Chapter Thirty-Six Discussion
The six agreed to wear matching outfits to visually demonstrate their determination to the judging panel.
Lin Ruohe first thought of the school uniform. He had already graduated, but Xinghe's school uniform was still in perfect condition.
However, Gu Huailang does not yet have the school uniform of Xinghe High School.
After some discussion, everyone decided to use the team-building outfits from the last team-building event. Although short sleeves were not suitable for the current season, they could wear jackets over them first and then give them to Wei Ye for safekeeping when they arrived at their destination.
Zhang Yang wasn't there for the last team building event, but they performed very well and won many games.
Seeing that there were still extra team building outfits, Meng Fanxi discussed with everyone about exchanging some of the prizes for two more outfits.
At that time, Meng Fanxi planned to give the team building clothes to Wei Ye and Zhang Yang, who might join. The others thought they were for his family and didn't pay much attention, and he didn't explain.
After returning, a series of events occurred, and he never had the chance to give away the team-building outfits, so he gradually forgot about them.
Meng Fanxi only remembered this when they were discussing clothes.
Lin Ruohe smiled and praised, "You've planned ahead, Fanxi."
After receiving the clothes, Zhang Yang unconsciously stroked the pattern on them with his fingers, feeling somewhat regretful that he couldn't participate in the team building activity.
Wei was surprised to find himself included, and felt a pang of guilt and gratitude. On the day of the discussion, he quietly wore his team-building uniform underneath.
At 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, the six of them and Wei went to the designated waiting room to wait. Once everything was ready, a staff member would come and guide them to the formal discussion room.
They were the only ones in the waiting room, which was a small conference room where everyone moved around freely without sitting down awkwardly.
Meng Fanxi was a little nervous, but not much.
Having witnessed grand occasions like award ceremony nominations in his previous life, not to mention his years of audition experience, and now with his partners by his side, he stood by the window, gazing blankly at the bright morning scenery.
Lin Ruohe and Zhang Yang also have a lot of experience facing scrutiny, but since it is related to the future of the group, they can't help but look serious.
The others seemed more nervous. Xu You sat at the conference table, twirling a pen in his hand while resting his other hand on his chin, seemingly lost in thought.
Zhang Yang sat down next to him, and Xu You glanced at him but didn't say anything.
He lost his temper with Zhang Yang at the last meeting, and although everyone united afterwards to face the challenge, he always felt a little awkward around Zhang Yang.
Now that Zhang Yang was sitting next to him, his anxious mood became even more uneasy.
Zhang Yang always liked black clothes, and this team-building outfit fit him perfectly. He leaned back in his chair, relaxed, and said to Xu You, "Xu You, last time..."
Xu You is now very afraid to mention what happened last time. He doesn't think he did anything wrong, but he regrets his harsh tone. When Zhang Yang brings it up, he immediately becomes alert and stammers, "W-what happened?"
"I was wrong last time."
Xu You immediately sat up straight. Before he could speak, Zhang Yang looked at him intently and said, "I will not say anything like quitting again."
A warmth gradually spread through his ears, and his previously tense back suddenly relaxed. The embarrassment Xu You had been hiding in his heart instantly dissipated. He coughed lightly and pretended to be mature, "Well, whatever happens, we'll face it together."
"Understood." Zhang Yang replied obediently with a slight smile.
Everyone noticed their conversation and gave them gentle looks, gradually easing the tense atmosphere.
A staff member knocked on the door and came in: "You can go now, please."
Everyone's eyes sharpened, and they resolutely walked outside.
The sounds of breathing and heartbeats became exceptionally clear. None of the six spoke, their hearts pounding with tension.
Wei felt several times more nervous than when he was participating in a review meeting. He planned to follow them to the door of the discussion room, but was stopped by a gesture from a staff member.
He could only stand at the door of the waiting room and quietly remind the six people again: "Remember, no matter what, you must have a good attitude and be humble and polite."
Being called in to work overtime on their days off is unlikely to put the reviewers in a good mood, especially since the project has already been rejected; they might be even more critical.
Wei had already given them a heads-up, so they were mentally prepared. They turned around and waved to him, indicating that they could rest assured.
The final review meeting was held in a medium-sized conference room at the Will Company, which was twice the size of the room where Wei Ye had previously met with them.
When the six people went in, the judges were sitting in a row, all dressed in formal attire.
My first impression upon taking a quick look was that there were so many people.
A huge, wide table stretched across the center of the meeting room, creating a stark contrast with the judges' serious expressions, resulting in a very oppressive atmosphere.
The staff guided them to sit on the other side of the long table, opposite the judges.
As they entered, the judges discreetly observed each person. Noticing that they were all wearing the same clothes, two judges showed interest.
Meng Fanxi and his group had practiced beforehand. Before taking their seats, Lin Ruohe led everyone in bowing and greeting the judges, saying, "Hello, teachers." Then they sat down in an orderly fashion.
The judges sitting in the middle looked slightly relieved.
Lin Ruohe and Meng Fanxi sat in the middle, with Xu You, Zhang Yang, Ren Yuchen, and Gu Huailang on either side.
Each judge had a nameplate with their name on it, and Meng Fanxi calmly scanned it.
I don't recognize most of them based on their appearance.
Judging from the name, Meng Fanxi had done his homework beforehand, and his heart sank. This had truly alarmed the company's top management, and the level of attention was far too high.
The highest-ranking judges for regular monthly exams are usually department deputies.
Now, at a glance, almost everyone there is a department head.
Sitting in the middle is the Marketing Director, flanked by seven people: the Head of Operations and Marketing Department, the Head of Artist Management Department, the Head of Film and Television Production and Investment Department, the Head of Planning Department, the Head of Legal Department, and Zhou Xingzhi from the Trainee Department.
Moreover, perhaps because of a family relationship with one of the trainees present, a person who appeared to be a judge deliberately sat in the very edge of the room, exuding elegance and a friendly demeanor.
There were no name tags on the table in front of him, but everyone knew him.
Meng Fanxi's mother Lin Wei's idol, Xu You's uncle, a senior figure in the entertainment industry, and a shareholder of Weier Company—Xu Cangyan.
Three staff members were sitting at the table, each with a computer to record information.
Xu You was sitting not far from Xu Cangyan. He had no idea that his uncle would also be attending. He glared at him secretly, but received no response.
Seeing that everyone had arrived, Marketing Director Song Zhengchu looked to both sides for their opinions. After confirming that there were no problems, he signaled to begin.
Song Zhengchu said solemnly, "Now that everyone is here, the final review and discussion meeting of the tenth planning group's proposal will officially begin."
The reviewers reviewed the proposals and previous rejections, while staff displayed the electronic versions on the large screen in the conference room.
Song Zhengchu had already learned about it beforehand, and after a quick glance, he spoke with a scrutinizing look in his eyes: "The previous meeting concluded that the allocation of your trainees was extremely unreasonable, but you filed an appeal. What are your reasons?"
There were no documents in front of Meng Fanxi and the others. They all placed their hands naturally on the table, leaned slightly forward, and listened attentively with focused expressions.
Lin Ruohe, as the main speaker, was the first to answer: "Teacher, we respect the conclusions of the previous review of the proposal. As for the reasons for the appeal, could you please give us a few minutes to watch a video? I will then provide an explanation."
After receiving permission, Lin Ruohe handed the USB drive to a staff member to play it on her behalf.
After a short wait, a practice room appeared on the ultra-high-definition screen.
The six trainees walked from various corners to the center of the camera, stood in formation in the middle of the practice room, and bowed their heads, remaining still.
He was wearing black clothes, which were the team building uniform.
The music gradually begins; the prelude is short and is a cheerful tune.
The six people in the video moved casually to the rhythm of the music, without making any big movements, and remained standing in place without looking up.
The judges immediately recognized the recently popular shaky song.
But something is wrong.
The music stopped abruptly, and the six people stood frozen in place.
A jumble of music rewinding suddenly broke the silence.
Then, first came a few drumbeats, followed by repeated piano sounds, and then the rich sound of the cello suddenly enveloped them.
An abrupt and dark variation.
The six people moved slowly and in different ways, like puppets that had lost their souls, yet the movements were both eerie and harmonious.
The music suddenly sped up; it was still that catchy, energetic song, but it suddenly became passionate and surging.
The six people moved differently, but they all managed to raise their heads in unison, staring directly at the camera with sharp eyes and distorted expressions, as if they were going through some kind of pain.
Ren Yuchen was the first to speak. He slid smoothly from the back to the front, and the other five people instantly switched positions, creating a passageway effect.
This wasn't just dancing; it was singing and dancing. All six members had recording devices attached to their front, and they sang with their microphones on full mics. Their voices were completely unprocessed and went straight to the judges' ears in front of the screen.
Ren Yuchen smoothly entered the verse, setting a stable and high-quality opening.
Meng Fanxi was the second to sing. His voice, which was originally clear and bright, was deliberately lowered and slightly hoarse, which matched the atmosphere.
He and Ren Yuchen cleverly used physical contact to switch positions.
His character is someone frantically searching for something. He suddenly accelerates as if to rush towards the camera, while the other five people, two on the left, two on the right, and one behind, pull backward in a neat, symmetrical formation.
The movements are perfectly timed and full of tension.
Xu You then took over, and as the last few lines before the chorus, his unique voice immediately drew people into the atmosphere. His movements were mainly both crazy and restrained, like taking a headcount and making final preparations.
As the first chorus began, everyone joined in, their harmonious and grand voices elevating the song to an even higher level.
Their movements were synchronized yet each carried its own strange struggles, making the audience eagerly anticipate what would happen next.
Lin Ruohe was the first to sing after the chorus. He wore gold-rimmed glasses and looked like a refined scoundrel, with extreme madness on his face.
The music changed again at this moment, slowing down, and Lin Ruo and You You walked gracefully in the group, while the others bowed and lowered their heads in coordination.
Gu Huailang stepped out from behind him, straightened his tie, and then nimbly switched places with him.
Gu Huailang, like a cheetah aiming for the right moment, stepped forward in front of the group. Instead of singing, he took on the role of rapper, which was a refreshing surprise and pushed the atmosphere to another climax.
At this moment, Zhang Yang, as the vocal lead, seamlessly blended into the music, building up step by step. Accompanied by a solid and emotional high note, the music abruptly stopped, but the high note continued.
As if summoned, the six of them were preparing something, their bodies about to break through the barrier, and with a snap, it was as if they had broken free of their restraints.
The magnificent music and the six-person seamless knife dance brought the music and dance to a perfect climax, pushing the atmosphere to its peak.
The six of them performed an even more impressive synchronized dance than before, displaying perfect uniformity, clean movements, and dashing style.
Even though Meng Fanxi had seen it before, he still secretly enjoyed watching it again.
Finally, the video ended with a clean, concise, and utterly swift conclusion.
Zhou Xingzhi almost instinctively clapped.
A complete showcase of technical skill, with constant variations, high-intensity continuous movement, and full live vocals, it's like a stage play that keeps you on the edge of your seat, and you even have the illusion that the time is too short.
In fact, Zhou Xingzhi glanced at his watch; he had specifically checked it before the video started playing, and more than six minutes had already passed.
Meng Fanxi and his team dared not show too much emotion. Although they were very confident in themselves, they still looked at the judges nervously.
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