After sending away Wu Shui with his things, Xie Yang took a taxi to the nearest electrical appliance area to buy some needed equipment. He also filled his stomach on the way and then hurried back to the dormitory to take out his newly purchased laptop and arrange the songs written in his last life.
At 11 in the evening, he turned off his computer on time. He went to bed after washing and lay down. It was one night without dreams and Xie Yang continued to arrange the songs the next day.
At noon, Hu Biao called him and talked eloquently. He apologized, reassured him, cheered him on and told him to practice new songs, promising to bring him out.
Xie Yang had left the phone on the table in hands-free mode and gave perfunctory responses from time to time while his fingers flicked quickly on the keyboard. After more than 10 minutes, Hu Biao hung up. Xie Yang stopped the hand that was tapping on the keyboard, picked up the phone and opened Weibo, tapping into the IUD topic.
Hu Biao wouldn't call for no reason so something must've happened. Sure enough, the rhythm under Mo Bin's Weibo last night had already blown up.
The Master of Pen and Sword posted a few photos of Xie Yang leaving S City 's TV building with Ah Wen in the IUD topic and sneered: Look at his lively appearance. A sudden emergency? What a big joke. He just sucks! He is dragging his brothers behind! My friend said that the Hello Holiday team has a lot of opinions on IUD and feels that IUD doesn't respect the program at all. They won't invite IUD in the future!
Afterwards, Master of Pen and Sword also analyzed the photos of the illness certificates that Hu Biao previously sent. They said that Xie Yang in the photo only did a few ordinary checks and didn't even hang an IV. He wasn't sick at all!
Fans already had a lot of opinions on Xie Yang. Now they learned that Xie Yang had actually pretended to be sick and discredited IUD.
Xie Yang speculated that if Hu Biao hadn't planned to wait until IUD's fifth anniversary to open a Weibo for him, these fans would've scolded him onto the hot search. Still, it was estimated that the hot search wasn't far away. The moment these two Weibo posts came out, the fans' previous restrained resistance against him would become a crazy development. Then the internal contradictions of IUD would come out sooner or later.
The phone rang suddenly and a new text message was received.
Tong Jian: When will we meet?
Then there was another one.
Ke Lan: Do you really have a way to disband IUD in a successful and beautiful manner?
The mice had entered the cage.
Xie Yang smiled and called Wu Shui, asking him to find a place in B city that was more intimate and suitable for conversation. It was best if paparazzi couldn't get in and take sneak shots.
Wu Shui didn't even think about it before replying, "Century."
"Where is that?"
"It is a high-end club brand under Rongding. B City has three of them and there is a membership system. The membership verification is strict and there is an anti-videotaping system. Paparazzi definitely can't get in, let alone take sneak snots.
"Do you think I have a membership?"
Wu Shui was very straightforward. "You don't need a membership. You just need to ask-"
Xie Yang interrupted him. "Exchange places. Find one that doesn't need a membership."
Wu Shui choked up and replied in a dry voice, "However, I only know this place. I can't guarantee the security of other places."
"......" Xie Yang decided to accommodate the new assistant in charge of finding a house. He hung up and sent a text message to Qiu Xing: Borrow a Century membership.
Qiu Xing directly called him and asked, "Are you begging me for something?"
Xie Yang knew it. He didn't even blink as he replied, "Yes please."
There was an exaggerated laugh and the phone was suddenly hung up. Five minutes later, He Jun sent a box number of the Century Club and said it was Qiu Xing's reserved box. Xie Yang could use Qiu Xing's black card and use it as he wanted.
The satisfied Xie Yang forwarded the address to Tong Jian and Ke Lan, asking them to have lunch at the club tomorrow. Then he put down his phone and continued to organize the music.
That evening, the Hello Holiday program officials released a teaser video of the next episode. The general sleepwalking performance of Xie Yang made the IUD fans violent again. It also disappointed passersby who were attracted by the gimmick of the new IUD's first appearance.
The matter of Xie Yang pretending to be sick while taking advantage of IUD successfully became hot. There were endless remarks resisting and questioning Xie Yang. It was unknown when but the topic #IUD Self-destructing# appeared on the hot search.
Hu Biao was so angry that he called Mo Bin. The two of them talked for 10 minutes before finally breaking up.
The next morning when Xie Yang went out, he actually encountered paparazzi. He was surrounded by several reporters the moment he left the gate and microphones and recording devices almost poked him in the face.
"Xie Yang, I heard that you pretended to be sick to escape the program recording. Is this true?"
"Xie Yang, there are rumours that you entered IUD through the back door. What do you think about this rumour?"
"Xie Yang, everyone is curious about how you signed with IUD without any trainee experience. Do you have anything to say about this?"
"I heard that you don't get along with the members of IUD. Is this true?"
Xie Yang flexibly moved sideways to drill out of a gap between two reporters. He raised his hand to tidy up his hat and retreated backwards while looking at the reporter who asked the last question. He replied, "It's false. I'm going to eat with my seniors now." Then he turned and took a few steps to Wu Shui's car, opening the door to go in.
Wu Shui immediately started the car and left the reporters behind.
Xie Yang took off his backpack and hat. "It is really easy to have an assistant." Then he patted the car seat under him and asked, "Where did this come from?"
"President Qiu let you borrow it. His garage is full and he needs to make room, so he let me drive this for you. He also said... this is the worst car in the garage and is the most suitable for you."
Xie Yang glanced at Wu Shui with a smile. "You call him President Qiu Xing?"
Wu Shui replied solemnly, "In the future, my boss is only you."
"Then who pays your salary?"
"...President Qiu."
Xie Yang smiled silently and took out his phone to send a text message to Qiu Xing: Thank you.
Qiu Xing quickly replied: Double the car rental fee.
Xie Yang asked: Is there WeChat?"
It was silent for some time before a QR code image was sent over. Xie Yang scanned the WeChat code and an account with the name 'Qiu Xing' appeared. Xie Yang chose to add it as a friend and the other side quickly accepted. Xie Yang immediately sent one yuan with the note: car rental fee.
Qiu Xing was angry and pulled Xie Yang into the blacklist. Xie Yang added him again. This time, Qiu Xing didn't accept.
Xie Yang put down his phone and told Wu Shui, "Your boss is so cute."
Wu Shui was scared.
Xie Yang raised his eyebrows. "Your boss is now me. I'm praising myself for being cute. Why are you scared like this? Or do you have an opinion on my compliment?"
"No no no, I have no opinion." Wu Shui gripped the steering wheel and suddenly understood why Zhou Miao started drinking self-cultivation tea recently. He wanted to have a cup of that tea right now.
Half an hour later, the car arrived at the Century Club. Xie Yang took the special driveway into the club's parking lot, got on the special elevator to the top floor of the club and was finally led to a box by a dedicated waiter.
Tong Jian and Ke Lan had already arrived and the two of them sat silently on the sofa, showing strange expressions once Xie Yang came in.
Xie Yang understood after one second and explained, "Don't get me wrong, I'm not a rich and powerful second generation person. I found someone to borrow this place since it is more convenient for us to talk."
Tong Jian had a loose tongue and he retorted, "Cheating ghost. How can this place be easy to borrow-"
Ke Lan hurriedly pulled Tong Jian and motioned for him to shut up. Then Ke Lan glanced at Xie Yang and stated, "Xie Yang, I'm sorry about the misunderstanding over your resource. Tong Tong and I-"
"Don't mention the resource misunderstanding. I asked you to come out this time to discuss cooperation." Xie Yang indicated in the direction of the restaurant. "Shall we eat while talking?"
Ke Lan and Tong Jian exchanged looks and nodded.
The box was very large, with a total of five rooms and three corridors. The three people left the meeting room and went to the dining room. The waiter brought the hot pot ordered by Xie Yang in advance and then left, closing the door gently behind him.
Tong Jian and Ke Lan obviously had no appetite. Xie Yang placed the food in the pot and got to the point. "There is no doubt. I am 100% certain that IUD can be disbanded in a beautiful way with none of you carrying the blame. Of course, this doesn't include Mo Bin. He wanted to pit me and it doesn't make sense for me to help him."
Tong Jian and Ke Lan's expressions changed and Ke Lan clenched his fists. "So you... know about all that?"
"The rhythm on Weibo is so obvious that it is hard not to know." Xie Yang picked up a cooked piece of meat and rolled it gently in the dipping sauce. "I'm not afraid of Mo Bin's small movements. In fact, if Tong Jian hadn't sent me a message to cooperate then IUD would've already been mocked all over the Internet. You just have to be clear about one thing. This cooperation is me throwing a lifeline to you and you don't have much capital to talk about conditions. Add the text messages that Tong Jian previously sent me and there is no other path to go."
Tong Jian hit the table with regret. Ke Lan was much calmer than Tong Jian. From the moment he decided to go against Mo Bin, he was ready to break the ship. Now that Xie Yang blocked his back road of retreat, he was more determined.
"Let's talk about cooperation."
Xie Yang emphasized, "If you really want to cooperate, my price won't be low."
Tong Jian was a step ahead of Ke Lan. "If you can really make IUD split up in a beautiful manner, I am willing to give you all my assets... let me kneel to apologize to you and call you Brother!"
"I don't want a brainless little brother like you." Xie Yang spoke while watching Ke Lan.
Ke Lan was silent for two seconds before replying, "I am the same as Tong Tong." Then he added, "This is on the premise that you can really do what you say. The beautiful scenery that Tong Tong and I demand is the real scenery. Do you understand?"
"As beautiful as when IUD was born? Is that enough?"
Ke Lan stopped breathing and Tong Jian sat upright. Then the two of them looked down in a dejected manner and Ke Lan shook his head. "No, don't do that. It is too hard. Although you seem to be rich and have a background, there are some things money can't buy. After Chenhao left, Mo Bin became the only one in the group who could compose music. The five year anniversary performance is soon but Mo Bin threatened-"
Xie Yang took out some sheet music from his backpack and handed it to the two men. "Take a look."
Ke Lan and Tong Jian gathered together to read the score while Xie Yang leisurely ate. A minute later, Tong Jian couldn't help humming. Two minutes later, the score came to an abrupt end.
Ke Lan and Tong Jian flipped it over in unison and after making sure it was indeed finished, they looked up at Xie Yang together. Tong Jian couldn't hold back his emotions and leaned over anxiously. "Xie Yang, where did you get this? Which composer's work is it?"
After the excitement, Ke Lan also showed a hesitant expression and didn't speak. The song looked great just with the parts available but...
Xie Yang put down his chopsticks, drank his juice and replied, "IUD has always sung their own songs. Now that I'm a new member of IUD, the one I took out to show you is naturally my own work."
Ke Lan and Tong Jian were really shocked, "You can write music?!"
"Yes, it's very good as well." Xie Yang had never been humble in such matters. He put down the juice and looked at the two people. "I can make IUD's last song or album a classic, letting everyone's last memory of IUD be the dazzling appearance of you on stage rather than the internal contradictions of the team members but I'm not doing charity."
Ke Lan held back the anxious Tong Jian. "What do you want?"
The mice had been hooked to death by the bait.
Xie Yang leaned back against his chair and stared into their eyes. "I want you to sign to my company when the contract with Wenyi expires. The signing duration is 20 years."
Tong Jian was stunned. "20 years? Are you crazy? What is the difference between signing and selling ourselves?"
"I'm not crazy. As I said earlier, you have no capital to talk about the conditions and there is no escape route. Now there are only two roads before you. Either you push this away and watch the IUD brand die due to Mo Bin, ruining your past and future, or you and I will cooperate to give IUD a good ending and then work alone for a glorious 20 years. You choose it yourself."
Ke Lan and Tong Jian were silent. Indeed, they had no retreat. A few minutes later, Tong Jian gritted his teeth and picked up the score on the table. He whispered, "Brother, I want to sing this song. IUD needs it."
Ke Lan closed his eyes.
He wanted to sing. This song was too amazing and ahead of the times. After it was released, it could take off IUD's flash in a pan title in one fell swoop and move countless fans. He also knew that he had no way to go back. Compared with Tong Jian, his abilities were mediocre. It would be difficult for him to find a good development after the disbandment of IUD.
However, 20 years. This was almost half a lifetime. Was it really necessary to arrange 20 years of life due to his present conscience?
"Ke Lan, you want to act, don't you?"
Ke Lan's heart was shocked and he looked up at Xie Yang.
"What is it so unexpected? I've seen your interviews and learned a bit about your affairs." Xie Yang took off his previous toughness and started the gentleness. "I signed you not to crush you but to make money from you. Tong Jian's voice is special and his singing skills are excellent. I only need one album and I can make him hot, completely getting rid of the intangible limitations of the IUD frame on him. Ke Lan, you can sing well but your tone is ordinary. You can write words and do arrangements but this is behind-the-scenes work. Only your face can support you in front of the stage, so I will definitely develop the value of your face to the greatest extent possible. You studied acting at university so I am willing to pay for it all. In any case, my plan for your career will definitely be based on respecting your wishes."
This image was so beautiful that Tong Jian couldn't help pulling Ke Lan. "Brother Lan, it is acting. You can always act without being a host."
Ke Lan barely suppressed his heart. "But..."
"Brother Lan, what else is it? You can work hard if you sign with Xie Yang. If you don't sign, you will have to live for a lifetime wearing a hat that you crowded out a newcomer. Think about what we saw and heard on the way to the box..."
Xie Yang's eyes moved toward Tong Jian. What they saw and heard?
In this critical moment, Tong Jian grasped the key point. Ke Lan was reminded about the discussions of the 'little boss' they heard when they entered Century and his shaky heart instantly became firm. A person who could be called a 'little boss' by Century's top management would definitely have a good background.
"Okay, I'll sign with you." He made up his mind. "Tong Jian and I have signed a five year contract with Wenyi which expires in November of this year. Then I will sign with you-"
Xie Yang hurriedly interrupted. "This isn't urgent. My company hasn't been built yet and I have to talk to Wenyi about cancelling my contract."
Tong Jian and Ke Lan exclaimed simultaneously with the same voice, "Your company hasn't been built?!"
"Not built." Xie Yang fished out the meat slices without any pressure. "So our words are just a verbal promise for the time being but I believe in your character. Okay, let's eat. We need to make a good plan for IUD and we can talk while eating."
Tong Jian and Ke Lan, "......"
***
"Hahaha."
Qiu Xing suddenly burst out laughing during a meeting, causing the head of the department making the report to be directly scared and speechless.
After discovering that everyone had looked over, Qiu Xing's expression changed in an instant. He took off the Bluetooth headset, covered the laptop in front of him and asked, "Why are you looking at what I'm doing?" Then he picked up the planning book next to the laptop, flipped through it and threw it away. "Why are you writing so terribly? Meanwhile, a 20 year old university student is talking about business. Redo this set of plans and submit a new one three days later. " Then he got up and left the meeting room.
Hu Jun hurried to put away the laptop and materials that Qiu Xing had just used. Then he said farewell to everyone and left. The others secretly looked at Qiu Jingbang, the one who presented the plan. They saw that his face was purple-black and were so scared that they retracted their gaze and left.
"It's too bad. How many projects of Vice-president Qiu have been killed?"
"Shh, don't say it."
Bang!
Qiu Jingbang couldn't help smashing his water glass.
After returning to his office, Qiu Xing took out his phone and sent a friend request to Xie Yang on WeChat. He Jun entered the office a few steps behind, placing the laptop and materials on the desk before whispering a report about how Qiu Jingbang had smashed the glass.
Qiu Xing sneered. "Let him smash it. He wants to grab power before I die. It is true that Rongding must be inherited from someone in the family but a cousin who is separate from the family...how can he eat it?!"
A few seconds later, Xie Yang's acceptance was received.
Qiu Xing: Eat tomorrow night.
Xie Yang: There is no time. I'm starting school and have to go to school.
Qiu Xing's mouth was pulled down as he stared at his phone for a while. Then he suddenly ordered He Jun, "Have people turn off the air conditioning at Century. Since there is no time to eat with me, don't eat."
He Jun, "....."
A pleasant hot pot meal was forced to be interrupted due to a sudden circuit failure at Century. Xie Yang silently watched the manager apologizing and said nothing. He ate all the hot pot ingredients in the gradually hot temperature and told Tong Jian and Ke Lan to leave.
After reaching the outer corridor, Xie Yang noticed that the monitor indicator light of the camera in the corridor was on. He stepped toward it and raised his middle finger to the monitor.
What was wrong with the circuit? This was obviously someone's brain failure.
Bang!
Qiu Xing, who had been using his administrator rights to view Century's monitoring, slammed his laptop shut.
***