1978 Synthetic Writers

Chapter 557 All About Making Money
Hai Yan noticed the TV series "Stories from the Editorial Department" for two reasons. First, it was produced by Hai Ma and aired during prime time on CCTV, making it hard to ignore. Second, the show was incredibly popular.

During this period, whether it was Haiyan's family, neighbors, or employees of the Kunlun Hotel, everyone was talking about the TV series "Stories from the Editorial Department." Whenever they met, they would inevitably ask if the new episode of "Stories from the Editorial Department" had aired yet.

In such an environment, it would be difficult for Hai Yan to avoid paying attention to "Stories from the Editorial Department" unless he isolated himself from society, and his professional identity meant that he could not avoid contact with society.

Most importantly, Hai Yan maintained close contact with television dramas and CCTV during this period.

His TV series "Plainclothes Policeman" just finished airing on CCTV. It tells the story of Zhou Zhiming, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison on trumped-up charges. After experiencing countless hardships, Zhou Zhiming was finally exonerated and grew into a real policeman.

Looking at the plot in later years, it seems a bit clichéd, even a bit melodramatic.

But how popular is this show right now?
Yes, it caused a sensation as soon as it was released, and it was said that even thieves would watch it on time, which indirectly led to a significant drop in the crime rate at that time.

In addition, the theme song of this drama also resounded throughout the streets and alleys. As soon as the TV series aired, people often hummed: "Through many storms and many seasons, the young man's ambition is not to be sad, the golden shield is forged with hot blood."

Liu Huan's song "Young Ambition Knows No Sorrow" became a hit, deeply ingrained in the DNA of several generations. Later, when the TV series "I Am a Criminal Police" aired, it became a huge hit again, and the melody still moves people deeply.

Furthermore, the influence of the TV series "Plainclothes Policeman" was so great that it affected many things afterward.

Take Chen Sicheng for example. When he talked about applying to the Central Academy of Drama, he directly admitted that he benefited from the popularity of this drama.

It is said that when Chen Sicheng applied to the Central Academy of Drama, he was rejected by the Beijing Film Academy because of his criminal record for fighting. However, he ran into teacher Liu Guoping in the restroom. As soon as Liu Guoping saw him, he said, "You look a lot like one of my students, Hu Yajie."

Later, Chen Sicheng was admitted to the Central Academy of Drama, and his class teacher at the academy was none other than Liu Guoping's wife.

Because he was deeply impressed by Chen Sicheng, Liu Guoping recommended Chen Sicheng to his lover and encouraged him with the proverb "a prodigal son who returns is more precious than gold," giving him a second life in his art.

Who is Hu Yajie? He is, of course, the actor who plays the male lead in "Plainclothes Policeman".

There's also an anecdote that during the filming of "Plainclothes Policeman," the male lead Hu Yajie and the female lead Tan Xiaoyan developed a real-life romance, a fact known to everyone on set. Hu Yajie was a good actor and handsome, and Tan Xiaoyan was completely infatuated with him. Unfortunately, Tan Xiaoyan later had much better opportunities, and the two gradually drifted apart.

Back to the present, the airing of "Plainclothes Policeman" brought Hai Yan a huge boost in fame.

Suddenly, all his relatives, friends, and colleagues were discussing the TV series adapted from his novel. This was the first time Hai Yan had achieved such great fame in his artistic works.

Even with the utmost humility, a touch of smugness inevitably arises, and a sense of pride and arrogance springs forth from the depths of one's heart.

However, such good days did not last long.

Hai Yan noticed that "Plainclothes Policeman" wasn't generating much discussion anymore.

It can't be said that there was little discussion about it.

The main issue is that everyone's attention is limited. Once "Stories from the Editorial Department" aired, everyone went to discuss "Stories from the Editorial Department" and had no time to think about "Plainclothes Policeman".

In short, the popularity of the TV series "Plainclothes Policeman" was overshadowed by "Stories from the Editorial Department".

This made Haiyan feel somewhat frustrated.

Although his frustration wasn't outwardly apparent, Haiyan was indeed feeling a bit uneasy.

Why did Heaven create both Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang?

Or we could release them at slightly different times.

He's no stranger to television; he knows all too well that a show as popular as his "Plainclothes Policeman" might only be produced once every ten years.

As luck would have it, another hit TV series was born soon after, and the two most influential hit TV series of the past decade just happened to coincide.

Where can Haiyan go to seek justice?

This kind of frustration is probably only something Wang Feng can understand.

Just as it was about to trend on social media, everyone's attention was immediately drawn away by something else.

What happened next? Faye Wong and Li Yapeng announced their divorce, Hawick Lau and Yang Mi announced their marriage, Lu Han and Guan Xiaotong announced their relationship, Zheng Shuang broke up, Zhang Heng posted about their child, and Zhao Liying and Feng Shaofeng broke up.
If these aren't enough, there are also examples like Trump being shot, the electric eel going to jail, Li Xiaolu getting a haircut, Dr. Zhai not knowing about CNKI, and even Guangzhou Evergrande winning the AFC Champions League.

This is all incredibly bizarre.

A bunch of bizarre things happened, not too early, not too late, but just when Wang Feng was about to make headlines, as if they were specifically targeting him.

If it weren't so outrageous, one would suspect that Wang Feng himself orchestrated it.

Haiyan was just as frustrated as Wang Feng at that moment.

The spotlight was stolen by "Stories from the Editorial Department" and by "Haima Film and Television Creation Center".

The key is that this "Seahorse" who stole his popularity had invited him to join, but Haiyan didn't take a liking to it at the time.

Now it's true, you used to ignore me, but now you can't afford to associate with me.

The "rabble" in Hai Yan's eyes swiftly and decisively destroyed the ratings myth of his show "Plainclothes Policeman".

Of course, the term "rabble" is a bit of an exaggeration. After all, Ren Haiyan didn't look down on this group too much. He even treated them to a meal and let them come to his hotel to freeload. He simply felt that following this group was a waste of time and wouldn't bring him any benefits.

After all, a successful person like him understands very well what ineffective socializing is. Compared to friends who bring him no benefit, Haiyan would rather spend his time making connections with some high-quality circles.

But now they've been proven wrong.

As it turns out, what the human "seahorse" created is in no way inferior to "Plainclothes Policeman," and may even be better.

Haiyan could have shared in this success; the glory of "Stories from the Editorial Department" could have belonged to him.

Unfortunately, he personally rejected Jiang Xian, and now he can only regret it.

Not to mention the complete 180-degree turn in his attitude towards "Seahorse," Haiyan's view of "Seahorse" has also gradually changed at this moment.

On the other side, CCTV.

"It's good, the plot is good, and the acting is good, especially Sister Niu. Oh my, she's so real. That's exactly how the older sister in my workplace is."

"Indeed, the six main characters have distinct personalities and well-developed characters. The dramatic conflicts are created very naturally, which shows the screenwriter's profound skill."

"Everyone in the editorial department is a genius, they all bring their characters to life, and every episode is so funny that I laugh until I'm doubled over."

"I've listened to the opening theme song of every episode right on time, afraid of missing a single moment. The songs are so beautiful that my child hums them every day now."

"When will the next episode air? Can you give us a preview so we can look forward to it? I wait every night now, afraid of missing it. I'll watch it even if it's a rerun. As long as this drama is on TV, I will definitely watch it."

"."

Feedback from the premiere of "Stories from the Editorial Department" quickly reached CCTV.

Ordinary people are simple, warm-hearted, and sincere in offering their opinions.
"Excellent, excellent. It keeps up with current events and criticizes social ills. Through the window of the editorial department, it presents the warmth and coldness of human relationships and the everyday lives of families. The actor who played Li Dongbao is really comfortable to watch. Although he is a bit ugly, my whole family really likes this actor." In the office, looking at the flood of letters that had arrived, Zheng Xiaolong breathed a sigh of relief.

Although I was very confident in "Stories from the Editorial Department" and had consulted with many leaders and experts beforehand, the most important thing for a TV series is the audience's liking. Even if they think it's great, if it gets terrible reviews after airing, it's just a joke.

"Xiao Zheng, the project you brought in is great. You've lived up to the station's trust in you."

Wu Qing smiled and said, "The story is excellent, and the filming is also very good. It can attract people to keep watching. Now I can't wait to watch the next episode every day."

"You're too kind, sir."

Zheng Xiaolong took a sip of tea, chuckled, and leaned back tactically. "Isn't this all thanks to your excellent leadership? Besides, I believe that the TV series, personally overseen by Comrade Zhang Yongjing, will definitely be of high quality and guaranteed."

"Haha, look at you, completely denying any credit for yourself. This excessive modesty is just arrogance."

"Boss, I didn't."

"Alright, alright, the important task right now is to keep an eye on the filming at 'Seahorse'. By the way, how did the talks with them go for the next episode? We need to arrange the broadcast as soon as possible."

"Next episode."

Zheng Xiaolong scratched his head. "We're still negotiating the price; they're asking for quite a bit."

"How many?"

"Episode 7 and Episode 8, 160,000 per episode."

"Take the young master?!"

Wu Qing looked as if he had encountered robbers, his face full of shock. "Are they crazy?! They spent 30 yuan on just the first three episodes, and now they're charging such a high price for the next episode? This cost more than making a movie. Where are we going to get the money for them?"

"."

Zheng Xiaolong was also helpless; listening to his superior's words, he couldn't very well reply with:
The idol you chose.

Back when Jiang Xian sold it cheaply, wasn't there a lot of opposition from the station?

Why don't you buy it when it's cheap?

If only I had had a little guts back then, wouldn't I have saved that money?

Now that the higher-ups have spoken, the audience is cheering, and the ratings have gone up.

You still say it's expensive when it's a TV series that generates just as much discussion as "Plainclothes Policeman"?
If it's too expensive, don't buy it!

Do you think the national audience can tear down CCTV?
Although Zheng Xiaolong didn't say it aloud, Wu Qing quickly realized it.

Now that the die is cast, even if Jiang Xian's offer is outrageous, as long as it's within their budget, CCTV will have to bite the bullet and buy "Haima" from them.

"Buy it first, and arrange for it to air as soon as possible. Also, call Jiang Xian out and have a chat with me later. This job can't go on like this. It's only the seventh episode, and it's already worth over 100,000. What will it be like if we keep going like this?"

"Hey."

Zheng Xiaolong agreed without any guilt. Seeing his boss's embarrassed expression and recalling the scene of being scolded mercilessly in the past, he felt a sense of satisfaction at his successful revenge.

While CCTV is experiencing both pain and pleasure, others are also enjoying themselves, and others are suffering.

The joy comes from the Bailong mineral water kettle.

General Manager Sun Yingui was ecstatic.

He's been a very bold person since he was a child.

In 82, when he was still a young man, he discovered that he could make a profit by selling the "Xuefeng Honey Tangerines" from his hometown in western Hunan to other places.

The young man was eager to make money and wanted to cheat the local orange farmers. He arranged to buy the oranges at night and planned to tamper with the scales under cover of darkness.

As a result, they were outsmarted by the citrus farmers.

Under the cover of night, citrus farmers packed large quantities of greenish-yellow, inferior tangerines into boxes, passing them off as high-quality tangerines, and even mixed in stones and broken bricks when loading them onto trucks.

Sun Yingui was so focused on manipulating the scales that he was completely unaware of what was happening.

He was dumbfounded when the recipient opened the package, inspected the contents, and started cursing.

Although he was cheated in his first business venture, Sun Yingui still managed to make a fortune thanks to his boldness and quick thinking.

With this money, the restless man began lending money at high interest rates in his hometown, and occasionally invested in some small patents or projects that he liked.

At that time, the trend of going into business was rising, and there was a great demand for private capital. Sun Yingui was a righteous person and he was quick to lend money, so he quickly became a well-known figure in the surrounding area.

Unfortunately, just as he was reaping the benefits and feeling triumphant, another trap quietly descended upon him.

A friend who had borrowed money and couldn't repay it told him that someone at a nearby gold mine was selling a piece of gold at a low price. If he could buy it and resell it to someone in Guangdong, he would make a fortune.

Sun Yingui, who never refuses an opportunity, was naturally tempted. Faced with wealth that was "within easy reach," he completely forgot the admonition that "high profits come at a high cost." He went to inspect the goods with 50,000 yuan in cash, only to be ambushed on the spot by police officers who were posing as the seller. He was imprisoned for 7 days and also fined.

After leaving, Sun Yingui, carrying several small patents and invention drawings such as multi-functional hinges, windproof hinges, and multi-functional door closers, went to Beijing to try his luck.

As it turned out, this time it went very smoothly.

After selling the patent, Sun Yingui and his friends started working on PVC windows and doors, but they soon parted ways due to conflicting interests. He then started his own business, Bailong Green Technology Institute.

After going solo, Sun Yingui immediately set his sights on "mineral water jugs".

In his view, there was no such portable drinking water purification device in China, so he drew on foreign products, made improvements himself, and invented a mineral water kettle with a kettle core display device - "Bailong Mineral Water Kettle".

Sun Yingui had some money, but not much.

Investing in "Stories from the Editorial Department" was indeed a risky venture, and the price Jiang Xian asked for was not a small sum.

For Sun Yingui, he has both benefited from and learned from taking risks in warfare.

But this time, he seemed to have a mental illness, and disregarding the objections of others in the company, he spent hundreds of thousands of dollars.

And judging from the results...

He made the right bet!

The market's response to "Bailong" was even more enthusiastic than the audience's response to CCTV.
(End of this chapter)