Reborn as a comedic artist

They've got Lao Wang under their control and Huang Yuxi figured out!

Cheng Ming's next focus is to integrate the team and develop Shuyin into a key IP in the remaining 20 days or so.

To be honest, the timeframe was indeed a bit tight.

But Cheng Ming probably still had some ideas in mind, provided that he first looked at the overall level of the team.

noon.

Shuyin School outside of school.

Inside the Elephant Studio, the air conditioner's outdoor unit was humming loudly.

This used to be a band's rehearsal room, and the blue soundproofing cotton was patched up like a tattered cotton-padded coat.

However, it was cheap and had all the musical instruments. Cheng Ming used his money-counting skills to make it a temporary base for the team.

The air was filled with the scent of pine resin, leather, and old wood.

Cheng Ming sat in the boss's chair that he had picked up from some flea market, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table, making a crisp "tap-tap" sound.

Wang Shuo, Lin Yiyi, Zhao Yufeng, and Gu Xiao have all arrived.

Wang Shuo, completely lacking any decorum, slumped on the worn-out leather sofa, clutching a bottle of cola, looking like a lump of dough fermenting.

Two consecutive days of technical adjustments, plus another round of technical adjustments this morning, have taken a toll on even this true "master of roulette."

Undeterred, Zhao Yufeng was adjusting the straps of her tight-fitting sports vest in front of the full-length mirror on the wall, trying to create a more perfect silhouette.

Lin Yiyi sat obediently on the piano bench, her legs dangling in the air, her eyes vacant. Cheng Ming's three consecutive blows, especially the video from this morning, had dealt her a heavy blow.

Gu Xiao, however, was holding a violin and testing it, standing out starkly from the chaotic surroundings.

I won't say anything more.

Cheng Ming's voice was deep, his fingers tapping absently on the metal back of the chair: "Now I'll only have one piece of good news and one piece of bad news."

The solemn expressions, the lifeless demeanor, and the sudden opening remarks made the hearts of everyone present, with their varied reactions, skip a beat.

Wang Shuo, who had been listless, perked up at his good friend's words and eagerly replied:

"Hey Lao Cheng, stop beating around the bush. Just say what you have to say. That expression of yours is making me really nervous. Did you sign some kind of indentured servitude contract to appease the boss?"

"That's right, you're driving me crazy with all this dawdling! If that stubborn old man Wang dares to give you trouble, I'll go and deflate his tires right now!" Zhao Yufeng couldn't hold back any longer, her handsome eyebrows almost knitting together.

Although Lin Yiyi didn't say anything, her eyes were full of worry, and her hands involuntarily twisted together.

Gu Xiao, on the other hand, remained calm, holding her violin and watching Cheng Ming's performance with an amused look.

Like a new broom sweeping clean, Cheng Ming is trying to establish his authority and give everyone a boost before the team officially starts work.

.................

Seeing that the time was almost right, Cheng Ming's originally solemn expression slowly relaxed.

"The good news is—after all my efforts, thanks to my silver tongue and profound 'interpretation' of art, Old Wang is temporarily turning a blind eye!"

"call.....!"

A chorus of unified exhalations filled the rehearsal room.

Wang Shuo slapped his thigh, making his fat jiggle: "I knew it! Old Cheng is two men in one! Awesome!"

Zhao Yufeng also breathed a sigh of relief and raised an eyebrow: "As expected of the teammate I chose... cough, I chose, he's truly extraordinary..."

Lin Yiyi patted her chest, looking like she had just escaped a disaster: "You scared me to death! I thought you were going to get fired..."

Gu Xiao snorted softly, thinking to herself that this guy was indeed clever, first suppressing and then elevating, he had a firm grasp on everyone's emotions.

however.

Before everyone's smiles could fully bloom, Cheng Ming's next words plunged the atmosphere back to freezing.

Cheng Ming held up a finger and shook it: "Don't be so happy yet. The bad news is that I've made a pledge: if I can't turn Shuyin into a hot IP by the end of the month, I'll pack my bags and get out of here."

Dead silence.

Absolute silence.

Even the humming of the old air conditioner in the corner of the rehearsal room became particularly jarring.

Holy crap!

Wang Shuo suddenly jumped up from his chair.

"Old Cheng, are you playing this big? Do you know how many days we have left until graduation? At most, it's only about ten days! Are you kidding me? If you mess this up, aren't you afraid my uncle will come crawling over mountains with a shovel to cancel my account...?"

"Although you went a bit too far, I have to admit, you really have guts, you're a real man...!"

Zhao Yufeng swallowed hard. Although she was usually incredibly daring, she was stunned by this high-stakes gamble.

Lin Yiyi pouted so much her lips could hang an oil bottle: "Are you trying to fool us again? Humph, I won't fall for that..."

Although she said that, her trembling voice clearly betrayed her inner panic.

After being fooled several times, this naive girl has become a little smarter, but unfortunately, it's still not enough.

"Alright, get to the point. You're acting like we don't know you."

Gu Xiao coldly added insult to injury, directly exposing Cheng Ming's trick.

................

"Sigh... Nobody believes me when I tell the truth, it's so sad..."

Cheng Ming spread his hands innocently, looking rather helpless, like someone crying wolf.

Seeing Cheng Ming like this, everyone felt even more uncertain.

The more serious this guy usually is, the more serious the situation must be. It seems he's really risking his life this time.

The atmosphere became tense again, and a feeling of "fighting with our backs to the wall" spread through the air.

"Everyone, relax."

Cheng Ming stood up, clapped his hands, and the crisp applause forcibly drew everyone's attention to him:

"It's just a school registration, right? At worst, we can go home and inherit the family fortune... Just kidding. We still have time. As long as we're resourceful, there's no hurdle we can't overcome..."

"Easy for you to say! There are only about twenty days left, what are we going to do?" Wang Shuo plopped back down, the chair groaning in pain.

"Even if I replicated your Light and Shadow Mage's method again, and fooled Sister Panda three more times, I still couldn't achieve that effect in such a short time..."

"Exactly, this method might work once, and that's only if people are unaware of the error. But if you keep copying it like this, it'll probably be hard to achieve the same effect..."

The usually carefree Zhao Yufeng was unusually worried, his brows furrowed.

Lin Yiyi's mind had completely shut down. She looked at Cheng Ming with a blank expression, not knowing what to say at all, and could only act as a mascot.

Gu Xiao, however, with the clearest mind, had a sharp gaze that struck only the core issue:

"Tell us, how are we supposed to cooperate with you? Since you dared to make such a promise, you must have already come up with a plan..."

"It's still you, but before that, let's do some research and see how much 'value' your art really has."

Cheng Ming pointed to the musical instruments in the corner, saying, "Let's take them out and see what they're really made of."

......................