Director of Photography Department of Huayu

Chapter 594 "Heart of Darkness" - A Sudden Change in the Tide
Inside the Shanda headquarters building, there is a lounge specially prepared for VIPs.

The interior is tastefully decorated and well-insulated, creating a striking contrast with the bustling corridor outside.

After Wu Wenhui asked that question, the room fell into a brief silence, with only the soft hum of the central air conditioning.

Wu Chen didn't answer directly. He picked up the teacup in front of him, gently blew on it to cool it, then looked up at Wu Wenhui and calmly asked in return:
"Mr. Wu, I believe you should have the answer to this question. As a shareholder, I certainly think that a successful IPO is the best outcome."

Upon hearing this, Wu Wenhui's tense nerves relaxed.

He let out a long breath, a wry smile appearing on his face:
"Of course I also hope that Shanda Literature can successfully go public."

The only thing keeping him at Shanda now is the hope of a successful IPO, even though this IPO plan comes at the cost of harming the interests of them, the original founders of Qidian.

“I just think Chairman Chen seems too optimistic, with a valuation approaching $8 million.” Wu Wenhui shook his head, his words seemingly full of worry.

“With Dangdang and Youku leading the way, and the current trend for Chinese concept stocks being unfavorable, this valuation is indeed a bit too idealistic.” Wu Chen paused, then changed the subject, “Of course, if your team is united enough, it might not be impossible to give it a shot, but…”

Wu Chen's unfinished words struck Wu Wenhui directly.

He looked intently at Wu Chen, his eyes filled with complex emotions:
"Chairman Wu, you figured it out?"

"What's so hard to see? A company's core value lies in its profitability and the people who generate that profitability."

Ideas are the core of Shanda Literature's profits, and your team is the one who creates those profits.

But this IPO plan is punishing those who generate profits and rewarding those who reap the rewards without sowing.

This goes against basic business logic.

Wu Chen stopped there and didn't continue.

However, Wu Wenhui was not at peace inside.

As Wu Chen said, these veterans of Qidian built Qidian from scratch, word by word, creating the VIP system and establishing an author ecosystem!
But now, in this glamorous plan, what have they become?
A group of highly skilled workers who can be replaced at any time!

Meanwhile, those so-called executives who know nothing about online literature are able to take the biggest slice of the pie!
He was unwilling to accept it.
Seeing Wu Wenhui's changing expression, Wu Chen refilled his empty cup with tea and said with a faint smile:

"Life is a marathon, so don't calculate the gains and losses at the moment. Every choice, at the time, may not be the worst choice."

Wu Wenhui remained silent for a long time, then picked up his teacup. The resentment in his eyes gradually turned into a sense of relief and emotion: "Indeed, Chairman Wu is very open-minded."

He paused, as if speaking to himself, and also as if speaking to Wu Chen.
"The original intention of Qidian was simply to win a place for Chinese online literature in Chinese and world culture."
It was simply about earning a decent living for a writer who was once scorned as a mere "wordsmith," enough to proudly present to his wife and children. Every time he thought of this, though physically and mentally exhausted, he still felt a glimmer of hope.

"Then let's toast 'Heart of Darkness' with tea instead of wine." Wu Chen smiled and raised his glass in response.

Wu Wenhui was stunned for a moment, then laughed, the gloom in his eyes dissipating considerably.

"Mr. Wu still remembers my online name. I am honored, I am honored."

At that moment, he felt that Wu Chen was someone who truly understood him and also understood literature.

It's just a pity.
Although Wu Chen has a say in the board meetings, he has very few voting rights, so it is basically still Chen Tianqiao's one-man show.

However, he has already received his answer.

First of all, this IPO will most likely fail.

After the failure, there will inevitably be severe internal turmoil and accountability, which will be his last chance.

If this doesn't change anything, then his glorious days are basically over, and he'll need to think about the future.
In the afternoon, Wu Chen shook hands with Chen Tianqiao, Hou Xiaoqiang and others to say goodbye at the entrance of Shanda's headquarters.

He could sense that Chen Tianqiao was still immersed in his dream of a capital empire, while Hou Xiaoqiang was full of enthusiasm for his patron, who could tap into the gold mine of Shanda Literature. As he turned to walk towards the car prepared by Shanda, he caught a glimpse of Wu Wenhui and his team members standing together, nodding slightly to him.

After greeting everyone, Wu Chen got into the car and prepared to head to the airport.

He attaches great importance to Shanda Literature.

This is a crucial and indispensable element that will provide creative inspiration for his future film and television empire.

After all, the creativity of directors and screenwriters is limited, but the creativity of countless writers in the online literature world is limitless.

Having this core of creative expertise at the very top will be Starry Night Pictures' deepest moat.

At the start of 2011, the film market was still dominated by "Let the Bullets Fly" and "If You Are the One 2".

Although some Hollywood blockbusters, such as "Tron: Legacy," have been released in China, they have never surpassed "Black Swan" in North America, let alone in China.

The lasting impact of "Let the Bullets Fly" is significantly stronger than that of "If You Are the One 2".

It quickly broke the 5 million mark shortly after the start of the year, faster than last year's "Aftershock" and with even greater merit, after all, this is the real box office without any private screenings or group tickets.

Meanwhile, Han Sanping was promoting his big-budget film "Shaolin" for the start of the year, and had even sent the premiere invitation to Wu Chen.

"Chairman Han, I don't think I can go."

Wu Chen glanced at the time; the premiere of "Shaolin" was to be held in Beijing on the 14th, and then politely declined.

"The Golden Globe?"

"The Golden Globe Awards ceremony is on the 17th, and I have to leave on the 15th. I need to rest a bit; I just got back from Shanghai less than two days ago."

"Alright then." Seeing this, Han Sanping didn't press the matter. Then, his eyes darted around, and he seemed to remember something. "Is Yifei free?"

"Mr. Han, is it really necessary? 'Shaolin' already has a bunch of big names, do you really need her?"

"Okay, okay."

Han Sanping had no choice but to give up.

Without Wu Chen present, it would be quite difficult for Liu Yifei to attend the event alone.

After hanging up the phone, Wu Chen also began to have some doubts.

Nowadays, even a place like Shaolin Temple is filled with the stench of money, running companies and making movies. It's like all sorts of monsters and demons are emerging here.
The key point is that this sign seems to be quite effective.

"what happened?"

Liu Yifei noticed Wu Chen muttering to himself and asked him curiously.

"It's nothing, just Han Dong's 'Shaolin'."

Meanwhile, Black Swan's North American box office officially surpassed $1 million, and its global box office reached a staggering $2.4 million.
With a global box office of $3 million, it's unstoppable and looks poised to hit $4 million.

However, North American media coverage was not so enthusiastic.

The battle for the major awards is in full swing, with various public relations tactics employed, making it exceptionally lively.
Box office revenue is secondary now.

Everyone is looking forward to the Golden Globe Awards ceremony, one of the bellwethers of the day.

Just then, the PGA (Producers Guild of America) unexpectedly pulled a surprise, awarding the Best Producer of the Year to "The King's Speech".
This sudden event completely stunned the North American media.
(End of this chapter)