Chapter 16

Shen Mingzheng: ...

He was skeptical about this theory and felt that what Su Ning said was really abstruse.

"We have to give it a try anyway," Su Ning looked at him, and just happened to meet his eyes. He smiled again, "Mr. Shen, please trust me this time."

Shen Mingzheng didn't answer.

Of course, everyone can say nice things, and from his perspective, he really hoped that Su Ning would make this deal. So he asked Chen Tao to compile a copy of Liang Xiaoliang's information and send it to Su Ning.

As a special assistant of Chen Tao's status, he can collect a lot of information that others cannot find.

In fact, things did not go smoothly after they arrived in Guijiang.

The threshold of Qilin Entertainment is really high. Mr. Liang first made excuses to avoid them. He must be very clear about why they came here, and he was annoyed by Guangying Entertainment's previous behavior. So even if Chen Tao, who has a wide network of contacts, went to look for them in person, it was useless.

The other party's secretary was very polite, but when asked, he said that President Liang was not in. He kept saying this until the afternoon. People from Qilin Company left work one after another. Su Ning drank tea in the reception room on the first floor of the company in the afternoon, from dawn to dusk, but did not see anyone.

He could sit still.

But to Su Ning's surprise, Shen Mingzheng did not leave either. He waited there for Special Assistant Chen to come back. Not long after, he set up a laptop beside him and started flipping through the workbook he brought from the car.

In addition to the investment matters, he has a lot of other work to do.

Su Ning did not interrupt. Knowing that he would hit a wall, he simply sat there and did his own thing, looking at the information collected by Chen Tao. He also asked Qilin to borrow a pen to take notes. The environment in this waiting room was not bad, and the two of them were quite harmonious.

As the sky gradually darkened, Su Ning stretched out his arms, propped up his face, and looked at him, saying, "Mr. Shen, are you waiting for me here? Is that so nice?"

"I brought you here," Shen Mingzheng said without raising his head. "Didn't you say you had no money? I'll send you back if that doesn't work. I can also send you back so that I can report to Chen Yuan."

The young master, who looks bright and beautiful but actually has no time or money, was a little moved.

There was no trace of anger or sadness on his face, and he said, "Then I'll treat Mr. Shen to a meal. I can't always take advantage of you. Haicheng is a food desert, and Guijiang has a lot of delicious food. Don't worry, I still have money for a meal."

Shen Mingzheng thought for a moment and put away his computer: "Where to go?"

Su Ning pointed to the opposite side.

There is a well-known Sichuan restaurant diagonally opposite Qilin Company. I don’t know why this Sichuan restaurant, which is famous for its innovative and spicy flavor, is opened opposite the company of idols who need to maintain their figure. However, the decoration is very good, and you can see the river view from the seat near the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Su Ning brought Shen Mingzheng and special assistant Chen in, and then chose the best seat by the window. That place was a corner, and the screen was pulled to cover Su Ning's face, which was very popular and easily watched.

After he sat down, he slowly flipped through the menu, seemingly in no hurry.

Seeing this, Chen Tao said in a comforting voice: "Good things take time. It doesn't matter. At most, you can stay here for one night and go again tomorrow. You will always be able to see someone."

Su Ning waved his hand and said, "Let's eat first." He ordered the dishes very familiarly and asked for four sets of bowls and chopsticks, as if he had prepared everything in advance.

When the dishes were halfway served, Su Ning looked at the time and stared at the door until he saw someone coming in. He stood up and called out with a smile, "Mr. Liang, what a coincidence."

Liang Xiaoliang, who weighed more than 200 pounds and had not been seen for the whole afternoon, stood there like a mountain, unable to hide, and stared at them.

"You..." Liang Xiaoliang stared at him, "Su Ning? You've become so capable now, you're following me?"

"What did Mr. Liang say? I have been sitting in the reception room of Qilin waiting for you today," Su Ning waved his hand and said bluntly, "I just followed your account on social networks. Mr. Liang's hobbies are very similar. In addition to forwarding company matters, he also likes delicacies from all over the world."

"I saw that you usually eat here on Mondays and you like the window seats. I took a lot of photos and posted them online, so I made a reservation. I didn't expect it to be such a coincidence that I ran into you. I'm really lucky. How about we chat while we eat? It won't waste your time."

Liang Xiaoliang: “…”

He glanced at the people at the table and wanted to turn around and leave, but he didn't.

The people in front of him are not unknown in the circle, especially the one from the Shen family. He had heard rumors about him before, but had never seen him in person.

Before we met, I could use being busy with work as an excuse to push it back, but now that we have met and I am turning away, that is another matter.

Seeing the current situation, he stood there for a while and had to sit down.

The restaurant had a square counter, and the four people could sit on each side. Liang Xiaoliang adjusted his mood quickly, and since they were all seated, he didn't keep a sullen face all the time.

He glanced at Su Ning, then at Shen Mingzheng, and politely called out, "Mr. Shen, I've heard of your name for a long time." Then he picked up the chopsticks and put a spoonful of spicy chicken shreds in his bowl, and said to Su Ning, "I know why you became famous before."

Su Ning: "What do you mean?"

Liang Xiaoliang looked at his face carefully again: "The camera used in the live broadcast this morning took a mediocre picture of you, not as good as the real person. If you want to join Qilin and make your debut seriously, I will go to Haicheng to pick you up in person, so you don't have to bother coming here."

The spicy shredded chicken in this restaurant today is delicious, it is the signature dish. Since he is here, he might as well make the best of it. Liang Xiaoliang took a few bites to fill his stomach, and his tone of voice became much better.

Su Ning also started to eat, and did not forget to pick up food for Shen Mingzheng and Chen Tao. He honestly followed the principle of eating and chatting, and replied: "I am not that kind of person, and Mr. Liang knows that. This is not why I came to you this time."

"I know. Chen Yuan told me that she wanted Qilin to send someone to fill your vacancy," Liang Xiaoliang waved his hand, scooped another spoonful of hot pepper fried pork and poured it skillfully on the rice, then stuffed a large spoonful into his mouth, chewed and swallowed it, and then continued, "I watched the live broadcast. It was a good choice for you to withdraw from the competition. The replacement match plan you proposed is also interesting."

"Director Chen and I are old acquaintances, and I don't want to offend her, but to be honest, this really doesn't make any sense to Qilin. I think you just have to deal with it on your own."

Su Ning said "Oh" but didn't refute immediately. They ate quietly for a while. When the ordered drink, iced sour plum soup, was served, he naturally took it and evenly divided it into four cups. He replied, "Why is it meaningless?"

Liang Xiaoliang said bluntly: "The quality of the trainees in the fourth picture is indeed okay, but compared to the traffic brought by Qilin, it is nothing. For our company, it is a bit embarrassing to compare with them. I let them go and just go through the process and then debut. It's not difficult."

“So, it’s meaningless.”

Qilin has never participated in any outside talent shows. It's a kind of arrogance, a kind of self-confidence, and a kind of status that cannot be given up.

Su Ning said "Oh", and put the drink cups in front of the four people, saying: "Does Mr. Liang think so? But now, Qilin may not be the number one in the industry."

Liang Xiaoliang was not angry. He snorted as if he had heard a joke and replied, "Nonsense. You are trying to provoke me, right? Su Ning, this has no effect on me."

Su Ning did not refute directly, but was silent for a while, slowly took two sips of the drink, and changed the subject: "Light and Shadow Entertainment also has a place in the resurrection challenge match. We plan to let Li Chu participate, and he agreed."

When this name was mentioned, Liang Xiaoliang had an obvious special reaction, and the chopsticks he was using to pick up food paused.

Su Ning had discovered this when he looked at Li Chu's information before. He was the one Su Hongda poached at the time, and was also the person Qilin wanted to sign but failed to do so. Liang Xiaoliang still remembers this and is still feeling resentful about it.

When he spoke again, his voice suddenly turned cold: "What about Li Chu? I haven't settled the bill with you yet."

"You guys at Lighting Entertainment don't follow the rules. I was the first one to spot him when he first came back to China. Your people knew his family was in debt, so they promised him a signing fee of $500,000 and said they would help him debut as soon as possible. They were even willing to write this into the contract, and they lied to him, saying that as long as he had the talent, it wouldn't matter where he debuted. And they snatched him away."

When talking about this matter, Liang Xiaoliang became very angry and glared at Su Ning, thinking that he was just adding fuel to the fire.

Guangying Entertainment did pay a signing fee of 500,000 yuan, but it was not enough to pay off the debts of Li Chu and Zhou Chunqing's families, so they paid it back right away.

As for making his debut as soon as possible, Li Chu was really deceived by the terms in the contract. Perhaps it was because he had received 500,000 yuan that the young Li Chu relaxed his vigilance. He only read the content at the beginning and did not carefully distinguish the "force majeure" and "special circumstances" mentioned in the disclaimer of light and shadow entertainment at the end, so he had nowhere to turn to.

This is what Li Chu experienced at the time. The internal document that Su Ning saw was written quite obscurely, but he knew it at a glance. Chen Yuan also mentioned this matter.

Facing his sudden emotion, Su Ning responded calmly: "Light and Shadow Entertainment is not a good person. I know what my uncle is like better than you, Mr. Liang."

"But even if Li Chu signs with Qilin, will he get what he wants and everything will go smoothly? I don't think so."

Liang Xiaoliang retorted: "That's better than your company."

Although he said so, he also knew in his heart that Li Chu did have good potential, but facing his desire to debut quickly, Qilin could not make a promise.

In other words, even if Li Chu signed with Qilin, he should still be in the trainee stage. He is still young and has been in the industry for too short a time, so he needs more experience. Any normal businessman would think so.

At this time, Su Ning also had something to say: "Mr. Liang, I can see that you admire Li Chu very much. I believe that Qilin definitely does not lack this 500,000 yuan, and even you personally do not lack this 500,000 yuan. But compared to these, you also felt that the most important thing at the time was not to break this exception, right?"

He is right.

There are many talented and gifted trainees in Qilin. Li Chu is excellent, but in the eyes of Liang Xiaoliang, who has promoted many people, he is not excellent enough to be given an exception.

The other trainees who chose to sign contracts were not bad either, and there were even many people in the company who signed contracts at the expense of others.

Five hundred thousand is indeed nothing, it is just a small amount for Qilin, but what will the other trainees think after this money is given? How will they view such unfairness? Can they still maintain their mental balance? Can they still persevere like this? Li Chu gave five hundred thousand and set a precedent. What if the next person who signed in asked for one million?

Kirin signs quite a few trainees every year. These people have a very hard life before their debut, with a monthly salary of only two to three thousand. The legend of top idols earning over 100 million yuan a year is just a dream after their debut.

It is precisely because of this vision that those trainees work so hard and contribute one miracle after another to this idol company. Even if they do not make their debut in the end, the two or three thousand yuan salary of Kirin is "more noble" than that of the small idols of ordinary companies who have already debuted.

"Because of such nobility, or pride, only Qilin has ever chosen, so there is no reason for him to chase after people and give them money, right?"

Su Ning continued, "So the company's top management disagreed and was unwilling to engage in a price war with Guangying Entertainment. The loss of Li Chu is a pity, but compared with the high standards that the company has always adhered to, it is of course not worth mentioning."

"So what?"

Liang Xiaoliang lifted up the bowl and gulped down a big mouthful of lotus root soup, then put the bowl down on the table with a thump and asked, "What do you mean by saying so much? Why can't I, Qilin, turn around without a Li Chu? We have plenty of people in our company."

"Of course not," Su Ning motioned him to sit down and gave him another bowl of soup to calm him down. He then said something even more infuriating, "But Mr. Liang, if Qilin really participates in the competition, he probably won't win this time."

Chen Tao's hands were shaking as he picked up the food, and he signaled him to shut up with his eyes, but Su Ning was fearless and continued to input.

"I've seen the trainee videos posted by the Qilin official account. Your company is going to launch a new four-member group in two months. The top four trainees are preparing to debut. They will definitely not participate in the competition. The rest are not as good as Li Chu."

"And I dare say that it will be difficult for Qilin to find a trainee like Li Chu in the future."

Liang Xiaoliang had indeed met Li Chu. From Su Ning's professional perspective, he could not refute this statement with full justification.

Li Chu was already very outstanding when he just returned to China. If he had been properly trained, he would have been even better. In terms of other aspects of light and shadow entertainment, he is not as good as Qilin, but in recent years he has become famous for his willingness to spend money.

Therefore, Su Ning was able to speak out his subsequent words more smoothly under his not-so-friendly gaze.

"I'm not trying to alarm you. You know the current state of the industry better than I do. Various talent shows have been popular for four years now, and they are becoming more and more formal. There are more choices for talented people. Qilin is no longer the only one. Even traditional film and television production companies like our Guangying Entertainment can't help but pay a price to snatch people. The operation of major video platforms is also becoming more and more handy."

“The talent shows from the past two years can be said to have reached their peak right after their debut, and they were no match for the long-lasting idols from your group Kirin. However, the new albums from the talent shows that debuted last year have already beaten Kirin’s popular idols and successfully topped the charts.

“Kirin is still the industry leader today, but it’s hard to say what it will be like in a few years.”

"Times have changed, Mr. Liang."

"The idol industry is changing rapidly, and those who don't change will be abandoned. Do you really not consider the future of the company?"

Shen Mingzheng: ...

His hand holding the chopsticks stopped for a long while, because he had just heard these words not long ago - from a video of Liang Xiaoliang's youth.

Su Ning...really learning and applying what you have learned.

Liang Xiaoliang was silent for a while, then he poked the plum tomatoes in the dessert plate in front of him with his chopsticks, making them mush, and then he stood up with a "whoosh".

But he just stood up and didn't leave.

When the next dish, wild pepper beef, was served, he stared at Su Ning for a long time, then sat down with a "wow".

"It's okay. We're not in a hurry. Mr. Liang can take his time to think about it," Su Ning said leisurely, and greeted others, "This signature dish is just perfect. Mr. Shen, would you like to try it?"

He stopped at the right time, as if he had pushed things to a climax and then stopped abruptly, and did not say anything more about the matter.

Su Ning looked like he was really hungry, and he ate his meal seriously afterwards. But Liang Xiaoliang sat down and couldn't help but think about it.

He understood what Su Ning was talking about. He had thought about these things before.

Kirin has very strict requirements for trainees, and the chance of debut is only one in a hundred. It is because of its position as the number one in the industry that countless young people can grit their teeth and endure. Therefore, Kirin's arrogance is necessary, just like luxury goods must maintain their style to attract people.

But is it right to always be like this?

What happened to Li Chu before has always been a thorn in his heart. Now it was brought up by Su Ning, and it spread from small to large to affect more aspects.

Liang Xiaoliang hates people who stick to the old ways the most, but he suddenly realizes that he seems to be getting older and has unconsciously fallen into the trap of sticking to the old ways.

He was a smart man, and there was no need for Su Ning to say much about the rest. As long as he gave a start, he could figure it out on his own.

If Qilin really wants to try, the current qualifying round of Idol Star Map Season 4 is the best choice.

First, the timing is right and the opportunity is right now. Second, the situation of this qualifying match is special. It is right before the final, which is unique in the draft model in recent years. If Qilin participates, it will not be too embarrassing.

Chen Yuan had said something similar to the above to him, but her perspective was just to encourage him to give his trainees more hope.

Those mobilized by Guangying Entertainment are even more like jumping clowns. Chen Yuan's rhetoric can beat them, but this cannot completely impress him, because he does not care about these so-called "benefits".

Liang Xiaoliang had been through many business negotiations and was familiar with many of the tricks. He knew that Su Ning was taking a different approach and not talking about the benefits at all, which was exacerbating his sense of crisis.

But he emphasized one thing, that Li Chu was in the competition, which was very important, so even though Mr. Liang knew the routine well, he would still look askance at this matter, and then he was taken away by Su Ning.

Then he thought more.

Li Chu's qualifications are good on the one hand, but the most important thing is that this person who rejected Qilin's offer is somewhat famous in the company's intern circle. Many people in the company privately discussed his switch to Guangying Entertainment. Although there was no news after he went there, the 500,000 yuan was real money, especially after Guangying Entertainment invested in the four major hits of Ou Tu, there was a period of time when they were very willing to spend money on Su Ning, from buying the APP opening screen to various marketing accounts.

Although this person gradually fell from grace and lost fans, it was all Su Ning's own fault. If he was replaced by someone with real ability and moral integrity, would he be able to continue to be popular?

The trainees were all shaken.

The reason why Liang Xiaoliang really felt a sense of crisis was that he knew for sure that some interns had been discussing privately recently, and some had even been tempted to run away.

Is Qilin still the best choice now? Without good seedlings, can Qilin maintain such a good situation?

If this time they really compete with Li Chu, and the trainee sent by Qilin really defeats the opponent, this result will explain everything to everyone.

——No matter how talented a person is, he is nothing without Qilin.

As a businessman, Liang Xiaoliang knows that rather than giving interns hope and opportunities, what is more important is to give people a warning.

The way to control others is to use both kindness and severity.

It sounds cruel and inhumane, but it is perhaps these very cold facts that most impress a businessman like him.

Liang Xiaoliang had thought about this matter a lot, and the meal was almost over.

It's not that he hadn't thought about this problem before, but he was often confused by the situation and was often stuck in it. Now Su Ning pointed it out to him, and he suddenly became enlightened.

Su Ning ordered a table of signature dishes. Liang Xiaoliang's 200 pounds of flesh were not in vain, as more than half of the dishes went into his stomach. Su Ning was really hungry after a day, and he ate a lot in a very unpresentable manner.

On the other hand, Mr. Shen ate very slowly, and his eating habits were almost the same as those of a celebrity who had to appear on camera. There was not much on the bone plate in front of him.

Su Ning noticed it.

He stayed with Shen Mingzheng almost the whole day and knew that the other party had not eaten much all day, so while Liang Xiaoliang was thinking, he thought about it and went out for a while. After a while, the waiter brought the last dessert and then a hot steamed dish.

Liang Xiaoliang was just about to talk about business when his attention was suddenly drawn to something. He asked, "Wait, what is this? I've been eating here for two years, why haven't I seen this before?"

Su Ning explained, "I just asked the chef to make it. It's just a simple yam cake. The owner of this shop insists on making fresh food. I saw the dishes on the menu and thought they should have the ingredients in the kitchen, so I went over and asked them to add a dish."

There was a thin layer of sweet osmanthus sauce on the jade-white yam cake, which was still warm. Liang Xiaoliang was full, but after a glance, he felt that he could still eat a little more. Then he saw Su Ning turned around and said to Shen Mingzheng, "I think Mr. Shen has a poor appetite and may not be used to it. This is my problem. Do you want to try this?"

Liang Xiaoliang: …

You didn't do this for me?

He didn't expect that Su Ning was still paying attention to whether other people at the table had eaten well. He really didn't treat this as a business negotiation. It was as if it was a gathering of old friends, and eating well was the top priority.

Shen Mingzheng has never had much appetite, and the main reason he didn't eat much was because his mind was not on this. He was stunned for a moment when he heard this, but still reached out and took a piece.

After taking a bite, the pastry tastes light and not sweet, and it warms the stomach. It is really comfortable to eat this in the slightly cool weather of early autumn.

He nodded, looked at Su Ning and said, "Okay."

A large portion of pastry was made, which was enough for everyone to make dessert after the meal. After the owner tasted it, Liang Xiaoliang looked reserved for a moment, then stretched out his chopsticks and stuffed three small pieces of yam cake. He was very satisfied and said to Su Ning before leaving. : "I will seriously consider this matter. I will contact Chen Yuan after discussing it with other shareholders of the company."

"Master Su, can we add a contact method?"

Su Ning is an interesting person and is worth getting along with.

He thought to himself.

From that moment on, Liang Xiaoliang had made his decision.