and his team were still quite confident in their efforts and achievements over the past few days.
Lin Ruohe then began to explain, leaning slightly forward in a humble manner to the judges: "Dear teachers, I believe this video can explain why we filed an appeal."
He skillfully utilized his strengths, appearing relaxed as if chatting with the judges, his genuine smile reaching his eyes. "The judges previously concluded that our personnel allocation was unreasonable. I believe that anyone who has seen our rehearsal video can see that we work together seamlessly, and each member has their own role in the song, enabling us to present a near-perfect performance on stage."
"At the same time, this video also very intuitively demonstrates our team spirit. To be honest, we have only been practicing together for less than a month, but everyone is very creative. The arrangement, choreography, songwriting, and creating highlights are all done by us."
Lin Ruohe paused, then said firmly, "Objectively speaking, we are fully capable of meeting the standards for debut."
As for whether his previous rejection was too subjective, he did not say it directly, but left room for interpretation and reflection.
Marketing Director Song Zhengchu naturally understood the implication. He glanced at Lin Ruohe with a half-smile, but said nothing.
Ji Xin, the head of the planning department, chuckled a few times as if amused. The six men became wary and turned their attention to him.
Ji Xin is Wei Ye's immediate superior. Although young, he is very capable and prioritizes the company's interests. Compared to Wei Ye, a newcomer, he trusts the other nine planning team leaders more. It is said that he was also involved in the unanimous veto last time.
His smile was surprisingly friendly, and he unexpectedly praised them: "Your performance was excellent. You incorporated so many elements, but they didn't feel out of place at all. You blended them together wonderfully. It was a truly outstanding performance."
He turned to Song Zhengchu and exclaimed, "This performance video would rank very well in our annual awards."
What was he up to? The six were puzzled, but still expressed their gratitude for the praise: "Thank you, teacher."
Ji Xin's admiration continued. He clicked his tongue a few times and said, "Your performance was excellent. You truly deserve to be among the top trainees in our company."
While everyone was puzzled...
Suddenly, his eyebrows shot up, the temperature in his eyes plummeted, and his voice lowered, becoming icy and sharp: "It's a complete waste of resources!"
The sudden change in momentum seemed to freeze the air.
Meng Fanxi's heart skipped a beat.
He spoke slowly, but his tone was sarcastic: "Whether it's better to waste six excellent trainees on a 95-point stage or to distribute them evenly among 4-6 groups and provide at least 80-point stages, the latter is more cost-effective in everyone's eyes."
He bluntly stated without mincing words: "The company's valuable resources will not be used to support your naive ideals."
"That's going too far!" Xu You suddenly stood up, his face full of indignation.
Before Zhang Yang could stop him, Xu Cangyan scolded, "Xu You, sit down." His voice wasn't loud, but it was extremely authoritative. Xu You turned his head and saw that his uncle looked serious and about to get angry.
In the end, reason prevailed, and he turned his head to the other side in a huff and sat down.
All six of them were holding their breath, and Lin Ruohe, who had maintained a good attitude, was starting to waver. After all, he wasn't the seasoned veteran of the entertainment industry he had been through so much in his previous life. Meng Fanxi gave him a reassuring look, signaling him to calm down first.
He had experienced this kind of scene countless times: verbal attacks, imposing pressure, and seemingly reasonable but actually unreasonable accusations.
He secretly adjusted his mindset, realizing that in this situation, he would lose if he tried to explain seriously or fell into his trap.
Meng Fanxi also smiled, but unlike Lin Ruohe's warm and sincere smile, the curve of his lips seemed to have been calculated, it was the most formulaic smile.
"Teacher Ji, it seems you've made a mistake." His tone was slightly apologetic.
Meng Fanxi's eyes were calm and still, and he enunciated each word very clearly.
"The six of us can bring much more than just this one perfect stage."
His voice was steady and powerful, echoing in the empty conference room and slowly reaching everyone's ears.
“We will far exceed the ‘4-6 combinations’ you mentioned, bringing many times the returns.”
Meng Fanxi looked at the other person with a firm gaze.
What the original, unorganized VIER could do, they certainly could do too, and perhaps even better.
How arrogant!
The judges present all had the same immediate reaction upon hearing these words.
However, they also kept an eye on Ji Xin's expression, somewhat like spectators watching a show.
Despite having experienced countless grand occasions, the latter's eyes dimmed slightly, and his expression remained calm. Even with his lips clenched and his back teeth tightly bitten, he never showed the slightest sign of losing his composure.
The companions sitting next to Meng Fanxi felt a secret sense of satisfaction, as if they had gotten their revenge.
Even Ren Yuchen, who usually doesn't reveal his feelings, felt inspired and secretly nudged Meng Fanxi with his elbow, indicating that he did a great job.
Ji Xin snorted inwardly. They were just a bunch of kids who got away with a few words and were already smug. He put on a cheerful expression again: "You guys are quite confident, just showing off with your words."
He gestured to his staff to open a set of data: "This is data that our planning department has. Based on the groups formed since the establishment of Will Company, including groups that have debuted from other companies, we have come to a realistic conclusion that the strength of group members is clearly differentiated. A group only needs a maximum of 2 S-level trainees. Such groups generate the most lasting revenue and have the most stable development."
He looked at the six people, especially Meng Fanxi: "I don't know where you get your confidence from. In the face of real data, what you say is still just empty talk."
Meng Fanxi was about to retort, but Ji Xin hadn't finished speaking yet. He flipped through the roster in his hand and began to comment on each person one by one. It could be said that everyone received a bad review.
"Lin Ruohe, after your failed debut, the company gave you another perfect path, and you walked it smoothly. Now you suddenly want to come back and form a boy group? Do you think this is child's play? Your existing fame is more of a disadvantage than an advantage for a fledgling group."
Lin Ruohe's smile softened slightly, her expression remaining inscrutable.
"Zhang Yang, the number one willful and rebellious person, the company agreed to your return despite past grievances, and this is how you repay it?"
These words didn't really bother Zhang Yang; he just sat there expressionless.
"Ren Yuchen, a perfect student. If you agree to withdraw, there will be many excellent groups waiting for you."
Ren Yuchen shook his head.
Ji Xin cursed Gu Huailang inwardly for his stubbornness. He looked at Gu Huailang and said, "Let's get you into Xinghe High School first. Is such a talented person meant for you to mess around with them?"
Gu Huailang was about to retort, but the other party didn't give him the chance at all. He immediately turned his gaze to the other side and looked at Xu You. However, because Xu Cangyan was standing to the side, he hesitated to speak.
After much deliberation, he turned to Xu Cangyan and said, "Teacher Xu, you should really keep an eye on your nephew."
Xu Cangyan maintained a refined and scholarly expression, seemingly lost in thought, as if he hadn't heard anything.
Finally, Ji Xin gave a bad review to everyone, but felt even more frustrated. Looking at Meng Fanxi, he was thinking about how to start the conversation when an idea suddenly flashed into his mind.
Zhou Xingzhi observed secretly from the side. He usually dealt with the planning department a lot and knew that Ji Xin had lost his mind and was in a hurry.
He glanced at Xu Cangyan beside him, who probably also noticed this, but remained calm, so he also held back.
The other judges also adopted the same spectator attitude, and it had now become Ji Xin's home turf.
Ji Xin looked at Meng Fanxi, his mind racing with calculations. He pretended to reflect for a moment, then glanced at the six of them and said, "Seeing how persistent you are, I am somewhat moved."
"How about this? I've come up with another way."
The six people remained silent, waiting for him to continue.
Ji Xin also thoughtfully considered the other judges: "Zhengchu, Hongyu, and everyone else, please listen as well."
Hongyu is Yu Hongyu, the head of the Operations and Marketing Department.
Not knowing what was going on, everyone listened patiently.
He said, "How about you five form a group? It's not much different from the plan, and your strengths are about equal." He glanced at the other five boys besides Meng Fanxi.
"As for Meng Fanxi," he looked at him, his smile growing colder, "I think he's too arrogant, and his skills aren't that outstanding. He'll easily be overlooked in this group."
"Why not try your luck in another group? Better to be a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in a big pond." He smiled, but there was a hint of genuine frustration in his laughter.
More than anything else, he wants to teach the person who humiliated him to his face a lesson.
Meng Fanxi stiffened, his face expressionless. He looked at Ji Xin's smile and felt a sense of déjà vu.
In a daze, he seemed to see Jin Ziran smiling and pointing at him as he kicked him out of the group in his past life.
The other judges were baffled by his words, pretending to be thinking as they looked down at the documents in their hands and remained silent.
The other five naturally disagreed with anything Ji Xin said, and they became even more restless after hearing what Ji Xin said next.
They watched Meng Fanxi's movements and found that he was not moving at all.
Zhang Yang stood up and said, "If this is what the teachers mean, and if this is the attitude the teachers are showing us, then I choose to refuse."
Gu Huailang, Lin Ruohe, Xu You, and Ren Yuchen all stood up and surrounded Meng Fanxi.
Lin Ruohe stated directly, "Meng Fanxi is a member we have chosen. Without him, there would be no group like ours. We will never stand against him."
The group pulled Meng Fanxi up and walked towards the door without hesitation.
Meng Fanxi's eyes reddened, but he was unwilling to leave like this. He was so close to success, and he could see the other judges wavering.
Just then, a female voice came from behind: "Alright, Ji Xin, you must be joking."
She called out to the group of people who were walking out, "Children, come back first, I have an idea."
The six people looked at her with suspicion and wariness, including the judges.
It is Meng Tan.
She appeared relaxed, and seeing that everyone was more or less tense, she eased the atmosphere with a soothing smile and gradually took control of the situation: "I don't know if you've heard about this program, but I think it's quite suitable for them and can solve their current problems."
"What?" Song Zhengchu asked.
Meng Tan pulled out the document in his hand, titled "Taking Battalions as the Base."
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