"The third... plan."
Lin Yi said, taking the water glass from Ono Yoko's hand. After taking a sip to moisten his throat, he said, "I still want to hear your thoughts... how do you want to be compensated."
He wasn't in a hurry to speak; instead, he asked a question.
Kusano Kaoru paused; she was still waiting for Lin Yi to state the third option, but she hadn't expected him to ask for her opinion directly.
What kind of compensation?
The compensation she wanted was a lot... She wanted to be famous, as famous as Ono Yoko.
Kusano Kaoru muttered to herself, but she knew that in the entertainment industry, whether a person could become famous was a matter of probability.
Some people deliberately tried to promote a female star, yet they just wouldn't get famous; whereas some female stars became wildly successful just by appearing on a variety show.
"This..."
Kusano Kaoru thought for a moment, but she still didn't know what kind of request to make.
Watching Kusano Kaoru's hesitant and wavering performance,
Lin Yi smiled.
Didn't she just say she wasn't that kind of person?
Was her doing this truly out of being "forced"?
Why is it that as soon as she hears she can make a request, her mind starts racing with possibilities?
There are indeed "Hidden Rules" in the entertainment industry, but these Hidden Rules aren't mandatory; in the vast majority of cases, they are consensual.
Kusano Kaoru was clearly using a scandal to trade for fame, yet she insisted she was "forced."
Clearly, she had the attributes of a bitch.
That silly girl Yoko, despite being in the same group as her for so many years, still hadn't seen through her true nature.
She didn't even realize she'd been tricked by just a few words.
"Have you decided?"
After Lin Yi noticed her bitchy temperament, he began to take his attitude toward her more seriously.
Of course, Lin Yi didn't have a problem with "bitches"; he only used the word "bitch" to better distinguish between the different archetypes of girls.
Compared to terms like "gold digger" or "green tea bitch," it was a more fitting description.
"I want to hear your third option..."
Kusano Kaoru still had a bit of cleverness; she didn't know if the request she made would cross the line of compensation in Lin Yi's heart, so it was better to hear his third plan first.
"The third option: no money, and no acting roles."
Lin Yi said calmly, "But, I will sign you to my Agency."
"Huh? Agency?"
Lin Yi's words stunned Kusano Kaoru, and she couldn't help but ask, "You... have a Agency?"
Ono Yoko was also incredibly surprised. "Yi, do you have your own Agency? Is it true?"
Lin Yi said, "I've been preparing to open my own Agency recently... then I'll sign you directly. As for the Termination Fee and such, don't worry, I'll pay it for you."
"The Termination Fee... would be several billion..." Ono Yoko said hurriedly. "It's too expensive, let's just forget it."
What were several billion?
Lin Yi now had countless cards with tens of millions or even hundreds of millions on them.
He hadn't even bothered to count them.
He had more money than he could spend, and every month, the limit would refresh; it would be a waste not to use it.
"It's not expensive."
Lin Yi smiled as he caressed Ono Yoko's cheek and said with a smile, "For you, it's worth spending any amount of money."
Seeing Lin Yi's confident manner, Kusano Kaoru felt increasingly conflicted.
Among these three options,
The first option was the safest: take the money.
The second option carried a certain risk; after all, filming a TV drama wasn't hard, but the quality and whether it would become a hit were different matters. If it turned out to be a flop, she would be better off choosing the first option.
The risk of the third option was even greater: directly joining his newly formed Agency. No money, and no acting roles.
But the smart Kusano Kaoru knew that just based on her unusual relationship with him, he would definitely give her special treatment!
Seeing that she hadn't responded for a long time, Lin Yi didn't mind. He said, "No need to hurry with an answer; I can give you time to think it over carefully..."
"No need to think..."
Kusano Kaoru suddenly clenched her fists. She looked at Lin Yi and said slowly, "I choose the third option... Of course, you must pay the Termination Fee for me."
Kusano Kaoru made the decision suddenly because she had just discovered something very interesting.
The three options he proposed corresponded to three types of returns: short-term gains, medium-term gains, and long-term gains.
Short-term gains had basically no risk, but the earnings were also small.
Medium-term gains carried a certain risk, but the returns were considerable.
Long-term gains were high-risk; after all, jumping ship to a new Agency when she didn't fully know the boss meant she could be tricked, but if it was true, she would stand to gain immense benefits.
After realizing this, Kusano Kaoru immediately gave Lin Yi her answer and even asked him to pay her Termination Fee.
She could also use the Termination Fee to judge whether Lin Yi was just talking big to tease her or if he really had that intention.
Lin Yi smiled after hearing her answer. He nodded and said, "A smart choice... but I must remind you that after choosing the third option, you will gain some things, but you will also lose some things."
Lin Yi's words contained a hidden layer of meaning.
Ono Yoko didn't understand this layer of meaning because her career had been far too smooth; she had become famous within just a few years of her debut.
Unlike Kusano Kaoru, who had struggled in the third or fourth tier and had seen much of the world's ugliness.
Kusano Kaoru knew that once she joined his Agency and enjoyed the special treatment he provided, if she dared to mess around behind his back, she probably wouldn't even know how she met her end.
Someone who can open a Agency must not only be wealthy but also have a strong background.
After all, the entertainment industry's cake is only so big. If you want to snatch a piece of cake from someone else's hands, you have to ask if the knife in their hand will allow it.
"Yes."
Kusano Kaoru nodded, agreeing without the slightest hesitation.
Seeing her agree so readily, Lin Yi couldn't help but nod inwardly, very satisfied with her.
As expected of a woman who can break free from hypnosis, her mind works quickly.
"Okay, it's settled then."
Lin Yi said, extending his hand to Kusano Kaoru.
Kusano Kaoru reached out and shook it.
This sudden handshake completely stunned Okino Yoko.
She looked left at Kaoru, then right at Lin Yi, utterly bewildered.
Just now, Kaoru looked like she wanted to devour Lin Yi, how could she suddenly not be angry? Even if they reached some kind of consensus, it shouldn't be like this, right?
It's just changing to a different agency, isn't it?
What's the big deal?
Strange.
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