studiobondurri Chapter 236 Myth Entertainment Rejects Tencent
Chapter 236 Myth Entertainment Rejects Tencent
"Sister?" Seeing Xu Manlin lost in thought, Xu Manxue asked cautiously, "What are you thinking about?"
Xu Manlin snapped out of her daze and looked at her sister: "Manxue, do you think he'll accept me if I join Lu Ran's side?"
Xu Manxue was stunned.
She stared wide-eyed at her sister, as if she had heard something unbelievable.
"Sis, are you...are you serious?"
"real."
"But...but don't you have a ten-year contract with Shinhwa Entertainment?"
"What if I represent Myth Entertainment?" Xu Manlin smiled.
Of course she knew that her words couldn't determine the company's decision, but since President Liu said so, Myth must have already made its own choice.
She was simply speaking out as the key person in the situation.
Fortunately, her younger sister was there to act as a middleman, so Xu Manlin wanted to get to know Lu Ran first.
But most importantly, she no longer wants to be Lu Ran's rival. The longer she studies outside, the more terrifying Lu Ran seems to her.
Even the most talented music producers abroad could not match Lu Ran's effortless creative ability.
She also confessed this to Xu Manxue: "I understand now. Lu Ran is no ordinary opponent. Going against him will end badly. But if we cooperate with him..."
"That's a win-win situation," Xu Manxue replied.
"Yes." Xu Manlin smiled. "So, please help me arrange a meeting with them. I'd like to talk to them in person."
...
The next day, the board of directors of Myth Entertainment.
Seven people sat around the long table, men and women, young and old, with different expressions.
Xu Manlin sat next to the main seat, with a thick document in front of her.
"Manlin," Chairman Liu Jianguo spoke first, "you've already seen Tencent's acquisition proposal. Tell me your thoughts."
Xu Manlin nodded, stood up, and walked to the projector.
"Distinguished board members, what I want to say today may be different from what you expect."
She clicked on the first slide of the PowerPoint presentation, and several large words appeared on the screen:
Analysis and Recommendations Regarding Tencent's Acquisition Proposal
"First, let's look at the terms Tencent offered." She switched to the next page, "Sixty million, a 10% stake, no interference in operations, no appointment of directors, and no forced signing of contracts by artists. New dramas and songs will be promoted primarily on the WeChat platform."
"On the surface, these terms seem quite good. Sixty million in cash can solve our current cash flow problems. Non-interference in operations can maintain our independence. Priority in publicity can bring us traffic."
She paused, then changed the subject:
"However, we need to consider this question—why is Tencent offering us such favorable terms?"
The meeting room fell silent.
A bespectacled director spoke up: "Because we have the strength and the potential."
"Yes and no," Xu Manlin shook her head. "We do have the ability and potential, but there are many capable companies in China, why specifically choose us?"
She clicked on the next slide of the PowerPoint presentation, and a chart appeared on the screen:
[Daily active user curve of WeChat gaming platform: 1.8 million → 1.6 million → 1.4 million]
"This is the data from the WeChat gambling platform over the past month," Xu Manlin said. "From a peak of 180 million, it has dropped to the current 140 million, a decrease of 40 million."
"At the same time, TUTU's daily active users increased from 15 million to 50 million, an increase of 35 million."
What does this rise and fall signify?
She looked at the board members present and asked herself the question:
"This shows that users aren't buying into WeChat's old tricks. Users gained by throwing money around will churn when the money runs out. But TUTU is different. TUTU relies on content, emotion, and fan loyalty. These things can't be bought with money."
The bespectacled director frowned: "You mean, TUTU will win?"
"It's not that we'll win, it's that we're already winning." Xu Manlin clicked on the next slide of the PPT. "This is the research I've done over the past three days."
The screen is filled with densely packed data:
[Starlight Entertainment: 12 artists including Lin Weiwei join TUTU, gaining a total of 1200 million followers]
[Star Entertainment: Li Yixin and 9 other artists join TUTU, gaining a total of 900 million followers]
[Starry Entertainment: F4 + Super Girl Top 36 Join TUTU, Gaining a Total of 1100 Million Followers]
[The "Left-Behind Rabbits Alliance": From 200 million to 900 million, and still growing]
[TUTU's daily active users increased from 1500 million to 5000 million in one month]
"One month." Xu Manlin emphasized, "From the brink of collapse to a miraculous recovery, it only took one month. This isn't luck; it's skill."
She looked at Liu Jianguo: "Mr. Liu, do you know who the owner of TUTU is?"
Liu Jianguo was taken aback: "Isn't it a young man named Lu Ran?"
"Yes, Lu Ran," Xu Manlin said. "But do you know Lu Ran? This Lu Ran is not just the boss of TUTU. He is also the executive director of Xingyao Entertainment, the screenwriter of 'Meteor Garden,' 'The Starry Night,' and 'The Return of the Condor Heroes,' the lyricist and composer of 'The First Dream,' 'Lake Baikal,' and 'The Wind Rises,' and the chief planner of 'Those Years, Those Rabbits, Those Things.'"
A collective gasp filled the conference room.
Although some people had indeed heard of Lu Ran before, after all, they had heard of him during the battle between Shen Yuege, Xu Manlin, Liu Siqi, and others six months ago, even though they hadn't contributed much.
As for Lu Ran's other works, they really weren't very familiar with them.
"Moreover," Xu Manlin continued, knowing these people might not know this information, "he is also Shen Yuege's husband. Shen Yuege's studio is called Xingyue Studio, and it's now one of the most famous studios. That wildly popular 'Super Girl' competition was entirely organized by Shen Yuege."
She paused, then said seriously, "Everyone, we're not dealing with an ordinary entrepreneur, but a genius. He writes songs, screenplays, makes animations, runs a company, and manages a social media platform—he's single-handedly doing the work of an entire group."
"What's even more terrifying is that everything he did came true."
Liu Jianguo asked, feigning ignorance, "So what's your suggestion?"
"My suggestion is to reject Tencent's acquisition offer," Xu Manlin said, emphasizing each word. "Not only should we reject it, but we should also actively align ourselves with TUTU."
The bespectacled director couldn't help but ask, "Why? We have no connection with TUTU."
"Not now, but it's possible." Xu Manlin looked at him. "I have some connections. I can contact Lu Ran and Shen Yuege. If the board of directors has no objections, I can discuss this matter and try my best to secure the greatest benefit for the group."
The meeting room fell silent.
Liu Jianguo smiled, then slowly asked, "What do you guys think?"
His attention was mainly focused on the few directors who supported the takeover.
If they disagree, the matter will need to be discussed further.
After hearing Xu Manlin's words, the group hesitated for a moment. Then, one of them took the lead in agreeing, and the rest had no choice but to agree as well.
Seeing that the entire board of directors unanimously agreed, Liu Jianguo also showed a relieved smile.
It was worth the immense pressure he faced to send Xu Manlin abroad for further studies; now that she's back, she's become a great asset to him.
"Okay." Liu Jianguo nodded. "Since no one has any objections, let's do it your way. Reject Tencent. Contact TUTU."
"Thank you, Mr. Liu."
...