Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 426 The Age of Exploration: Dreams Take Flight
At the Workers' Stadium, the promotional video "Giant Ship Sets Sail" by Wenjie was playing on the screen until the end.

Liu Yifei was crowned Empress in Berlin, where she and her lover shared a passionate kiss on stage.
Lu Kuan, holding the Golden Bear trophy, bowed to the entire audience, choking back tears as he cried out, "Eternal life to Nanjing!"

Then came the phenomenal box office success of "The Sky of History" worldwide, which shocked the world.

The screen slowly darkened. As a leading film company in the Chinese entertainment industry and even Asia, its promotional video naturally had to be high-class and well-organized.

We just used a flashback narrative from a movie, and now we've called back to the first scene, with a voiceover starting.

In 2001, a young man came to Beiping and boarded the small boat called Wenjie, sailing on the sea of ​​Chinese and world cinema.

The scene shifts to a stunning aerial shot of 30,000 employees at the Workers' Stadium holding up glow sticks. The camera zooms out, and the lights in the stadium suddenly come on, with the circular LED screen emitting a golden wave.

Lu Kuan entered the stage from the side, his steady voice resonating throughout the Workers' Stadium via the sound system:

"In 2008, this giant ship, fully loaded with 8431 sailors, set sail for the stars and the sea! You and I are all helmsmen of our time!"

"Let's conquer the world together in the next eight years!"

In an instant, the entire Workers' Stadium seemed to be a powder keg set ablaze, with the roar of 30,000 people, including their families, exploding like thunder.

The audience erupted in thunderous cheers, a wave of blue glow sticks surged violently, and employees in the back rows even stepped onto their seats and cheered loudly.

Under the Beijing night sky in May 2008, this stadium, which can hold 65,000 people, witnessed the most impressive oath-taking ceremony of China's private film and television companies.

At this moment, the Workers' Stadium is like a giant ship that is setting sail with its horn sounding, and every person in the stadium is a crew member on the deck gazing at the starry sea.

That young director who first arrived in Beiping back then is now leading a fleet of Chinese films, attempting to break into the world market.

Lu Kuan walked onto the stage with steady steps. His well-tailored black suit accentuated his tall and straight figure, while the dark-patterned shirt underneath shimmered under the spotlight.

His tie was impeccably tailored, and his brooch was an anchor badge commemorating the eighth anniversary of Wenjie Holdings.

Good evening, comrades.

The audience responded with a thunderous roar, and Boss Lu smiled and gestured with one hand several times to calm the employees' excited emotions.

Lu Kuan, who was 28 years old by Chinese reckoning, stood in the center of the pillar of light. His jawline was as sharp as if it had been carved by a knife, and his sideburns were trimmed extremely short, exuding a fierce and decisive aura.

But as he looked around the stands, the fine lines at the corners of his eyes softened into a gentle curve.

That was a contradictory temperament forged through two lifetimes of ups and downs in the business world, possessing both the sharp edge of a pioneer conquering new territories and the composure of a leader calming the troops.

That composure alone was enough to impress everyone present.

"Comrades, today is May Day, which belongs to all of us who strive and work hard."

"The Wenjie Holdings that you see standing proudly in China and Asia today, including our relatively independent North American Wenjie, were all built brick by brick by everyone."

Mr. Lu said in a relaxed tone: "People often joke that I am the richest man, and during interviews, some people ask me for business advice, but I usually refuse to answer."

"It's not that I'm being overly proud, but I know best in my heart that I'm just lucky, that's all."

The audience burst into laughter and applause, all thinking their boss was just being modest and joking, unaware that these were his true feelings.

Besides solid directing and artistic talent, perhaps we can also add his entrepreneurial and leadership skills, interpersonal skills, and the rest is just good luck, right?

"Today, behind closed doors, everyone's on the same side, so I'll keep it brief and explain why I say I'm just lucky."

Lu Kuan held up one finger: "This first major stroke of luck is because I am Chinese."

"My primary job and my biggest label will always be that of a director. Wenjie Holdings has also developed based on the upstream and downstream chain of the film industry."

"In short, the core of our cultural media group is still the film industry, but in the future it will move towards the integration of the Internet and film."

"As a Chinese director, being born in this era is my greatest reliance and my greatest fortune."

"From the millennium to the present, from joining the WTO to hosting the Beijing Olympics, the country is creating a miracle in human economic history, laying the economic foundation for the development of cultural industries such as film."

"But for directors, as Bergman, the world-renowned living master whom I visited three years ago, said, artists must be rooted in the soil of their own national culture, otherwise they will be like water without a source or a tree without roots."

"When I go abroad and face directors from all other countries in the world, I can proudly say—"

"It is the five-thousand-year-long river of civilization that has given us an inexhaustible source of narrative themes!"

"It is the collision of ideas from a hundred schools of thought that has forged the spiritual backbone of our works!"

"It is the metaphorical and allegorical tradition of poetry and songs that has nourished the literary quality of our dialogue!"

"It is the philosophical wisdom of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism that gives our character portrayals their complex dimensions!"

"The openness and inclusiveness of the Silk Road inspire our creative courage to integrate different genres, while the majestic spirit of the Great Wall, the Yangtze River, and the Yellow River hone our ability to control large-scale scenes."

"These are just a few examples."

"I often tell Ning Hao, Teacher Xue, Teacher Jiang, Lao Kang, and Lu Yang and Guo Fan, graduates of the Pan-Asia Film Academy—"

"Chinese directors have a natural advantage because as long as we bend down and touch this land beneath our feet, we can see epics in every grain of sand and see the universe in every drop of dew!"

The audience erupted in applause. In addition to the directors from the Department of Design, the invited members of the Olympic Creative Team, Gu Yun, Zhang Yimou, Tian Zhuangzhuang, and the teachers and students from the Directing Department of Beijing Film Academy were all deeply moved.

The live stream chat on Wenjie Video went into a frenzy again. Lu Kuan had previously given several speeches at Beijing Film Academy and USC, but they were mostly practical and not very interesting to the average viewer.

But this time it's different.

A mainland tycoon and a recognized genius director attributed his success solely to good luck, yet the facts and logic he described were remarkably accurate.

When we watch his films, those films that pioneered and led the mainland film industry while guiding the entire Wenjie Holdings forward, we see that they all embody traditional Chinese thought:
Whiplash is a song that embodies the Confucian ideal of a strict teacher producing outstanding students.
Shoplifters explores the moral dilemma of "benevolence" and "discrimination between righteousness and profit" in the context of mutual assistance among the underprivileged.

"The Otherworld" revitalizes the Eastern wisdom of "respecting destiny and doing one's best" and the traditional treasures of the "Classic of Mountains and Seas" on a cosmic scale.
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" embodies the Chinese people's sense of national pride and patriotism, as well as the Taoist worldview of "cyclical recurrence" and the sense of belonging to "returning to one's roots".
"Tangshan" embodies the spirit of collectivism and expresses family ethics, reflecting the Confucian values ​​of "benevolence" and "filial piety."
"The Sky of History" embodies the "benevolence and love for others" of two international friends and compatriot Iris Chang, the Confucian morality of "repaying a drop of kindness with a spring of gratitude" of the citizens of Nanjing, and the ideal of the female writer "doing what she knows to be impossible."

Beyond these core themes, his films also draw inspiration from traditional Chinese painting in terms of shooting techniques and composition, showcasing scattered perspective, dynamic narrative, and the symbolic spatial expression of blank space art.

All of this confirms his humble statement above—

My greatest fortune is that, as a director, I was born in China and in this era.

Then the comments on the screen will ask:

Aside from Taro, who's already in prison working on a sewing machine, what are the other six directors doing?
Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige, both from the Five Dynasties period, at least made real contributions to Chinese cinema.

Besides winning two major awards in the past two years, what have the sixth generation of filmmakers actually done to promote national culture, expand the mainland film market, and build our own cultural confidence?
And what are people like Li Jie, Zhu Dake, and Nanfang constantly slandering?
When it comes to art, Lu Kuan has won more art awards than you, and his achievements in film are also greater than yours.

When it comes to business, there's absolutely no comparison; let's not even talk about it.

Some busybodies have already recorded this segment and created a script titled "A Letter from Director Lu Kuan to Those Who Hold Positions Without Fulfilling Their Duties and Zhu Nanfang".

"Holding a position without doing any work" refers to a group of directors who criticize audiences for poor box office performance, blaming commercial films, and indulging in self-pity by exploiting the dark side of society.

Zhu Dake and "Nanfang" are among the critics who have published the most critical opinions on Lu Kuan's films in the past two years, under the guise of art analysis and objective social commentary.

As Lu Kuan's speech on stage drew to a close, after a series of heartfelt words, he became more down-to-earth:
"Comrades, as a film company, Wenjie Holdings is moving forward by benefiting from the development of the times, the nation, and the industry. Looking at it from a broader perspective, this is our way of governing the country and bringing peace to the world in the cultural industry."

"But looking at each of us individually, the company will also actively provide everyone with opportunities and material support for self-cultivation and family harmony."

"One thing I'm very proud of about Wenjie Holdings is that in the eight years since we were founded, we have never had any labor disputes or withheld wages and benefits. Even employees who have left rarely speak ill of us."

Artists transformed into capitalists, starting to recruit industry talent live from all the other viewers:

"We have established an industry-leading compensation system to ensure that every hard-working employee receives the rewards they deserve."

"We have established a comprehensive promotion path so that colleagues in every position can see hope for career development."

“We provide comprehensive social insurance and housing fund coverage for all employees, and also supplement it with commercial medical insurance and annuity plans.”

"We adhere to the annual salary adjustment mechanism to ensure that employee income grows in tandem with company performance, even in today's turbulent global economic situation."

Cheers erupted throughout the venue. What sounded like empty promises to employees of other companies were, in Wenjie, real benefits that were written down in black and white and put into practice.

To the employees of other companies who were filled with envy and jealousy in front of their screens, the Wenjie Celebration had become a living advertisement, not to mention the upcoming on-site lucky draw.

"You are all top students. In English tense terms, the above are all past perfect and present continuous tenses. Now I will talk about the future perfect tense."

"The so-called future perfect tense refers to an action that is expected to be completed before a certain time in the future. I hereby declare—"

The entire venue fell silent instantly, along with the audience watching on television and in front of their screens, as well as other domestic entertainment and film companies.

Huayi Brothers, Chengtian Film Studio, Shanghai Film Studio, Eagle King, Little Horse Galloping, Rongxingda, Wanda, Fiber Optics, Polybona...

Even internet companies like Ali, Tencent, Sohu, and Baidu.

"Before 2010, Wenjie Holdings will complete the implementation of the 'virtual restricted stock' system. Qualified employees will obtain virtual shares through the shareholding committee, enjoying the right to dividends and appreciation, but without ownership, voting rights and transfer rights."

"The granting of virtual shares is linked to employees' job level, performance, and years of service. We have initially decided to cover management, key technical personnel, and employees in core positions."

Lu Kuan explained in a relatively down-to-earth way: "In other words, employees who meet the conditions to receive virtual shares are, in a literal sense, owners of the company. When Wenjie makes money, you can also get a bigger share of the profits, and your pay slip will have an additional line for equity income."

The employees and their families in the audience were stunned. Although they did not think that the people standing on the stage were capitalists who exploited the working class, they were amazed that they could now turn the tables and become masters of their own destiny.
No matter how good the benefits are at Wenjie Holdings, working for someone else and working for yourself are two different mindsets.

The concept of virtual shares is relatively new. Mr. Lu smiled and gave the employees of Wenjie Holdings time to think and react, while the core management team also gave a brief explanation in their respective areas.

A middle-level cadre from the Computer Science Department of Tsinghua University asked his father, who was the deputy director of the Second Machine Tool Factory in Beiping before the state-owned enterprise reform in the 80s.

"Dad, isn't this what you called seniority-based stocks?"

The old man chuckled and said, "It's somewhat similar, but what your boss is talking about also takes into account ability, department, performance evaluation, and so on. But once you subscribe, I'm afraid you won't be able to get away with it."

With so many people around, the old man didn't explain himself clearly, but no matter how you looked at him, he seemed like meat hanging in front of a donkey, something that could keep the donkey moving indefinitely without even being whipped.

Suddenly, a piercing shout of "Long live Wenjie! Long live Boss Lu!" came from the third-floor stands, and the entire Workers' Stadium instantly turned into a boiling hot pot.

After a minute of silence, the roar of 30,000 people suddenly erupted, making the spotlights on the ceiling buzz, and glow sticks rained down into the air.

Several project managers in the front row immediately flung their suit jackets into propeller shapes, while the bald tech guys punched each other on the shoulder.

The high-ranking officials in the audience, such as Dong Shuangqiang, Liu Qiangdong, Gao Jun, Jiang Beichun, Long Danni, and Zhong Lifang, would all be top figures in their respective industries if they were to split off now.

But as they watched the big boss receiving a thunderous roar of support in the center of the stage, they all sighed inwardly.

Throughout history, there has been no greater example of a commander who knew nothing about his troops than a troop who knew his commander.

Wenjie is an industry benchmark, and it's not a recent development that some of these regional leaders have deep-seated ambitions or have already been poached by other internet giants and film companies.

Looking at the scene before them, this unparalleled genius director once again put on a brilliant display of leadership charisma and personal charm.

Lu Kuan's authority was not maintained through power politics, but was rooted in the hearts of the people.

Just like how famous generals in ancient times did not often fight on the front lines, but the morale of the army would be greatly boosted upon hearing their names, as the saying goes, "When Li Guang called out, the barbarian horses would avoid his advance."

Xiao Liu, sitting in the audience, was already used to his mannerisms. Whether you call it being arrogant because you're close to him or having a tacit understanding, it's all up to him.

She was now looking at Lu Kuan on the stage with a smile, as if she were watching an old acquaintance showing off.

Of course, the adoration and love that had been overflowing since her teenage years had never diminished.

In her mind, aside from some minor flaws of the past, the washing machine is a masterpiece.

Beside her, the elderly mother Liu Xiaoli smiled from ear to ear, holding her eldest daughter's hand, and blurted out involuntarily: "If it's a boy in the future, he will still need his father's education. Look at Xiaolu's demeanor, so dashing and masculine."

Xiao Liu looked dejected: "Are you alright? If I were a college student, I'd only be a junior."

She then smiled shyly and said, "Besides, we've only just started dating, it's still a long way off."

"Is it too early? In two or three years, Xiao Lu will be 30. In an ordinary family, that would be when they already have children. We're responding to the national call for eugenics and good parenting. How can it be too early?"

Liu Yifei waved her hand, ignoring her elderly mother's patient persuasion.

She still has the mindset of a young girl; she's far from being at the point of getting married and having children.

Actually, Liu Xiaoli was a bit older when she gave birth to her, and coupled with the fact that she had been away from Liu Yifei's acting career for the past two years and had too much free time, she developed a mental illness that many middle-aged and elderly women in China suffer from.

I want to have a grandson (grandson) soon.

The crowd at the scene was astonishing; the first news caused the Workers' Stadium to erupt in cheers even more intensely than the home games of Beijing Guoan.

However, the bosses and executives of various internet and entertainment companies who were present at the live broadcast fell into deep thought upon hearing about this company system reform.

At the same time, in Wanda Plaza in Beiping CBD, Wang Jianlin had just moved his company headquarters from Dalian to here last month.

This progress was a few months ahead of his previous life. It's hard to say whether it was because the pursuers behind him were too fierce, making him want to rush into the embrace of the capital as soon as possible, to weigh and plan his future development path in the top economic and political center. The new headquarters is located along Chang'an Avenue and is the only private enterprise headquarters building in Beiping's CBD at this time. Even Wenjie Holdings' Ideal International Building is slightly inferior.

Also in this year, Wanda was about to establish the predecessor of "Beiping Wanda Cultural Industry Group" to integrate cinema chains, film and television production and other businesses, laying the foundation for subsequent full industry chain layout.

This physical relocation marks the official transformation of local enterprises into international giants under Wang Jianlin's leadership.

At this moment, Lao Wang, who was sitting in the office of the Beiping Operations Center, was chatting with his subordinates about the eighth anniversary celebration of Wenjie on the screen.

“We had just arrived in Beiping, ready to set our sights on the world, when Wenjie was already raising the banner of going overseas and the slogan of conquering the world. This young man is capable!”

"President Wang should not underestimate himself. Lu Kuan is indeed an exceptional person, one in a million. But as he just said, this is also the trend of the times, which has given the company opportunities and vitality."

"You dared to sell everything you owned to take over the nearly bankrupt Dalian Xigang Residential Development Company in the 80s. You were quite an impressive young man back then!"

Wang Jianlin glared at him and said bluntly, "Stop flattering me. I called you here today to learn. Get your attitude right."

The one who was reprimanded was Ye Ning, the general manager of Wanda Cinemas. He was not offended by the reprimand, because being scolded by the boss for flattering was a good thing, and he should be happy about it.

"Xiao Ye, you're a top student, can you explain what he just mentioned about virtual shares? Is it similar to Huawei's option pool?"

The earliest option pool in China was introduced by Huawei in 1990, but this virtual restricted stock is different from the option pool.

Ye Ning graduated with both his undergraduate and master's degrees from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Chongqing University. This year, he was officially reassigned as the head of Wanda's film industry development branch. He frowned and said:
“Virtual shares are a type of option pool, but they are very different.”

"According to the provisions of the Company Law, ordinary stock options are potential ownership within the framework of the Company Law. After exercising the option, one can obtain full equity, including transfer and voting, unless otherwise stipulated."

"But the virtual shares issued through so-called unions or shareholding committees are different."

“After employees raise funds to subscribe, it is only a contractual right to economic benefits, not equity. This is of great legal significance and should be the firewall that Lu Kuan set up for his dictatorship.”

Wang Jianlin laughed and said, "Being cautious is a good thing; there are plenty of barbarians out there."

Ye Ning was not a professional in this field. In fact, virtual equity in the "Question Realm" was commonly used in later generations and had many purposes.

In 2008, its greatest function was to temporarily circumvent the Company Law's provision that the number of shareholders in a non-listed company could not exceed 200.

Instead, they circumvented this restriction by using nominee shareholding through labor unions and shareholding committees, as well as by using contractual terms.

The direct effects are twofold: firstly, it can get rid of the suspicion of illegal fundraising, and secondly, it can raise funds internally to provide cash flow for the company's development. The funds used by employees to subscribe to virtual shares are actually the company's interest-free liabilities.
Secondly, virtual shares are strongly linked to job level, performance, and years of service, forcing employees to continue to contribute.

These are all tactics employed by later generations of capitalists. However, in a high-quality company like Wenjie Holdings with a promising future, the situation is mutually beneficial for both employees and the company.

In other words, if employees don't have strong confidence in the company and don't have enough recognition of the leadership, why would they be willing to spend real money to subscribe?
After all, this is different from Huayi's private placement, which involves real equity, while this is just virtual equity.

Wang Jianlin sighed inwardly, "Just from this point alone, we can see the extent of Mr. Lu's vision and leadership charisma."

Before Ye Ning could offer a further comment, Wang Jianlin suddenly put his index finger to his lips: "Silence! Listen to what he has to say."

The drumming noise on the screen subsided slightly, allowing Lu Kuan on stage to continue announcing the so-called impactful decade for the industry.

"I don't know if everyone noticed the person filming the video in the opening promotional video."

Everyone focused their attention and recalled that he did indeed call out a title like "senior brother" to the camera.

"Next, I would like to introduce to you a close friend, relative, and brother of mine."

Mr. Lu paused for a moment, as if presenting an award at a film festival: "Mr. Zhuang Xu, president of Weibo, Blogcn, and its subsidiaries Douban, Mtime, and other websites, please welcome him with applause!"

The family members at the scene were still a little confused, but the employees were clapping and wondering what was going on at the celebration of Wenjie.
But Li, the secretary of Huayi, the Wanda team, and other competitors from the domestic entertainment and internet companies in front of the video were all on edge. What kind of crazy move was this unconventional boss, Mr. Lu, going to make today?

Zhuang Xu stepped onto the stage amidst applause. He was quite tall, similar to Lu Kuan, with a crew cut, square face, thick eyebrows, and big eyes. He wore a well-tailored navy blue suit, which accentuated his broad shoulders and upright posture, giving him the air of an elite within the system.

When they stood next to Lu Kuan, their appearances formed a stark contrast—

Lu Kuan was tall and slender, his suit was impeccably tailored and exuded the untamed spirit of an artist, his tie was slightly loose, and the anchor badge on his chest gleamed under the lights;

Zhuang Xu, on the other hand, had a meticulous and disciplined demeanor, with even the top button of his shirt fastened tightly, and a watch face peeking out from his cuff, exuding an air of understated authority.

Su Chang and Liu Yifei, sitting in the audience, exchanged a surprised glance across their seats. The latter knew the truth but had never told anyone else.

Zhuang Xu has always been tight-lipped, especially during the years he was locked in a struggle with Zhou Jun, when he was always extremely cautious.

But Huayi's secretary, Li, could hardly sit still, looking at Lu Kuan raising the microphone with a look of surprise and uncertainty:

"There are actually two things, but I'd like to announce them together."

"All the internet companies under President Zhuang's leadership, including Blogcn.com and Weibo, along with Wenjie Video, will be incorporated into a group company called Zhijie, which will be collectively merged into Wenjie Holdings."

"Given the synergistic effects and differences in operations between internet companies and Wenjie Holdings' film and cultural industry, they will still be accounted for and operated separately."

Lu Kuan did not elaborate on the specific equity distribution issue, nor was it necessary to do so.

The outside world should simply treat it as a strategic merger between the two companies, without giving those with ulterior motives the opportunity to peek into the bigger picture and grasp the outline of his plans over the years.

The equity of Zhijie Group was returned to its original owner, and the newly established fully-fledged aircraft carrier, Wenjie Holdings, holds a 15% stake.

He is also the only natural person besides Dong Shuangqiang who holds shares in the parent company.

Like a stone thrown into a still pond, today's eighth anniversary celebration of Wenjie is more thrilling than any movie for competitors who are "concerned" about the current situation!
Wang Jianlin of Wanda Group pondered the significance of this strategic merger for the competition among cinema chains.

The reason why it has been able to stand out from the crowd at the forefront of private cinema chains is due to its commercial real estate bundling model and standardized asset linkage operation.

The alliance between Wenjie and the so-called Zhijie, apart from improving their funding and publicity capabilities, does not pose a significant threat to Wanda.

The two businesses have different business models.

Wang Changtian of Fiber Optics and Yu Dong of Polybona both lamented that the absolute hegemon of the mainland film industry is about to be further strengthened. At least before, the two companies were only strategic partners, but now the situation is completely one-sided in terms of network traffic.

Both of them had worked with Lu Kuan in their early years, but they didn't have any significant resources to exchange afterward, and they gradually drifted apart.

In recent years, with the positive trend of the mainland film market, each has made great progress, so it's hard to say whether they are enemies or friends.

With such a behemoth standing before them, both Fiber Optics and Bernard simultaneously considered seeking allies.

Berna has cinema chain and film production and distribution capabilities. Fiber Optics has a clear advantage in Hong Kong co-productions in the past two years and is also the largest entertainment media company in mainland China, which can make up for Berna's publicity shortcomings.

Both business leaders fell into deep thought.

The most terrified person was naturally Secretary Li of Huayi, whose core artists next door were still being misled by the two kings and encouraged to follow up with additional share issuance.

But the sudden turn of events caught him off guard. Just as he was about to get up to report, the enemy marshal on the screen spoke again.

This sentence truly made him panic like a stray dog, and rush to the next house to report the enemy situation.

Seeing his jubilant employees, Boss Lu unleashed his ultimate weapon to sow discord:

"In addition to Wenjie Mall, which has already received financing guidance, Wenjie Holdings as a whole will officially begin its IPO preparations starting today!"

Going public...

Is Wenjie aiming to become the first film and television concept stock in mainland China?
Looking at the theme of "Giant Ship Sets Sail" for today's eighth anniversary celebration of Wenjie, and watching Lu Kuan on the stage smiling as he pinned the ship's anchor badge to Zhuang Xu's chest, waving to the 30,000 audience members below the stage to cheer and welcome the new comrade-in-arms.

All domestic entertainment companies and internet companies, including Wanda, scholars and journalists studying the question-and-answer system, and onlookers and spectators alike involuntarily conjured up an image of a real aircraft carrier.

Centered on the behemoth that is Wenjie Holdings, numerous subsidiaries perform their respective duties while working together to build a strategic deterrent system for the cultural industry to conquer the world.

As a content output provider in the film industry, Wenjie Films is like a carrier air wing attacking the core, precisely delivering "cultural ammunition" like an F-35C, using content such as movies, TV series, and variety shows as vehicles to carry out "precision strikes" across cultural fields;
A series of internet companies, represented by Zhijie, are like electronic warfare squadrons in an information center. Blog.com and Weibo build a "full-domain radar network" to monitor public opinion trends in real time, while Wenjie Video acts as a "data link relay station," transforming content traffic into strategic supplies to support the "protracted war" capability of the aircraft carrier battle group.
Butian Pictures is a special operations force that, as a technological spearhead, breaks through traditional audiovisual boundaries and builds a technological barrier that is first-class in Asia and world-class.
Focus Media, Wenjie Mall, and Travel Channel are like comprehensive supply ships and maritime prepositioning ships. The former uses offline advertising as a vertical supply channel to achieve efficient traffic delivery, while the latter two are forward arsenals, transforming film and television works and derivative products into continuous combat materials.

In addition, there is a roundtable meeting that reports directly to Boss Lu, which is the joint command center for this aircraft carrier.

As Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the Global Times, who is known for his penchant for capitalizing on trending topics and vying for online traffic, stated in his Weibo post:
This "Wenjie" aircraft carrier battle group is being driven by cultural nuclear power, guided by internet information technology, and fueled by virtual stock incentives, shifting from "near-sea defense" in the Chinese market to "oceanic presence" in the global entertainment industry.

Its strategic goal is not simply commercial victory, but rather, like the U.S. military's "sea-to-land" strategy, to redefine the rules of sea control for the cultural industry in the 21st century.

While competitors remain stuck in a "lone wolf" mentality, Wenjie Holdings has already used a systematic approach, like an aircraft carrier battle group, to overwhelm them and herald the arrival of the "Age of Exploration" in the cultural industry.

As director Lu Kuan said at the celebration:
"In 2008, this giant ship, fully loaded with 8431 sailors, set sail for the stars and the sea! You and I are all helmsmen of our time!"

"Let's conquer the world together in the next eight years!"

We look forward to Chinese films and cultural industries going beyond Asia and reaching the world!
-
Wang Jianlin's face was ashen. He thought of Wendy Deng, who had visited him two months ago, and instructed his subordinate Ye Ning to contact the leadership of the cinema chain and the cultural sector to hold a meeting the next morning.
Wang Changtian, who entered the film industry relatively late, couldn't sit still any longer than Yu Dong and invited him to a small gathering at a club in Beijing recently.
After much deliberation, Wu Kebo of Chengtian realized that Wang Jinhua had just left, and the company was now slightly weakened. Faced with such a competitive situation, how could they overcome the difficulties?
He thought of Hunan TV, which had a talent agency, Tianyu Media, and a satellite TV station.

Of course, there was also Secretary Li, who was anxiously searching for the two kings to report the situation, trembling with fear, not knowing what kind of storm he would face.

Other internet companies are also evaluating and considering the significance of the merger between Wenjie and Zhijie, and whether it will create a siphon effect and squeeze out their respective sectors.

While giants and near-giants like Tencent and Baidu remain unmoved, companies like Tudou and Youku, which Hu Xijin referred to as "lone boats," have already sensed the crisis.

It's obvious to the naked eye that Zhijie Video has a monopoly on the broadcasting resources for the Olympics, leaving them with money but nowhere to spend it.

That night, the eighth anniversary celebration of Wenjie, and the three shocking announcements made by Boss Lu on stage, changed the fate of too many people, companies, and industries.

As his strength increased, the hurricane he created with the flapping of his butterfly wings became increasingly fierce.

Correspondingly, this time traveler will also face changes in the competitive landscape brought about by his own objective existence, as well as new challenges from the alliances and collaborations of his rivals.

The gap between this world and the previous one is now like an insurmountable chasm.

Of course, his rallying cry also influenced countless dreamers who love movies and Chinese culture, such as Lu Yang and Guo Fan, and a young man in the Yulin community in Chengdu at this moment.

Just like when Lu Kuan was a child, Zeng Wenxiu scrimped and saved to buy him a movie ticket for "Thunderbolt Baby".

Despite his meager living conditions, this unassuming young man, Yang Yu, gritted his teeth and treated himself to a movie.

Because it's his favorite animated film.

Yang Yu's idol is the new generation director Lu Kuan, but his favorite is still animated films.

Four years ago, he moved into a cramped apartment in Yulin Community with a monthly rent of 500 yuan and started making animated short films called "Hit, Hit a Big Watermelon" using a second-hand computer and pirated software.

During those three years, he worked 16 hours a day, kept his food expenses to within 10 yuan, and relied on his mother's monthly pension of 1000 yuan to make a living.

This 16-minute anti-war short film took 3 years and 8 months to complete, allowing him to temporarily clear his mind and watch DreamWorks' world-class "Kung Fu Panda".

When the theater lights came on, he remained seated, watching the end credits scroll across DreamWorks' glittering logo.

The adorable image of Ah Bao on the screen is still vivid in my mind's eye, but his fingernails have unconsciously dug into his palm.

He turned the bathroom tap on full blast, splashed cold water all over his face, and saw a haggard face reflected in the mirror—

With dark circles under his eyes and messy stubble, he looked like a dehydrated vegetable compared to the well-fed, muscular characters in "Kung Fu Panda".

The technological gap is too large.

In a rented room in Yulin Community, instant noodle bowls were piled up next to the computer, emitting a greasy smell.

The young dreamer mechanically opened the project file of "Hit, Hit a Big Watermelon" in the pirated software. Every frame of the 16-minute short film was etched with more than three years of blood and sweat.

But at this moment, the rough modeling and abrupt transitions suddenly became glaring. Compared to the smooth and flowing Tai Chi scenes in "Kung Fu Panda," the war scenes that I had painstakingly created using pirated software looked like a child's crayon drawing.

Yang Yu slumped into the creaking chair, but the mouse inexplicably opened the live replay of the Wenjie 8th Anniversary Celebration.

The golden waves of the Workers' Stadium on the screen rushed towards us, and the young director's voice struck our eardrums like a hammer:
"It is the five-thousand-year-long river of civilization that has given us an inexhaustible source of narrative themes!"

"Bend down and touch this land, and you'll see an epic in every grain of sand!"

A series of impassioned narratives and speeches made his throat tighten, and he couldn't help but look up at the poster of "Nezha Conquers the Dragon King" on the wall.

This masterpiece from the Shanghai Animation Film Studio in 1979 was his introduction to animation.

At this moment, the roar of "Conquer the world!" from the employees of Wenjie on the computer screen strangely overlapped with the shout of Nezha returning his bones to his father in my memory.

Yang Yu felt his heart pounding and his hands trembled as he opened the official website of Wenjie Holdings, found the link to the Pan-Asia Film Academy, and found the dean Lu Kuan's public recruitment email address.

He didn't know if animated films were eligible for this year's entries, but he still decided to give it a shot and started typing out his excited thoughts:

[Director Lu, hello! I'm an ordinary animation enthusiast from Chengdu, an amateur animation director, and also a regular fan of yours! My name is Yang Yu.]

Perhaps he felt that as an animation director, he shouldn't be so serious.

This letter of self-recommendation, with its slim chances of success, should perhaps be something special in order to make this renowned director remember him.

After hesitating for two seconds, Yang Yu deleted his real name and decided to use a more lively nickname instead.

My name is Dumpling.

(End of this chapter)