Chapter 37: Former Teammate, Lian Cheng
"Who would have thought Sheng Yanyu would be so popular now? If we had known this, the company shouldn't have kicked him out of the debut group."
"That's right. I felt it was a pity for this kid back then. He'd been in the company since he was little, trained for so many years, was incredibly capable, knew when to advance and when to retreat, and had a strong sense of responsibility. He was definitely a perfect candidate to be a team leader. And yet, he was squeezed out by a paratrooper who'd only been there a few months."
"It's hard to get by anywhere without a background. Let alone the trainees in the company, isn't it the same for us ordinary people?"
"Well, that's true."
As soon as Lian Cheng stepped out of the elevator, he heard three employees complaining with their backs to him.
The secretary beside him coughed loudly.
Upon hearing this, the three of them were suddenly startled and hurriedly straightened their manners to greet Lian Cheng: "Hello, Mr. Lian!"
"What are you doing here during work hours?"
"Um...we just came back from the bathroom, let's go to work now!"
With that, the three of them hurried away.
After watching the three of them leave, Lian Cheng asked his secretary, "Do you know what they were talking about just now? And who is Sheng Yanyu?"
Upon hearing this question, the secretary blushed. Although she had known that President Lian didn't really care about company matters anymore, it was still shocking that he didn't even know about such a big thing.
But since he was her boss after all, the secretary didn't dare to say anything and only replied -
"They're talking about the latest talent show, 'Youth Project.' Sheng Yanyu was a trainee at our company before, and he's currently ranked second in the votes for this show."
"Before?"
Lian Cheng keenly grasped the key words, "He has left the company?"
"Hmm." The secretary considered his words carefully and said, "Last year, our company launched a new boy group called FOREVER. When selecting the debut group, the head of the artist selection team eliminated him."
Thinking back to the employees' discussion just now, Lian Cheng frowned, "Why was he eliminated?"
"Um... the reason given by the artist selection committee was that the roles were duplicated and the artist was too old."
The secretary paused and muttered, "Actually, I don't think 21 is very old."
"So who were the paratroopers who squeezed him out?"
Hearing the boss's slightly jumpy question, the secretary was stunned for a moment, then replied in a low voice, "Zheng Zhilu."
Seeing that no one was around, he added, "There's a rumor in the company that he's the nephew of Team Leader Zheng from the artist selection team."
Upon hearing this, Lian Cheng's face instantly darkened.
Although he is the founder of Zaoxing Entertainment, he has now shifted his focus to other industries. He has only heard of FOREVER, the boy band launched by the company last year, but has not paid much attention to it.
But he still has an impression of Zheng Zhilu.
The reason was simple: at the end of last year, he was mocked by netizens for his poor performance, which lasted for over two weeks. Various parody videos appeared online. At the time, many people even complained: "How can anyone debut in star-making entertainment these days?"
To this day, Zheng Zhilu is still the least popular member of the group.
Now that he knew there was such a reason behind Zheng Zhilu's debut, Lian Cheng's face turned pale. Not to mention that the eliminated trainee was still shining brightly in the talent show.
As a businessman, he can only hope that this show doesn't become popular, otherwise he would even want to kill someone.
Taking a deep breath, Lian Cheng tried his best to remain calm. "Notify HR and fire Team Leader Zheng from the artist selection team."
"Now?"
Hearing the boss's words, the secretary was a little surprised: "But if we fire him during the contract period, we have to pay liquidated damages."
"Then pay it back. It's not much anyway."
"But if we allow such a person to continue to stay in our company, the losses incurred in the future will definitely be even greater."
"yes."
Seeing that President Lian had made up his mind, the secretary stopped trying to persuade him.
Just as he was about to start working on the task assigned by his boss, he was stopped by his boss: "Wait, the program you just mentioned is called 'Youth Project', right?"
"Yes, what's wrong?"
The secretary looked over in confusion, only to see his boss staring motionlessly at the phone screen with a slightly dazed expression.
Following his gaze, the secretary saw the boss's mobile phone screen.
In the picture, a face as cold as the moon comes into view.
If you look closely, this face even looks a little familiar.
The secretary tried hard to search his mind for memories and was suddenly startled.
Isn't this Mo Bei?
The boss’s teammate of the same nationality who formed a group through an overseas talent show when he was young, the former top singing and dancing superstar who passed away young!
However, does Mo Bei's photo have anything to do with the question the boss just asked?
The secretary was wondering when he suddenly caught a glimpse of the name on the poster out of the corner of his eye and was startled.
Jiang Monan, isn't that the name of the contestant currently ranked first on "Youth Project"?!
Suddenly, the belated secretary remembered the recent rumors on the Internet -
There is a contestant in "Youth Project" who looks very similar to Mo Bei.
Previously, he did not take such remarks seriously, thinking it was just hype from the program team and the agencies behind the contestants.
After all, similar things are common in the entertainment industry. There are always newcomers marketing themselves as the second best of their seniors, but in reality, there are very few who actually look like them, and most of them are just trying to gain popularity.
He never thought that he was wrong this time.
This face is no longer just Mo Bei's second one, it's Mo Bei himself!
No wonder the boss reacted so surprised.
Lian Cheng didn't know what his secretary was thinking, and his thoughts were drifting away at this moment.
After 20 years, his memory of Mo Bei began to slowly become blurred.
Although they are both Chinese, and debuted on the same overseas talent show and formed a group for 5 years, he and Mo Bei are not really close friends.
Of course, it’s not that big of a conflict between them.
Although they are not close friends, they are ordinary friends with a decent relationship.
Perhaps because he has been a trainee abroad since he was a child, Mo Bei has an independent and strong character and a strong sense of purpose.
He is used to being free and undisciplined. He doesn't like practicing dancing and doesn't want to be an idol.
If he hadn't gone abroad to visit his uncle during the summer vacation and happened to run into that incident, he wouldn't have been temporarily drafted by his uncle to fill in the company's trainees.
His life should have been a regular one, with him going to school, going to college, and then working. There would have been no intersection between him and Mo Bei.
But fate is so strange. It made him, a person who didn't want to work in this industry, debut on the show and become teammates with the other party.
As the only two Chinese green card holders in the team, they have supported each other overseas for five years.
After returning to China, he retired from the entertainment industry, completed his studies and started a company, while Mo Bei continued to pursue his dream of being on stage.
I have to say that compared to myself, Mo Bei is more suitable to be a star.
He not only loves stage performances, but is also very self-disciplined and knows how to give back to his fans. More importantly, he has a strong heart.
Even after returning to China to develop his career, he was still subject to many unfounded rumors due to competition from his peers.
But he never gets discouraged and keeps moving towards his goal. He will not be distracted by anything other than his goal.
It can be said that Mo Bei is a person who knows exactly what he wants.
In this respect, the other party is much better than me.
If it was Lian Cheng himself who was inexplicably slandered and attacked by internet trolls on Weibo, he would definitely make the other party pay the legal price.
Once upon a time, he thought Mo Bei would continue to be so popular. But he didn't expect that because of an accident, he would be separated from his old friends forever.
I remember that before Mo Bei went abroad, he had invited him to attend his concert next month.
He remembered that the concert was on Mo Bei's 24th birthday. All of his friends in the entertainment industry were invited. However, Mo Bei's life remained forever stuck at 23.
At only 23 years old...
Whether viewed then or from his current age, this number seemed incredibly youthful, like a flower bud about to bloom. It was a pity that it suddenly withered before it could fully blossom.
He is the same age as Mo Bei.
If the other person were still alive, perhaps he would be married with children and have a happy family like him.
Looking at the face on the poster that looked exactly like Mo Bei, Lian Cheng spoke in a hoarse voice, "Please contact the production team of 'Youth Project' for me and see if they can arrange a spot for me as a guest star."
Hearing this, the secretary was stunned: "You want our company's artists to be on this show?"
“It’s not the artist, it’s me.”
"You? As a guest star?"
Hearing the boss's words, the secretary was stunned for a moment, and couldn't help but complain in his heart -
You have retired for so many years. Will the program team agree?
Although she really wanted to tell him to give up, she couldn't be too blunt with him since he was her boss. She just had to bite the bullet and say, "Then I'll try to communicate with them."
At the end of the conversation, he asked quietly, "Do you have anything else to tell me?"
Lian Cheng shook his head at first, but then seemed to think of something and said, "Go find out which company the contestants of 'Youth Project' will be signed with after they debut as a group."
The secretary thought for a moment and said, "This is a program from Pineapple Video. After the group is formed, they should also sign a contract with their subsidiary."
Lian Cheng nodded, "Then you should contact the senior management of Pineapple Video and try to get their group contract signed with our company."
“!!!”
The secretary was stunned when she heard the boss's words unexpectedly.
Did he hear correctly? Sign a talent show group to their company?
The show hasn't even formed a group yet, and the boss is already thinking of signing people?
Even if you feel sorry for Sheng Yanyu, there's no need to be like this, right?
Seeing the secretary standing there in shock, Lian Cheng glanced over and said, "What are you still standing there for? Go quickly!"
"……yes."
Although the secretary readily agreed, she was not optimistic about her boss's idea.
Pineapple Video held this audition under the banner of "all amateurs", and its intention is obvious. They want to create their own idols and don't want to share the pie with other idol management companies.
The boss's idea is undoubtedly to steal food from the stove built by others. It would be strange if others agree.
The fact was just as the secretary expected. When he contacted the senior management of Pineapple Video and explained his boss's idea, he was quickly rejected.
There are joys and sorrows. Although I failed to get a contract to join the "Youth Project" audition group, fortunately, the program team did not reject the boss's request to be a flying guest.
In fact, when Director Zhuo Yanbin received the message from Lian Cheng's secretary, he was stunned.
Who would have thought that this big shot who had retired for many years would take the initiative to come and ask to be a guest on the show?
Lian Cheng, like Mo Bei, was incredibly popular back then. After his overseas team disbanded and he returned to China, everyone assumed he'd join the Chinese entertainment industry, just like Mo Bei. But he suddenly announced his retirement. When they heard about him again, he'd become the owner of an entertainment agency.
Fast forward over 20 years, and ZaoXing Entertainment has become a leading entertainment agency. And Lian Cheng's business no longer extends beyond ZaoXing Entertainment.
But now, this low-key former idol and current business tycoon is going to be a guest on their talent show?
For a moment, all the staff members of the program, including director Zhuo Yanbin, had question marks on their heads -
Why is this?
Assistant Director Xiao Wang suddenly understood: "I think I know why."
Hearing this, everyone looked over.
"It must be because of Sheng Yanyu!"
Xiao Wang seriously analyzed, "Isn't Lian Cheng the boss of Zaoxing Entertainment? If a trainee they trained left the company and became a hit on a show, what would you think if you were the boss?"
"Mend the fold after the sheep have been lost? Want to re-sign him?" The assistant director nearby speculated, "Sheng Yanyu hasn't signed with any company yet anyway."
Although many companies have contacted Director Zhuo recently, secretly expressing their desire to contact the top ten contestants, Director Zhuo has refused. It is clear what those people are up to.
It's just that when they see those contestants become popular, they want to take advantage of the opportunity before they sign with a company.
Excluding Chang Jun, who already had a contract with an acting agency, the top four were inundated with people hoping to sign them. Jiang Mo Nan and Sheng Yan Yu were especially popular, with dozens of agencies already inquiring about them since the first round of rankings were announced.
But how can such a good thing exist in the world?
How could they let the people who were made famous by their show go to outsiders?
After hearing this analysis, the assistant director nodded in agreement: "I guess Mr. Lian came to participate in the program just like Xiao Wang said, hoping to re-sign Sheng Yanyu to the company."
"But Zaoxing Entertainment just launched a boy group last year. They shouldn't be launching new artists in such a short time. Wouldn't it be a waste of time for him to sign Sheng Yanyu back at this time?" The program producer expressed his confusion.
"Even if they don't promote new boy groups, they can still go solo. It's not like their company doesn't have solo singers."
The assistant director said, "What's more, with Sheng Yanyu's current popularity, joining the group will only increase his fanbase, which is not conducive to the group's development. To balance his popularity, the company can only suppress him and promote the others in the group, but isn't that putting the cart before the horse?"
The original intention was to sign the other party because of their popularity, and then to use their popularity to form a team and develop a group is extremely unwise. Therefore, if Star Entertainment intends to sign the person back, it can only be through a solo debut.
But what can be done about it? Not only the production team, but even the top management of Pineapple Video would not agree.
"So, should we just reject the guest appearance?"
"No. We can't refuse."
Everyone was a little surprised to hear the director's words out of the blue.
Zhuo Yanbin thought for a moment and said, "There's something I didn't tell you just now. In fact, in addition to our production team, Star Entertainment has also contacted the headquarters. They want to cooperate with our program and sign a contract to form the final debut group."
Hearing this, everyone was stunned.
"What?! Headquarters won't agree, right?"
"Of course not."
Zhuo Yanbin paused and said, "However, Star Creation is a major agency in the industry, and the headquarters doesn't want to make things too awkward. After all, many dramas on the platform are co-produced with their artists. So, regardless of anything else, we have to accept the guest appearance."
"As for whether they're trying to win over Sheng Yanyu, we can't control that. In principle, before officially forming a group and debuting, the contestants are all free agents. They have the right to decide their own future."
"But since Sheng Yanyu has left Zaoxing Entertainment, I don't think he'll look back given his personality."
After hearing the director's analysis, those who originally held opposing opinions stopped saying anything.
After all, since the headquarters has already agreed, it is not easy for them to object.
However, what the production team didn't expect was that the long-retired boss wasn't here just for Sheng Yanyu.
Holding the tablet, Lian Cheng clicked on the first episode of "Youth Project".
As soon as the video was opened, it was flooded with colorful comments.
[Jiang Mo Nan is so handsome (starry eyes)]
[I have to say, he really does look like Mo Bei. The more I look at him, the more similar he becomes.]
[Clicked, it's like they were carved from the same mold.]
[Stop trying to start a fight with the above person. Jiang Mo Nan is Jiang Mo Nan. He is not like anyone else.]
[(Shivering) We're just the little idiots, we wouldn't dare mess with the big guys. (Carry away.jpg)]
[Jiang Mo Nan's fans are really two-faced. Who was the person they said looked like Mo Bei during marketing? Now that he's famous, they've turned their backs on him?]
[Exactly! Why didn’t you say it was a scam when you were rubbing your face against your senior?]
[Oh my goodness! Fans never said we looked alike, it was just passersby saying that. They just patted their butts and walked away, leaving us to pick up the slop.]
[In all honesty, Jiang Monan isn't signed to a company. How could a poor amateur like him, who can't even afford to buy a lost phone, get the money for marketing? It's simply paid for by the production team to hype up the show.]
[Yes, yes, the marketing was paid for by the production team, there was no smear campaign, just yours truly is a perfect white lotus!]
[Okay, everyone, stop arguing. Can't you just watch the show quietly? I'm getting fed up with the passersby!]
[That's right, if you want to argue, go do it on Weibo, don't just spend all day on the barrage.]
Perhaps due to the protests of many bystanders watching the show, the fans and haters who were about to engage in a heated discussion in the comments finally stopped. Instead, the comments began to fill with all kinds of praise for the other contestants.
However, this harmonious scene did not last long. When Jiang Monan came on stage, some discordant remarks emerged again.
[And they say they're not just trying to cash in on the hype. They performed "Fearless" during the auditions and "Moving Forward" on the first stage, both of which are Mo Bei's songs. Aren't they just trying to cash in on the hype?]
[Everyone, get ready to laugh! The first episode's famous scene is coming.]
[Hahahaha zombie punk style POPPING!]
The look in their eyes confirmed that they were all people who had watched the segment of the show. In addition to fans who watched the show for the second time, there were also many people who clicked in to watch the fun because of the popular segment of the show.
However, for the "old man" who had been without internet for a while, Lian Cheng was just confused.
What's going on?
With doubt in his heart, he continued reading.
The face on the stage that looked like an old friend forced out a cold smile, then suddenly spoke:
"Excuse me, teachers. I just went to the hospital to get Botox a couple of days ago, so I can't make big expressions."
Lian Cheng:? ? ?
At the same time, the barrage was filled with various laughing emoticons and "hahahaha".
[(Laughing with a sidelong glance) Nan Nan's serious nonsense has even the haters believing him.]
[Don't get me wrong, we were just joking. A friend has already clarified that he has never been to the hospital for Botox.]
[(doge) How can an idol who is so poor that he has to borrow clothes and can’t even afford a cell phone possibly have the money to play that kind of thing?]
[Hahahaha, such a sad yet realistic reason.]
[I think he was just nervous and joking with the instructor because he felt the atmosphere was awkward.]
[It's really unheard of to create a black mark for yourself.]
Whether or not the public believed the fans' clarification, it's worth noting that Jiang Monan's words directly caused the first episode of the show to go viral. Not to mention his identical appearance to Mo Bei, which made "Youth Project" a hot topic and attracting attention.
Unlike the audience on the barrage who were just there to have fun, Lian Cheng had been frowning since Jiang Mo Nan appeared.
They look alike, very similar.
Not only their appearance, but also their manners and voices are highly similar.
When Jiang Mo Nan walked out just now, he even thought in a trance that Mo Bei had been resurrected.
Unlike others, he and Jiang Monan had been teammates for five years. During their time working overseas, they lived and ate together, appeared on shows together, and worked together.
Apart from Mo Bei's biological parents and his agent, perhaps only his former teammates are most familiar with him.
But how could there be such similar people in this world?
Is this an intentional imitation or just a coincidence?
With mixed feelings, Lian Cheng continued to read.
The song Jiang Mo Nan performed on his first stage was "Moving Forward." The moment he opened his mouth, that familiar, shuddering feeling came over him again.
Exactly the same.
Both the singing style and the voice were exactly the same as the Mo Bei he knew!
In addition, his dancing feeling is highly similar to that of Mo Bei back then.
The more Lian Cheng looked, the more frightened he became.
Many people online make money by imitating celebrities through live streaming, often with a striking resemblance to their looks. However, most of these imitations only scratch the surface, failing to replicate the underlying spirit.
But the Jiang Monan in front of him possessed a very similar charm to Mo Bei. This was no longer something that could be achieved through imitation.
In the video, the stage lights suddenly go out during the second half of the performance. Then, the figure, who had been moving smoothly, suddenly becomes stiff, a stark contrast to the previous stunning performance.
What happened? Was it a mistake?
Confused, Lian Cheng opened the barrage again. All he saw was a screen full of "Hahahaha" and "Zombie punk style POPPING."
Just when Lian Cheng was wondering what this new "zombie punk style POPPING" was, Jiang Mo Nan's performance ended.
He bowed to the instructors and said—
"Um... the last part was actually a dance style I created, 'Zombie Punk Popping'."
Seeing this scene, Lian Cheng was speechless.
Is this an attempt to make up for one's mistakes?
This way of lying for oneself without blushing or beating one's heart is somewhat similar to Mo Bei's.
Back then, the company was very strict about managing the body shapes of these idols. To avoid looking swollen on camera, they were forbidden from eating foods high in oil and salt, and they were also forbidden from consuming too much carbohydrates.
This kind of life is okay for a day or two, but it becomes very difficult to endure for a long time.
One time, he couldn't bear it anymore and wanted to go out for a barbecue, but he was worried about being scolded if he went alone, so he dragged Mo Bei and another teammate to the barbecue restaurant secretly.
He still remembers it to this day, that it was the most delicious barbecue he had ever had since his debut.
Although I enjoyed the meal, I was inevitably questioned by my agent when I got home.
So before going back, Mo Bei took them to the bathhouse and changed into new clothes to get rid of all the barbecue smell on their bodies before daring to go back.
After all this hassle, it was naturally late. When the agent asked them what they had been doing and why they came back so late, Mo Bei lied calmly and said that they had gone to the gym to exercise and came back after taking a shower, so they were late.
Seeing Mo Bei's sincere expression, the agent actually had no doubts.
Recovering from his drifting thoughts, the production staff arrived on stage, announcing a lighting malfunction and requesting a second chance for Jiang Monan to perform. However, this request was rejected by instructor An Junze, and Jiang Monan ultimately received only a C.
After watching Jiang Mo Nan's performance, Lian Cheng stopped watching the rest of the show.
"How many followers does Jiang Mo Nan have on Weibo now?"
The secretary was a little surprised to hear the boss's question, but she still answered obediently.
“He hasn’t opened a Weibo account yet.”
“???”
Lian Cheng looked incredulous. Not only the other contestants currently in the debut position, but even those ranked in the middle and lower ranks had Weibo accounts, but Jiang Monan, the top-place finisher, didn't have one? Was he trying to break into the entertainment industry?
The secretary coughed and said, "He said his phone was lost. He hasn't bought a new one because he can't use his phone for the show."
As he spoke, he couldn't help but complain in his heart: Shouldn't the boss be more concerned about Sheng Yanyu? Why is he suddenly asking about Jiang Mo Nan's Weibo followers? Could it be that he wants to sign Jiang Mo Nan as well?
Although this is indeed a good thing for the company, it is not certain that they will agree. Jiang Mo Nan is the number one after all, and I think many people in the industry have already contacted him.
As he was thinking, he heard his boss's voice again: "I want to sign Jiang Mo Nan to our company."
The secretary was stunned. "But didn't Pineapple refuse?"
"What was rejected was the group agreement, not the individual agreement."
Lian Cheng paused and said, "Didn't you say they've agreed to let me be a guest at the third round of performances? I'll meet with him and Sheng Yanyu then."
Upon hearing this, the secretary's face showed an expression of "as expected".
The boss really wanted to sign these two people to the company together.
"Oh, right. Can you please say hello to the production team for me? I want to be in the same group with Jiang Mo Nan for the guest performance segment."
secretary:"……"
secretary:"???"
Only then did the secretary realize that he had made a mistake from the beginning.
What his boss was really interested in was Jiang Mo Nan, not the former trainee Sheng Yanyu who had already left their company.
Actually, if you think about it carefully, it is not surprising that this kind of thing happened.
Jiang Monan looks so much like Mo Bei.
His boss had been a teammate of Mo Bei's for a while when they were young, and perhaps it was because of the sight that brought back memories. Now, seeing this face that was highly similar to Mo Bei's, he felt a sense of familiarity.
Thinking of this, the secretary couldn't help but pause.
Why do I suddenly feel a little bit good?
Lian Cheng had no idea what his secretary was thinking.
In fact, the reason why he volunteered to be a guest on "Youth Project" was purely impulsive.
He once thought that he and Mo Bei did not have a close relationship, but when Jiang Monan appeared, he couldn't help but want to take a closer look at him.
Maybe it was because he saw the shadow of an old friend in the other person, and he suddenly wanted to collaborate with the other person on stage.
He was one of the guest performers in Mo Bei's last concert before his death, which had not yet been held.
At that time, he had already retired behind the scenes and originally did not want to go on stage. However, under Mo Bei's cordial invitation, he finally agreed.
It’s a pity that the performance was ultimately not shown to the fans.
Perhaps he simply wanted to fulfill his unfinished regret, so he made this decision without much thought.
Of course, he also knew that Jiang Monan was Jiang Monan, and Mo Bei was Mo Bei. Even if they looked and sounded similar, they were completely different people.
Although he understood this intellectually, he couldn't completely detach himself from it emotionally.
Although this was somewhat selfish and perhaps unfair to Jiang Mo Nan, he had always been a person who followed his own will. He simply did whatever he thought of; this was his guiding principle.
What's more, with him, Mo Bei's "former teammate" joining, the third round of performances will definitely not be a problem for topics.
You have to know that the first rule of being in the entertainment industry is always to be talked about. Compared to being criticized and scolded, being ignored is actually the worst situation.
From this perspective, Jiang Monan will not suffer any loss by cooperating with him.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com