Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 168 Sudden High Profile

At the Bazaar Charity Gala, the host on stage was delivering a passionate speech, his words filled with enthusiasm and anticipation for philanthropy.

The scene below the stage was quite different. People were talking in hushed tones or whispering among themselves. The atmosphere was intense and complex, and the dim lighting added a touch of mystery and allure to the grand event.

Song Ci sat quietly, not talking much to the people at the table. He was dressed in a sharp suit, and his every move exuded a refined and scholarly air.

But as the banquet progressed, he felt the venue was a bit stuffy, so he naturally wanted to take off his suit to reduce the feeling of being restricted. So he unbuttoned his suit jacket and prepared to take it off.

As for whether not wearing a suit at the meeting would be considered frivolous and lacking in dignity, that was not within Song Ci's consideration.

The Bazaar Charity Gala isn't a very formal occasion, so even if the media reports it tomorrow, they'll probably praise him for being carefree and unconventional.

This is the same principle as saying that rich people eating at roadside stalls is down-to-earth, while poor people eating at roadside stalls is considered poor.

Fan Bingbing, standing to the side, displayed keen observation skills, quickly capturing Song Ci's subtle movement with a glance.

Yingying stood up and stood to the left and behind Song Ci, leaning slightly forward as she said, "Chairman Song, let me hang up your suit for you."

Song Ci had just taken off her coat and was about to get up to hang her suit on the back of the chair when she heard Fan Bingbing's soft voice and was momentarily stunned.

He quickly refused, saying, "No need, I can do it myself!"

"Don't be so polite!" Fan Bingbing said, reaching out her hands to snatch Song Ci's bespoke suit.

In a public place, under the watchful eyes of everyone, Song Ci couldn't be too close to Fan Bingbing. In the blink of an eye, the suit jacket in her hand had already been taken by Fan Bingbing.

Fan Bingbing wore a smug smile as she carefully smoothed out the wrinkles in her suit.

Then, he carefully hung it on the back of the chair. The whole process was as smooth as flowing water, and to outsiders, it looked incredibly harmonious and natural, as if there was a special tacit understanding between the two.

The people sitting at their table were already top-tier celebrities in the entertainment industry, and the venue photographers had already pointed their lenses at Fan Bingbing when she stood up.

Seeing her helping the man hang up his clothes, and doing so with such care, he immediately started snapping photos, afraid of missing any detail.

Now that things had come to this, Song Ci could only express her gratitude: "Thank you for your trouble!"

Fan Bingbing sat down gracefully again. Seeing that Zhao Zhetian and Zhou Xun were staring at her, she raised her eyebrows at them provocatively, looking smug, as if showing off her close relationship with Song Ci.

To outsiders, his actions just now suggested that he and Boss Song must have a very close relationship.

Seeing his old rival looking at him meaningfully, Zhao Zhetian was so angry that he was furious. He cursed inwardly and then turned his gaze to Song Ci, feeling even more envious and jealous. Jin Suo was eating too well!
After taking off his suit jacket, Song Ci was seen wearing a light blue shirt with the cuffs slightly rolled up. He sat leaning back, exuding a relaxed and comfortable vibe.

Under the dim light, his handsome face seemed to radiate a dazzling light, exuding the elegance and nonchalance of a noble young man.

Although Ma Jieke is also rich and willing to help her, his appearance is worlds apart from hers. Who wouldn't want to find someone young and rich?
Zhou Xun noticed a subtle change in Zhao Zhetian's expression beside her, and gently patted her thigh under the table, signaling her to control her emotions and manage her expression in public.

She and Zhao Zhetian are about to join the cast of "Painted Skin" together, and their relationship has become very close recently.

Zhou Xun glanced at the four men at the table. Leaving aside Zhang Zhao, after comparing them, she felt that Song Ci was even more handsome than Qiao Zhengyu and Huang Xiaoming. He was indeed too handsome.

No wonder Zhao Zhetian felt resentful. Putting aside his status and wealth, just based on his face alone, countless women would be willing to throw themselves at him. Fan Bingbing really got a great deal.

While everyone was lost in their own thoughts, the charity event on stage had already moved on to the awards ceremony.

Holding the microphone, the host announced enthusiastically, "Please welcome the 2007 Top Ten Philanthropic Stars: Yang Lan, Huang Xiaoming, Fan Bingbing... and Qiao Zhengyu to the stage to receive their awards!"

In an instant, apart from Song Ci and Zhang Zhao, the other five people at the table left their seats and went on stage to receive their awards.

"Is Qiao Zhengyu also enthusiastic about charity?" Song Ci asked Zhang Zhao curiously while watching the famous scene on stage.

Zhang Zhao nodded: "Top-tier celebrities have a well-known reputation, and their every move is under media scrutiny. Even if it's just for show, they still have to participate in many charity events."

"Judging by actions, not intentions, as long as one genuinely contributes to charity, it is a good thing."

On the dazzling stage, spotlights intertwined, yet they could hardly penetrate the subtle and cold atmosphere.

The ten charity stars have taken the stage, with beautiful women and handsome men, attracting the attention of the audience.

However, the atmosphere among the A-list actresses was clearly out of place in the glamorous setting.

Zhou Xun, Zhang Ziyi, Zhao Zhetian, and Li Bingbing gathered together, chatting and laughing, but deliberately avoiding Fan Bingbing and keeping a clear distance, as if silently declaring a certain boundary and estrangement.

The four of them had a smooth and lively conversation, but whenever Fan Bingbing tried to join in, the topic would subtly shift or fall into a brief silence.

A subtle awkwardness and repulsion filled the air on stage as the four of them sidelined Fan Bingbing, completely ignoring her presence.

However, the most awkward and nervous person on stage at this moment was Huang Xiaoming. Behind him were three actresses and one soldier, and to his left was Fan Bingbing. He was inexplicably sandwiched between several leading actresses and could clearly feel the disharmony in the atmosphere.

Whether it was his imagination or the air conditioning on stage was too cold, Huang Xiaoming felt a chilling aura coming from all around him, which made him shiver!
He quickly used his skill in mediating between different people to interact with Fan Bingbing for a few words. Qiao Zhengyu, who was standing at the far end, also stepped in to smooth things over, which allowed the award ceremony on stage to continue.

After all ten people received their trophies, the host, covered in sweat, hurriedly asked everyone to leave and announced the start of the next charity auction. Today was arguably the most difficult hosting session of her career.

Fan Bingbing took the lead, walking quickly off the stage with a gloomy and cold expression.

She never expected that Li Bingbing, Zhao Zhetian and their group would so brazenly and openly ostracize her!

Back in her seat, Fan Bingbing had calmed down, composed herself, and transformed back into an elegant superstar. "You guys are ganging up on me, aren't you? I'll make a big splash at the auction later!"

Interesting! Song Ci glanced at the radiant superstar, but in just a moment, she noticed that the superstar's eyes were already calm as still water, without a trace of anger. She couldn't help but admire her composure; putting everything else aside, her ability to maintain her composure was quite impressive.

The "Four Dan and Two Bing" (referring to four top actresses and two top actresses, also known as Bingbing) firmly occupy the top spot among female artists. Their mentality, methods, and professional skills are all first-class. My own Liu is a bit dull. If we were to face them in the future, she would probably be crushed.

After the other charity stars took their seats, the host announced that the evening's event was about to begin with the much-anticipated charity auction.

The first two auction items, exquisite Bulgari and Cartier watches provided by sponsors, were snapped up by Fan Bingbing, who was eager to bid on them.

Wearing a fuchsia gown, Fan Bingbing was radiant under the lights, instantly becoming the focus of attention and stealing the show. Next came the third item up for auction: a Dior mink-trimmed winter gown, exquisitely crafted and incredibly stylish, attracting the attention of many female celebrities in the audience.

Fan Bingbing took the lead, being the first to raise her bidding paddle, instantly igniting the passion of the entire audience and pushing the atmosphere of the charity auction to a climax.

Zhao Zhetian couldn't stand Fan Bingbing's attention-grabbing behavior, so he put up a bidding paddle and countered her head-on.

The two bid against each other, and the price kept rising. With other female celebrities also raising the price from time to time, the price of the third item was quickly driven up to 300,000 yuan.

Zhao Zhetian wanted to continue competing, but Zhou Xun gently tugged at her skirt and whispered closer:
"Stop taking pictures. There might be a wealthy client willing to pay for it. If you keep raising prices out of spite, you might offend that person!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zhetian stopped what he was doing and glanced at Song Ci opposite him without making a sound, but Song Ci's expression remained unchanged, showing no sign of anything amiss.

After weighing the options for a moment, he slowly put down the number plate in his hand, deciding to swallow his anger for the time being.

After Zhao Zhetian gave up, Fan Bingbing looked even more determined to win.

The other actresses who originally wanted to bid also wisely kept quiet, and in the end, the third Dior mink-trimmed winter lace piece was successfully acquired by Fan Bingbing for a high price of 388888 yuan.

The subsequent auction items were suitcases, travel bags, fish tanks, and other miscellaneous items. Although they were all designer brands, the people present were clearly not very interested in these items.

"Chairman Song, is there anything you'd like to buy? I'll take a picture of it and give it to you as a way of thanking you for choosing me as the female lead in 'My Love from the Star'," Fan Bingbing said, seemingly intent on getting the role.

After successfully making three purchases, she was beaming with joy, proving that spending money can indeed make one feel good.

Song Ci smiled and shook his head, politely declining, "Thank you for your kindness, Miss Fan!" If he had something he liked, he wouldn't need anyone else to help him.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zhetian and Zhou Xun exchanged a glance, both understanding the meaning conveyed in each other's eyes.

It seems they were wrong just now. You can tell from Song Ci's way of addressing Fan Bingbing that their relationship is not as close as they imagined!

Just as Fan Bingbing was about to speak again, Zhou Xun deftly picked up her wine glass, stood up, and spoke in her uniquely husky voice:

"Chairman Song, let me offer you a drink to thank you for your kind choice in casting me as the female lead in 'Painted Skin'." With that, he raised his glass and downed the red wine in one gulp.

Song Ci was taken aback. What did the female lead of "Painted Skin" have to do with him? He then realized that Zhou Xun was deliberately trying to annoy Fan Bingbing and prevent her from being the center of attention.

"Mr. Xun, you don't need to be so polite. It's your own ability that earned the recognition of the investors and the director, it has nothing to do with me."

He also stood up, picked up his wine glass, but only took a small sip.

As Zhou Xun took a sip of red wine, a blush rose to her cheeks. Seeing Song Ci stand up to return the toast, giving her ample face, she sat down with a satisfied smile.

Just as Song Ci was about to sit down, she saw the host, Su Mang, holding a glass of champagne, walking gracefully towards her with bright eyes and a cheerful smile on his face.

"Chairman Song, let me introduce myself. I am Su Mang from the Fashion Group. Thank you for coming today. It is an honor to have you here."

"Mr. Su, you're too kind. Your support for charity is a role model for me."

Seeing Song Ci's humble attitude, Su Mang secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She had been worried that the other party was not satisfied with the seating arrangement, but now she could finally relax completely.

Her decision to arrange Song Dynasty poems at this table was also a well-thought-out one.

She originally wanted to seat Song Ci at the table of business elites, but the wealth of the entrepreneurs present today was far greater than that of Boss Song. To put it bluntly, some of the company bosses were not as wealthy or popular as top-tier celebrities.

So she had a brilliant idea and arranged for Song Ci to be placed between Fan Bingbing and Zhang Zhao. One was his capable subordinate, and the other had a major project collaboration with Tengda Culture. The two should be closer to him.

At the same time, they also brought in Huang Xiaoming, who has the best reputation and the widest network in the entertainment industry, to accompany them and ensure a harmonious atmosphere at the dinner table.

Su Mang hadn't expected things to get so tense among the actresses today, but thankfully, their feud didn't seem to have any impact on Song Ci.

Song Ci's words were like a gentle breeze, warm and polite, making Su Mang feel flattered. After clinking glasses, he was filled with pride and, just like Zhou Xun had just done, downed the champagne in one gulp.

Song Ci sighed helplessly. How come these female celebrities and female CEOs have such a high alcohol tolerance!
He always acts like, "I'll drink it all, you can do whatever you want!" He's not a big drinker, and I doubt he could beat these guys in a real fight.

After toasting Song Ci, Su Mang clinked glasses with the others at the table before leisurely heading to the next table.

Seeing this, the others at the table also raised their glasses, and a lively toast ensued.

Later, Wang Luodan, Lü Yi, and Wang Kai, who were also attending the charity event, came to offer toasts, and Song Ci politely returned the toasts one by one.

Wang Luodan rarely gets to see Song Ci, and she originally wanted to linger and try to get closer to the chairman. However, under Zhang Zhao's stern gaze, she still retreated and left dejectedly.

"Don't you usually dislike these kinds of occasions?" Zhang Zhao asked curiously after waving Wang Luodan away.

The chairman, who had always kept a low profile, suddenly decided to attend the Bazaar Charity Gala today, which struck him as somewhat unexpected.

"I will participate in any similar events that are suitable in the future."

As for why Song Ci did this, it's because he listened to the advice of Liu Yan, the newly appointed president of Weibo.

Liu Yan believes that Chairman Song Ci, as the founder and top leader of Tengda Group, is to some extent bound to the company's image.

With such a handsome chairman and so many dazzling accolades, he has a huge following of book fans, looks fans, and career fans.

They should go out more to increase their visibility and that of Tengda Group, which will facilitate the future launch and promotion of Weibo and other products.

After careful consideration, Song Ci felt that Liu Yan's suggestion was indeed feasible. Isn't this the same tactic that Lei Jun and Musk later used?

Both of them are internet celebrities with tens of millions of followers, saving Xiaomi and Tesla hundreds of millions of yuan in advertising costs every year.

This led to Song Ci's unusual appearance at the Bazaar Charity Night.

(End of this chapter)