Chapter 439

On the way back, feeling dizzy from the alcohol, Otomo Yoshimura was still patting Naoki Nagayama's shoulder,

"Naoki-san, you're really something. Actually... actually so easily... handled that old guy~"

Naoki Nagayama helplessly blocked his hand: "It's not over yet. Today was just bluffing him. When he goes back and thinks about it calmly, he will still find the flaws."

"Eh? What flaws?"

"A collaborative program between two TV stations, how could they just let anyone join in?" Naoki Nagayama sighed: "Besides, Otomo-san, when have you ever seen me talk to anyone from Fuji TV?"

Hearing this, Otomo Yoshimura's drunkenness suddenly sobered up by half: "Nani? Naoki-san hasn't talked to Fuji TV yet?"

"Of course not. TBS was just a bluff, only Yasushi Akimoto is involved." Naoki Nagayama shrugged, "Just now, it was all just talk~"

"There's such a thing??" Otomo Yoshimura's eyes widened. He hadn't expected this situation, "So you mean we were just lying to them?"

"It doesn't count as that. After all, the program plan is real, and it will definitely be popular in the future!" Naoki Nagayama said with certainty; this had already been verified by the future, "I'm just playing a game of 'empty-handed white wolf,' pulling people in first."

"? Isn't this still lying?"

Looking at the bewildered Otomo Yoshimura, Naoki Nagayama sighed: "Otomo-san, have you ever heard a story?"

"A story?"

"There was an American who wanted to become the vice president of a bank and also wanted to marry a tycoon's daughter, so he dressed up carefully and found the local bank president and said: 'I am the tycoon's son-in-law. Now my father-in-law wants to deposit his wealth in your bank, but there is one condition: it must have the highest interest rate, and I want to become the bank's vice president.'"

"The bank president was skeptical, but still said: 'If you really are the tycoon's son-in-law, then I will let you be the vice president.'"

"Then this young man found the tycoon and said to him: 'I am the local bank's vice president. Please marry your daughter to me; I am willing to let the bank give you the highest interest rate!'"

"The tycoon was also tempted when he heard this: 'If you can really do it, I will marry my daughter to you!'"

Naoki Nagayama paused here: "Afterward, he let the bank president and the tycoon meet, pretending to be the bank's vice president on one side and the tycoon's son-in-law on the other..."

Otomo Yoshimura seemed to be completely sober at this moment: "So in the end, this young man successfully deceived both sides, married the tycoon's daughter, and became the bank's vice president!"

Naoki Nagayama looked at the confused Otomo Yoshimura and the driver, Takeharu Kawahara, who was listening with ears pricked up in the front row, and laughed out loud:

"Hahaha, how is that possible!

As soon as the tycoon and the bank president met, they knew he was a liar, and then they beat him up and threw him out!"

"???" Otomo Yoshimura and Takeharu Kawahara were both completely bewildered. How did this story develop so differently?

"Naoki-san... what are you trying to explain?" Otomo Yoshimura asked with resentment.

Naoki Nagayama shook his head, shaking off some of the dizziness in his head, and replied relaxedly: "Of course, it's not to let the bank president and the tycoon meet! Once these two meet, wouldn't everything be exposed?"

"Maintaining information asymmetry between the two sides is the key to success." Naoki Nagayama said, "Once it's a fait accompli, for example, if the tycoon's daughter is pregnant, then the tycoon will have to hold his nose and accept this son-in-law. Then both sides will reach a perfect cooperation again."

"???" So after saying so much, Naoki-san, what exactly are you trying to explain?

"Next, I will go find Sugiura Taitai of Fuji TV, pull him in, and then use his and Yasushi Akimoto's names to pull Etsuro Kikuchi into the water,

So that he has no way out and can only bet on this program, and then use the prototype of this program to negotiate with TBS and Fuji TV, and pull these two in as well!"

Naoki Nagayama spoke calmly about his plans for "Twilight Meow Meow," leaving Otomo Yoshimura in disbelief: "Naoki-san, are you sure they will follow your ideas? What if someone doesn't cooperate?"

"Of course~" Naoki Nagayama laughed, "Because I have confidence in this program! In the end, everyone will get what they want!"

"Besides, even if it fails... we haven't lost anything, have we?"

Otomo Yoshimura said: "But what about Etsuro Kikuchi?"

"He hasn't lost anything either, has he? Didn't he already want to be independent? I'm just speeding up his pace." Naoki Nagayama said, "At most, he will become our rival later... but then again, hasn't he always been our rival?"

"This is really..." Otomo Yoshimura didn't know what to say. Is there really someone born to be suitable for the business world? How on earth did this guy Naoki Nagayama learn these things?

The driver in the front row, Takeharu Kawahara, also silently praised in his heart. Such planning is truly eye-opening! As expected, to become a rich person, should one treat everyone else as a chess piece?

"Heaven and earth are not benevolent, treating all things as straw dogs! I understand!

! I, Takeharu Kawahara, finally understand the truth of the world!"

The new week was actually no different from before. If you are always working or resting, time will slowly lose its sense of measurement in your eyes.

The next morning, it was still a very hot day, and Naoki Nagayama arrived at the studio full of energy as usual.

"Morning... eh?" Naoki Nagayama suddenly noticed that the person sitting at the front desk was not Riko Hayano.

"Nagayama-san, good morning!" A very delicate-looking girl greeted Naoki Nagayama, "I am the new receptionist, Ka-ka Hoshia. Nice to meet you, please treat me well!"

"Oh~ a new receptionist~" Naoki Nagayama vaguely remembered Otomo Yoshimura mentioning it, but he hadn't paid attention, "Please treat me well in the future too!"

Just then, Riko Hayano walked over: "Nagayama-san, morning~"

"Good morning~"

"Nagayama-san has already met the newcomer Ka-ka Hoshia, right? She officially starts work today!" Riko Hayano said, "In a while, I will take her to meet the others in the company."

"I see, then Ganbatte!" After Naoki Nagayama nodded, he walked toward the office.

Once Naoki Nagayama walked away, the two girls began to whisper.

Ka-ka Hoshia covered her cheeks and said: "That is Naoki Nagayama, he really is so handsome! I only talked to him for a moment and I'm already blushing!"

Riko Hayano said: "Yes, Nagayama-san is very easy to talk to. There will be plenty of times to talk in the future."

"Does Nagayama-san have a girlfriend?" Ka-ka Hoshia asked subconsciously.

"..." Riko Hayano covered her forehead and then patted her head, "Don't be a fangirl. Nagayama-san's nickname is 'Playboy Naoki.' Do you think he wouldn't have a girlfriend?"

"But rest assured, Nagayama-san will never make a move on people around him, and he gets along very well with everyone."

"Eh? Is that so..."

"What's with that disappointed expression of yours?!"

Inside the office, Otomo Yoshimura was drinking wolfberry tea bit by bit?

"Otomo-san, what's going on?" Naoki Nagayama asked in surprise, "You usually drink so much and are fine. Yesterday was just a little bit too much!"

"Middle age is unavoidable..."

Otomo Yoshimura sighed. If he had really been drunk, that would be fine; he wouldn't be able to do anything and would sleep until dawn.

It was precisely because he was only slightly drunk that his body still had sensation, and he wanted to resist but couldn't... his own tigress at home... sigh...

"By the way, Nagayama-san, do you want me to help you make an appointment with Sugiura Taitai of Fuji TV?"

Naoki Nagayama thought for a moment: "Yes, but it's best to be in the afternoon... I have something to do tonight."

Akina is back~ I have a date tonight!

Otomo Yoshimura nodded: "I will ask for the specific time. If today doesn't work, then tomorrow or the day after."

"Sorry to trouble you~"

After Naoki Nagayama thanked him, he walked toward the editing room. At this time, Ito Shuichi Indo and Masataka Komori were already there.

"Ito Shuichi-san, Masataka-kun, morning~"

Seeing Naoki Nagayama walk in, Ito Shuichi Indo nodded: "Nagayama-san, these two days are for the final refinements. Actually, Masataka-kun and I can handle this kind of work."

"?" Naoki Nagayama felt that Ito Shuichi Indo was a bit strange today. Would he actually push away ready-made labor?

"Ito Shuichi-san, did something happen?"

"Did something happen?" Ito Shuichi Indo was stunned for a moment, then saw Naoki Nagayama's suspicious eyes, "... Nothing happened, it's just that it really only needs two people."

"Really? I don't believe it!" Naoki Nagayama said defensively, "I always feel like Ito Shuichi-san is brewing some evil plan!"

"..." Ito Shuichi Indo only felt a fire in his heart burning toward his head, but he immediately forced himself to calm down, muttering to himself: "This is the planner of a big IP, the creator of a future big IP, the goose that lays golden eggs in the future. Don't be angry, don't be angry~"

"Ito Shuichi-san, do you have something to tell me?" Naoki Nagayama sat on the chair next to him.

"No... if Nagayama-san wants to help, then come over and join us!"

"?" Naoki Nagayama actually moved his stool a little further away, "You want me to come over and help again... Ito Shuichi-san, what exactly are you planning?"

The fire, as if oil had been added, burned to his throat in an instant. Ito Shuichi Indo couldn't hold it back:

"Naoki! You guy!

If you have nothing to do, come over and help or go think about the upcoming promotion!

Don't be suspicious all day long!"

"As expected, this is the real Ito Shuichi-san~" Hearing such a vigorous roar, Naoki Nagayama felt relieved instead, "Okay, since I don't need to help here, I'll go help with the promotion~"

Saying this, he leisurely returned to the office.

"Nagayama-san?" Otomo Yoshimura was a bit confused when he saw him return.

"The editing is almost done, they don't really need people there." Naoki Nagayama said, "Otomo-san, how is the promotion for 'Crows Zero' going?"

"As for the promotion, we already have a plan." Otomo Yoshimura handed a document to Naoki Nagayama, "First, we will hold multiple preview screenings, first for the media, and then for the general audience."

"At the same time, the current trailer will be played on major TV stations." Otomo Yoshimura said, "Meanwhile, we will carry out poster and flyer advertising promotions through Dentsu..."

The current film promotion model was already very mature; basically, as long as it was handed over to the distribution company, everything else would be taken care of.

"By the way, what about Kadokawa?"

"Hmm, after the last meeting, they already agreed to help with the distribution. There is no problem." Otomo Yoshimura had been in frequent contact with Isao Morikawa of Kadokawa Pictures recently, all communicating about the film's distribution.

"Reliable indeed!"

Seeing that there was nothing to add here, Naoki Nagayama had nothing to do in the company for the first time in a long while, so he began to wander around the studio, commonly known as a heart-to-heart trip with the employees.

It actually made the new receptionist girl's heart beat faster...

In the afternoon, Otomo Yoshimura successfully made an appointment with Sugiura Taitai, so around 3:00 PM, Naoki Nagayama drove directly to the cafe next to Fuji TV.

It was the same one where they discussed "Hana Yori Dango" last time~

As soon as he entered, he saw a man and a woman drinking coffee in the old seats.

"Taitai-san, and Nishi Rumi-san, you've already arrived!" Naoki Nagayama greeted happily, "Long time no see~"

"Nagayama-san, it really has been a long time!" Sugiura Taitai responded with a smile, "Ah, no, I should call you Nagayama-sensei!"

It had been less than a month since he won the Naoki Prize, and people he hadn't seen in a long time were still mentioning it.

Naoki Nagayama felt a bit awkward hearing this: "Haha, Taitai-san, let's stick to the old way of calling me. It sounds a bit strange this way~"

"Haha, it seems Nagayama-san hasn't adapted to his new title yet." Nishi Rumi-san teased the newly minted quasi-literary giant with a smile, "That won't do. In the future, someone might even call you Master Nagayama."

"That would be truly troublesome~"

After a few pleasantries, the slight sense of strangeness between the three after not seeing each other for a few months dissipated, and they began to chat normally about recent work.

"Thanks to Nagayama-san's 'Hana Yori Dango,' our goals for this year have almost been met." Sugiura Taitai drank his coffee leisurely, "Recently, it's mainly been some routine variety shows. They all have a fixed format, and the ratings haven't been particularly high."

Nishi Rumi-san chimed in from the side: "It feels like the second half of the year has been a bit lazy."

Naoki Nagayama laughed: "Haha, then Taitai-san, Nishi Rumi-san, do you want to try something more exciting?"

"?"

Although they knew that Nagayama-san must have something to talk about when he asked them to meet, he had indeed piqued their curiosity now.

"Taitai-san, Nishi Rumi-san, during this time, a friend and I occasionally had an idea and planned a program!"

Naoki Nagayama said straight to the point, "Although I feel it's very high quality, I still want to hear the opinions of professionals."

So he popularized the program format of "Twilight Meow Meow" and its subsequent transformation and development to the two.

Sugiura Taitai and Nishi Rumi-san listened very carefully. The grassroots-ization of idols, large idol girl groups, and member replacement systems that Naoki Nagayama mentioned were all things that current idol groups did not possess.

Current idol groups were all fixed. If they had to be replaced, it was definitely because the current members had some issues, forcing them to change people.

And doing so also risked a decline in popularity; it could be said that the appeal of the group was still in the idols themselves.

However, this program "Twilight Meow Meow" focused people's attention on the entire girl group. The girl group was like iron, while the members were like flowing water...

"In this way, idols only need a three-to-five-year performance lifespan, and then they can be replaced by the girl group, continuing on!" Naoki Nagayama summarized, "People just need to keep paying attention to this group!"

Sugiura Taitai chewed on the program he just heard and let out the same sigh as Yasushi Akimoto: "Nagayama-san, you are digging up the roots of idols!"

"Hahaha, Taitai-san is joking. How could I have such ability!" Naoki Nagayama said, "Originally, idols were just products on an assembly line for star-making factories. I'm just rebundling the unqualified products for sale."

"Nagayama-san's words are truly..." Nishi Rumi-san thought for a moment, "Hitting the nail on the head."

"Haha, for big companies in the entertainment industry, idols are indeed like products for making money. What's measured is commercial value~" Sugiura Taitai also nodded in agreement.

Seeing that both of them agreed, Naoki Nagayama asked: "What do you think of this program?"

"It sounds whimsical, but it does have the potential to be a hit." After struggling for a moment, Sugiura Taitai gave such an evaluation, "It's worth a try!"

"Then, Taitai-san, Nishi Rumi-san, are you willing to join in?" Naoki Nagayama directly began to persuade them, "Currently, TBS and Burning Agency are already participating."

"Eh?"

They thought they were just here for a consultation, but they didn't expect Naoki Nagayama to let them participate directly, and there was already a TV station and a big company in the industry...

"Since Nagayama-san already has these two, why look for us?" Nishi Rumi-san asked.

"After all, it's a subversive program. I can already imagine the public opinion storm it will cause after it airs." Naoki Nagayama said, "Of course, I need to find more backers."

"Nagayama-san has a lot of confidence in the program!" If there is to be a storm, there must naturally be widespread viewership. Who would discuss things that no one cares about?

Naoki Nagayama smiled without saying a word, looking full of confidence.

Sugiura Taitai and Nishi Rumi-san discussed in low voices for a few moments, then said to Naoki Nagayama: "Nagayama-san, we are very interested in your program, but whether Fuji TV is willing..."

"It doesn't matter~" Naoki Nagayama took out the proposal he had prepared long ago, "The two of you can participate first. When the program is polished and the prototype is out, we will negotiate with Fuji TV."

"Even if it's just us few, we can still make the program!"

Seeing that Naoki Nagayama was so well-prepared, Sugiura Taitai and Nishi Rumi-san looked at each other and smiled.

It seems this guy Nagayama-san had already figured them out long ago!

However, such a program would either sink into obscurity or become a nationwide hit; it was no small challenge.

"Nagayama-san really found an exciting project!"

The two took the proposal and began to read it more seriously~