How can you become a star without money?

Chapter 167 Each According to Their Own Preferences, They End up Harming Themselves [10,000-word Update, Please Subscribe]

Friday, May 5.15th.

Early in the morning, the area downstairs of the Meishe Company was crowded with reporters with their long lenses and microphones, and there were even several live broadcast vans parked downstairs.

If the company hadn't sealed off the area in advance, the scene would probably have been even more chaotic.

Wang Yao's RV discreetly bypassed the crowd and arrived at the conference room floor from the underground garage. The conference room door was open, and on the left stood He Ming, the new legal representative of Meishe.com, and on the right stood Ji Jinran and Tang Yan, the employee representatives and directors of Chengtian Entertainment.

It had been a long time since I'd seen He Ming. He had lost a lot of weight and gotten quite tanned, so it seemed he had suffered a lot while he was out there.

Upon seeing Wang Yao, a complex sense of timidity flashed in He Ming's eyes. He forced a smile and walked over to greet him, "President Wang, it's been a long time."

"Mr. He, it's been a long time indeed. How have you been lately?" Wang Yao asked with a sincere smile.

“Aside from getting a tan, everything is fine. Siam is quite interesting. When can I invite Mr. Wang to go on vacation?” He Ming said eagerly.

When he saw Wang Yao again, it truly felt like a lifetime had passed.

Unexpectedly, in just a few months, a huge chasm had grown between the two.

Tianhuo's early business was all behind the scenes, so He Ming didn't know much about the company's development even if he wanted to. His own business had been taken over by Chi Xin, so he heard more about Chi Xin than anything else.

The next time I heard the news was half a month ago when Wang Yao became famous overnight, followed by a deluge of news about Tianhuo, Xingdian, Taobao Girls, Mulan Street, and so on.

At first, He Ming thought it was just a coincidence of names. It wasn't until he confirmed the news with Xu Chen that He Ming accepted that Tianhuo was already a company valued at 30 billion.

He never imagined in his life that the company he paid 500 yuan to have its name calculated would develop to this extent.

Moreover, he thought he would never have the chance to return to China in his lifetime, but unexpectedly, things took a turn for the better. Although the price was becoming the new legal representative, He Ming felt that he had nothing left to lose.

Even though everyone thought at the time that Chi Xin was behind his downfall, now that he thinks about it, He Ming seems to know who the real mastermind is, but he doesn't dare to have any thoughts about it.

After all, Xu Chen said that even his life was in Wang Yao's hands.

“Sure, if the company does well this year, I’ll take the employees to Siam.” Wang Yao replied with a smile, then nodded slightly to Ji Jin and Tang Yan.

Tang Yan dressed up carefully today, probably to cater to Wang Yao's preferences. She wore a mature-looking uniform from the Yunshang brand, which fit her quite well.

"Please take a seat, Mr. Wang." He Ming led Wang Yao to his seat in the conference room.

The court clerk and the four independent directors were already in place, and even a camera was set up to record the entire process. After all, it involved serious proposals such as amending the articles of association and removing the chairman, and everyone's expression was solemn.

Wang Yao attended the meeting as Zhang Chaoyang's nominee shareholder and nominated director, so he was seated in a corner at the back and was happy to have some free time. He took out his iPad and started looking up the news.

A sweet, cloying perfume scent suddenly wafted from his side, and Wang Yao turned to look.

"Mr. Wang, let me know what you'd like to drink or what you need. Mr. Ji asked me to be your assistant today," Tang Yan said in a slightly flushed, coquettish tone.

This was the third time she had met Wang Yao, all during her cameo appearances in "Lost in Shanghai 3". Her role was small, and there was no reason for her to be stationed in Shanghai regularly, so when she heard that Wang Yao had specifically asked for her to be included this time, she inexplicably started to have wild thoughts.

The show "Fairy Robe" achieved a peak viewership rating of 3.1% last week, even surpassing "If You Are the One" at one point, which led to the explosive popularity of several main guests. Huang Shengyi and Zhang Meng, needless to say, now get tens of thousands of likes for any Weibo post they make, and the costumes worn on the show are almost sold out.

Naza and Zhang Tianai, two newcomers, one with the halo of the most beautiful little cabbage and the other with the title of the most beautiful designer, have become incredibly popular since their variety show debut.

Zhao Liying and Ma Ruoye, who was eliminated last week, have both gained new personas and generated buzz.

Tomorrow is the third episode, and the replacement guest is Kim Ji-won from Korea. I heard that four episodes have already been recorded, and there are still eight episodes to go, so there are at least eight guest spots. Tang Yan is a model, so she is even more eager to try to get this opportunity.

“Oranges and lemonade will do,” Wang Yao said with a smile.

"Okay, just a moment!" Tang Yan smiled sweetly, went to the tea room, and returned shortly with a drink.

Wang Yao thanked her, then glanced at Tang Yan's long legs, clad in black stockings, which were almost touching his own, and raised an eyebrow slightly.

Pretending not to notice, they continued with their work.

Soon after, the other shareholders or directors of Meishe came in one after another. Dongfang Xin sat down next to Wang Yao, greeted Tang Yan, and then looked at Wang Yao with a playful gaze.

"Guess who will come first, Xu Chen or Wu Kebo?" Dongfang Xin asked curiously.

"Whoever is confident isn't in a hurry," Wang Yao said with a smile.

No sooner had he finished speaking than Xu Chen walked in with Chairman Lei Man. Both of them had very gloomy faces. Before they could even greet everyone, Wu Kebo followed closely behind, greeting everyone with a big smile.

All 10 directors and shareholder representatives of Meishe were present, and the meeting officially began.

Xu Chen glared at Wu Kebo, then said, "The extraordinary general meeting of shareholders of Meishe is officially beginning. Shareholders may submit their proposals now."

“President Xu, President Lei, we’re not a listed company, so let’s skip the formalities. Everyone’s time is precious. In urgent situations, we should act expediently. As the major shareholder, I’m now proposing to remove President Lei from his position as chairman. Who agrees? Who disagrees?” Wu Kebo stood up and laughed without any politeness.

"Mr. Wu, this is far too disrespectful of the rules." Lehman's face was ashen.

Although they initially treated Meishe as an insignificant investment, a private show venue and a cash cow, its current scale is beyond their expectations, and they have made a fortune.

But the feeling of having something that belonged to him taken away still made him very unhappy.

“Mr. Lei, I’m also thinking about the future of Meishe and its shareholders,” Wu Kebo said with a smile.

“Then let’s just vote.” Lehman stopped Xu Chen from speaking, his gaze sweeping across the faces of all the shareholders before finally settling on Wang Yao.

He was meeting this young man for the first time, but he knew him like the back of his hand. After all, he was a talent who could turn waste into treasure and turn decay into magic. He had originally thought that the two companies could be merged in the future and then handed over to him for management.

But now it seems there won't be that opportunity to personally issue the proposal.

"I agree to the removal." Wu Kebo raised his hand first, looking at Wang Yao with full confidence.

It wasn't just Lehman Brothers who were eyeing Wang Yao; Cheng Wei, representing Ali, and Dongfang Xin, representing Bernard, were also watching him.

美摄股东架构其实挺简单的，基本上就雷曼系（28%）成天+汪铄（28.64%+8%）、阿里（16%）、张超阳（8%）、伯纳（6.4%）、徐琛（4.96%）六个股东。

Wang Yao represents Zhang Chaoyang, but he can influence both Alibaba and Berna, holding more than 30.4% of their shares. It seems that whoever he sides with is the winner today.

But Wang Yao's failure to respond in time made Wu Kebo's heart skip a beat.

Is this kid going to betray us?
Seeing this, Lei Man's gloomy eyes flashed with excitement, and he said, "President Wang, I admit that I have not been very responsible as the chairman and CEO of this company. If President Wang were to take over, I believe that Meishe could take another step forward."

Because Wang Yao is not a shareholder, Lehman did not expect Zhang Chaoyang to ask him to hold the shares on his behalf. Therefore, when they secretly coordinated a few days ago, they did not find Wang Yao to make the transaction, but it is not too late to make the transaction on the spot now.

If Wang Yao becomes chairman and CEO, then it's like the meat rots in the pot, not benefiting outsiders.

Lehman consoled himself.

"Sorry, I was daydreaming. What did you say, Mr. Lei?" Wang Yao looked up and smiled.

Lehman thought he was raising the price: "If Mr. Wang is willing to serve as chairman and CEO, Mr. Xu and I are willing to step down and give him 5% of the shares as compensation."

"Mr. Lei, isn't it a bit against the rules for you to openly sell your products?" Wu Kebo sneered, but he was actually getting nervous inside.

“I agree to let President Wang serve as Chairman and CEO,” Xu Chen grinned, throwing Wu Kebo a provocative look.

"If it's President Wang, I'd agree too," Dongfang Xin said with a smile, adding fuel to the fire.

Wu Kebo's face immediately turned ugly.

What do you mean?
Are you setting me up for a trap?

“Everyone has witnessed Mr. Wang’s capabilities. I originally wanted to hire Mr. Wang as the new CEO. As for the 5% equity stake, we can set it as a standard benefit for a CEO.” Wu Kebo suppressed his nervousness and spoke to defuse Lehman Brothers’s leverage.

Wang Yao chuckled softly as he watched the changes in Lehman and Wu Kebo's expressions.

As expected, smiles don't disappear, they just shift.

It seems that the best actors are still found in the business world.

"You've all misunderstood. I was really distracted just now. I'm already overwhelmed with the Skyfire, how could I possibly manage Meishe? Regarding Mr. Wu's proposal, Mr. Zhang asked me to express my agreement." Wang Yao didn't continue to incite the two to watch the show, and raised his hand to vote.

Lehman sighed, and Wu Kebo also breathed a sigh of relief, a smile returning to his face.

“I agree too,” Cheng Wei from Alibaba raised his hand in agreement.

“I agree,” Dongfang Xin said with a smile.

Finally, after verification by the legal counsel, Wu Kebo's proposal to remove Lehman and Xu Chen and to become chairman was passed with an absolute controlling stake of 67.04%.

Faced with a difference of only 0.04%, Lehman finally stood up and gave up his position, saying, "Congratulations, Mr. Wu. I hope that under your leadership, Meishe can go even further."

"Thank you, Mr. Lei and Mr. Xu, for your contributions to Meishe. The company will always remember your achievements," Wu Kebo said in a sanctimonious manner.

After sitting in the chairman's seat, Wu Kebo glanced at the others and said, "After the two old directors are removed, there are 8 board seats, including 3 external directors. We can add one more director. I suggest Mr. Wang Yao take the position, since he also indirectly holds shares in Meishe and serves as CEO."

Wu Kebo once again used his power as a major shareholder to pressure the board of directors to vote.

The three foreign directors weren't stupid either, and in the end, Wang Yao was unanimously approved to become the new CEO of Meishe Company.

"I am unworthy of your kindness, you all have shown me too much favor." Wang Yao waved his hand and sighed softly.

“Mr. Wang is truly deserving of the honor, so please don’t refuse.” Wu Kebo, having gotten his wish, couldn’t suppress the smile on his face. “If there are no other proposals, today’s shareholders’/board of directors meeting of Meishe will be concluded.”

Everyone nodded.

"Now that the US photography meeting is over, can we hold the shareholders' meeting tomorrow?" Xu Chen said with a sneer.

“Of course, go and call all the board members in.” Wu Kebo said with a smile.

He turned to Wang Yao and joked, "Mr. Wang, don't get distracted this time."

Wang Yao raised the corners of his mouth and nodded.

成天虽然是上市公司，但股东架构同样简单，就看片儿网（8%）、黎家（6.64%）、美摄（30.824%）、券商（3.336%）、以及吴克波代持东瀛资方（16%+20%），剩下的就是二级市场的散户了。

The Hong Kong shareholders' meeting requires that shareholders holding more than 2.5% of the shares or 50 shareholders jointly sign a proposal to have the right to propose a motion. Moreover, shareholders need to confirm their shareholding in advance to attend the meeting. Therefore, Wu Kebo knows very well how many people are attending today.

Moreover, no matter how many people come, as long as he holds 36% of the shares, it is equivalent to having a direct veto power over all special resolutions. Unless the other party finds some loophole in the law, he can disrupt any proposal.

Of the seven members of Chengtian's board of directors, only Ren Quan and Xu Chen were not his people; the other five were his people, and he had absolute control over the board meetings.

Therefore, in his eyes, Xu Chen's behavior was like that of a clown, harmless and purely disgusting, a display of impotent rage.

But when Chen Hao and Wang Jinhua walked into the conference room with Ji Rujin, Wu Kebo was still in a daze for a moment.

It felt like going back to the time before Chengtian went public.

Wu Kebo snapped out of his reverie and subconsciously glanced at Wang Yao, who was smiling in the corner. The shareholders/directors of Meishe in the conference room had all moved to Wang Yao's side, as they were also indirect shareholders of Chengtian and had the right to attend today's meeting.

But when they lined up around Wang Yao, Wu Kebo suddenly felt a chilling sense of oppression.

His brain began to work instinctively and frantically.

No, no.

There's a problem, there must be a problem.
He and Wang Yao are currently in an alliance.

However, Wang Yao, Ren Quan, and Wang Jinhua are all in an alliance.

Moreover, why would Chen Hao appear here? This woman definitely didn't come with good intentions!

Meishe is on the right side of the conference table, and Chengtian is on the left side of the conference table.

Wu Kebo stood in the middle, watching this scene with a smile on his face, though it was somewhat stiff.

In just a dozen seconds, countless possibilities flashed through his mind.

But in the end, they were all suppressed because of the 36% stake they held.

I have absolute control!

No one can stir up trouble.

"Congratulations, Mr. Wu, on becoming the chairman of Meishe Company. Before the shareholders' meeting begins today, I have a gift for you." Xu Chen stood up first, holding a document, and walked towards Wu Kebo.

Wu Kebo took it and glanced at it. He paused when he saw the words "judgment," then looked at it carefully again and again. After a long while, he asked, "What...what does this mean?"

To be honest, he really didn't understand it.

This model named Feng Jiao has been harmed and deserves our sympathy and pity. Should she seek compensation from the company? Or should she ask the company for help in getting justice?

He couldn't immediately connect this matter with Meishe Company.

However, he knew very well that Xu Chen's generous gift was definitely not a good thing.

This is definitely not a simple case dispute.

"Mr. Wu should know about what happened to Qu Shou not long ago," Xu Chen said with a smile.

“Of course I know.” Wu Kebo’s forehead veins throbbed as he looked at Wang Yao.

"Feng Jiao and Qu Shouma are good friends. After this incident last year, the then manager He Ming did not handle it properly. After seeing that Qu Shouma's matter was resolved properly, Feng Jiao asked her to report the case to the police with the assistance of the Women's Aid Association, so that the criminals from last year could be arrested and brought to justice."

However, photos that Feng Jiao was forced to take at the time are still circulating online, so she plans to learn from Qu Shou's approach and proactively resolve the issue publicly. "Xu Chen said expressionlessly.

He Ming, who had been trying to keep a low profile, turned pale the moment he was called out.

"This, Mr. Wang should be able to handle it, right?" Wu Kebo gasped.

With this explanation, he could probably understand that this was a topic of interest no less than the Qu Shou incident.

But with Wang Yao's abilities, he might be able to turn the situation around.

"Mr. Wu, this matter is different from what happened with Qu Shou. This is a truly serious case. The main culprit, Cai, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his egregious acts, including organizing a performance and using violence and coercion."
But most importantly, this incident has a terrible impact on Meishe.com and even the entire modeling industry. Once this is exposed, the irregularities in the photo shoot industry and the safety of the modeling industry will directly affect Meishe's core business, and it may even be suspended for rectification. Wang Yao stood up, his brows furrowed and his expression solemn.

Wu Kebo's pupils suddenly contracted; the words "suspend and reorganize" struck him like a bolt from the blue.

The value of Meishe lies half in Meishe.com and half in Tianhuo.

If Meishe.com suspends operations for rectification, the consequences are unpredictable, but a shrinking valuation and a pessimistic outlook are inevitable.

Moreover, it is very likely that the company will never recover, as it may be classified as a high-risk industry.

A major crisis for core assets?!

Then my pledge.
He now finally understood why Xu Chen had called it a great gift.

This is a gift that could ruin him and Meishe.com.

"Are you crazy? Or are you insane?" Wu Kebo laughed angrily, pointing at Xu Chen and Wang Yao and asking, "If this matter isn't handled properly, we're all finished!"

He tried his best to suppress the anger in his chest, but his eyes gradually turned red.

People become rude when they are extremely frightened.

This is a self-protection mechanism.

"This is a problem left over from before by Meishe. Why wasn't I informed earlier?!" Wu Kebo roared.

"We didn't expect that Mr. Wu would suddenly want to become the chairman." Xu Chen sighed softly.

Wu Kebo was stunned.

Yes, he got greedy and wanted to take over Meishe.

"Is this really having such a big impact?" Former chairman Lehman finally recovered from the grief of losing power.

Although he is no longer the chairman, he is still a major shareholder.

If something goes wrong with the camera, his losses will be enormous.

"The impact might be even greater than we imagine. Under Feng Jiao's influence, we don't know if other boys and girls who have had the same experience will stand up. If it's not handled properly, it will affect not only Meishe, but the entire modeling industry," Xu Chen said.

He knew there were some things Wang Yao couldn't say.

"Xu Chen! I entrusted the company to you, and you've caused such a huge mess?! What crime should you be charged with?!" Lehman roared in fury, slamming his fist on the table.

He was more terrified than Wu Kebo because he knew more about the situation. If something really went wrong, it would be a catastrophe!
"Mr. Lei! Now is not the time to assign blame." Wang Yao stood up and placed a hand on Lei Man's shoulder. "We need to solve the problem. What do you say, Chairman?"

“Chairman? Heh.” Wu Kebo sat back down and sneered.

The others in the conference room exchanged glances, their expressions complex. This matter seemed like a risk for Meishe, but it was relevant to everyone present.

Alibaba's Cheng Wei's expression changed drastically, and he immediately sent the message back to Cai Chongxin, urging him to make plans as soon as possible.

If Meishe.com really collapses as a result, affecting the modeling industry, then Taobao's modeling business will collapse for a period of time, resulting in considerable losses.

Tang Yan stared blankly at Wang Yao, her mind suddenly filled with many forgotten and long-forgotten memories, and her face gradually turned pale.

“If Meishe Development suffers a severe blow, the interests of Chengtian’s shareholders will be seriously harmed. As a shareholder representative, I have the right to ask the shareholders’ meeting to investigate the serious dereliction of duty by Wu Kebo, Chairman and CEO of Chengtian, and propose his resignation and removal.” Chen Hao suddenly stood up.

"Who do you think you are?" Wu Kebo was already suppressing his irritation, but he didn't expect that Chen Hao would dare to make things worse.

"I represent 32 small retail shareholders acting in concert, holding a total of 15% of the shares. Who do you think I am? Wu Kebo, watch your attitude," Chen Hao coldly rebuked.

"15%?!"

The other directors were immediately in an uproar.

This should be close to all the circulating shares on the secondary market.

No wonder the stock price has remained stagnant.

"So it was you!" Wu Kebo instantly understood, roaring with bloodshot eyes.

"Mr. Wu, calm down," the brokerage representative said sternly.

If Chen Hao really manages to acquire all the circulating shares in the secondary market through this joint method, he will face the risk of delisting or being manipulated.

As securities firms, they must take precautions to avoid crises in advance.

Moreover, they were the ones who helped handle the recent pledged financing of nearly 10 billion yuan. If Meishe Company really suffers a huge crisis, they will be terrified.

That damn Wu Kebo, how did he manage to cause so much trouble?

"Legal counsel, sue her for malicious stock manipulation." Wu Kebo grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth.

He can't handle Feng Jiao's crisis, so he can't handle her either?
"Wu Kebo, accept my lawsuit first. You've been refusing to fulfill the contract you promised me all this time. Today, we should settle the score properly." Wang Jinhua sneered as she threw the documents in her hand at him.

"You're joining in the fun too? You dare?" Wu Kebo laughed angrily.

"Mr. Wu, it's Mr. Morita on the phone." Wu Kebo's assistant suddenly interrupted his outburst with a strange expression.

Upon hearing the name, Wu Kebo's surging anger instantly cooled. He picked up the phone and went to a corner to answer it. Three minutes later, he returned to the chairman's seat. This time, he did not sit down, but instead surveyed everyone in the room with his bloodshot eyes.

Finally, his gaze locked onto Wang Yao's face.

If this guy hadn't created this online ticketing platform, the two of them might never have crossed paths in their lives, let alone thought of annexing Meishe and Tianhuo.

His intuition told him that it must be related to Wang Yao!
"It's you?" Wu Kebo squeezed out two words through gritted teeth.

"Mr. Wu, I wasn't distracted this time," Wang Yao said, feigning ignorance and giving an irrelevant answer.

"Okay, okay." Wu Kebo felt his blood surging and his head throbbing.

"Chairman, please make a decision soon," Xu Chen urged from the side.

Wu Kebo, who was already furious, suddenly felt dizzy and fainted.

"Mr. Wu has fainted!"

The meeting room erupted into chaos.

"How could this happen?" Dongfang Xin asked in bewilderment.

After Wu Kebo successfully became the chairman of Meishe, she thought she could just watch the show from then on.

It was indeed lively, but it was completely different from what she had imagined.

How did Wu Kebo's happy occasion turn into a tragedy in the blink of an eye?

“Those who are good at swimming drown, and those who are good at riding fall.” Wang Yao squinted, his tone leisurely.

"Each person, according to their own preferences, ends up causing trouble for themselves."

(End of this chapter)