Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 542 Looking at Myself in 2025
Throughout October, the entire nation was immersed in the festive atmosphere of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. After 45 days in theaters, "The Founding of a Republic" officially ended its run, and its box office successfully exceeded 500 million yuan, becoming the highest-grossing film in mainland China's history.

With a 30% investment share and profits from marketing, cinemas, and distribution, Wenjie netted nearly 8000 million yuan in profit, making it another sure-fire deal.

With the Lunar New Year film season approaching, major domestic film companies have begun their pre-release promotions.

Wanda Feng Xiaogang's "1942", Wu Ershan's "Swordsman";
LeTV Culture's TV series "Dwelling Narrowness" was a huge hit this year, marking a successful start. They also have Chen Sicheng's "Love Story in Beiping" currently in production, "Palace" which will start filming at the end of the year and be released next year, as well as "Dream of the Red Chamber" in which they have a stake, making them a force to be reckoned with.

In terms of films, there's Peter Chan's "Bodyguards and Assassins" and Jia Zhangke's "Shanghai Legend," but the latter isn't a commercial film; it's more about winning a documentary award to elevate the prestige of its production company, LeTV Culture.

Wenjie and Wuyue Culture can be considered as one company. In terms of TV dramas, they have Bingbing's "My Love from the Star" and "Nirvana in Fire" which is expected to start filming at the end of the year.

In terms of film, Ning Hao, who was just a supporting actor, was given a break this year. Between "Lost in Thailand" and "Mr. Holle Tree", the latter was chosen, allowing him and Wang Baoqiang to pursue film awards and realize their artistic dreams.

This is similar to when he was filmed "Cow" in 06. The last time was after the Crazy Trilogy, he was "not doing his job properly". This time it is after "Lost in Thailand" won the third place in last year's Lunar New Year film season, which is a temporary derailment.

Even if someone is a long-time employee or a veteran, you can't deprive them of their pursuit of art, can you?

As a result, this year's Lunar New Year film season was embarrassingly devoid of any commercial films released domestically, with all the hopes placed on the joint venture, Wuyue Culture.
In Lu Yang's "Brotherhood of Blades," Tong Liya played the role of the original Liu Shishi.

Stephen Chow's "Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons" almost entirely features the original cast from the previous life, but Tang Yan plays the role originally played by Shu Qi.

This is, of course, a reward for the Eagle King's "Convergence Strategy," just one of the return gifts.

However, there are no films available in China. Two of the films in the North American anthology are being sold domestically, and after speaking with Lao Han, they will be scheduled for the most suitable time slot.

One is *Inception*, a film co-produced with Disney and Nolan, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and Shu Chang's Hollywood debut, which will be released worldwide. (Chapter 472)
One is "Twilight 4," which has a fixed audience. The original novel was published last August, just before the Olympics, and then the sequel with the original cast and crew began filming. This time, the post-production and special effects took a long time to complete, purely because the plot was already lackluster, and they could only make up for it with visuals to give fans a reason to continue buying tickets.

Besides companies like Wenjie, Wuyue, Wanda, and LeTV Culture, which are among the few new entrants to the market this year, Wu Kebo from Chengtian, a company with Japanese investment, brought "A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella" starring Sun Li and Ronald Cheng, and "The Treasure Hunter".

The latter is starring Jay Chou. Zhu Yanping, who retaliated after Boss Lu angrily criticized the Golden Horse Awards last month, is the producer and main organizer. This time, Chen Daoming is playing a supporting role to continue to elevate Lin Chi-ling's status.

Fiber Optic, which has become the leading force in promoting Hong Kong films to the mainland in recent years, is expected to release a number of works including "Storm Riders 2" starring Ekin Cheng, Nicholas Tse, and Aaron Kwok, "Confucius" starring Chow Yun-fat, and "Hot Summer Days" starring Jacky Cheung.

In early 2002, Yu Dong was the distributor of "Whiplash". He managed to snatch a piece of the pie from China Film Group, which had not yet formed a firm alliance at the time. The huge success of "Whiplash" greatly boosted Yu Dong's confidence, even though his company had only been established for a little over a year.

However, there were very few opportunities for further cooperation.

Because Boss Lu rose to prominence so quickly, all of his film investment was used to unite all available forces, leaving Yu Dong with no chance to get a share. So he turned his attention to the Hong Kong film market, and fortunately, the results were quite good.

In the first year of the 2.0 era of coal bosses entering the domestic entertainment and film industry, the competition during the Lunar New Year film season was fierce, even without the participation of directors Zhang Yimou and Lu Kuan, who were absent due to the Olympics.

Speaking of foreign films alone, which one of them, 2012, Inception, or Avatar, isn't going to be a blockbuster?
The Chinese film market is indeed expanding rapidly, but only three parties can reap the greatest benefits:

First, Hollywood manufacturers;

Second, China Film Group;

Third, there's Wenjie Holdings, which covers the entire film industry chain and boasts the motto "If you're a movie that's released in theaters, I'll take a bite out of it."

For other new and veteran players:

Wanda has its own cinema chain and officially launched its own online ticketing system after Damai.cn fell apart. Wuyue Culture is in a relatively optimistic situation because it has the strong support of Wenjie.

However, the remaining manufacturers have no choice but to find countermeasures in the context of the rapid development of Chinese films in order to seize more commercial benefits.

Thinking about it this way, as time goes on, some people may gradually go astray.

On October 2, 2009, in the auditorium of the Wenjie Building, everyone looked solemn as a core management meeting was being held.

Because the film crew was to depart for North America after the holiday, Lu Kuan's schedule was very tight throughout the National Day holiday.

Today's company affairs and monthly meeting arrangements are routine. His main concerns are a few matters closely related to the film industry and key strategies.

At the same time, this is also the first coordination meeting after several major changes in the company recently. As the leader, he needs to coordinate, set the tone, and clarify the subsequent direction and the strategic significance of each sector.

This first matter involves the complex work arrangements following the acquisition of Damai.cn's equity. The young president had just announced to everyone that Damai.cn had agreed to be acquired in its entirety.

There was no applause, no response, only occasional shocked faces that looked up before quickly looking down again, scribbling something in their notebooks.

Considering the case of "Lianxiang" and the boss's previous instruction to remain inactive in the face of Damai.cn's subsidy frenzy, the process and outcome seem not so hard to predict. With this in mind, the recent news about the rising Hongmeng Capital, Hongmeng Technology, and Lianxiang's mixed-ownership reform all come together.

In China's business world, unbelievable changes have always been commonplace.

In just the last two years, the collapse of the Prince Milk betting scheme last year allowed Goldman Sachs to precisely target domestic brands.

Huang, the founder of Gome, was suddenly detained last November. After professional manager Chen Xiao took over, he brought in Bain Capital in an attempt to dilute the Huang family's equity, triggering a control battle that lasted for several months.
Zhu Xinli, who owned Huiyuan, suddenly wanted to sell Huiyuan, which had an annual revenue of 28 billion yuan, to Coca-Cola for HK$179 billion, but the deal ultimately failed due to anti-monopoly review.

In places you can't see, there are always various capital games and battles, and every strange thing you think has no signs has an endogenous cause that conforms to the evolutionary logic of sociology.

So when everyone, including Liu Qiangdong, looked up again at the boss who had been watching the ceremony from Tiananmen Square yesterday, they were no longer so surprised by the news.

what is this?
It gives me such a strong sense of security!
They are the wicked ones, I am the devil!
At Dongda University, is there any better employer than a boss who enjoys a stellar reputation, connects with everyone, and is willing to delegate authority and offer generous compensation to employees?

The enslaved people were all impressed, and the meeting, which started at 7 a.m. on the second day of the holiday, seemed less unacceptable.

They handle internal affairs, while the boss stirs up trouble and resolves issues externally.

One was in charge of domestic affairs, and the other was in charge of diplomacy and "military affairs," yet their contributions were even greater than theirs.

For example, how much money and how much trouble will be saved by "forcibly acquiring" Damai.cn this time?

Dongzi was the first to react, and said with a smile, "President Lu, the mall previously made a pledge to completely surpass Ali by the end of 2010."

"Now that we have Double 11, the other party has lost the user registration and card binding brought by Damai.com. I think this date should be moved up."

“It’s good to have confidence.” Boss Lu looked at him with a smile. “However, we should still maintain our strategic focus. Our competitors are constantly evolving, so don’t underestimate the heroes of the world.”

He had considered another possibility, especially after the birth of WeChat and the start of comprehensive promotion through product placement in "My Love from the Star" and other channels.

Such speculation is reasonable, but time travelers are not omnipotent and omniscient, and they have not yet anticipated that the two Mas may have already begun tentative contact under Liu Chuanzhi's "matchmaking".

Just as he just said, we should not underestimate the heroes of the world. Every single one of them, including Xiao Ma, Lao Wang, and his gang, is a "good guy".
Along with Dongzi sitting opposite him, they are all outstanding individuals.

This drama may ultimately turn into a "battle between time travelers and the chosen ones of the plane".

Gao Jun had densely written something on the paper in his hand, and while speaking quickly, he asked, "President Lu, regarding the entity after the merger..."

"Of course we will continue to use the Wenjie Ticketing brand, even though Damai now holds more than 80% of the market share."

Lu Kuan said in a deep voice, "I'll just mention a few points. You can formulate a specific plan for the rest after the meeting and then implement it."

The conference room was filled with the rustling sound of pages turning.

Even if the page is blank, you have to turn the page and make some noise. Regardless of whether Damai.cn is related to your business, you have to listen carefully and take notes.

"The importance of online ticketing goes without saying, especially with the data that is now in front of everyone, showing how Alipay suddenly split into so many low-frequency, low-spending users in such a short period of time."

"In the future film market, with the advancement of mobile internet, offline ticket purchases will be less common. Just remember that for now."

Lu Kuan did not elaborate, but for other industries he is not familiar with, he may need to share his foresight and discuss it with everyone else's industry logic.

But when it comes to any aspect of the film, just give direct instructions.

"Based on this understanding, the importance of online ticketing is no less than that of our offline physical cinemas. Please do not be complacent just because we have temporarily 'dominated the market'. There will definitely be competitors in the future."

He paused for a moment: "Please have Gao Jun handle the reception and adaptation work for Damai.cn. My requirements for you are just sixteen characters."

"Consolidate the market, improve efficiency, tap into profits, and build an ecosystem."

"To consolidate the market, we must prioritize connecting the original Damai.cn ticketing system and database with the Wenjie ticketing platform to ensure seamless migration of user data, ticketing information, and merchant data, thereby guaranteeing business continuity and stability."

"The so-called improvement of efficiency and tapping into profits, to put it bluntly, means gradually cooling down Damai.com's crazy subsidy policy, but we need to pay attention to the pace."

"Now that we have a dominant market position, we should enjoy the bargaining power that comes with it. Please ask Gao Jun to gradually optimize the revenue sharing and rebate agreements with other cinema chains. While ensuring our own profits, we should be careful to avoid triggering a large-scale backlash. We can offer more attractive value-added service packages, such as marketing promotion and data analysis services, in exchange for better cooperation terms."

"Regarding subsidies, we should gradually stop indiscriminate high subsidies, clean up historical subsidy commitments, and carry out refined subsidies based on specific groups and marketing objectives."

"In general, there is one principle: to transform subsidies from a tool for market competition characterized by 'wild growth' into a tool for improving efficiency and profits through 'refined operations'."

Everyone secretly chuckled to themselves, thinking that this was just a case of discarding a useful tool after it has served its purpose; after unifying the ticketing market, they were going to tighten their grip and stop the subsidies!

This is actually not difficult for users of Wenjie Tickets to accept, as the subsidy level has always been kept within a certain range. However, users of Damai.cn may have objections.

The inappropriate analogy of "a little kindness is appreciated, but excessive kindness breeds resentment" might reflect the general mentality of consumers.

Therefore, we can only make the transition smooth and avoid causing too much of a gap for everyone. If new competitors emerge in the future, they will inevitably appear, and we will discuss each issue on a case-by-case basis at that time.

This is normal market logic. Nobody is here to throw money around. Besides, half of the more than one billion US dollars that were temporarily recovered has already been used to participate in the mixed-ownership reform of Lianxiang. It can hardly be called a big money tap now.

Mr. Lu felt he had conveyed his meaning quite clearly, and then turned to talk about another major matter related to Damai.cn.

"Okay, now let's talk about the issues that are currently causing a stir outside, namely Harmony Capital and Harmony Technology."

Everyone held their breath, finally able to hear the secret!
The publicly available information is that after Zhuang Xu resigned as vice president of Wenjie, he established "Hongmeng Capital" in Hong Kong and participated in the shareholding reform.

But the management team in front of them absolutely refused to believe it.

What's Zhuang Xu's relationship with the boss? That disciplinary notice was issued by him himself. He had also been holding shares in Blogcn and Weibo for a long time. Obviously, this is just another "clumsy" cover-up.

Even though it's obvious to anyone with eyes, such a disguise is necessary; everyone has to save face.

Mr. Lu said solemnly, "After Hongmeng Capital participated in the mixed-ownership reform of Lianxiang, our partner Lianxiang Holdings and Chairman Liu were very grateful and said frankly that I..."

He paused for a moment, then said, "Zhuang Xu brought warmth to everyone at Lianxiang and saved the company's depressed stock price. In addition, based on the company's strategic concept of 'focusing on one point,' we decided to sell off all of Lianxiang's mobile phone business, including its patents, in order to start afresh."

"Old Zhuang deserves a lot of credit this time!"

At this moment, the core executives in the conference room all glanced at Zhuang Xu, who had a solemn expression, with amusement. Every single one of them kept their eyes down and remained silent.

We can't laugh; we're professionals, unless we can't help it.

Lu Kuan said calmly, "Everyone knows about the news about Huawei and HarmonyOS that circulated last month. Just yesterday, Zhuang Xu concluded a month-long joint venture negotiation with Huawei in Shenzhen. Now, I'll give a brief update—"

"After acquiring the Lenovo mobile phone business, HarmonyOS will continue to introduce Huawei as one of its major shareholders and focus on business lines including mid-to-high-end smartphones, communication modules, and even chip research and development, with the goal of becoming a leading global mobile phone manufacturer."

"It should be noted that HarmonyOS Technology is similar to DJI in that it is a technology industry separate from Wenjie Holdings. This is for the purpose of professional management and operation. Our holding company will always focus its strategic considerations on the Internet and film."

Everyone understood what he meant. Just like the North American and domestic Wenjie had no connection in terms of equity relationship, this was equivalent to the boss's private property, not included in the overall Wenjie Holdings that had distributed virtual incentives.

It's just that people don't understand yet that, like DJI, this is a way to prevent future Western vigilance, sensitivity, and blockade, much like Honor in later generations.

He does not use the name "Wenjie" and has no equity relationship with the main company; he is only related to himself.

Among them, Hongmeng Technology, under Lu Kuan and Zhuang Xu, holds 55% of the shares through his personal holdings of some Android company shares, bundled Lianxiang mobile phones and patents, and capital investment;
Huawi holds a 45% stake, primarily through its existing low-end OEM mobile phone business, as well as the portion of HiSilicon semiconductor business, communication patent licensing, and equipment investment that was strongly requested to be added.

Zhuang Xu has been talking for a month, mainly demanding the partial divestiture of HiSilicon's semiconductor business.

Ultimately, Ren Zhengfei also considered that HiSilicon's chip R&D investment was huge, and that smartphone chips needed to be deeply adapted to the Android system.

If incorporated into a new company, the R&D costs can be borne by the new company, which will reduce Huawei's investment risks and ensure a perfect integration of chips and the Android system.

The two parties have reached a gentleman's agreement regarding company management:

Hongmeng Holdings controls the company's finances and market channels, including distribution and marketing; Huawei is responsible for technology research and development, production, and strategic direction.

It combines the strengths of both sides.

Boss Lu stepped down from his position and Ren Zhengfei became president, while Zhuang Xu became vice president to assist in management.

Looking at the thoughtful crowd, Lu Kuan then announced some rather significant news:

"Therefore, in addition to continuing to hold 15% of the shares of Wenjie Holdings, Zhuang Xu will officially leave the company and our family after assisting with the listing of Weibo, video and e-commerce at the end of this year."

"What? Why are you leaving?" Liu Hong from Zhijie Video, who was close to Zhuang Xu, exclaimed. "President Zhuang is an important organizer and lubricant between our various subsidiaries!"

"boom!"

"Liu Hong! Don't you have any manners?" Zhuang Xu, a usually refined and gentleman, suddenly slammed his hand on the table and looked at him solemnly.

Liu Hong, a former CCTV reporter, is not as shrewd as the other seasoned veterans present.

Liu Qiangdong, who was next to him, also hurriedly and subtly nudged himself with his knee under the table. Realizing he had misspoke, Liu Qiangdong's expression changed, and he was speechless for a long time after being scolded.

He was naturally completely convinced of the boss's authority, but he was really reluctant to part with such an old comrade-in-arms and "good guy"—a dedicated worker, a sincere person, and a low-key individual.

In particular, with him around, anyone who has matters they dare not or are inconvenient to report directly to the boss can smoothly transition through Zhuang Xu. It is no exaggeration to say that he is the lubricant of this vast cultural and media empire.

So why is this unusual reprimand being given if not to protect Liu Hong who made a slip of the tongue?

"Why are you cursing him?" Boss Lu was not offended and smiled as he looked around at everyone: "Over the years, we have all fought side by side. Although the company has never faced any life-or-death crisis, we have worked together to get to where we are today. This achievement belongs to everyone, not me or any one person."

"Xiaolong has seen the atmosphere at Tencent before. There are also many employees who have jumped ship from companies like Ali and Wanda. You can ask around and find out. In modern Chinese companies, I think it's rare to find such a united atmosphere at Wenjie. I also understand Liu Hong's reluctance just now."

“I’ve known Zhuang Xu longer than you all, so long that we didn’t even have open-crotch pants back then,” Lu Kuan laughed. “He’s my close comrade-in-arms and partner, which is why I’m entrusting DJI and HarmonyOS, these two technology companies, to him to represent me in managing the work.”

He paused, then continued, "A point of view, a judgment, that I would like to make clear to everyone is—"

"The Internet is about to enter the mobile Internet era. With the commercialization of 3G and the application and popularity of smartphones, this is already a consensus among global enterprises and manufacturers."

"What is the significance of the joint venture with Huawei, the mobile phone company that Zhuang Xu is going to oversee, for our core business?"

"Smartphones are the most direct and frequently used terminals for reaching users, and they are the core entry point for content consumption and services. Through its own mobile phone business, Wenjie can firmly embed the distribution, promotion, and experience of film and television content into users' daily lives."

"By breaking the physical limitations of traditional cinemas and fixed screens and extending the consumption scenario from 'cinema time and space' to 'anytime, anywhere,' this is not only a supplement to the channel, but also a redefinition and control of user attention."

Because the details of the mobile phone business were just finalized yesterday, and today was the first time that Mr. Lu was discussing the future strategy with the core management team, it is essential that they reach a consensus on this concept.

“We are now building a highway that goes directly to users. What are Wanda, Ali, and Tencent doing? They are making products.”

"PC products represent the current internet competition, while mobile products represent the future of mobile internet. We are not only making better products, but also becoming the roadblock on this highway leading to users!"

"The hardware of the mobile phone itself and the software of the mobile phone system are the path to customers, and also the business that Zhuang Xu is going to start after leaving the company."

He tapped the table lightly: "Comrades, in this sense, Zhuang Xu's departure from the company will actually make our connection even closer, because each of your business segments will be launching mobile versions in the next year or the year after."

"Please continue to support and assist him so that the cultural media company can ultimately achieve its future 'three-screen integration' strategy and realize the ecological dominance of 'right of way equals hegemony' across the three sectors of Wenjie, Zhijie, and Technology Industry!"

"Good! Keep it up!" Dongzi was the first to stand up and applaud excitedly, and the meeting room was instantly filled with shouts and cheers from a group of black slaves.

Right of way is hegemony.

As if effortlessly, Boss Lu's strategic instructions once again gave the subsidiary managers a collective mental euphoria; this was the shared vision of a group of people who wanted to start a business.

However, before he could finish speaking, this National Day holiday became a crucial juncture, serving as a bridge between the past and the future, and a time to initially set the tone for the company's future development strategy and personnel arrangements.

"Currently, there are three major systems: Wenjie, Zhijie, and HarmonyOS (including DJI). After helping Zhijie, which is scheduled to go public next year, get off to a good start by the end of the year, Zhuang Xu will start to focus on the technology industry and lay a solid foundation for our next golden decade. After all, when it comes to technology, it is a real process of accumulating technical expertise."

“When I’m not home, Wenjie has Lao Dong leading all the work. With Zhuang Xu gone, Zhijie definitely needs someone to step up and take the lead.”

The air in the conference room suddenly froze, and everyone except Zhuang Xu lowered their eyes slightly.

The pen tip hovered above the notebook, as if even breathing was deliberately softened, and the humming sound from the air conditioner vents suddenly became unusually clear.

"Old Liu," Lu Kuan suddenly spoke up, seemingly because there was more than one Old Liu present, and then joked, "Dongzi, why don't you be the vice president!"

The Zhijie system, which includes websites such as Weibo, Blogcn, Zhijie Video, and Douban, is expected to see its valuation soar to nearly 100 billion yuan after its collective listing next year. And its next leader seems to have been chosen casually by Lu Kuan.

The company's decision-making process, characterized by "rule by man" and seemingly childish, has allowed it to move forward steadily over the years.

Then, Liu Qiangdong, who had just calmed down from his excitement, and Zhuang Xu led the applause that resounded throughout the venue.

Boss Lu simply stated, "In the five years since Lao Liu led Wenjie Mall, it has grown from nothing to almost surpassing Ali, which is an unprecedented feat in the mainland business field."

"His extreme control over the supply chain and his obsessive pursuit of user experience are underpinned by ascetic self-discipline and almost ruthless execution. What is even more commendable is that this 'down-to-earth' clarity and this 'coexistence of banditry and shrewdness' are the core genes that enabled Wenjie Mall to fight its way out of the fierce competition."

Lu Kuan stood up and shook hands with Dongzi, who was still speechless with excitement: "I hope you can bring this kind of gene to the whole company. Although we are in the cultural field, we should not be high-and-mighty bourgeois who drink coffee, but down-to-earth and hardworking fighters."

"Mr. Lu, the rise of the mall was thanks to Ms. Liu's endorsement and efforts. The first round of financing for logistics construction was negotiated by you and Xiong Xiaoge. Payment Tong also relied on your connections to secure municipal payment business across the country, including this Damai.cn..."

Even now, Dongzi still made sure to put himself in the right position: "If we're talking about credit, I didn't go home for as long as nine months during last year's earthquake. I have to admit that I'm second, and no one can take that away from me."

"But whether it's the World of Inquiry or the Mall, without you, we could never have gotten to where we are today. No one else could have done it!"

"Haha! Alright!" Boss Lu laughed, "We haven't caught up with Ah Li yet, don't let word get out and people will laugh at us."

"You can talk such nonsense after you've had a few drinks tonight."

When everyone heard the big boss swear, they burst into laughter. Putting aside Lu Kuan's usual authority, just based on Dongzi's heartfelt words, he deserved to be the vice president and succeed Zhuang Xu.

Also present was Zhang Xiaolong, a product manager who habitually remained silent. Looking around, experiencing this first-ever meeting of key personnel at Wenjie, he couldn't help but secretly compare himself to Tencent, where he had worked for many years.

The group of people in front of me, including Boss Lu, this great artist, are more like burly men picking their feet on the ridge of a field when it comes to business. They can decide on matters that could affect the entire industry with just a few words while holding a large bowl.
Penguin is more like a well-dressed urban white-collar worker, always having the most beautiful PPTs and fragrant meeting rooms, but always going back to make up for and learn from the past when it misses the trend, even if the results are still quite good.

The former is the fierce spirit of digging for gold with a hoe, while the latter is the refined taste of eating with a silver knife. It's hard to say which is better or worse, after all, he himself is a fan of the petit-bourgeois lifestyle.

However, Wenjie's decision-making system, which is almost entirely "one-man rule," seems more down-to-earth and reassuring, and its administrative efficiency is also quite high.

The policies and executive appointments discussed this morning have still not been finalized even after three meetings with Tencent.

However, Zhang Xiaolong is also keenly aware that the success of this "rule by man" depends entirely on the leader's intelligence and vision.

Once this artist retires, how will the next person manage this cultural behemoth destined to sail the world?

This helmsmanship is not something just anyone can do.

The meeting went smoothly, the results were remarkable, the morale was high, and the evening dinner was sure to be a joyous occasion.

When Chinese people invite guests, the highest level of hospitality is to invite them to their own home. So, we didn't go anywhere else that evening and instead had Chef Qiao prepare a delicious meal and wine at Wenyuhefu Restaurant.

Anyway, there were only a dozen or so black slaves, which was just enough to fill a table.

Liu Yifei and Su Chang were both present. Xiao Liu hadn't drunk alcohol for over a year, but seeing everyone drinking so heartily, her craving for alcohol was stirred up.

It's a pity she's still breastfeeding, so she and Su Chang could only drink orange juice and watch everyone else having fun.

Dongzi is from northern Jiangsu. He loves drinking and lively gatherings and is always the most excited and active person at drinking parties. Today, with his python robe on, he is even more boisterous and drinks as if it were water.

"Mr. Lu, Miss Liu wants to drink today but can't. Why are you suddenly backing down? This isn't like you!"

Boss Lu laughed and said, "I'm leaving in a few days. I want to hold my son and daughter a little longer. I don't want to drink too much and upset the babies. You all have a good time!"

Liu Qiangdong insisted on flattering him: "President Zhuang is leaving, and President Lu is avoiding drinking. Aren't we getting a chance to continue learning?"

Dong Shuangqiang teased, "Their wives are both young, beautiful, dignified, and elegant actresses. Are you, Liu Qiangdong, trying to emulate that?"

"Let me give you an idea," the honest Zhuang Xu joined in. "Isn't there a very popular 'Milk Tea Sister' from Jinling on Weibo lately? If Dongzi doesn't mind the small size, why don't you get involved and do some hype? Maybe it'll be more effective for Double 11."

"Hahaha!" Everyone burst into laughter.

The classic photos of "Milk Tea Sister" circulated online in July this year, and now there are many hot posts on Tieba, Hupu, and Weibo.

Dong Shuangqiang raised an eyebrow in a mocking manner: "Dongzi isn't that kind of person. Do you think everyone is like President Lu... huh? Right?"
Xiao Liu covered her mouth and chuckled as she watched the group chat and joke while clinging to her husband's arm.

Liu Qiangdong, who was all smiles, was completely confused. What was this "Milk Tea Sister"? He thought to himself that he should go back and go online to find out what was going on!
He downed a glass to show his sincerity, then immediately pestered Boss Lu: "Boss Lu, could you offer me another glass? We've reached the middle of the drinking session, someone needs to step up the pace, otherwise we won't be able to drink anymore."

"Mr. Lu, say a few more words. I heard you gave the leaders in Beiping a good talking-to about the film festival. Say a few more words for us to enjoy with our drinks!"

Zhong Lifang, Long Danni, and a few other women joined in the commotion, knowing that this man was not one to put on airs and never cared about rank or status at the dinner table.

"You guys too, I've been talking all day, aren't you tired of it yet?"

Helpless, Boss Lu got up, carrying the small teapot that Liu Qiangdong had refilled, knowing that these people wouldn't let him off the hook today.

"This... what we just drank was about the camaraderie we share with our colleagues in our own company. I think we should also drink to celebrate our grand goals and visions after cultivating ourselves and managing our families."

"Today is the second day of National Day. First of all, we must wish our great motherland prosperity and strength. That's the first point."

"Secondly, this glass of wine should also contain the ambitions of all of us in our careers. Last year, after our eighth anniversary celebration, we got really drunk and imagined what the next eight years would be like—"

"Has Wenjie gone global and become a company with initial global cultural influence?"

"In the next eight years, can we become China's Disney? With our movies, commercials, and animations that can be seen all over the world, while achieving self-realization and financial freedom, have we made due contributions to the cultural field?"

Liu Yifei looked at her husband with eyes full of love; she had seen this scene countless times since she was 15.

Most of the time, this serious demeanor is just a pretext for talking nonsense and deceiving people.

But she knew that every expectation and dream the man was expressing now came from the bottom of his heart.

No one has ever walked this path before, no one knows if it will lead to success, and no one can imagine what the outcome will be.

If there is already such great resistance to simply making a documentary called "The Sky of History" to clarify the truth, how much price must be paid to powerfully voice the strongest voice of Chinese culture?

The time traveler's resounding words stirred the hearts of everyone present.

"In another eight years, it will be 2025. In 2025, I will be 43 years old, Xiao Liu will be 38 years old, and my child will be 16 years old. It will be time to start raising the next generation and gradually withdraw from the historical stage."

"I watched the entire National Day military parade yesterday. At the current rate of development, how prosperous and powerful will our country be by 2025?"

"But at the same time, do we have a corresponding level of cultural influence and voice?"

The young man holding the glass gestured to everyone: "If not, I think I, everyone here, including Wenjie, bear a great responsibility."

"Why?" Lu Kuan paused, then became even more impassioned: "Because starting this year, starting last month, starting with the establishment of mobile phone and WeChat businesses, we have truly laid the foundation for the future integration of three screens. We are building a cultural road right and industry hegemony that is almost a monopoly."

"In a few years, we will almost seize the most lucrative profits in the entire cultural and media industry. The industry rules we set will be more powerful than official pronouncements in some aspects."

Boss Lu waved his hand domineeringly: "Just imagine, when we've perfected online ticketing, cinemas, distribution, and marketing, and then another piece of garbage like Lu Chuan's 'Jinling! Jinling!' comes along, Wenjie won't need official intervention; they can just casually toss down a sentence—"

"This film is not suitable for release."

"Internet media bans all advertising, online ticketing platforms refuse to offer pre-sales, distributors are not allowed to take their business, and cinema chains such as China Film Group, Wenjie, Beiping New Film Union, and Wuyue Culture, which hold an absolute market share, have joined in the boycott, and video websites have completely blocked it!"

"Let me ask you this: will its movies still be able to be shown? Is there anyone who dares to defy public opinion and support such cultural garbage?"

“That’s only one aspect,” Lu Kuan said with a smile. “What I want to say is that when we have consumed the vast majority of industry resources, and when each of us has already achieved financial freedom, this is not just about enjoyment, but also about responsibility. Integrating personal value into the tide of the times is the foundation of Wenjie’s existence.”

"It has always been so, and it will be even more so in the future."

Mr. Lu said solemnly, "To be frank, the fact that we still have room for development is due to the help I have accumulated in other areas, as well as our consistent and absolutely correct attitude and position."

"Individuals can do evil, but companies must never do evil. While we occupy a semi-monopoly position, we must also represent the most advanced cultural direction. Otherwise, collapse will happen overnight."

He laughed and waved the wine jug in his hand with abandon. Everyone filled their cups and stood up excitedly.

"Some dreams are meant to be had at least once in a lifetime, otherwise life would be too boring."

"I hope that by 2025, our aircraft carrier fleet will be able to travel freely around the world and conduct cultural trade freely."

"The camera can penetrate language barriers, allowing our values, our aesthetics, and our 5,000 years of accumulated wisdom to become a spiritual feast that audiences around the world yearn for through the magic of light and shadow."

"Starting with Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan, we must forcefully establish a coordinate system of Eastern culture outside of Hollywood's narrative hegemony!"

Hearing the faint cries of a baby who had woken up hungry on the second floor, his voice softened further:

"Since becoming a father, my whole goal has been to create a better world for my children, and I hope that when they grow up, they can be proud of the cause that their parents fought for."

"If possible, we need them to continue the journey we haven't finished."

"Come on, cheers!"

"cheers!"

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows of Wenyuhe Mansion, the afterglow of yesterday's National Day fireworks still seems to linger.

The baby's cries from the second floor pierced the stairwell, creating a wonderful symphony with the father's resounding vision, echoing in the mother Liu Yifei's ears.

Women hate that they will get old, but Xiao Liu is looking forward to walking with him into 2025.

Look at Lu Kuan, who is 43 years old; Youyou and Tiedan, who are 16 years old; and Liu Yifei, who is 38 years old.

(End of this chapter)