I'm just trying to ride the wave of popularity!

Chapter 321 Damn it, we've been scammed!
When Zhang Zhonglei pushed the equity transfer agreement to the center of the conference table, the air in the entire room seemed to freeze.

Zhou Yang looked at the chairman of [Huashang Brothers] with surprise, but did not rush to respond. Instead, he silently and carefully reviewed the equity transfer agreement...

Huasheng Brothers went public last year, and its stock price soared. However, in the first half of this year, the stock price plummeted. If it weren't for the support from other businesses within Huasheng Entertainment, Huasheng Entertainment would likely have suffered a severe blow...

The flashing neon lights outside the window cast Zhou Yang's profile in intermittent light and shadow.

Zhang Zhonglei sat opposite Zhou Yang, remaining silent, but he vaguely sensed a complex mix of emotions within him.

His throat bobbed slightly. He never dreamed that this industry giant, which he once looked up to, would now be humbly offering up its lifeline.

"【Huashang Brothers】, 10% of the shares, is too little..."

Just then, Zhou Yang put down the contract, looked at Zhang Zhonglei, shook his head, and said calmly.

"This is the limit I can give!" Zhang Zhonglei shook his head.

"20%! I'll offer a price higher than the market price..."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhonglei remained silent for a long time, his throat becoming even drier: "This is my life's work... and besides, we still own many copyrights, actually..."

Zhou Yang didn't say anything, but turned his back to him and silently looked out the window.

“Mr. Zhang, let me tell you something from the bottom of my heart…” Zhou Yang silently took off his glasses, wiped them slightly, but didn’t put them back on: “Actually, I don’t need to wear glasses, because I’m not nearsighted. I wore glasses before only to maintain a refined image…”

Zhang Zhonglei was taken aback, then stared at Zhou Yang's wire-rimmed glasses under the light.

Those glasses are non-prescription glasses!

"Actually, I don't need shares in your company. I have my own film and television company, and as you've seen, I'm running it very well. I know your company owns a lot of copyrights, but for me, copyrights aren't anything valuable or important..."

"The movies you used to rely on, the ones you made in collaboration with Hollywood, are really just so-so to me... I like to hear the saying 'Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse,' and I completely agree with it, but times have changed!"

Zhou Yang silently turned his head and looked at Zhang Zhonglei.

In everyone's mind, Zhou Yang, who always wore glasses, was a refined, gentle, and smiling man...

However, once the glasses were removed, those long, narrow eyes were no longer obstructed by lenses. The dark pupils swallowed all light like a deep pool, causing Zhang Zhonglei to unconsciously straighten his back.

"I still have enough chips to keep playing, but you... you don't! The capital you once relied on is now on our side. Unless..." Zhou Yang paused, narrowed his eyes, his gaze sharp as a knife: "Unless you can gamble and make every single one of your films a huge hit!"

Zhang Zhonglei seemed dazed; the words sounded strangely familiar.

this moment!
He suddenly remembered that two years ago, when Zhou Yang had just risen to prominence, they had also tried to take control of [Xuan Shi Entertainment] and threatened him in a similar condescending tone!

Times have changed. The newcomer who once looked up to industry giants now holds the power of life and death, looking down at them from a high position!

"Now, the world is in my hands! 20% of the shares are my bottom line. Either sign the contract now and I'll immediately transfer 2 million RMB; or you can leave and we'll continue fighting until you can't fight anymore!"

"..."

Zhou Yang's voice was soft, yet sharp as a knife.

He casually placed his glasses on the agreement...

At this moment, he was like a beast that had torn off its disguise, and the oppressive aura of a superior poured down as he looked down at Zhang Zhonglei.

Zhang Zhonglei's eyes darkened; he wanted to slap this arrogant young man across the face, but he ultimately restrained himself and struggled to his feet: "15%!"

"20%!"

"I need to talk to the company..."

"it is good!"

Just then, there was a knock on Zhou Yang's office door.

Immediately afterwards, Zhang Jingya walked in.

"Mr. Zhou, the British and French film distributors are already waiting for you in the conference room. They want the distribution rights for 'Moon Wars 2'..."

"it is good!"

Zhang Zhonglei was slightly shocked when he heard the news!
Next!

He stared intently at Zhou Yang.

"Mr. Zhou, a 20% stake is acceptable, but 2 million is too little. I want more! Furthermore, I hope we can share distribution channels and resources..."

"Sharing channel resources is no problem, but I want a say in [Huashang Brothers], and I want another spokesperson on the board!"

"who!"

"Liu Jinghua!"

"what!"

Zhang Zhonglei's pupils suddenly contracted!
....................................

At four o'clock in the morning on May 19, Deng Baichuan's office was filled with smoke, and the ashtray was piled high with cigarette butts.

The phone rang abruptly. He grabbed the receiver and his secretary's urgent voice came through: "Mr. Deng, we just received news that Zhou Yang's [Xuan Shi Entertainment] has invested 2 million yuan in [Hua Sheng Brothers], acquiring a 20% stake! The two parties have reached a deep cooperation agreement, and Zhou Yang's film resources will be fully shared with [Hua Sheng Brothers] from now on..."

Deng Baichuan gripped the phone tightly, his face deathly pale.

He stared intently at the documents on the table: "That old fox Zhang Zhonglei... he surrendered so quickly!"

He then hung up the phone.

Although the news has not yet been confirmed, a chill has already crept up one's spine.

Zhou Yang's influence is extending from cinemas to film production. If even established giants like Huasheng Brothers defect, the alliance of the five major film studios will completely collapse.

At that point, he will have absolutely no bargaining chips left!
He abruptly stood up and paced anxiously around the office, trying to remain calm...

It's just a rumor now, and nothing is certain. He needs to confirm the truth of this matter!
He then sat back down in his chair and picked up his phone.

However, he hesitated for a long time on the phone keypad before finally pressing Zhang Zhonglei's number heavily.

The busy tone on the receiver kept ringing, like a dull knife cutting into my nerves.

He was still holding the phone even after it automatically disconnected.

He dialed a second time, a third time...

Still no one answered.

"Damn it!" Deng Baichuan slammed his phone onto the sofa, turned around, grabbed the landline, and quickly dialed the number of the CEO of [Star Shine Pictures].

The call was answered quickly.

"Old Chen, what's going on with Zhang Zhonglei? Are you guys—"

"Oh, Mr. Deng!" the other party suddenly interrupted, raising his voice: "I'm currently having a crucial drink with the investors, tomorrow! Tomorrow I'll personally come to your office to discuss this in detail!"

The call ended abruptly, the busy tone piercing my eardrums.

When I called back, no one answered.

Deng Baichuan sensed something was amiss and contacted the remaining two companies. One stammered that they were in a family meeting, while the other simply had their secretary transfer them, claiming that the chairman was "suddenly hospitalized with gastroenteritis."

When he insisted on an immediate emergency meeting of the five representatives, he was met with only a long silence and the words, "I can't come today. Wait a little longer, until tomorrow or the day after."

Outside the window, the east was already tinged with the pale light of dawn.

Standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the morning light gradually erode the night, Deng Baichuan suddenly felt a sense of absurdity…

Three days ago, this group of people were determined to "get through this together," but now they are avoiding them like the plague.

At 7 a.m., Xu Haibo pushed the door open again.

"Star Wars box office results are in!"

"How much? 3300 million!"

"Oh! What about Moon Wars 2?"

“Exactly 1000!”

Despite the huge gap in box office revenue, and the apparent advantage of "Star Wars," Deng Baichuan felt a sense of unease.

The opening day box office is just the beginning; the real battle is yet to come—word-of-mouth spreads, changes in occupancy rates, and long-term box office trends are the key factors that will determine the winner.

Especially considering the phenomenal 9.2 rating of "Moon Wars 2" and Zhou Yang's consistent marketing tactics...

Deng Baichuan closed his eyes!

"How much is left in the company account...?"

"Mr. Deng, you mean..."

"Keep throwing!"

"it is good!"

....................................

This world is never short of gamblers!

The success of "Saw" with its small budget has made countless film companies in Europe and America envious.

The subsequent "Martial Soul" series and "Black Robe Alliance" series both achieved impressive box office results in Europe and America...

So after watching "War for the Moon II", even though they felt that the movie might only be a niche film and its box office performance was uncertain, they still flocked to buy the film rights with a gambler's mentality.

……

On the morning of May 20, a bombshell news story swept the global film market.

《月球大战2》海外版权在首映48小时内被英国、法国、意大利等七国片商以100万至500万美元高价疯抢，累计成交额突破2100万美元。

The news caused a collective surge in Hong Kong-listed film and television stocks.
Everyone was stunned and looked on in disbelief as the stock price of [Huashang Brothers] surged 8% against the trend, marking its biggest single-day gain in nearly three months.

Some people are still confused. Zhou Yang and [Huashang Brothers] are supposed to be rivals. Zhou Yang's situation is very good, while [Huashang Brothers] should theoretically be experiencing a sharp drop!

Following that, more and more messages, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, flooded the internet...

Then, everyone watched in shock as the official website of [Huashang Brothers] announced a strategic partnership and resource sharing between Zhou Yang and [Huashang Brothers]. Rumors circulated that Zhou Yang had acquired a 20% stake in [Huashang Brothers], but the exact amount was not disclosed; some said it was 200 million, others said 500 million…

On May 21, before the Hong Kong stock market opened, an insider report ignited the capital market: following his investment in [Huashang Brothers], Zhou Yang swiftly acquired a 12% stake in [Xinghui Pictures] for 180 million RMB and obtained a seat on the board of directors.

Meanwhile, executives from Shengshi Entertainment and Xingshi Films were reportedly secretly visiting the headquarters of Xuanshi Entertainment, with negotiations continuing until the early hours of the morning…

At noon, financial reporters photographed the vice president of Shengshi Entertainment hurriedly leaving Zhou Yang's office with a file bag, while the official Weibo account of Xingshi Film and Television suddenly deleted all negative reports about Zhou Yang.

Rumors are swirling in the industry that these two companies are transferring their shares at 70% of the market price, leaving Tianyu Media completely isolated. However, the accuracy of these rumors has not been confirmed by anyone, and executives from all parties have remained silent, only stating that they need to renegotiate the future landscape of the Chinese film market…

……

5 month 26 day.

Despite Star Wars' rating on MovieHome continuing to decline to 6.5, and being criticized by film critics for "spectacular special effects but hollow plot", it still maintained a stable box office of 1900 million to 2000 million per day in its opening week, thanks to the huge audience base of the Hollywood IP.

The three major cinema chains' insistence on a 40 yuan IMAX ticket price and the overwhelming marketing of lightsaber-themed merchandise helped this $4000 million blockbuster gross over 1.4 million yuan in its opening week.

Conversely, while "Lunar Wars 2" garnered a phenomenal 9.2 rating and sparked heated discussions among moviegoers, its daily box office remained around 1100 million yuan due to its incredibly low ticket price of 12 yuan and its art-house film status, resulting in a total opening week box office of 5600 million yuan...

Some market analysts point out that the box office resilience of *Star Wars* stems from its family-friendly appeal, with many parents still willing to pay for their children's lightsabers. *Moon Wars: Episode II*, on the other hand, attracts older audiences with its philosophical core. However, because the film focuses more on dialogue and lacks the expected epic battles, most children are not particularly interested in this highly-rated movie…

Some young people said that the movie was good, but they prefer movies that are a bit more outrageous and generate more buzz. They don't like serious films like this and wouldn't go to the cinema to watch them...

Despite the fact that Tianyu Media's massive investment in "Star Wars" had strained the company's finances, its stock miraculously stabilized its downward trend and even rose significantly thanks to the film's subsequent box office performance.

Even on June 1st, which coincided with Children's Day, the daily box office for "Star Wars" actually rebounded to 2000 RMB, bringing the total box office to over 250 million RMB!

This movie will easily surpass 3 million RMB in total box office revenue!

Meanwhile, The Moon Wars 2 has just surpassed 100 million at the box office!

Based on various data points, this film has no chance of continuing the miracle of "Saw"...

…………

"Damn it, I've been scammed!"

In the office of [Huashang Brothers], Zhang Zhonglei suddenly stood up from his chair, staring intently at the news that "Star Wars" had surpassed 2.5 million at the box office.

Although "Moon Wars 2" achieved a remarkable box office of 100 million yuan with a budget of only 1 million yuan, and its overseas rights sales were also quite impressive, seeing that Tianyu Media had stabilized its position with its Hollywood IP, and considering the upcoming "Domestic Film Protection Month," they could definitely take a gamble and challenge Zhou Yang...

this moment!
He suddenly realized!

If they had persevered alongside Tianyu Media back then, perhaps Huasheng Brothers would still be his empire to this day.

Although the company's stock price has rebounded and capital is gradually returning, everything is starting to recover, and there are now many more overseas channels available. We no longer need to beg for copyrights like a grandson...

but!
He slammed his fist on the table!

Fuck!
The company is no longer his!

His position as chairman is merely a title; he only has voting rights and the power to make decisions...

Although they haven't been sidelined, they no longer have true and complete decision-making power!
Just at this time……

There was a sudden knock on the door.

The secretary cautiously peeked out: "Mr. Zhang, the first board meeting after the equity reform is about to begin... Mr. Liu Jinghua has already arrived in the meeting room. Would you like to attend?"

"Grass***!"

Under the secretary's watchful eye, he suddenly slapped himself hard across the face!

And it was drawn extremely loudly!

(End of this chapter)