Chapter 347: The Audience of Life
Hongyu Buffet Restaurant.
Wu Haiyuan and Xue Yun entered the private room one after another. Jiang Shu, who was ordering on an iPad at the table, looked up at them.
"You're here. Find a seat and order."
It's a buffet; you can order whatever you want to eat.
Wu Haiyuan and Xue Yun bowed to Jiang Shu, then sat down on either side of the table.
Jiang Shu ordered a ton of seafood. He hadn't eaten seafood in a while and was really missing it.
This buffet restaurant specializes in Japanese cuisine, so in addition to seafood, they also have all sorts of other Japanese dishes.
After ordering everything he wanted, he put the iPad aside and picked up his phone.
Dr. Choi Min-soo (Criminal Division 1): Chairman Jiang, Yang Hyun-suk's case has been filed and can be announced at any time.
Shu: Dr. Choi Min-soo, you've worked hard.
Dr. Choi Min-soo (Criminal Division 1): Regarding my matter…
Shu: May.
Dr. Choi Min-soo (Criminal Division 1): Received!
Dr. Choi Min-soo (Criminal Division 1): Do you have time? I'd like to treat you to a casual meal?
Jiang Shu saw this, raised his phone, and took a picture of the table in front of him.
Shu: I have some things to attend to. Let's reschedule for next time.
Dr. Choi Min-soo (Criminal Division 1): Alright!
He put down his phone. Logically, such matters shouldn't even be typed out, let alone discussed over the phone.
After all, it was a shady transaction, but neither Jiang Shu nor Dr. Choi Min-soo cared. No matter who leaked this, it wouldn't affect either of them.
It didn't matter.
"President nim, I've finished ordering." Wu Haiyuan was the first to put down her iPad. Xue Yun, seeing this, was about to speak.
"Don't mind her, you order yours."
Xue Yun shrank her neck, swallowing the words that were on the tip of her tongue.
Wu Haiyuan looked at Xue Yun, who had been cut off, and a smile appeared on her face.
"Your new hairstyle looks good." Jiang Shu turned to Wu Haiyuan, complimenting her new white highlights.
"Thank you!" Wu Haiyuan said with a smile.
At first, she would have been a little overwhelmed, but now that she'd heard it many times, it was fine.
Jiang Shu was always generous with praise for the female artists under him. He truly praised them when their styling looked good.
However, although she was no longer overwhelmed, she was still very happy inside.
When a girl gets a new hairstyle, she really wants to receive compliments from others.
"I've finished ordering." Xue Yun mumbled softly.
"Just place the order." Jiang Shu glanced at Xue Yun, who had gotten a messy perm. "Your hairstyle doesn't look as good as Hae Won's. The style doesn't suit you much."
"Huh?" Xue Yun subconsciously touched her face.
"Not your face, your hair. What are your stylists thinking? They should be fired." Jiang Shu shook his head and said.
Wu Haiyuan and Xue Yun didn't say anything. This stylist was from JYP. It was fine for Jiang Shu to say that, but they couldn't.
"Why did you ask me out?" Jiang Shu leaned back in his chair, tilting his head to look at Wu Haiyuan.
Xue Yun always sent messages online if she had something to say. She would absolutely not take something that could be said online to an offline meeting.
So the idea of asking him out was 100% Wu Haiyuan's.
Wu Haiyuan immediately sat up straight upon hearing this.
"After my personal contract was transferred, I discussed it with the members, and the three of them, including Bae, are all willing to come to DM Entertainment with us, so I thought of asking you out to talk about this matter."
Jiang Shu couldn't help but raise an eyebrow upon hearing this.
Including Lily and Xue Yun, who originally belonged to DM Entertainment, half of NMIXX's members now had personal contracts with DM Entertainment. Now Wu Haiyuan was actually telling him that the remaining three were also willing to come over.
Well, without realizing it, he had already captured the members of NMIXX.
Facing such contracts being delivered to him, Jiang Shu certainly wouldn't refuse.
"Your group contract is for seven years, with five years remaining, but the individual contracts are for three years, expiring next year… When did you debut?"
"January 10, 2020." Wu Haiyuan immediately replied.
"Then their individual contracts expire on January 10 next year. At that time, I will have the company negotiate with JYP. As long as you are sure you are willing to come to the company, even if JYP disagrees, with your intentions, you can still come over smoothly."
A group jointly operated by two companies does not mean that personal contracts are also equally divided. Just like Giselle of aespa and Red Velvet, except for Giselle, whose personal contract is with S.M., everyone else's is with DM Entertainment.
And Red Velvet was even more ruthless. At first, Kim Ye-rim and Park Soo-young's personal contracts were with S.M. Later, when Jiang Shu and Li Xiuman secretly planned, Jiang Shu took them over. Now, all five members' personal contracts are with DM Entertainment.
Now, NMIXX also has half of its members' personal contracts in hand. When the remaining three come over next year, as long as Jiang Shu is willing, he can kick JYP out at any time.
However, there was no need for that.
Balance is king.
Just like this plan, it was essentially no different from the IVE one, but in practice, it can be seen that DM Entertainment was isolated and helpless during the IVE period, whereas during the current IZONE period, S.M. is on their side, and although JYP participated, it was only in name.
Why did they do that?
It's all because they have a partnership with DM Entertainment.
Such cooperation also serves as a lifeline at certain times.
"Yes! I'll tell the members when I get back." Wu Haiyuan said happily.
Looking at the joyful Wu Haiyuan, Jiang Shu also smiled.
NMIXX, having debuted only two years ago, hasn't reached the late stage of their idol careers. At this point, the members mostly share sisterly affection. When they get older and see more of what the industry has to offer, that sisterly affection will slowly turn into ordinary collegiality.
You can't say that Girls' Generation didn't have feelings for each other back then; that's unrealistic. They were like nine pigs, living together for so long, they would naturally develop feelings.
But why did so many issues arise later?
Uneven distribution, what else could it be?
In the pursuit of fame and fortune, the most important things are fame and profit. Pure emotions will eventually be corrupted here.
Perhaps there truly are pure emotions that remain uncorrupted here, but it's clear that such instances are extremely rare; most people simply integrate into the environment.
NMIXX hasn't reached that stage yet, and Wu Haiyuan's happiness is genuine joy from the bottom of her heart.
Thinking of this, Jiang Shu turned to look at Xue Yun.
At this moment, General Xue was also smiling, envisioning a future where she and her members would always be together.
Jiang Shu smiled.
They don't know what the future holds, but at this moment, their affection for each other is undeniably sincere.
Loss presupposes possession; if you've never possessed it, how can you lose it?
One cannot refuse to possess something for fear of losing it.
Even years from now, the joy of this moment will be a precious ray of light in their memories.
And he, as the audience to all of this, will record this moment.