CEO's Sweetheart is a Super Idol
Chapter 65 - 63: The Mastermind Behind the Scenes

Chapter 65: Chapter 63: The Mastermind Behind the Scenes

Tencent Building, 22nd Floor

Yang Xiaoyue arrived here under the guidance of a secretary.

Due to her insufficient status, she did not have the authority to enter this floor.

"Mr. Wan, hello." Yang Xiaoyue showed great respect toward the man in front of her, whose appearance was ordinary but exuded an air of efficiency from head to toe.

This man was the chief executive officer responsible for the entertainment sector within the "Tencent Empire," and was also the true planner behind this program.

"Xiaoyue, please have a seat." Wan Kai offered a restrained yet polite smile. Being just over forty and in charge of a department with an annual investment of billions, he naturally carried a sense of pride.

The planning of this girl group selection program was actually an important step in his strategy to establish a "pan-entertainment ecosystem" centered around intellectual property (IP).

The core of the entertainment industry lies in "celebrities"—once you control the stars, you can dominate film, variety shows, and related industries. This program was an experiment in manufacturing celebrities on a production line.

"Mr. Wan, all other aspects of the project have been finalized. What I lack on my end now are qualified trainees," Yang Xiaoyue said with a smile.

"You still haven’t found the trainees you need? Over the past month, your team has seen tens of thousands of people," Wan Kai frowned.

"We’ve seen plenty of people, but their skills fall short. So, I still prefer sourcing from professional schools," Yang Xiaoyue said, clearly presenting a different stance from what she had shared during official meetings.

Obviously, she was also concerned about the quality of the trainees. However, in public meetings, she had to align with the company’s position.

"Xiaoyue, we’ve discussed this matter countless times."

"The company does not require highly skilled individuals. We need individuals with broad public appeal. The purpose of this program is to create ’assembly-line celebrities,’ and their performing careers only need to last two to three years."

Wan Kai patiently reiterated his point.

"Mr. Wan, I understand the company’s perspective, but we also need to consider the presentation quality of the program. Without individuals who can ’command the stage,’ the show’s caliber will be undermined."

"Haven’t you found a single competent group?"

"No, the technical level of these girl groups is truly disappointing. Though there are a few decent ones, their respective companies refuse to release them due to our proposed terms."

Hearing Yang Xiaoyue’s statement, Wan Kai understood her true intent.

"The contract terms cannot be changed. The company won’t make concessions that benefit others, as this is a matter of core interests. Xiaoyue, I need you to understand one thing—you are merely the director."

"I’m sorry, Mr. Wan, I overstepped," Yang Xiaoyue immediately apologized.

In truth, she had anticipated this result. For her, a successful program was what mattered most. Whether Tencent’s interests were affected was unrelated to her personal achievements.

"Director Yang, the company has also considered your suggestions. We’ve already reached an agreement with Yuehua Entertainment Company; they will send participants to join the program."

"Yuehua Entertainment? Is it the Milky Way Girl Group?"

"Yes, though the members will be domestic trainees. Two girls who debuted in a nearby island nation will lead the team and ensure it stands out."

Hearing this, Yang Xiaoyue felt slightly reassured—she was familiar with this girl group.

"Mr. Wan, how are the negotiations with Galaxy Entertainment progressing?"

"Galaxy!"

The mention of this name caused Wan Kai’s face to immediately darken.

Back then, Tencent had plans to independently create a girl group. However, they didn’t want to go through the effort of training trainees, so they decided on a whim to acquire an existing group instead.

After screening potential options, they ultimately found only two suitable candidates.

One was Galaxy Entertainment, and the other was "Magical Digital Girl Group," formed by the same company that created the messaging app "Shuangshuang."

They finally settled on Galaxy, but suffered humiliation during the acquisition attempt.

Old Mu refused to sell the group, even when it was on the brink of collapse.

Tencent was not in a hurry—they waited for Old Mu to struggle until he could no longer sustain the group.

Unexpectedly, Galaxy produced the "eternal beauty" Little Juzi, which turned the tables completely.

Additionally, the collapse of other girl group companies strengthened Galaxy’s position, prompting Tencent to drop the matter entirely.

"The conditions proposed by Galaxy Entertainment are unacceptable to the company," Mr. Wan paused and continued, "Their company demands their artists to participate in our film projects as part of the deal."

Even Yang Xiaoyue furrowed her brows: "Galaxy’s demands are surprisingly audacious. Isn’t a single debut slot, along with operation revenue shares afterward, already sufficient?"

Mr. Wan sneered, "Our slogan this time is to create ’Huaxia’s Number One Girl Group.’ Naturally, Galaxy refuses to agree. After all, in Old Mu’s mind, Galaxy is already the number one girl group."

"Considering the domestic girl group landscape, Galaxy is indeed number one, but only within fan circles—they haven’t reached nationwide recognition," Yang Xiaoyue remarked.

"Exactly. Galaxy lacks the capability to fully operate its girl group. A partnership between us would be mutually beneficial, but Old Mu clearly doesn’t see it that way," Mr. Wan shook his head.

"Mr. Wan, under these circumstances, should Galaxy still be included in our early promotional materials?"

"Galaxy’s predecessor was Cherry Blossom Nation’s ’Hyaku Otaku Group.’ Since that’s the case, let’s increase their old group’s presence in the materials," Mr. Wan said with a laugh.

Yang Xiaoyue laughed knowingly, then asked, "Alright. How should we handle the Magical Digital Girl Group?"

"Just stick to the facts—they’re still competitors after all!" Mr. Wan’s eyes flashed with disdain. "To ensure quality, we’ll conduct coordinated marketing efforts across all platforms during the show’s early stage."

"Director Yang, the company has high expectations for this program."

"The domestic entertainment industry’s market potential for girl groups hasn’t been fully tapped yet. This time, we must become the first to seize the opportunity and make history."

Mr. Wan’s ambitious declaration ignited a flicker of excitement in Yang Xiaoyue’s heart.

While they discussed the selection show, Galaxy Company’s Old Mu and Shen Xing were also deliberating on the matter.

"Chairman Mu, are we really not participating in Tencent’s show?" Shen Xing asked.

"It’s tough! This program is clearly targeting all domestic girl groups. If we participate, it’s equivalent to admitting that their initiative features the ’domestic number one girl group,’" Old Mu said, his round, greasy face full of concern.

"Chairman Mu, if we don’t participate, future collaboration on projects with Tencent will become challenging," Shen Xing said while observing her boss’s expression.

"I’ve considered that too. However, Galaxy’s foundation relies on fan economics. If we join the program and our fan base erodes, it would be a fatal blow," Old Mu’s gaze grew profound.

"Chairman Mu, you’re correct. The show’s core strategy is actually very similar to ours—just under a different guise with added competitive elements," Shen Xing said.

"Chairman Mu, some of our young idols have secretly gone for auditions," she added.

"What?" Hearing this, Old Mu erupted in fury, "That’s a betrayal of the company!"

"Chairman Mu, you know our company doesn’t offer many resources to these young idols. With Tencent dangled such a tempting opportunity, some of Hanoi’s idols were naturally tempted," Shen Xing explained.

Recovering from his rage, Old Mu pondered for a moment and said, "Here’s what we’ll do—have someone control the narrative online and disparage the program. This way, the backlash against the auditioning idols will be reduced when we penalize them."

Shen Xing nodded thoughtfully and then suggested, "Chairman Mu, how about sending someone to participate as well?"

"Hmm?" Old Mu looked at Shen Xing with confusion.