Chapter 453

After asking Fangcun Dayou to keep an eye on that strange reporter, the afternoon media press conference was completely over.

Seeing that it was still early, Naoki Nagayama made a phone call and arrived downstairs at the Fuji TV building.

"Naoki-san!"

Hirotai Sugiura had been waiting in the lobby for a long time, and he greeted him very enthusiastically after they met.

"Hirotai-san!"

"Haha, Naoki-san had a wonderful day today, right?" Hirotai Sugiura joked while leading Naoki Nagayama toward the elevator. "Front page headline, and with Tian Zhongyuzi, no less."

"Yeah, I was startled awake by phone calls in the morning." Naoki Nagayama had now let go of his nervous mood and instead began to treat this matter as an anecdote. "I suddenly discovered that I was snapped while having a meal with someone yesterday. The paparazzi these days are truly terrifying!"

"Hahaha, after all, they make a living from this; you can't underestimate other people's dining skills!"

After arriving at the office floor, Hirotai Sugiura pulled Naoki Nagayama directly into the reception room, but this time he didn't see any sign of Rumi Nishi. "Is Rumi Nishi-san not here today?"

"Ah, she went to supervise a program for me."

Hirotai Sugiura served hot tea to Naoki Nagayama and then said somewhat seriously: "I stayed behind specifically because there are some things I need to explain to Naoki-san."

Naoki Nagayama was not surprised: "Oh? About 'Evening Meow Meow'?"

"Hai!" Hirotai Sugiura was a little embarrassed. "There's been a bit of a problem with this program among the leadership."

"Ha, if there's a problem, we'll just solve it~" He took a sip of the tea leaves the TV station used to entertain distinguished guests; it was indeed very high-class. "Is it dissatisfaction with the program's flow? Or are there doubts about the expectations for the program?"

"No, the department heads have no problem at all with the program's potential." Hirotai Sugiura's expression was a bit heavy. "It's just that there are concerns in other areas."

"? Which areas?"

"Regarding the control of the 'Evening Meow Meow' program," Hirotai Sugiura said, "and the control of the idol group operating company that follows."

"Ha, it hasn't even started yet, and they've already started fighting for power and profit?" As expected, the upper echelons are all profit-seeking animals. Naoki Nagayama was not surprised; from their perspective, they were indeed not wrong.

"Sumimasen, Naoki-san." Hirotai Sugiura bowed seriously. "Naoki-san talked to me about the program planning because he trusted me, but now... I have failed your trust."

Naoki Nagayama hurriedly helped him up: "Don't be like this! Hirotai-san, I also understand that this has nothing to do with you."

"But..."

"Don't be in such a hurry to apologize. Tell me, what is the current thinking of the Fuji TV leadership? Are there any specific conditions?" Naoki Nagayama asked directly.

"Currently, the department head's meaning is that the program's director must be someone from Fuji TV!" Hirotai Sugiura said gloomily. "In addition, Fuji TV must also occupy a leading position in the other company."

"Shares, huh~"

Naoki Nagayama nodded. In fact, he didn't have much confidence in the subsequent operations; after 1986, the idol industry would usher in a glacial period of nearly 10 years.

This operating company probably wouldn't live for two years, otherwise he wouldn't have promised the general manager and 10% of the shares to Etsuro Kikuchi, his former enemy, also with the idea of pitting him once.

However, giving them away himself is one thing, but having others snatch them is another!

"Then, what is Fuji TV willing to give?"

"This..." Seeing that Naoki Nagayama didn't seem angry, Hirotai Sugiura was a bit surprised. "The department head has allowed a relatively large purchase fee..."

"Buying with money! As expected of the wealthy Fuji TV!" It was impossible to tell whether Naoki Nagayama's words were praise or disdain. "However... not everything can be bought with money."

Hirotai Sugiura lowered his head again: "Hai, I understand, but this time, Naoki-san, I really can't persuade the department head; they even want to plagiarize 'Evening Meow Meow'."

"Truly... unseemly!"

Naoki Nagayama was a bit surprised by the leadership's greed. Did they think that just making a program that looked similar would work?

Ordinary variety shows do indeed look at the program format, but for a big hit program, what people actually watch is the people themselves!

"Hai..." Hirotai Sugiura was so ashamed he had nothing to say.

The reception room fell into a moment of silence. Naoki Nagayama's fingers tapped lightly on the office table: "Da, da, da."

He didn't know where he heard that such behavior would put greater pressure on the other party in the conversation, so Naoki Nagayama tried it out.

"Naoki-san..."

Seeming unable to endure it, Hirotai Sugiura wanted to speak, but Naoki Nagayama interrupted him directly, taking the initiative:

"Hirotai-san, actually, the matter of shares is not something that cannot be considered."

"Eh?"

"Our company itself just wants to make money anyway~" Naoki Nagayama quietly lowered his own intentions.

In fact, when he wanted to create this program, on one hand, it was just right for the Cat's Eye sisters, and on the other hand, he also thought about leveraging this program to pull in the connections and resources of Fuji TV, TBS, and the Burning agency to build a deep-rooted interest complex.

However, since Fuji TV wants control, the things to be exchanged will have to be changed.

"Originally, I planned for TBS, represented by Yasushi Akimoto and me, to be the initiators, occupying half the shares; Shuyou Films would occupy 30%, Fuji TV, which is the main investor, would occupy 30%, and the remaining 20% would belong to Etsuro Kikuchi and the Burning agency behind him..."

Naoki Nagayama stated his general thoughts from before, and then said to Hirotai Sugiura: "I can give the 20% under my name to Fuji TV. In this way, you will have more than half and possess control."

Hirotai Sugiura was very astonished: "Naoki-san, this... this isn't making you lose..."

Naoki Nagayama waved his hand: "Of course there must be compensation; we can talk about the specific amount later, but as compensation, I also need a guarantee."

"What guarantee?" Hirotai Sugiura said seriously, "I will definitely do my best to help you fight for it!"

"Shuyou Films needs to sign a cooperation framework agreement with Fuji TV, for at least five years!" Naoki Nagayama said. "Every year, we need to cooperate to produce a TV program!

It can be commissioned by the TV station, or it can be initiated by us; in short, there must be at least one program every year, and Fuji TV must also do its best to support us in terms of resources and equipment."

"This?" Hirotai Sugiura was even more surprised. This was clearly beneficial to the TV station!

"This kind of condition is really too light, isn't it?"

Naoki Nagayama smiled: "Hahaha, Hirotai-san, the current trend of TV stations is that more and more programs are produced entirely by the production bureau, with only a few commissioned to large production companies or cooperative partners.

Unlike those large production companies, our Shuyou Films is very lacking in connections at the TV station.

With such a framework agreement, for at least 5 years, our connection with the TV station will be quite close, and we won't have to worry about selling the programs we produce."

"Then what about after 5 years?"

"At that time, if we still haven't made friends, wouldn't that mean we can't survive at the TV station at all!" Naoki Nagayama laughed. "This should be impossible; don't I have a good friend like Hirotai-san now?"

Hirotai Sugiura's face was full of emotion: "Naoki-san, I will definitely make the department head agree to this plan!"

"Haha, then thank you very much~"

After exchanging some words with Hirotai Sugiura, Naoki Nagayama drove on the road back to the Mountain Cherry Blossom Court, but his mood was not very good.

Although he seemed very open-minded in the Fuji TV building, this could not change the fact that the 'Evening Meow Meow' he planned was once again going to have its peaches picked by someone else.

In the film industry, backed by Kadokawa, and with his old friends Masaki Kobayashi and Masahiro Shinoda, plus the mentors and alumni of Yin Tangxiu from the Tokyo University of the Arts, this network and channel were already not weak.

At the very least, when facing suppression, he could fight back in a decent way.

But in the television industry, he only had superficial acquaintances with famous Japanese TV stations; only Fuji TV was a bit deeper, having cooperated on two TV dramas, and Tokyo TV had also cooperated once.

However, this weak connection would completely give way in the face of interests.

For example, this time, Fuji TV nakedly demanded to pick the fruit...

"Still too weak!"

He originally thought that as long as he made money well, it would be fine, but without the strength to support it, his current level of wealth was already considered the peak.

Thinking that he even boasted about letting Akina transfer over... how could this level be enough!

Does he really have to go find his grandfather and inherit the Yamaguchi-gumi family business?

"In short, this time, let's first use the framework agreement to establish a deep connection with Fuji TV." Naoki Nagayama thought. "The operating company still has to participate; forming an interest community will definitely be closer."

"Other TV stations can also think of more ways..."

Various programs he had heard of in his previous life echoed in his mind, and one by one, clever moves began to emerge: "The Voice? Running Man? Super Winner? Happy Camp? Got Talent?"

Finally, Naoki Nagayama's mood calmed down. With the variety shows he had watched in the next few decades in his mind, was he afraid that the TV station wouldn't lower its posture to curry favor?

Let's start with 'Evening Meow Meow'! First, let's make a name for himself as a gold-medal variety show producer!

When he returned to the Mountain Cherry Blossom Court, the sky had already darkened. The autumn equinox was getting closer, and the daylight hours were getting shorter and shorter.

Naoki Nagayama, who had packed a steak from a nearby restaurant, shared the tenderness of the beef with Meitaro and Eitaro, and then looked at a newspaper—'Tokyo Sports'—while holding it in his hand.

As expected, the afternoon press conference had reports out in the evening.

"'Ring' starts casting, Tian Zhongyuzi determined to participate!" Naoki Nagayama read the headline. "The sub-headline only wrote 'Naoki Nagayama and Yin Tangxiu challenge horror movies again'."

There were indeed many revelations at the press conference. Most of the newspapers started writing from the perspective of the new film project, naturally praising the achievements of Shuyou Films' previous few movies, and boldly predicting that this movie would also continue the legend, which made Naoki Nagayama blush a little.

"It's really too exaggerated! Eitaro, these reporters are more like dogs than you!" Eitaro, who was gnawing on a bone, had no leisure time to listen to what his master was saying, just burying his head in enjoying the food.

Naoki Nagayama didn't care about this kind of simple puffery from reporters; he knew that the results of 'Ring' would definitely be very good.

"I just don't know if there will be reports about Chikako Aoyama tomorrow~"

After dinner, Naoki Nagayama was sitting on the sofa watching TV when the pager in his pocket suddenly rang. Before Naoki Nagayama could call back, the phone next to him actually rang too...

"Moshi moshi, this is Mountain Cherry Blossom Court~"

"Haha, Naoki-san!" The voice of Akina Nakamori, full of vitality, came from the receiver. "I forgot just now, I could have called directly..."

"As expected of Akina's style~" Naoki Nagayama laughed.

"What's that! What do you mean by Akina's style!" The voice in the receiver was unhappy. "Everyone has times when they are confused!"

"Hai hai hai! Akina-sama, who is occasionally naturally dazed, is of course forgivable!"

For his girlfriend who was occasionally naturally dazed, what could Naoki Nagayama do? He could only spoil her~

"Right right! Forgivable!"

Naoki Nagayama's eyes seemed to see Akina nodding as if it were a serious matter.

"Wait, no! Why should Naoki-san forgive me? I called to hold you accountable!" Akina in the hotel suddenly reacted and immediately sat cross-legged on the bed. "I called as soon as I got back to the hotel!"

"Ha? If you say so, has Akina not eaten dinner yet?"

"En, after the concert ended, I had a little less appetite, and I'm going to a dinner party in a while." Akina Nakamori's team was going to have a dinner party in the evening to celebrate the successful conclusion of the national tour.

"Then you should eat some dessert to cushion your stomach, otherwise irregular eating is bad for your stomach." Naoki Nagayama played the role of a boyfriend, remotely caring about his girlfriend's physical health.

"Hai~" The voice in the receiver seemed very happy at first, but immediately became a bit anxious. "Wait, Naoki-san, don't change the subject! I'm here to hold you accountable!"

Seeming afraid that the topic would slip in another direction, Akina Nakamori hurriedly said: "The call you gave me this morning, was it just for the scandal?"

"Yeah, I was afraid that Akina would be sad if she found out from somewhere else, so I gave you a preventive shot in advance." Naoki Nagayama didn't hide anything; anyway, he had a clear conscience. "How was it? Were you startled when you first saw it?"

"I was indeed a bit surprised that Naoki-san actually had a scandal with that Tian Zhongyuzi!" Akina Nakamori spoke as if she were gossiping, completely unaware that her own boyfriend was having a scandal. "It caused a wave of disturbance backstage at the concert!"

"Ha, what's there to be surprised about."

"That's Tian Zhongyuzi!"

"Didn't I have a scandal with her before?"

"Eh? You had one before?" Akina Nakamori was even more surprised. "When?"

"Lace news, a small scandal transmitted with Kanako Higuchi." Naoki Nagayama remembered that he had once been asked by a reporter at a movie press conference with a photo.

"Really? What kind?"

Akina Nakamori immediately wanted to gossip about the details, but at this moment she reacted—this is her own boyfriend! He actually had a scandal with another woman! And more than once!

"Wait, Naoki-san, you actually had more than one scandal with Tian Zhongyuzi?!"

Hearing that there really was an intention to hold him accountable on the other side of the receiver, Naoki Nagayama finally put away his grinning attitude: "Akina-san, you also know those reporters; they hear wind and think it's rain~"

"Humph humph~"

The nasal sound meant "I'm listening, you continue to quibble!"

"Akina, I promise, I absolutely have nothing to do with the subject of the scandal!" Naoki Nagayama started his scumbag routine. "I swear!"

"Then how do you explain today's headline?"

The scumbag's routine was indeed useful; the tone had obviously softened.

"This, I have already clarified in front of the media; Akina shouldn't have read today's evening paper, right?"

"Evening paper?"

"Yeah, 'Tokyo Sports' has already published it!"

"Honto?"

Just when Akina Nakamori wanted to continue asking, the hotel room door was knocked, and Maki Ueda's voice came out: "Akina-chan, are you dressed? We're leaving!"

"Ah, I'm going to the dinner party!" She said to Naoki Nagayama, "I'll let Naoki-san off for now! When I return to Tokyo, you'll have to explain it properly!"

"Hai~"

Listening to the beeping sound in the receiver, Naoki Nagayama smiled. She should be back tomorrow night, right? He would be able to see her then!

Should he explain it then?

This kind of thing is always harder to explain the more you explain it; it's better to think more about how to take Akina out on a date away from the paparazzi!

After all, maybe next time, someone will expose a scandal with Akina!