From Thug to Idol: Transmigrating to a Survival Show

786  June Proposes A Charity Concert

June was still unsure about Lei's real identity. So, he decided to let it go for now. He had tried asking Bo Wen, but he also didn't have a clue. Laohu's identity was a mystery to him, too. It seemed like Lin Zhi was the only person who knew about his real identity. However, Lin Zhi was dead, so that wouldn't really help. For now, June wanted to watch how Lei truly acted and see if there were any holes in his personality. However, he has another thing bugging him, so he decided to address that first. "Can't you tell the company about it?" June asked. "Oh, I will tell them," Jay said. "I really think it's a good idea, too. You guys are earning a decent amount, so giving back to people in need is a really commendable cause." "I just don't know if the company will agree," Jay said. "I would say that there's a 0.1% chance of them agreeing." June clicked his tongue. "What's the harm in joining a charity concert? We also don't have as many schedules this month because they delayed the comeback."

As June scrolled through the comments on his viral article last night, he found out that one of the kids, Luna, was suffering from child cancer. The 10,000 USD was supposed to go in for her treatment, but they had to split it in half to care for the other children, too. June thought of donating once more, but he saw that the charity home was hosting a concert-for-a-cause with children performing, and it appeared like they hadn't sold that many tickets. He saw photos of the kids practicing, and his heart broke just imagining them perform in front of a small audience. So, he thought of a cool idea for EVE to make a special appearance so that more people would tune in, and in turn, they would garner more donations, too. However, for that to happen, they needed the company's approval. They also needed their help to make the concert as regulated as possible—so as not to cause chaos. Jay sighed. "There's no harm, of course," he said. "But the company only likes profit-only causes." "Don't worry," Jay added. "I'll still talk to Mr. Ong today." "I'll come with you," June said. "Are you sure?" Jay asked. June nodded in determination. ***

"No, that's ridiculous," Mr. Ong said. "Do you know how much effort will go into it if you guys perform?" "You're not some hillbilly band that can go to such events just because you want to," he said. "EVE being there means that my workers also need to be there to keep everything in check." June pursed his lips. "That's why we're asking for your help...sir," he said, squeezing the last word in to sound more respectful. "And like I said—what's the benefit we'll get from it? Face value?" "We'll be helping a little girl with her recovery," June deadpanned. "Isn't that the best benefit we can get?" Jay nodded in agreement. "Abstract benefits are not real benefits. Let me give you a tip—the only abstract thing that matters is the glory that money brings," he chimed, even chuckling. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"That's the reason why I was able to get to the top in the first place." Jay and June glanced at each other. They both knew that. The contents of the briefcase were a testament to that. "I'll shoulder the expenses," June said. "You don't have to spend a penny. Jay will even handle the ticket selling and all." "I'll pay for the workers' times. We just need your approval—that's it." "This will also be good for the company's reputation," June continued. "More investors will be attracted if we conduct this humanitarian cause."

Mr. Ong pursed his lips, appearing to be thinking about it. For a moment, Jay and June felt like they had finally convinced the old man. However, a small cheeky smile made its way back to his face. "I can't do that," he said. "My reputation is already ruined anyway, so I don't need things like this to save me." Just then, the doors opened, and Lei came in. His eyes widened when he saw that Mr. Ong wasn't alone. "Oh, pardon," he said. "I thought you were free, sir." Mr. Ong smiled as soon as he saw Lei. Lei was about to leave, but the CEO quickly stopped him. "I am free," he said. "I'm done with my discussion with these two." "Go ahead and tell me what you need." Lei scratched the back of his head as he bowed to June and Jay. "Sorry for interrupting," Lei said. "I had just finished going through the magazine shoots of LUNAIRE. I picked the ones that I felt were fitted for the girls. I believe that they shouldn't go on so many shoots as that makes them too accessible. We'll be able to elevate their reputation if we only keep the most prestigious ones." A satisfied smile made its way to Mr. Ong's face. "That's more like it," Mr. Ong said. Then, he turned out to be Jay. "This is how you should be handling your artists. You need to think about their well-being while also bringing in the most money for the company!" With his statement, Jay directed his gaze to the ground. "Umm, Jay is also doing a great job, sir," Lei said. "He's one of the reasons why EVE is so successful these days." "Really," Mr. Ong said, sounding sarcastic. "Sometimes, I think that it's because of Chul." June's jaw clenched as Mr. Ong mentioned the unhinged man. He couldn't believe that he just commended a killer. June shook his head. "I see," June muttered. "You support murderers, but you can't even support good causes." Mr. Ong snapped his gaze to June at lightning speed after he said those words. "What did you just say?" he exclaimed. Lei's eyes widened while Jay continued feeling upset. "Let's calm down," Lei said, chuckling nervously. "Calm down?" Mr. Ong exclaimed. "How can I calm down if this idiot always shames me?" "Just because I don't want to agree to your charity concert, this is how you're going to treat me?" June continued looking into his eyes, not showing any remorse. "Charity concert?" Lei suddenly asked. Mr. Ong sighed and massaged his nose bridge. "They want to hold a charity concert for a sick child...and they want to perform in it. Ridiculous, right? How could such big stars perform in such a small venue?" June was about to argue once more, but he was cut off by none other than Lei. "I actually think that it's a pretty good idea."