Today the Manager is Also Very Kind Chapter 40

Chapter 40

After two days of rest, Q&P went back to recording. The title track’s performance period was already over, but to continue gaining exposure, all the other songs would also be performed for two weeks.

As soon as Xin He returned from abroad, he called Xin Nanyi to his office.

He looked at the data in his hands. He really didn’t dare to believe that in the two months he was abroad, Xin Nanyi had pushed that messed up group up into one of the top spots in the rising stars list.

In Q&P’s comeback this time, just the album sales accounted for 10% of the company’s yearly revenue thus far. If they make a big push in promoting them, they would definitely be able to become another human money-making machine for Xinyu.

However, the one in charge of them was that trash, Xin Nanyi...

Xin He put away the documents when he saw Xin Nanyi walk in.

“Uncle, what did you want me for?”

Xin He saw Xin Nanyi had already thinned out to become a handsome young man and frowned, “Q&P’s comeback this time was very good, so the company’s planning to focus on promoting them.”

Xin Nanyi smiled, “It’s fine, I can do it myself. There’s no need to trouble the company over this.”

“You… what can you do? Nanyi! Just listen to uncle and hand over Q&P’s charge and distribution rights to the company!”

Xin Nanyi’s smile never changed.

Although the company had the right to demote and transfer members following the board members’ wishes like what happened with Zhao Yanyuan, the whole group was popular this time and it was their group that was worth money here. If the company wants to interfere, they would be tightly restrained by the financial interests at stake.

Would this count as crushing your own foot while trying to maneuver a rock?

“Then uncle, what can the company do?”

“The company will naturally give them the best resources. If you still want to make a girl group, I can give you another chance to pick a group of trainees. Don’t waste this group’s bright prospects.”

Oh! Time for your self humiliation sessions again!

“Uncle, your thinking is too idealistic. How could I just submissively give away the group I painstakingly brought up to somebody else?” Xin Nanyi wagged his finger, “Q&P’s current success is all because of me. You’ve managed Xinyu for many years. Whether it’s foresight or knowledge, you’re top class in the entertainment circle. Yet, why are you always a mess whenever there’s something that has to do with me?”

Xin Nanyi’s words made Xin He choke, even so much that his face turned red. However, he also seemed to realize something as he pressed down his temper and waited until Xin Nanyi finished speaking.

“You said the company will give Q&P the best resources, but can the company really get the film emperor to act as the male lead in their MV? Can the company get a queen of dance and a professor from the imperial university of arts to teach them? Could the company even get Mr.NO to write them more songs?”

Xin He’s face had already gone purple, but when he thought about it calmly, he found that Xin Nanyi’s words were actually right. The resources Q&P used for their comeback this time were all things that could not be gotten without Xin Nanyi. Especially Mr.NO, who wrote ‘Affection’ and ‘Is It Snowing’, somebody that even he had never heard of before.

The three songs Mr.NO wrote this time, Affection, Is it Snowing, and the currently showing The You in the Rumors, although they got a lot of attention, they still didn’t gather a large audience. However, it’s already been on the top music charts for an entire month, and they’re even holding the top three positions!

Xin He’s eyes were dark as he stared at Xin Nanyi, pressuring him.

Xin Nanyi still carried a breezy smile, “Uncle, if I haven’t remembered wrong, Haoyi is graduating soon, right?”

A shiver ran through Xin He’s body, “And what about that?”

“Uncle, you don’t have to stare at me with such a guarded and hostile look in your eyes, I’m no longer as stupid as before. I’ll tell you truthfully, I have zero interest in managing the company. As long as you send me the stock dividends to my card every year, I won’t take the initiative to monopolize anything.” Xin Nanyi smiled amiably.

Xin He was startled. This stupid nephew of his could actually talk to him with such bluntness?

“Nanyi, uncle…”

“Uncle, I know you care about the company, so you’re always worried about the things I do. However, I really don’t want to take on that much responsibility. If you want to toil under the company, I won’t fight you over it. If Haoyi returns to China after he graduates, you can give him authority over the company. I just want the money my parents left for me.”

Xin He’s face relaxed, “Is what you’re saying true?”

“Mhm.” Xin Nanyi nodded, “But Q&P was personally created by me, so I can’t give them to you.”

“Of course, of course.” Xin He’s attitude took a 180, changing his face like the flip of a page. “Nanyi ah! Uncle’s very glad about how sensible you are. Don’t worry, you can do whatever you want and Q&P will remain under your administration. Nobody will fight you for them.”

Xin Nanyi’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. Weren’t you the reason why the previous Xin Nanyi never understood anything? And now you’re even glad? Sure enough, the older you were, the more shameless you got.

However, now that everything was over, Xin Nanyi also felt much more free. He no longer had to worry about the higher-ups in the company making trouble for Q&P.

Furthermore, throughout the years, Xinyu only grew to its current heights through Xin He’s own painstaking efforts. Giving the company to him was reasonable. In any case, he had zero interest in managing the company.

Xin Nanyi took the chance to get three assistants for Q&P. Normally, he would get an assistant for every member, but Q&P was currently focusing on group activities to raise their group’s reputation first. Later, they would start solo acts so they can all blossom individually. Furthermore, Q&P was very easy going. Although they had become popular, nobody was putting on airs like a celebrity and still did most things themselves. Thus, there wasn’t too much for the assistants to do and just three was enough.

Xin Nanyi selected three students who had just graduated from university. They all had some experience and were very honest. They knew the rules of the entertainment circle and abided them.

One of them was a sturdy looking, tall and broad shouldered boy named Li Hang. From the start, Xin Nanyi told him that he would be the bodyguard and one to deal with hard labour between the three assistants. Li Hang was very simple and nodded,  agreeing without a hitch. In any case, most of his prior experience had to do with hard labor and odd jobs.

The other two were girls, Sun Manman and Li Duofei, both communications students. They looked ordinary, but they were organized and efficient. They were honest and reliable, knowing when to shy away from things they shouldn’t hear or say.

With another three people accompanying Q&P’s daily activities, Xin Nanyi could relax a little.

Right now, Q&P was performing two songs. The first was The You in the Rumors, and the second was the youth-styled I Hope.

After finishing his work with Q&P and going home, he received a call from Xia Zeqi.

“Zeqi.”

“Are you done?”

Xin Nanyi glanced at his watch. It was already 9:30.

“Yep, I’m done and already home. What about you? Are you done for the day?”

“I finished filming my scenes for the day, so I’m back at the hotel.”

“When will you be able to come back for a visit?” Xin Nanyi listened to the phone as he opened his closet. When Xia Zeqi said he wanted to move over and live here, he really acted swiftly, moving all his luggage and clothes over. Right now, half of the articles in the closet belonged to Xia Zeqi.

Of course, both of them bigshots had a lot of clothes, so most of the clothes in this closet were underlayers and daily clothing. The rest were in the public-use clothing room.

Xia Zeqi was really obsessed about the two words “public use”.

Xia Nanyi felt the room fill with Xia Zeqi’s smell and his lips couldn’t help but curve.

“Did you miss me?”

Xin Nanyi was startled and fell silent for a few moments before speaking, his tone a little solemn, “A little.”

Xia Zeqi laughed through the phone, “Nanyi, Sun Wu gave me a call today. He said he wanted to make a reality tv show focused on a group.”

“Sun Wu? That variety show producer?”

“Right. He said his group wants to make a reality show and wants to try it with Q&P.”

Why Q&P?”

“Probably because of Q&P’s recent fame, as well as their own talents and popularity.”

Xin Nanyi pondered for a moment before answering, “Alright, then you can tell him to call me!”

“Alright.”

That night, Sun Wu called Xin Nanyi to talk about the reality show and they quickly came to a decision.

The reality show would mostly be filming Q&P’s daily life, training, and work. It was kind of like a documentary, but they would later add some cute subtitles and special effects, showing the Q&P girls’ personalities. The editing would highlight both their strengths and deficiencies.

Xin Nanyi was certain this show could become another weapon to get Q&P fans.

After talking over the details with Sun Wu, Xin Nanyi planned to let them temporarily stay in Q&P’s dorm and film their daily lives. Later, they could also follow them as they attended their lessons, trained, and connected with other artists. At the end, they would give Q&P a short vacation, letting them play as they filmed.

After finalizing the details, Xin Nanyi took a bunch of documents from the financial affairs office and went to Q&P’s training room to share the loot.

Xin Nanyi interrupted their practice and had them sit in a circle before giving them each a card. This card was where Xinyu paid them their wages. All income would be divided and sent to the card. Of course, as their position got more stable in the entertainment industry, they could set up other bank accounts and cards.

Q&P’s revenue was currently divided in a 2:4:4 ratio in Xinyu. This meant that from the revenue they bring in, the company gets two parts, Xin Nanyi gets four parts, and Q&P gets four parts. In Xinyu, this was already very special since other groups all split their earnings 7:3, where the company gets seven parts and the artists get 3. The manager and producer only get their wages and bonus based on their contributions. Many idol groups were exploited by their companies, no different from working in a sweatshop. Although Xinyu made it look a little more glamorous, they were still just a blood-sucking leech.

This was the first time Q&P made their own money and were so happy that they almost didn’t know what to do. In fact, the amount of money they got at the end wasn’t much in the entertainment circle, but after years of not getting anything, this little bit was already enough to make Q&P moved to tears.

They cried as they called their families before sending most of the money to them. After so many years of investing in them, their families finally got something back.